The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-04-09
THE INTER-CHURCH
WORLD MOVEMENT

What is this Interchurch World
Movement? Not just what are its
general principles, but what problems
has it discovered and how does it pro-
pose to go about them?
Delegates to today's county confer
ence, in particular, and all church peo-
pie in general, are asking these ques-
lions. In a large way, the visiting
! speakers at the conference today re-
piled to these queries in something OF
the following manner:
In 1916 the government took reli-
gious census and found there were 100
Protestant denominations in the Unit
ed States. Sometimes it came about
| as it did in Los Angeles where they
had a Church of God. A quarrel arose
and some withdrew and formed the
True Church of God; and then they
had a quarrel and formed the Only
True Church of God.
Perhaps that is an extreme case,
but the fact remains that there are
100 Protestant denominations in the
country, ia UNCONVENTIONAL foreign
missionary societies in the United
States and Canada; 377 for the world.
Seemingly, too, there is no lack OF
churches. In Ohio, for instance, there
are 6,642 rural churches, yet only Col
have more than 200 members each;
4,529 have less than 101 members
each; 3,641 have less than 76 men,
bers each; 2,425 have less than 81
members each, and there is one coun-
ty in the center of the state where,
so far as can be learned 1862 persons
never have had any religious minis
tration of any sort. That spot is
known as "The Marsh"
No church is interested in it-or
has been-and there is to be found in
that spot crime, illegitimacy and bad
health conditions.
But not every church has pastor
to itself alone. There is a process OF
division that has been called minis
terial vivisection. That is where
minister has to divide up his preach
ing and his pastoral duties among
one, two, three or even four churches.
In nineteen Ohio counties, where
ministers gave undivided service to
their churches 60 per cent of those
churches showed an increase in men,
bers. Where minister had to serve
two church, 80 per cent of these
churches showed an increase; where
he had to serve three churches 35 per
cent showed an increase and where he
had to serve four churches only rs
per cent of these churches showed an
increase.
Not everybody who goes to church
gives toward the support of the
church. In one church, free of debt,
with a good building and complete
organization, 10 per cent give moth
ing; 81 gave one cent week; 81 gave
two cents a week; So gave two and
half cents week.
Sometimes district may be over
ministered, although notNoften.ssSey-'
en- miles outside Mountain City, Tenn.
are two churches on opposite sides of
the street with resident minister in
Mountain City for EACH One of these
churches has one member-and the
other church has one member!
AS for ministerial support the ma
ton over, salaries were never so in
adequate as today because of the high
cost of living. Day laborers receive
an average wage far in excess of the
average Protestant preacher.
In the foreign field the facts are
staggering. In Asia there are $780,
100000 persons, about half the popu-
lation of the world. In the last five
years the number of missionaries sent
out, the current appropriations sup
piled, the buildings and the equip
ment have practically stood still; yet
in that time the Asiatic countries
have added 10000, 900 to their popula-
ton. 80 "a.
Too frequently, however, churches
are only too willing to stand still,
such as the church in Kentucky called
Smyrna. For twenty-five years at
presbytery this church was represent
ed by the same elder. When Smyrna
was called for an accounting the eld-
er invariably arose and said: "Mr.
Moderator, Old Symrna is holdin' it's
own-it is as in former times" Too
many churches imagine that is the
goal.
But that is not the goal. The task
is enormous and must be faced by the
whole church. UNCONVENTIONAL pro-
grams will be enlarged as a result of
the Interchurch World Movement
which, while aiming for unity of pur-
pose, in no way calls for organic uni
ty of the denominations themselves.
Through the Interchurch World Move
ment, the horizon will widen, greater
needs will be discovered with the new
dawn and there will be fresh bap-
tom of enthusiasm and a new era of
cooperation such as the Protestant
Evangelistic churches have never
seen.
HOOVER LAST