The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-12

church. BY the simultaneous canvass
of that whole body, with 1000 cOngre-
cations and $4,000 members during
the month of March. 1912. they made
an unprecedented advance of about 20
per cent In q single year In their to-
tai missionary receipts, even though
they were already at the top OF the
list of the denominations in their per
member gifts to these objects. or
course they did a great deal OF edu-
cationas work In preparation for their
simultaneous canvass. missionary con-
ferences, lasting through the most OF
two days, were held at all Of the lead
ing centers OF the denomination. some
sixty conferences in all. There was also
ceaseless agitation by the church pa
pers, and q vast amount of literature
sent out by a special committee In
charge of the campaign. But an~of this
effort was far more than justified by
the splendid results.
Briefly summarized, the canvass In
creased the regular income of the vari-
GUS mission boards of the church from
$5S0,169 in 1912 to $739,452 in 1913, or a
gain of s1.12 per member for the whole
denomination in a single year.
This increase of $1.12 Is more than
many denominations. now average as
their total contribution for missionary
Tul poStS, dppdlitH6 thoukh Wis io,t Is.
But to appreciate fully the achieve
ment of this one denomination. there
must be added to the above figures a
large amount contributed by their Wo-
mems Missionary society, and bringing
up the total of their missionary giving
to $953,569 for lS1213. or an average
of ss11 per member for their entire
constituency. The nearest approach to
this that has yet been discovered is
k1 pan tSt n a nd
Quebec. with $1,000 members. who this
past year gave 1920, 900 to all mission
airy purposes, an average of 81 per
member. This has been Increased from
s1o3 600 since 1908. Very few denomi-
nations average over SO per member.
and the Protestant churches of Amer
lea as whole only average about 81
per member to all missionary pur-
poses,
Increases Other Offerings.
1t is also worthy OF note that while
the United Presbyterian Church added
$112 per member for missionary pur-
poses. they also added s1.07 per MEM
Der for other purposes. clearly prov
ing that missionary giving enlarges
rather than decreases all other church
offerings The average per member
to all purposes in this church Is now
s2oa7. which is the highest We have
yet discovered for a whole COM
munion.
The other two denominations that
made a similar simultaneous canvass
in 1913 were the Reformed Church in
the United States and the Southern
Presbyterian, both of which made I'M
precedented increases in the amounts
subscribed and in the number or
churches actually making the canvass.
Even during the year OF the agita-
ton for this simultaneous canvass.
however, the Reformed Church In
creased its foreign missionary offerings
from sl0T,9 900 to s146. 024, while those
of the Southern PRESBYTERIAN Church
increased from s501.4i2 TO ss43.o69.
This is an increase from s26T.263 in
1910 or gain of 1873 per cent In six
wears. Offerings for home causes In
creased in about the same proper
ton.
In view of the manifest success or
the simultaneous canvass plan in these
three denominations. it was very natu-
raj for the leaders OF the home and
foreign missionary boards Of America
to decide upon carrying the co-opera-
tive principle still further and ask tho
Protestant Churches of the whole ma
ton to register their practical interest
in missions during the same month.
acceptable to the majority Of the
boards involved. Being late IN the
winter season. it affords time TO pre-
pare for such a canvass by thorough
educational processes.
Each denomination is doing it's best
to reach Its own constituency through
all regular channels. but IN ADDITION
10 this several hundred interdenom-
national missionary conferences are
being held Over twenty teams OF
speakers have been organized, making
it possible to hold twenty or more
conferences in different cities stimuli
taneously for at least part of the
season All of these conferences aim
to present the conditions and needs
both at home and abroad. which call
for great missionary advnce. They
also show clearly the great advantages
Of proper missi nary education and OF
the organized personal canvass for
subscriptions. There are about 3D.
100000 Protestant CHURCH members
in America. To get them to act to-
gether. and to act simultaneously. on
anything. is a great undertaking. But
the responses coming in from many
parts Of the country indicate general
-