The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-07-20
NO 80
Columbia DISTRICT Tinances.

10 tie Chairman and Members of the
Colombia District Conference of tho
Al. e. Church SoHth:-
/ Your committee on finance would
respectfully report that from care
ful investigation of facts and Stats
tics all of the stations and circuits
In the district are found to be great
~ In arrears IN regard to the most
OF their financial interests. The
most of them have paid up their
original assessments for bishops
salaries, but are all greatly behind
In regard to every other item of
their assessments. But little has
yet been collected for missions or
the conference fund by any of the
charges, while the most of them
have failed to report any collections
for these purposes.
The aggregate collections for the
entire district are as follows. viz:
For conference fund, $3I.S5: for
foreign missions, $ll.30; for domes-
tic missions, $30.35. The entire ag-
gregate of salaries for pastors and
presiding elder as fixed amounts To
S9, 547.OO, while the aggregate col
lections amount to only $4,IS9.14:
being less than one half, while near
three-quarters of the conference
year has passed. But few charges
have paid over one-half of their pas
tors salary, while others have paid
only about one third, some one
fourth, and a few but little over
one-eighth, while the salaries are
generally regarded as being flxed at
low figures, which makes it a mat
ter of establishment to contemplate
how our pastors have succeeded in
supporting themselves and families
during the present season, when the
prices Of all kinds of provisions
have been unusually high, unless
they are men possessed of other
financial resources,
1t appears that the stewards for
most of the charges have endeav-
ored to practice the assessment plan
as prescribed by our book of disci,
pline, but we think the failure OF
success is owing chiefly to n failure
to commence in time, and then not
prosecuting it with sufficient atten-
ton and energy. Your committee
would respectfully recommend that
the salary of the pastor and presid-
ing elder should he fixed, and then
the assessment or apportionment
among the members made as early
as possible at the commencement of
the conference year, and then assess
every member for some amount,
from the wealthiest to the poorest,
according to their several abilities
to pay, for the reason that there are
but few persons in this country too
poor to pay some amount for their
church, and experience and obser-
vation have taught us that but few
persons take an interest in anything
that costs them nothing, and if any
members are found who are too
poor to pay any amount, they
should be promptly reported for as
! sistance to the committee for the re-
lief Of the poor, committee which
every we'll organized church has,
And all members should be taught
to pay their assessments in either
weekly or monthly installments, as
near as possible, for by so doing
thoy will pay with less embarrass-
ment to themselves, and at the same
time save their pastor from embar-
rassment, by going in debt for his
supplies, etc. The board of stew
ards should be properly organized
land then divide the members OF
their church or congregation among
them, and let each have list upon
whom he should wait, and solicit
their contributions regularly and
the board should have frequent
meetings regularly, at which TO re
ceive financial reports, and TO dis
cuss ways and means by which To
encourage a systematic habit of pay
ments, etc, and by all means en-
deavor to procure the amount due
at each quarterly conference, as
near as possible. 1t is the opinion
of your committee that there is not
station or circuit in this district
that cannot easily pay the present
salary of its pastor, with all the
other assessments for other church
purposes, by q proper and united
concert of action, each member do
ing his entire duty, without any
great stretch Of liberality on the
part of any and without the pay
ment of an amount equal TO the one
half Of our annual taxes for the sup
. port of our political government.
And surely it would be a sad com
mentary upon our christianity for
any christian man to refuse TO pay
for the support of .his church in a
|, time of need as much as he pays Ia
his state for only his political pro
lection and privileges.
Respectfully submitted.
T. NJ. N. JONES', Chm.