Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-02-19
SOUND BUSINESS
BASIS FOR CHURCH
lnterchurch World Movement Nat
uraI Growth Of. Tendency to
Eliminate Waste.
AVOIDS USELESS COMPETITION
Religious Financierina Revolutionized
By Success Of Men and MiIIiona
Movement and Cooperation
Is Result.

me ln'efcnufcl world Movement VI
North America is an attempt by for
ward-o"king leaders of the various
evangelical denominations of the Unit
ed States and Canada TO coordinate
the resources in men, money and mate
rial Of Protestant America.
Historically 1t is the logical out,
growth OF Il tendency oT the national
boards In each denomination to form
working alliances among themselves,
In which each board shall preserve It's
identity and control its own pcrsolncl
and treasury.
In former times, the home mission
society, the foreign mission society
the church extension society and the
various philantbropic and eleemosynary
agencies of any denomination conduct
ed their affairs independently of one
another. Each surveyed its own re-
stricted territory, prepared IL budget
of money and workers for its own
purposes and made its own appeal to
its constituency for support
This could only mean that these
agencies were more or less in com
We're waste and duplication of work
and money, and that among them all
some work was neglected and some
UNCONVENTIONAL resources we're entire
ly overlooked. Because of their
specialized training, the leaders of
each agency regarded themselves as
peculiarly fitted for their tasks, and
jealously regarded attempts at outside
Interference.
Decide on Experiment.
After decades of such haphaZard
Methods the leaders of one denomina-
ton decided on an experiment. They
thought 1t would be possible for the
agencies to get together for Il com
mon study Of all the opportunities and
resources of their brotherhood, to
make out unified budget Of men and
money, and to conduct concerted ap-
peal for funds. 1t was made clear
that each constituent board should
preserve complete autonomy.
When the board representatives met
they found Ii possible to eliminate
great amount of organization ex-
penses. They ultimately worked out
a budget and plan Of campaign that
was satisfactory to al. This resulted
In the famous Men and Millions
Movement of the Disciples of Christ.
which brought in what was then cons
Sdered the staggering sum OF ST.
10000 for a five-year program. The
members Of the communion were so
pleased with this busine sS-like method
of conducting affairs that they con-
tributed even more generously than
had been expected.
The success of this enterprise revO-
luti0nZed the whole business OF
church tinanciering. The other great
denominations Immediately adopted
the plan. The denominational associa-
tions have come to be known as for
ward movements" and some thirty of
them are in existence today. Each one
has clarified all the Information in re-
lation to enterprise within the denomi-
nation, and has reduced the business
of collecting and spending money to q
science.
World Budget Formed.
The Interchurch World Movement Is
simply plan to do INSTRUMENTATION
ally what the forward movements
have done within the various COM
munions. 1t means that every denomi-
national budget will be made in the
light of world needs instead of in the
semi-Obscurity of incomplete infOrma-
tion. 1t means that contributions to
one denomination will not be in waste
full competition with contributions to
another, because all the fellowships
will have worked out their program
together.
The functions of the Interchurch
World Movement are threefold. First,
1t collects, by means Of world surveys,
all the pertinent facts on which de-
nOminational programs may be built.
Second, 1t sets up the practical ma
chinery Of cooperation. Third, 1t acts
in an advisory capacity whenever its
advice Is requested.
The Movement has nothing to do
with organic church union or matters
of creed or doctrine. Each constituent
unit preserves complete autonomy, and
is bound only 80 far as 1t wishes to be
bound. Financial appeals are made
by each denomination to Its own con-
stituency Any surplus in undesgnat-
ed funds, over and above the actual
cost of administration, will be prOrat-
ed among the denominations engaged
In given financial undertaking.
An Illustration of one thing the
Movement can do is to be found in a
western community of 1900 persons
In which thirteen denominations have
been supporting separate churches
with missionary funds, while an ada
cent territory Of 80 900 persons has only
three churches. BY seeing that all
missionary boards are supplied with
information In such cases, the Move
ment will make possible wiser dis
tribution of funds.
It's drst goals are to reduce unneces.
sary duplication and overlapping to
a minimum and to bring about an In.
telligent division of labor in unoccu>
pied fields. Tie Movement Is, at bot
tom, an attemn' to put church bust,
rnec nv tbo -cnnpd h,,cinacc- lilo fnYfn.