The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

238 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
in the case of unmarried preachers who board around) in
clothing, laundry, etc., and they are encouraged to continue
and to do more."
Stage Two: Organization and System. A "Committee on
Self-Support," consisting of Filipinos and Americans, reported
to the Methodist Annual Meeting in I915 a plan which became
a working basis for the really wonderful progress which
followed. The plan must be given in full, for it is an important contribution to the world-wide problem of self-support.
Observe that the key provisions are:
i. Salaries fixed for pastors by a board nearly all native.
2. Tithing Band. 3. Weekly collections in the homes.
4. Careful system of checking up.
Recommendations of the committee on self-support.
I. Each district is to have a board of five or more district
stewards-laymen, or pastors. The District Superintendent
and the pastor in charge of the province shall be members.
2. At the beginning of each year, stewardship cards shall
be collected from all members, showing their weekly or
monthly pledge.2
3. The Board of Stewards shall review the promises of
the churches and of the Mission and then fix the salary of
each preacher.
4. It is the duty of each pastor to organize a "Tithing
Band" in each congregation. In this he will be aided by the
Board of Stewards.
5. Each pastor is to organize his membership into classes
with ten families in each class.
6. There will be a Steward for each class. He will carry a
card (furnished by the District Superintendent) with a list
of his ten families written thereon.
7. The Steward shall hold a prayer meeting in the home
of each family on his list once a week. At the close of this
meeting the Steward shall collect the weekly promise for the
support of the pastor and credit it on the card.
8. A special secretary shall carefully record this money.
'M. E. Annual Report 1915, p. 93.