The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-02-20
SOUND BUSINESS
BASIS FOR CHURCH
Interchurch World Movement
Natural Growth Of Tendency
To Eliminate Waste
AVOIDS USELESS COMPETITION

|
Religious Finaneiering RevoIutlonized
BY Success OF Men And Millions :
Movement And Cooperation
Is Result
The Interchurch World Movement
OF North America is an attempt BY
forward-looking leaders of the various
evangelical denominations Of the Unit.
ed States and Canada to coordinate
the resources In men, money and mate
rial Tor Protestant America.
Historically it 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
| conducted their affairs independently
OF one another. Each surveyed its
own restricted territory, prepared a
ouoset OF money and workers for it's
OWN purposes and made its own ap-
peal TO Its constituency for support.
Ih1s could only mean that these
agencies were more or less in COM
petition with one another; that there
were waste and duplication Of work
ana money, and that among them all
some work was neglected and some
henominational resources were entire
~ overlooked. Because Of their spe-
clallzed training. the leaders Of each
agency regarded themselves as pecu-
liarly fitted for their tasks, and jeal.
ously regarded attempts at outside
interference.
Decide On Experiment
After decades Of such haphazard
methods, the leaders of one denomina.
tlon decided on an experiment Thew
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 unified budget of men and
money, and to conduct a concerted ap.
peal for funds. It was made clear
that each constituent board should
preserve complete autonomy.
When the board representatives met
they found 1t possible to eliminate a
great amount of organization ex.
penses. They ultimately worked ont
budget and plan of campaign that
was. satisfactory to ALL This resulted
in the famous Men and Millions
Movement" Of the Disciples of Christ,
which brought in what was then con-
sidered the staggering sum Of $6,-
100000 for a five-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-
| lut1onfzed the whole business of
church financiering. The other great
denominations Immediately adopted
the plan. The denominational associa.
tfons 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 enterprise within the denomi-
nation, and has reduced the business
Of collecting and spending money to a
science.
WorId-sudset Formed
The 1nterchurch World Movement is
simply plan to do INSTRUMENTATION
ally what the forward movements
have done within the various COM
munions. 1t means that every denomi-
national budget will be made in the
light Of world needs instead Of in the
semf-obscurity Of incomplete informa-
ton. 1t means that contributions to
one denomination will not be in waste
full competition with contributions to
another, because all the fellowships
will have worked out their program
together.
The functions Of the Interchurch
World Movement are threefold. First,
It collects, bv means of world surveys,
all the pertinent facts on which de-
nominational programs may be built
Second. 1t sets up the practical ma
chinery of cooperation. Third, it 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 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 cob.
atituency. Any surplus in undesignat.
ed funds, over and above the actual
cost OF administration, will be prorat-
ed among the denominations enga god