El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
CHURCHES HAVE
YEAR Of GROWTH
CONTINUED from previous page)

Continued from previous page)
Der Of MONDAY lunch clubs conducted
by church organizations. These are
chiefly for women, but some for men
are planned. These clubs have IN them
a protest against poor luncheons pro-
vided by the trade as cost of llVlng
had advanced. They have social anu
q religious side, in that they are cen
tiers for picking up new workers IN
churches, and they make profits Lhese
latter are not private, but are used Tor
missionary purposes Of many klnus.
With the clubs have also come new
centers for the church to reach WORK
ing men, to secure employment tor men
and women. 1t is safe to say that no
year end in history ever saw ChrlsIltlI
agencies touching people at more
points than this one.
Activity in Jewish Circles.
Orthodox and Reform Jews have
been active during the year. The lot
mer perfected an agency for keepInS
CONGREGATIONS closer together, ana 1OI
the first time in the history of Juda-
ism in America salarled secIetaI5TIIS ne
were sent out on national work ~ ~
latter made national a Young Men
, as the Christian associations, and guar
anteed an annual expense fund Ior live
Catholic Cardinals Die.
Catholics lost by death consloeIss
able number of cardinals who were OF
first rank in conduct of world Work,
but beyond that the vatican hao-
guiet wear French Catholics went 1or-
ward as never before, beng re45 51
from obligations to the state. NJ ~
missionary leaders held IN Boston I l
greatest gathering of Cathohc PrelaCSs
and laymen America has yet seen
Started by home interests II was mis- mis-
siOnary in the broadeSt sense anu 49, SiI9
Il rE
sized the advantage OF cooper d1lOil'
home and foreign work.
Church unity ceased to have the
Episcopal church as one leader, other
bodies naming commissions that are
equally prominent in for ward planS,
Almost OIL bodies, some OF the sma1l
and unheard of by ordinary people.
were in the unity plans by the end OF
tbe wear save only the Roman and
Eastern cOmmuniOns. These are large
exceptions. it is true, but tremendous
progress has been made toward tle
world conference to consider the mat
ter All bodies are being affected. and
the end of the year sees committees
at work devising concrete questions TO
come before the proposed conference.
Bible Society Readjusts Work.
The American Bible society read
iusted its work in Panama and in the
near east dividing it up to some ex-
tent with the British and Foreign Bible
society of London, so as to make If
possible at Panama great Dlple as
tributing point comparable to that at
the terminus Of the Suez canal. II re-
Dorted in common with other mission
ary societies less disturbance of work
in Mexico than might be expected, ana
great opportunities IN CHINA IN Bur
ma Baptists celebrated the centenary
of their missions there. Episcopalians,
meeting in general convention to fill
missionary district vacancies, among
other tasks. made out so badly that
ar- Ill. + no. Mt
-Four large bodies did unusual
things with their organizations. Con-
gregationalists made all benevolent
societies semi-official, linking them
with their National council, and ere
ating a national secretaryship- This
secretary gives this body, for the first
time a national official head. It is
significant change from independence
toward contradictions yet the indie
/ pendence of the single congregation
being assured, the plan was adopted
unanimously. It is on the line Of
events transpiring in other bodies, and
ism.
8Iethodists Hold Mass Meeting.
Methodists held a national mass
meeting, officials and many others,
and adopted a policy for Methodism,
( or for that part of 1t that IS IN the
north. This policy affects missions
education, extension, and every phase
of Methodist effort. Government Dy
mass meeting is new, but this expert
ment worked, or it is believed it will
do so. United Brethren so admire the
plan that they are to try it early next
/ spring. For the larger body it is held
/ that it means new MethOdism.
An Episcopal general convention
adopted the province plan. That is, II
divided the country into eight dis
tricts and set up for the first time
conventions between those of dioceses
and the general one. To these provin-
cial conventions were committed many
duties, aiming to secure greater free
dom of action and less cost.
Disciples of Christ met in national
convention for the first time as dele
gate body. Heretofore this large com
munion has been governed in its benev-
olence and other common work by mass
meetings There is some cutlery
/ against OfficialdOm. but those in posi-
/ ton to know say the change means a
new brotherhood in ambition and in
ability to accomplish things.
During the year the cutlery has been
heard about people not going to
church, and about the churches not do
| ing their duty Such outcries have
been heard ever since there was or
/ ganized Christianity. They have taken
no new forms during the year. Some
| forms recorded in 1870 by Boston
minister are REPEATED az this time.