The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-16
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
OFFICE OF SUsTENTATIoN,
. o. Mnrnh llth Iorn

Columbia, S. c., March 10th, 1870.
To the archaeological and dear Brethren:
The General Assembly, at its meeting in May
last as you are already aware, enjoined it upon
the Presbyteries and the Executive Committee of
Sustentation to make the effort to raise the salary
of every laboring minister in the Church to $3.50,
as the minimum, amount. By the term "laboring
minister" it is presumed that the Assembly in.
tended to indicate that class of ministers who are
fully engaged in the work of preaching the Gospel,
who had no other means Of support, and whose
church or churches were not able to give them the
designated amount. Where minister has other
means of support, he would not, of course, espe
cially in times like the present, expect aid from
the general fund. 1t is equally plain that no ef-
fort should be made to supplement the salary Of
minister whose people are able to afford him COM
petent support If they are able, but not disposed
to give him sufficient support, the case should be
taken in hand by the Presbytery, and it belongs,
as matter of course, to its exclusive jurisdiction.
But in all cases where ministers are fully engaged
in their appropriate calling where their people
are not able to give them full support; and where
the same object cannot be effected by placing
larger number of churches under their care it is
matter of strict justice and propriety, as well as
conformity to the recommendation of the Assem-
bly. that the salaries of all such should be supple
mented How many ministers there are that
would come into this category cannot be deter
mined with de6niteness at the present time. 1t is
presumed however, that there are not less than one
hundred.
II is scarcely necessary to turn aside to speak OF
the great Importance of carrying the recommen-
dation of the Assembly into effect. 1t is not more
matter of justice to brethren in straitened crcum-
stances, than of interest to the Church at large.
The Church needs, and especially in the present
crisis the full services of all her ministers, but
these cannot be had, unless their temporal wants
are supplied.
In the judgment of the Committee the proposed
measure can be carried into effect without laying
any burthensomA tax upon the churches. Twenty
five per cent added to the usual contributions tc
the cause of Sustentation would be sufficient
The Committee would, therefore, respectfully re
commend to the Presbyteries, the following meas
ures:
1st. That all the churches in their respective
bounds that have not already made their contribu
lions to the cause of Sustentation, be urged to d.
so as soon as convenient and practicable, and on
liberal scale as possible
End. That the churches that have already made
their annual collections be kindly and affectonate
ly urged to take another supplemental collection
that shall amount to twenty-five per cent. upol
that already made.
3rd. That all the churches expecting aid from
the general fund, should be visited by some clerica
member of the Presbyterial Committee, or by soma
one appointed by the Presbytery for this speca
purpose, with the view of stimulating them to thu
highest point of lberality in supporting their pas
tors, and thus lessening the amount expected from
the general fund. These, together with such 9th
err measures as may suggest themselves to thu
Presbyteres themselves, will, in the judgment o
the Committee, not only accomplish the proposed
object, but will give an impulse to the cause o
ministerial support that may be felt for generation
to come
All of which, is respectfully submitted on beha.
of the Executive Committee of Sustentation.
j. LEIGHTON WILSON,,
Secretary of Sustentation.