THE FORWARD MOVEMENT The Board of Missions oi the Protestant Episcopal Church 281 Fourth Avenue, New York The Forward Movement HOW IT ORIGINATED T HE Cincinnati General Convention was domi- nated by a sense of unity in one blood, and that more vital unity which springs from our fellow- ship in the Gospel and our share in One Living Christ. Differences of party, of section, even of nationality, were relegated to their proper place, and as a natural consequence the record of the Convention shows that it was a Convention of missionary progress. The Convention plainly expected that the members of the Church would gladly undertake great things for God. Accordingly it instructed its Board of Missions to per- fect plans for enlarging the missionary staff. It recom- mended that throughout the Church men be enlisted in diocesan and congregational committees for Church Ex- tension. It created five new missionary districts — four in the United States and one abroad — and elected six missionary bishops. The action of the Convention largely increased the obligations of the Church, so that for the fiscal year September 1st, 1910, to August 31st, 1911, they amount to $1,400,000. In view of these facts our Board of Missions has called upon all the members of the Church to join in a Forward Movement. WHY A FORWARD MOVEMENT IS NEEDED T HE Church is not at present responding ade- quately to its opportunities at home and abroad. There is scarcely a diocese whose diocesan mis- sion funds are sufficient for the needs. Much more might be done to extend and establish the Church in the domestic mission field, if more men and money were available. The need for men is quite as urgent as the need for money. The Forward Move- ment calls for lives as well as dollars. 2 The missions abroad are under-staffed and for the most part inadequately equipped. The situation is one of critical opportunity. The World Conference in Edin- burgh recorded its conviction that “the next ten years will, in all probability, constitute a turning point in hu- man history, and may be of more critical importance in determining the spiritual evolution of mankind than many centuries of ordinary experience. If those years are wasted, havoc may be wrought that centuries are not able to repair. On the other hand, if they are rightly used, they may be among the most glorious in Christian history. ” It is evident that to be true to her Leader the Church must go Forward. There can be no thought of retreat, no attempt even to “mark time.” HOW CAN THE FORWARD MOVE- MENT BE REALIZED? T HE application of these principles in every con- gregation will insure the success of the Forward Movement throughout the Church: 1. Education in the facts of missions through ser- mons, addresses, lantern lectures, the circulation of Thk Spirit of Missions and the distribution of literature. 2. Intercession for missions, based on knowledge of the facts, in private devotions and in public worship, especially at the celebration of the Holy Communion. “ Do this in remembrance of Me.” “ Go ye into all the world.” “ Lo, I am with you alway.” 3. Organization for the enlistment of men as mission- ary advocates in order that the responsibility for dis- seminating information and securing adequate gifts may be shared by many instead of being left entirely with the rector. 4. A personal presentation to every member of the congregation of the privilege of sharing in the enterprise. 5. Giving for the Church’s Mission in the diocesan, domestic and foreign fields, in proportion to the ability of each person, preferably on a weekly basis. 3 FEATURE NUMBER ONE The Missionary Committee This will enlist a group of men who will The cooperate with the clergyman in spread- Missionary ing information and urging prayer for Committee missions. It provides an opportunity for effective service and so stimulates the spiritual life of the men composing it. Numbers of men, who two years ago were simply occupying pews in church, are now really working for the Kingdom, as a result of membership in a missionary committee. For further particulars about the Missionary Com- mittee see Leaflet No. 1108 to be had free from the Board of Missions, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York. THE MISSIONARY COMMITTEE 1. Divides and locates responsibility 2 . Enlists lay-activity 3 . Reinforces rector’s efforts 4 . Challenges study of missions 5 . Provides great opportunity for service 6 . Reaches membership individually 7 . Stimulates spiritual life The Rev. J. J. Gravatt, of Holy Trinity, Rich- mond, Va., says: “The Missions Committee of ten men is a joy and delight to the rector.” 4 FEATURE NUMBER TWO The Every-Member Canvass Because this method effectively increases Why a the number of givers. Investigation in- Canvass ? dicates that not more than one in five of the communicants of a parish usually gives anything at all to further the Church’s world-wide Mission. The Every-Member Canvass stresses the Every Man fact that every Christian man, woman Responsible and child is responsible for the welfare of the Kingdom. Giving, like prayer, is a grace, and the father cannot exercise this grace for his child, nor the wife and mother for her husband and family. It is, moreover, impossible for a few men or women to discharge the whole missionary obligation of any congregation. The Every-Member Canvass is the only way to reach the entire membership. No annual collection ever did it or ever will. There is great educational value in the Supplements Every-Member Canvass, not only for the Public the man whose subscription is sought. Appeal but also for the men who do the can- vassing. The public appeal with all its advantages is manifestly very inadequate as an educa- tional factor. In some way it must be supplemented, for many questions arise in the minds of the hearers which can never be answered except as opportunity is given in personal conversation. t The life of the Christian disciple is in- The Church’s complete unless he has a part in the Mission and world-wide work of the Kingdom. The Spiritual bishops of the Anglican Communion said. Vitality at the Lambeth Conference of 1897 : * ‘The fulfillment of our Lord's great commis- sion to evangelize all nations is a necessary element in the spiritual life of the Church and of each member of it." The Every-Member Canvass reaches be- Reaches yond the communicants of the congrega- Beyond tion, as is demonstrated by the fact that Membership a church in Pennsylvania reports that, as a result of an Every-Member Canvass, there are fifty per cent, more names on the roll of mis- sionary and benevolent subscribers than are on the membership list of the congregation. 5 How to Launch an Every-Member Canvass /. Precede it by an Educational Preparation: The Let the rector call a few men together Missionary informally, at the home of a member of Committee the congregation in order that he may: 1. Explain what he wants to do in arousing and edu- cating the congregation to its missionary privilege and duty. 2. Ask them to help by organizing as a missionary committee. 3. Enlist their cooperation in prayer for the success of the plan. The preliminary educational work may cover three Sundays and may be planned along these lines: FIRST SUNDAY Sermon on “The Missionary Spirit as Evidence of Loyalty to our Lord.” Special emphasis may be laid on what twentieth century Christians owe to the mis- sionary spirit of the past. A Massachusetts layman wrote recently: “I do think more emphasis should be laid on the fact that Missions are not a fad of the bishops and clergy but are estab- lished in obedience to our Lord’s command to go and teach all nations; That our Church maintains them obediently and that it is the duty of every Churchman to help in this obedience. It is only lately that I have come to see and feel this. It isn’t solely the question ‘Are you interested in Missions?’ but ‘Are you doing your duty in obedience to Our Blessed Lord’s com- mand ?’ I am sure that many persons never viewed it in that light.” As the people leave the church let the Missionary Committee hand them copies of Leaflet No. 969. This method will be found much more effective than scattering the leaflets through the pews. Leaflet No. 969 and all others mentioned may be ob- tained from the Board of Missions, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York. It would be well, whenever practicable to make the Missionary Committee responsible for se- curing these supplies. Let them be encouraged to es- tablish personal communication with their Board of Missions. SECOND SUNDAY Sermon on “ The Wide Scope and Varied Character of the Church’s Work at Home and Abroad.” As the people leave the church let the Missionary Committee hand them copies of Leaflets No. 978 and 979. 6 THIRD SUNDAY Sermon on “The Value of More Systematic Methods of Missionary Finance as Evidenced by the Experience of the Congregations Adopting Them.” In some places it may be well to consider the possi- bility and propriety of asking a layman to speak for ten minutes on “ Modern World Conditions and Opportuni- ties,” or on “ The World's Debt to the Missionary.” Ma- terial for such addresses can be obtained from the 25 cent package of pamphlets to be secured from the Board of Missions. As the people leave the church let the Missionary Committee hand them copies of Leaflet No. 1105. II. Have a Men's Supper While this educational work with the congregation is under way let the Missionary Committee begin plans for a men’s supper to be held early in the week after the third Sunday. It secures larger attendance. Tickets Why a should be prepared, and the committee, Supper? with the help of other men should sell the tickets to the men of the congregation. This will show that others besides the rector and Mis- sionary Committee are interested in the event, and the fact that a committee of prominent men have the ticket# on sale is the best kind of advertising. Pulpit announcements, newspaper advertising and handbills show no adequate results as compared with this method, and have failed repeatedly, even when used persistently, to bring out a worth-while audience. If rightly handled, the supper will bring out eighty per-cent of the men of the congregation over eighteen years of age. No other plan will do as well. Attempts to have the men remain after the Sunday services, or to come to a mid-week meeting have invariably failed to produce the results desired. The supper gives more time for the work of the even- ing. It can usually be served at 6. 30 p. m. , and within an hour the tables are practically cleared and the chair- man has introduced the first speaker. This leaves time for two or three addresses, a local report, a careful dis- cussion and the adoption of the policy before the time for adjournment. The main object of the supper is not It Insures merely to feed men. It is a recognition F ellowship of the fact that the universal and highest expression of fellowship among the na- tions of the earth has always been the breaking of bread. Commercial, educational and kindred organizations have 7 tor years adopted this method of bringing men together when a cordial feeling of fellowship is desired. Cannot the men of the Church show equal judgment in plan- ning for the things of the Kingdom ? Men have come and will come to a tnis- The Novelty sionary supper who would not give a Attracts second thought to an eight o’clock meet- ing. Two years of trial in Canada and the United States have abundantly proven that there is practically no city, or town, or local congregation where this feature is not advantageous. Parish houses, Sunday school rooms, new unoccupied buildings, store-rooms, gymnasiums, armories, hotel dining-rooms, restaurants, department stores and even the crowded city apartment, all have been utilized for this work. A committee of ladies can easily be found who'will be glad to do this service for the cause when a caterer cannot be secured. . Let the rector, in consultation with the Special Missionary Committee and other leading Preparation laymen, talk the matter over and agree for the Supper upon the main line of campaign. Be- fore the day of the supper, let a card catalogue in duplicate be prepared giving the names and addresses of all the members of the congregation. Let subscription cards for the canvass be secured from the Board of Missions, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York. Let the order for Duplex Envelopes be sent to the Board, with full particulars as to the number of sets required and when the dating is to begin. The Board will supply the envelopes free for the first year to any congregation appointing a missionary com- mittee and making the canvass in the manner suggested. Let the supper be simple and inex- Essential pensive. Features of a Tickets should be purchased in advance Successful that it may be known how many to pro- Supper vide for. Empty seats chill the spirit of the gathering. Let cards be printed and placed at each plate bearing the following: a. Number of communicants in the congregation. b. Amount given preceding year for current ex- penses. C. Amount given preceding year for missions and benevolences in America. €. Amount given preceding year for missions abroad. 8 e. Per capita giftTor'missions and benevolences in America. f. Per capita gift for missions abroad. Let the programme be carefully planned. There may be two twenty-minute addresses — at least one of them by a layman — on such topics as “The Urgency and Crisis in the Far East,” “What Laymen Can Do for Missions,” “Missions and Commerce,” “What Prominent Laymen Have Said about Missions,” “The Need for Church Extension at Home.” Material for such ad- dresses can be secured from the Board of Missions. Let two or three men be prepared to speak for three minutes each on “Are We Doing All We Can?” and “ What Shall We Try to Do ? ” Have a free discussion on the importance of every member making some regular contribution, even if necessarily small, to the missionary work of the Church. Subscriptions should not be solicited at the supper. Let other men be prepared to offer resolutions pre- pared in advance along the following lines: 1. Resolved : That this meeting recommends that a determined effort be made to lead the congre- gation to increase its offerings for the Church’s mission work from $ given last year to at least $ for the present year, and that con- tinued effort be made to secure larger mis- sionary giving from year to year. 2. Resolved: That with the approval of the parish authorities a canvass of the congre- gation be made for subscriptions on a weekly basis for the Church’s mission work. These offerings to be made preferably through the use of the duplex envelope. 3. Resolved: That the Missionary Committee which has arranged this meeting be given power to add to its numbers in order that the canvass of the congregation may be imme- diately undertaken. Let each of these resolutions be adopted by a rising vote. By that method every one is given an opportunity of recording his personal attitude on the proposal. The Canvassing Committee should have at its disposal the duplicate card index of the names to be canvassed. The Committee should be divided into teams which will go out two by two. The entire constituency should be apportioned among these teams, preferably after reading the lists, in The Canvassing Committee 9 order that each member of the Committee may indicate the names of those persons whom he can most conven- iently see, or with whom he will have the most influence. Let one set of the cards containing these names be as- signed to the men doing the canvassing. Let the cor- responding cards be retained by the chairman with a record of the name of the member of the committee to whom they have been assigned. The canvass should be in person, not by mail, nor by telephone nor by proxy, except where members are out of town, in which event letters have been found useful. The canvassing should always be for an offering on a weekly basis. A time limit should be set (say two weeks) for the canvass, and public announcement should be made to the congregation as to the purpose of the canvass before the canvassers begin their work. Let the result of the canvass be announced as soon as it is completed. In the majority of cases current ex- Shall Current penses are on a fairly satisfactory basis Expense be and in initiating the new plan, it has Included in been thought undesirable to disturb Canvass ? the current expense budget or income. The canvass has, therefore, as a rule been for missions, sometimes for domestic and foreign (i. e. general) missions, sometimes for diocesan, domes- tic and foreign. The canvass for missionary offerings on a weekly basis almost always results in larger gifts for current expenses without the necessity for a canvass or other special effort See page 15. The subscription card recommended for The Sub- use j n the Every-Member Canvass will scription be supplied in any quantity free by the Card Board of Missions, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York. In some congregations there is one treas- Number of urer of the parish funds and another Treasurers treasurer for the missionary funds. Where the Duplex Envelope is intro- duced, the amount which has been previously subscribed for current expenses is placed in one end of the envelope and the amount subscribed on the weekly basis for mis- sions in the other end of the envelope. The envelopes are perforated through the center and can readily be torn apart, one end being given to each of the treasurers. Should One Treasurer Handle Both Funds ? Not as a rule. The foregoing plan has proven preferable. The Diocese of Chicago has adopted a canon requiring the appointment of a missionary treas- urer for every congregation. While the annual offering has achieved much in the past, its inadequacy in this present day of missionary opportunity is universally recognized. Thousands of business men over the country have pronounced the Every-Member Canvass for offerings on the weekly basis the best method of missionary finance. Experi- ence has demonstrated that it is the most effective, fair, economical and productive. Some congregations supplement the weekly offering for missions, by general offerings especially on some of the great festivals of the Christian Year. This plan gives opportunity to those who desire to make special thank- offerings and to any who have been unwilling to adopt the weekly plan. The Every- Member Canvass in combination with the Annual Offering £totoarti8i)tp 1 WILL place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the Kingdom of Christ. David Livingstone 11 FEATURE NUMBER THREE The Weekly Offering Every congregation must adopt some Why a method of missionary finance, and might Weekly as well have the best. What method Offering ? of finance has proved the best yet de- vised in enabling most congregations to provide for their current revenue ? The weekly sub- scription basis, with numbered and dated envelopes in which to pay these subscriptions week by week, has un- questionably proved to be the best method. Why then should we adopt an inferior method for dealing with the missionary finances, by means of which the world is to be evangelized ? It is difficult to understand how we could “Annual ever have fallen into so inadequate a Collection” method as an ‘‘annual collection ” for the Inadequate propagation of Christ's Kingdom to the ends of the earth. There is only one satisfactory explanation to offer, viz. : that the Church regarded the evangelization of the world as a subordi- nate issue and not its primary business. Now that a new conception of its duty is beginning to pervade the Church, the “annual collection” is being superseded in some quarters by more reasonable and adequate meth- ods. All kinds of halfway measures have been tried by those who have discovered the weakness of the “annual collection,” but none of these has proved satisfactory. Some have tried a semi-annual collection, others a quar- terly collection, and still others a monthly plan, but, speaking generally, none are as effective as the ideal plan, viz. : A n offering every week , from every member, according to his ability. Some who regard the weekly plan as Half-way clearly the best method have hoped, by Methods getting a quarterly or monthly plan Unsatisfactory adopted, to prepare the way for the introduction later of the weekly offer- ing. This is mistaken judgment. There are so many arguments for the weekly method that it is easier and better in every way to come to it directly, instead of ex- perimenting with plans that are at best unsatisfactory. . . Many reasons may be given for the Advan ages wee j^y offering for the Church’s Mission ot tne weeicy as we jj as f or the curren t expenses of Uttering the congregation. 12 1. It is educational. It keeps the Church’s Mission before the people week bjr week, enlarging their sym- pathies and promoting spiritual growth. 2. It enlists a larger number of givers. Many people with small incomes, ashamed or unable to make their contribution to an annual collection, will give a small amount each week, thereby helping materially to increase the total from the congregation. 3. It makes possible larger giving, especially by those of moderate ability. Experience shows that it is as easy to get an average of ten cents a week from an ordi- nary congregation by the weekly method as it is to get $1 a year by the old collection plan. 4. It replenishes the treasury regularly , thereby saving the Board of Missions from the necessity of bor- rowing and paying interest on large sums of money, with which to pay the appropriations. During the first four months of the present fiscal year the expenditure was $460,000, while the income was only $172,000. 5. It does not decrease but actually increases the offerings to current expenses and other benevolences. This has proved to be true in hundreds of cases. It is in perfect harmony with the operation of spiritual law. 6 . It promotes prayer. Each weekly offering reminds the giver that intercession for the cause should accom- pany the gift. Systematic, proportionate, cheerful weekly giving is the most scriptural, fair, business-like, and productive method. Where properly introduced and worked it secures the largest possible educational, financial and spiritual results. IFE is most worth 1 living to him whose work is most worth while. 13 FEATURE NUMBER FOUR The Duplex Envelope As the name implies, it is a double en- What the velope. It is 2 wide by 4 y z " long, and Duplex Is is securely gummed through the center to form two pockets, each of which is large enough to contain contributions many times larger than the average contributor is willing to give. The one pocket is used for contributions to defray current expenses; the other for contributions to the be- nevolent causes. The envelopes are numbered so that Number and the name of the contributor need not Date be written on the envelope. They are dated one for each Sunday of the year and are collated in packages of fifty-two. The fifty-two envelopes are enclosed in The Carton an attractive and substantial holder or Holder which may be hung on the wall in some convenient place where it may always be in sight and never out of mind. Each set of envelopes is separately Envelopes printed, numbered and dated. About Should be three weeks is required to fill orders. Ordered early The envelopes should, therefore, be or- dered in advance, in order that they may be ready for the subscribers immediately after the Com- mittee has secured the subscriptions. The number of envelopes need not be Let Every limited to the number of subscribers for One Use missionary support. Let the duplex en- the Duplex velopes be used by those who are giving for current expenses only. Sooner or later the challenge and appeal of the missionary end of the envelope will prove irresistible. Remember that the Board of Missions, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York, will supply free for the first year as many sets as can be advantageously used, to any con- gregation appointing a missionary committee and making an every-member canvass as outlined in this leaflet. 14 HOW THE NEW PLAN WORKS It Helps Current Expenses as well as Missionary Offerings An analysis was made of the statistics of eighteen churches where a special effort had been made to secure an increase in subscriptions to foreign missions. It was found that while the contributions to foreign missions were almost doubled in the eighteen churches, the increase to foreign missions being $10,175, the increase in home missionary offerings was $14,150, and the in- crease in receipts for congregational expenses was $27,956. “There is that scattereth and increaseth yet more; there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth only to want.” Such is the law of the Kingdom. T HE light that shines farthest shines bright- est nearest home. 15 UNDER THE OLD PLAN Few Give Investigation indicates that jot more than one in five of our communicants makes any offer- ing for the Church’s general mission work at home and abroad. The circle represents the communicant membership of the Church. The black segment represents the number who give for the furtherance of the ag- gressive work of the Church. UNDER THE NEW PLAN More Give The circle represents the mem- bership (1,300) of a large and missionary-hearted congregation. The black segment represents the number (180) who were giv- ing to the missionary cause be- fore the Every-Member Canvass. The black segment, plus the shaded portion, represents the number (880) who were making weekly offerings after the canvass. Correspondence concerning the Forward Movement should be addressed to “The Secretary,’’ Church Missions House, 281 Fourth Avenue, New York City. Additional copies of this pamphlet may be obtained by asking for Leaflet No. 1109. Price Two Dollars per Hundred. Additional information concerning For- ward Movement methods will be found in Leaflets No. 1108, 1110, 1112, 1114, 1115, 1122. 10 Ed. 3-16. 10M. K. 68M.