DIVISION XXVII RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION THE WORLD WAR AND THE CHURCHES CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, ASBURY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION Immediate Effect. This has been world-wide on bodies Christian, Jewish, or Moslem, whether its work, its ideas and policies, the breadth of its activities, or the development of its resources in men and means is considered. It may be doubted whether it has left any of the religious unchanged. President Wilson's idea that the outcome should make democracy greater and safer in the world has evidently obtained in large degree, as the tumbling of thrones, and the spread of Republican government bear witness. In the Christian Church its agency in relaxing the hold of doctrine appears not to be notable; other causes have entered into the modifications of its belief and particularly in its attitude with greater force, such as the rise of the newer school of scholarship, with its rationalistic interpretations of the Bible, which has from the beginning shaped the thinking and believing of Christian and Jew. Service in the War.-The Churches of the United States stood in their accustomed place in the support of the nation's participation in the war, sending out chaplains, ministers, representatives of the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., the Salvation Army, the Knights of Columbus, and other organizations to minister to the material, physical, social and intellectual needs of the soldier, as well as to his spiritual requirements; leaving many of the churches at home either pas torless, and without adequate plans of service or attention to church building and improvement, and its usual program of work. The loss in results was clearly indicated by the diminution of ingatherings of new members from the young and from the mature group, so that in 1919 the net additions fell to the lowest point in the history of a century, perhaps. Moreover, the immense contributions levied by the government for loans of unprecedented extent, impoverished the Church, which could not keep up its own financial demands in the urgency of the "drives" necessary to save the life of government and nation. Post-War Period.-After the war, the people wanted a breathing spell and recuperation was naturally slow. Absorption in the material affairs of the men at the front, while it strengthened the widening activities of the Churches in the social service they had inaugurated before the war, brought under larger consideration certain cognate ministries along lines of broadening educational, recrea tional, and other human needs, including the building and endowment of hospitals, refuges, homes and orphanages, in which the Roman Catholic, the Lutheran, the Jewish and other denominations had long been preeminent among the denominations. At all events it must be said that the outcome of the war helped in se curing the settlement of the question of social service and institutional churches for a line of work which few churches had previously entered upon, except hesitatingly and experimentally. Denominational Peace. Another Moral Forces. - The unreserved recognition by President Coolidge of the important part which religion plays in its promotion of high moral standards, giving a force to law and effective government which no other power can impart, is evidently accepted by the Churches in general as a call to develop to the utmost their support of law enforcement and loyal obedience of its citizens in government operations. While the war did not bring religious coöperation and unity into being, it has greatly influenced and strengthened them. outcome of the war was the abate- | evil tends to unite religious forces in ment of antagonisms and differences righteous demands upon a nation's between the Churches. Humanity be- rulers. came the immediate concern of the church representatives in the theater of war, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish servants of the Most High not only touching shoulders in their benign service, but recognizing that they were upon the same holy errand, under commission of Him whom they all served and their denominational differences shrunk in the presence of suffering of wounded and dying. Some may speak sweepingly of the former fighting and bickering of militant Churches; but there never was as much of it in the narrowest times as many believed, and it has lost in these days its ruthlessness and its severity, and toward this desirable result the most bloody and cruel war in history has indirectly contributed. Cessation of Sectarian Feeling. Churches of Christ in America.Again, the pressure of the war caused This body, representing some thirty the cessation of bitter sectarion feel- of the evangelical bodies, indicates ing, but the recognition of the neces- the breadth of its coöperative work sity for coöperation and unity. The by its Commissions on Social Servperil was both national and interna- ice, Research and Education, Evantional, the allied nations fighting together for life and liberty. With the same aims, fronting the same task and the same peril, the denominations must coöperate and engage unitedly in the work of defense. This conviction, while it had existed before the war, was stimulated and strengthened by the common service it inspired. INTERDENOMINATIONAL The Federal Council of the gelism and Life Service, Race Relations, International Justice and Good Will, Relations with the Churches of Europe, Relations with the Western Churches, and cooperation in securing Army and Naval Chaplains. Its General Council meets once in four years, an Executive Committee, annually, and an Administrative Committee, monthly. Its declared purpose is to represent the "oneness of the Churches" in Christ and "to promote the spirit of fellowship, service and coöperation." World Peace. - Another purpose which the war has drawn the Churches to advocate unitedly is that peace and the arts of peace must not be displaced by war, which is brutal, fatal and foolish; moreover, war is The Federal Council issued in the unnecessary, while reason is en- latter part of 1925 a carefully prethroned to find humane, effective, pared review of the progress of ensane methods for the settlement of forcement of the laws under the international disputes. Most of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Condenominations are agreed that armies stitution of the United States. It and navies and airfleets are required was intended to be of a judicial charchiefly for the policing of the nations, acter and it freely admitted that in to control outlaws and criminals, and many respects enforcement had been anarchists and to insure the enforce- unsatisfactory and the churches ment of the laws for safeguarding needed to renew their former zeal in civilization. If this steadfast con- the work of educating the people as viction has drawn the denominations to the injurious effects of intoxicants. closer to political lines than some Its admissions as to the general dishave hitherto been willing to go, it regard of the enforcement laws and is another instance of how a great warning that a serious struggle must take place before success could be secured, was a surprise to many and opinion was divided as to the wisdom of its publication. Most of the churches have organizations of their own to promote temperance and prohibition, and they also support the Anti-Saloon League in its active campaigns in the various states against any weakening of the Volstead Act, or any State legislation designed to break down prohibition. in the extension of the Kingdom of God; and I am in full accord with the following purpose of the Young Men's Christian Associations of the United States and of Canada, and commit myself to its voluntary service and support: "To lead young men to faith in God through Jesus Christ; to promote their growth into fullness of Christian character; to lead them into active membership in the church of their choice; and to make the exThe matter came up before the Ex- tension of the Kingdom of God ecutive Committee of the Federal throughout the world the governing Council at its meeting at Detroit, purpose of their lives.'" It was conMich., in December, 1925, and was tended that this modification of the fully discussed and freely criticized basis, which had been in effect since by the President of the Anti-Saloon 1869, will secure more service from League, among others, Bishop Nichol- members than that of the past which son, of Chicago, who said its admis-required church membership. The sions "put us back several years." The Business Committee, to which the matter was referred, reported that it was not expedient for the Council to enter the field of temperance and prohibition at this time. new rule, it was said, for it was adopted, will raise the standard instead of lowering it. The Convention was attended by twelve hundred laymen and was addressed by President Coolidge, who said it was the greatest lay force in existence and was accom plishing a great work for young men. Lay Organizations.-The Y. M. C. A. and its close second, the Y. W. C. A., with the Knights of Columbus, and Interest in Other Countries. It is other organizations, have greatly in- no longer possible to confine the increased and broadened their activities terest of the Churches of the United since the War and carried them into States to their own country. Through all parts of the earth, even into Mos- the progress of foreign missionary enlem countries. Millions of dollars deavor in all lands, among all popu have gone into their buildings, and lations, Christian and non-Christian, their budgets are larger than ever Moslem and Pagan, the influence of before. Cooperative effort on relig- the various cults on national and inious lines has never before ap-ternational affairs has immensely inproached such large dimensions as now. The Jews, always at the top in beneficence, are raising $5,000,000 largely for the rehabilitation of Palestine, brought under their care by the outcome of the war. creased. This is illustrated by the position taken by such bodies as the Congregational National Council, the Episcopal General Convention, and the missionary societies of the Methodist, Presbyterian, and other The Y. M. C. A. Triennial Conven- Churches in notifying China in its tion. This organization held its ses- struggle to obtain full national sion in Washington, D. C., in Novem- autonomy, that they will not ask for ber, 1925. The most important item the continuance of extraterritorial of business was the report of the privileges for their representatives, or committee on basis of membership any of the other special favors which appointed by the Convention of 1922. suggest distrust of China's ability or The report recommended the adoption willingness to guard the rights of of a new formulation as follows: "Ialiens. Moreover, most denominahereby declare my faith in God, and my acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I desire to serve him and to be his disciple in accordance with the teachings of the New Testament, and to unite with others tions have come to admit that Chi nese, Japanese, Hindu, and other converts who do not understand why there should be so many different denominations, all acknowledging allegiance to the same Lord, and so many The variant polities, agree in asking that | owing to the effects of the war. they shall have freedom in shaping grand total of over sixty-nine and a their own organizations, and the au- half millions indicates an increase of tonomy of the nascent Native Churches about forty-nine millions since 1900, in Asiatic, European, and South Amer- and of sixty-five millions since 1859, ican countries has been forced upon sixty-six years ago. the attention of the missionary organizations in the homeland and won their approval very generally. These, and other questions, have brought about changes not only in methods of conducting missions in foreign fields, but also in attitude toward the nonChristian masses and their religions, amounting almost to a revolution. Protestant Foreign Mission Results. A very considerable part of the activities of various American Churches and a rapidly growing contingent of missionaries, churches, and church members or communicants, are found in countries of other continents, not only among the great dense masses of populations of Asia, known as pagan, but also in Africa and in the islands of the sea, where the least developed form of religion, known as animism, also appears. Missions have long existed also in Latin America and in countries of Europe as well, whose indigenous faiths have long been Christian of various types. A Missionary Atlas appeared about a year ago, under the auspices of the Institute of Religious and Social Research of New York, with the cooperation and approval of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America and other organizations. It was edited by Prof. Harlan P. Beach, of New Haven, and Mr. Charles H. Fahs, of New York, and is the most thorough survey ever undertaken. It includes the work of the foreign missionary societies of other countries as well as those of the United States. There are 700 of these Protestant organizations (including those of women) of which nearly 400 send out missionaries, the rest being coöperative, raising funds, etc. The total annual income of the 700 societies reached in 1923, $69,555,148, of which about forty-five and a quarter million dollars was raised in the United States, $13,343,000 in Great Britain, $3,358,000 in Canada, $3,631,000 in the Continent of Europe, with Germany only represented in small part The number of missionaries employed is 29,188 (including ordained men, physicians, teachers, etc.) of whom 17,744 are wives and single women. Besides this foreign force are 88,635 on the native staff. More than fifty per cent. of the missionaries are in Asia, over 55 per cent. the next larger number in Africa, 6,300, in Latin America 3,049, and in Australia, the Pacific Islands and elsewhere 1,810. The Protestant constituency of communicants, baptized and under training, has increased from 3,613,391 in 1900 to 8,342,378, a gain of over 57 per cent., an average of 2.3 per cent. a year, which is beyond the annual Protestant increase of the Home Churches in the United States. It is an interesting fact that some of the large Protestant denominations in the United States have occasionally a larger net increase on the foreign fields than at home, with a working force many, many fold greater. This survey only covers Protestant missions, not Roman Catholic. FINANCES OF 24 DENOMINA- An interesting table has been prepared intended to indicate how large the financial budgets of twentyfour Protestant bodies in the United States were in 1924: for benevolences, for congregational expenses, and for all purposes, included in the two former budgets. The total for benevolences is $90,169,172; for congregational expenses $307,355,903: Grand total $453,277,266. The list embraces three Presbyterian Churches in the United States and Canada, three Methodist, three Lutheran, three Baptist, Congregational, Protestant Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, United Brethren and two Reformed bodies. All the larger churches are included. The returns for the Methodist Episcopal, the largest single body, are $96.514,193, including nearly $19,000,000 ence their royal support, the King pronouncing the welcome. The program was carried out under the appointed presidencies, the Bishop of Winchester, England, preaching the opening sermon. The outcome of the Conference, not expressed in resolutions or official statements, seems to be first the fact for benevolences and $74,307,000 for | resentation from Germany, with congregational expenses; the next in President Hindenburg at its head, amount is the Presbyterian (North- and patriarchs and prelates of the ern) nearly $57,000,000, of which Eastern Orthodox, with their strik. $10,500,000 was for benevolences and ing vestments and attentive retinues. over $40,000,000 for congregational The King and Queen of Sweden were expenses; the third, the Methodist in attendance and gave the ConferEpiscopal, South, $38,765,000, of which $3,389,207 for benevolences and the balance for other expenses; the Southern Baptists fourth, $34,533,132, of which $9,487,314 was for benevolences and $25,046,000 for congregational expenses; the fifth, the Protestant Episcopal, $37,459,000, of which $5,462,268 was for benevolences and $30,561,218 for congregational that what is practically an Ecumeni. expenses; the sixth, the Northern cal conference, of Christians of all Baptist, $32,689,000, of which $7,890,000 was for benevolences and $23,853,262 for congregational expenses. The largest per capita giving for all purposes was by the United Presbyterian Church, $36.92; following in order, the Protestant Episcopal, $32.38; the Northern Presbyterian, $31.88; the (Southern) Presbyterian, $31.82; the Reformed Church in America, $31.55. The average of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with 3,895,434 members, was $24.78; of the Southern Baptist, with 3,494,189, was $9.88. The average for the 24 denominations with 21,909,675 members was $20.68. The foregoing figures were taken from a report prepared and issued by Harry S. Myers, Secretary of the United Stewardship Council, New York. WORLD CHRISTIAN CONFER- names and shades of belief, is possible, for it had been held, only the Roman Catholic Church being absent; that life and work are scarcely separable from faith and order; that the Church is not yet ready to advance beyond general principles in the discussion of economical and industrial questions; that Christians are ready for cooperation but not for unity. The message issued by the Conference has been summed up as follows: "The message is its own triumph. It is the charter of the world's salvation. It speaks of industry in terms of com radeship and cooperation. It construes property in terms of stewardship. It exalts personality above profits. It deprecates national bigotry and prays for a Christian in ternationalism." South American Congress of Evangelical Churches.-The Evangelical Churches of the United States and Europe, which are conducting misThis Conference was held in Stock- sionary operations among the Spanholm, Sweden, in August, 1925, with ish and Portuguese population of Protestant Orthodox Eastern repre- South America, have been gradually sentatives present from forty-four drawing together in sympathetic cocountries, over 500 delegates from a operation, to make their work more hundred or more denominations, not effective; also as an economic measincluding the Roman Catholic. Its ure and to avoid rivalry in the same purpose was to confer on such prob- territory. In accordance with this lems confronting the Christian Church policy a Congress on Christian work as those of economy and industry, so- in South America, not including that ciety and morals, international and north of the Isthmus of Panama, was interracial relations, a substitute for held in Montevideo, Uruguay, beginwar, Christian education, coöperation ning March 20, 1925. Not only did and federation. There were from the missionaries take part in it, but 1,200 to 1,500 persons present at the the representatives also of the native first session, including a strong rep-churches. The spirit of the Congress |