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May 1, 1912 ] THE
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTITE
COMMITTEE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
AND MINISTERIAL RELIEF. (Abridged.)
"We are glad to report that after most patient and
pains-taking efforts all these various causes are being
properly adjusted, and there is every indication that
the plan will ultimately commend itself to the whole
Church. There has been an enormous amount of detail
connected with the uniting of so many important
intm-oElll o n ^ ,,^,,1,1 I? l?l l_ J - - J
IUVV1V.WI ?UU IL ITUUIU L)C DUI|HlDUi? luuceu II BUUIO
perplexing problems were not presented.
It brings little surprise tbat there is a decrease in
the receipts for these causes for the past year. Some
of the churches have abandoned the use of the special
collections, and have not yet adopted in full the new
plan urged by the Assembly. In former years six
separate offerings were ordered by the General Assembly
for the five causes under our care, while only
two are requested?April and December. Again the
change of date doubtless had some effect. Since 1866
November has been set aside by the General Assembly
as the time for the offering for Education and
for the Ministry. This month has now been assigned
to another Committee. Just as we were issuing our
appeals for the December offering a special appeal
was Issued by that Committee, urging an extra collection
on November 26th for one department of itB
work. This was, of course, confusing and dissipating
in its effects.
We deeply regret the serious lack of funds for
Education for the Ministry for the past year. This
was due chiefly to the fact that for the past ten years
there has been a steady increase in the number of
candidates, and all the surplus that had accumulated
during the period of decline had been exhausted, and
the yearly offerings have not equaled the demands
made upon the treasury. For the past four years we
have been called upon to assist a larger number of
candidate than at any prevous time in the history of
the Church.
We also believe that some change should be made
in the ratio of funds remitted to the "General Fund"
to be divided at the offlce. For the past year the
division has been as fbllows: Education for the
Ministry, one-third; Ministerial Relief, one-half; the
Assembly's Home and School, one-tenth, and Schools
and Colleges, one-fifteenth.
Expenses for the Year.
TKa ? ?* J ' *
in*, cuuouiiuauuu oruereu Dy me uenerai Assembly
has added greatly to the cost of the work for the
past year. New forms had to be printed, an enormous
amount of literature sent out, and the correspondence
from the office greatly increased. We
are convinced that the future cost of handling the
work will be much less, and the efficiency of Its conduct
largely increased.
The Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is now composed of fifteen
members, together with the two secretaries.
During the year three members?>Dr. E. W. Smith,
Dr. J. W. Tyler and Mr. George R. Connon?on account
of removal from the State, or the pressure of
other duties, have resigned. As the Committee was
too large to easily secure a quorum (consisting of
twenty-one members), new members were not selected
for the places made vacant.
The terms of Rev. J. S. Lyons, D. D., Rev. W. H.
Miley, D. D., and Messrs. Brainard Lemon, J. W.
Adams, of Fredericksburg, Va., and James Trimble,
of Washington, D. C., expire at this meeting of the
General Assembly.
Financial Statement.
The receipts from April 1, 1911, to March 31, 191?,
were as follows:' Education for the Ministry, $23,148.22;
Ministerial Relief, $40,292; The Endowment
Fund of Ministerial Relief, $10,424.66; The Home and
School, $18,364.66; Schools and Colleges, $3,102.58;
The Schools and Colleges Loan Fund, $1,714.54. The
receipts for all causes for the year were $97,147.31
Compared with last year's receipts, this shows a
decrease of $5,567.22 for Education for the Ministry;
an increase of $237.12 for Ministerial Relief; a decrease
of $254.07 tor the Endowment Fund; a decrease
of $2,255.69 for the Home and School; a
decrease of S71 47 - -
T . . tvi wvuvuio aiiu ~t & QG~
crease of $1,547.09 for the Schools and Colleges
Loan Fund. This shows a decrease of $9,460.42 for
the year for all causes as compared with the previous
year.
Of the $40,292.65 received for Ministerial Relief,
515,083.45 came as Interest from the Endowment, and525,209.20
from churches, etc., making an increase of
5306.80 in the amounts received from Interest, and a
decrease of $69.68 In receipts from other sources.
Of the $18,464.66 credited to the Assembly's Home
and School, $6,600.34 was received from board, tuition
and rent?an increase of $2,635.88 from this source
(including tuition from April-June of last session).
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S<
and a decrease of $4,791.67 from churches and other
sources.
The total amount requested from the churches by
the General Assembly for the four causes, Education
for the Ministry, Ministerial Relief, the Home and
School, and Schools and Colleges, was $129,000. The
result has been as follows: Education for the Minis.
fnr -i-J *'n AAA *
n j . oiiiuu 11 v rctiueoueu, amount received, $23,148.22,
deficit, $19,851.78; Ministerial Relief: amount
requested, $64,500, amount received, $25,209.20 (exclusive
of $15,083.45 interest from the Endowment
Fund), deficit, $39,290.80; The Home and School:
anlount requested, $12,900, received, $11,864.32 (exclusive
of $6,600.34 received from board and tuition),
deficit, $1,035.68; Schools and Colleges: amount requested,
$8,600, received, $3,102.58, deficit, $5,497.42.
Total amount received for these causes, $63,324.32.
Total amount of deficit, $65,675.68.
1. Education for the Ministry.
The whole Church should unite in thanksgiving to
God for his Blgnal blessing in calling an increasingly
large number of men into the ministry. For the past
eleven years there has been a steady increase in the
number of candidates under the care of Presbyteries.
From careful Investigation we are convinced that
those on our roll at present are exceptionally high
grade men, both as to character and intellectual ability.
Many of them are taking first rank in the schools
and colleges in which they are studying.
A large majority of these men come from poor
homes, and unless their work of preparation is greatly
delayed, must have some financial assistance from
the Church.
The Supply of Candidates.
Since January 1, 1912, the Presbyteries reported to
our office a total of 471 candidates already under
their care. We were able to locate all but twenty
of these, and have furnished their names and addresses
to our five theological seminaries. Many of
these will doubtless be made licentiates at the spring
meetings of Presbyteries, but we have the names of
others who will apply to be received under care of
the Presbyteries.
State of Preparation.
Of the 471 candidates, 167 are in the seminary; 161
in college, 21 in schools and academies, 3 are studying
privately, 73 for the present are at work, 14 are
out on account of ill health, while we have failed to
discover the present occupation of 32.
Of the 167 In the theological seminaries, 43 are in
the third class, 57 in the second, 64 In the first, and
3 are in post graduate classes.
Of the 161 In college, two are post graduates, 40
are in the senior class, 50 in the junior, 36 in the
sophomore, and 26 in the freshman, 7 are irregular.
Age at Admittance to Communion.
Of 450 candidates reporting, 60 were admitted to
communion at ten years of age or under, 261 between
the years of eleven and fifteen, inclusive, 115 between
sixteen and twenty, 13 between twenty-one and
twenty-five, and one between twenty-six and thirty.
Age at Decision.
Of 451 candidates reporting, 21 felt the call of God
to the ministry and decided to give their lives to the
work under the age of ten years, 35 between eleven
and fifteen, 265 between sixteen and twenty, 103 between
twenty-one and twenty-five, 18 between twentysix
and thirty, 5 between thirty-one and thirty-five,
2 between thirty-six and forty, 2 between forty-one
and forty-five.
Place of Decision.
fYf fha /MO one J 1 J - - -
i<7i?v?i o4? ueuiuea Derore mey entered
college, to dedicate their lives to the ministry,
87 decided while in college, and 36 after leaving collge.
Of the 87 deciding while in college, 71 were in our
own Presbyterian colleges, 2 in colleges under Presbyterian
influence, 2 in Presbyterian colleges, U, S.
A., 2 in Methodist, 1 in Baptist, 1 Reformed, while 8
were in state Institutions.
Denominations?Whence They Come.
Of 453 candidates reporting, 403 were reared in
the Presbyterian Church, 21 in the Methodist, 10 in
the Baptist, 4 in the Cumberland Presbyterian, 2 in
the Christian, 2 in the Catholic and 1 each from
eleven other denominations.
Character of Churches.
Of 450 candidates reporting, 192 came from country
cnurcne8, 171 from town, and 87 from city churches.
Of 437 candidates reporting, 226 came from
churches where services were conducted weekly, 110
semi-monthly, 17 three times a month, and 84 only
monthly.
Of 383 candidate? reporting, 40 came from churches
with a membership of less than fifty; 99 with a
membership of between 50 and 100; 100 of between
100 and 200; and 65 of between 200 and 300 ; 34 of
between 300 and 400; 14 of between 400 and 500 ; 7
) U T H (489) 5
of between 500 and 600; 6 of between 600 and 700,
and 9 of over 700.
Financial Assistance.
On recommendation of the Presbyteries aid was
granted by the Executive Committee of 277 candidates,
as against 285 the previous year.
From 1905 through 1910 the maximum amount of
aid granted to candidates was $100. Last year, on
account of the large increase in the number applying
fo- ?i a > ? "
wr (UU| uuu ,ue suian increase in the receipts at the
office, $82.50 was fixed as the maximum. This year
only $75.00 could be sent, and this made it necessary
to overdraw our account $935.66. This was the maximum
appropriation prevailing from 1893 to 1901.
It is evident that some of the candidates are in
greater need than others, and we suggest the propriety
of again asking the Presbyteries to make more
careful investigation as to the needs and other resources
of the candidates.
The last General Assembly asked for $43,000 for
this work. Of this amount $23,148.22 has been received
from all sources, as against $28,715.44 last
year.
Aid for Medical Missionaries.
In 1909 the General Assembly adopted the following
resolution: "That on the recommendation of the
Presbyteries aid may be given to young men studying
medicine with a view to service in our Foreign
Mission Field, such aid to be given only while in the
medical schools, and to be in the form of loans.
which may be cancelled by this service in the
foreign field." Two such candidates have been aided
this year.
State Institutions of Learning.
From the reports received at our office from, the
State Institutions of higher learning we find that
about one out of every six of the pupils in these institutions
come from Presbyterian homes, or prefer
the Presbyterian Church. The securing and adequately
supporting of a pastor over against these
seats of learning is, in our opinion, one of the most
vital problems confronting our Synods.
The Unitarian and Roman Catholic Churches are
expending large sums in subsidizing the work at
these institutions, and the evangelical churches need
to appreciate more fully the dangers and the opportunities
which are here presented.
2. Ministerial Relief.
It is with great joy your Committee reports that we
have been able this year to make a substantial Increase
in the amounts remitted to the worthy ben
eficiaries of the Funds of Ministerial Relief. This is
due not to an Increased liberality on the part of our
people during the past year, but to the fact that we
carried over a good balance from last year, and
have had a larger productive Endowment Fund.
We carry over a balance this year, but almost all
of It will be needed to pay the first quarterly installment
beginning April 1, 1912, and we have made
further increase in the amounts appropriated to the
most dependent and needy of thoBe on our rolls.
The Roll.
We have on our Roll of Beneficiaries 61 ministers,
150 widows and 14 orphans, 225 needy homes.
The 61 ministers have reached the average age of
68 years.
The oldest beneficiary is 86 years of age and has
labored 63 years in the service of our Church. The
youngest minister enrolled Is 40 years of age, and'
Is now an Invalid.
Of the 150 widows on our roll, the average age is
about 63 years, and their husbands spent in the service
of our Church an average of 26 years.
In these homes of refinement and want are more
than 71 fatherless children under the age of 14 years.
Of these 35 are not yet 10 years old.
Assistance Rendered.
The average assistance rendered the 32 ministers
on the Honorably 'Retired Roll is $253.75.
The average amount paid the 29 other ministers is
$194.92.
The average amount sent to each of the 61 ministers
is $225.78.
The average amount forwarded to each home of
the 150 widows is $135.75.
The average amount furnished each of the 14
orphans is $98.21.
rue average assistance, to eacn ramily IB $157.83
per annum, or forty-four cents a day per family.
8. The Endowment Fund.
Again the wisdom of the Church In erecting an Endowment
Fund of Ministerial Relief has been Justified.
"Had it not been for the Interest from these invested
funds it would have been necessary to scale
the meager amounts forwarded to our enfeebled veterans
and the needy widows and orphans of our deceased
ministers.
(Continued on Page 11.)