Religious Census of the Men and Religion Forward Movement
By W. A. Colcord
Or the Beginning of the Inquisition in the United States
By W. A. Colcord, Author of "The Rights of Man"
WHEN Justinian, in 532 A.D., in order "to unite all men in ONE FAITH," decreed that all in the Roman empire who did not within three months embrace the Catholic faith were to be "declared infamous, and as such excluded from all employments both civil and military, rendered incapable of leaving anything by will, and all their estates confiscated whether real or personal," his object was to make the whole Roman empire Catholic.
Manifestly this edict was aimed especially at those who were not as yet Catholics. The execution of it would, of necessity, demand in some way a religious census of the empire, in order to ascertain who were and who were not Catholics.
The edict was executed, and as a result, "great numbers," says Bower in his "History of the Popes" (John II, par. 2), "were driven from their habitations with their wives and children, stripped and naked. Others betook themselves to flight, carrying with them what they could conceal, for their support and maintenance; but they were plundered of what little they had, and many of them inhumanly massacred."
The Church Federation Program
As stated in its constitution, the purpose of the Church Federation Movement in the United States, which held its initial council in New York, in November, 1905, is "to manifest the essential ONENESS of the Christian churches of America," and "to promote the spirit of fellowship, service, and coöperation among them."
In the session of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, held in Philadelphia, in December, 1908, definite plans were laid for the taking of a religious census of the country, and this specially with a view to ascertaining who were not professed Christians and regular church attendants. For the success of the movement it was declared that "a joint bureau of information" was necessary; and that —
"To learn all the facts and ally all the factors is the only method of usefulness open to a federation."
It was further declared that "knowledge of men alone gives power over men," and that —
"The time has come when the churches may and must know every individual in the entire community as accurately as they now know their own membership."—Report of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, Philadelphia session, 1908, page 198.
"The churches," it was stated, "have as great an opportunity as ever to-day, if they will only combine to meet the real needs of each community." Through such combination, it was said, there was made possible "a systematic campaign to Christianize every phase of the life of the entire commonwealth."
"Some church responsible for each square mile!" was announced as the watchword; — responsible "to know and seek in some way EACH INDIVIDUAL THEREIN, mutually reporting preferences to sister churches." "The key-note is responsibility!" it was declared. "Dynamite is in that word!"
In other words, as the object of Justinian was to make the whole Roman empire Catholic, so the manifest object of the Church Federation movement in this country is to make all America Christian.
To carry out this program of "Christianizing every phase of the life of the entire commonwealth," and of the churches' knowing "every individual in the entire community as accurately as they now know their own membership," it was decided that there must be —
"A compilation of statistics, civil and religious, State and local, as the basis for the study of the task and degree of success of the churches in reaching the entire population."—Ib., page 192.
The Census Taking Inaugurated under the Men and Religion Forward Movement
During the autumn of 1911 the taking of this census was begun under what is known as the Men and Religion Forward Movement. As a part of a several days' campaign in a given locality, a principal feature of the program under this movement is the taking of a religious census of the entire community, by volunteers from the various churches. Information cards are supplied these workers, or inquisitors, as they might be termed, by means of which it is designed that the churches shall be supplied with the following facts concerning every man, and every boy over fifteen years of age, in the given district or territory:
Photo by Trans-Atlantic Co., N. Y.
THE CZAR OF THE BELLS
The largest bell in the world, which once hung in the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia. It fell during a fire in 1737, and a large piece was broken out. It was cast in 1733, has a diameter of 18 feet, and weighs 200 tons. As it can not be used, it stands on a pedestal in the street. While in use it rang for despotic tyranny and intolerance. Was its fall and breaking a prophecy of the downfall of Russian tyranny and oppression? Our own famous Liberty Bell rang for freedom, and not long afterward broke to ring no more. Was it a prophecy of the triumph of superstition and intolerance now modestly but persistently pushing its way to the fore?
Address.
Name.
Age.
Church of which member.
(a) Denomination.
(b) Name.
(c) Its location.
5. Church or Sunday-school now attended.
(a) Denomination.
(b) Name.
If you are not a church-member, or are not now attending a church or Sunday-school, what denomination is your preference?
Name of visitor.
This movement struck Washington, D. C., in February, 1912. Referring to it, the Washington "Times" of February 22 said:
"An organized movement has been set on foot by the ministers of Washington to ascertain 'why people do not go to church,' and other cognate questions."
When the representatives of the movement should come around, the people were urged to "tell them the truth." They were told that "there should be no effort at evasion." The movement was declared to be "the most ambitious undertaking in the interests of religion ever attempted in the city — a house-to-house canvass for obtaining accurate information regarding the church allegiance of men and boys."—"Washington Herald," February 19, 1912.
In this work Protestants and Catholics were united. The central committee in charge of the census consisted of "eight Protestants, five Catholics, and one representative of the Jewish congregations." Representatives of these faiths, it was said, "will make a systematic search for men and boys with the object of finding what proportions of the total number attend church and Sunday-school regularly, occasionally, or not at all."
Accordingly two thousand volunteers were called for to take the religious census of the District of Columbia. The volunteers responded, and the census taking was begun Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, February 25, and was continued until Sunday, March 3. The Washington "Times" of the latter date announced that 125,000 men had been enumerated; that the "indexing of names" would commence at once, and added:
"Where a boy or man has expressed willingness to attend a certain church, the church mentioned will be given the card on which the name occurs. Then the man or boy will be urged to attend Christian services."
The Real Object Revealed
All this, while inquisitorial in character, and compromising from a Protestant standpoint, might be looked upon by many as measurably innocent; but from published statements it was revealed that more is contemplated in this movement than mere voluntary church attendance. As reported in the Washington "Times" of February 17, 1912, the real object of the leaders of this movement, in Washington at least, is —
"An attempt to mold public sentiment to such a point that Congress will be forced to enact such legislation as the church people believe will be necessary to make Washington the model city of America."
And we have not far to go to learn what that means. Every one at all acquainted with the facts knows that the one great thing above all others which "the church people," not only in Washington, but throughout the United States, believe necessary to make Washington "the model city of America," is A COMPULSORY, CONGRESS-ENACTED SUNDAY LAW.
And this fact was more than hinted at in a published list here of objects aimed at by the Men and Religion Forward Movement. The eighteenth point in the enumeration as published, was the securing of "one day's rest in seven." In fact no less than twenty-five of the thirty-two items mentioned in the list would demand legislation.
All of which goes to show that the Men and Religion Forward Movement is simply carrying out the program laid down by the Church Federation Movement at its Philadelphia session in 1908, and is part and parcel of that movement.
Where this federation stands upon the matter of Sunday legislation was made clear at this session. In the resolutions on the subject of Sunday observance reported to this council, it was urged:
"That all encroachments upon the claims and sanctity of the Lord's day should be stoutly resisted . . . by such legislation as may be secured to protect and preserve this bulwark of our American Christianity."
When the religious census enumerator under this Men and Religion Forward Movement called upon the writer, the entire family, husband, wife and boys, protested against it as a dangerous and unchristian thing, whereupon he admitted that he had had misgivings concerning it, but said that these had been explained away. And we would advise every one else who prizes liberty and pure Christianity, to look well into this or any other like movement before he unites with it, or lends his sanction or influence to it.13W. A. COLCORD.
