Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-25
CHURCHMEN STUDY
RURAL CONDITIONS
Fewer and Better Places of
Worship Declared to Be
Chief Need.

Spiritual needs of approximately
| 10000 people in rural America living
in communities without churches fur
nished the basis of recommendations
today to the Western Section Confer
ence of the World Alliance of Presby-
terrain and Reformed Churches.
Dr. Joseph A. Vance of Detroit drew
attention to conditions in rendering the
report of the Committee on Home Mis-
SionS.
Referring to the careful study made
by the National Missions Board OF the
Presbyterian Church. he said that "in
nine-tenths of all rural communities
the problem is to develop fewer and
better churches with broader and
more intensive service ministry. In the
other tenth the problem" he declared
sis to provide religious ministry where
the church is now doing practically
nothing"
Literature Merging Asked.
OF special significance, his report
pointed out, are the principles of comfy
adopted and the suggestions for inter-
UNCONVENTIONAL cooperation in pro-
motion as outlined in this study OF
missions.
THE vital matter now is the question
of attitude and spirit" he said.
Merging of Sunday school lesson
helps and other educational literature
of the church now published separately
and comparatively by several denomina-
tions was recommended as practical
way toward church union, by DR.. James
E. Clarke of Nashville, Tenn, in re-
port made this morning. DIR. Clarke,
who is editor of the Presbyterian Ad-
vance is a member of the Presbyterian
Board of Christian Education.
AS chairman of the Committee on
Education and Literature of the west
ern section, Dr. Clarke also expressed
the conclusion in its report that the
denomina tons are maintaining entirely
too many theological Seminaries. The
Joint Committee dealing with the pro-
posed union of five Presbyterian
churches, the report stated, had re-
quested a complete survey OF the educa-
tional field
College Importance Cited.
This survey shows there are 81 COL
leges and junior colleges attached to
these five churches and % theological
seminarieS.
"These five churches are making
earnest effort to become one church,
DR.. Clarke reported, yet in this field
of educational literature the whole ten
dency Is to cultivate separatist attitudes,
for there seems to be no excuse for the
production of so many different kinds
of Presbyterian teaching material I'M
less it is in order to emphasize points
of view which keep these churches
apart"
The importance of the Christian col
lege in the development Of the United
States and the further necessity OF con-
tinuing such religious education as
factor in the perpetuation of American
ideals were stressed this morning by DR.
David NJ. Sweets of Louisville, KY. He
is editor of the Christian Observer.
OF the SOC colleges listed in Who's
Who in America" he said, small
Presbyterian college in Virginia. Hamp-
n-Sidney, led the list Of American col
leges and universities that have the
largest percentage of living alumni
listed in the volume.
The conference, which is holding ses-
sions in the New York Avenue PreSby-
terrain Church, will close tomorrow aft
ernoon.
More new automobiles are being regis
tered in POrtO Rico than a year ago.