Evening star., 1930-12-03
MISSIONS PARLEY
CITES DRAWBACKS
HAMPER|NG WORK
Doctrinal Emphasis and
Church Rule Blamed for
Lack of Cooperation.
SURVEY is PRESENTED
ON CONGREGATIONS SIZE
Little Gains Is Reported in Fields
Presenting Best Opportu-
mites for Work.

"Doctrinal emphasis" and wide di-
vergences in the form of church gov
ernment" were named as two causes
for hampering cooperation between
churches in general church work and
missions at the North American Home
Missions Congress, meeting in its third
days session in Calvary Baptist Church
today.
These and other reasons for a lack of
cooperation we're being discussed at
the various group meetings of the con-
greSs, whose main purpose OF meeting
is to secure better cooperation between
churches In missionary work.
Liturgy also was named as another
barrier to cooperation.
Official Report Made.
The topics being discussed were pre-
sented through the Commission on the
Task and Administration of Home Mis-
SionS in an official report, which in
cluded many findings of the Commis-
sion on Comfy and operation.
THE movement toward the feder-
alton of local churches succeeds on prac-
tical levels by the utilization of naive
impulses and the avoidance of major
difficulties, and not primarily because of
penetrating thought or high courage
and leadership" the group meetings
were informed in the report.
The report being discussed made
reference to study just concluded by
the Institute of Social and Religious
Research on $50 upderchurched coun-
ties. 1t was asserted that in the very
counties In which home missions have
the clearest field little appreciable
progress has been made in reducing the
proportion of the population outside the
church except in the cut-over areas Of
the Middle West. This situation is at
tributed in the report to "the old re-
gime of unrestricted competition" a
situation which the present missions
congress is attempting to remedy.
Church for Each 1000.
The report points out that the Home
Missions Council has for some years
declared that one church to each 1000
of Protestant population was the de-
sirable maximum. In rural areas, the
report shows, however, that there are
three churches to each 1000 men,
women and children, although only
one-half the population belongs 70 the
ratio of one church to 1000 is approxi-
mated, but the distribution OF these
churches in the better areas Of the city
has resulted in much competition" the
report states
There are many dificulties of ad-
justment of competitive situations" the
report declares These difficulties are
economic. social and theological. Prop
erty interests are one OF the obstacles
to cooperation. A local situation may
be ripe for cooperation, but one or
another Of the denominations involved
may hold title to the church building.
which 1t feels 1t cannot relinquiSh with
out full compensation, something be-
yond the financial power OF the local
people to arrange" the report adds.
Groop Meetings Under Way.
Two other group meetings of the
congress got under way in executive
sessions today. They are the group for
study of home missionary work among
the Mormons, headed by Rev. H. w.
Reherd, chairman, president Of West
minister College, and the group for
study of home missionary work in
Alaska, Rev. Edward d. Kohlstedt,
chairman. DR.. Kohlstedt Is secretary
of the Board of Home Missions, Metho-
dist Episcopal Church.
Following the detailed study Of vari-
GUS problems pertaining to home mis-
sionary work by these groups and the
IL other groups, which got under way
early yesterday. reports will be sub
mitted before the congress.
Subsequently, recommendation of the
groups are to be referred to a findings
committee. headed by DR.. Hermann N.
Morse, chairman. DR.. Morse's COM
mittee, after consideration of the rec
concentrations, will present formal rec
concentrations before the missions con-
greSs Friday morning.
DR. Morse. who also Is director OF
SURVEYS of the Home Missions Council,
yesterday presented report on the
findings Of a survey recently completed.
This stated that there are about
5000 900 people in rural America today
living in communities without churches.
Millions Need Ministry.
zone of the important considerations
before the Home Missions Congress will
be the question OF providing religious
ministry for the approximately 10000
small communities in which these lln-
churched millions live" DR.. Morse said
In his report.
"It is very widely believed that rural
America as a whole is adequately
churched-indeed. is overchurched.
This is generally true of the larger and
more accessible communities" the
report says.
Il adds that extensive surveys made
during recent years show that as Tar
as nine-tenths of the rural communities
are concerned the problem Is to develop
fewer and better churches with
broader and more intensive service min
istry. But for the other tenth" the re-
port continues, 1.-The problem is to pro-
vide q religious ministry where the
church is now doing practically nothing.
"The total number of home mission
aries Is upward of 10000" the report
states.
Important Program Tonight.
The eleven group sessions Of the mis-
sion congress which got under way yes
terday continued their meetings today
after holding meeting last night in
the church.
Devotional services were conducted at
the session ut noon today by Rev. Henry
c. Swearingen. Mrs. Orrin r. Judd viii
preside mt O meeting In the church to-
night, to be featured by three addresses.
The speakers and their topics are:
Mrs. r. G. Reynolds, trustee Of the
Woman's Home Missionary Society,
Methodist Episcopal Church, who viii
speak on THE West Indies: Mrs Ruth
Muskrat Bronson, assistant guidance
and placement ofiicer, Indian Field
Service, Department of the Interior,
whose subject will be 'The Indian" and
DR.. Mordecai johnson, president Of
Howard University, who win speak on
Christian Missions and the American
Negro"