The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-03-05
RURAL SURVEY or :
VITAL IMPORTANCE
religious Statistics Are Secured
From County To Be Used BY
Local Churches
HEARTY COOPERATION ASKED
Information To 30 Gathered IN Every
Part OF The County According TO :
communities Will Have Larue
Significance

~ 0VPdE Luc0t Oh Lu0
i~nterchurch World Movement has
been organized to assemble informa.
ton and analyze conditions from a
religious standpoint in every county IN
the state, according to G. S. Harmon.
rural survey supervisor for the state
OF Mississippi. with headquarters at
2o6 Daniel building. Jackson. Miss.
In order for the churches of a com.
munity to carry IN their work Of
evangelizing the territory in which
they are situated and to contribute
their share towards the complete
evangelizatiOn of the world, which fs
the ideal in every Christian heart. It
Is necessary that the actual condi.
lions 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.
formed relative to religious conditions
70 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.
c1de on he county's church needs.
recommendations are made by the
county churches OF each denomfna.
o that SO desires: to the denomi-
national home mission. Sunday school
and other boards so that these boards
can cooperate i%ntelligently and effec-
lively with the local county church
organizations.
The Interchurch World Movement
Is attempting to do its work on a
democratic basis. 1t is neither dictat.
ing nor attempting to dictate to anv
cnurch Or denomination what shall be
done. The denominations in each
county must decide unanimous,v
among themselves on any Joint conn.
~ program for church betterment be-
fore 1t 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 In%terchurch 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.
its road system and means of inter.
communication, public school system
and other educational institutions wei.
rare and benevolent institutions, other
organizations and individuals eneae.
ed IN public service for the entire
county.
Accompanying a general survey os
a county is a more detailed survey NJ
each community. a community being
as a unit Of territory and
population characterized by common
economic and social experiences and
interests.
The community survey d~esignates
the outline and location of the com.
muntty on information acquired from
s~torekeepers, 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.
tons, such as natural 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 chair
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 az
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 NAV |
be eliminated and unproductive &C |
tivities Of each denomination may be
transferred to productive fields.
The need Of such a systematic study |
Of church conditions is apparent BY
the results Of Investigation already |
made in some sections Of the South. !
IF the churches are tn accompI;sh ~.