The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1920-03-13
WOULD REVIVE THE
FAMILY As UNIT
Church Heads Seek to Stimulate
Common Interest and Offset
Too Much IndividuaIism.

Saving the American family from
"over-emphasized individualism'' is an
nounced as a leading purpose of the
New World Movement of Northern
Baptists.
There is too much talk Of living
ones W life and too little of the unit
good" said DR.. II. A. Heath of the Cen
eral Board of Promotion of the North
ern Baptist Convention. ut is an I'M
usual family that has any vital common
interest"
To unity the family in It's church life
at least 10000 Baptist churches
throughout the country are being re-
organized on the basis of what is
known as the Family Group Plan.
Every local church of the denomina-
ton In the Northern states will be d.
vided into family groups, with not more
than ten families in a group a leader
will be appointed, and the various
group leaders, with the pastor, will
form a church cabinet to put local and
UNCONVENTIONAL programs into effect.
Family Sunday will be observed at
least nee each three months in all the
Baptist churches In the country. Ev-
erything about the services, songs, text
and sermon, will be chosen from the
point of view of interesting the fami-
ly. Members of the family will be ask
ed to sit together, and in thousands of
rows of seats in the United States ia
ther will head the row and tow-head
son will occupy the end seat.
Christian leaders say that family
prayers are held at the present time
In not more than one out of every ten
families of church members. The Bap-
fist campaign will make an effort to
revive the custom In all the homes of
that denomination.
The various members of each family
group in the church will be expected to
entertain each other in their homes.
Since these divisions will be made
without reference to social status, per-
haps on an alphabetical basis or in
some other equally impartial way, this
will mean a real test of Christian de-
mocracy. The leaders believe that the
members of the various congregations
will come through this acid test trl-
%umphantly.
brotherhood ought to be an actual
working principle in our churches and
not an die word" DIR. Heath said. "If
1t is not an actual working principle
this is the time for us to. find it out
If there Is Christian snobbishness It
should be ~uproeted. But, as a matter
Of fact, the Family Group Plan is be-
ing met with favor wherever 1t Is being
tried out In our churches, and families
write In that they welcome this oppor-
tunity to mingle with those of varying
viewpoints"
Family weekend meetings will also
be introduced into many local Baptist
churches, at which the various men,
bers of the family will come together
for readings, recitations, music, games
and chat. These programs will not
necessarily be religious at all, the
church leaders say. The church can
safely be used for family enjoyment in
these modern times, they declare.
DR.. Heath contends that this reor-
ganization of the church on the family
basis is both wise and natural.
"rhe family is the natural division
within the church as well as outside of
It," he said. "The Baptist Church is
simply recognizing this fact in the New
World Movement. If the movement re-
suits in a stronger welding of family
ties and in helping to settle the nation
al discomfort through the mingling of
various classes the church, the home
and the nation will all be the better for
It,"