The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-31

than has ever before been known In the history
of this country.
IL is easy to see how this will effect the contri-
buttons for the support of the churches and of
charitable institutions and associations With
larger demands upon them than ever before,
they will have less funds with which to meet
them. and much of the poverty, disease, and
loss OF life which will ensue, will be unrelieved
by adequate charitable ministrations. Many
people regard rel gon and charity. which nee
es sarilly cost money for their support, In the
light of luxury rather than necessity; and
when there Is not money In the house with
wlich to provide the necessities, contributions
to the support of the churches and of charities
are no longer pc ssible.
The Churches have undertaken the support
o. certain classes of person. namely disabled,
m nisters and their families, the widows and
orphans of diseased clergymen. missionaries
In foreign lands and in destitute poverty
ricken regions in our own country, the chill
dren OF missionaries sent home to be educated
divinity students receiving education for the
ministry In theological schools, dependent
members of individual churches, etc., all of
whom will suffer from the adoption of the legis-
lative and financial policy outlined by Mr..
Bryan In his speeches. and approved by his
supporters In the presidential campaign.
Under these circumstances and conditions, ali
OF the Church boards and committees will be
crippled in their work and unable to redeem
their implied obligations.
There are also many charitable institute ,ns,
such as hospitals, homes for the aged, orphan
asylums. and the like. not under the patronage
of the State, which. If they do not belong to the
Ehurch ho ahar oFn n
Churches wholly or in large part for their main
tenance and usefulness. Some of these institu-
tions have endowments. and others have not.
Those which are not endowed viii have to re.
duce the number of their inmates, If not close
their doors. How will the free coinage Of sill
yer affect our endowed charities? The interest
upon their bonds, mortgages, or evidences of
indebtedness will be paid in deprecated silver,
and while Dominally as large as before, will in
fact, be worth only half as much. 1t is admit.
ted on all hands that the effect OF free coinage
upon individuals aud institutions with fixed in
comes win be disastrous. but it is argued that
they must suffer for the general good. There
would be more force in this argument If 1t were
clear that such suffering would result in the
promotion of the general welfare, which it is
not.
The same remark applies, of course, to all col.
leges and institutions Of learning to all aeads-
mics, seminaries, and parochial schools.
writer upol this subject has said: SIT is only
necessary to consider what would be the effect
of the payment in ffty-cent dollars of the in
come OF the great Institutions of the Methodist
Church. which are dependent upon the earnings
of those sums with which they have been gem
erously endowed The educational Institutions
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church include
hfty-eight colleges and universities. sixty-hve
female colleges and seminaries, eighty foreign
mission schools, twenty theological Institutions,
and four missionary institutes, whose total en-.
dowment funds amount to Sls62 .s94. They
employ thousands of professors and teachers,
and educated last year no less than AZ ,249 stu