The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-09-08
RURAL SURVEY 0F
VITAL IMPORTANCE
Religious Statistics Are soe,,,.. ,
From County To Be Used R :, co
Local Churches
HEARTY COOPERATION oo,
Information To Be Gathered In e.
Fart OF The County ACCORDING ~
communities Will Have Larna
Significance

ii communities Will Have Larro
Significance
he rural survey department NJ ~.
Interchurch World Movement ~ie
oeen organized to assemble info -l"S
tlon and analyze conditions fno- Ind
renglous standpoint in every county ~
tne state, according to J. A. 7 Rrool.
Rural Survey Supervisor for the etat
OF South Carolina, with headouor+o.1
at 9O4 National Loan and Excbona"
BANK Building, Columbia, S. c.
In order for the churches of q oou,
Hlunlty to carry on their work %
eVangellz1ng the territory in whicI,
they are situated and to contrih,,tI
their share towards the con,n1o.o
evangelization of the world which ~
the ideal in every Christian heart -
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 do.
| nominations and others who are in
! formed relative to religious conditions.
TO render all the assistance possible
towards the completion of the worl
InlS information, after being TAIN.
lated by experts, is taken back to the
counties, where the several Protestant
denominations with churches in tho
county comparatively study it and de-
eide on the cOunty's church needs
Recommendations are made by the
county churches Of each denon.ina-
ton that so desires, to the denomi
national home mission, Sunday school
and other boards so that these boards
can cooperate inteIligently and effec-
lively with the local county church
organizations
The Interchurch World Movement
is attempting to do it's work on
democratic basis. Oft is neither dictat-
ing nor attempting to dictate to anv
church or denomination what shall be
done. The denominations in each
county must decide unanimously
among themselves on any Joint coun.
ty program for church betterment be-
fore it is adopted or undertaken with
the cooperation of the Interchurch
World Movement. The survey depart
ment is designed to help build up and
meet the needs of the local churches
through the local and county denomi
national interests,
An Interchurch World Movement
survey Of a county develops facts as to
the county's geographical location and
the general character of it's agricul-
tural, commercial and industrial life,
its road system and means of inter.
communication, public school system
and other educational institutions, wei.
fare and benevolent institutions, other
organizations and individuals engag-
ed in public service for the entire
county.
Accompanying a general survey OF
a county is a more detailed survey OF
each community, a community being
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 IL
formed persons. Territory not def
nteIy included within the limits OF
any trade community is considered in
connection with the communities 10
which it is contiguous and to which
it is most closely related. Thus II
area is omitted in the enumeration Of
population and other statistical IT,
formation. The survey takes account
of the community's economic condl
tions, such as natural resources, chic!
sources of income. soil, climate ant
market conditions, relations of farr:
ers and business men, industrial dat.
etc. The social life and organization
of the community are covered in g.
tail, together with other informatie
to throw light on the state of the -
cial mind
The third link in the survey chai1
is the survey of each church in ca
This sets out the locr-
ton, denomination, minister, date
descriptive data as
buildings and equipment, membersh;s
regular and special meetings and t.
ulated results therefrom, statistics -
to area covered by the parish, mum
of families reached, parish profile
and other data to give compreht@'
sive vision of the parish, and SUPP e
mented by information as to the Pr
gram Of work outlined for the chu.
by the pastor and the official boar II
The triple surveys-county, CO..
and church-assemble all -
formation that may be needed to a.
the individual churches and demo
nations in working out their pres
problems and future programs of ~
1elopment, so that wasted effort M
be eliminated and unproductlVe ~
ivities of each denomination may <
transferred to productive fields.
The need of such a systematic STU