The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-02-26
Intsrchurch World Movement Nat
ural Growth Of Tendency to
Eliminate Waste.
AVOIDS USELESS FRICTION
Religious Finaneierino RevoIutionized
by Success Of Men and Millions
Movement and Cooperation
ls Result.


evangelical denominations of the Unit
ed States and Canada to coordinate
the resources in men, money and ma
terial of Protestant America
Historically 1t is the logical out
growth Of 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 con-
Quoted their affairs Independently of
one another. Each surveyed its own
restricted territory, prepared a bud
get 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 compe
tition with one another; that there
was waste and duplication of work
and money, and that among them all
some work was neglected and some
UNCONVENTIONAL resources were 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 out
side Interference.
Decide on Experiment
After decades of such haphazard
7 a..
tion decided on an experiment. They
thought it would be possible for the
agencies to get together for 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 n concerted ap-
peal for funds 1t was made clear
that each constituent board should
preserve complete autonomy.
When the board representatives met
they found 1t possible to eliminate II
great amount OF organization ex-
penses. They ultimately worked out
budget and plnn of campaign that
was satisfactory to ALL This resulted
in the famous "AIen and Millions
Movement of the Disciples of Christ,
which brought in what was then con-
sidered the staggering sum Of $6,3OO,
600 for a five-year program. The
members of the communion were so
pleased with this business-like meth
cd 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 asso-
Citations have come to be known as
forward movements" and some thir
ty OF them are in existence today.
Each one has clarified all the infor
nation in relation to enterprise with
in the denomination, and has reduced
the business of collecting and spend
ing money to n science.
World Budget Formed.
The Interchurch World Movement
is simply a plan to do interdenomina-
tionally what the forward movements
have done within the various COM
munions. 1t means that every de-
nominational budget will be made in
the light of world needs instead of in
the semi-obscurity of incomplete in
formation. 1t means that contributions
to one denomination will not be in
wasteful competition with contribu-
tions to another, because all the fel-
lowships will have worked out their
program together.
The functions of the InterchurclI
World Movement are threefold. First.
1t collects, by means of world sur
veys, all the pertinent facts on which
denominational programs may be
built Second, it sets up the practical
machinery of cooperation. Third, ii
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 consti-
tuent unit preserves complete au-
tonomy, and is bound only so far as
it wishes to be bound. Financial ap-
peals are made by each denomina-
ton to its own constituency. Any
surplus in undesignated funds, over
and above the actual cost of adminis-
tration. will be prorated among the
denominations engaged in a given fl
nancial undertaking.
An illustration of one thing the
Movement can do is to be found In n
western community of 1,0OO 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
.,,t 10 In, II,
Movement Will make possible wiser
4 stribution OF funds.
Its first goals are to reduce unneces-