The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1920-02-26
Interchurch World Movement
Natural Growth or Tendency
To Eliminate Waste
AVOIDS USELESS COMPETITIONS
Religious Finsneierine RevoIu;ioS,fes
By Success OF Men And Millions
movemen, And Cooperation
10 Result

20 states and Canada to coordinate I
the resources in men. money and mate /
rial for Protestant America.
Historically II Is the logical out.
growth Of tendency OF the national
boards In each denomination 20 form
working alliances among themselves.
In which each board shall preserve IT.
Identity and control its own personnel
and treasury
IN former times. the home mission
society. the foreign mission society.
. the church extension society ard the
various philan,hr1plc and eloerrc Y.
nary agencies OF any denomination
conducted their afairs Independently
of one another Each surveyed ~
own restricted territory. prepared
budget Of money and workers for IT,
own purposes and made its own ap.
peal 10 IT'S constituency for support.
This could only mean that these
agencies were more or less in com.
petition with one another: that there
were waste and duplication q 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 81 each
agency regarded themselves rs pecu.
Harry fitted for their tasks. and zeal.
ously regarded attempts at outside
Interference.
Decide On Experiment.
Aiter decades Of such haphazard
methods. the leaders OF one denonina.
ton decided on an experiment They
thought II would be possible for the
agencies TO get together for a com.
mon study % all the opportunities and
resources OF their brotherhood. to
make out unified budget Of men and
money. and TO conduct a concerted an
peal for funds. II was made clear
that each constituent board should
preserve complete autonomy.
When the board representatives me,
they found IL possible TO eliminate n
great amount OF organization ex
penses. They ultimately worked Out
budget and plan of campaign tina,
was satisfactory 20 all. This resulted
In the famous "Men and Millions
Movement" OF the Disciples OF Christ
which brought in what was then con |
sidered the staggering sum OF Sc. |
100000 for a hveyear program. The
members % the communion were sc
pleased with this business-iIke method
OF conducting Affairs that they con |
tributed even more generously thar
had been expected.
The success Of this enterprise reyo
lutionized the whole business OF
church financiering The other great
denominations Immediately adopted |
the plan. The denominational associa
tons have come TO be known as "for /
ward movements" and some thirty OF
them are In existence today. Each on,
has clarified all the information In re /
lation TO enterprise within the denomi /
nation. and has reduced the bushes,
OF collecting and spending money TO
science.
World Budget Formed
The lnterchurch World Movement n /
simply plan 10 do INSTRUMENTATION /
ally what the forward movements 4
have done within the various com
munions. II means that every denomL
national budget viii be made in the
light Of world needs instead OF in the
semi-obscurity OF incomplete informa
tton. II means that contributions &c
one denomination will not be in waste
ful competition with contributions Il
another. because all the fellowships
will have worked out their program
together.
The functions of the Interchurch
World Movement are threefold. First
Il collects. by means OF world surveys
all the pertinent facts on which de
nominational programs may be built
Second. Il sets up the practical ma
chinery Of cooperation Third. Il act,
In an advisory capacity whenever iu
advice is requested.
The Movement has nothing 20 dc
with organic church union or matter,
of creed or doctrine Each constituent
unit preserves complete autonomy. and
r. bound only so far as Il wishes 10 h,
bound Financial appeals are made
oy each denomination 10 It's own con
stiiuency. Any surplus In undesIgnat
ed funds. over and above the actua
cost Of administration. win be prorat
ed among the denominations engaged
In given financial undertaking
An Illustration OF one thing ths
Movement can do II 20 be- found In
western community OF 1000 person.
In which thirteen denominations have
been supporting separate churches
with missionary funds. while an ada
cent territory Of $4,000 persons ha,
only three churches. ny seeing that al
missionary boards are supplied with
Information In such cases. the Move
ment Will make possible a wiser dis
tribution % funds.
its nrst goals are 10 reduce unneces
sary duplication and overlapping "a
. minimum and TO bring sbou, an In
teIliserf dfvf.ioo A. Il ho~ A. .-..-..