Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-02-27
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
Part OF The County According To
Communities viii Have LARGE
Significance
HEARTY COOPERATION ASKED

the state, according to J. A. J. Brock
rural survey supervisor for the state
OF South Carolina, with headquarters
at So4 National Loan and Exchange
Bank Building, Columbia. s. c.
In order for the churches of a com.
munlty to carry on their work OF
evangelizing the territory IN which
they are situated and to contribute
their share towards the complete
evangelization Of the world, which Ia
the ideal in every Christian heart It
is necessary that the actual condi.
tions which exist in each county he
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.
formed relative to religious conditions
10 render all the assistance possible
towards the completion of the work
This Information, after being tabu.
iated by experts, is taken back to the
counties, where the several Protestant
denominations with churches in the
county comparatively study 1t and de.
cide on the county's church needs
recommendations are made by the
county churches Of each denomina.
uon that so desires, to the denomi.
national home mission. Sunday school
ana other boards so that these boards
can cooperate intelligently and effec.
lively with the local county church
organizations.
The 1nterchurch World Movemer,
Is attempting to do its work on
democratic basis. It is neither dietat.
ing nor attempting to dictate TO anv
church or denomination what shall be
zone. The denominations In each
county must decide unanimous,v
among themselves on any Joint conn.
ty program for church betterment no.
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 Movement
survey of a county develops facts as to
the county's geographical location and
the general character of its agricul.
tural, commercial and Industrial life
It's road system and means Of inter.
communication, public school system
and other educational institutions wei.
fare and benevolent institutions other
organizations and individuals eneag.
ed ID public service for the entire
county,
Accompanying a general survey of
a county is more detailed survey Of
each community, community beinp
regarded as a unit of territory and
population characterized by common
economic and social experiences and
interests.
The community survey desienates
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 1t is contiguous and to which
1t is most closely related. Thus no
area is omitted in the enumeration of
population and other statistical In.
formation. The survey takes account
OF the community's economic condi.
tions' 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
This sets out Che loca.
tion, denomination, minister, date of
organization, descriptive data as to
buildings and equipment, membership,
regular and special meetings and tab
llated results therefrom, statistics az
10 area covered by the parish, number
Of families reached, parish problems
and other data. to give a comprehen.
sive vision of the parish, and supple.
nented by information as to the pro.
gram of work outlined for the church
by the pastor and the official boards.
The triple surveys-county. com.
nunity and church-assembl all in.
that may be needed to aid
The individual churches and denomi.
nations in working out their present
problems and future programs of de.
Eelopment. so that wasted effort NAV
be eliminated and unproductiye ac-
sivities of each denomination may be
transferred to productive fields.
The need of such systematic studv
II church conditions is apparent by
he results Of investigation already
made in some sections of the South
I the churches are to accomplish the
greatest possible amount of good. The
found to exist In some
quarters are rather startling In one
county in the South, for instance.
here sre II churches. Of which IA
ire dead and only 1e Of which main.
ain Sunday schools.