Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-05
Interchurch World Movement
Natural Growth of Tendency
to Eliminate Vase.
AVOIDS USELESS COMPETITION
Religious Financierino Revo!utionized
BY Success Of Men and Millions
Movement and Cooperation
Is Result.

North America is An attempt by for
ward-looking leaders of the various
evangelical denominations Of the Uni
ted States and Canada to coordinate
the resources in men, money and ma-
terial OF Protestant America.
Historically 1t is the logical out
growth of a tendency of the national
boards in each denomination to form
working alliances among themselves,
in which each board shall preserve its
identity and control its own personnel
and treasury.
In former times, the home mission
society, the foreign mission society,
the church extension society and the
various philanthropic and eleemOsy.
nary agencies of any denomination
conducted their affairs Independently
of one another. Each surveyed its
own restricted territory, prepared
budget of money and workers kor 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
were waste and duplication OF work
and money. and that among them all
some work was neglected and some
UNCONVENTIONAL resources we're entire
~ overlooked. Because of their spe-
cialized training, the leaders of each
agency regarded themselves as pecu-
liarly fitted for their tasks, and jeai-
ously regarded attempts at outside in
reference.
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 CON-
mon study of all the opportunities and
resources of their brotherhood, to
make out . unified budget of men and
money, and to conduct a concerted
appeal for funds. II was made clear
that each constituent board should
preserve complete autonomy.
When the board representatives met
they found It possible to eliminate
great amount OF organization expenses.
They ultimately worked out . budget
ana plan Of campaign that was salts
factory to all. This resulted in the
famous Men ana Millions Movement"
of the Disciples OF Christ, which
brought in what was then considered
the staggering sum OF $4,000, 900 for q
fiveyear program The members OF
the commission were SO pleased with
this businessl like method OF conducting
affairs that they contributed even more
generously than had been expected.
The success Of the enterprise revo-
lutionized the whole business of church
fiaanciering. The other great denom-
nations Immediately adopted the plan.
The UNCONVENTIONAL associations have
come to be known as forward move
ments." and some thirty of them are
in existence today. Each one has clar-
flied all the information in relation to
enterprise within the denomination,
and has reduced the business OF col
lecting and spending money to q
science.
World-6udgst Formed.
The Interchurch World Movement
ID simply plan to do interdenomina-
tionally 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.
ton. 1t means that contributions to
one denomination will not be in waste
full competition with contributions to
another.
The functions of the 1nterchurch
World Movement are threefold First,
It collects, by means of world surveys,
al the pertinent facts on which de-
nominational programs may be built.
Second. it sets up the practical ma
chinery OF cooperation. Third, it 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 so far as it wishes
to be bound. Financial appeals are
made by each denomination to its own
constituency. Amy surplus in undesig-
mated funds, over and above the actual
cost of administration. will he pro-
rated among the denominations en-
gagged 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 $4,000 persons has
only three churches. BY seeing that
all missionary boards are supplied
with information in such cases, the
movement will make possible a wiser
distribution OF funds.
Its first goals are to reduce unnec-
essary duplication and overlapping to
q minimum and to bring about an in
telligent division Of labor in unoccu
pied fields. The movement is, at bot