The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-23
DOES NOT EFFECT
 UNCONVENTIONAL AFFAIRS AT ALL
Interchurch World Move ment Free From Dogma and Interference With
 Any Church's Ideas

Concerning the purpose and scope of
 the Interchurch World Movement and
 the largeness of results that are an-
 ticpated from it's efforts no one is
 better prepared to speak than Rev. R.
 M. Archibald, who has given himself
 so efficiently and tirelessly to the
 work as secretary of rural survey.
 With regard to the movement, Dr.
 Archibald says:
 Having been connected with the
 Interchurch World Movement year,
 and having had opportunity to look
 well into it's purposes, l state without
 hesitation that it not only promises
 to meet longfelt need for the evan
 gelical churches, but in my judgment
 if it is allowed to carry out it's pro
 gramme. it will prove to be the great
 est movement that has come to the
 churches since the organization of the foreign missionary societies little more than a century ago.
 Nothing could be farther from the facts in the case than to say that 1t proposes to merge the doctrines of the churches so that people will have no definite systems of faith, or to say, as a prominent minister said recently in
 New York. that it does not believe the cardinal doctrines of the Christian re- Egion. The movement has no word to say as to what participants may be- lieve, but it is certain fact that none but the evangelical denominations can have a place in the movement. The very minute any denomination denies
 any of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible it Is ineligible for a place in
 the programme of the Interchurch World Movement
 "Neither is there any overhead au- <, thority that can possibly embarrass the denominations in carrying out their own rogramme-providing they wish to co-opeAate with other denomi- nations. The movement was started as democraticaly as is possible, under all the conditions that exist. It is purely and solely the creature of the Protestant denominational boards and exists for their larger efficiency. It will become what they make It. If | the movement should by any means fail it would in it's failure say to the world that effective cooperation among the Protestant churches Is not I practicable if it succeeds. as we con- | fidently believe 1t will, it will make l for economy, efficiency and intelligent religious effort such as has never be- l fore been seen in America.
 "The movement has two general ob- l jectives.
 Aiding the several denominations l to so coordinate their efforts as to | cover the entire field and build up
 in every community in the home land
 and eventually throughout the whole world. vigorous, satisfying church
 life that shall measure up to com munity needs. Some have had spasms
 for fear that a few churches here and 1 there might be put out of business. | IF a church is found to be unnecessary 1 in any community. 1t will surely not | be forced out of business by the ln- 1 terchurch World Movement. What
 ever the local people do Is all that will | be done, so far as diminishing churches is concerned What we are concerned | a bout Is not the few communities that 1 have too many churches, but the many ! communities that have none, and ths 1 still greater number of churches that | have a name to live and are little bet ter than dead. The starvation salaries l paid the pastors, the meagre equip | ment for effective church work. tho unattractive and incommodious houses | of worship. the almost total absence 1 of a far-reaching church programme | the crying need for qualified leader 1 ship and the large number of people Tn I almost every community who are not | being developed in the Christian lire these are the things at which the movement is working. Does anyone ! object to the doing of these things Tn | any community? If he believes in these things he will find his largest opportunity in the Interchurch World Movement.
 "The other great objective of the l movement is to make a thorough sur yev of conditions. needs and resources 1 that the churches may the more ln- | telligentiy face the whole task. Many l think they know conditions already, but the very fact that they will allegs | such is proof positive that they do | not f"