n people to its fellowship, in
contrast to the exclusiveness of the purely denominational church which
insists upon the importance of particular theological beliefs or systems
of church government.

As the term is now used a "community church" may be a church definitely
affiliated with some denomination, it may be a "federated" church, or a
"union" church. The union church is unaffiliated with any religious
denomination. If it be the only church in a community, it is then a
community church, but if one or two others decline to unite, it is a
_community church_ only in aspiration. It is this type of independent
union church, to which the term community church is most commonly
applied by the laity, and such community churches have increased rapidly
in the past five years as a protest of the people against denominational
competition and inefficiency. These independent community churches have
now become so numerous in one or two states that they are holding state
conventions. The question at once arises whether if they become
affiliated in even the most nominal manner they will not soon constitute
what will practically be another denomination and will fail to effect
the growth of Christian unity which they desire. On the other hand,
denominational leaders who are in entire sympathy with the abolishment
of competition and the establishment of but one church in a rural
community where only one is needed, point out that the union church
loses the advantages of affiliation with a body of churches which have
regional and national boards and agencies for giving them assistance and
support in their work. The history not only of church but of all sorts
of secular organizations, indicates that sooner or later local
organizations with common aims and purposes tend to get together in
conventions and to establish federations through which they may unite
their resources in maintaining agencies to promote the common cause.
Most organizations, whether religious or secular, need the stimulus of
association with kindred organizations devoted to the same purposes and
the help of expert supervision which can be secured only from state or
national bodies.

The "federated church" obviates this difficulty to a certain extent.
Each of the federating churches maintains its own corporate identity and
its affiliation with its own denomination, to which it sends its
contributions for benevolences and denominational work. The federating
churches for