should be made in the statistical tables of the Christian Church, especially when in the families with which we have to do, most of the individuals are baptized members of the church and have not been formally excommunicated.  Until, therefore, we agree upon a common standard, our figures will be the despair of the statisticians.  A reformation must come.  Without it, we shall not be able to formulate needed policies of church extension.

In view of the complicated character of our membership it will not be an easy task to reconstruct our statistical methods.  But it is evident that our missionary and evangelistic work will be greatly furthered when we have exact information in regard to our parochial material.  Our figures should include every soul, man, woman and child, in any way related to our congregations, classified in such a way as to show clearly in what relation they stand to the church.  A church that does not count its members as carefully as a bank counts its dollars is in danger of bankruptcy.

Church bookkeeping ought to be taught in the Theological Seminary.  But if the pastor himself is not a good bookkeeper, almost every congregation has young men or young women who are experts in this art, who could render good service to the church by keeping its membership rolls.

Complete records are especially necessary in our great city with its constant removals and changes of population.  The individual is like the proverbial needle in the haystack, unless we adopt a method of accounting not only for each family but for each individual down to the latest-born child.*
     In order that I may not be as one that beateth the air, I venture
to suggest a method of laying the foundation of records that has been helpful in my own work.  I send to each family a “Family Register” blank with spaces for the name, birthday and place of birth of each member of the family.  The information thus obtained is transferred to a card catalogue in which the additional relation of each individual to the church and its work is noted.  In this way, or by means of a loose-leaf record book, available and up-to-date information can easily be kept.

When important records, such as synodical minutes, are printed, several copies at least should be printed on durable paper and deposited in public libraries where they may be consulted by the historian.  Ordinary paper is perishable.  Within a few years it will crumble to dust.  The records might as well be written on sand so far as their value for future historians is concerned.

Congregational histories, pamphlets or bound volumes, jubilee volumes and similar contributions to local church history should be sent to the publlic libraries of the city and of the denominational schools.

In search of recent information the author consulted the card index of the New York Public Library.  He found only nine cards relating to Lutheran churches.  And yet we wonder why our church is not better known in this city.