The Cordele dispatch., 1919-05-15
ASK FOR FUND TO AID
WORTHY MINISTERS
FUND OF s5.coc,coo FOR sUPERAN-
NAGTED MINISTER'S

Atlanta, Ga, May 15.-Authority t.
appeal to Southern Baptists to con
tribute to a fund of at least $1,000.
0G0 for annuitieS and the relief of su.
peranhuated ministers was asked by
the Beard of Ministerial Relief and
Annuit:e3 in its annual report to the
Southern Baptist convention here At
the same time it was urged that the
Sunday Schools be requested to de-
vote the last Sunday in November TO
enlargng the fund by their collec-
,tions on that day. The convention
was asked TO direct that the annuity
fund shall become operative from
July /, 1919, and that it be put on a
30 percent basis on and after Sep.
tember /, if possible.
The Beard in its annual reror.
which was submitted by Dr. William
Lunsford, Of Dallas, Tex, its secre-
tary. showed that its first years work
had been devoted largely to organiz-
ing. emphasis being laid upon the re-
lief feature. helping worthy ministers
Ul,) are in need. For years this
work has been carried on by the diff
ferent state organizations of the con
yention, bit it has never even half
way met the needs The new Board
sought to have all the states turn over
this work to it, Texas, Tennessee.
Georgia, Mississippi Flirida, Alabama.
Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kentucky.
Arkansas and New Mexico have
agreed and are raising money to car
ry Oh the work. re Board hopes to
have not less than $4,000 from this
sources by the end of the wear. It is
hoped that in the near future not less
than 5000 Il year will be paid to every
beneficiary under the fund. In many
cases the sums paid the old minister
have been increased about % percent
Much attention has been given tC
perfecting system Of annuities
which enables the ministers to them
selves provide in part for the day Of
their retirement. The maximum benc
fits Of this fund are $500 year for
life for men of sixty-eight years Of
age who have served in the Baptist
ministry for thirty years. Disabled
ministers, Of whatever age, shall be
paid a disability benefit OF 500 plus
81 year for each year Of service
over five actively spent at work III
the ministry. This is what he re
ccives on his own payments. Such
the Board as may be determined
based upon contribution Og so per
cent to the fund given by the churches
and individuals. A maximum cf three
band was receiving, is to be paid t
every minister's widow. or. if there
be no surviving widow, divided among
the dependent children. The Board
has figured that the minister's owr
win provide one-fifth Of the
maximum of the annuities and the
gifts from the churches will swell the
total annuity to tie maximum amount.
During the past year 1870 members
have been secured for the annuity
fund.
The Board asked the convention to
make a change so that the minimum
benefit Of every member o
the fund will be 500 and not $50 for
the first five years service and $.
a year for every additional year OF
service. Figures of similar funds OF
other denominations show that a yeal
ago the Protestant churches had il
their treasures $33,000000 for preach
ars' pensions and they are now work
ing to bring the sum up to SIS 100000.
The Episcopal Church has $500 00C
and the Northern Methodists Sl2,
zoe 600 Last year they pad out tc
retired ministers, stheir widows and
orphans $1,2G5,000 Then N0rthel
have $G,599,933. The
Northern Baptists have $2,0o0000
The Congregatonalists have $1,8S00,
200 and are now at work to raise an
additional $5,000,GG0. The Southern
had $1,200,000.
There are today in the Southern
Baptist convention between 5000 and
l0o0 pastors. Il large majority o.
whom are receiving very modest sal
aries. The Board is seeking to i'll
jerest the churches in the work o.
caring for their ministers in their de-