Since that time the delegates from churches have
considerably outnumbered the life members voting at the annual meetings.
This has practically given the churches the controlling voice in the
activities of the Association.
The giving a representative character to the Association had the effect of
increasing the contributions made to its support by the churches. Under the
leadership of Dr. Bellows, at the National Conference in 1884, there began
a movement looking to the establishment of a conference in every state and
the employment of a missionary by every such conference. This plan has not
yet been fully carried out; but in 1885 and the following years missionary
superintendents were appointed by the Association for five general sections
of the country, and, with some variations, this, system has continued in
operation to the present time.[2]
[Sidenote: The Church Building Loan Fund.]
The work of building churches was greatly facilitated by the establishment,
in 1884, of a Church Building Loan Fund. The proposition to create such a
fund was first brought forward by the finance committee at a meeting of the
directors of the Unitarian Association on February 11, 1884. At the March
meeting a committee was appointed to mature plans; and at the meeting of
the National Conference in September, held at Saratoga, a resolution was
passed asking the Association to set apart $25,000 for this purpose, and
pledging the Conference to add $20,000 to this sum.
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