Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-02
.LAYMEN AND MISSIONS
Movement Among Churchmen
Which Originated Here.
WORLDWIDE IN ITS SCOPE
Protestant Evangelical Churches
Give Millions of Dollars.
WORK IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Educational Work Calling for Sew
enty-One Conventions-Program
for National Capital.
WORLD-W IN ITS SCOPE
WORK IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
RY WILLIAM +. CIRTIS.

Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
A unique and universal movement is
under way to interest the laymen Of the
Protestant Evangelical churches and all
others whom it may concern In extending
the work of foreign missions 1t is an
educational movement. 1t Is worldwide
in its scope and consists of a series of
seventy-one conventions of laymen In as
many cities in different parts OF the
United States during the coming winter
and spring. They will eliminate In ma
tional convention in the auditorium at
Chicago, may Clio, 1910, and an interna-
tional convention in Edinburgh. Scot
land, in June.
The management of this crusade is In
the hands of a committee of 100 men, rep
resenting all of the Protestant denomina-
lions, and the immediate direction Is in
the hands of an executive committee con-
sis:ing of twenty-one laymen. with j.
Campbell White of New York as general
secretary. whose office IS at No. l Madi-
son avenue, where all inquiries can be
addressed.
Cooperating with this committee are
UNCONVENTIONAL organizations of laymen
in the United States. Canada, England,
Scotland, Australia and other countries.
and the Y. NJ. G. A. throughout the world.
Interest in Foreign Missions.
The object of the movement Is to inter-
est the laymen Of the Christian churches
throughout the world I'm foreign missions
and TO organize them for cooperation
with the regular missionary boards and
committees of the church for the i'm
provement of business methods for l.Ie
increase of contributions. 1t is intended
also TO secure an investigation by laymen
of the needs of the cause and the mea
sures that have been undertaken to meet
them. and to arouse a worldwide agita-
ton for an adequate missionary policy
and adequate funds for carrying on the
evangelization of the world.
AS the pla form OF the movement puts
It, the purpose is inspiration and not ad-
ministration; its method Is education. not
economic: Its aim to put squarely before
every layman of every Protestant de-
nomination in the world his individual re-
sponsibility for the conversion of the
heather.
In a sentence. the movement means:
Investigation: agitation; organization
that the laymen of the Protestant church
may know the condition of things, may
interest others and cooperate with the
UNCONVENTIONAL missionary boards.
The general committee has selected as
its motto an extract from a speech de-
iNcicu ny IIcSlucnt ldll HI SdTHeBle
Music Hail. April 20, 1908. on missions
and Civilization in which he said:
No man can study the movement of
modern civilization from impartial
standpoint and not realize that Christian
ity and the spread of Christianity are
the only basis for hope Of modern civiEza-
ton in the growth of popular self-govern-
ment The spirit of Christianity is pure
democracy. 1t is the quality of man be-
fore God: the equality of man before the
law which iS I understand II tho
most Godlike manifestation that man has
been able to make.
Future Conventions.
Already FIVE conventions have been helo
at Buffalo. Bristol. Tenn; Cleveland,
Richmond. Va. and Worcester Mass The
following is the program of the rema n
Ing conventions throughout the United
States during the winter and spring:
In November. at Providence. Boston.
Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia,
Harrisburg. Scranton. Hartford. Portland.
In December. at Reading, Detroit, SYRIA
cuse. Schenectady.
In January. at New York city. Green's
boro. n. c.; Solumbia. s. c.: Pittsburg.
Macon, Wheeling. Dayton. Huntington,
w. Va; Cincinnati, Nashville.
In February, at Louisville. Jacksonville,
Tampa. st. Louis. Montgomery. Memphis,
Jackson. Miss: Little Rock, New Orleans.
oklahoma. Shreveport. Wichita, Houston.
Topeka. Dallas. Kansas City. FL Paso.
In March, at Colorado Springs. Denver,
Phoenix, Salt Lake City. Los Angeles.
Fresno. Cheyenne, Sacramento, Lincoln.
San Francisco, Omaha, Sioux City
Mitchell. S. D.; Portland, Ore.
In April. at Davenport. Moline. Rock
Island. Tacoma. Seattle, Milwaukee.
Peoria. Spokane. Indianapolis. Butte.
Billings, Fargo. Duluth. st. Paul.
May to q, National Missionary Con-
gress, Chicago, III.
June, International Missionary Con
gress, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Canadian Crusade Over.
All OF these meetings will be attended
by lay delegates representing the differ
ent Protestant denominations in the vi
cinity of the cities named and Populations
Of interesting speakers will appear on
each occasion. The Canadian crusade
has already been completed Last win
ter and spring there was a regular cam
paign i'm that province with enthusiastic
meetings at twenty-six cities similar 10
those that are now being held In the
United States and eliminating i'm a ma
tional congress at Toronto during the
first week Of April attended by forty-two
hundred delegates. They adopted a ma
tional missionary policy, involving an in
crease In the present work about four
.old.
The contributions from Canada for the
cause of foreign missions hitherto have
been averaged at $l,5OoWO year. This
year the different denominations cooper
at!ng have resolved to raise $4,JOU coo.
The city of Toronto has already raised
100000 in place of $142.OU, which has
been the average contribution of its
churches. The churches OF Ottawa have
exceeded that amount and other cities
have responded In a like manner
The Buffalo, Cleveland. Bristol, Rich
mond and Worcester meetings were very
successful, an attendance OF between four
and five thousand delegates being regis
tered at each of them. and great earnest
ness, and at times enthusiasm, being
shown. The meeting In Washington.
which begins November III and continues
unit. November II, will be held in Con-
tinertal Hall. now in course OF erection
b. the Daughters Of the Revolution, and
Clifford Pinchot forester o! the United
States, Will preside. President Taft, who
is deeply interested In the movement, will
deliver the opening address and explain
its purposes and methods. Other ad-
dresses will be made by public men upon
such themes as the following:
The Evangelization OF the World i'm
This Generation.
How Can the Men of the Church Come
to Know the Facts About Missions?"
"Laymen as Missionary Advocates"
What Organization is Essential to
Largest Success?
Business System in Missionary
Finance
:''rhe triumphant Progress Of Christs
Kingdom
proor.m for Washin1ton.