Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1920-04-08
RURAL SURVEY OF
VITAL IMPORTANCE
Religious Statistics Are Secured
From County To Be Used By
Local Churches
HEARTY COOPERATION AsKsr
Information To Be Gathered In Every
Part OF The County According To
Communities Will Have Large
Significance

Interchurch World Movement has
been organized to assemble informa.
ton and analyze conditions from a
religious standpoint in every county in
the state. according to Thomas F.
Dixon, Rural Survey Supervisor for
the state of Tennessee, with headouar
tiers at the University of Tennessee
Division of Extension, Knoxville. Tenn
In order for the churches of a com.
nunlty to carry on their work of
eyangelizing the territory in which
they are situated and to contribute
their share towards the comDIete
evangelization Of the world, which is
the ideal in every Christian heart. it
is necessary that the actual condi-
tons 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
20 render all the assistance possible
towards the completion of the work.
This information, after being tabu
lated by experts, is taken back to the
counties, where the several Protestant
denominations with churches in the
county comparatively study it and de-
eide on the county's church needs
Recommendations are made by the
county churches OF each denonina-
ton that so desires, to the denomi
national home mission, Sunday school
end other boards SO that these boards
: cooperate intelligentIy and effec-
lively with the local county church
organizations.
Inc Interchurch World Movement
Is attempting to do its work on
democratic basis. It is neither dictat-
ing nor attempting to dictate tn any
church Or denomination what shall be
done. The denominations in each
county must decide unanfmousIv.
among themselves on any Joint coun.
" program for church betterment he-
fore it is adopted or undertaken with
the cooperation of the Interchurch
World Movement. The survey DEPART
ment is designed to help build I'D and
meet the needs of the local churches
through the local and county denomi.
national interests.
An Interchurch World Movement
survey Ola county develops facts &c r,
the county's geographical location and
Il
tural. commercial and Industrial life
its road system and means of inter
communication, public school system
ana otner educational institutions, well
fare and benevolent institutions other
organizations and individuals engag-
ed IN public service for the entire
county.
Accompanying general survey of
county is more detailed survey of
each community, a community beinp
regarded as a 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.
n1tely Included within the limits of
any trade community is considered in
connection with the communities IN
which it is contiguous and to which
it is most closely related. Thus no
area is omitted in the enumeration of
population and other statistical in.
formation. The survey takes account
IL
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 to
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 a comprehen.
sive vision of the parish, and supple.
mented 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.
munity and charlottesville all in.
formation that may be needed to aid
the individual churches and denomi-
nations in working out their present
problems and future programs of de.
velopment, SO that wasted effort may
be eliminated and unproductive ac-
/ Evities of each denomination may be
transferred to productive fields.
The need of such systematic study
of church conditions is apparent by
the results of investigation already
made in some sections of the South.
=, il 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.
! there are A churches, of which Ia
are dead and only Is of which main
/ ain Sunday schools.