Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-28
A MANS INTEREST
GOES WITH HIS MONEY
So When S336, 900, 900 Is Subscribed
for Religious Work Il Means
Something viii Happen
In the Future

day and will continue until next Sun
day. when 1t is anticipated that the
whole amount will be secured.
operation is taking the place of
competition in religious work. In bust
ness the advantages Of co operation and
combination led to the formation of big
trusts against which the lawmakers
lcgislated. This was because the pur-
poses of the combinations were pri-
marily selfish The CombincrS were in
different to the fate of the concerns left
outside. when they were not actively
hostile to them.
The anti trust laws were passed in
the hope that the right of small man
to do business in competition with a big
; corporation might be protected The
purpose of these laws was splendid. 1t
: glittercd with the shining principles of
, democracy and was based on a profound
belief in the importance of preserving
, equality Of opportunity for every man
against the selfish greed of the few.
The inquitics of oppressive business
combination can be mitigatcd by the
virtues of co operation in setting forth
the merits of rhc Christian teachings as
a solvent for social and commercial
. evils. But religious cooperation has
: become possible only in recent years.
: Our grandfathers could not have united
as we are uniting today in the common
task of raising an enormous sum for re-
ligious work They. with few exCep-
tions. were more loyal to their sect than
to the great cause of Christianity in
advancing which all were theoretically
! engaged. Baptists would not work with
MpthodistS and Prehfterians were un.
friendly to CongregatiOnaliSts. As a
10 result churches of the different ScCtS
were built in communities alCady well
y supplied with religious institutions.
Country villages barely able TO support
, single church contained three In the
cities Baptist church would be built
=, on the same block with a Methodist
" church. and the PrcsbyterianS would
~ put t1Ip a new church in a ncighborhood
ID where a Congregationalist or Meth
OdiSt church was hourShing. I'VE
must provide a church home for the
people of our faith, they all argued
As result. there was an cnormou,
waste Of money and effort. and two OF
three churches struggled for existence
e where one might have been prosperous
70 and might. have commanded the services
81 Of an able preacher and pastor.
q But within the last twenty five wears
Is the Protestants have begun to talk OF
}" some form of union. It is dawning on
them that the points on which thoy all
agree are more numerous than the points
Il on which they all differ In short. they
II have discovered that they are Christian,
:. first and members of a scot aftprward
3 This discovery marked the most i'm =
II portant step forward since the Protos
tant reformation. The hope of organic
u union is entertained by only a few
e visionariPS. but there is an organized
10 movement on foot to bring about a closer
D." union in all forms of religious work and
division of the country among the
r sc"tS 50 that ther" shall be no Useless
e duplcation of effort.
Q The intprchurrh world movement OF
Is North America. in which thirty de
= nominations are now engaged is an out
VI growth Of this effort toward q closer anC
o moro perfect Protestant union. Tn,
II enormous sum which is now being RAISED
by concerted effort j. to hp apportionrC
among Il' ulUFIfll S'ttS engaged in II
IS The plan has been made by capable anC
u successful business men, who have SccI
a I'll" need Of applying sound buSiurS,
" principles to tn" secular affairs Of the
church. They do not expect the money
to take the place Of spiritual purpose
but they do expect that spiritual pur.
poses can be made more effective wheI
W backed by adequate funds.
t. If any one i doubtful Of tho high re.
% ngious motives back u the movcmcn
# it would be we'll for him 70 remind him
self that Of the NOR" than S3GG. OOO. OOC
* to be- raised. SlOT .UOO, 600 is for foregr
y missions; that j., for rarrying the goS
n pei to tn" nations which know it not
q The missionary spirit in church hn
n long been regarded a. an nfallibln ties
= Of the vitality of its Christianity. Aloni
- with the large sum for foreign missions
: still larger sum SlO9, 900. .OO6-iS T.
n be- set aside for home missions that is
D., for religious instruction in the region
+ Of America whorC the population is to-
N poor to maintain churches of its own
ID More than two thirds Of the total is T.
A be devoted to propagating tho gospel il
regions Whcrc it is unknown or whcr
n
in preached.
is Those skcpticaI persons who hav
= been wont to say that Christianity
lv dead and that the churches are mercl
ro religious clubs would do we'll to thin
ld on these things,
Il OF the sum left over after proyidn
n.y. for missions. So, 900, 600 j, To- be dc
n voted to strengthening the cndowmon
aud equipment Of the denominations
colleges and academies. This is TO b
apportioued among the schools in pro
portion TO their needs. In spite of tn
nf good work done by the secular colleges
n the belief persists that it is importan
cd that places be- provided for the educa
No tion Of young men under some kind q
-ic specific religious influence The de
IN nominutioual college Of today, which i
-. many cases is an expansion Of the col
"a lcge originally founded for trainn
Christian ministers. is pcrmeated by
,v very different spirit from that whir
- prevails in the secular institutions.
!. they are to do their bcss work the
- u