The Penn's Grove record., 1912-02-23
Raising Benevolent
Funds
J. S. Kendall in the Religious TELESCOPES

~ ONE things are fundamental in
the organization of the local
church, If they are to provide
~ adequately for the missionary
and other benevolent interests.
Many churches are failing in this par
ticular because they have no we'll
tbought-out plans. They are not ap-
plying the same tact and business
sense in this department that they
use in their local church affairs.
1t is not in the province of the stew
ardship commission to order the plan
a church should use. Every church
will pursue the plan which seems
most desirable for its locality; but
several years Of experience and care
full observation of churches Of every
kind leads Us to believe that we can
safely make some suggestions as to
the requisites for success.
There must be organization first Of
all. This organization must have,
first. a pastor with a vision. The re-
lation of this servant Of the church to
the financial welfare of this depart
ment Of the congregations finance Is
unique and important. Especially is
this true Of the smaller churches.
Second, there must be a strong be-
neYolent committee. This committee
should be chosen wisely. 1t should
have members who are interested in
and are in touch with the various be-
~nevolent boards.
Third, there must be a cooperation
of the various departments in the
church. The Sunday school and Ju-
nior and Senior Christian Endeavor-
ers should be enlisted.
Benevolent Budget" Needed.
The plan is to provide a benevolent
budget which will include all that the
local church is to be called upon pub
licly for the regular b~enevolence OF
the congregation.
The benevolent committee is to d.
rect an every member canvass of the
entire church for an annual pledge on
the weekly basis, to be paid weekly or
monthly. Where practical, this can
vass should be separate from the can
vas for the current expense budget.
This committee should e that the
pledged amount is fully adequate to
meet the entire budget.
The offering is to be made In con-
nection with the regular church Of
fering, using for this purpose the du-
plex envelope, either the single or the
double pocket, as the church Dia5sMA
mich Tha5A o-raI1HAr zho,,EI ~
numbered and dated and every mem
Der supplied with one for every Sun
day of the year.
Every church should have a benev-
olent treasurer, who should be a mem
Der of the benevolent committee, and
in connection with the general ste
ward should open all envelopes and
make the proper entries in books pro-
vided for this purpose. He should
make a remittance once a quarter to
the parties designated to receive the
benevolent funds. Quarterly state
ments should be furnished the benev-
olent committee for every member.
This committee should distribute the
same and look carefully after delin-
quents and collect unpaid pledges.
Preparation should precede the
canvass to be made for b-enevolences.
The church should give information
as to the needs and work done by
these various societies that are sup
ported by this offering. The church
should be called upon to give herself
to prayer for these various interests.
Secure, If possible, some one who is
thoroughly familiar with the plan to
present it. He should show how it
works elsewhere when worked. The
church should provide those who are
to do the work with the needed helps.
Have those who are to take the
pledges thoroughly familiar with the
system. so that they can give the
needed information when desired.
In the financial awakening OF q
church, in the majority of cases. it is
wise to have two distinct campaigns
of agitation. one for church support,
the other for church benevolences.
The pledge getting may be worked in
one canvass, using cards especially
prepared for the double budget, hav-
ing both subscription blanks on the
same card. Experience is proving
that separate canvasses are result
ing in the greatest success. Where
this is done. the people should be Civ
en- a little time to breathe between the
c~anvasses.
r.. Gil