Evening star., 1909-06-27
BAPTISTS JUBILANT

The national Baptist convention Whicn
has Just opened its sessions In Portland.
Oreg, marks an epoch In the history ol
the northern Baptist denomination. II
celebrates the wiping out OF crusnihs
debts that threatened to be overwheim-
ing. and that, too, by an innovatioh al
Baptist poiity, the cooperation OF ail she
denominationai agencies for one con-
certed national campaign; and the Port
land meeting also assures the permanence
of the new Baptist method Of more cen
tralized UNCONVENTIONAL life. 1t has been
proyed that the Baptist churches can
get together nationally and employ q
somewhat more concentrated authority
than heretofore, without hurting the his
toric Baptist principles. The Baptist
churches nave always stood for the COM
plete independence and autonomy OF the
individual congregation. But the chang
ing times, with the new stress upon COM
bination and Capitalization. have forced
the BaptiStS to a more closely wrought
UNCONVENTIONAL identity. The especial
triumph of the experiment has been the
Of dollars by pooling claims and FUNDS.
Pooling Church Finances.
The iubilation of the Bapasts at Port
land over their escape from crushing
load Of UNCONVENTIONAL debt Is likewise
the celebration Of the triumph of a new
principle in religious finances that Is
designed. to affect profoundly the broader
aspects of religious work In America The
CongregatiOnallsts, who, like the Baptists,
have had very loose denominationai or
Ranixation, out Of respect for the inde-
pendence of the local church, have during
the past winter been experimenting with
a co-ordinated effort to raise some desper.
ately needed funds. Their Together
Boston is that the $30O.UOO needed to as
sure the success of the scheme has been
secured.
The Presbyterians Of the north at their
general assembly last month fell In line
with this new method of apportioning
among the boards the aggregate sum
asked for by the denominations as
whole, so as to remove all competition
and perplexty. Hitherto 1t has been the
case with the PreSbyterians. and practi-
! cally all the other denominations, that
every board has scrambled for all II
could get from the churches. IL the
foreign mission board could make the
| most effective Appeals 1t got dlspropor-
tiOnatc share Of the benevolent gtfts. II
the aged ministers fund or the board OF
home missions could do better in the
money raising line, then to the victor be.
longed the spoils. In the meantime the
churches were distraught by the conflict
| ing claims.
| and the Presbyterians have come to an
apportionment basis. The Presbyterian
| allotment, made last month at Denver,
| indicated q total OF $2,6I0O53, to be raised
by the churches during the coming year
for benevolences. or this amount. $1.262,
600 is for foreign missions. $SOO.OOO for
home missions, and the balance distrib-
| uted among the other eight boards Be-
yond this sum no board Is permitted TO
ask the churches for gifts, although 1t
may get as much money as possible from
! individuals.
Are Churchmen Giving Lssse
Despite the fact that the campaigns OF
the Baptists and Congregationalists have
been so successful, and the further fact
that most denominations report Increased
gifts this year. especially, for missions.
some computations are reported in the
Congregationalist, showing that there Is
a relative decrease In the scale of giving.
at least on the part Of the members OF
tation Of being liberal. After stating
that the apportionment plan looks to the
raising of 100000 this year for the
seven benevolent societies. SPECIFIC sums
ton to It's membership and giving
capacity. this organ goes on to say:
During the past twenty years the
membership OF the Congregational
churches has increased - per cent, their
home expenses 70 per cent and their
gifts to the seven benevolent societies
only IL per cent. Twenty years ago the
home expenses OF these churches
| averaged $10.41 per member: now they
are $3.50 per member. Twenty years
ago the contributions to the seven So
cities were $2.06 per member. now they
are $2.23. II then. each member would
give this year in the Same ratio as WAS
given twenty years ago. the $2.UQoOO
called for by the apportionment plan
would be more than raised"
II Churches Charged Admission.
That church gifts should SO have de-
creased in tho face OF the increasing
prosperity Of the country, and In spite
Of the occasional large giver whose dona-