The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-21
Kansas City Pastor Tells OF
Orgy of Spending.
CHURCHES MUST PAY BILLS
Campaign Cost Million PEI
Month, Says Doctor Aked.
Presbyterians Were First to Re-
volt Against Plan.

Kansas City. June 21-Taking for
his text the simple, 'platitudinous DIT
of counsel from the Apostle PAU IN
his first epistlc to the Thessalonlansy
Prove all things; hold fast that which
is good" the Rev. Charles F. Aked
made II appear as a living beacon to
his auditors in his address yesterday
morning at the First congregational
church on THE Collapse Of the Inter-
church World Movement and Its Les
sons"
church movement found itself in a
serious predicament." he said. All its
money was gone and its credit ex-
hausted. The leaders Of the movement
decided to carry on for another year
in a last desperate effort to extricate
Il and obtain a greatly reduced quota.
last wear thew spent million dollars
and received less than 8 million.
EXPENSES a Million a Month.
s"rheir expenses have been million
dollars a month, which they planned
to reduce to s150.000 a month. But
a business OF that magnitude cannot
retrench in a day. Two months Woulo
be required to take care OF legal ana
moral obligations before oo expenses Sc
could be cut to the $4,000 marx.
There is . millions more of expense
And they plan to spend u million
more in an effort to reach the new
quota. -u,, .,orn+ ~
practically 10 million dollars. and. as
they obtained only million an actual
deficit of million remains.
s'The crash was brought about by an
orgy Of spending without parallel IN
the history of the Christian church
and incompetency of management pc
yond belief.
sent Needless Circulars
Every minister in MISSOURI re
ceived a circular telling him how 10
arrange the program for his prayer
meeting when he Is absent. IL every
minister in this state received one, II
is rea sona BILE to BELIEVE the clrcuIars
we're similarly distributed in each OF
the forty eight states
THE circular was an insult to my
+,+ejlirence. Later the circular was
followed by a typewriter letter, az,
dressed to me personally ana slgneo
with pen and ink, containing the same
..Think of the cost OF printing, OF
Much circulars and having all those ~
~ tvnewritten. The letter and cir
crior requested me to name commit
Toe If five persons, one OF whom was
e. see about a leader for the meeting,
another about the music ana lhSt Ono
pianist got there, another 10 pc
booster for the meeting ahotner
I ;
meeting. aud another to be chairman
Ct the committee.
Churches Paid for 1t.
THAT was the intellectual leVel t tIao
49, Trachcd. and was typical or the
ft conn eteucs of the whole movement
"rhe denominations that were rep
resented in the movement were re-
-.,,stsd 70 and did. underwrite the ex-
4euses OF the interchurch movement
~ agreeing to pay per cent OF the
tCtal budget to be solicited Tor their
particular denomination.
The expense money was au .s 1ti,;-
-, a syndicate of New York and chi
cagu banks. st;o,aIs
cr, iFn'r ,,r derstand or tell about II.
do1't know what it was. Ihey KEEP
TeDeating to me, "Oh. If you could only
catch the VISION. but coulah ca ia
A. am certain of one thing II uiu'
sTbat was to make a survey OF all the
churches IN America and their conul.
t{ons After that 1 don't know what
IL has to do. Everything is In nae nae
THE denominations were caIIeu
upon to pay the amounts they Hau it, Goi
dsrvritten. the first payment OF winch
vas due in June. They had guaran-
iced to pay "A million dollars. -
THE leaders think they may quletly
collect enough money to pay that back
TO the churches.
PTpsbytcrtanS Have Refoieeu'
"You are asked to give toward pay
{ng that debt and the question arises
is it right? ,.,,-s. g hahn
nav off the obligation and charge y
IN to experience II they would quit
now. but they are going on for ten
more months. The Presbyteriansi
who were among the best workers IN
the movement, have revolted ana nave
declined to be responsive LOT
penny. But as an expression OF IN
terest they have offered to give S1Oo'-
600 provided the inter-church com
1nittee will reduce expenses TO SlVUi-
600 a month, which it has refused
TO do.
zone plan is. to find $4,000 women
who would be willing to give $1Uu
each. thus making up PA million dol
lars of the deficit. They plan TO APP
neal to the Leagues of Prayer or
Eanized in the churches by the move
ment, and of whose members they
have lists. I object to that plan o.
raising money.
warns of other Movements.
1--WE know the individuals who
!. started the movement. I am a1ralC
there will be other movements aftei
Nthis. There comes time TO cut I'M
whole business.
"Don't be stampeded by a move
nent that looks big. Think independ
emily. And II you can't or don't wan
to, at least grant your minister ina
privilege.
The interchurch movement pro
2osed TO complete it's financial schem'
by getting money from what 1t termed
friendly citizens without the church
who could be approached and woulS
give 1t was believed that after ever!
denomination had gone thru its con
gregations with a fine-toothed comb
there would still be a vast number o
citizens Win had not been solicited