The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-09


The benefciares to be the families of ministers
of our Church, in good and regular standing.
Subscriptions to the fund to be made by any
minister of our Church in good and regular stand
ing, or by any one or more of our churches.
The subscription by a church to be for the bene-
fit of the family OF the minister who may be their
pastor or stated supply at the time of his death;
and not of the family of the pastor or stated sup
ply at the time of subscribing, should his relation
as such be dissolved, otherwise than by death
provided that any church may make special sub
scription in the case of minister retiring from
said relation, from impaired health.
At the death of minister the beneficiary to
receive the sum of $1,000, or other amount sub
scribed, in one payment or an annual payment of
twenty per cent. OF said sum, for SIX consecutive
years. The alternative to be at the option of the
managers, for the first five years after the organ
saton; after that, at the option of the beneficiary
A failure to pay the annual premium, for six
months after its maturity, to work forfeiture of
the sum subscribed for; but at the death of the
minister, the beneficiary to be entitled to receive
the amount of premiums actually paid in, without
interests.
The management of the scheme to be entrusted
to the Sustentation Committee OF the General
Assembly, in conjunction with one corresponding
member from each Synod in our bounds-the first
appointment of said corresponding members to be
made by this General Assembly, and in 1870 and
thereafter by the respective Synods.
This committee shall be responsible for the safe
keeping, investment and disbursement of the
fund, under the direction of the General Assem-
bly,, and make an annual report OF their entire
transactions.
The committee to appoint Treasurer and such
clerical force as may be needed, and to require
la~1 L.. H. a nfrnn
j. L. BARTLETT, Chairman.
The report was received.
COL Wade-I would prAeSSo see it amended
so as to exclude from it all families except the fam
lilies of those who were engaged exclusively in pas
toral work, as pastors, professors and employees
of the General Assembly. 1t seems to me impor-
tant to secure this to those engaged exclusively in
pastoral work.
l think, too, the premium should at the start be
placed little higher say at $780, because we admit
to it men of all ages and in all kinds of health.
DR.. Bright.-The committee has examined the
report with great care, and has anticipated many
of the objections that may be made The sugges
ton Just made would cut off teachers who have
preached faithfully as pastors
Rev. Mr. CARTRIDGE. This plan is to be COM
mitted to the Sustentation Committee-a commit
tee which the people have learned to love. But
the tendency Of this will be to secularze the COM
mittee. | would rather commit this matter to
regular life assurance company. The same money,
or less, will secure from it the same protection.
have taken the trouble to obtain from insurance
companies few statistics For man of forty the
premium for thousand dollar policyis $3l. 40; of
which, $ll.62 must be paid in cash.
| [ am anxious to do something to relieve the
! minds of ministers But would rather send down
| recommendation to the churches to insure the
| lives of their pastors in secular companies.
Rev. Mr. Dickinson.-A prominent company in
this city has informed me that they are ready to
insure ministers at reduced rate-the officers
waving their claim to commissions.
COL j. j. Wade.-I did not suppose that there
| would be objections to the plan as such. think
| the plan needs amendment, and think the Church
ought to provide as far as possible for the families
of the pastors.
| | do not see anything Objectionable in this. 1t
does not profess to be life insurance company-it
proposes to establish fund for the use of the
churches, from which to relieve these families.
Rev. Mr.. Richardson. -There is one other
scheme provided by the Church, which seems to
cover the whole ground-the fund for the relief of
disabled ministers. 1t seems to me unwise to add
another scheme to this one.
Again, there are fundamental objections to any
scheme of life insurance, on the part Of a large
number in the church. [ hope that the Assembly
would grieve, it would deeply grieve US. And for
fear of offending the consclences of these weaker
brethren [ should hesitate to adopt it.
| This scheme again fails to provide for disabled
ministers. And the fact of the establis hment Of
this scheme will practically defeat the other-the
fund for the relief of disabled ministers.
1t provides only for those ministers who are pas.
! tors at the time of their death. Now sir, it hap
pens that many of our larger churches SO act that
| mas Al NOT ham death They
change so often that no man ever dies as pastor OF
that church. They employ a man who is in the
prime OF life, but as soon as he gets little old he
is pushed off, and when he dies he is pastor of no
church, and he gets no benefit
| We want a scheme for the relief of disabled min
listers and the families of deceased ministers, but
not this scheme, or any scheme akin to this. lit
pass, | shall protest and appeal to the people. |
know that it approaches us on weak side, but |
resist it as temptation.
Rev. Mr. Rogers, who presented the report on
Tuesday from the Special Committee, thought the
majority of our ministers would differ with brother
Richardson in his views of the morality of life in
surance. But this scheme is not life insurance
society. 1t is but mutual relief fund Nor is it
intended to interfere with the work of the disabled
ministers fund. Sir, we have a very worthy de
serving minister in one of our Presbyteries, and
one who is suffering with peculiar disease and
abed ministers, was contribution of forty dollars.
This plan proposes to answer as part OF minis
ters salary. 1t is not money making scheme for
the Church. but to do work needed and easy to
he done. He thought thirty dollars year could
be raised by almost any church for such fund,
and the mere appearance of life insurance bust.
ness should not deter us from doing thing not in
itself wrong. Though we are to avoid the appear
ance of evil it has not been demonstrated that life
insurance is morally wrong
Mr.. Sorley.-I do not think this plan is open to
the objection that it is secularizing the Assembly,
by turning it into life assurance company. Gen.
orally, the life insurance companies put higher
premium on the old ministers who have the least
means to pay for policy. We make no such dis
tinction, but place it on the ground Of purely be-
nevolent plan.
Some have proposed the cooperative plan-that
the parties taking part should pay an entrance fee
of ten dollars, and that whenever any one should
die, each party should be called on for small con-
tribution. This would be impracticabe, because
of the difficulty of collecting multitude of small
sums.
Another detail is the question of whether the
maximum policy is to be $1,000 or $4,000 The
safety Of venturing upon these sums is demon.
strable by figures
Dr. Waddel.-I move the following resolution:
ReSolued, That this whole subject be referred to
the Committee of Sustentaton for further investi.
cation, and with view to the perfection of the
plan, and that the committee report to the next
General Assembly the result of their labors.
Rev. Mr.. Smoot.-I oppose the reference, be-
cause it may not receive careful attention from
that committee, or it may be reported back to us
from time to time, and never be brought to def
mite issue; and meanwhile, the very men whom
we want to relieve may die. We want to keep our
ministry from being Secularised
Mr.. A. NJ Kennedy think the scheme good
one l hope the Assembly will come to direct
vote on this matter, and not postpone it. For we
really desire to relieve and protect ministers.
Rev. Mr.. Rogers.-Let this scheme be referred
to the Committee on Sustentation, with po,oer to
deUiSe and carry into execution some such plan
as this. We shall not then lose time by refer