The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-29
NEWEST NOTION
IN CHURCH WORK
Applying Business Methods to
BenevOIenCe
THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
Leading the Way, and the German
Reformed Churches Button
holing Every Member

holing Every Member
(By The Religious Rambler.)
The man who stands apart and OBJ
serve the tendency Of the times In re-
Ngion amazing changes coming
over ecclesiastical methoda These
are due primarily to tho new activity
OF the laymen. One plan Of a a
nitude which would command the ad-
miration Of q political party or q great
mercantile house aims to canvass
every member Of a denomination
within a month with a view to an in
creased subscription to the church's
benevolence. The method was sue
ceasfuily tried out last March by the
United Presbyterian denomination,
and at the present time two other
bodies, the Southern Presbyterian and
he German Reformed. have entered
upon the preparatory work Of an
overy-member canvass Of their entire
enrolment.
This Is bigger than It looks. espe-
cially In the case of h German Re-
formed denomination, which Is his
torically conservative in all things
with more than half OF its member
ship among the Pennsylvania Ger
mans. Its churches dot the trail Of
the German immigration to America.
stretching west owe the area between
Massachusetts, and North Carolina,
with a considerable scattering in
Canada.
The plan means setting every con-
gregatiOn In the body into motion.
The general UNCONVENTIONAL commit
tee is already at work with special
committees on education, publicity,
evangelism. committee training. a.
nance, and German work-for many
OF the churches Of this denomination
still use the German tongue. This Or
ganization at the top is comparatively
simple. It must be carried down and
duplicated In every class and then
In every individual congregation.
When 1t comes to reaching literally
amount OF raw yer country roads,
OF revising OF lists, and Of shepherd
Ing stray sheep assumes really vast
proportions. The vote-get4tng work
Of the politician Is comparatively sim
pie alongside OF this. \
What Business I'm Relixion Does.
A clear gain Of a quarter Of q mill
hon dollars and a net increase Of
twenty-five hundred members Is re-
w. GU AO4 u0 R1O80AS year ny IHO
United Presbyterians who were the
first denomination to try this every
member canvass. They, too, are q
conservative folk, and even the epoch
al advertising plans which were en-
ployed' for the first time failed to get
action from all the congregations. "a
that out OF 1908 separate congrexa-
tons only 719 actually made the can
vass. The committee has steadily
followed up the others. and it will no,
content itself until every last member
solicited t. give according to his
means, ana not according t o his
meanness." toward the general enter.
prises Of the denomination.
The Idea Of the every-member can.
vass has been pushed by the Laymen':
Missionary Movement. The man who
has done more than any other to pro
mote it. Mr.. ]. Campbell White, frs
worked as mems secretary in thu
United Presbyterian denomination. HI
has led various cities, as we'll as In
Vulnerable local churches. to take OF
the idea of securing definite recorded
subscriptions from every member O.
= church and congregation.
Toronto and Buffalo Try It
Toronto was the first city to take VI
this proposition seriously. The result
are surprising. mus the B4pftSts IL
Toronto, who numbered thirty-seve,
churches. gave in 1907 SIS. 600 to
home and foreign missions. The mex
year under the impulse OF this bun
ness mems plan. they gave $500
The year following they raised this 4
$4,000. Then In 1910 they made /
$4,000 and in 1914 81, geo.
Buffalo has q recor quite parallel
ling this. All the Methodist churche
Of Bu6alo made the Canvass the pOo
~ we'll a the rich, tho downtown
churches 40 wen ~ the suburoa,
churcheA The Laymen's MOvemen
reports that every Methodist churc
In Buffalo. under this new plan. IA
creased its contributions 70 foreig
missions a. feask 1orty-one Der can
and the average Increase fog aM Ia
Methodist churches Of tho city W.
one hundred tWo04y-0eYAn Dc
cent. Now the LAymen's Movemez