The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-27
BIG GROWTH SHOWN
BY PREsBYTERIANs

4
States of America is stronger today
than ever before in its history, ac-
cording to the annual census just
completed. .....
As issued from Presbyterian
headquarters at No. .156 Fifth Ave-
Avenue, the total communicate
membership for 1920 is 1857, los, a
gain of 34,O72 over last year, and
an aggregate gain Of 123,S65 in
| in church membership oyer the cen
sus of 1915; a total Sunday school
membership of 11,s51,26o.
Gifts received in 1920 amount to
| s43,O71, ,072, contributed for the va
rious phases of Presbyterian church
work, as against s27,7s5,oa6 given
in 1915, or an increase Of nearly 10
per cent in the last five years. The
previous large gift year was 191s,.
when s33,14s,4o7 was received.
The figures given are. exclusive OF
interest on permanent funds for
! the income from Presbyterian ,theo
logical seminaries, and many Of the
legacaies and individual gifts to the
boards. The contribution include
moneys given for the work of home
missions, foreign missions, religious
education, church erection, temper
ance and moral welfare, for the
support Of the fifty-seven Presby-
terian colleges and academies and
the work in the 440 Presbyterian
negro schools. -. \
Since the plan of systematic CIV
ing has been stressed in the last
few years and the boards and agen-
cies Of thee hurch have adopted the
budget system with a definite sum
for every need, there has been CON
siderable increase in gifts set aside
for each Of these boards and agen-
cies. The stimulation given by the
forward programmes and work, Of
the New Era Movement, of which
the Rev. DR.. Joseph Dunn Berrell
was appointed secretary Of the me
tropolitan district, is in large. part
responsible for this increase.
A comparative list of the re-
ceipts of the various boards shows
that in 1920 sS,22s,0Ss was re-
,ceived by the Board Of Home Mis-
.sions for their work compared TO
'$1,954,421, the sum in 1915; $3,-,I
516,s84 for the Board of Foreign
Missions as compared to $1,s12,001,
the figures shown in the year 1915,
In 1913 the Home Mission Board,
wasH given $2,26s,s25, and the
board for work in foreign lands $2,-,l
131;as7.s
. Replying to the strong demand.
aroused through the church for
suitable living quarters for Presby-
teian. pastors, there have been al
large number Of manses built in the
last few years, the number now be-
ing 1850. X
Enlargement Of church activities
due to the influence Of the war has
resulted in a considerable addition
to tn sums contributed for various
miscellaneous work not previously
mentioned. The sum contributed un-
der this head was $7,195.S5. The
Southern Presbyterian church now
announces total of 376,517 com-
municant members; the amount re-
deived for this work was 1926, 1886,
or a contribution Of '$25.3s per
capita. The present membership re-
ports the Southern Presbyterian
church, is net gain of 12,277, a;
total of 4s,416 members having
been received during the year. These
figures are set forth in the minutes
of the Southern Presbyterian Gener-
al RssembIy, which ,have just been
issued from the State Clerks office
of this church at Spartanburg, 8. G.