The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-10-15
RURAL SURVEY Of
VITAL IMPORTANCE
Religious Statistics Are Secured
From County To Be Used By
Local Churches
HEARTY COOPERATION ASKED
Information To Be Gathered In Every
Fart OF The County According To
communities Will Have Large
Significance

/
uon and analyze conditions from ,
religious standpoint in every county II
the state, according to Thoma. r
DIXON Rural Survey Supervisor N,
the state of Tennessee, with headouar
ters at the University of Tennessee
Division of Extension, Knoxville. Tenn
IN order for the churches of a com
munlty to carry on their work OF
evangelizing the territory in which
tney are situated and to contribute
their share towards the compIete
evangelization of the world which Is
the ideal in every Christian heart q
is necessary that the actual cond,
tons which exist in each county be
discovered. Because OF the vital i'm.
portance Of this work. the movement
is calling upon the pastors of all de.
nominations and others who are in.
foTmed relative to religious conditions
70. render all the assistance possible
towards the completion, OF the work
This information. after being tablI.
lated by experts, Is taken back TO the
counties, where the several Protestant
denominations with churches in the
county comparatively study it and de.
cide on the county's church needs
recommendations are made by the
county churches of each denomina.
tion that so desires, to the denomi.
national home mission, Sunday schoo,
and other boards so that these boards
can cooperate intelligently and effec.
lively with the local county church
organizations.
The Interchurch World Movemep+
is attempting to do its work on a
democratic basis. 1t is neither dictat.
ing nor attempting to dictate To anv
church or denomination what shall no
done. The denominations in each
county must decide unanimously
among themselves on any Joint conn.
~ program for church betterment he.
fore 1t is adopted or undertaken with
the cooperation OF the Intercburcb
World Movement. The survey depart.
ment is designed to help build up and
meet the needs Of the local churches
through the local and county denomi.
national interests.
An Interchurch World Movament
survey CT a county develops facts as to
the county's geographical location and
the general character Of its apricul.
turai, commercial and Industrial life
its road system and means OF inter.
communication, public school system
and other educational institutions wei.
fare and benevolent institutions other
organizations and individuals engag.
ed in public service for the entire
county.
Accompanying a general survey OF
a county is more detailed survey ~
each community, a community beine
regarded as unit Of territory and
population characterized by common
economic and social experiences and
interests.
The community survey designates
the outline and location OF the com.
munity on information acquired from
storekeepers, bankers and other in.
formed persons. Territory not def.
nitely included within the limits OF
any trade community is considered in
connection with the communities to
which it is contiguous and to which
II is most closely related. Thus no
area IS omitted in the enumeration al
population and other statistical IN.
formation. The survey takes account
OF the community's economic condi.
tons, such as natural resources. chief
sources of income. soil, climate and
market conditions. relations of farm.
ers and business men. industrial data.
etc. The social life and organizations
OF the community are covered In de.
tail. together with other information
to throw light on the state OF the so.
cial mind. /
The third link in the survey chain
Is the survey Of each church IN each
community. This sets out the loca. /
ton, denomination, minister. date of
organization. descriptive data as 10 I
buildings and equipment, membership.
regular and special meetings and tab.
ulated results therefrom. statistics as
to area covered by the parish. number
Of families reached. parish problems
and other data to give comprehen. /
sive vision Of the parish. and supple. d
mented by information as to the bro.
gram Of work outlined for the church
by the pastor and the official boards
The triple surveys-county, com. \
munity and church-assemble all IN.
that may be needed to aid
the individual churches ard denomi. n
nations in working out their present
problems and future programs of de.
so thar wasted effort NAV
be eliminated and unproductiye &C.
Invites Of each denomination may be
to productive fields.
The need Of such a systematic studv
81 church conditions is apparent nv
he results Of investigation already
made in some sections Of the South
Z the churches are to accomplish the
greatest possible amount of good. The
conditions found to exist in some
quarters are rather startling In one
county in the South, for instance.
here are a churches. of which Il
Ire dead and only is OF which nain
ain sunday schools. /,