The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-30

ference In the interests of the society
and Its work. He stated first that a
larger per cent OF the churches In the
baltimore Conference contributes to
the American Bible Society than is
true Of any other religious body he
visits. He spoke OF the work amoag
the foreigners, and said that In 1911
the copies of the Scriptures distributed
In the United states were published q,
seventy languages, and that his yr,i
they Will b. published in seventy-,iyhl
languages.
The Bible Society. he said. is spend
ing $4,000 annually in distribution Al
bibles in the Southern Stairs and ia
receiving from these States less than
$4,000.
The call of thu twenty-second cues
ton was resumed. The characters OF
the preachers in the Baltimore Dis.
trlct were passed, and they submitted
their reports The nj smbership of Trim
ny Calvary Church Baltimore, con-
tributcd $50 per capita the past year.
The members of Taylor Church contrib
uted more than SO per capita for min
lstcrial support.
KEY. w. }. Maybce addressed the con-
ference In the interest OF the Virginia
Childrcn's Home Society, where he is
supcrintcnd ant
me anniversary of the conference
Board Of Missions was held this eve
ming. Bishop Murrah and Rev. f, L.
Cook were the speakers. the latter be-
ing one of the secretaries OF the Board
of Missions OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South.
Work of Finance Board.
NO men connected with the confer
ence arc charged with greater amount
OF work and more responsible worla
than is true of the joint board Of
finance, and the report OF no confer
Hnce board or committee is awaited
with more interest by the conference
than is that of this board. II is
through the joint board of finance
that all of the money of the confer
cnce for all OF the claims Of tho church.
passes, and this board is authority on
the subject OF the financial strength
and the libcrality OF every district and
every pastoral charge in the confer
cnce.
The members OF the joint board OF
finance balance the accounts of every
charge in the conference during every
session of conference. and upon the
knowledge thus obtained they are en-
abled to make the assessments for the
next year
II is safe to say that, aside from the
appointments OF the preachers. 1t has
come to be during the past few years
that no other single Item OF business
connected with the conferences is
Needed with more interest than the
report OF the assessments for each sue
ceeding year. This Is due in a large
degree TO the decided increase in the
amount of money which is required
now to conduct the work OF the church
over what was required for this pur-
pose n few years ago.
Thirteen Active BishopH.
There arc NJ the present time thir-
teen active bishops in the Methodist
Episcopal Church. South, each one of
whom receives a salary OF $4,000. with
500 additional for tslegraphic SER
vice. Last year the church contri-
buted TO the support OF thirteen ac-
tive bishops two superannu.ted bish-
ops and the widows of seven bishops. n
total of $4,000. The superannuat,
bishops receive $500 annually, aid
the widows of bishops $1,000 annually.
These figures. continued for one quad
renn!um, would amount to S2Sa,s00.
There arc also a large number Of
secretaries in tho church conn .cted
with the board of missions. the board
of church extension and tho other in
terests of the church. Most of these
secretaries receive n salary of not less
than $4,000 each year. The amount
required for salaries and Office SER
Vice III the board OF missions alone
last year amounted to considerably
moro than $4,000
1t Is probabls that no denomination
provides more literally for the sup
port of it's official life than is true OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church. South.
but there Is growing sentiment that
the support which the church gives to
the pastors and TO the preachers who
are supcrannuated does not compare
favorably with that given to the ON
cial life. The salaries of pastors aver
age 5000. and that of superannuated
preachers only about 5000 per year.
The expense for the support OF the
official life is divided among the con-
fcrences. and Is included in the va
rious assessments which the joint
board of finance arrange and report
Srom year 20 year. Tho report OF this
board to this conference will he sub