St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-01-20

cieties, both home and foreign. are about
to enter upon concerted movement OF
much significance and promise. The
name agreed upon for it is "The Joint
Missionary Campaign for our Country
and the World"
THE SEVERAL SOCIETIES.
The missionary work of the Congrega-
tional churches is carried on through the
agency of several specialized organiza-
tions. The American Board specializes
upon foreign missions, conducting mis-
sions entirely outside the territory of the
United States. The Home Missionary
society specializes upon the line of
pastoral and evangelistic work in
organized Congregational churches
throughout the United States. The
speciality of the American Missionary
association is work by ychurch and school
for the backward races in this country,
especially the negroes of the south. The
speciality of the Church Building society
is to help struggling churches by loan or
grant to reach selfsupport through
housing their congregations and
ministers. The Education society has
for its special mission to sustain schools
of the higher grades in regions not other
wise provided with them and assist
promising students for the ministry who
could not otherwise get the necessary
training. The Sunday School and Pub
fishing Society finds its special mission
ary service in those parts of our country
where as vet there is no church organi-
zation, while the Board of Ministerial
Relief has it's specialized mission in caring
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families of disabled Congregational
ministers.
THE APPoRTIoNMENT PLAN.
With such division of labor in the
practical working of Congregational
missions there has been a growing
consciousness of its oneness and mutual
dependence of parts. Each of these mis-
sionarv agencies can best do its work in
full cooperation with the others. Ac-
cordingly with much study and pains
what is known as the Apportionment
Plan has been framed and worked out.
, This takes the form Of united recon-
menda.ion to the churches and individ-
uals that they distribute their missionary
contributions among these seven Con-
gregatonal societies on the scale of GER
tam definite percentages adjusted to the
proportional urgency OF the work. A
number of churches have already adopt
ed the recommendation and put it in
operation. But with the larger number
of churches the Apportionment Plan
still halts. In order to make it generally
| practicable it seems necessary that all
of the missionary societies should be free
J from debt.
: DEBTS TO BE PROVIDED FOR.
Three of them, the American Board,
the Home Missionary society and the
, American Missionary association, each
} closed it's last fiscal year under con-
siderable burden of debt The total of
, this indebtedness is $273, ,O9494. To
provide for this these societies must take
measures either separately or together
They decided to make of it one strong
concerted measure, such as would enable
four other societies to participate with
: them and altogether help on the Appor-
tionment Plan.
THE FINANCIAL OBJECTIVE.
Accordingly the figure set for the
financial goal of this Joint Missionary
,, Campaign is $5O0,000, all subscriptions
conditioned on the round sum of $780,
900 being secured. Out of this will first
: be paid the $273,O9484 debts of the
American Board, the Congregational
5 Home Missionary society and the Ameri-
can Missionary association Then the
balance of 1925, ,905. 16 is to be distribut-
f ed among all seven missionary societies
upon the ratios determined by the
| Apportionment Plan. This will put each
of the societies in position and sufficient
ly in funds to go forward with its special
line of work in full and continued CO.
, operation with the other societies on the
Apportionment Plan basis and give all
the societies insurance against future
debts
THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
Arrangements are now well matured
to carry on this Campaign through the
whole country from New England to the
Pacific coast. Five districts have been
mapped out:
The New England with headquarters
at Boston.
The Middle with headquarters at New
York.
The Central West with headquarters
at Chicago.
The Western with headquarters at
Omaha.
The Pacific with headquarters at San
Francisco.
To bring it as nearly as possible to
every Congregationalist' door it is
planned to have day of meetings stimuli
taneously in the five districts at about
200 convenient centres.
cuapACTEP Of THE MEETINGS
These meetings are designed to be edu-
cational, stimulating and aggressive
practical missionary lines. No public
appeals for money or collections will be
made at any of the meetings. All soliciting
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