Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-04-28
Another Reply.

Is gladly given any reasonable amount
of space in this paper for the dlscuS-
sion of public questions, when sucn
communications are signed.
fst The fact that the Nationai
Council of Congregational churcnes
has set a financial goal OF achleve-
ment hoped to be accomplished IN nve
wears, time. does not change the fact
that there is no $50, 00O,OOO DRIVE
now on. The present ''drive, and
il is drives We are Gisc~ssing-is for
SIS, 900, coo In addition TO the usual
yearly and previously subscribed gl!ts
of Congregational people, and is Tor
the present year, and the hrSt four
months of 1921 (16 months IN all
only. If Mr.. Baldwin understands, as
he appears to now, that any S5O,OOO,-
900 figures he mentions is a hoped-for
fve-yI..r gal eff CoDC-cgattoaalsts,
then this point is settled. But the
"drive" we are now at work upon is
for 100000 above usual gifts and
for a period dating over 10 months
only. / he challenge made Mr.. Bald
win was to prove that another drive
| is on, for $4,000, 900 more, put over
by an alliance of the supreme heads
of large number of denominations,
as ne stated in his first article He
has not answered this challenge, and
cannot, because there is no such
thing. The S10,0OO,OOO Mr.. Baldwin
now speaks about is the usual gifts or
s., 900 900 plus the emergency asklngs
of So, 600, 900, plus S3,000,0 900 expect
ed to be paid in on pledges made last
year on the Pilgrim Memorial fund.
It is very difficult TO follow Mr..
Baldwin through his various changes
from last weeks Interchurch and
Congregational fve-year program
figures TO this weeks application to
figures dealing with the single years
Congregational movement, but If Mr..
Baldwin will read Mr.. Merrill's let
tier carefully, especially that part re-
ferring to Pilgrim Memorial gifts, he
will see that there is no discrepancy,
misunderstanding evasion or trouble
Whatsoever. Payments on last year.
| Pilgrim Memorial fund pledges are
expected this year TO amount TO 3d.
600, 900 but no part of that $4,000, 900
comes out OF the 100000 emergency
aSkingS this year, of which sum Yer
mont is asked to pay $4,000, and of
which amount Barton is asked for
$1,000. And every cent of this $1,000
will go through the regular and usual
channels through which our benevo-
lences have gone before, and which
benevolences Mr.. Baldwin says he is
willing TO increase four-fold. Will he
stand by this statement?
i repeat that Mr.. Baldwin has no
authority for thinking or saying that
any part of the money now being ask
ed for in the drive, will go into the
Pilgrim Memorial fund, and therefore
loppose the drive on that account.
I'd | tried to say last week that if
lCongregationahsts gave to their
Ichurch now, In proportion to their
gifts in 1890, what their per capita
increase in wealth has been in that
time, our gifts would be $500 900 in
Vermont 1 contend that as ones
wealth increases his gifts should in
lcrease in some relative proportion, to
religious and benevolent needs. If
1.-THE doctrine is not sound, logical and
reasonable, IL 1t Is not such a policy
as will build up the community and
its needs, as well as the giver, then
stand corrected.
As to specific cases of denoniina-
lions giving in some proportion to the
per capita increase in wealth, sta
tlstics show that the humble Advent
lists have increased their church gifts
IN such proportion, that the Methodist
Episcopal denomination last year Sc
cured pledges for their great world
movement TO an amount per capita
very nearly Ike the gifts the Con-
gregationaiizts are now asked for
The Presbyterian churches in Amer
lea have pledged an amount per capi-
"a above that asked of Congregations
aiLSEs, and am not sure but the
catholic church which Mr.. Baldwin
refers to as coming into the communi-
y 50 strongly. derives much of its
very strength from the gifts its con-
stItuents make TO their church, which
gnts per capita, would put many a
self-laudlng Protestant TO shame.
BY Judgment may be unsOund, my
reasoning feeble and my belief radi-
cal, but | am convinced that the
amount asked of the Congregations
cnurcheS OF Orleans county as a whole
: will be met Ga few individual cases
need not be singled out and need not
scare US If they fall below and that
IN meeting the demand we shall have
6enehted by it, that it will stimulate
interest and growth and that we shall
: tnen De rewarded in some measure
! similar TO the wonderful spiritua
|, awakening in the Methodist denomin
atlon, following their great fnancia
, Drive winch was so successful.
Since Mr. Baldwin has quoted Mr.
: Dawson, publicity director for tn,
; united TO quote from a letter received
! from Mr. Dawson, In which he says
want TO congratulate you on tn,
r reply IN the paper to the screed O.
Mr; baldwin You were absolutel,
rignt IN your conclusions, and yoI
mlgnt nave added that the Methods
9 Episcopal church is not in this drive
. Tor they preceded the rest of us b,
v enc year, and went over the top am
away beyond it, but they are still il
: THIS state cooperating with the res
Oh Us IN taking up the slack an,