New-York tribune., 1908-08-22
announcement of Big Missionary
Conference-Its Bearing.

The subject Of missionary work takes new inter
est with the announcement this week OF another
International and fnterdenominatfonai missionary
conference to be held in Edinburgh. Scotland. IN
June Of 1910. This will be the third meeting of the
kind IT has the special Endorsement of President
Roosevelt, William II. Taft, James Bryc. and other
prominent OF affairs.
number of the leading religious bodies OF the
country. including the Presbyterian Congrega-
tional, Methodist and Baptist have or have re-
Gently had national committees considering the
matter OF denomfnational gifts for missions and
benevoienees IN effort to accomplish two things:
to increase the total Of such gifts and to re-
duce so far possible the cost OF administering
the money received through the churches The
consolidation OF missionary boards has been suz-
gested, but in the two instances where It
has been tried the results. according TO leaders,
have not been satisfactory. Four years ago. for
example, the Methodist General Conference accom-
plished such consolidation. which this year they
had TO undo.
The subject is one which IS receiving constant
study from leading in all bodies. and one or
two Of them frankly admitting that two causes
responsible for the need of the present astta-
ton. One is the lack Of system in the way offer
, ings made to denominatonal causes by
churches and individuals and the other is the real
although unintentionaL rivalry between various
causes in the several denominations
In all the denominations. these leaders say, the
bulk of the money received by mission boards and
Z
received at church services The practice is for a
church TO devote Sunday to foreign missions.
another hons missions. and others 10 education.
church extension etc. Representatives OF these
causes are invited to present them TO the people
on Sundays when offerings are TO be taken, and
such representatives naturally make every effort
to exat work they represent, regardless OF the
excelences and needs of the others. A stormy
Sunday means light collection. and other causes.
directly or Indirectly, affect contributions. that
the benevolences of each denomination rely for
their support on exceedingly haphazard methods.
| The leaders quoted are urging their denornina-
tIons-and they represent several OF the larger
| bodies-to begin movement looking toward sys-
TEN in the churches They saw that all the causes
OF the denomination should be supported on come
pro rata basis to be decided by the general as
senbIy or convention OF the denomination
An outcome of two summer conferences Just held
| by young laymen of the Episcopal Church is the
organization OF a national movement having for
its aim the telling of young men Of all the principal
cities in the East what the young men in a few OF
/ those cities are doing for missions Notably II
Ptttsburx Buffalo Baltimore, Springfield. New
York and Louisville young business men who be
long to the Episcopal Church are doing good
deal outside of Office hours and volunteers, fol
! the missionary work OF their Church Throughout
| the world. In some other cities, notably PhladeE
phta Jersey City, Rochester. Erie, Cleveland De
/ troit Syracuse and Binghamton. laymen are or
ganizng for the establishment OF schools in which
! TO train lay volunteers how work for the hold
ing of annual missionary councils and the raising
| of money for missionary purposes