Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-24
Contributions to Be Asked of Chair
table Persons.
TWENTIETH CENTURY OFFERING
Churches and Other Societies Pre-
pairing to Celebrate.
OF THE PLANE

1
| ington are to be asked il the near future to
contribute their share of 81, 200, 600, 900 which
| it is desired by certain societies to raise in
| order to properly celebrate the beginning of
| a new century.
| A careful survey of the field discioses
| that there is not religious denomination
| throughout the Union, and apparently but
| few hospitals, asylums, educational insti-
| tutions and such. as depend upon the pub
| lic-spirited man and woman for mainte-
| nance that is not preparing to celebrate
| the closing of the present century and the
opening of new one by raising as much
| money as possible.
1t is said the church people of the United
States give annually S250,O00,000 to main
| tain and push forward religious work alone,
Toward educational objects, apart from
taxation, there is given much more, and
toward the strictly charitable a. least 5000,
100000 more. These figures are based on
statistics that have been carefully prepared
| by various church authorities
The Methodist Episcopal denomination is
| to undertake to raise $40 1000, 900 with which
| to strengthen existing instit Itlons-cGleges
under Methodist control and hurdened with
debt. The Christians or Disciples of Christ
are to endow Hiram and other colleges and
raise S1U0O,G0O for missions during next
year.
The Several Objects.
The Protestant Episcopal Church, which
has been giving about Sl2,0o0,0o0 year
chiefly for work at home, is now aroused on
the subject of foreign missions, and is to
appeal for greatly enlarged funds. Fur
thermore, it is enda lvoring to build in
Washington, in Memphis in Cley Gland IN
Denver III Albany, in Omaha and in Lar
annie cathedrals to cost total sum of not
less than $l4,5O0. 900, and one in New York
to cost $10o00,oo0. Lutherans have on band
an American Lutheran university, to cost
$2,3oo,p0: Young Mems Christian AGSocia-
| tons sending out appeals by the thous-
and for aid: Presbyterian, Baptist Re
formed. United Brethren. Conerega tional
and other church mission boards at
work upon appeals, and several of them
are discussing plans by which men and
women may go in person all over the coun-
try, not alone to address public assem-
blages, but to personally call on charitable
persons, not trusting longer to the printed
appeal.
There is projected in Texas a Presby-
terrain University to be for the great mid
die south what Princeton is for the east
and to cost s2,0o0,000. Presbyterians in
every part of the country are to be appeal
ed to in its behalf. The Reformed Church
In America has recently undertaken work
among the negroes in the south, and for
that work and for missions in general it
will make during the next two years
radical departure from its usual quiet
methods in raising funds for mission work
d
are to publish Swedenborg's scientific works,
the great Swedish reformer having been a
scientist well theologian and are
to emphasize the new century by spending
much money on the circulation of these
lllIe-known memoranda here.
Religious Census.
Roman Catholics are it is said to take
what may be called religious census at
the end of the century. II is to be an in
SIN in ,Ns+l
world, and the figures taken at this time
are intended to be a high-water mark rec
ord with which to encourage Catholics and
impress other people. One of the items in
the inventory will be finances.
Congresationalists seem to think that
they DO not sufficiently well control their
own organization. There is in process of
formation commission that will bring
churches and mission bodies in closer
touch. Once arranged, Congregationalists
Will enter upon a financial forward move
ment to mark the opening of the new CEN
fury, and to sustain their beneyolences
w.-.ch, compared TO the size of the denomi-
nation, are the largest in the world
The opening of Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines is to be taken advantage of by
every evangelical denomination in the
United States. Before the present wave OF
PATRIOTISM exhausts itself, and to mark the
beginning of the new century Baptist
Episcopal, Presbyterian and almost every
other denomination in the land is to make
appeals for money
EcumenicaI Council
PreSbyterians, 1t is stated have men out
VINO are personally trying to induce church
es' societies and individuals to become re-
sponsible for salaries of missionaries and
expenses of mission stations. AS a sort of
climax, great ecumenical missionary
council is now being arranged, to be held
IN New York, at which will be present
delegates from missionary organizations
the world over. The purpose is to arouse
interest in foreign missions, a stir-up move
ment to conquer the world. Under the
stimulus of the student volunteer move
ment, they are Offering hundreds of bright
men and women to go into these foreign
nelds. There is no money with which ia
send them. Following the ecumenical
council. there will be appeals for money
Nothing short of millions will be regard
ed as sufficient. The call will reach every
religious body, but it will be for foreign
missions only 1t may reasonably be sun
posed that home mission interests will de-
mand to be heard and will ask for millions
more.
Besides all this. it is known that thou
sands of churches hospitals educational
institutions and the like are prepa ring To
celebrate the century with financial opera
tons. 1t Is impossible to form a currect
estimate of the total amount that will be
asked from the charitable people on the
score of new century, but the total will
1t is believed, be not less than 81 900 900 ono