New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-19
PLEADING FOR VETERANS.
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS IN THEIR BEHALF
BY SECRETARY CATTELL.
WILLIAM E. DODGE APPEALS TO THE ELDERS
THE CHURCHES URGED TO RAISE $4,000
FOR THE BOARD OF RELIEF.

THE CHURCHES URGED TO RAISE $4,000
FOR THE BOARD OF RELIEF
Saratoga, May 1s-There are few subjects presented
TO the General Assembly which cause SO great
unanmity Of sentiment the Board OF Rehef. Dr'
W. G. Cattel, long the efficient president OF LaiaSet'e
College, a friend OF young men, has been for several
years secretary Of this Board and Is no less dear 70
the hearts OF hundreds Of aged ministers ana ther
families Through his hands goes about Sloo'ooo'
but it is given by him to the recipients not as Charity
but the generous Offering OF grateiui Ciuroh "
its honored veterans. II the money comes 10 hm
sometimes grudgingly-judging by the amount given
well the number OF churches not contributing
it goes from him with hearty grasp Of the hand ana
earnest prayer that blessing may rest upon those
whose lives have been given TO the Cnurch.
DIR. Van DYKE OF Brooklyn, presented the report
OF the standing committee the thirty fifth annna re-
port OF the Board 1t showed that the NUMBER OF Dehe
nciaries on the roll is 624 241 Minister'S o'o
widows and "a orphan families with one WIDOW Oh
medical missionary. At the Minister'S Home d.
Perth Amboy ~ j.. eighteen families were cared ior'
making total of $40 families twenty more than
last year. Fortyfour persons on the roll nave died'
and seventy seven families have been added 10 H.
large number OF legacies, aggregatlhg oooo-f' ha'o
added so much to the funds OF the Board that ho
specal appeal the churches was needed Thls ad IS
given according rule adopted by the last Assembly
o,on.v vears old who has served as missionary OF
nasor not less than thirty years, shall DC ehteo 10
receive not more than 5000 year WITHOUT al anhua'
recommendation from his presbytery as heieolore'
h oldest minister aided is in his ninety fourth year
the average age Is sevcnyeght, and the average ue
in service is fortyeight years TwentysM veterans
received 81 $50 Just threefourths the amount gwen
each OF the Judges OF the United states supreme court
when retired at the age Of seventy. The income Oh
the poard from all sources S150,24o for the year
and the expenditure $143,9S2 for the same periou'
leaving balance Of S15,263.
resolution was presented urging the churches 10
raise not less than S150,O0o and the ruling eiaers
were exhorted to see that this was donc'
DR.. CatelI after calling the attention OF the Az
sembly to a few facts presented In the rePor. VI '0
board turned to the new rule adopted ny u'o
sembly of last year by which certain class OF those
aided by the board-the honoraby retreh PaS''r'
and missionaries seventy years OF age-ho'u i'
longer apply every year for renewal OF ther
terial recommendations. This might seem 10 sol'e
only slight change in the methods Of the ADMINS
tration Of this board yet in the prominence IL gives
TO the true principle of service to the Church upon
which the board is founded and In the comfort III
dependence and dignity it adds to the wornout
ministers upon roll, the Doctor regarded thc
action of the last Assembly the most important
advance made in the cause OF ministerial RELIEF since
1s4o when the General Assembly first established
definite agency by which the Church could care for It's
disabled ministers
This subject had indeed early engaged the attention
NJ the SYNOD of Philadelphia, the first Synod of the
Church organized in America, but the Doctor argued
that there was then adequate conception OF inc
whole duty OF the Church toward the ministry. Tie
CORPORATION for the Relief OF the Poor and DISTRESSED
Presbyterian Minister'S and Poor and Distressed widows
and Children Of Presbyterian Minister'S Chartered IN
175Al was founded upon very much the same principle
& in-u
so common Every minister (ai in the Mother Church
OF Scotland) paid annually fixed sum 70 constitute
n fund ont of which at his death certain annuity
was paid to his widow for life and to his children fo
a term of years. Annuities were also TO be paid 10
the minister himself should he by sickness DE
rendered incapable Of all business whereby he might
be supported
Il recall an incident which illustrates how largely
this feeling has penetrated the Church, ne continued
81 was visiting one Of the Synods, and the subject
of ministerial relief was discussed with great tender
ness and interest one after another OF the brethren
arose and spoke earnestly and forcibly. Many IN
stances were given of faithful and honored servants OF
the Church who had reached an old age OF want "A
leading member of the Synod spoke, from his personal
knowledge of one Of these suffering brethren OF Christ
in way that moved all our hearts. lie told how
with shattered health and after a long life OF use
funess and honor, this brother had now been reduced
TO absolute want. At conference of his friends III
was agreed to make an application to the Board OF
Relief for appropriation Of $500. This came to the
knowledge of a friend of the speaker, one who also
knew of the great worth and eminent service of this
brother and said be NO, he shall not 60 upon the
board. l claim the privilege myself Of contributing
the $780,
Mr. Moderator, the whole synod rang with applause.
l. too, could have heartily Joined in it TO snow (as
perhaps many did appreciation OF 50 generous an act
on the part of this noble man but l confess that
pang shot through my heart as thought tlat after
all the great assembage was moved to tns enthusiasm
because the generous Of this noble man lad saved
tns brother from the humiliation OF going upon the
ton for him to receive this 1900 from this agency
of the Church than from the generosity OF an ind
vdual? With such an opinion prevailing so widely,
is it wonder that SO many of those upon the board
keenly feel this humiliation! Do not let us Judge
them harshy for this sensltN Perhaps some or
them are morbid. But they all educated, refined.
cultured people who have known happier days; Can
Won not understand and even honor the delicate
senstveness which makes them shrink from being
classed. they thougulessy clas,ed by many,
with the Daiper recipients of some charity fund.-
The secretary here read letters from several veterans
showing their extreme Senstiyeness as TO RECEIVING
aid from the Board. one of them in recent letter,
gratefully acknowledging his first remttances from
the Board. adds nevertheless mat IL u were ever
10 the Board. Why should thi, hOnored servant Of
the Church. asked the Doctor, want to return tiis
money to the Board any more tld TO return 10 Tie
Home Board the salary he received when lie was
missionary, An You gno kn po@ro Why somebody had
Now. the new rule OF the Assembly not only, EN-,
pasizes the fact that service TO the ShHEcn ina ana not
ont veteran has upon the Hoad Of Relief; that has
often been emphasized before put It Is put in Il BUS
ness shape. Just before leaving home / said TO
lady who is very much interested In the work Of tts
Eoard: THE General Assembly OF our Church has
often emphasized the fact that the appropriations FROM
The Board are not charity or aims Dut the payment
Cand that only in part of just debt How does II
strike YOU that the Assembly limits the payments 10
those who are in need! said she: 1t strikes me as
A little confusing but | suppose that the reason for
the Limitation is that you cannot raise money enoIsh
TO pay decent appropriation even to those who are
in need Like all women, she hit the nail on the
lead the very first time she struck at IT, lcS, brethren,
we are confronted by condition, not by theory
,The PRESBYTERIAN Church does not contribute enough
money 10 furnish decent support for its aged ser
wants who are in need Was II not the pathetic iact
pension near the close of his life? For such was
really the replacing Of his name by Congress upon the
great service to the country, which after all was the
only ground upon which this honorable provision for
bis relief could rightly have been made by Congress
Who thinks OF calling this an act OF charity, though
haen 1