The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-12
SAYS VILLAGES Rave TOO
MANY CHURCHES, TO GOES
GLORY AND MANS SHAME
Rev. c. M. Bear Deplores Waste
Of Effort BY Overlapping
In Small Fields. Z
ADDRESSES STATE SYNOD.
More Men and Preachers the
Crying Need, Says Minister
From Lumber Woods.

IF the city OF Detroit were as
well churched as these three vii
lagos. II would have 5000 churches.
to the glory OF God. and shame Of
man." said the Rev. Cecil M. Bear,
missionary from the Monroe presby-
terry, Wednesday morning. In telling
Of the over-churched condition Of
Petersfeld. Deerfeld and Ida. three
villages with an aggregate popula-
ton OF 1900. before the Michigan
Presbyterian synod. whose seventy
seventh annual meeting opened In
the Woodward-ave. Presbyterian
church. Woodward and Philadelphia
ayes., Tuesday night He said that
the trio OF hamlets had ID churches
and 10 pastors.
Mr.. Bear, in the course Of q
spirited address deplored the multi
plicity OF churches In certain dis
tricts and told OF the struggles many
OF them were having to exist. AS
remedy. he suggested the getting
together OF the different denomina-
lions and mapping out q course Of
procedure by which there would be
no overlapping OF Christian en-
deavor. Arrangements should be
made. he said. whereby q field should
be left to the denomination having
the strongest following. For In
stance. he explained, the Methodists
should not establish q church where
the Presbyterians might have a
strong foothold, nor the Preshyterians
invade territory In which the spirit
uai wants Of the community were
being we'll enough ministered TO by
the Methodists or any other denom-
ination.
The Rev. VIM. T. Jaquess, modera-
tor-elect. said, at the close of Mr..
Bears address. that he was glad to
De able to report that the plan sug-
gested by Mr. Bear was already be-
ing carried out In number OF dis
tricts.
Deplorable conditions were also 70.
lated by the Rev. C. M. Boyce. Of Har.
risville, Mich, missionary in the sag.
NAV presbytery, TERRITORY of 2ns
square miles, oil of which he "a sup-
posed to cover. He said that his field
was particularly hard to care for in
the winter. 1t being a common experi.
ence In winter, to drive 25 miles a
day through snowdrifts. which made
progress almost impossible. Much or
his territory, he said, was In the lum.
Der woods, thinly populated and hard
TO reach ct any time of the year. He
also had, something to say about the
struggles of some OF the churches In
his presbytery, and as an example, or
the poverty of certain congregations.
mentioned an instance I'm connection
with the Methodist church in Mikado
a village In Altoona county.
Funeral services were % be held
in this church." said Mr.. Boyce, "by
clergyman from Harrisville. When
the mourners arrived at the church
with the corpse, the building was
locked and no one In the village knew
anything about the whereabouts or
the Key. or the persons who used the
church. Finally, Il was necessary TO
pry the door OF with an ak to gain
admittance. That church has been
practically abandoned for some time,
and II is striking illustration OF the
situations which obtain In certain
localities. What we need IL more men
and more preachers. not more
churches"
Speaking with The Times at the
close of his remarks, Mr.. Boyce said
that there were no Presbyterian
churches In condition or abandon
ment but that the growth OF Presby-
terianism was slow in his community.
Presbyterianism. however. he added,
was doing well In Harrisville. the Bap-
lists having abandoned their church
there and thrown in their lot with the
Presbyterians. This amalgamation
took place only last Sunday, he said.
The Rev. L. w. Westphalt, of Iron
River, missionary in the Lake Superior
presbytery. had a story Of hardship,
as we'll. He said II was at first diff
ficult for him to get foothold In Iron,
River. and that he was actually