Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-06-16
RURAL CHURCH SURVEY

One phase of the Inter Church
World Movement, which, on account
af the great financial campaign, has
slipped somewhat into the background,
= the national Rural Church Survey.
The world wide program, which the
Movement projected, was based upon
4 united scientific survey both of the
actual conditions and needs in the
EorId wide field of the church and of
the abilities and resources of Ameri-
IAN Professionalism to meet these prob
Eems which the field survey would re-
veal
In this country, the survey is now
Being carried on, county by county,
with special provision for the study
If the city and particular group prob
kms- Up to now, on account of the
scarcity of time, and the necessity of
putting all the energies of the people
On the matter of financial drive, the
work of the Rural Survey has percept-
TbIy slowed down, so that only small
Fart of the state Of Vermont has been
covered by the canvassers. Here in
Orleans county, for instance, only
4b1uf one-third of the towns have been
completed.
Rev c. o. Gill of Hartland, the
gtate director for New Hampshire and
Vermont, Is very anxious to complete
khe work of the survey within the i'm
mediate future, and he has called to
ans aid, Rev. F. E. Dawson of Derby
Ehn bad charge of the publicity de-
partmeut of the state, for the demon.
nations of the Interchurch people dur
mig the first months of the year. Mr.
Dawson will get in touch with tn,
Zanvassers in every town in this coun
ny at the earliest possible date. Il
the meantime it is hoped that all thos,
who have any of the material on hant
sill communicate with him immediate
~
The Rural Church Survey is not
house to house canvass; it does not i
any way correspond to the Unite
States census; it is limited to terri
znry outside of incorporated towns o
more than 5000 population. It
primarily rural in import. The tas
af the county men is to map the coun
", locating among other things, ever
church and parsonage. The circuit
sf ministers will also be indicated
Especially important it is that owe
ehurched and neglected territories ar
discovered Outstanding social COZ
ditions and community relationship
that affect religious conditions an
bear upon the program of the churc
are to he noted, in a special schedul
6or community at large.
On the basis of these facts til
enHrch leaders of the county will /
able To assemble a constructive prc
gram, To- conserve money and me-
stop waste of good material, and d
business ON business principles, ma
TER which Is of vital Importance thes
days OF fierce competition in religio
ms In everything else. And on the b:
zls Of these facts again there will |
Hulit ND state program, and so G
and an To a national program.
Already IN this state sectarianis
IS sfaEiy being asphyxiated, so tn
slgotry and lf-suficiency is gro,
mig slower by degrees and beautiful
Ess-" Some 40 declarations of church
which once held their lonely wa
tarough the wilderness of sin, ha
Been formed, and they are making t
waste places to bloom and blossom
me rose- The more people know
each other the more they come
face common problems and understa
that the tasks of one are the tasks
all
1t Is foregone conclusion that
srder to meet our obligations we MI
know what they are, and in order
knew what they are they must be
vesdgzted- Hence the need of
znEvey that professionalism may KIN
hts entire task, home and foreign. I
III end urban
fr