Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1921-03-31
THE CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION MOVEMENT
Soon To Be Launched By
The NJ. E. Church

habit among her membership for the
financial success of the Christian edu-
cation movement which is now claim
ing the interest and attention of that
denomination.
Already more than $4,000 Method
SITS have signed stewardship cards
signifying their intention of setting
aside one tentn Of their incomes for
charity and churmr work. The
month March has been designated
as stewardship month throughout
Southern Methodism and on every
possible occasion during the month
the $4,000 congregations of this
church will be urged 70 adopt the
prin ciples o. tithing.
! Leaders of the church have made
many interesting comparisons and
contrasts showing just what might
be accomplished If every Methodist
church member would ftthe syste-
matically. Ahey show that the col
lection Of $33,00O,OOO would he very
simple matter if they could count up
on the tithe of all Southern Method
ist income. They say that the low
est wage of any group of workers re-
corder in the 1910 U. s. Census is
that Of the Alabama waitress, 81 cts.
a day and that ii the membership OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South had only the per capita in
come of the 1910 Alabrma waitress,
and tithed it, there would be avail.
able fot religious work each year
$46,811.250. This would provide all
the money needed for the mainte-
nance and current expense of the
church each year, pay the total an
nual payment of the centenary
pledge, the annual payment of the
Christian Education pledge and leave
comfortable balance tor other work.
However, there will have to be a
great deal of evangelizing put into
the remaining days OF March if
Methodism is to put her giving on a
par with tithing Alabama waitress,
as the Methodist church numbers
more than two million members.
Fortunately, the success of the
Christian education movement does
not necessarily depend upon their
promise to tithe. One individual gift
of more than 100000 has been an
nounced before any funds. have yet
been solicited and when the time
comes for the financial campaign May
~. June 5, it is predicted by those
who ought to know that the total
will exceed even the 1.-THE represent
ed by two million tithing Alabama
mattresses.
Recently the Methodist Missionary
Centenary distributed $500,000 to the
underpaid preachers Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South. This was
one of the practical results of the
Centenary campaign inaugurated two
years ago.
Another great movement has been
launched by Southern Methodists and
this time underpaid school teachers |
will reap some of the benefits in the
way of increased salaries. II the |
Christian Education movement sue
ceeds in raising the $33,000,000 1t
seeks for Christian education in the
South it will not only mean the en-
largement and improvement of the
81 educational plants maintained by
the Southern Methodist Church, but
will raise the standard of these
schools and colleges. by insuring
stronger and more permanent facul-
ties. 1t will enable college presidents
to pay salaries that will attract and
hold the highest type Of teachers.
It is fact that the men and wo-
men intrusted with the teaching of
young people are poorly paid. When
the cost of living had increased 81
per cent, the salary of the college
professor ha. increased only 81 per
cent while the wage increase in 9TH
er industries was IS per cent.
Although there has been some de-
crease In the cost of living, teachers
are yet 30 poorly paid that it is al
most impossible to fill the places OF
those who die or are forced into 9TH
er employments. The very life Of
not only in the church,
but also in the state, both in the col
| ge and in the public school, depends
largely upon a substantial increase
in the remuneration Of the men and
women who shape the destinies of
the young.
The Methodist church was born in
a college and churchmen claim that
the highest type of leadership comes
from the Christian college. This
in the interest of Christ
ian education in the South is rapidly
gaining headway throughout the
Southern Methodist territory,