Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 1.djvu/185

 Rh A standing committee is appointed on each line of work which the Alliance decides to undertake; and the success of the organization will depend very largely on the wisdom with which the chairmen of these committees are selected and the faithfulness with which they serve. As conditions differ in different communities, no two Alliances may have exactly the same list of committees. Each organization is of course free to undertake as many or as few lines of work as it deems wise. At first an Alliance will naturally limit itself to a few, selecting those whose need is most urgent, and adding others with increasing strength and experience. The following are offered by way of suggestion:

1. Comity.—Through this committee the various church extension societies of the city should be brought into touch so as to prevent overlapping in some neighborhoods and neglect in others.

2. Social conditions.—This committee should investigate the religious and social conditions of the community and of the surrounding country. They may appropriately form neighborhood or Church Reading Circles, Home-culture Clubs and Maternal Associations. By enlistening the coöperation of a large number of judicious women and assigning to each a small district, the churches can come into friendly and helpful personal relations with all of the needy homes of the community, and bring to them blessings, sanitary, economic, domestic and spiritual.

3. Evangelization.—Through this committee the Alliance should care for the religious needs of prisons, workhouses and neglected neighborhoods.

4. Relief.—To this committee will be referred cases of sickness and want not otherwise provided for.

5. Temperance.—This committee may profitably undertake, through sub-committees, work along various lines; e. g., public meetings, the organization of church temperance societies, the systematic distribution of wisely selected temperance literature,