FUNDS FOR THE CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1929, Page 13

FUNDS FOR THE CHURCH

SALES OF WORK “NOT DESIRABLE.’* ENVELOPE SYSTEM ’, - ■ ——— - • ■' Dislike of the rattle of the collection-. plate" was expressed by Bishop Cherrington yesterday, when' supporting tho : adoption of the duplex system of. church finance before the Taranaki Archdeaconry Board. He felt it it derogatory that they should have to rely oil such things as sales of work to help on the direct work of the Church, and for the finding of stipends. • r In England they relied very largely' on sales of work to bring the stipend® up to the required amount, a table feature being that the wives of th® ■ clergy often had to shoulder the build*} ■. of the work and ’organising. Sales of-g work, he knew, were-the bete noir of A most of the clergy. “I really think it time we ceased using them for these purposes,” continued tlio Bishop. He said his recent remarks at' Hamilton, made mostly by way of ft joke, had been the subject of many letters of thanks received by him frorp - different parts of the Dominion. Thee® . came not only from members pfi own community, but from others. These remarks reflected not at all on thosd very valuable agencies, the ladies’ guild®. They had their special work to perfornb excellent objects being the jprovision •of ■ J stained glass windows in the churches* or the building of parish halls, but sp . far-as the regular work of the ChurcK ‘ was concerned, including the, raising missionary funds, he thought it proper to budget for the money, and raise without relying on such things as . sale* of work. '■ " • ' ” Referring to the duplex system, th® ig Bishop said lie felt every parish -that, did not accept it was acting foolishly.'-- 1 ’.... It was a right system, because it was based on the sharing between our own needs and the needs of others, and was F ■' in accordance with Scriptural ing. Some of them had experienced it. , with local modifications, and had it satisfactory. ' Captain Watson, originator of the plex system of church finance, then plained the methods of collecting, volutttary weekly contributions .in divided into compartments hnarked church work “at home” and. “abrpad.L}|W He said that a considerable amount church revenue was looked for at the instance of those who regularly attended. Divine service, but those, unfortunately,. ’ represented only a small portion of th® ■ community; Yet there were millions of - good, generous citizens only too willing. to assist had they the opportunity laid r before them, for a man need not/O* '/ necessity be a churchgoer before he tered into at least some of the privilege*:. ... of a Christian. ’ .' : rt i The duplex system was a movement .. through which everyone, not only ft limited few, could assist in every worthy object by one direct} giftdFi&S The movement had long passed the. perimental stage, and in a fe.w years, would have the effect of properly stabilising church finance. The' principle-— that of direct giving—meant more e.ffi- ■■ ci'ent organisation and less worrying ; ■. human effort, and far higher financial rt results; and with a greater sympathy and desire to help from many people, without any of that resentful,,. reluctance which so often accompanied the exchange of a coin for a flag, ft .. rose, or something of doubtful, value that a purchaser felt obliged to buy. ; ? After Captain Watson had answered * 1 a number of questions, he was accorded . a vote of thanks on the motion of th® •/ } Bishop, while Mr. W. H. Skinner expressed the appreciation of the laity.