The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-29
TAKE BIRMINGHAM CENSUS IN AN HOUR Gigantic Task Planned For
 October 8 HOW IT WILL WORK Sunday School Workers Will Get Ab- solute Data On Every Man,
 Woman and Child in
 the City


 when during the morning an invitation will be extended to every man. woman and child to connect himself or herself with the work of Jehovah through His organizations, and complete inventory of the religious strength of the city will be taken and at night the far-reaching Pocket Testament league will be launch- ed with thousands of members.
 That day will mark the elimination, the crisis of great movement, and will be one of the mile posts in the march to- ward the conquest of Birmingham for Christ. Already the great forces are mar shalling under the most experienced lead CTS of every denomination to accomplish in one hour during the morning what it required months for the United States government to do. and when that hour is ended, the name address,, nationality. family status, religious inclination and environment of every human being in the city, except the negroes, will have been thoroughly listed and everybody in Birmingham will have received an invi- tation to attend the church of his coice.
 Birmingham Leads
 As usual in this visitation day Birming- ham outstrips other cities. and sets the pace in invidiual effort There are nu- merous features about the plans for this census that are original and peculiar to Birmingham.
 It is the first census of an entire city ever taken on the Sabbath day.
 It is the first ever undertaken by adult classes
 It will be the quickest ever taken, and the most complete; more visitors will participate than in any other religious census; the cost in proportion. will be only about one-fifth of that for can vases of other cities; and most impor- tant of all. never before have such thor ough and complete plans been formulated for following up and reapng the fruits of the canvass.
 - There is a twofold object In Visitation day. It means that a personal invitation will be extended to every person In the city to go to the Sunday school and church of his or her particular choice. to become Identified with it and an active worker in its field In the second place, it will af- ford a complete tabulation, directory Of the religious and non-regious forces which compose the heart throb of met fropolitan center.
 Like business mans inventory of his stock, ca this census will show what has T been accomplished and what great work stretches out ahead for willing workers
 Basis for Large ln1ngS
 But the mere facts are not all. This census will form the foundation for the most thorough campaign for increasing the dynamic force of the church and Sun day school that has yetrbeen afforded. !. It will give to the officers of each church a complete list of the mat ariai upon which that structure can be built. Every church will receive the cards cf it's members those showing preference to d. 1it-oc in atri- tory and the persons in it's neighborhood who express no preference. Thus the forces of that church will be unloosed upon the very people who are in re- oertive mood and complete follow up system of visitation. letters of invitation, special services and organization will be effected in each church and Sunday school.
 CathOlis, Jews and PrOtestants
 The preparation for this visitation 2 day is already well under way. Every denomination in Birmingham has z agreed to cooperate and to furnish ac- tive and competent workers. The work will be done during the Sunday school hour, on Sunday, October 8, just In the midst of the great Bible Training school, which will be conducted during 9 that week under the auspices of the Birmingham Sunday School association.
  2 mingham, Boyles and Powderly The denominations which have become ac- lively interested are: Catholic, both Greek and Roman: Jews both Orthodox and Reform: Baptists Methodist Epis- 2 copal, north, Methodist Protestant. Z Presbyt erian, southern; Presbyterian, -, United States of America; Christian, Congregational English and German Lutheran.
 Managing Board
 The work will be In charge of a 2 managing board composed of repre- sentatives of the larger denominations. D. w. sims. general secretary of the Alabama Sunday School association, ' will be cha arman of the board, William M. Fex. secretary of St. Paufs, will Ii represent tie Catholics. B. L. Ezekiel will represent the Jews. H. l.. Strick land, Baptist Sunday school field work CT, the Baptists; the Rev. I. NJ. Me- Clesky. secretary of the North Alabama Methodist Sunday school board. will represent the Methodists; P. E. Green stare field worker of the Presbyterians. United States of America, will repre- 2 sent that denomination, and other de- nominations will name their workers shortly.
 How Census Will Be Taken ss The first actual digging" will be- gin August 31. when this board meets and continues during an entire week to September 6, to lay out its plans and complete a thorough organ ization. It will then meet again on !. September 26, and will work inces- . sanity until October 10. preparing for, and completing the work of the visita- tion.
 The city will be distrcted by blocks, with two visitors, neither of the same denomination, to the same block.
 All the senior and adult classes of the Protestant Sunday schools, some 5000 strong, will take part in this visitation work. To this number will be added the adult members of the other churches. They will be instructed and trained in advance as to just what they will be expected to do. printed invitation to attend the church of his or her choice will be delivered to everyone along with cordial verbal invitation of the same tenor. And then the record cards the visitors will carry with them will be filled out in detail before leaving the home. These record cards will be assembled at headquar- ters. On the second day afterwards tnote the quickness), Tuesday. october 10, every Individual church will receive =,1c-.--------~-----x