The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-05-25
Ministers Widows and 0rph ans.

The Southern Presbyterian Revie,o for April
has very interesting article on this subject. As
it is most probable our General Assembly will
take some action upon it, we will not give the
details of the plan submitted by the writer in
the Reuieo, but some Of his closing remarks ought
to be pondered by the Church.
Against any plan looking to the relief of i'm
poverished widows and orphans an objection may
be urged. The righteousness of the fact that min
listers OF the gospel are the most underpaid class
OF workers In the world, does not make the fact
less scandal and shame 1t may therefore be
said that the root OF the matter is just here. Let
the Church, that Isl the body of believers be edu
Gated up to the proper standard, and there will be
no ministers dying in poverty Pay your pastors
an adequate salary while they are alive and in &C.
tive employment, and they will make due provi-
sion for their relicts just as other people do This
is very fine in theory But this process of educa.
ton is slow process, and ministers die while the
first lessons are being commenced. The prospect
that the ministry will rank with the other learned
professions in the matter of pecuniary reward is
not hatterng, and the reason is obvious: the
preacher OF the word is hunting for souls, while
the lawyer and the physician are hunting for dol
lars. The pastor cannot engage in both searches.
He will hold to the one and despise the other
Again, there are and always will be localities where
congregation of worshippers may be gathered who
are not able to pay the money value Of their pas
tors time and talents Are such localities to be
lett without supplies2 Or is the gospel to be made
too expensive fot their means, and thus placed
beyond their reach? Or is the laborer in such
fields to be forced into life of cebacy, as well as
life of selfdenial and hardship? The answer to
all these questions is in the plan for the relief Of
tba ral;o NJ ho in tbo,r Io,
ness at any of these outposts.
In conclusion, and by way of summing up, look
at the difficulties in the way. First of all, anc
last Of all, there is the apathy with which all new
projects are received. Men will discuss the gene
raj subject with some slight show of interest, anC
90 away forgetting straightway what manner O
men they are themselves For the very men wht
have the responsibility thrust upon them, are
they who are most personally interested in the
working of this or a kindred scheme Yet SC
many things are doubtful. The readiness of the
response of the membership of the Church anC
of all the regular attendants upon Presbyterian
worship; the doubt as to the scope of the Assem-
blys powers in the premises; the ever-recurring
doubt to the accuracy of any tables relating tt
the average duration of human life; and the neec
for the invention of new appliances for the coec
ton and disbursement of the fund-all of these
and more will occur the subject is discussed
nevertheless the plan Is worthy OF trial. Iht
SuStentation Committee could take charge of the
work which falls in the line of their regular occu
patton. Every pastor in this Southland is e1 off
clio an agent-always on the spot, and always within
reach of precisely the right audience Now anC
again, the wall that follows the husband and father
as he is borne to his last resting place is heard
and many times the inevitable grief of the survi
vors is deeper because the near future threatens
poverty the disruption of the household and tn,
doed-out charity that is more intolerable than des
titution. And Gaping the climax, there remain,
the patent fact that this accumulation of horror,
may be averted in every case, by the simple per
Torrance of plain duty on the part of the
Church, by the most natural manifestation of hel
corporate life, if she really haze a corporate life
What more can be said2'