The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-12
COMPARING THE PLANS
PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE WILL
REACH A DECISION TO-DAY.
Administration of. Home Mission
Funds Decentralization. Harrison
Presides at Mass Meeting.

The special committee appointed by the
Presbyterian General Assembly to endeavor
to harmonic the methods Of collecting and
disbursing home mission money was in ses-
sion at the Denison House all day yester-
day. While the debates upon the subject
were earnest, they were of a conciliatory
nature and there was none of the intensity
of feeling displayed in the matter that FREE
quently arises in church controversies. DR..
John l.. Withrow, of Chicago, presided over
the deliberations of the committee The
committee was made up of some Of the most
eminent divines and distinguished laymen
of the church in various parts of the coun-
try, as follows:
The Rev. John L. Withrow, D. D., Synod
OF Illinois, chairman; the Rev. John Dixon,
Synod OF New Jersey; the Rev. W. T.. Kane.
Synod of Illinois; the Rev. John S. McIn-
tosh, Synod of Pennsylvania; the Rev.
Rev ]. McCluskey blayney, Synod of Ken
lucky; the Rev. II. Nj. Hayes, SYNOD of
Oregon; the Rev. John Medicines, Synod
OF New York; the Rev. u. S. Tappan, Synod
OF Ohio; the Rev. VIM. II. Logan, Synod Of
Baltimore; the Rev. George l.. Spinning,
board of home missions; Governor James A.
Vandeburg, Synod of Minnesota; Victor L.
Lane, Synod of Michigan; John B. MINIS,
Synod of Tennessee.
The committee was not so constituted as
to favor the claims of the home board or
the Indiana plan or the New Jersey plan
or any other plan, but the great majority
Of the members arrived here with the one
purpose in view of reaching q harmonious
conclusion that would result in a uniform
and satisfactory system of collecting and
disbursing the home mission funds. All
realize the fact that this is one of the great
enterprises of this great church, and they
fz14 l.
subordinated to the great purpose of sturdi-
ly extending the power and influence of the
Presbyterian faith in America The advo-
Gates of the national system" had some
thing of an advantage in the fact that rep
resentatives of the weaker synods very
naturally feared that the operation of the
Indiana plan of having each synod collect
and disburse it's own home mission funds,
sending the surplus. If any. to the home
board or calling upon the board to make
up a deficiency would initiate against their
interests. There is always a place." said
one of the Southern representatives of the
committee, ito spend every dollar that is
collected, and it is but natural that we who
represent weaker synods should fear that
under the Indiana plan the surplus funds
sent to the home board would be very
meager and we should be left to take care
of ourselves
The supporters Of the Indiana method had
prepared some literature on the subject,
setting forth the following things that had
been accomplished in Indiana by the In
diana plan:
Il Brought Indiana to self-support.
% Placed responsibility where 1t belongs
with the preSbyterieS.
49, Found ministers for vacant churches.
a. Gave new life to the meetings of
synod.
IS. Developed acquaintanceship and
esprit du corps
30 Relieved the secretaries of New York
board of much labor and time given to In
diana.
- Did not interfere with the work of
the women In all seven years not a dollar
has been received from women's societies.
IS Instead of drawing $500 more from
the New York board than it raised, as under
the old plan, Indiana has. under the new
plan, sent the board an average of 5000 a
year, not counting legacies.
80. Instead of spending $5,604.O3 on its
mission work, as under the board, Indiana
has spent an average of $4,000 during the
last seven years.
10. Indiana has gained sixty-dve minis
tiers and 1900 members.
III. The same plan has been adopted by
Illinois and Ohio, and both of these States
have more than doubled their gifts to home
missions"
u-rIIN ToTANS COMpAREn