The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-22
OPENS
FRIENDS five YEARS
MEET;TELLS SUCCESS

Every board OF the Five Years
Meeting of Friends will have more
money for expenditures this year than
ever before, with the exception of the
board of Foreign Missions" said Levi
T. Pennington, director of the Friends
Forward Movement, Wednesday morn
ing in the opening session of the Five
Years Meeting conference on the For
ward Movement, held in the South
Eighth Street Friends church.
This is possible through the activi-
ties of the Forward Movement during
the past year, which has raised $344,-
900, with a few of the contributions
still out, and we expect the sum to
be increased to s500.000 before COM
pletion.
"Money Small Item"
Although the financial campaign
fell below what we felt ought to be
raised, we have gone far ahead of any
thing we have ever done before. The
what we have accomplished, for our
greatest work has been in the for
warding of the word of God, and not
in the raising of a sum of money"
Shortly after the opening of the
conference by Walter C. Woodward,
editor of The American Friend. Levi
T. Pennington was chosen chairman
of the meeting, and Mr.. Woodward
secretary. Delegates from practically
all of the yearly meetings and Friends
boards were present.
Explains Movement
Mr.. Pennington occupied the great
er portion of the morning session CIV
ing in detail the reason for the move
ment and its purposes. He outlined
the seven aims of the movement to
be intercession, evangelism, surveys,
propagation of the Quaker message,
life enlistments, stewardship of prop
erty, and a united financial campaign.
From the organization of the move
ment after it had been decided at the
last Five Years meeting that some
thing had to be done to accomplish
bigger things for the Society of
Friends until the present time, when
figures were compiled showing con-
crete things done, Mr.. Pennington
showed the delegates the various
stages of the work and offered to an
swer any questions regarding the
movement.
AS a result of the emphasis placed
upon prayer, 3,641 Friends had signed
the intercession cards; 50 of the 70
missionaries in the field signed the
cards and sent In many pledges from
Christian natives who had promised to
pray for the success of the movement
efforts
Tells Of Success
Don't let anyone tell you that the
Forward Movement has been an ex-
pense to the Five Years meeting,'
said Mr.. Pennington, "for it takes six
figures to show the gain accomplish
ed this year over that of the year be-
fore. l am comforted that there are
problems for us to face, for it shows
that we are not dead. Only the dead
have no problems"
Ruthanna N. Simms, of the Home
Mission board, followed Mr.. Penning-
ton with a report of the board. LAS
a. result of the Forward Movement" +"
she said, "a great deal of new work
is possible because of the additional
funds provided. 1t is planned to place
full time resident pastor in the
Whitewater meeting, which is the old
est meeting in Richmond, and the
only church in the community without
resident pastor. Also a full time
pastor for Stillwell meeting, only
Friends church in the township.
The question of whether to increase
the efficiency and enlarge the person
mel of the Five Years meeting, or to
create separate Forward Movement
staff, for the coming years work, was
introduced by Sylvester Jones, asso-
ciate director of the movement, in
the afternoon session.
Loan Authorized.
He said that the executive commit.
tee of the Five Years meeting had
authorized a loan of $4,000 with
which to finance the Forward Move
ment during the ensuing year, but be.
lieved that it is not wise to establish
new Forward Movement staff, but
to have the boards of the Five Years
meeting supply a secretary from each
for full time work in the movement.
Mr.. Jones said where there has been
a failure on the part of the movement
in any phase Of the work, it has been
! caused by a lack of an able leader
This pointed to the necessity of edu.
eating the Friends to meet the needs
of the church, and to give them ade.
quate understanding of the church
life and how to meet the ever-present
| problems.