^llllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllilllllllllllllllllN M REPORT 1 Presented by M M THE FINDINGS 1 COMMITTEE 1 And Adopted by the M = PASTORS’ 1 H CONFERENCE B 1 OF CONNECTICUT s M Held at 1 HARTFORD 1 1 Feb. 23-24-25, 1920 s s 1 1 INTERCHURCH WORLD B H MOVEMENT M 1 OF NORTH AMERICA M g B 3 1 226 Pearl Street S 1 Hartford, Connecticut s 1 .fllllllilllllllllllllllllllHIilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllH REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINDINGS A conference of Connecticut ministers, having spent three days in considering present social and religious conditions and the local and world-wide responsi- bilities which the Church today faces, heartly en- dorses the Inter-Church Movement for a united and adequate program by which the Church may more nearly meet the present crisis and opportunity. 1. We approve the plan of the Inter-Church World Movement in presenting a survey of the facts pertaining to the evangelistic program of the Protestant Churches at home and abroad. 2. We find that the survey is being conducted on a comprehensive and thorough basis and that, when completed, it will present to the Protestant Churches their unparalleled opportunity and obligation to win the world for Christ. 3. This Survey clearly reveals that the Protestant Churches have fallen far short of meeting the spiritual needs of the world, through failure to comprehend the situation, to measure up to the responsibilities of stewardship, and through the neglect of Christian forces to enter into full co-operation. 4. Therefore, we recommend that the facts of the Survey as presented be a challenge to the Christian forces of America to enter into a great co-operative campaign for the purpose of carrying out the program revealed by this Survey as necessary for the evangelization of the world. 5. We are convinced that the plan of a simultaneous campaign for raising our budgets is pre-eminently wise. To interest the whole Protestant world at once means the intensification of the interest for every denomination. We all face both demands of a period of reconstruction and high costs which double the expense of maintaining work which the Churches are now doing. We also regard the Standard Financial Plan for the Inter-Church Campaign as an excellent working model and commend it to the churches of the State for their consideration and use in the light of local con- ditions. We look forward with hopefulness to the successful issue of the great campaign. 6. We beartOy commend the wise and inclusive program of activities so carefully worked out and so ably presented at the Conference, and we urge that so far as is practicable, it be made the word- ing program for the immediate future of the local churches. “The Movement was born of prayer” and will succeed as it constantly stresses the- spiritual. The plans for quickening the spirit of inter- cession and for widespread personal evangelism have our cordial endorsement, as having promise in them of our greatly desired ingathering for the Kingdom. 7. Nothing is more vital to the whole movement than securing and training the young men and women who are to actualize the program. To fail to get them by thousands will make the millions of money harmful rather than helpful to the King- dom. We suggest to those in charge the need of most careful attention to this task, and would urge upon ourselves and all ministers the im- perative duty of recruiting an adequate number of our finest young people for this supreme mission to the world. The need of stewadship as made apparent by the Survey is a challenge which the churches must meet. As good ministers of Jesus Christ, we must educate our people in the principles which must govern the giving as well as the getting of money. To fail in this matter is to prevent the realization of our present hopes. In the industrial confusion and unrest, we welcome the fair, sane and sympathetic presentation of the issues by the Industrial Relations Commission of the Movement. We recognize the duty of the Church to serve as fearless investigator of economic con- ditions and to apply to them the principles of the Gospel. RESOLVED : We voice our gratitude to the Churches and citizens of Hartford for the hospitality extended to members of the conference. These days of fellowship between members of the different Churches of our State have drawn us closer in the bonds of common loyalty to our Master and for united service in His name. COMMITTEE ON FINDINGS Rev. Harry R. Miles, D.D , Chairman, (Con- grfg^ational) , New Haven. Rev. Wm Douglas Mackenzie, D.D., (Congre- gational), Hartford. Rev. Rockwell Harmon Potter, D.D., (Con- gregational), Hartford. Rev. J. Newton Lackey, DD, (Baptist), Hartford. Rev. Victor Mills, D.D., (M. E.) Meriden. Rev. A F. Purkiss, D.D., (Baptist), Norwich. Rev. Samuel Fiske, (Congregational), Berlin. . Rev. Theodore B. Lathrop, (Congregational), Branford. Rev. Samuel Clifton, (Congregational), Win- sted. Rev. Wm. D. Beach, D D., (M. E.), Middle- town. Rev. A. D. Carpenter, (Baptist), Willimantic. Rev. Alexander Alison, Jr., D.D., (Presby- terian), Bridgeport. Rev. John F. Johnson, D.D., (Presbyterian), Hartford. Rev. R. R. Ball, D.D., (A. M. E. Zion), Hartford. Rev. C. L. Fisher, D.D., (Colored Baptist), Hartford.