Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-10

councils commission on the church
and country life, of which Clifford
Pinchot is chairman and the. Rev,
Charles o. Gill is secretary. Five pub
lie sessions were held, the closing ad-
dress being made by the President of
the United States.
Represents the Big Crowd
From all parts fthe land Christian
leaders, both clerical and lay, fore
gathered for this meeting. Since the
Federal Council officially represents
thirty-one denominations, and seven
teen million communicate members
of the Protestant Churches, it's delib-
erations are of widest interest The
unusually representative company
which met at Columbus was signifi-
cant most of all of the mood of alert
ness which at present animates Chris
tian leaders. Everybody is aware that
a new crisis is upo nthe world. in re-
ligion as well as in international rela-
tions. The church is on the qui Vive
for possible message or method that
will point q path through present
problems. Conditions were never
ripper in America for quick response
to new leadership. Abroad and at
home, religious thinking is more
chaotic than many persons care to
admit.
The various commissions of the
council, including that on peace, re-
ported at Columbus.
Startling Figures on Rural Church
Ever since President Roosevelt call
ed his famous conference on the
Church and Rural Life, the theme has
been to the fore in religious conVen-
tions and activities. A vast amount of
investigation has been done, revealing
conditions unsuspected by the general
public. 1t has been found, by the
Ohio rural survey, comments the
Christian Observer, that zone out of
every nine country churches has been
abandoned in recent years. Only one
third are increasing in membership
and two-thirds have either ceased
growing or are dying. Eighty-three
per cent have less than 100 members;
21 per cent. have less than 25; 81 per
cent. have between 25 and so; and "a
per cent. have between SO and 100.
Only per cent. have individual
preachers, while 26 per cent. share
ministers with another church, 23
per cent. have one-third the time of a
minister; 27 per cent. have one-fourth
time; IA per cent. have one-fifth time
8 per cent have one-sixth time. A
large proportion of preachers receive
about the same pay as a day laborer.
Less than 40 per cent. of the rural
population are church members"
The Columbus program, which dealt
definitely and constructively with the
entire rural church question, bore such
names as President Wilson. DIR. Wash
ington, GLADDEN., Governor Willis, Gift
ford Pinchot, DR.. Rubert c. Herring
of Boston. Rev. Ward Platt, of Phila-
delphia; Bishop Joseph f. Berry, the
Rev. DR.. S. l.. Morris, of Atlanta; the
Rev. Henry Wallace, of Des Moines;
Bishop William #. Anderson, DIR.
Shailer Mathews, Fred B. Smith, the
Rev. e. Tallmadge Root, of Boston,
the pioneer of federation; President
X. L. Butterfeld, of Massachusetts
Agricultural College; the Rev. DR..
Warren NJ. Wilson. of New York
President George B. Stewart, of Au-
burn, N. Y; the Rev. Harry f. Ward,
of Boston: Miss Jessie Field, OF New
York, and others.
The Church and Physical Needs
This Columbus meeting, instead of
dealing with doctrinal matters, such