The midland journal., 1917-08-17
Raising a Pension Fund For Metho-
dist Clergymen.

dist CIeFgymen.
The campaign of the Methodist
Episcopal Church to raise fund of
SIS, 100000 to be held in trust for
the relief of retired ministers and
the widows and orphans of ministers
of this denomination is one Of the
most impressive and praiseworthy
efforts now in evidence. Not only is
this undertaking in full accord with
the trend of the times, but it is
peculiarly laudable and just owing to
the faithful, self-sacrificing part sus-
tained by Methodist clergymen and
the frugal living enforced by the
small salaries accorded them. The
average salary of Methodist min
lister is only $741, and number of
the Methodist churches pay their
pastors less than $500. Out of this
the recipient endeavors to support
himself and his family, educate his
children and lay up nest-egg for
old age. The provision is made
quate, and in too many cases it en-
wolves hardship and distress for
veteran ministers and their depend
ents.
OF the proposed fund of $15,-
100000 more than half has been
subscribed.
Practically all the Protestant
churches are seeking pensions for
preachers. The campaign on behalf
of the Methodist organization has
made gratifyingly rapid headway, as
indicated by statistics of the growth
of this relief work in New England
and elsewhere. Whereas not one re-
tired minister of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in 1913 received an al
lowance of as much as $500 a year,
in 1916 there were sixty-eight reciv-
ing pensions of that amount. In
1913, 1907 retired ministers receiv-
ed $500 or over; in 1916 there were
1861 receiving this measure of re-
lief.
We have frequently taken occasion
to urge the justice of making fair
provision for veteran teachers, and
the same considerations invoke a
helping hand for the minister who
has devoted his life to noble service.
For one thing, we cannot forget the
self-denying part that ministers and
their wives sustain in the education
of their children, even to the point
of undergoing actual privation.
Writing on the debt the church owes
to the pastors family, the late Rev.
DR.. George M. Stone of Hartford re-
marked: 1.-THE best positions in
civil and social life are filed to-day
by the sons and daughters of Chris
tian pastors. The widows of our
pastors deserve honor and reward,
because of their practical ability and
skill in the economic administra-
tion of the household. We hear
nowadays much of great financiers.
The frugality and good management
of some of the women in the humble
parsonages of the land would rival
that of the most noted men of affairs
in the centers of trade. Large
families have been raised and educa-
ted upon 5000 salary per year"
1t is an eminently just and de-
serving work, this effort to smooth
the declining years of our veteran
pastors, and make provision for their
widows and orphans. The noble
traditions of Methodism support and
commend this object. 1t is-a pleasure
to note that the laymen of the de
nomination have lent such emphatic
assent to the undertaking. If thi
100000 fund for American
Methodism is provided, as we have
faith it will be, it will rank as one
of the most important achievements
in its line in our rtime.-Springfield
Union.