Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-06-19
POSITION OF AMERICAN CLERGY
FROM THE HoMH. JOURNAL, (sEw York;

+. saL A /. .
FROM THE HOME JOURNAL, (NEw YORK;
The Christian Inquirer of this city, a paper con-
Quoted with ability, and pervaded always by ibe
raj and humane spirit, concludes an article upon
the American Clergy with the following words:
We believe that the voluntary system in this country
yet in very crude and undeveoped state and that
far decided measures than is generally thought
necessary to guard against imminent Dangers especially
to resist the ngues Of foreign priesthood, who know
too well the weak points of system, and who how
much under authority in respects free from
dependence upon the congregations We intended to pur
the subject but columns crowded to for
bid at present"
We talicse line Of the above, because there the wri
had his finger upon the place That is the very
of the difficulty, sour dependence upon the congre5a
tons" We regret that the Inquirer did not "pursue the
subject and yet hope to in its columns the frank
est and fullest exposition of its opinions upon this
important subject
We have another paragraph lying before u.s. clipped
time ago from the Oee Branch which states the
case in eloquent buresque 1t is signed Fanny Fern
who must be cergymans wife daughter, thorough
an understanding has she of the complicated difficulties
of clergymans position:
THE MODEL MINISTER.
He exchanges is not particular whether he
pies fourstory house ten-footer for parsonage
Considers donation parties invention Of the adverse
y breaches round and round the commandments in such
circular way not to hit the pecuarsticks of any Of
his parishoners Selects the hymn to suit the singing
choir instead of himself forgets when excited in
debate that pulpit cushions expensive articles Visits
all his people month"; and receives their visits when
they choose to nfic EN- brings forth things new
and old every Sunday, more particularly neW Knows
by intuition at funeral the state Of mind of every dis
tant relative of the deceased and always hits the right
nail the head in his prayer. When he baptzes girl
baby never aficts the anxious mother by pronouncng
/ Yonis Tof, all m cpth "a
cloak Looks upon bronchitis throat complaints
| and Journeys to Europe modern humbugs; never
better coat than any Of his parishioners Submits
has prpdte personal expenses TO committee Of The creates
| dudvheads in his congregation Has the eloquence o
Paul. the wisdom of Solomon, the patience Of job the
meekness of Moses the constitution Of an elephant and
| lives on $500 year.
We were wrong in calling the above burlesque. We
know and large number of readers know, that it is
| an almost literal statement Of facts
There certain subjects upon which it is dangerous,
in this nation speak because it is universally sup
posed that absolutely and finally RIGHT in our
view of them, that to express timid and modest
doubt respecting the of the popular opinion is
regarded species of impiety if it is religious
teror treason, the subject is political The subject
named at the head of this article is Of these Sane
toned, however, by such high religious authorities
those just quoted may perhaps be pardoned for offer
ing few observations matter most intimately
neced with the preservation not to the progress Of
civilization in this Western world So far in history
the preservation Of civilization, amid the manifold ten
denotes barbarsm incident to the settlement Of
country is due mainly to the abors Of the clergy At
this moment there regions in the Western country
where the sole hope and stay Of civilization is the Meho-
dist pioneer preacher where the tdngs that there is
better life than that Of earth nobef pleasures than those
Of sense worhier aims than worldly fortune reach the
Of the people through him alone But whether the
clergy destined TO carry to completion what they
have begun whether the clerical profession is
come extinct and wholly different religious organiza-
ton is to take its place. depends simply upon hs-whe-
ther the pecunary support Of the American clergy shall
shall not be placed better, uster and indie
pendent footing than il is At present, is well
known the tendencies all to the extinction Of the pro-
fession.
There three ways now practised in the Christian
world Of supporting the clergy One is for the Govern
men as in France to pay the salaries out Of the orna
ry revenues just the civil officials paid Another
is the English method of tthes and vings the right Of
the clergyman the tthe its commuted equivalent
beng recognised and protected by the law and the cer
gyman holding his living for life, good behavior"
The third the voluntary system in which the pastor
the eng of his fock is appointed by his flock holds his
place at the pleasure Of his ock and is subject to al the
whims and caprces Of his flock whom he must please
eare Under all of these different systems the clergy
class have always been poor and, to their honor
said have never class complained Of their poverty
1t is wages enough they have always felt be occupied
worldly distractions Nor is it Of their poverty that our
clergymen are accustomed 10 complain; though they
might well do Heaven knows Ii is the insecurify Of
their position their dependant emi-pauperke condition
They aware of course that with an income Of
four hundred dollars year, upon which family and
perhaps an indispensable horse, are to be maintained
preach with little eject to who exult. in an
income Of thousand particularly in these days when
money is the only thing to which sincere homage is paid
But that annual pttance Of four hundred dollars
wholly indsputably, and for life, OWN then the pas
tor inrenching himself in the inherent dignity of his
position, could safely defy his proud parishioner and
preach forth the words of truth and righteousness with
out fear or favor. Can he do 50 now Yes If he is
strong and unmarried But who can help being coward
when his chidrens bread perchance his aged mothers
hangs upon the will, the vhim Of purse-proud dun
derheadf In such cowardce is virtue and mar
tyrdom is base.
And here, space permitted what catalogue Of pain
full facts could adduce What tales of anxious trim
ming between interest and duty What instances Of vene
rabe and sanity men turned out TO die like out
horses after very many years Of devoted hercuean self
forgetting labors 1t only few months ago that
remark was addressed TO ourselves by learned New Eng
lander that illustrates in most forcble the un
stable and dependant nature Of cergymans position.
Said our fend cit Is unhappy thing for the peace Of
village for doctor to settle in IT, for generally he
turns out the minister in the Of two three
The new conner he explained is usually new light and
the old doctor is always scker for the old practice