Another curious fact is, that one-third of the amount donated by
individuals is for special objects, mainly for the increase of plant,
and thus adds to the cost of running expenses, and is so far forth a
burden and not a relief on regular appropriations for current expenses.

What, therefore, is the stable reliance of missionary societies on which
to make annual appropriations? It cannot be on legacies. It cannot be on
the special contributions of individuals. It ought to be based on church
collections. These should carry current expenses, and the additional
plant should come from outside sources. If this be so, and the societies
are to increase their work at all from year to year; if, indeed, they
are to meet the additional cost of the new plant given by individuals,
then the church collections should be increased proportionately.

Are we not, therefore, making a legitimate appeal, when we urge upon
every church member the duty of increasing his individual gift put into
the plate when the collection is taken? A vote of the National Council
or of the Annual Meeting of a missionary body, or of a State Conference,
that a society should receive an increase of funds amounts to little,
unless the individual donor in the church will increase his gifts.

A little increase here aggregates much. If every member will add five
per cent. or ten per cent., it will be little to each, but will be great
in the total. May we ask our readers to lay this to heart with the query
of each to himself, "Is it not _my_ duty to increase my individual
contribution?"

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PARAGRAPHS.

We have many appeals by letter and in person from colored people in the
South, for help from the Hand Fund, to aid in sustaining enterprises
which these people are endeavoring to carry forward. Some of these
schools are heavily in debt. Others are greatly lacking in necessary
facilities, buildings, furniture and teachers. Others are crippled for
want of means to meet current expenses. Many of these institutions are
unwisely located, others have no adequate financial basis to warrant
their existence, and some seem to lack the necessary provision for
supervision and responsibility. Taken all together, they furnish
additional warnings to the people of the North against contributing to
individual or local enterprises in the South without most careful
scrutiny into the facts in each individual instance.

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