Evening star., 1939-10-18
Clean House,
Uniiversa|ist
Conc|aye
Four-Yeor Program
To StreumIine
Activities Sought

Declaring "a certain amount OF
good honest house cleaning won't
hurt us one Bit" DR.. Robert Cum
Minis, Boston, youthful general SUI
perintendent of the Universalist
Church, today recommended to the
denominations biennial convention
the adoption Of four-year program
to reorganize and streamline the
church.
DR.. Cummins reminded the con-
vention, in session at the Mayf1oWer
Hotel, that the church has gained
only 1000 members in the last SO
years and that out of 544 churches
in existence, 100 were receiving fin
anclal aid from the convention, so
were without ministers and 81 were
dormant.
I'VE must get every unit off the
dole" he declared. There is no
reason for us to function as a sort of
ecclesiastical P. w. A.
I'VE have the best religious product
IN the world to sell, and we had
better set up an effective sales
agency. We are not busy about
growing" he said.
Convention to Consider Plan.
DR.. Cummins presented a plan
for expenditure of 100000 during
the next four years to centralize
administration of the church, half
the sum to be appropriated by the
Board of Trustees and the other
half by members of the church.
After his address, in which he did
not spare words to criticize the
present system of operation of his
church, the convention voted to
recess until 23O pm. and then give
its full consideration to the problem
he raised.
DR.. Cummins advocated general
field workers for the church whose
duties would embrace all depart
ments, and he criticized the present
alphabetical assortment of organ
izations within the church, each
with its own field workers.
I'VE should consolidate our pub
lications," he said. I'VE should CO.
operate for the common good and,
above all, not be so everlastingly
provincial"
To take poor churches off the
dole, DR.. Cummins advocated that
assistance of the general conven-
ton not be given for periods Of
more than 10 years, with a 10 per
cent reduction to the amount OF
assistance each year.
Trend to Small Churches Seen.
The church, DR.. Cumnlins de-
clared, must consider relocation OF
congregations whichab have been
reduced by shifts in population. He
said the .day of great, expansive
edifices is rapidly passing and
pointed to architects drawings OF
small chapels, on exhibition at the
convention. that could be built at
cost as low as $1,000
At the conclusion of his report
based on study and survey of the
church during the past Ia months
DR.. Cummins asked the convention
if it wished to consider a resolution
that would retain as members in
good standing those universalists
who refuse to take up arms against
fellow human"
Church leaders pointed out that
a resolution adopted by the gen.
eral convention of 1881 provided a
member of the church could re-
main in good standing if he refused
to bear arms on grounds of being a
conscientious objector, and that DR..
Cummins was inquiring only if the
convention wished to reaffirm this
position.
Talk on Youth Problem.
The churchs consideration of the
youth problem was renewed at noon
with a luncheon address before the
General Sunday School Association
Of the Universalists by DR.. Bess
Goodykoontz, assistant commissioner
of the United States Office of Edu-
cation. Her subject was Our Chill
dren and Their Changing World"
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, District
superintendent of schools and prom
inent Universalist layman, will act
as moderator tonight for the first of
two town meeting programs to be
held in the Italian gardens of the
MayfoWer.
The subject for tonight's meeting
Liberal Religion in the Present
World Situation" will be discussed
by panel composed of Methodist
Bishop Edwin H. Hughes Of Wash
ington, DR.. Clarence R. Skinner
dean of the Tufts College School OF
Religion, and DR.. John Ray EWers
pastor of the East End Christian
Church of Pittsburgh.