The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-30
BY JOHN McGOWN STEVENSON.
President, Rock Island Ministerial
Alliance.

M OV1AXN xAONV sV&N ~ y 1<~SoV>ss
Rock Island Ministerial
Alliance.
The year that has just closed
stands ont as one Of the great years
in the history of Christianity in
Rock Island. This judgment is the
consentient opinion Of the clergy
and workers in Is of the Rock Is
land Protestant churches. This re-
port includes six denominations
and two 1nterdenominational or
CARNATIONS.
The work of the churches car
ries with it large amount of reg
ular routine service which is not
noticed by the public at large, and
much of it not even by many of
the members of the church. There
are great number of people in
leach of the churches whose CLASH.
fication may be best designated as
voluntary lay service. This in
cludes the Sunday school teachers,
church officers, aid organization,
and the likes. These workers carry
the great body Of service in the
churches and are seldom praised
and much blamed. So we sing their
praise here in recording the work
for the year.
There are q number Of common
denominations which run through
any tabulation that may be made in
the church year. The first out
standing note without an exception
can be stated in the word ''in-
crease" This covers membership
generally and down through all the
ORGANIZATIONS, There is not one re-
port without an increase Some Of
them are quite considerable. .
Figures are not mentioned here
for the very simple and obvious
reason that the formulate of arith-
meuc does not serve to compute
the spiritual values gained or deep
ened in the church's work.
Young peoples organizations
show sound vigor. We are getting
past the jazz stage and our young
people are seeking for truth. This
may be born out by anyone vino
will stand and face the questioning
eyes of any group OF our young
men and women. The Sunday
schools have gained. Fathers and
mothers are realizing the need OF
religious education and as that task
lis definitely the church's field, it
is astonishing the amount of CO.
operation that is received from the
parents whose children are in the
earlier years. 1t should however
be noted that while there is = stiff
ening in matters Of discipline in
the teen age there is difficulty
in the parent exercising effective
and judicious authority.
The second common note IL that
of generally" The overhead in
the churches has been rather con-
siderable this last year. A number
OF the churches have redecofated
interiors and etteriors. Furnaces
have been installed and repairs ex-
ecuted throughout the entire plants.
This has cost large sums Of money.
Notwithstanding this unusual over
head there is reported increases in
what the churches term ''bepetO-
lences." This means monies which
have been given from the local
church to the national boards Of
the denominations for the extern
sion Of Christ's kingdom in the
friendly service OF the world.
Ussleas at Heae ana AbrsoA :
We should remember that the
Gag follows the missionary ond
the business agent the Nag. II
should be said that large sums ct
this money through the national
agencies Of the church have been
given In relief In devastated
France, for rehabilitation, in Ar
menia to feed the Starving, In Rus
sia and some to China Then there
have been the Gideons, the Anti
Saloon league, church colleges, the
American Bible society, retireneat
fand for the minister, taxes to sap
port local, state and natioaal main
tenance for the denominational ma
chineFy.
IAefe are two relief aysncies
heze = the city. ono the child q
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