The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-19
EXTENDING
CHRISTIAN
CHURCHES.
GIN. Muckley, Corresponding secro-
tary of the National Board
Of Extension,
OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Talks Entertainingly Of the Work at
the First Christian Church,
Sunday Morning.

Mr.. G. NJ. Muckley, corresponding Sec
rotary Of the national boarri Of church
extension OF the Christian church, talk
ed entertalningly OF the work to a large
congregation at the First Christian
church yesterday morning. He talked
at, the Second church on the Island In
the afternoon and at Bcllaire last night.
MIR. Muckley travels all over the United
States in his official capacity as sccre-.
tary Of the board, and he has also trav-
eled abroad where he has gathered facts
concerning the work that he makes
good use Of here. After his address at
the First church yesterday morning, the
congregation contributed the sum OF
$500 to the work. Mr.. Muckley said In
substance as follows:
The Old Method.
Before. the church extension fund
was organized In the Christian churches
of America the method of helping mis-
sion churches to build we're indirect and
very expensive. Plans were used like
the chain letter which never was sue
cessful and 1t was the custom to have
4 the pastor OF the newly organized mis-
sion to travel up and down the country
visiting older and stronger churches and
thus securing small collections, half OF
which was used In paying travelling ex-
penses and hotel bills. and when the
money thus raised went to the church
It was in the shape Of 4 gift and never
helped more than one church to COM
plete Its building. gE
by the present church extension plan
the money is loaned to the mission
church at 4 per cent, to be returned In
FIVE equal annual lnstallments. and at
the end of five years 1t goes out to build
another church. and so in the course of
the allotted life time Of man, three
score years and ten. the same money
will build fourteen churches"
Mr.. Muckley gave very interesting
mathematical demonstration showing
the working power Of $4,000 on the
church extension plan. proving that by
the money coming and going $4,000
would do the work OF s6.221 In the course
OF, five years. Mr.. Muckley said that
this was perpetual motion OF money In
the Lords work.
Business men are greatly attracted
to the church extension plan because
Of its business management" continued
Mr. Mucsley. The board Is composed
entirely OF seven Christian business
men, and before u mission church is
aided by loan from this board, 1t must
first own It's lot and must have Its
building all paid for in cash except what
the loan from the extension fund will
g pay, thus avoiding all trouble with me-
chanIcs and material mems needs. The
board then takes the first mortgage on
the property to secure the loan.
The Work is Yet Young.
THE work of church extension in the
Christian church Is only twelve years
old. 1t began in 1855 and the board was
located at Kansas City. Missouri, be-
cause that location was In the centre Of
the territory where most Of the money
would be needed" Mr.. MucKley ex-
planned that sos churches had been aid
ed In thlrty-eIght states and territories
and the Dominion OF Canada. There Is
about 100000 In the church extension
fund. which lisa permanent loan fund.
An expert accountant Is called In to ex-
anime all the books and the securities
held by this board and then reports.
after auditing the accounts Of the board,
show that this board has never lost any
loans. This is why business men so
thoroughly approve this work. Banks.
trust companies, and building associa-
tons wonder why this board has had
no losses" Mr.. Muckley explained that
there was conscience back Of the church
extension loans and whenever an an
nual note is due, the mission church is
given to understand that the money be-
longs to them no longer, but belongs to
some other mission church that is walt
Ing to get a building until notes that are
due have been paid. "In that way moral
suaslon is brought to bear upon the
mission churches, so that 1G6 churches
have paid back all the money borrowed
and others have made payments that
are due SO that $4,000 Of the fund has
been paid back to go out to help other
churches to build.
THE Christian church In the United
. States has taken for their watchword at
tho beginning OF the twentieth century
A half million for church extension by
1906 This will be surely reached OF al
the churches do even half rs well rs the
First and Second churches Of Wheeling
did to-day"
History Of the Work.
Mr.. Muckley gave 4 very Interesting
historical sketch OF church work among
the different religious bodies. Church
extension work began with Roman
Catholics In France as carly as 1916
In France alone MS fund to help the
Jesuit missionaries secure church
buildings in American when they vert
doing their pioneer work. With the
Roman Catholic brethren It is only d
question M to where Is the best loca.
ton to build. not can we bulld?' With
the protcstants church extension work
began first with the Wesleyan movcmcn,
In Great Britain, the Metropolitan
chapel OF the city OF London being or.
extension work began first with thu