The Detroit times., 1916-11-25
Missionary Movement
Makes Big Strides
In 10 Years
GIFTS INCREASE
TO $4,000. 900
Program TO Promote
Americanism Is
Started
sY rHe RELIGIOUS RAMeLse

oF TX y GLtSiO0o nav q l. = n
While the dispatches did not carr,
The story, tine celebration OF The Dc
cenulai oi the Laymens MissioRsr,
movement In New York city. wher'
II was founded, ook . turn that ma,
have consequences ss great a those
which have marked hs past ~
years. The new outlook Is toward
an intensified aud interpreted Amer
icanism. just as the decade nov Be
ing celebrated looked toward an In
terest in and service OF the religious
needs Of the whole world.
Everybody. in and out OF the
churches. has been made familiar
during the past 10 years, With the
name OF the lsymen's movement. II
has put the laynan on the map
of general church activities. Some
1000 iaymen's conventions and con
ferences have been held. in all parts
OF the United States and Canada. al
tended by approximately half mil-
lion men. Those men have praeti
caIly revoiutionixed the financial
methods OF the churches. and have
given a new world horizon TO Amer
lean Christianity. When the lay
mems movement began its work, the
Gifts OF the churches Of North Amer
ica for foreign missions amounted
20 $4,000, 900 a year: now they are
more than sis.00o.0 900.
Deputations or laymen have tour
ed the Orient In nrst-hand study
Of missions, and thousands OF men
have been set 10 making addresses
themselves In church services and
conventions. Within 10 years the
tone OF both the public press and OF
government officials toward Chris
tian missions mas radically altered
from a critical and even scornful at
titude to one OF respect. II not OF
sympathy. Undoubtedly this wide
spread movement has helped 10 I'M
part 10 America something Ike an
international mind.
No student OF contemporary re-
ligious life In America can fall 70
attach great Importance 70 the in
ter-denominational movements. such
Az the Sunday school. the Young
Mems Christian association. Chris
tian Endeavor. and the lsymen's
movement, which have brought all
the Protestant churches into contact
and into common activities The
laymen's movement has not only
united the men OF all communions
in concerted service, but n has
also given 70 the Individual denorni-
nations new form ot work. De
nominational laymens movements
are now found in most of tre major
bodies. and the conyentlons %
these mer are declared 80 many
cases 20 have p,een the largest and
most impressive gatherings ever
held in the history OF the denomina
tionE. In certain conspicuous IL
stances, ike that Of the Southern
Presbyterian church, these laymen's
conventions have profoundly affected
the program and NE OF the entire
denomination.
When young Washington 0ust
ness man. since deceased John y
sleman. Jr.. proposed the idea OF the
Ieymen's movement. az a meeting
held in New York 20 celebrate the
centennial of the famous Haystach
prayer meeting out of whic1 grew
The American board OF Foreign Mis-
sions. he BEGAN something which
far outran his own thought, and
made for himself a real place in the
religious history of his time
sampel n. Cspen, of Boston. who
also passed away before the lay
mems movement VAS 10 years old
was the FIRST chairman, and Dr J
Campbell White. now president o
Wooster college. was long the gen
erai secretary The present officers
are, James NJ. Speers, chairman
Elijah w. Halford. vice-chairman
Eben r. olcott. treasurer, and vii
liam n. Millar, Fred y. FISHER. w. r
Doughty and Charley V Vickrey
general secretary. The teadQuar
ters are IN the Metropolitan build
ing. New York city.
A Forward-Lookina oeeennlsi
A prayer meeting In the Fifth
sve. Presbyterian church. ard a ban
guet OF 500 leaders In church worl
In a hig New York hotel. were IN,
FORMAL anniversary features OF th'
movement Other meetings are be
ma held turnout the country.
AZ present tho movement IL hold
lnr conferences OF clergymsn. bu
an ontconie of the dsccnhiai cello
eratson is the resolution on the par
y headers TO stress Americanism fo
he duration of the war. NJ least
essrictism. u was said, never needed