The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-12-20
CHAPTER vI-continued

"You must keep on hoping" pleaded
Miriam.
"They like Hiram" continued their
father. 'They evidently want him.
"Oh, no." gasped Marjory. "Not
Hiram, father. Not in your church"
II like him myself" said her father
gently. "Better him than-some
others"
But MarJory shook her head pas
sionately. "No. no." she whispered.
mot In your church," =
Ginger hurried back with the "Dis-
cipline."
"Find it. Miriam. You're up on
indexes"
Miriam deftly turned to the index,
referred to section 341, hurried down
to paragraph 2, and read aloud.
"The annuity claim of a Retired
Minister shall be not less than one
SEVENTEEN (1-7O) of the average sal
airy, house rent excluded. of the effec-
tive members Of his Conference who
are Pastors or District Superintend-
ents. multiplied by the number of his
years of service in the effective rela-
ton, including two years on trial. as
a member of an Annual Conference Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church."
MERCY" interrupted Ginger. "1ts
geometry. Well have to wait till
Horace comes home"
"Why, it's very. simple" explained
her father. One seyentieth of the
salary Of our conference.-the are not
very rich one, you know--is twenty
one dollars. Multiply that BY"
"X-darling, you forgot x" inter-
rupted Ginger again.
SIX is the number OF years one has
been preaching. My is twenty
three. Multiply twenty-one dollars by
twenty-three years, and it comes to
four hundred and eighty-three dollars.
But we have not quite enough money
In our treasury to meet the claims In
full, so the pro rata reduction would
allow me about three hundred and
twenty dollars year. Approximate
iy twenty-five dollars a month. That
will hardly support family"
'Oh. dearest, you have supported
us long enough" said Miriam. 1T is
our turn now"
"Why. father, with your twenty-five
a month, and my-er prospects
Why. darling. well be--simply-jake."
At eleven O'clock, Eddy Jackson
came with Hiram Buckworth and the
two men listened In silence as they
told them. as indifferently as they
could. of the purport of the special
meeting.
$50 that's what It was" Eddy said
soberly. II was afraid of it,
.They needn't offer me your church"
sd Hiram Buekw0rth st0uty. Il
wouldn't accept 1t for any co1sidera-
'ti0n--either financial or spiritual"
Marjory glowed at MIN. "Unless," ne
added reflectively. ''unless they would
make some arrangement to let us both
work along together, and use me as
your assistanl-until your eyes are
restored"
"You couldn't work as my assistant,
Hiram. You are too good man for
that. And | couldn't even assist you
blind as am"
II don't believe the church MS a
whole will stand for it," Eddy jack
son broke out. finally. "Old Jop has
just talked them into this. And I'll
bet | can talk them out of it. | say
we just walk out on them and start
a church of our own. They might
keep most of the money, but we'd take
most of the religion"
San affectionate thought" smiled
Mr.. Tolliver. "But not a very Chris
tian one. No. Eddy, this is the thing
a minister accepts. and does not
fight" b
"Put up your sword. Peter" quoted
Ginger softly.
well. If worst comes to worst" de.
ciared the young man, "I'll move the
whole gang of you out to Pay Dirt.
and install you in the lab. And wen
start a farmers spiritual union"
Laughing at that, they walked SLOW
ly out the flagstone path to the curb
slows the private business coming
aiOng?" Eddy asked in low voice.
Rather slowly, in the face of such
an emergency as this" Ginger Ella
sighed. II may have to forge an.
other link or So"