Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-11-09
COORDINATION THE
A|M0FPRESBYTERIANS
Result Of City Survey Shows
Need of Closer Work by
Church
STATISTICS AN
INTERESTING STUDY

Yesterday was Church Survey
Day" in all the Presbyterian Churches
of the city, and special sermons were
preached on the social, religious and
educational conditions of this city as
found in the survey made by the Pres
byterian Union. The results OF this
study have been tabulated and will be
on exhibition all week in the First
Presbyterian Church.
The Rev. Charles L. Candee, OF
Westminster Presbyterian Church
preached on the subject at the morn
ing services yesterday taking as his
subject Revelations 3: 8. Behold 1
have set before thee an open door and
no man can shut it.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Candee
said
"The church that does most eff
ficient work is the church that has a
well thought out and well mapped out
program. To work without program
is to dissipate the efforts to such an
extent that the ends are not achieved
as soon as they should be if they are
achieved at all. This is true of the
individual church, but it is true also
Of the church at large. For this rea-
son we have our boards and all the
agencies of the church as a whole. II
means not only cooperation, but CO.
ordination. Coordination is more
than cooperation. The one could not
we'll be without the other, but all too
often has there been cooperation
without any coordination. Co-ordi-
nation means program. II means a
program for the whole church as we'll
as for the individual.
Now this is what we are DESTROYS
for the church of Wilmington, par
ticularly for the Presbyterian Church.
We are seeing the results of too lit
tie of this co-ord nation. Il has been
! too much of each church for itself,
without any concern for the others.
Perhaps It has not been without any
regard for others, but there has not
been that deep anxiety which seeks
the welfare of the others as il does
the welfare of itself For this very
reason some of the men Of this city
have felt that there should be more
Of this coordination and more of this
spirit of a common work and COM
mon welfare. This is the first OBJ
iect of the Presbyterian Union. And
1t is for this reason that the Presby
terrain Union set out upon the task
of making a survey of the religious,
social and educational conditions of
the city. We should come to under
stand what is the actual problem of
each individual church and also what
is the problem of the church as a
whole. IL has not been, at least
for some years, that the Presbyterian
. churches of the city have had a pro-
gram for the whole church. They
have tried to do their work too much
as individuals and have not felt that
r there is great power in a united plan
and great possibilities for a church
co-ordinated.
The results OF the local survey were
then smoker Of The work showed
that Wilmington ranked SIND In inn
{ portance in industries and 261th in in
[ dustrial establishments. having a cap
: italization Of $9S 5000 Of which ST.
4 900 600 is invested in the leather in
! dustry. Mr. Candee said:
Z There are IA 663 wage earners
! whose average earnings for the last
= year we're only $542. Compare that
e. with the reported annual income OIL
six of our citizens of over 81 000. 00(
per person. There is an enorm Gus
Z. responsibility resting on the man who
L. has such an enormors surplus o.
n wealth. I do not wonder that tier,
d are labor unions in Wilmington.
l. am not much surprised that there arr
Z In all twenty-three of those unions
d The seriousness of the question q
le not to be found in the fact that Their,
~ 49, ~.
ID they have not the support O,
l. the sympathy of those who are per
haps best qualified for leadership II
l. the great questions that confront tn
IT world at large. They are not, TO gu
Is knowledge, meeting in any Of gu
le churches. They have not felt that tn
influence of the churches has beer
: in their interests. They have rattle
felt that the churches have been
little too Indifferent to their interests
and that, fancy, is putting II yer.
mildly. The men that the speake
faces in the shop meetings held il
various shops of the city by the Y
M. G. A. are not men who are to b
seen In the churches on SUNDAYS. The
are men who have been drawn ava
from the church and their labo
union has become in many instance
their church.
Population of City.
Wilmington has very cosmopolI
tan population. In 1910 the popula
ton was S7411 and it is estimate
that the population in 1914 is abou
$4,000. an Increase OF z per cent O
this number $4,000 are foreign Dor
or native born Of foreign parents
500 are Irish, 5000 are Polisl
4964 are Russians. mostly Jews. Thi
leaves $1,000 native Americans, bu
of this number there are 1900
negroes. Is it any wonder that Their
are some of the members of on
churches who feel, and feel deepl,
that there is a great task and Oppol
tunity confronting the church. Their
are 300 members in the sixteen CO.
ored churches of the city. Can tn
Presbyterians of the city refuse I
hear the cal that comes to theI
from our own one colored church
II is a wise policy to have them hel
themselves. of course. but they az
not strong enough TO do all that the
should and they could do vastly NOR
should the stronger churches of on
city get behind them with that kin
OF coordination Of work and pla
which is so necessary for permaner
ara effective work.
This city. according to the srrvc.
also shows 200 licensed saloons, {
one to every 475 men. women and chi
dren. There is one church for ever
TfAA 90 ponu1otfon nt,.fng tho mo-