The Adair County news., 1919-11-19

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While the salaries paid the minis
ters of Baptist, as well as other
churches in the South, have 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 IS Million
Campaign, which proposes TO raise
s2,50O, 900 for the relief of aged minis
ters during the next five years, AMI
then bring this sum up to $5,o0O,000
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 ara
now in need of financial assistance,
this body, at a recent session, author
lied the creation of the Relief and
Annuity Board of Dallas, Texas, with
DR.. William Lunsford as correspond
ing secretary.
Heretofore the average annual sal
ary of Baptist ministers in the South
has been less than $500, meaning that
a large number of preachers received
considerably less than that sum, max
ing it 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 a support for their old age.
The establishment OF the Relief and
Annuity Board and the decision to
raise S. 100000 dHring the next seven
years for the relief of the aged minis
ters 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
unity 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-
lived 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
tfons 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 it is possible for retired ministers
to receive an annuity of $500 after
.hey have reached the age of 6S, and
provided they have been in the minis
for thirty years If 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 $40e provided by the denominatio1
A minister's participation in the an
nuity fund is in addition to his claims
lpon the relief fund
II the minister is disabled at any
time after joining the annuity fund
4 be will receive certain annuity
throughout the period OF disability.
he dies his widow will receive an an
nuity Of so per cent of what woulC
have gone to her husband as long a
she lives, and should the widow dil
her annuity will be divided among
minor children until they become sell
supporting. marry OF reach the ag'
Of 81
The board has received an endov
ment Of 100000 from the Baptist Sur
day School Board at Nashville net n
cluded in tie rs Million Campaign
and this sum wiz be divided eQuall
between the relief and annuity depart
ments. This enables the board to bs
gin work Immediately and assistanc
is already being given to 3Ss aged miH
isteFs aad ministers widows.