Gunnison news-champion., 1919-05-23
THE CENTENARY MOVEMENT
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH

sos, 900 900 is the amount the
Methodist Episcopal church has set to
raise for Home and Foreign Missions,
and for War Emergency and Recon-
struction. $l0,O00,0oO Is for Home
Missions; $4,000, 900 for Foreign
Missions; and the balance for emer-
gencies arising out of the war. This
is FIVE year proposition, one fifth of
the amount, approximately. being col
lected each year, though the quota
for the first year is somewhat heavier
than for any subsequent year owing
TO the initial demands of reconstruc-
ION incident to the war. This is a
big program, fashioned on the scale of
he War Drives, the million dollar
scale, but the Church is facing task
of the same gigantic proportions.
Some of the objects of this Move
nent may be summarized as follows:
To increase the number of trained
workers in every field, in the slum
districts of the great cities, in the
neglected rural communities, and in
he out-of-the-way camps and villages
where men gather for the special
work of mining, numbering, etc; to
provide adequate support for these
missionaries; to secure adequate
buildings adapted to community ser
vice; to supply visiting nurses, dea-
conesses, directors of religious edu-
cation, and social service workers
wherever they are needed; to increase
he efficiency Of the country church
and the rural ministry; and to make
the Church a center for American
;zing influences among the foreign
born, training school in good citi-
zenship. In the more strategic mis-
zion fields the personel and equip
nent Of the missionary forces will be
increased from four to six fold, max
ing possible such aggressive andeffi-
cient work that in five years these
fields should be so well supplied with
trained native workers, that the keep
mitted to their hands.
OF course, the war brought to
light the urgent need of this stupend-
high these two facts: First, il the
world is to be saved from another
debacle of destruction and slaughter,
it must be through the spirit Of Chris
tianity getting effective control of
governments and people; and second,
II Christianity is to measure up to
this requirement, the Church must set
herself to the task with such earnest
and capable aggressiveness as will
make all her past efforts seem small
and inconsequential. Science, inven-
lion, commerce, political and social
organization, diplomacy, all failed to
prevent this war. 1t is now proposed
% give Christianity its chance, an
opportunity to which every Christian
heart must respond with joy.
The most significant thing about
his great financial program is that
he Church is measuring up to it. BY
he end Of this week it seems probable
hat the whole amount will Be sub
scribed. Every section of the country
$ responding in the most gratifying
manner. Colorado and the Western
slope are not behind. On Tuesday
light, Denver reported $295, ,710 ON :
ruota Of $815,O 900; and the Western
Slcpe reported eight churches sover
h top" with . total Of $79,115.
ne quota Of the Methodist Group
d the local Community Church b ap-
oeoximately $4,000 for tie flve year
uo4iod. The quota for tie Afut year
q 41o60. The local organixakion Il
confident that Gunnison win secure
taiD a1omt. Olathe, HotcA1kiss,