Evening star., 1925-10-20


brought before the national council.
With single periodical we may hope
for some economy in puolica tion and
distribution and an increase in cir
culatio
At the 81 a year price would he
included club subscription rate and
still further reduced rate for null
ttple subscriptions and should ap
proach self-support. Such cam
paign as suggested ought TO result
in circulation far beyond the ag
sreSate circulation OF the present
publications We may hope To have
missionary news read by very
much larger number OF our church
membership, and to have wider
interest awakened in the work and
program OF our denomina ton. The
management of the proposed com
blned Congfega tionalist would be
placed in committee of nine. at
least three OF whom should be WON
en-, to be elected by the TWO boa rds
sitting Jointly as the commission on
Missions, with ratification separately
by each board: that this committe ee
should appoint an editorin- chief who
would he given general direction of
the tonsregatiOnalist, choosing his
own staff. including an associate ed
by the American Board and an asso-
ciate editor on home missions nomi-
mated by the Home Board
Will Effect Economy.
We believe SAYS the report in
conclusion, that the program we
have suggested is expressive of the
present desire of our church member
ship, that it will bring about consid-
cradle economies. that it will increa Sc
efficiency OF administra ton. remove
present confusion in the approach to
the churches and individuals: that IL
will huma nize and spiritualize the mis-
sionary appeal. enlarge the number OF
those who will have interest in our
missionary enterprise. and that ii will
materially strengthen our denomina
tional lite"
A report of the secretary, DIR.
Charles F.. Burton. to be made this
afternoon. will show that the total
number Of Congregational Churches
on January !, 1928, was $3.50. which
is to be compared with the preceding
biennium which closed with 5,826.
thus showing a loss of As and mean
ing. when taken with other facts,
fewer and better churches.
Ii further will show that the bien-
MUM closes with the report of 5,613
ministers in full standing. over 900
persons are reported as serving
churches as pastors who are not mem
bers OF any Congrega tionsl associa-
ton. The total number Of church mem.
bers on January /. 1925. Is given at
$685.. compared with S57 ,S46 two
years earlier, showing a net gain of
21149
Increase i'm Membership,
OF this increase 1922 occurred in
1923 and 1927 in 1924. Only two years
since 1895 have exceeded the latter
figures. Several earlier years showed
larger net gains due to very much
smallep revisions of roll. which in IT,
self raises serious question rega rd-
ing the loss of members by loss of in
terest.
In spite of the cry that the young
are forsakinE the Sunday school o." saws
the secretary's report, we report the
largest enrolment in our history by
$3.50. the increase over the report
at the Springfield Council meeting
being 1911. giving total of 1854
This showing is the more heea rtenins
since the stress has been placed on the
quality Of the work rather than on
numbers by our religious educat ation
WORKERS. IN recent years.
The report continues by dealing with
the financial side OF the church. II Is
shown the property values OF the Con.
grega tional churches aggregate s144
4lO.2a0. gain in two years of S20.434
4i4 The total reported for home ex.
penses in 1928 was S1s,2s1S9l and
Tor 1873. $19501, ,601. giving a total Of
10 1929. At the last bienni,Im $40
S17.15l was reported Indicating a nres.
ent gain of $4,952.147. The figures for
the biennium just proceeding the war
were *2O.S90,646. thus showing a gain
of over 80 per cent. The churches re-
port holding invested funds of s,7
11s4s1. which is &2.Sn0.O .Os3 more tha n
reported January !. 1923.
Record Of Secretary.
secretary Burton showed he has
been an active officer when. he advised
the delegates, in the performa nce of
MS duties during the past two years
ne has travelled between ffty and
h1tE thousand miles, delivered 12S
set addresses and attended 344 con.
Ierences and committee meetings in
20 different States.
The IL candidates scheduled to he
placed in nomina tfon this afternoon s
laymen, ! laywoman and clersymen
follow: Mary f. Woolley OF Mount
Holyoke College. Massachusetts.
Frederick Chamberlain, Evanston. Ill.
Roger Babson, economist: ex.Gov.
Sweet Of Colorado: Dell A. Schweitzer.
LOS Angeles; Fred B. Smith of the
Carnegie Peace Foundation J. F.
Harwood, Appleton. Wis, and the
Revs. Ozora S. Davis. Chicago: Dan
F. Bradley, Cleveland; Charles s. Mills
New York, and Carl S. Patton. Los
Angeles.