The Washington herald., 1915-12-12
WHAT CHURCH PEOPLE
ARE SAYING AND DOING


!. Church and Country Life. which was
addressed In Columbus. Ohio. the past
week by President Wilson, was to plan
for scientific surveys in all States Of the
conditions OF rural churches. Results Of
! an extensive survey Of Ohio have just
been announced. II Is believed that the
same conditions prevail generally.
The abstruct of the report on rural
| church survey to the Commission on
Church and Country Life shows that one
out OF every nine country churches has
been abandoned in recent years. Only
| one-third are Increasing In membership
| and two-thirds nave either ceased grow
inf or arc dying: Eighty-three per cent
have less than 100 members: q per ct.t
have less than q: q per cent have be-
tween so and 1t9. Only 8 per cent have
, individual ministers. while 26 Ger cent
share ministers with another church. .
per cent nave one-third the time OF q
minister; q per cent have one-fourth
, time: IA per cent have one-fifth time: 5
per cent have oae-sixth time. A large
proportion of ministers receive about the
same pay as a day laborer. Less than 10
per cent of the rural population are
church members
Norwood Parish. Bethesda. Md. CRev.
James Kirkpatrick. s. 7. D.. rector.
has recently built beautiful new
stone church. taking the place of the
church which was destroyed by fire.
reetory adjoining the church has
just been completed at a cost Of
$4,000.
Episcopalians are much gratihed be-
cause their emergency fund for mis-
sions has passed the mark of $400.-
900. set as necessary to provide for
the unusual demands of this year of
world war. and has now reached
s4s1, 900.
The total contributions of this de-
nomination for missions this year
showed an increase in gifts from
parishes throughout the land of sl57.-
3s2.51 over last year: increase from in
dividual gifts. Sl5i.20T13. and from
the Woman's Auxiliary. s2s,373.1o.
This diocese of Washington gave for
general missions this year $2s.s35.24:
last year it gave something over
$4,000.
The treasurer of the Board of Mis-
sions has this to say about the won
derfui years work:
Never in the history of the Board
Of Missions has she called upon the
never has the church answered the
call with greater tenderness and with
greater sacrifice Her response through
the ordinary channels and through
the emergency appeal has been enor-
mous-sufficient TO meet all the oblI-
cations of the board both for the past
year as we'll as those accumulated.
The Board of Missions told the church
of its dire need and that II could not
s,z,Us IL -. l.
unless the many obligations were
practically Iiquidated. Because of this
statement We know that there were
burning hearts throughout the church.
Thousands upon thousands of souls
prayed that this might not happen
and worked that II should not hap.
pen. They came to the boards aid and
removed the obligations. For this the
ordinary expression of gratitude is in
adequate. but We believe the conscious
ness of having reached the goal.
brings the reward of deep and true
happiness"
Rev. DR.. R. S. Macarthur. president
OF the Northern Baptist convention.
writes in the Watchman Examiner on
the subject of preparedness as fol-
lows:
Many papers have been making
themselves EtNcUIly over
dent Wilson's quotation from Ezekiel
33:I-1. Col. Roosevelt claims to- have
a copyright on this passage. He Ger
taiuly quoted and applied II before
President Wilson did either. Now
William J. Bryan takes both the
President and the eE-presideut TO task
for their use of thc passage. He is
especially severe on President Will
son because he is IN elder in the
Presbyterian church and is supposed
to know the significance of both thc
Old Testament and the New Testa-
ment. Mr.. Bryan also affrms that in
Ezekiel's prophecy the call of the
watchman was not TO be issued until
the land was actually invaded, or was
about to be invaded. Our country.
therefore. does not give vs. a parallel
case. according TO Mr.. Bryan. II has
been said in reply that the watch
mans call to arms would be without
avail if arms were not within reach:
and arms would be comparatively
worthless except they were in the
hands of trained men The New Testa-
ment. however. cleoTiy teaches the
duty of fighting il ;efense of what is
right Jesus Distinctly said. Think not
that ! am come to send peace on earth"
He also said. 4 came not to send
peace, but sword" and still further
he added. He that hath none. let him
sell his garment and buy 4 sword"
The Apostle Paul, while urging US
as far as possible 10 live at peace with
all men, clearly implies in this eX-
hortation that occasions may arise
when it will not be possible to live a,
peace with all men. The true Chris
tian is always ready 10 submit to
wrong rather than to commit wrong:
but ne must always he ready. at the
call OF duty. to protect others from
the oppression OF wronsdoers. We
are distinctly informeG in Scripture
that there was war in heaven. that
the angels fought with Satan and his
hosts. 1t cannot. therefore. be wrong
for men upon earth. in certain condi-
tions which may possibly arise, to
authority of tod and trampie upon
every principle of justice and right.
The following authentic story. which
IL youched for by Bishop T. J. McCon-
nell. having supervision OF Methodist
work I'm Mexico. is commended by the
Christian advocate to the attention of
any preacher who may be under temp
tation to leave the regular pastorate
for any sort of field service" educa-
tional. editorial, financial or secre-
tarial
Gen. Jesus Carranza. brother OF the
first chief. being sent to Tehuantepec
to chastise the southern bandits. in
vited the Rev. Alfonso Herrera, one
Of our ministers, TO accompany him
as private secretary. There was lit