The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-01

generally indorsed. Corporations, ed ucational bodies, civil servants are all coming under pensions. Widows pen sions are discussed by economists and reformers. What effect all this wide spread consideration of the general subject of pensions may have upon a demand for pensions by all workers remains to be seen. 1t Is unlikely that the theme can be kept within the bounds of the ministerial or teaching profession, or yet within the limits of corporation and government service.
 How the Plan Works.
 The Protestant Episcopal Church is at present giving much of its attention to the early securing of $5,0OO,OOO as an endowment fund. With the help of the Morgan house and other/leading financiers, it is canvassing the wealthy members of the church, and appears to be putting its propaganda through successfully by high-p assure methods The sum has been apportioned among wealthy dioceses, and there is no ques- ton about its success.
 The Episcopal plan provides for a pension graded according to the sal- ary a man received while in the ac- tive ministry. By this arrangement high -salaried rector will retire on an income which, while only a propor- ton of his salary, is yet measurably commensurate with his previous scale of living. The poorer rector will have an income that is a. proportionate re-
 duction of his salary. Every church is asked to contribute a sum equal to per cent. of its rector's salary every ] year for the maintenance of the fund. The Methodist Episcopal discipline provides for a retiring allowance for l. its superannuates, according to their years of service. The profits of the
 book publishing business of the de-
 nomination go to this fund. There has not been sufficient money to pay the full allotment for the superannu-
 ates, and now a campaign is afoot to
 raise s10,000,000 endowment to as-
 sure their aged and disabled ministers
 scheduled apportionment.
 Big Gifts for Big Funds.
 For more than half a century the Presbyterian Church in the United States has maintained board of min- isterial relief for the aged and widows and dependent children. It now has | more than 2,000 bene6ciaries on it's roll, and it has added to it's eligible list all home and foreign missionaries
 male and female, and their dependent families. It has lately, after a good deal of discussion, taken over the pen 1 sion or sustentation idea, which, pro- vides for maximum income of $500
 for minister retiring at the age of 70, or smaller pension upon disabil-
 ity before the age of TO- It also of-
 fers an income for the dependent wid-
 ow or family. One-fifth of the annual
 premium of this pension is paid by the
 minister himself, the amount varying.
 like all life insurance, according to age pr. Foulkes. secretary of this board defines a pension as follows: "A pen-
 sion is wage earned during produc- tive years, and wisely deferred for ifs payment to years of disability"
 1 The success of the Prespyterias,
 campaign, which has for it's slogan
 Magnify the Ministry" has been mo- | table; within four years it's permanent
 funds have grown from something like S2, 100000 to $4.500,000. One unnarn 1 ed donor has within three years made | three gifts, two of $75,0OO each and one of 50,000, and two legacies of $1OO,00O each have been received. as well as many smaller ones. Nearly | 5O,OOO subscription cards, ranging in amounts from one to two thousand
 dollars yearly, are on file in the hoard
 offices.
 During an eight-week camnaion
 among the churches of Philadelphia just closing, $780, 900 has been secur- ed. Pittsburgh, in a similar camnaig,
 gave $l2O,OOO; more than half of it raised from the smaller churches. In this period of readjustmeht and
 realignment and adaptation of relig- ious forces in America, it is of real significance that there is such wide
 spread interest in providing for the
 old age of the Christian ministry.