Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-29
WILL NOT HELP
SUPERANNUATED
PRESBYTFRIANS
MINISTER'S DO NOT WANT TO
RECEIVE CHARITY
ASSEMBLY DEFEATS RESOLUTION
TO PENSION PASTORS
DR.. Bolton of Philadelphia Brings
Problem to Final Issue-Aid of
Wealthy Laymen Not
Sought

IN ENVER, May 28.-Presbyterian
ministers do not want charity.
~ They made this declaration at the
general assembly today when in an
almost unanimous vote the commits
sioners defeated a resolution prepared
by DIR. ]. Gray Bolton of Philadelphia,
providing for graded pension scheme
for disabled or superannuated minis
ters.
The trouble over the pensioning of
ministers has been one of long stand
ing having started in friction between
the board of ministerial relief and
the board for ministerial sustentation.
Both have similar objects and Dr..
Bottoms resolution carried with it a
motion to refer the whole matter OF
joint action of these boards to a spe-
cial committee.
In his address on the subject Dr.,
Bolton made frequent use of the words
charity" and Humiliation" and to
these terms the commissioners as a
whole took liberal exception.
Charity Not Wanted
He was of the opinion that ministers
don't want charity after they become
unable to work and that they should
be given pensions after twenty years
service. He believes this would re-
move the faint of charity from the
support thus received.
To this proposition Dr. Howard Ag-
new Johnston of Colorado Springs took
exception with the support of a large
majority of the commissioners.
He rebuked those who had made use
of the term charity and said the
minister who receives aid after he has
given his best efforts to the church is
not an object of charity, but rather
richly deserving of the support of the
church.
He said the plan first suggested to
the assembly that the sustentation
board should look to wealthy laymen
for contributions to the fund for such
relief, was the most unbusinesslike
proposition he ever heard eXpounded
from a committee of business men.
He was unanimously supported in a
resolution that recommended the OBJ
jects of sustentation to the church and
urged individual gifts. Here the mat
ter ended.
Report Is Opposed
The committee on policy found its
report in trouble when DR.. Joseph A.
Vance of Chicago moved a subresolu-
committee moved that no action be
taken, in which it was provided that
members removing from one charge to
another who shall fail to signify within
twelve months the church with which
they wish to be affiliated shall be taken
into the jurisdiction of the church
designated by the pastor of the church
they have left. This resolution was
steadily fought by members of the
on Ground that
after much study they had not been
able to make a report.
However, upon vote, approval OF
the resolution seemed unanimous.
The assembly unanimously adopted
the report of the judicial commission,
which is the supreme court of the
body, sustaining the presbytery of New
York in the Westminster church case
in suspending four elders in dissolV
ing the church, in taking possession of
the property for church services and
in organizing a new church therein.
The policy committee made both a
majority and minority report on the
subject of reduced representation to the
assembly, but because of an impend-
ing lengthy debate it. was ordered that
both reports be passed until tomorrow,
when the matter will be threshed out.
Try to Gust Clerk
IN unsuccessful attempt was made
this afternoon to Gust Rev. William
H. Roberts, stated clerk and treasurer
of the Presbyterian general assembly
for the past IS years, from his posi-
ton as treasurer.
The attempt was made by the OPP
ponets of DR.. Roberts during the dis
cussion of the report Of the finance
committee which recommended that
the care of the funds Of the assembly
be taken from RI. Roberts hands.
The opponents of DR.. Roberts eX-
planned that they cast no aspersions
upon him or his judgment of the funds
of the assembly, bat demanded the
change on the plea that it was poor
business Judgment to place the dis
pensing of over 100000 annually in the
hands of a man who was already
burdened with the cares of another
office
After vitriolic discussion, during
which moderator c. S. Holt of Chi
cago strongly defended DR., Roberts, it
was voted to retain DR.. Roberts as
treasurer.