Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-02-21
MINISTER'S SALARIES.

At frequent intervals the suojecto OF
the support of clergymen finds Its way
from the pulpit and the religious peri
odicals into the secular press. By the
latter the discussion is conducted on
purely business grounds. It ought to
be unnecessary to remark that the COM
mercial aspect of preaching, as a SER
vice rendered for which compensation
Is due and payable, is not a view to
which ecclesiastical and religious jour
nails can be expected to give most at
tention. The too prominent declara-
ton of the dollar and cent side Of the
relations Of pastors and people would
not unnaturally degrade the standing
of clergymen as a class and lessen the
influence which they ought to exert.
And 1t might produce an effect upon
ministers themselves, which, however
it might tend to individual success In a
business point of view, would not ele-
vate their views as to their i~ndepend-
ence, or embolden them to present ur-
popular truths. When smooth and
pleasant things r in best demand In
the market the commercially wise
man does not offer q sharp and stern
article. This consideration of the mat
ter has led mt least one influential de-
nomination to condemn clerical sala-
ries altogether, and thus logically to
reach the conclusion that there should
be 10 such class as the clergy recoS-
nized as u distinct profession. And
hereby hangs a tale which is pertinent
to the subject. 1t is, moreover, true
a fact and not a parable. There once
lived In Philadelphia two brothers,
one of whom adhered to the faith OF
his fathers, and was a prominent
Friend" The other, following his
convictions, became a member OF a
church in which the order Of salaried
preachers is recognized. He lost not
even the respect of his old co-religion-
lists by the change, and his character
commanded admiration in every posi-
ton of life. He was Influential in the
financial as we'll as the religious rela-
tions of his new associates. He lived
honored for his integrity, and beloved
for his true piety and practical reli-
cion, and died universally lamented.
His brother, at brothers may, good-hu-
moredly rallied him often upon the re-
ligious connections which he had
adopted, and of course the "hirellng
ministry was not forgotten In the
Friend brothers pleasant hunor. One
day the "hIreling" advocate, having
Just left q financial conference. to
which he had contributed, as usual,
modest advice and generous "material
aid" being pushed in his argument,
produced what he considered an effect
ual estopper. 1t was n list of mission
aries just graded, and their stipends
wore set against their names, from
fifty dollars up, but none exceeding
five hundred dollars per annum, and
few reaching more than two-fifths OF
that amount. There, brother" he
said, "you are always talking of hire
ling ministry, what do You think OF
that list? DO these mon serve for
hiree" "I'll tell thee what ! think"
said the other, handing back the paper,
.'if 1 pretended to pay preachers at
all, I would pay them better than
that" Nothing more need be said
upon the subject of clerical incomes
than the candid Friend said In that re-
ply, and the subject may here be left
to the consciences and the pockets OF
"whom it may concern"