Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-11-20

While the salaries paid the minis
tiers of Baptist, as well as other
churches in the South, has been far
too small in the past to enable them
to lay aside competency for old age,
long step in remedying this situation
is promised in the Baptist rs Million
Campaign, which proposes to raise
$2,500,000 for tie cliff of aGed minis
ters during the next five years, and
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 are
now in need of financial assistance,
this body, at recent session, author
lied the creation of the Relief and
Annuity Board at Dallcs, Texas, with
DIR. William Lunsford as correspond.
ing secretary.
airy 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 it 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 $4,000, 900 during the next sever
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 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 a 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
they have reached the age OF 6S, and
provided they have been in the minis
try for thirty years. If they have
served less than 80 years the annuity
Is reduced by a certain proportion.
To participate in this annuity 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 $400 provided by the denomination.
A minister's participation in the an.
nuity fund is in addition to his claims
upon the relief fund.
If the minister is disabled at any
time after joining the annuity fund, |
he will receive a 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 will be divided among
minor children until they become self
marry or reach the age
of q.
The board has received an endow-
ment of $780, 900 from the Baptist Sun
day School Board at Nashville not in
cluded in the 75 Million Campaign,
and this sum will be divided equally
the relief and annuity depart
ments. This enables the board to be-
gin work Immediately and assistance
e already being given to ESQ aged min ]
lataRs and ministers widows.