Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-04-03
Labor and Church VIII Stand
United in World Wide Social
Reforms, Say Centenary Heads
Western Pennsylvania, West
Virginia and Southwestern
New York Win Reap
Heavily From Benefits of
Methodist Five Year Pro-
gram

gram
Labor and the church will stand
united in the world wide social re
form resulting from the triumph OF
Democracy in the war. Every de
nomination is planning increased ac-
tiyities among the labor elements
and the Methodists, in particular, have
outlined a great fve-year program
of social and religious work at home
and abroad, in the cities and in the
rural industrial communities
The rural industrial communities
of Western Pennsylvania and West
Virginia win come in for a large
share of the improvements in the
Centenary program Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
The hundreds OF thousands OF per
communities present one of the most
difficult of home mission problems
confronting the church in its pro-
gram of extending and building up
it's home mission field, by the expen-
diture of $400OO,oOO in five years.
In the coke regions IN Western
Pennsylvania a survey revealed the
fact that there were at least 104
villages representing population OF
at least 10000 people that had no
church buildings whatever within
their limits. In many of these vii
lagos also religious services were
not permitted in school houses ex-
cept during the four months in the
year when school was dismissed
This condition obtains more or less
in mining camps everywhere in the
U. S.
Problem Is Difficult.
The problem is made more diff
cult by the transitory nature of these
small mining and manufacturing COM
munities.
The life of the ordinary mining
town does not exceed forty years and
many of the villages included in the
survey will be abandoned ten or ff
teen years from now This makes it
unwise to go into extensive building
of large or costly churches in many
of the communities to be served
but it will not deter the, Centenary
workers from carrying out a judi
cious Strengthening of their equip
ment at strategic points.
Modern industrial ownership or
control of employees houses, schools,
churches, all public buildings and
partial support of pastors to insure
company control of his preachings,
makes it necessary for the church
to enter upon building and main
tenance program.
To this the church is pledged by
its labor platform.
At a conference of the Methodist
leaders the social problem was put
forth strikingly by Rev. DIR. Fred B.
Fisher, secretary of the national cam
paign committee for the Methodist
Centenary.
There are evidences everywhere
of worldwide social awakening. Asia
not less than Europe is in ferment
and revolution. A dominant moral
and spiritual leadership is imperative.
Reconstruction on an unprecedented
scale is inevitable" he said.
DR.. Fisher Sounds Warning.
''This is Christian opportunity, but,
unless the church now leads in a
commanding way, she may awake to-
morrow powerless on a side track,
while radical social democracy whirls
by on the main line. 1t is the hour
of challenge to the organized Chris
tian forces of the world"
The program for home missions in
rural industrial communities calls for
76 new buildings, remodeled build
ings and Ia parsonages in the rural
industrial communities, a total of
SO buildings at cost OF $3.50, 700
OF this sum s528,S50 will be collect
ed in the Centenary campaign. For
maintenance, there are 152 more
trained persons needed at an expense
for five years of $1,01359e. Hundreds
| of other persons will be used to re-
inforce these trained church workers
in addition to those already in the
field.
Patriotism will go hand in hand
with the industrial mission program
| Americanization of the immigrant
| who is unfamiliar with American
/ ideals and standards is a cardinal
roint in the Centenary program fol
i lager cities where the foreign-born
4 swarm in communities by themselves
Americanization win play an equal
( ~ large part in the evangelization
by the church in the rural Industrial
| communities.
Enlist PoIyglot Workers.
or the new church workers who
are to be drafted to carry out the
Centenary program, eleven will be
added to the ranks Of the pastors
who can preach in foreign languages
| % more will become directors of re
ligious education, and So more train