CHAPTER XLIV.

SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS,' WIDOWS,' AND ORPHANS' FUND.

Art. I. (1) There shall be and is a department known as the Superannuated Preachers,' Widows,' and Orphans' Fund of the Colored M. E. Church.

2. The object of this department is to provide a fund for Superannuated Preachers, Widows and Orphans of deceased preachers.

3. This department shall be under the management of a Board of Directors consisting of a Bishop, the Secretary-treasurer and five ministers elected by the General Conference.

4. The Board of Directors shall meet annually at such time and place as the President of the Board shall determine.

5. The Board of Directors shall supervise the work of the department, hear and audit the report of the Secretary-Treasurer, and co-operate with him in every possible way to build up the department.

Art. II. (1) The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all moneys of this department and give his receipt for the same. He shall keep an accurate account of all moneys received and paid out to claimants by Annual Conferences. He shall report annually to the Board of Directors and quadrennially to the General Conference.

2. He shall keep a record of the Superannuated preachers, widows and orphans in each Annual Conference, showing the time each superannuate has served in the active ministry, the number and age of the orphans of each minister's family, and the time served in active work by every minister, whose widow is a claimant on this fund.

3. He shall pay claims only on the recommendation of the Annual Conference, endorsed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the Joint Board of Finance.

4. He shall make settlement with all claimants on or about January 1st of each year in order to get reports from all conferences.

5. The Secretary-Treasurer is authorized to devise plans to raise money to meet payments when it becomes necessary.

6. The Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish such bond as the Board of Directors may deem necessary for protection of the funds of the department. He shall receive for salary $1200 per annum.

7. The books of the department shall be open for inspection at any time on request of the Board.

Art. III. (1) The funds of this department shall accrue from the 10 per cent. of the General Funds for Superannuated preachers, widows and orphans, from a per capita of one dollar on all active preachers and laymen of every Annual Conference and from plans and devices of the Secretary-Treasurer.

2. Should there be an insufficient amount in the treasury to pay the minimum pension, the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Board and, in case they cannot make provision to raise the shortage, he shall pay each claimant in proportion to the amount of his pension.

Art. IV. (1) Superannuated preachers who have served in the itinerancy for ten or more years, shall receive a pension of not more than $250.00 nor less than $150.00.

2. Superannuated preachers who have served in the itinerancy from five to ten years, shall receive a pension of not more than $150, nor less than $100.

3. Superannuated preachers who have served from one to five years in the itinerancy shall receive not more than $100, nor less than $65.

Art. V. (1) The widow of an itinerant or superannuated preacher with children, under fourteen years of age, shall receive the same pension as her husband until the children are fourteen years old.

2. The widow of an active or superannuated preacher without children shall receive one half the pension allowed her husband so long as she remains in good standing in the C. M. E. Church.

3. When the father and mother of children under fifteen years of age die, the children shall receive the same pension allowed widows under section 2.

Art. VI. The Bishop presiding shall appoint a representative in each Annual Conference, who shall collect and send to the Secretary-Treasurer, the following items:

(1) The name of each Superannuated preacher, his age and term of active service in the ministry.

(2) Name of each widow, number and age of children; time the husband of each widow served in the active service.

(3) Name and age of children whose father and mother are dead; time father served in active ministry.

(4) The name, time of service, name of widow, and number of children of each preacher whose death is reported at each session of the Annual Conference.