The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-30

OF MINISTER
a.. ~. ... DENOUNCED

Kansas City. Oct, So.--This. was a
quiet day in the Congregational coun-
Gil, no special features coming UP dur
ing the forenoon session.
Yesterdays Session, &,
Establishment of social service
commission to have charge of the
work. of extending the aid Of the
church to labor in It's struggle for in
dustrial Justice, the adoption of an an
nuity plan for aged ministers, and
the adoption of a peace" resolution
criticizing the expenditure of large
sums of money for war were the prin-
cipal things accomplished, by the ma
tional council Of Congregational
churches yesterday. -
The social service commission, will
be composed. Of nine members and
will take over the work previously
done by the brotherhood of the church.
The scope, however. will pe greatly
extended. The church plans TO make
an aggressive campaign to aid in
Fighting so-called "industriaI wrongs"
The secretary Of the new commission
will be Henry A. Atkinson of Chicago,
who has had wide experience in re-
cent efforts of the church in behalf OF
labor. Outlining the church's work at
a. meeting with labor leaders, MIR. At
kinson said: ~ .S.. .'.1
THE church, is realizing more every
day that organized, labor is not corn
posed OF obstructi ionists but OF men
who have a. definite purpose and who
are striving TO attain it.. 4.,-.,
1.-TWO million men are being serious
ly injured in our industrial machinery
Ieaehyear. My church Is going to do
it's best to see that that stops. We
are striving to make the blood Of the
worker a part of the price Of the conf
modify. We, stand for cleanliness and
sanitation in the workshops and the
elimination of industrial diseases. We
stand for the. shorter working day.
Our slogan is for his reward he shall
have adequate compensation
The annuity plan, which in many re-
spects resembles the endowment
scheme of many old line insurance
companies, provides the ministers
shall furnish 30 per cent Of the fund
through yearly payments and churches
8 per cent. The church's shares will
be secured through monthly collec-
tions. An effort to secure a $2,000,000
endowment also will be made Minis
ters who enter the plan at 81 years of
age, will have cheaper rates than those
who come in at 40 At q, for in
stance, the minister's annual rate is
%61.tS, dL 4Vy ~ Is @1O.oJ.
At the age Of So years, the annui-
ties begin. Then a minister who has
served the church at least thirty years
may secure an annuity Of $500 an
nually the remainder of his life.
Similar propositions are made for the
support Of widows and dependent
children and there Is a provision.
covering disability. The annuity plan
is spearate from the ministerial boards
work of providing for aged and de-
pendent ministers which is now going
on. It is hoped, however, when the
annuity gets in operation that the
other relief work will be lessened. Rev.
Samuel l.. Loomis of Westfield, N. r.,
who presented the plan, said investi-
cation had disclosed that while the
cost Of living had been steadily adj
the average ministers salary
had decreased 5000 a year during the,
last three years.
''Our ministers said he, "are not
'squealers,' but they must have, in ad-
dition to living salaries while they
are at the height of their work, some
place whereby they may know they
and their families will be taken care
Of in old age. Many Of the brilliant
men are leaving the ministry for busi-
ness because they must make enough
in their youth to provide for their old
age"
UNFOLDING the minister as q noble
man in many ways, Rev. l.. E. Bar
ton Of Oak Park, Illinois, reviewed the
position of the minister today and
ended with a strong appeal against
the stage caricaturing Of ministers.
Referring to the decreasing perquisites
OF christian ministers, DIR. Barton de-
clared in Chicago today there is but
one tailor who will allow ministers
a discount on his clothes. The rail-
roads have cut off former privileges
extended to ministers.
"And we ministers are glad the per-
quisites are passing" said he. We
ministers stand Independent today of
all charities.
..The ministers have another dis
parsonage. stands against
race suicide. And under the new order
OF things that malicious libel that the
minister's son is the worst boy in the
neighborhood is crushed. Minister'S
a.Sa ( tr,.a ,t.ta as.