Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-26
FAVORS SALARIES
FOR EYANGELlSTS
Church Commission Will Say
Some Plain Things About
Sundays Free Will
Offering Plan.
COUNCIL MEETS SOON

is learned on unquestioned authority
that the commission on evangelism
of the federal council of churches
will say some very plain things con-
corning the Rev. William A. Sundays
"free. will" offering, in its report to
be made to the council at its forth.
coming meeting in ST. Louis. More
than that the commission will recon-
mend, it is said, that all eyangelists,
Sunday with the others, be taken
charge Of by the churches themselves,
according to religious bodies to which
they belong, their finances regulated
and supervised, and evangelists paid
salaries.
The commission will tell the coun-
Gil, it is said, that almost all profess
sional eyangelists have united in ex-
preston of desire that they be put
on an official basis, as are ministers,
and money matters be taken off their
hands. The commission does not
state whether Sunday has himself
joined in the appeal, but it is infor-
mally stated that he has not done SO.
The commission will say, it is known,
that some measure Of harm is done by
the Sunday free will" offering plan.
Public criticism OF it is known to be
general, and il is not mitigated by the
fact that Sunday gives much of it
away. II is certain that the council
will adopt the recommendation OF its
commission.
Flaws in Management.
Other reports to the council will
show unhealthy conditions in church
management. There will be presented
a careful survey OF the whole state of
Ohio. That survey will make plain,
it is known, that tremendous sums of
money are lost in so-called Christian
work. There are places that are
over churched, and also places that
are overlooked. In not few places
where large sums of money should
be spent only very small sums are
available, while in other places money
is poured out and wasted. The coun-
Gil will also hear that throughout the
whole United States there has been
very serious deterioration of family
religion. Instead of the war making
Americans more religious, as it has
done in France and England, pros
perity or other cause seems to have
made, so the council will hear, inroads
upon the church in the home and the
home in the church. The council will
hear that something must be done
Immediately. Conditions are more
serious in cities Of New England and
the middle west, and less so in the
south and on the Pacific coast.
Propositions to be put up to the
council include one to get into the
temperance cause in behalf of work
ingmen, and to take hold of the plans
for the saving Of human lives, espe-
cially in factories where machinery is
run. The saving OF life by all posi-
Bile means will however, become a
part of the tasks Of American
churches as it has not heretofore
been, II the council takes action it is
expected to take. In this line the
council will hear from commission
Of education in the public schools, the
Gary and other plans.
1t seems the council has been in
constant touch, since Europe went to
war, with the churches of Germany,
France and Russia, and of course
England. Certain things the German
chancellor has said in the Reichstag
have been from relations with the
council, and with the churches of
Germany. Plans are perfected, and
will be acted upon in st. Louis. for
larger work by Christian churches in
America and in all European belliger-
ent nations Immediately the war ends.
The St. Louis meeting is an executive
one. coming every four years, and its
date is December 3, continuing that
week William Jennings Bryan is to,
conduct public meetings, at his own
expense, but in cooperation with the
council, during the sittings of the
council