llages where there is room for several houses of worship the
question of community service is much more difficult. The Young
Men's Christian Associations and the Young Women's Christian Associations
have made partial provision in some communities on an interdenominational
basis. But in the ordinary small town there is not room for a building
for each of these organizations. The rural Christian Associations have
been proceeding on the policy of using such buildings as are now
available, but it is evident that in the vast majority of small
communities, present buildings can at best be but a makeshift for
complete community service. It is hoped that the time will come when
the several denominations will find some way of pooling their financial
resources so that as religious organizations they can provide a common
building for community service. The writer knows of no village in America
where this has yet been done. One village in New York State,
Milton-on-the-Hudson, has a community club under the direction of a
Board of Trustees of ten members, two from each of the five denominations
represented in the village, the Catholic church included. This club has
been very successful in operating a community house and developing a
community program. It has been suggested that where property rights are
involved one denomination might make its contribution by providing
and maintaining the building, while the other denominations might
contribute the equivalent of interest on building investment, depreciation
and maintenance of building to cost of operation of the plant. It is
feared, however, that in the course of time, the original cost of
building to one denomination would be forgotten and the community
would demand that all groups contribute to operating expenses
according to their membership or some other agreed upon distribution
of maintenance expense. This should be the ultimate method of
maintenance.

In a number of communities one denomination has provided the building
and the operating force, while other denominations have cooperated by
acting on the Board of Control and contributing what they could to the
maintenance cost. Such denominational leadership almost invariably
leads in the beginning to interdenominational jealousy and antagonism,
but in some cases the community has accepted the situation and all
have cooperated, it being understood that such provision for community
purposes is not for the purpose of proselyting.