The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-06-19
FEDERATION OF CHURCHES
HOUSING MEETING OF THE THIRD
 DISTRICT 4 UYTLI1RY.

This City, Held at summerfield Metho-
 dist Church--SpirIted Addresses by a
 Number of Good Speakers.
 The Third district auxiliary of the Federation of Churches in New Haven and vicinity, which is composed of the Taylor Congregational church, the Sum merfield M. E., Olivet Baptist, Dixwell avenue Congregational and the A. M E, Zion churches, held mass meeting of
 the churches at the Summerfield M. F. church on Wednesday evening at eight o'clock, and representatives of all the churches were present After a short preliminary service lead by Rev. T. N. Baker, of the Dixwell avenue Congrega- tional church, the Rev. H. l.. Hutchins, who is chairman of the district, spoke of the purpose of the meeting and intro- duced the Rev. Watson L. Phillips, the present president of the federation, who spoke most interestingly upon the de- velopment and character of the federal ton movement as now inaugurated in the city. The doctor said, The question IS UIlGn dSKGu, w Ddl IS d I GuGTdllUll OL Churches? It is a fellowship of church es in Christian work. It is a great alli- ance of Christians that believe in the kingdom of God. So it's doors are opened to all of every name. It does not k the question of creeds, but if one believes in the kingdom of God and is trying to help it, he can do it in this way as he cannot in any other and while he is try ing to strengthen the kingdom as whole he is also building up his own church as part. The federation move ment in New Haven is really in the pro- cess of being born, and is appealing to the pastors more and more. There has been various attempts made to get at the conditions of the unchurched masses among us that is necessary if we wish to reach them. I presume that this work, now begun, would not have been started if it were not for the aid of the Connect icut Bible society that has been carried on by them in this city for some months, this house to house visitation, with the encouragement and endorse ment of many of the pastors They have visited many thousands of the families of all nationalities and gathered accu- rate information, and have passed it over to the pastors in such thorough form as to be used by them. As a result of it many pastors have visited these homes and families that have been drift ing away from the church have been brought back. But there was another result of this canvass that helped to bring this movement to head. It was found that the increase in the city was not a foreign increase alone, but that many newcomers among the Americans had no church connections, and hence it was suggested by one of the visitors of the Connecticut Bible society that meeting should be called of the pastors of the churches irrespective of denomi- nation, to consider the wisdom of united effort. Some of the prominent pastors responded by signing call for meet ing which was attended by the largest representation of ministers l have ever seen in thea city, and an enthusiasm shown that was the promise of the dawning of a new day in the church life of our city. The practical result of that meeting was the appointing of com- mittee representing eight denominations to consider the matter of forming a Fed eration of Churches, and if deemed ad- visable to draw up a plan and a consti- tuition and report. A plan was formu- lated and constitution prepared, and then a meeting was called of the pastors again, and before them this tentative plan was presented, and after full dis cussion 1t was adopted.
 What I wish especially to state is the object of this federation. "The object of this federation is the promotion of mu- ;p+ fo1 one churches and denominations, to obtain, so far as possible, by interchange of views the concensus of clerical opinion upon all questions of general interest to the churches, such as public charities, moral reforms, the establishment of mis- sions and mission schools, the over- crowding of localities already well sup piled with mission help, the religious needs of destitute portions of the city; to secure a more thorough parOchial vis- | itaton of the Protestant population; to furnish for the workers in our churches, and for all benevolently disposed persons | in the city, a bureau of information l upon all questions of mutual interest 1 upon which there is substantial agree | ment among the city pastors; to en- courage and regulate attendance upon | Sunday schools; to scrutinize and ad- | wise upon new claimants for general be- | nevolence and to consider new or addi- tional methods proposed for winning | men to the church"
 As to the methods proposed for attain ing this object; they are first, by a thorough investigation of various sec- tions of the city, in cooperation with the churches in such sections, for the purpose of obtaining data on which to base an accurate knowledge of the so- cial moral and religious conditions thereof; second, by cooperating with existing agencies to meet the needs dis closed; third by stimulating the crea- tion of new agencies wherever existing agencies prove inadequate; fourth by organizing district auxiliaries, composed in each case of all pastors and lay workers in such districts who are willing to unite and cooperate in such service, and through which the actual work of the federation shall be accomplished"
 One of the primary purposes of this committee in working out this plan of organization was to avoid the necessity of paid officers or visitors, and it was desired also to rally the churches around a common interest. 4 representative body was therefore formed to be conn., ,,oeo5 of tho roe StOr and +Wa law 1n1e-