Evening star., 1925-10-22
MISSIONARY WORK
TO Be S|MP[|F|ED
Two Congregational Bodies
Expect Approval at Ses-
sion Today.

Unanimous adoption this afternoon
of the report Of the committee of
twelve on missionary organization of
the National Council of Congrega-
tional> Churches. joining nearly a
doZer home and foreign missionary
societies into two general bodies and
guara nteeing a more efficient admins
tration OF S2O.O00.00O holdings and
$4,000, 900 annual expenditures by the
Congregational churches in the United
States. is forecast.
AT a special meeting of the council
In the Washington Auditorium this
Afternoon, this final action is expect
ed to close a study of two years on
the part of four clergymen, four lay
men and four women, all Congrega-
tional leaders, with amalgamation of
their denomination hNne and for
eign mission work as its goal.
Creates Joint Council.
in addition to unification of the
missic nary organizations the report
creates a joint promotional council TO
he composed of Is men and women,
and calls for consolidation of the
three Congregational publications into
a united publication 10 be known as
the Congregationalist.
Legal technicalities in connection
with, the unitiCation of the mission So
cieties have been the principal obsta-
cles i'll the way of adoption of the re-
port: and it is expected they will be
ironed out to the satisfaction Of all
this afternoon.
AT present" ii was explained today
by the Rev. DR. William Horace Day
of Bridgeport, Conn, chairman of the
committee of twelve. 1T is necessary
for each State organization to relate
itself to the work of the commission on
missions on one hand and on the other
to the work of each of the missionary
groups. The result is unsatisfactory.
Under the proposed plan the States
could maintain intelligent and sympa-
thetic relationships with two boards as
well as with the commission, while
close contacts would bring about bet
ter mutual understanding and more ac-
tive cooperation between States and
boards.
Societies Must Concur.
The most important change in
which each society is asked to concur
is in the observance of the principle of
administrative unification by the cleo
ton of identical boards of directors.
Legal consolidation is urged upon no
society unlesSs convinced (a) that the
law permits. (b) that efficiency in
service will be increased, (c) that the
step can be effected without prejudice
to the society's holdings.
"Under either unification or consoli-
dation, each society, as 1t presents its
more important and difficult problems,
will be reinforced by the counsel, in
dorsement and active support of all
the others.
THE need of merger arose in the
Congregational denomination. but the
committee is reinforced in its convic
ton by discovery that not less than
10 other denominations are taking
steps in the same direction.
1.-The simplification proposed should
increase the efficiency of adminiStra
tive organizations. A row of friendly
but unrelated societies become depart
ments of a single enterprise, resulting
in no loss of efficient detailed attention
to the departmental program, but in
new unity of outlook in the accom-
plishment of the entire task"
Social Ideals Statement.
A statement of social ideals was
presented for consideration of the
$500 delegates at today's session by
the commission on social service of
the national council.
I've believe" says the preamble to
the statement, 'in making the social
and spiritual ideals of Jesus our test
for community as we'll as for in
dividual life; in Strengthening and
deepening the inner personal relation
shin of the individual with God, and
recognizing His obligation and duty
to society This is crystalized in the
two commandments of Jesus: Love
thy God and love thy neighbor." We
believe this pattern ideal for a Chris
tian social order involves recognition
of the sacredness Of life, the supreme
worth of each single personality, and
our common membership in one an
other-the brotherhood of all. In
short, it means creative activity in
cooperation with our fellow human
beings, and with God, in the everyday
life of society, and in the development
of a new and better world social order.
Prominent among the ideals sched-
uled for Endorsement by the national
council today are:
The building of a social order in
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