The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-11-21
REV. j. M. RUSSELL
Typical Retired Minister.

While the salaries paid the minis.
tiers of Baptist, as well as other
churches In the South, hos been far
too small In the past to enable them
to lay aside a competency for old age,
a long step in remedying this situation
is promised in the Baptist rs Million
Campaign, which proposes to raise
s., 500 900 for TIE cliff of a. led minis
ters during the next five years, and
then bring this sum up to S5,O00,0O0
during the two years Immediately fol.
lowing the campaign.
Looking to the adequate care Of hun
dreds OF aged Baptist ministers and
ministers widows in the ranks of the
Southern Baptist Convention who are
now in need of financial assistance,
this body, at a recent session, author.
ICED the creation of the Relief and
annuity Board at Dallas, Texas, with
DR.. William Lunsford as correspond.
ing secretary.
Heretofore the average annual sal.
airy of Baptist ministers In the South
has been less than $500, meaning that
large number of preachers received
considerably less than that sum, max.
ing 1t necessary that they engage in
other occupations during the week in
order to support themselves and their
families, and rendering 1t practically
impossible for them to lay aside any
money as support for their old age.
The establishment of the Relief and
Annuity Board and the decision to
raise $5,OO0,OO0 during the next seven
years for the relief of the aged minis
tiers already in need of assistance and
the more adequate care of the men
who hereafter give their lives to the
Christian ministry without an oppor-
tunity to save up competency to tide
them through sickness or care for
them in their declining days, has met
with a cordial reception at the hands
of Southern Baptists, and it is be-
lieved the provision Of better treat
ment for the ministers in their retire
ment will not only tend to cause young
men to look with greater favor upon
the ministry as life work, but will
bring the members OF local congrega-
lions generally to see the need of pay
ing pastors more adequate salaries be.
fore these pastors become old and
helpless.
BY the addition of an annuity feat
ure 1t is possible for retired ministers
10 receive an annuity OF $500 after
they have reached the age of IS, and
provided they have been in the minis
try for thirty years. II they have
served less than 80 years the annuity
| is reduced by a certain proportion
To participate In this annuity a min
lister must make monthly, quarterly
or annual payments sufficient to bring
in an income of 800 per year when in.
vested, on the principle of regular life
Insurance. while this is supplemented
by $500 provided by the denomination.
A minister's participation in the an
nuity fund is in addition to his claims
upon the relief fund.
IL the minister is disabled at any
time after joining the annuity fund.
he will receive certain annuity
throughout the period OF disability. II
he dies his widow will receive an an
nuity OF so per cent Of what would
have gone to her husband as long as
she lives, and should the widow die
her annuity viii be divided among
minor children until they become self
supporting. marry or reach the age
Of II.
The board has received an endow-
ment Of 100000 from the Baptist Sun
day School Board at Nashville not In
cluded in the rs Million Campaign,
aud this sum viii be divided equally
between the relief and annuity depart
ments. This enables the board 10 be-
gin work Immediately and assistance
IS Az Il being given to 2S5 aged min
kters and ministers widows.