The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-22
PROTESTANT MISSIONARY
ZEAL.

ZEAL.
Last week the Board of Mis-
lsions of the Episcopal Church met
III New York to launch cam
paign to raise 100000 emer-
gency fund before June first, for
home and foreign missions. The
board asks one day s wages or some
equivalent self-denial offering, in
addition to the usual gifts, from
each OF the one million Episcopali-
ans in America in order that the
work of over fourteen hundred
missionary stations in different
parts Of the world may not suffer.
1.-THE need for such a fund arises
partly from the unsettled condi-
tons now prevailing in Europe
but mainly, it is stated, because of
the extension and success Of that
church's missionary efforts in
China and Japan for which the
ordinary appropriations have
IprOved insufficient. In this way
a deficit accumulated and it is for
the purpose of Wiping out this de-
felt that the board makes its APP
peal for additional funds.
The missionary zeal Of the sects
is truly wonderful. What sacri-
fees they are willing to make for
the propagation of their religious
beliefs! If our Catholic people
had one-half the zeal for the extern
sion of Catholicity which the Pro
testant denominations have for the
propagation Of an emasculated
Christianity, the Catholic mission
aries at home and abroad would
not be in such dire straits as they
are for funds to carry on their
work for the extension Of God s
kingdom ON earth.
Granting, as all must grant,
that thousand and one demands
are being continually made upon
the resources of Catholics, it is,
nevertheless, a fact that they do
not rally to the support Of the mis-
sionary work Of the Church as
they ought. Their contributions
for this purpose are not so gener-
GUS as they should be. If each Of
the adult Catholics in this country
contributed a dollar a year to the
mission work of the Church, in
monthly installmhnts if necessary,
it would provide financial assist
ance for our missionaries which
would make it unnecessary for
them to worry about the future Of
their mission stations. If the mil
lion members of the Episcopal
Church can raise 100000 in a
month for such apurpose, it ought
to be an easy task for the Catholics
of this country to raise two and q
half times as much in twelve
months without allowing the paro-
chial or diocesan works in which
they are now engaged to suffer in
the smallest degree.
The fact of the matter seems to
be that Catholics take it for grant
ed that the Church, being divine
ly-established institution, will full
fiji her purpose Of preaching the
gospel "to every creature, " even
though they fail to furnish the
money to carry on the work.
IThey forget that the Church has
a human side, that material means
must be forthcoming to enable it
to toll and thrive and that this
support must come from the men,
bership at large. Now that paro-
chial and diocesan institutions are
fairly well established and provid-
led for, the contributions for
ICatholic missionary work should
be materially increased. In view
of the deplorable conditions to
which the present war has reduced
Imany, of the missionaries it be-
comes the duty Of Catholics to
offer more generous gifts in order
THAT not even the least important
of her outposts be closed for want
of support. The missionary zeal
of non-Catholics should be an in
centive to those who have the true
faith to spread the light by every
means in their power. Every con-
Itributor to the missionary needs
Iof the Church is an apostle and
will receive the reward of an apos-
/ tie.
There is a daring, a freedom and