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Show Immense Sums Raised By Church Members Thos9 "hs belies, or affect to believe, be-lieve, (hat religion is declining throughout the countries of Christendom, Christen-dom, will find no support for their pessimistic pes-simistic notions in the figures showing show-ing the amounts already collected for the "20th century" funds started by various denominations in this country and Europe, says Leslie's Weekly. These funds have already reached a total of $40,000,000 and the promoters of these enterprises are confident that they will have the balance of $10,000,-000 $10,000,-000 more. Of the amount raised, more than one-half is credited to American churches, the Methodists being far in the lead in liberality. The Canadian Methodists started in to raise $1,000,000 and have already secured that and $250,000 besides. The Presbyterians of Canada set out for the same million-dollar goal anil have already gone nearly a half million mil-lion beyond it. It is especially gratifying to note that all these enormous sums have B . been collected at an expense of less than one per cent of the total, and also that in spite of this generous giving it has in no way interfered with the regular contributions to missionary mis-sionary societies and to the support of churches. On the contrary, all religious reli-gious societies show an increase in receipts, and there is hardly one that is not out of debt, a condition that has not obtained in years. The funds collected are to be used first for the payment of church debts, and after that for the endowment of colleges, missionary societies and other religions reli-gions institutions. As giving and doing are always closely related, it is unbelievable that this outpouring of millions for the extension ex-tension of religion at home and abroad will not be speedily followed by a corresponding development and increase in-crease in the spiritual life and activities activi-ties of the churches. The open hand and the open heart generally go together. |