Evening star., 1913-11-19
DISCUSS ACTIVITY
IN SOCIAL SERVICE
Variance of Views Among Bap-
fists as Regards Part
Church Should Take.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
ON SUBJECT ACCEPTED
Session This Afternoon of Colum.
bia Association to Be Given Up
to Activity Of Women.


church to be active in social service and
the improvement of conditions OF living
as a distinct work. apart from the
spreading Of the gospel. formed the basis
of a discussion, I'm which opinions were
freely expressed, at the morning session
OF the Columbia Association of Baptist
Churches at Emmanuel Baptist Church
today.
After prayer services conducted by
w. 8. Sha1lenberger, Rev. w. F. john
son, chairman of the committee on
social service. read his report. in which
activity in various forms of social serv-
ice. as well as many forms of charitable
work. was strongly recommended.
Rev W. ~ McMaster. pastor of the
First Church. voiced the opinion that
1t was distinctly not good thing Tor
the church to meddle in affairs of leg
islatfon, even for the best ends. 1t is.
however, he said. the duty of churcn
members as Christian citizens actively
to interest themselves in such work.
The work of the church. said Rev. Mr.
McNIaster. is primarily to give spiritual
light. and things purely physical are
not within its province. except where
they accompany spiritual betterment
DR.. McMaster stated that when the
Presbyterians abolished their committee
on social service they did good thing
Holds Opposite View.
DR.. +. NJ. Stephenson of Pennsylvania,
on the other hand, strongly commended
such committees. He referred to the
disciples of Christ as the first public serv-
ice committee. For example, said he, the
church should. with the view of helping
in the care of orphans. reduce the num-
Der thereof by active work in the i'm
provement of divorce laws.
Rev. +. w. Johnson. in discussing the
matter. likened those opposed to such
service to the men who at first were
against foreign missions, or who thought
Columbus wasting time and money
to start on his voyage. In other words.
they were reactionaries.
The report of the committee. together
with its recommendations. was, how
ever. accepted.
The report of the committee on Bible
and tract distribution was submitted
by it's chairman. C. P. Grady. and was
accepted. Rev. s. G. Neil, district Sec
retary Of the American Baptist Publica-
sion Society. in an address on the work
of this society told how. in the eighty
nine years of its existence, more than
81, 900, 600 tracts had been distributed.
Women's Meeting This Afternoon.
The session this afternoon will be
principally a woman's meeting, chiefly
concerned with the activities of the
women Of the Baptist faith.
Tonights meeting will have as it's
features the reports of the committee
on Sunday School Institute and that on
Sunday schools
Following a rather spirited discussion
Yesterday afternoon as to the advisable
ity of continuing the Italian mission on
III street northeast, DR.. n. j. Scarito, In
charge of the mission, sent IN ms resig
nation to the association. DR.. Scarito is
most strongly of the opinion that the
mission be kept In existence but wishes
that his resignation be considered ire
yocable.
Reports Are Received.
Yesterday afternoons session was occu-
pied chiefly with the report OF the ex-
ecutiye board, read by the secretary. Rev.
7 w. Many. and received, together with
10 recommendations, by the conference
FOR transmission to the incoming ex-
ecutiye board. The report OF the treas
urer Of the association. Warren e. Evans,
showed that the Baptist churches of the
IMstHct gave s1366s5 to all funds last
year. ~. ,,,;..;ar,
pastors of the organization. rev. =. r..
Richardson of Congress Heights and DR..
Nicolas j. Scarito. incumbent or the
italian mission maintained oy the Coium-
bia Association on H street northeast.
Moderator Wilbur and Rev. B. ID. Cav
smoke in discussion OF the report. Mr..
Wilbur spoke of the thorough work car,
ried on in the Petworth Church and told
how it had been designed by Baptist
architects built by Baptist hssn contraetor ,fe or
pantists. He urged the raising of the
81 600 needed to finish paying for the lot
He also eulogzed the prosperous condi-
ton of the Congress Heights Church and
said he felt assured that II TINS congrega-
ton needed still larger edlfce another
wear they would get it. The Anacostia
and Randle Highlands churches, ne said,
remain in need of assistance Neither
has a pastor at present
Would Discontinue Mission.
| Speaking of the Italian mission, DR..
| Cav of the West Washington Church,
| said that he did not believe that Washing
ton was SO good a place to attain success
| in an Italian mission as a number of other
| cities, and stated his conviction that the