The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-09-30
FARTOOMANYC CHURCHES.
SAYS JAMES G. GREGORY
Prominent Elizabeth City Layman Alarmed az
Falling Off in Members and Dollars IN
BAPTIST Churches in This Section

IlOH Is SlOWlS UuN oui ~
ing down the foundations on
which it has long stood and is
throttling it's influence and
power as a valuable religious
force by its failure to console
date it's smaller and weaker
churches. thereby enlistlng
more able leadership, and by
neglecting to look forward to
a more centralized system OF
church government than 1t
now has is the opinion of James
G. Gregory of Elizabeth CITY,
clerk to the Chowan Baptist
Association comprising some
"a churches in the counties OF
Northeastern North Carolina.
Mr.. Gregory. who is one of the
most active and prominent workers
among the Baptist laity of the state,
and who holds the longest uninter-
rupted record as Clerk of the Cho-
wan Association. views decline III
church membership during the past
year. and falling off In contri-
buttons with considerable alarm.
lie did not hesitate to express his
convictions ably and forcibly at the
Annual Convention of the Associa-
ton in Gates County last week.
The records of the Association
disclosed that the membership In
the section dropped from 12.l47 In
1925 to 12.O35 In 1927. Likewise
In the year just ending. there was
q decline in church contributions
of more than $4,000, contributions
this year having been only S125,264,
as against $135,415.75 in the year
just preceding. And in 1925, the
membership declined under that OF
1925.
Mr.. Gregory Is one of the closest
students of Baptist history In this
section. For % years he has served
continuously asstlprk 70 the ChpwaT
Association which has functioned
for over 120 years. Before he be-
came clerk, he served in various
minor official capacities. and has
given literally Of his time and
thought not only to the work OF
the Association, but has been one
of the most active and valuable
members Of .the Board of ..Deacons
.of the First Baptist Church of this
city. .;i.t !! &,s
NATURALLY, ,his views were accept
cd with interest when expressed at
the Association. lind met with some
tiSapproval on the part of certain
members of the ministry. and visit
ing delegates. This newspaper be-
licves they will be of extreme In
tercst to the 12.000 Baptists OF
Northeastern North Carolina.
Schools VS. Churches
That the smaller country church-
es are losing ground today largely
because of improved educational
advantages and good roads Is the
opinion of Mr.. Gregory. The con-
solidated schools are playing a
great part because. the Q average
young person i'm the country today
Is becoming we'll educated, and
knows far more than many OF the
church leaders, and preachers In
the small churches. They lose In
terest I'm the church because they
find many Of the leaders not so we'll
Informed on outside affairs as they,
and they naturally assume these
leaders equally Incapable of advis-
ing them on religious matters.
Finding no attraction i'm a church
that has a type of leadership in
capable of maintaining their in
terest and enlisting their support.
they turn to other diversions. The
church cannot hold its own, when
automobiles and good roads offer an
opportunity for more interesting
diversion and recreation. And the
church will remain, not only at a
standstill. but. incapable of gaining
ground because of its system Of
government which is completely de-
centralized. Mr.. Gregory believes.
"The only solution of this prob
lem as see It," Mr.. Gregory de-
clares, is the consolidate many OF
the smaller churches. We have too
many churches. Elizabeth City has
three Baptist churches when it
needs only one. The situation is
even more deplorable in the rural
fields where four TO six churches
share one preacher, paying him as
little as 800 year each. Natural-
ly. they are not able to hire men
sufficiently capable and efficient to
hold the interest Of a public that Is
becoming more enlightened, more
critical. and more capable Of judg-.
ing the ability Of religious leader.
ship. 1t is deplorable that We are
not developing the degree Of lead
ership among the laity we should
develop.
"The church has always been a
vital force for good In tine com-'
m1 aity, ana fills yery definite.