Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-02-20
SOUND BUSINESS
BASIS FOR CHURCH
Interchurch World Movement
Natural Growth of Tendency
to Eliminate Waste.
AVOID USELESS COMPETITION
Religious Financierine RevoIutionized
by Success of Observation-Disclosures
Movement and co-opera-
ton Is Result.

The Interchurch World Movement of
North America is an attempt by for
ward-looking 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 it 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 it's own personnel
and treasury.
In former times, the home mission
society, the foreign mission society,
the church mission society and the
various philanthrOpic and eleemosynary
agencies of any denomination conduct
ed their affairs independently of one
another. Each surveyed its own re-
stricted territory, prepared budget
of money and workers for its own
purposes and made it's own appeal to
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 of work
and money, and that among them all
some work was neglected and some
denominational resources were entire
ly overlooked. Because of their
specialized training, the leaders of
each agency regarded themselves as
peculiarly fitted for their tasks, and
jealousy 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 it would be possible for the
agencies to get together for a COM
mon study of all the opportunities and
resources of their brotherhood, to
make out a 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 it possible to eliminate
great amount of organization ex-
penses. They ultimately worked out
a budget and plan of campaign that
was satisfactory to ALL This resulted
in the famous Men-and-M Millions Move
ment of the Disciples of Christ,
which brought in what was then con-
sidered the staggering sum of &c.
100000 for a fve-year program. The
members of the communion were so
pleased with this business-like method
of conducting affairs that they con-
tributed even more generously than
had been expected.
The success of this enterprise revo-
lutionized the whole business of
church financiering. The other great
denominations Immediately adopted
the plan. The denominational assOcia-
lions 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 the enterprise within the
denomination, and has reduced the
business of collecting and spending
money to a science.
World Budget Formed.
The Interchurch World Movement is
simply plan to do interdenominatiOn
aIly what the forward movements
have done withia the various COM
muniOns. It means that every denOmi-
national budget will be made in the
light of world needs instead of in the
semi-obscurity of incomplete inforrna-
tion. It means that contributions to
one denomination will not be in waste
aonfrsshr1tinnC fO
another. because all the fellOwshlps
will have worked out their program
together.
The functions of the Interchurch
World Movement are threefold. First,
It collects, by means of world surveys,
all the pertinent facts on which de-
nominational programs may be built.
Second. it sets up the practical ma
ehinery of cooperation. Third, it acts
in an advisory capacity whenever it's
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 con-
stftuency. Any surplus in undesignat-
ed funds, over and above the actual
cost of administration will be prorat-
ed among the denominations engaged
in a given financial undertaking.
An illustration of one thing the
Movement can do is to be found in a
western community of 1000 persons
fn 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 Move
ment will make possible wiser dis
tribution of funds.
It's first goals are to reduce unneces-
sary duplication and overlapping to
a minimum and to bring about aa in
telligent division of labor in unoccu-
pied fields. The Movement is, at bot
tom, an attempt to put church bust
ness on the sound, business-Iike foun-
cations op which the great commercial
institution, of America are built.
Kept Ignominy in Memory.