The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-16

In this connection we may MS well
clear up prevalent misunderstanding
AS TO the requirements for admission
and retention upon the beneficiary list
Of this board. A number Of applica-
tons have been refused. and some pen
sions Withdrawn. because tho parties
concerned were disqualified as recipi-
ents OF such aid. The charter Of this
corporation sets out as its object (Sec
u. Creating and properly admiister-
ing fund as means of support and
relief for all such Baptist ministers in
virginia and also for the sup
port and rettef of the needy widows
and minor children of Baptist minis
ters Of Virginia" And the second sec
| ton. after prescribing the powers and
duties of this board provides that ANY
person In fellowship with any regu-
lar Baptist church in Virginia may
compel compliance with the provisions
or this section by writ Of mandamua."
etc. In Article 1 Of the Bylaws we
ind 1t stated again as the object of
this corporation. to afford laid and
relief. according to It's charter, rules
and bylaws. to such needy Baptist
ministers of Virginia as now are, or
| may by reason Of age or infrmity be-
come. disqualified for active minister
| ial labor. and for the aid and relief
of needy widows and minor children of
such Baptist ministers Of Virginia -
And, finally IN Article VI, we read.
ITO entltle any minister. his widow, or
orphan minor children to participate
in the benefits Of the Relief Fund he
must be Virginia Baptist minister:
belonging to regular Baptist church
| - OF yxytth hn
of Virginia. He must have devot ed
himself to pastoral or evangelistic
work In the churches OF this State,
The applicant must name the
| church of which the applicant ID a
member and the District Association
with which he is connected, the church
or churches served. or the evangelistic
labor performed by tho applicant for
the last three years preceding the fl
ing Of the application"
/ From all which 1t would seem 70 be
| quite clear that the benefits of this
fund were intended solely for disabled
| BAPTIST ministers identined with reg
uiar churches of their denomination in
| This state. and FOR certin members
Of such minister's family. and for no
one else. And this does not mean
"onoe virginian. always a virginian,"
az 90 many are prone to think. We
have requests for aid from people
/ whose only claim upon W. Is. that at
one time or another tho applicant, or
her husband or father, was a Virginia
! preacher-~lt may be for = very short
while--but spent the rest Of his career
in distant fields. And sometimes It
| happens that beneficiary who was
properly admitted to our list years
ago. has since moved away and carried
his church membership to another
State. In the first instance It is our
duty to turn down the application; n
the latter. we have to reTretfully
withdraw or discontinue tho assistance
Of your board This rather lengthy
! statement is here made in the hone
that it will be given general circula-
1 tion and relieve us. measurably at
least. of very unpleasant part Of our
/ work.
The diminutions BY death wsrs a.
/ follows:
Brother W. r. Dunnaw~y and sis-
ters MIRA Richard Edwards. Miss Nam
nis Scott and Mrs. ]. W Ward.
1 Our corporation IL now forty-eour
years OF sKe. and during its life has
lent . helping hand to ave hundred
and ssventy-thrss persona paytng out
on account of their support ana main
tenance the sum Of tl%s.s1S.34-agures
which. In the aggregate. may seem I'm
| posing. but which are pttifully small
/ considering the needs of our superan-
nuated ministers and the responsible
" resting upon us to suitably care for
| these veterans OF the cross Other de-
nominations having walked up to a
sense of their obligation in this re-
/ spect are raising large endowments
and we must do the same II anything
i like an adequate provision II ever TO
lie made for those Of our brethren who
! give themselves ,nnsraringly to the
/ Gospel ministry.
/ The report OF our faithful treasurer,
Brother Richard w. Jones, which has
heen duly audited. will furnish more
detailed Information touching the A.
nances OF this board. We call atten-
tlon 10 ono item as worthy of special
note. namely, that Brother F. d. Smith.
or Fauquier County in making final
disposition OF his estate, remembered
the Ministers Relief Fund, and from
such bequest we received over $500.
The president Of the board takes
pleasure in testifying to regularity Of
attendance by members, their earnest
ness Of purpose and their business
like conduct OF It's affairs The ex-
penses Of such administration for 1919
1915, ausside OF association apportion-
ment, were only s4o55-a percenta re
OF cost to the fund which challenges
comparison with that of any other
agency in the association.
Fraterna'lv submitted
A. W. PATTERSON,
President.