Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-02-05
WHAT IT COSTS
TO RUN CHURCHES
Statistical Report of Members
Added During the Past Year
and Expenses Incurred.

inventory" of the churches of the
town, and at one or two places in the
county. These facts and figures are
furnished by the pastors and official
reports. The number of members,
number added during the year and
expenses. The items of expense do
not include amounts contributed by
the churches to the different mis-
sion boards, which in itself is n CON
siderable sum.
Methodist Church, Tazewell.
Number of members, 293
Members at North Tazewell, $50
TOTAL, 443
Additions during the year, 10
Home expenses last year, $1,95O
Presbyterian Church, Tazewell.
Number members. 12O
Additions during the year, A
Home expenses last year, $1,000
Christian Church.
Numbers of members, 110
Additions last year, 3
Expenses, $4,000
Baptist Church.
Membership, GO
Additions last year, 4
Expenses last year, 100000
In Pocahontas, members, 112
Expenses last year, $1,o2e.4l-
In Graham, Membership, 81
Additions, 3
Expenses, s59S.63
Episcopal Church.
No members, 12
Additions, 2
Expenses not given, $225.0O
Methodists in the county, 1925
Additions in the county, 225
Expenses last year, $22,S31.00
The above figures, obtained with
some difficulty, for the reason that
neither of the pastors nor the "lead-
ing members" seem to keep close tab
on the business part of their church.
es. Not that they are careless or in
different, perhaps, but from custom,
as 1T is not the custom to pay close at
tentlon to the secular side, or conduct
the work of the churches, as rule, ON
purely business principleS-the cost
on one side, the gam on the other.
This view of the matter is rather
interesting, and furnishes food for
thought. or instance, the five white
churches in Tazewell last year had
"a additions in all. Most of these were
Sunday School pupils and some few
were by letter from other communi-
ties.
These "a members cost the town in
actual cash, Including North Taze-
weiD, S5,5i5UU, about $232.00 each,
on an average. OF course, this is a
purely business view of the matter,
but some people believe that this phase
OF religious work should be considered
A few hundred or few thousands, is
small price to pay for one boy or
girl saved, particularly if it is your
boy or glri, but the purely business
view of The matter should be given
some consideration.
Pocahontas Baptists paid about 500
each for their IL new members last
year. Graham Baptists paid nearly
$500 each for their three additions.
Reports from other churches are not
at hand.
The Methodists of the county at
large spent $22,831.OO according to
official ngures, for purely home work
The 225 additions cost a little over
$4,000 each.
Members of the Christian church,
colored, paid about $50 each for their
35 new members in the county.
The above figures and facts are Civ
en- for what they are worth. A prom
inent business man and church man
suggests that to the above annual ex-
pense account should be added the
yearly interest on the value of the
investments of the churches of the
county, in church buildings, lands,
etc. II this were done it is easily
seen where the figures would go. All
this will be considered by some
'cold blooded" and perhaps improper
view of the subject.
But business men cannot object to
taking business views of things. Per-
haps If all OF us made religion and
church matters more matter of bust
ness there would be greater prosper
ity among the churches. No town,
be it proudly and gladly said, has
better churches or more earnest, de-
voted ministers than has Tazewell