PHILADELPHIA -- Blame for the loss of about 500,000 members of the Protestant churches last year was laid today on the shoulders of ministers of the churches, by the continuation committee of the Protestant Interchurch conference here.
Ministers are the leaders of the congregation, the committee reported. "It is their duty to lead, and unless they lead rightly and diligently there will be no effective following. They must be leaders to get people in the church, not out of it."
The report revealing the startling loss in membership listed two chief reasons and suggested methods of increasing the number of members.
The first cause listed was migration of members between states and communities. The second was failure in church attendance and obligations on the part of members. This was laid indirectly at the door of the ministers.
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