The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1954-04-03
Bonding Church Treasures

bonding Church Treasures
Asurvey taken among the twenty odd Negro churches
OF the city of Roanoke reveals that four have bonded
treasurers Ihey are as follows: Loudon Avenue Chris
tian Church, Rev. Melvin c. Dickson pastor; High
Street Baptist Church. Rev. Frederick G. SAMPSON pas
tor Mt Zion Baptist Church. Rev. NJ T. Coker. pastor
and ST. Paul Methodist Church. Rev. Stanford J. Harris
p"''0f -
Too much praise cannot be given those churches for
setting high business standard that all churches oud
90 We'll TO pattern The day has long passed when people
considered bonding treasurer gesture lick of con-
fldence The bonding of a treasurer is i'm reality pro-
lection OF the treasurer 1t nsures against robbery
flres and many unavoidable losses Therefore it pro-
tects him, not only materially financially but also
protects his character.
treasurer knowing that he is legally responsible
for the placed in his trust will be less inclined to
take chances in using the money with good intention
OF replacing 1t before it is called for 1t is really unfair
to most individuals to tempt them with large or small
sums of money to hold indefinitely while at the same
time the individual is oftimes in dire financial strait
himself 1t requires mighty strong character to hold
large or small sums of in his possession though
belongs to others, while at the same time his family
or personal needs beyond control
And then there are those faithful and loyal con-
trbutors who give of their until it hurts
for the support of their church administrative Of
ficers should employ every legal to safeguard
those precious and hard-earned dollars and cents
A church with a bonded treasurer rates very high
in the estimation of bank and the business world in
general After ALL the church has to deal with the bust
world for its material needs There has been time
when church treasurer could misplace hundreds of dol
lars of the churchs money and then before the
congregation and cry and beg pardon and the congre
cation would exonerate him of guilt. Who may we ask
would not be willing to cry little and ask pardon for
spending disappointing several hundred dollars
when that would be all needed to replace it?
In survey, minister reported that the treas
of his church has served in that capacity for
than thirty years and has he up with
cent short Now the time for that church to establish
the policy of bonding it's treasurer No member doubts
the honesty and fahfuness of the present treasurer 1t
would be far easier to establish the bonding system
than it would be after the election of treasurer
Immediately the treasurer would conceive the idea
that he was dstrusted if required to be bonded.
A minister said, "when your treasurer gets mad
when asked how much money he has in the treasury,
that's sufficient evidence that you need treasurer
Careless handling of money will wreck any organization
and the church exception Even the smallest church
at times handles hundreds and sometimes thousands of
dollars If the minister and officers hesitate to insist
that the treasurer be bonded the members should
up and contend for this procedure in fairness to all par
ties concerned