THE COUNTRY CHURCH PROGRAMME 175 



be halved and efficiency doubled; he scrutinizes an 

 organized business and points out where leakages occur, 

 where poor co-ordination is found, where efficiency 

 might be promoted. The Dominion Government has at 

 present an English expert investigating the working of 

 the Departments with a view to efficient reorganization. 

 The tests of the efficiency engineer applied to the 

 churches would show that their efficiency lies not in the 

 competitive spirit but in spiritual consecration. 



But if organic union be not possible, co-operation as 

 frank, as full, as free, as if denominations were organi- 

 cally united is imperative. To serve our land in her 

 need every church must work, ilot for the church in 

 either its local or its connexional interests, but for the 

 kingdom of God. 



In the United States men have no hope of any speedy 

 organic union on a large scale. But forty denomina- 

 tions, forming practically almost the entire constitu- 

 ency of evangelical Christianity, have formed a Federal 

 Council which is becoming the central agency in coun- 

 try community betterment. The movement anticipates 

 union. Dr. Tallmadge Root, one of the Secretaries, 

 says : " Conditions demand co-operation everywhere 

 and consolidation somewhere. The question to-day is 

 no longer between isolation and co-operation. The only 

 alternative now is between temporary or permanent, 

 spasmodic or systematic, co-operation. Federation 

 means co-operation systematic and permanent. It is 

 indispensable, not only for present efficiency, but as the 

 first step towards church unity." A- between the 

 denominations the plan is federated action, but as 

 regards the local situation the outcome in " one-minis- 

 ter federations in country villages v is practically union. 

 A difficulty in the administration of these has, how- 



