Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-15
HOME.MAD REVEALS
SHOW GOOD RESULTS
Work II Done by Individual Churches
and PASTORS Without Outside Evan
CYCLISTS mud Outlay OF Money.

Homemade revivals started in In
dlanapolis. The plan known as the
Indianapolis plan of evangelism" pro.
vides for increasing church member
ship and popularizing and advertising
religion, not in II big splurgc all at
out the aid of outside cvangcIists or
money.
This plan has been in operation for
three years in indianapolis, and is now
beginning its fourth SEASON tho re-
suits 80 far have been the addition of
$500 to church membership the first
year. 100 III. second and 5000 the
third
The success Of this plan depends.
next to the amount Of prayer and in
lcrcst that is put into il. the
operation of all Protestant churches
ana Is really only possible where
strong local federation already exists.
The slogans which have been used in
indianapolis ana elsewhere are Every
pastor AN cvangclist---cv"ry church
recruiting station: "l0.uVo for Christ
and III. church By Easter" The Fed
Grafton Of Churches works out pro-
gram designed 10 appeal to every pas
tor and layman in each church in the
city, and then distributes them widely.
The federation takes care OF the pub
! iicity end of the cvangclistic cam
paign. Further advertising is done by
t,c churches separately, each in its
own way.
The program which has been used in
indianapolis shows the following fca-
lures: October. November and Decenn-
Der are devoted To sort of working
up" process. which is designed TO wake
UP 10 new interest each department OF
church lifc-thc Sunday school, prayer
meeting and family attendance. No
vcmber is especially devoted TO train
ing of personal workers" by the diff
tcrcnt pastors: sometimes the weekly
prayer are used for TINS pur-
pose. During this working period,
each church conducts a local personal
canvass by laymen, using uniform
cards. the effort being 10 lind out what
church each family wants to go to. and
get i; in touch with the church Of its
choice. BESIDES this, committee Of
twelve men are appointed TO call upon
new families or those who have grown
lax in attendance, The workers en-
changing information with those Of
other churches.
The campaign really opens in Janu-
AIRY. when meetings are held stimuli
city In the churches concerned. some
uniting for the meetings. Noon meet
!ngs are also held in a thcatcr or pub
lie building from u 10 daily, for sew
erai weeks. with AN average daily at
/ tendance in Indianapolis OF 1900. Fine
music is feature OF the meetings.
y lct-up follows till Easter week.
when all churches hold simultaneous
nightly services and tho noon meetings
arc resumed At Easter. reports are
nj .i,,,rn Of inc IL,
membership.
( One interesting feature OF the pro-
gram is shop meetings held NJ midday.
AT Indianapolis 1900 men attended
! them. and they were held in fifty shops.
men is BY "au;o-cvangclism"-
street corners and in ncighborinE towns
and are ready 10 go anywhere to CON
duet them al short notice. Each team
has singer and speaker. This parl
is managed By the central organiza-
ton.
Besides cleveland. O.. and abou, nifty
other Middle West towns. several Mas
sachusetis towns have taken up this
plan Of permanent evangelism. all who
have don" so having already church
federation as Il basis.
Wherever il has been adopted. the
yearly percentage OF gains in church
membership has risen very much. In
Cleveland. for example, the gain was
u per cent over former years, the aver
age yearly gain the country over be-
ing only per cent.