138 NINETEENTH REPORT. 



every social institution, and the church has been a prey to its inroads 

 more than has any other institution, with the possible exception of 

 government. There may be some justification for denominationalism 

 witliin the larger cities, though even here we may expect a gradual union 

 of those sects which are similar in creed and ceremony, and federation 

 of those which are too dissimilar to admit of consolidation. In the 

 country, however, there is no valid excuse for denominationalism that 

 is not heavily outweighed by the case against it. And the various sects 

 are at present awakening to the fact that a country community can 

 reasonably support but one church. There is a growing undercurrent 

 of disapproval of the practice of trying to establish and support in a 

 single neighborliood a number of sickly organizations, no one of which 

 can pay its pastor a sufficient salary, nor actively engage in community 

 work. It is encouraging, therefore, to note the tendency today toward 

 co-operation, especially among the evangelical churches, for the pur- 

 pose of pooling the territory and dividing it among them. If this move- 

 ment goes as far as it should, there will eventually be a widespread 

 process of elimination, only those churches remaining which offer the 

 possibility of efficient service. In the country, more than one church to 

 the community is a waste of time, energy and expense. To eliminate 

 many of them would ultimately result in both economy and efficiency, 

 higher salaries, more able pastors, a unified program. Tlie future of 

 the country church depends upon this reform. 



In addition to the drawbacks of sectarianism, the church must meet 

 the problem of establishing a centralized control and direction. Some 

 of the denominations already possess a more or less flimsy structure of 

 centralized supervision. But there is an urgent need of some permanent 

 central committee, or council, within each sect, the business of wliich 

 shall be to study social and religious problems, with the best methods of 

 attack ; and to outline programs of work, giving information and expert 

 advice upon every subject. Tliey should make a study of different 

 types of communities, witli a view to determining their peculiar needs 

 and the best methods of proceeding to meet them. And it sliould be 

 their duty to instruct and advise the pastors in their work. 



One subject of each system would be to remove the center of initiative 

 from the official board of the church to an experienced central body of 

 experts. The typical church official board is as incompetent as the 

 average rural school board. Its members^ are ignorant of the latest 

 thought and of improved metliods ; and they are, as a rule, not sufficiently 

 energetic and enterprising to undertake a progressive propaganda. 

 Whatever individual churcli initiative there is, under present conditions, 

 it is stimulated by the most aggressive of the pastors. And their work 



