National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-10-20
Shepherds and their ElOrks,

ana MAINTAIN between each other busi
ness relation Just rs Independent of rh'
spiritual as it is possible to make il
The physician may be, and in multitude
of eases Is, the dearest family friend
but he lives by his profession, and hi,
services have recognized money valu,
which he expects to receive without {
question. He would prefer, perhaps
to render his services without reward
especially to those whom he loves but
he has mouths to feed and provision to
make for rainy days, and for the help
lessness that comes at last to all. So,
though love and sympathy, and self.de-
NAL for love and sympathy's sake may
have actuated him in all his daily round
of duty, he goes home at night and takes
down his b.otter, and enters his charges
MS formally as if he h d been selling
farm produce or tin ware.
There IL feeling in many parishes
that 1t is gift by whatsoever any pastor
may be profited by them-that a pastor
earns nothing, aud that in all things he
Is the beneficiary Of the parish. To
make this matter thousand times worse.
there are pastors not few who take the
position TO which the parishes assign
them, and assist in perpctunting the
mistake. They are men whose hands
comes; who delight IN donation pm
ties, and who grasp right and left, wit
Unsuitable greed, at gifts. They b
come 80 mean-spirited that they do n,
like to pay anything. They are spong,
upon their peope and the commumit
Wherever they happen to be, they 'he
down on the brethren. There is moth
ing Of value that they are not glad to
receive, ond there is nobody that they
are not glad TO be indebted to for favors.
Sometimes they are. extravagant, and
have graceless way of getting into
debt. out of which they are helped
yearly. the ahiect mcanness into
which he can descend find too fire.
quent illustrations among the Nmerican
1t is shocking and sickening
{ ut there are some men who seem
forced 10y their parishes to live in this
way, and it is still more discomforting
to find men who seem tolerahlv com
Portable and coutented while living in
this way. If "A man is fit to preach
he is worth wages. If he is worth
wages, they should be paid with all the
business regularity that is demanded
and enforced in business life There
is no man in the community who works
harder for the money he receives than
-he faithful minister There is no man
in whose work the community is in
crested to whom regular wages, that
,hall not cost him "A thought, are so i'm
)ortant. OF what use i'll pulpit can any
nan be whose weeks are frittered away
n mean cares and dirty economies
Every month, or every quarterday. ev-
'ry pastor should he sure that there
will be placed in his bands, as his lust
wages, money enough to pay all his ca
,enses. Then. without n sense of spe-
.al obligation to anybody, he can
reach the truth with freedom, and
repare for his public ministrations
'ithout distraction. Nothing more
ruel to pastor, or more disastrous to
is work can be done than to force upon
i'm feeling of dependence upon the
harities of his flock. The office of
ich a man does not rise in dignity
bove that of court-fool. He is the
feature of the popular whim, and the
reacher without influence to those who d,
D not respect him or his office sufficient
to pay him the wages due to a man
no devotes his life to them. Manll-
nss cannot live in such a man, except .
be in torture-a torture endured sim !
Y because there are others who de-
nd upon the charities doled out to Z
m.
Good, manly pastors and preachers do
1T want gifts, they want wages. 1t is Il
1t Kindness to eke out insufficient !,
iaries by donation parties and by bene- -
chons from the richer members of the !.
'ck. 1t is not u merit as they seem u
regard it. for parishes or individuals J.,
do this. 1t is an Acknowledgement u
Indebtedness which they are too mean
pay in a business way. The pastor u
eds it and they owe it, but they take
themselves the credit of bene actors, II
d place him i'll an awkward and fal,e =,
sition. The influence of this state of !,
ing upon the world that lies outside of .
e sphere of Christian belief and activ-
: is beyond calculation. We have had
ough Of the patronage of Christianity Y
a haIt-scoting, half-tolerating world. v
Christians do not sufficiently recog- t'
1e the legitimacy of the pastors call a!
Z to render him fully his just wages, at
Il to assist him to maintain his manly d
dependence before the world they p
lst not blame the world for looking u
on him with "A contempt that forhils u
proach and precludes influence. The H
rid will be quite ready to take the L
-tor at the valuation of his friends, bI
d the religion he teaches at the price SC
professors are willing to pay, in o.
siness way, for its ministry. Ur. f. IL
Hoiland, in ScTtbner'S MoHttiy for De- u
en-. III
EXERCISE The Lockport Jou5mai W
ntans the following practical sug- cSl
1