The broad ax., 1906-03-03

shall have priority over all other
claims on the conference thirty-six per
cent Notwithstanding this plain
proyision we hear Rev. DR.. T. w. Hen
derson, Of New York, in the Christian
Recorder of August 81, say Don't you
know a number of widows and or
phans, and worn preachers who never
get a cent of such money, or at best,
mere pittance, while the major part
of said money is used for a dozen
other purposes not specified by law"
It has been nearly six months ago
since that scathing article came from
the first Episcopal district, but to this
date. | have seen no denial OF the al
legations nor will we see. Minutes
from various parts of the connection
are before me, and | see that instead
Of the conditions, in the New York
conference being the exception, they
are the rule. The last general confer
ence sought to check one great source
of misrepresentation by providing that
the Financial Secretary should pay
each bishop $4,000 a year for the ex-
pense of his residence and his travel
ing to and from his annual conferen-
ces. But notwithstanding this, sever
al of the bishops continue to draw
from the conference dollar money,
from one to two hundred dollars per
year for episcopal residence In one
conference of the fifth district, see
that the three superanuated preach
ers received altogether the magnif-
cent sum of seventy-fiv dollars, while
the bishop received one hundred and
forty dollars for his residence, and a
visiting bishop, twenty-five dollars for
travelling expenses. Over three hun
dred dollars, legally belonging to the
widows. orphans, superanuated preach.
ers, and MISSIONARY was misappropri-
/ ated by that conference.
Passing over the fourth episcopal
/ district, where the same illegal prac-
tice prevails. and much other evidence
before me, I put a general officer on
the stand, Dr. w. H. Heard. who ira
wells all over the connection. In the
Christian Recorder January %, DIR.
| Heard says: The conditions in the
A. NJ. E. church are apprehensive in
many states. The leaders are narrow
and only dicker with the bishops by
appropriating one or two hundred dol.
lars for their personal expenses.
Men will appropriate two or three
hundred dollars contrary to law, and
throw sop Of five dollars at the gen.
eral officers present" Where did the
two or three hundred dollars come
from? Invariably from the dollar mon
ey. DR.. Heard had visited Florida.
Mississippi and Alabama conferences
when he wrote those words. Well, the
plain truth is that there are only few
districts in which the dollar money
is distributed in the conferences &C
cording to law. One of those districts. |
| am happy to say, is the twelfth, In
which l have the good fortune to
serve, and over which that stalwart
character Bishop James A. Handy pre-
sides. The minutes of our conferen-
ces show that not a dollar was appro-
priated except by the strictest applica-
tion of the law. 1t would be interest
ing to know just how many confer |
ences can say the same, and submit |
their minutes for inspection. l have
not time to go into the evidence
against those big conferences, which,
for some strange reason, do not pub
lish minutes, for / only state such
things as l can easily prove.
Now to sum up the evidence submit
ted, the facts stand undeniable. that
much Of the dollar money is grossly
misused. The money which the peo-
pie give for the support Of widows,
orphans and worn out preachers, is
used for any other purpose that the
DOaAu anu TIC
wish, even to taking European Jun
kets, and meeting the running expen-
ses of the houses Of some of the bish-
ops.
Now in view of this fact, how can
we as honest ministers of God ask the
people to give dollar money any long
er. unless we have a public acknowl-
edgement Of their wrong by these
controlling parties and public pledge
that the money hereafter, will be used
according to law. This would be rath-
er humiliating, but sin always humiIi-
ates, and 1t is the only way to restore
confidence, 1t would require the dis
posal of the Institutional church, Chi.
cago. and the second building at Wash
ington, also the closing of the free
hotel or at least no mora anpronria |