The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-02-20

Southern Methodist preachers, and
they have four thousand sons in
the ministry" being the men who
became preachers under the prayers,
encouragement, and tutorship of
these old servants.
If God should rebuke the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, for its shame
full neglect OF her superannuated
preachers by withdrawing in some
way all those in the Christion min
istry of said Church who are there
by virtue of the faithful service of
preachers now superannuated, what
a terrible calamity 1t would be! Many
prominent Churches would be with
out pastors, some Church schools
without presidents and a number OF
efficient teachers, some mission fields
would, suffer and throughout the
whole Church there would be stat
of affairs resembling the frightful
situation during the plaques of Egypt
when there was not a house where
there was not one dead"
Can we as a great Church accept
from our superannuates what is stat
ed in the foregoing and continue to
allow them to live almost as beggars?
Shall we stand by while every secular
corporation in the land is feverishly
hurrying to make just and adequate
provision for aged and retired EN-
ployes and do nothing but roll our
thumbs? Is II Christian to feed and
clothe needy men and women on the
other side of the world and at the
same time allow our own brothers to
languish at our feet begging the
crumbs that fall from our table?
Concerning Their Support-Our
one thousand superannuated preach
ers served 5000 mission charges at
an average salary of $500 Gncluding
missionary appropriations) they
served $4,000 self-supporting charges
(so-called) at an average annaul sal
airy of $500; they received at the
highest average annual salary $500,
and the lowest $2O2; they suffered
a total salary deficit of $3,000,000,
which means the Church actually
owes them today an average of So.
600, as back pay" They now re-
ceive an average annual superannu-
ate allowance of $212.
If we will not raise a great fund
for superannuate endowment, l do
think the Church should raise that
s3,OOO,OOO back pay" don't you?
Suppose any other class of men had
sum like that due for work that
was done and not paid for, what
would happen? If our one thou
sand old heroes had their back pay"
right now, they would have enough
TO keep them through many chill!
winters and hot summers. l am hop
ing this will come under the eye of
Church officials who will do some
serious thinking on this subject OF
back pay" Let the preacher be
paid as are other men-in full and
when it is due.
Some Personal Matters.-Of our
one thousand superannuates, the av-
erage age is, sixty-seven, and the ay-
erage age of their wives is fifty-nine;
there are 26O with good eyes, $50
with medium eyes, and 400 with very
bad eyes (many of these practically
blind) there are 27O with good ears.
Gao with medium ears, and 470 with
very bad ears practically deaf;
there are 44O invalids or practically
so; there are 10 who have dependent
invalids to support; there are $40
who own homes, but almost without
exception there is a heavy mortgage:
60 live in superannuate homes, and
$40 rent, board, or visit around''
there are 600 able to attend Annual
Conference and 400 of these prevent
ed from doing so on account of the
expense; there are rs who serve rs
supply; there are 600 who take
the Christian Advocate, 500 take the
Conference organ, 800 take other
Advocates, and 800 take other Church
periodicals.
Well, What of It's it nothing to |
you? Are you able to sit through |
recital of the work accomplished |
by the superannuates, closing with
statement about their helplessness
and great need at the present time
and never bat an eyer" do not
believe you can or will. You viii!
be sending a check to the Board III
Finance, Security Building, st. Louis,
Mo-, for the Superannuate Endow-
ment Fund. Do it now; make 1t as
big as you can,~ and mail Il, right
away. -Chlstian Advocate. r/