The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-04-11
PENSIONS FOR PREACHERS
Campaign On in Oakland District
Nj. E. Church.

Episcopal church in Oakland last Thurs
day afternoon and evening The sec
ton includes Revs. H. B. Moose,
Tunnelton; J. H. Howard, Kingw God;
z. Musgrsve. Rowlesburg; j. c.
Stroder, W. H. Gilmore. Newburg; W.
W. Aukenbrand, John w. Meredith,
Buckhannon; C. E. Leatherly, Davis;
J. r. Cheuvront, Thomas; E. L. Bed
ford, Bayard; D. B. Orr, Gormania;
D. C. Rickens, Parsons; w. R. Eskew,
Hendricks.
There were also at the meeting Rev.
Archibald Moore, District Superinten-
dent, who was in charge; the Rev. S.
K. Arbuthnot, D. D., the conference
agent of the Pension Fund, the Rev.
S. j. Greenfield, D. D., Field Secretary
of the Board of Conference Claimants,
Chicago, ILL.,, Rev. VIM. Shultz, Oak
land, Md, and Rev. c. E. Bissell,
Blaine.
The purpose of the meeting was to
launch in the district the campaign for
q pension fund for the retired ministers,
widows and orphans of the West Vir-
GINA Conference. The conference is
raising for this purpose fund of $780,
600, which will be carefully invested and
the income distributed once a year to
the conference claimants according to
the number of years they have given
to the church.
Attorney General England has sent
to the authorities a letter of endorse
ment which contains the following:
al am in hearty accord with the plan
inaugurated by the Methodist Episcopal
church, through the Board of Confer
ence Claimants, to raise a fund of
twenty million dollars to be used IN
supporting retired ministers and their
dependents. This is certainly COM
mendabe and worthy undertaking.
THE apportioment for West Virginia
conference is four hundred thousand
dollars. Iregard this one of the most,
if not the most, meritorious funds be
ing raised by our church. These mini
sters have given their best days in I'M
selfish devotion to the church and the
cause of Christianity, until by reason
of old age or other physical disability
they have been compelled to retire from
further church activities. Their mini
sterlal labors have not been remunera-
tive; most of them receiving such
meagre compensation they have been
unable to accumulate anything to
support them when they are forced to
retire.
LAS member of this church, | feel
that | have a right, and really am COM
PEELED by duty to urge upon the mem
bers of this great church organization,
and friends of the church. to contribute
llberally to this fund. These veterans
nave spent the major part of their lives
laboring for US, now let US labor for
them. | hope the members of our
church and It's friends will respond en-
Enthusiastically in raising this fund"
DR.. S. K. Arbuthnot, when called
upon to address the meeting said in
part
1.-The present campaign in the West
Virginia Conference is one of utmost
significance notably to the old minister
and his dependents. but to the future
efficiency of the church itself. Accord
ing to figures compiled by Rev. j. B.
Workman, superintendent of Buck
harmon District, last conference year
we paid to our retired ministers an
average of only "A cents per day, to the
widows of deceased ministers but 2S
cents day and orphans Qess than l6
years old a cents per day. These
figures speak eloquently for the need
for an adequate pension fund for these
claimants. The meeting inaugurates
intensive campaign on the Oakland,
which will be the fifth district of the
eight IN the conference to begin the
work. 1t is necessary that each preach
er should get into line and Ego over the
top" on his charge. When the cam
paign began there were in the treasury
about $50, 900, and $4,000 are needed
to complete the campaign. 1t is ex-
pected that $25, 600 of this amount will
be subscribed by the preachers as their
personal contributions to the fund.
DR.. S. J. Greenfield said the advo-
Gates of pension for old preachers
were found in all the large Protestant
churches and the movement has behind
it the strongest laymen. The Indian
apolis convention of 5000 Methodists
men said in a resolution that the 'claim
of the retired ministers is the supreme
claim of the church" For long time
this claim has been recognized by the
church, but was showed aside for other
causes that seemed to need the right of
way; but now the laYmen of the church
has decided the day of the old minister
is here, and his claim must be put first
Some people say this is not a favorable
time to raise this fund. because of the
appeals caused by the war. But the
movies" seem to keep on doing bust
ness, the pool rooms are running as
usual. people are dressing and eating
as we'll as ever, and to put the just
claim of the old ministers off any long
err is to make him bear burden of self
denial that the rest of US are not willing
to bear. The patriotic person can buy
a Liberty Bond and give it to this fund,
and thus help the Government and the
old minister at the same time. Some
people say minister ought to save for
~, o,,,, old aoa Co ha o,10ht RI if he