The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-07-21
Plans Discussed at Unique Gathering
Participated in by Reprssen-
tatives Of Practically All
Protestantdom
PRIME PURPOSE
TO RAISE BIG SUN
Would Permit Ministers to Retire
on Half Salary; Pay Of Pulpit
Profession Poorest
Of All

Dy United freSs.
San Francisco. July 21.--The Cali
fornia state building at the Panama
Pacific exposition here was the scefls
of a unique gathering today. With
representatives from practically every
Protestant church in the United States
present. the Church Pension Congress
went into session to solve the matter
OF adequate pensions for retired min
listers of the Protestant denomina-
tions.
DR.. J. B. Hingley Of Chicago, secre-
tary of the board OF conference claim
ants of the Methodist Episcopal
church presided The prime object
in calling the meeting was to devise
means of raising an endowment fund
of $50,000,000 for ministerial pensions.
A general campaign OF nationwide
scope was advocated as the best means
of raising the fund.
It was planned to give each preach
ef at his retirement one half Of the
average annual salary OF all the
preachers in the country, thereby CIV
ting the minister who has served most
of his years in small congregation
an equal standing in the pension mat
ter with his more fortunate brother
who has been getting larger salary
in larger church
The majority of the speakers laid
stress on the fact that of all profess
sions the ministery as whole was
the poorest paid and in many in
stances the compensation was barely
enough to support the preacher, who
in the majority of cases had family
to look after. All speakers were I'm
favor of the pension and asked for
concerted action in securing the funds
which would enable a minister after
years of hard work in the pulpit TO
retire assured that he would be taken
care of in his declining days.
Flowers on the coffin cast no fra
GRANGE backward over life's weary
way. Give them the flowers now"
said Chaplain e. C. Clemens OF the
third regiment OF the Minnesota ma
tional guard in commenting on what
would be said and done for the preach
er after he is dead. Most of US enter
the ministry poor and leave it poor"
he added
Rev. w S. Holt of the Presbyterian
board said there was more money In
standing on the front end Of street
car than standing in pulpit
what do we demand from preach
ers?' he asked. -Four great qualities.
'Consecration, intelligence. self-re-
spect and efficiency What is the
quotation on these qualifications
Nothing"
That he would sooner be the poor
Methodist minister in the smallest
church than president of the United
States was the statement OF Bishop
Edwin Holt Hughes of California.
| Il believe in Justice. however" he
said. and think that every retired
minister should receive decent sup
port on the plans of simple honor and
as debt due him.
The average yearly pension of the
workman of the various corporations
is far above the average compensa-
tiop of the wornout minister was the
assertion of Rev. John T. Brabncr
Smith OF Chicago editor Of the Vet
eran Preacher. He urged the church
to follow the corporation in taking
care of its wornout workman
| DR.. Joseph B Hingley. the presid
ing officer, said he thought the lay
aaan appreciated the fact that every
minister when he reached an age
where 'le needed rest should be pro
vided with pension that will tide
him over his old days. "A minister
is singled out among all as the man
who engages in his work not to earn
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