from organization. The next great step to be taken, and for which a thousand interests wait, is the organization of churches into coöperative relations which will enable them to meet the higher needs of our civilization.
4. To prevent the indefinite multiplication of organizations.—The new interest in philanthropy and reform is creating a great number of unrelated societies, many of which overlap and develop friction, resulting in the waste of time, money and effort. What is much needed, in the interest of both economy and of effectiveness, is a common center where efforts to improve the community may be coordinated and adjusted to each other in some comprehensive plan—an organization which can survey the whole field and throw united effort into any one of many directions at the opportune moment.
5. To prevent competition and waste in locating missions and churches.—When denominations prosecute the work of church extension each with reference to its own growth rather than the growth of the kingdom, there results an unwise distribution of forces—a congestion of churches in the best part of the community and a dearth in the worst. Such a condition of things is as criminal as it is needless.
6. To cultivate Christian fellowship between different churches and different denominations.
7. To reach homes with elevating and transforming influences.—Most of the great evils of our times, whether physical, social, moral, or spiritual, can be effectively reached and overcome only in the home; and the homes of a community will not be effectively reached with Christian influence without the intelligent coöperation of the churches.
Without some such organization as is proposed the churches cannot accomplish their social redemptive work. Through such organization they can demonstrate the vitality of the Christian religion by manifesting its power to meet existing needs, thus molding the civilization of the new century.
The practicability of such organization, both local and general, has already been demonstrated in England.
