The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-03-18
CLERICAL SUPPORT.

for the support of pastors of churches. At
first sight, these reports of liberality and
hearty appreciation are gratifying, for it is
always pleasing to see worthy pastor
honored and cherished by devoted flock
But we have often been puzzled with
the question, why this flourish of trumpets
about an act of friendship in a happy fam
mily of fathers, and mothers, and brothers,
sisters Is it for the purpose of showing
to the world how much the people love
and honor their pastor, or does it look to
some other end? Doubtless, one impress
sion intended to be conveyed is, that the
parish has done something handsome, as
pure gratuity "a labor of love, and
above what had been promished, or rea-
sonably expected. Nay, imperious custom
has now issued her mandate, calling upon
the pastor, as soon as may be after the
party, to issue card, returning profound
thanks to his friends for their very liberal
donations, amounting, perhaps, to several
hundred dollars, in money and other sub
stantials. Our observations have long
since satisfied us that the donation party,
as a general rule, is less valuable to the cler-
gyman than to the people; and more fire.
quently serves to conceal the dishonor and
bad faith of delinquent congregation to-
ward its pastor, than to enrich him beyond
what he had simple right to demand.
Of course, it is all right, when ordinary
means have failed, to resort to extraordi-
nary ones; but when tae sole object is to
bring up arrearages, or to exc out mea-
gre support, or to raise part of deficit
of salary which would have been dis
gracefully small, had it all been paid up, we
protest against the injustice and falsehood
of trumpeting it abroad as work of SUI
pererogation. 1t is time enough for peo-
pie to be proclaimed as generous, when
they are known to have been just; and it
is practical falsehood to be heralding to
the world these magnificent donations,
when there is large arrearage on the
stipulated salary which will never be paid,
We should like to see balancing of the
books, in these cases for we strongly sus-
pect that if all the donations were set to
the credit of the congregation, there
would still be in most instances, a large
balance due the pastor. This does not
appear in the newspapers, and yet the
pastor literally consents, in consideration
of their donation, to drop all thus max
ing his donation to his people more than
that of any ten of his people to him.
When all engagements have been met,
and the clergyman supported as be should
be, it is all we'll enough to have donation
parties, expressive of the peoples devotion
to their pastor but for him to be issuing
his cards of profound Thanksgiving for
donations, while his salary is in arrears, is
in violation of the inspired rule, "honor
to whom HONOR &c. ...
The poor support of the clergy is one of
the dishonoring evils of the present age
throughout our country. OF course, cur
remarks do not apply to the strong con-
gregati ions of the larger cities but in the
rural districts and smaller cities, and, per-
haps, in the majority of the city churches,
the meagre support of the clergy is mat
ter of deep and burning shame If we
are not mistaken, the talents and attain
ments of the clergy Of our country, on an
average, are equal to those of either OF
the other professions. And yet, out of the
large city congregations, the clergyman is
not supposed to have right to aspire to
more than one-half what would enable an
ordinary lawyer or doctor to live. While
neither of them could think of living on
less than two or three thousand dollars,
the clergyman is supposed to be well pro-
vided for with an income of six hundred
to thousand. Were it the law Of society
that he and his family should live in ap-
parent poverty, and dress as laborers, it
would be tOlerable; but no one needs be
reminded that the clergyman and his fam
lily are expected to live, and dress, as well
as the best people of the parish. If his
coat becomes seedy. or his wife or daugh-
ter fail to procure new hat or gown when
others do, the whole parish is scandalized.
He is spoken of as improvident, shiftless,
or mean and very soon, it is understood
that his usefulness is at an end.
When we consider how largely the COM
merce, and all the appliances of civiliza.
ton are indebted to the influence of the
Christian religion, it is marvellous that SO
little tax is levied on the luxuries of the
age tor the support Of religion In no DO.
sition is talent, and scholarship. and moral
worth, 20 poorly remunerated as in the
ministry. Even the clerks of quarter.
masters often command better salaries
than the higher order Of the clergy and
Il ;s we'll known that those clereyn ,,,en wbo