The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05
His Great Undertaking of Raising Million
Dollars for Missions, and How He Pro-
poses to Secure the Cash.
Social Brilliancy of the Paris House of
Our New Minister to France.
Henry irving's Farewell Performance-The
Actor To Be Entertained on MOnday-Great
Financial Success of His Tour.
CHAPLAIN M,CABE.
His Great Scheme for4saising Million Dol
lars for Missions.


lars for Missions.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, April 4--The man nicknamed
Chaplain McCabe," is doctor of divinity but
he does not, in appearance, suggest the popular
notion of reverend theologan. His whole
preston is that of tremendous power and indie
fatgable energy, holding himself in so as to
please others He has big, square face; dark,
warm eyes; hair and eyebrows heavy and black
as night, with closely trimmed mutton-chop
whiskers. His jaw is as square as General
Grants, and he looks as determined as Grant
ever did, but with more fire in his composition.
The Chaplain has a tremendous scheme on hand.
He means to employ his remarkable persuasive
ness in getting million dollars from generous
Methodists throughout the country. He is a
wonder, in his way, and there is small doubt that
his intention infeasible it may seem at glance,
will be realized. At the last general conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church the idea was
preached that the annual expenditure of the de-
nomination for missionary work, in America and
abroad, ought to reach ST. 100000 Such thing,
however, was not deemed possible Of attainment
soon, especially in view of the current de-
preston in trade. On February 10. in the
Spring Garde n-street Church, Philadelphia. the
missionary collection footed up $4,000. One of
the contributors said to McCabe: Bring the
collections up to a million this year. and 1 will
double my subscription" The congregation
were told of this, and another made the same
proposal. These offers were mentioned else
where and every man approached on the sub
ject responded favoraby. McCabe at once
asked authority from the bishops to undertake
the feat. They have consented, and he has begun
the big job by writing to every presiding elder in
the country, soliciting support and making dates
for his personal appeals to the congregations.
The letters in reply are generally favorable,
though some of them advise postponement
until better times, but he is ready to go right
ahead. He has spent a week in figuring out
what each conference ought to give, in order to
compose the aggregate of million, and, like
runner in six days foot-race he will try to keep
up to this schedule. A popularity of his effort
will be that the special contributions shall be
payable only in case the entire million is pledged.
The bishops have been induced chiefly by
Chaplain McCabes phenomenal success as
solicitor to back him in this affair." He was born
in Athens, O., in 1886, and he became preacher
as chaplain of the One-hundred and twenty
sixth Ohio Infantry. He was taken prisoner on
Winchester battlefield and sent to Libby prison.
In four months he was exchanged. Pressed into
the service of the Christian Commission, he
made large collections of money. In the Meth
odist centenary year he was made an agent for
collecting money, and in 1868 became agent of
the Church Extension Society, of which at pres
ent he is corresponding secretary. How does
Chaplain McCabe coax money out of the pock-
cts of the faithful and the unfaithful? iHe knows
all the weapons of his art and long skill has
made him proficient in welding them. His voice
is sound and full, and he never tires his hearers
except by long speeches. This is part of his art.
People glad at last to yield to his persistence,
give their fifty cents or $50 and go home. He
wanders away from the point. apparently forgets
all about what the people and he are there for,
tells story of the remarkable self-forgetfuness
and unselfshness of some struggling body of
Christians who reused in their might and paid
the debt weighing down their church, and then
suddenly he pounces on his audience with the
moral that they can raise the money he is after
so easily that they will not feel it, And no one
can feel agrieved at the application of the moral
to themselves for he makes it with such sweet
smile At another stage in his discourse he
drops all show of art and comes out with the
barefaced assertion that he wants money, not in
tencent sums, but $50 or 800, and proceed
| ing from this he will justify himself to the
satisfaction of his hearers Finally, when the
| old device of the subscription of $1,000, then
| $500, then $3.50, and so on down is brought out
| and made do its part, and the $50 bills are
becoming very scarce McCabe pumps down on
| piano stool and sings a rousing song. He has
| voice both powerful and melodious. Then he
begins afresh. and he has never yet found an
audience that could beat him. When he is in
clined to talk about the glorious things he has
done and the more glorious conquest he is going
| to make for Methodism, he tells about the debt
| of $40, 600, that he once raised from the Metho-
| dist Church in Salt Lake City with his own
| tongue and the debt of $50, 600 on the Metropol-
| itan Church in Washington.
ssThe fact of clearing the Washington debt
was the most wonderful thing of the kind ever
| knew" said Methodist minister oday. The
members didn't want to pay it, and the outsiders
had no reason to be interested. Even the
| bishops did not look on the project very warmly,
while many of his brethren thought he was
wasting his powder, even if he accomplished his
! object 1t was doubtful if the property was
| worth $50, 900 to the church. Yet the Chaplain
| raised it.
Every city Methodist congregation in America
will this year have an opportunity to compare
| Chaplain McCabe, in their own pulpit with the
description here given of his manner and
| method