Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-16

MARYNILI.E. MO-. January i3-The
merging Of four church denominations
in a small Missouri town-onc so small
that the principal store carries a com =
plc,c line, from shoes and dress goods
20 cigars and jewclry--that Is the lat
est achievement OF the Rev. G. II, Green.
the pastor OF the rural church in the
Harmony community near MnryNiile,
the county seat Of Nodaway County.
Mr. Green says IL is the biggest job nc
has ever tackled, although 1t has been
successfully accomplished In spite OF
the difficulties.
Barnett, for that is the place where
the Harmony pastors work has been
done, is "A railroad town In Morgan
County, which the 1910 census gives q
population of lis, although since that
time the village has grown.
Four Churches Tried To Live.
For several years four Protestant de-
nominate had been at work at Bar
nctt-thc Baptist, Christian. presbytcri-
an and Methodist Each denomination
had Il building, hut none had ever OBJ
taincd a pastor for his full time. al
though each had kept a minister en-
ploycd a part OF the time. There were
about nifty members OF each body be-
fore the reorganization under the direc-
ton Of Mr.. Green.
The churches had heard Of tho work
OF the rural minister in organizing his
home community and the other PLACES
where he had been called, and they told
him of their difficulties. The Harmony
pastor communicated with several OF
the leading members in the four con-
gregations and Monday he left for Bar
nett. after working out the plans for
the united church.
BOnrd Settles All Disputes.
The congregation is to be known as
the Barnett Federated Church at pres
emit Each of the former divisions VIII
select member of the federated
church board, and this board Will be
the church authority in settling any
disputc arising among the lay members.
\ minister will be obtained as pas
tor for the church who will make his
home i'm the community. lie Will be eX-
pected 10 understand his church situa
ton and in addition TO being an cX-
Dert thcologian he will he able to tell
about maintaining the fertility OF the
soil and will be we'll grounded in the
fundamentals of Christianity, even as
far as to tell the influence Of Christian
living on good roads.
There Will he a few minor difficulties
Mt nrst-Mr. Green does not expect his
solution to be perfect. But these VIII
be solved as they arise, and the church
officials are expected to be so filed with
the spirit of the movement that the acts
of the board will be agreed with by the
broad minded persons in each Of the
former denominations. At present the
old bodies will not lose their Identities.
The union into which they are enter
ing will be similar to the articles of
confederation which bound the thirteen
colonies together. 1t Is hoped that the
children who are reared under the at
mosphere OF the consolidated church
will he so united in belief that they Will
stand together on matters which regard
the church in it's workings when affairs
pass into their hands and denomination
al individualism will be lost.
Built Up n Community Spirit.
Mr.. Green has been connected with
the Harmony church several years. The
community spirit there has been In tho
making for more than a generation,
but Mr.. Green has lent much OF the ell
thusiasm to the cause. His community
lectures have been made at meetings OF
farm men i'm several of tho larger con-
ventions in the United States.
Although Mr.. Green is the president
OF the Methodist Protestant Conference
to which the church where he is locat :
cd belongs, he is anything but the de-
nominationalist type Of the rural minis
ter. Ills parishioners are members of