The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-09
PENSIONS FOR CLERGY.
y
Episcopal Church Fornuiates Plan to
Care for Aged and Disabled Minis.


-Ueks. ..s.fr- ua-s-. :, -,--4 .tsstl y.e..-,s,,
t,sg Columbia, Feb. Sin sthis esern1en
today at Church of the Good Shepherd,
the Right. Reverend, William AlexAnd-
er Guerry. p. d., Bishop Of. South
Carolina, said in. part:
The Episcopal Church has deter
mined to undertake the largest single
enterprise in. its history. namely. to
institute system Of pensions for it's
retired clergy. =. ,a&, o;s
Before entering upon this policy
the Church did two things: (1) Made
a careful census of. the salaries now
paid to clergymen. and .(2) Held. cali
culations made by expert actparies. Of
the cost Of maintaining a system the
permanent success of which there
could be no doubt. .si -.
The census of salaries, now complet-
ed. shows the following principal
facts; .ss
There are APO men in the active
service of, the Episcopal Church In
the United States. Their. average. sal
ary is $1,000 a year. This is not ali
cash, but. includes the value of a
house. when provided, More than b.
500 of these ministers. over. one-haIf
the total, number, receive less than
s1,5oo a year. Only 2s7 including the
125 Bishops-receive $4,000 or over.
More than 700 men are paid less
than 1000 and many of these 100
are the older clergy, with very hard
tasks. The. Church now is virtually
carrying. out a scheme Of retirement,
at the expense Of its older men,. -. q.
These ,meagre salaries are paid to
clergymen. serving what is often az
serted to- be, the richest, church metn-
bership in America. Those men are
expected to have a good education. to
dress WE'LL to. live and move among
people where rents are high, keep
open house, always appear cheerful.
and preserve, their - physical vigor.
They are men of devotion. who often
exercise leadership !. in their cora
munities, and who must support ,thefn.
selves. their wives and their children
on the salaries paid them. with, little
or no thought Of outside interests. :
The. ministers do not complain. But
the Church itself, must ;, be efficient.
Efficiency consists :. partly. in being
equipped to fight at the top-notch ,of
enthusiasm and vigor.. The minister
cannot do this II. with all his ,sacri-
fees cheerfplly. made. while he lis
active. he has no assurance OF COM
petence in his old age.
Railroad companies. seek efficiency
and enthusiasm from their men
through promisest Of a pension. lis
in the broadest interest OF society that
every church should do the, same.
The Episcopal. Church has passed
the exact vital statistics OF the whole
body Of her clergy thropgh, the lab
oratory of the best actuaries and ,haa
adopted a pension system which is
modern aand sound. l.s
1t is Contributory System where
by upon the payment. hy the; parish
each year Of an additional seven per
cent. speaking roughly !, of. the. min
ister's salary, he, viii reeeiye, ton re-
tiring at 68, a. pension. equal to one
half his: average salary during. his Asa
tive service. At death. his, widow and
minor children will receive. annual
pensions; II disabled in active service.
a pension follows sh~ui ,a-qs,. .s.,..
Thus. in. the full tide Of active ser,
vice he can throw, himself !, into Ibis
work with the complete abandonment
of an officer who knows that what
ever happens to. him, his deaf ones
will be cared for, and he. r. Lying -
old age, will 90 ., TO-: his grave with
dignity and self-respect., ~ s,s,srs -,
In order to take care Of those, who
should be pensioned Immediately, and
10 give the contributory plan time to
move permanently On it's own wheels
an initial sum Of $5.ooo.ooo is to be
raised.
To direct the. task of obtaining this
reserve fund, Bishop Lawreness iof
Massachusetts, will. during ,1s1S. sns=,
pend active work in his own diocese
and devote. himself wholly to this
great enterprise, ~ =. ,esreans : I'd. .A,y
The cooperation Of leading lie in-
surance officers and business men has
beer, obtained to, establish the scheme,
Local committees will be appointed
throughout the United States, To SET
this splendid undertaking on its feet
L n -