The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-23
Report of Secretary Sweets on
Ministerial Education
and Relief.
Evangelism Spirit Of Church,
Says Learned Divine.
LOOKING AFTER MEMBERSHIP

Greensboro, \. C., May 23.-The
forty-eighth annual session of the
general assembly of the Southern
Presbyterian church was called to
order here.
The sessions began at II O'Clock
IN the First Presbyterian church. The
Rev. DR. j. II. Howerton, of Lexing-
ton. Va, the retiring moderator.
preached the opening sermon. The
Rev. DR.. W. W Moore, of Richmond,
Va, was elected moderator The
Rev. DIR. A. McCurry. of Memphis
Tenn: the Rev. Dr.. J. Il. Jones. Of
Meridian. Miss. and the Rev. DR.. A.
A. McGeachy, OF sherman, Tex. were
among those placed In nomination for
the moderatorship. Dr. Moore was
elected on the second ballot.
The Rev. +. II. Craig. OF Alabama.
and Il. u. Eggleston. OF Virginia.
were appointed temporary clerks.
The Rev. Melton Clark. pastor OF the
First church. presented the modera
tor gayel made OF wood from a tree
oH the Gulford battle ground near
this city. W. T. Ellis. OF New York
addressed the assembly and tonight
was set apart for a popular meeting
In the interest OF the Bible class.
The vote for moderator was as fol-
lows: First ballot Moore. 50. Cur
ry &c; McGeachy. 2S; Jones, IL.
Total, IA Necessary to choice, 81.
No election On motion the names
OF McGeachy and Jones. the two low
est. were dropped
The second ballot resulted. Moore.
81. Curry. 20.
Ministerial Relief.
The feature incident OF the assem-
bly was the report Of the committee
on ministerial education and relief.
Through it's secretary, Henry IT..
Sweets the executive committee OF
ministerial education and relief pre-
sented to the assembly its annual re-
port. In It's financial statement the
committee says that il received from
all sources for ministerial education.
in the last year. s2i.930; for minis
terlal relief, s31,i51. and for en-.
dowment fund OF ministerial receipts
were slOO.jSS.
Under the topic OF Ministerial
Education" the report says that the
death rate among the assembly's min
isters from 1894 to 1907 was 80 per
year. while an average OF / were re-
tired each year on account OF sick
ness or old age. In 1894 there were
4i5 candidates. one In each 4i7 of
the church membership. Since 1901
there has been a slow but steady in
crease In the number OF candidates
for the ministry. Last year the Pres
byteries reported TO the general as
sembly 1856. and in the fall TO the
various synods. $50 candidates. Nine
Presbyterles, with 2S5 churches and
1890 members reported no candl-
dates under their care. The import
ance OF providing additional minis
ters Is pointed out by the committee
report as follows;
More Ministers Needed.
"In our church are 1850 organi-
cations that have no one TO lead them
Some OF them are hard fields
Thought,ess ones might say they are
unlmportant In some of these from
three TO six must be grouped together
and with the aid of home mission
funds, they can offer a support to
about 200 pastors.
"These churches are the most
fruitful sources of ministerial supply
one-half Of the candidates. 1870
Young men, are preparing themselves
fer this work, came from small
churches.
"The manual adopted by the as
scmbly provides that any minister
over 20 years OF age. who Is in need,
and who has served the church for a
period In the aggregate not less than
80 years. shall be entitled by such
service to draw from the committee
Of ministerial relief an annual sum
OF his support without the necessity
OF being annually recommended
therefor by the Presbytery. We have
on this roll OF honor during this year
25 ministers whose average age is II
years. and who have rendered an
average term OF service OF AZ years.
or this %. three have died during the
year.
"None OF those whom we assist re-
. .ceived more than $500 last year.
Financial statement.
During the last year s31,451 was
received from all sources for the an
nual fund of ministerial relief, an in
rrease of $5,964 over the preceding
year Under the caption of the en-
dowment fund the report says that
when II became known that Hugh T.
s~..-st....1<s M. n.ua ls,xa \