Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/820

806 eleemosynary work, despite the check on hurtful charity by the creation of charity organization societies.

5. The churches will, of course, endeavor to connect each family with a church home. If a visiting church finds a family with no denominational preference, it, of course, will be its privilege and duty to connect that family with itself. If it finds, however, families unattached, with a denominational tendency, it will equally be its duty to direct that family toward a church of its denomination in the neighborhood.

In the fifteenth and seventeenth assembly districts of New York work of the above nature has already been commenced, and, in order to help the coöperating churches in that locality—a subfederation called Auxiliary “A”—the federation of the churches of the city has published a calendar, giving full information concerning the tenement-house laws; the public schools, with their evening branches; the libraries; the museums; the penny provident banks; the day nurseries; the churches, with their guilds and clubs, throughout the entire district. Copies of this calendar have been placed in every one of the 20,000 families included in the area. The federation provided some special leaves in this calendar for foreigners, written and printed, of course, in their own language. The main idea was to give information and invitation, in the name of Christ, concerning every uplifting agency supported by taxation and every uplifting agency carried on by the voluntary contributions of church and charitable people. The nineteenth and twenty-first assembly districts will be similarly organized within a month—a total population of 200,000.

The churches that have entered into this coöperative parish system have special committees, whose purpose is to serve the neighborhood so as to increase the prevalence of the idea that the church is there, not to be served by the people, but to serve them. For instance, the committee on parks recently circulated a petition, signed by every one of the pastors in the area, asking the city authorities to locate a small park in the region. When the park is actually opened, it cannot but advertise throughout