The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-25
A RELIGIOUS CANVASS
PLANS % OBTAINING CHURCH AND
SUNDAY SCHOOL STATISTICS.
Marion County Sunday school Assoc
citation VIII Undertake the Pro-
posed Work April IL.

About one hundred people, pastors, Sun
day school workers and superintendent,
assembled in the parIors of the First
Baptist Church yesterday afternoon in an
swer to the call of the Marion County
Sunday School Association, and adopted
plans for a religious canvass of indianapolis
and suburbs. April IL was set as the date
when the canvass shall be made The
work win be of vast Importance to the
churches, being of some magnitude, with
prospects of good results. The object which
the association has in view is to increase
the membership of the churches and Sun
day schools and to bring this about a cam
vass is to be taken so each church may
know the true condition of the people.
The State Sunday School Association is
pushing a house to house canvass in the
interests of the churches and Sunday
schools and as an aid in this work the
meeting of yesterday was called. W. c.
Hall, president of the county association,
acted as chairman of the meeting and J.
b. McNeeley was secretary. After divine
aid had been asked for the success of the
undertaking Mr.. McNeeley explained the
objects and purposes of the canvass, outlin-
ing the methods to be pursued. He said it
was the desire of the committee, which
was selected by the county association,
to have ore president for each ward in
the city, he to have as secretaries one
representative from each precinct of the
ward. These secretaries are to be chosen
from the different churches and the cam
vass is not to be made in the interest
of any particular church or denomination.
The presidents are to have control of the
canvassers in their respective wards. Vol
unteerS as canvassers are to be asked for
in the different Sunday schools. 1t is es-
timafQ1 that II will take five hundred can
vasserS to do the work outlined on the
day chosen. These canvassers are not TO
or send their children to Sunday schools.
They are to gather facts, which will be
to learn the number of families not be-
longing to church and the number who
never attend. They are to find how many
children do not attend Sunday school and
how many houses, If any, have no Bibles.
They are to ask the UNCONVENTIONAL prefer
church and whose children do not attend
Sunday schools. Those who have a prefer
est church of their liking and to send
their children to it's school. Louisville has
recently finished a religious canvass and
1t Is said the Christian workers of that
city are able to place each family in the
city and they know how many. have no re-
T TBev knaw OF meyer atteno c GnuTcn,
have Christian surroundings and they know
amongst what class work is most needed.
1t is said that the canvass in Louisville
has resulted in large additions to the
churches. for it has systemized the work.
The plans of the committee, as set forth
by Mr.. McNeeley, met the approval of
those present. The first question raised was
regarding the ACCESSIBILITY of the date, April
IL, as a time for conducting the canvass.
Some thought it was too early in the
season. as there are many families who
would not be moved by that time, but by
a vote ON a motion it was decided to allow
the date to remain. The selection of presi-
dents for each ward brought forth some
amusement for so few of those present
knew anything about the wards of the
city. A majority of the pastors and work
ers did not know what ward they lived in
and had it not been for the assistance of
w. C. Van Arsdel the work of selecting
presidents would probably have been post
poned. Mr.. Van Arsde1 was pretty well
informed on ward boundaries and he told
those present the wards to which they be-
1onged. The following ward presidents
were chosen: Ward ], Rev. 3. w. Coop
er; Ward 2. o. H. Palmer; Ward 8, VIII
Hubbard; Ward 4, w. f. Shilling: Ward
5. James P. Lewis: Ward 6. Kenneth Reid
Ward Z Howard Gale; Ward s. Rev. Frank
II, Rev. George Knox; Ward 10, L. b. Hop
kins: Ward IA, f.. A.. Allen; Ward 10, II.
b. Fatout. Rev. F.. A. Styled was elected
president for Brightwood and Rev. Mr..
Mann for Iryington. 1t was impossible to
select from those present presidents for
the other wards and suburbs so the work
of selection was left to the committee.
The presidents will met soon and consider
the plans for making the canvass. Those
a while to get results from the canvass,
but by having it conducted early they hope
to have an increased membership of the
Sunday schools before warm weather.