Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-27
ORGANIZE 53 OF
STATES COUNTIES
Intensive Campaign Planned
to Push Inter-Church
World Movement

\ Fifty-three of Pennsylvania
sixty-seven counties have been or
ganized for tho active prosecution
OF the Interchurch World Move
ment in North America, according
to an announcement made to-day
by Irwin A. Deer, secretary in Penn
sylvania. Mr.. Deer has just re-
turned from conferences in New
York City and Cleveland. where
plans were considered.
1t is hoped soon to organize Penn
sylvania thoroughly and to conduct
the campaign in an aggressive man
ner. The Rev. II. II. Rupp, OF
Steelton, is in charge OF the work
in Dauphin county.
Astonishing revelations OF how
the 140 or more Protestant Evan
gelicai denominations of the United
States have overlooked vital reli-
gious needs in this country came TO
| light at a National Conference of
religious leaders at Wallace Lodge,
Yonkers, y. Y, which has Just
ended. Mr.. Deer told it was dis
covered that. while each denomina-
ton had been working intensively in
its own fields, because of a lack of
cooperation in methods and pur-
poses among them many fields had
Deen overlooked entirely.
The Interchurch World Movement
OF North America which has un-
dertaken comprehensive census
and survey of religious conditions
throughout the world. 1t was COM
| posed of the men appointed to su-
| pervise the rural survey in each
state. Although the men came
| from great number of denomina-
tons, it was remarked as an in
stance of the spirit of the Inter
church Movement that nobody
thought at the time to find out
which particular churches were rep
resented.
Each delegate was asked to
make brief preliminary stat ement
of present conditions in his own
| commonwealth. Practically without
| exception they reported whole COM
munities, counties and even larger
districts in which Christian work Is
at n standstill and in which there
were no living churches or active
ministers. Not infrequently these
would be surrounded by communi-
ties so full of churches that they
| got in one another's way, but strug-
gled along ineffectively without any
we'll developed sense of community
usefulness.
The discussions resulted in
agreement as to all the details of
the survey to be made in each rural
county in the country.
Scientific standards were revised
for statistical investigation OF the
| existing environment of every
American family with relation to all
the religious and social angencies
of the country.
When the census Is complete. the
facts will be analysed and tAbu-
lated. They will then be available
for every denomination. The Inter
church World Movement, 1t was
agreed, exists for the strengthening
of every denomination and not for
the weakening of q single one of
them. 1t was hoped that the as
certained facts would afford bases
for local, statewide and national
cooperative efforts that would en-
able Professionalism TO see its tasks
as a whole and undertake them in
a sane and business-like way.
Interdenominationai advisors
councils were reported as complete
in 20 states and in process of for
nation in the others. More than
200 county councils have been
formed. Surveys are complete in
26 counties and half or three-quar-
ters complete in more than $50.
DR.. Edmund de S. Drummer, of
the Moravian church, an expert on
rural church work and head of the
rural survey department of the In
terchurch World Movement pres
sided.