The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-08-21
a STRIP IN rmr menr DIRECTION.

4 STEP Is TuE HIGHT DIRECTION.
Alta recent meeting Of the convention
Of Congregational churches, important
action was taken on a matter which is
Of interest beyond the limits Of the de-
nomination II was for the purpose Of
increasing the salaries paid their pas
tors BY weak churches, aud thus its
object is nothing less than the contin-
uanee Of preaching the gospel, where
such continuance had become ques-
ton The need for this action had be-
come very great. Salaries in many
places had not kept pace with the in-
crease Of prices many churches were
unable to offer salary enough to induce
a pastor TO be settled with them--or
their fear that they could not continue
even their present salary led to the
same resultant the fact appears that
few more than fourth Of the two hun
bred churches in the State have pas
tors. But sixty paid as much as 81 :
600. The average salary is $3.50
A similar state Of things appeared in
the Presbyterian church, and two years
ago a committee was appointed in the
General Assembly to consider this sub
iect of the increase of salaries They
devised plan, and its success has been
beyond expectation. In our own con-
vention, one year ago, the success Of
the Presbyterian plan was spoken Of
and a committee was appointed to take
this matter into consideration. They
sent out a circular of inquiries to the
churches, responses to which contained
valuable facts. A new committee was
appointed, with instructions to devise
a plan and put it in immediate execu-
ton, and this is the action to which /
have reference. The committee con
sists of Rev. Ii. Fairbanks and Rev. Fl.
T. Fuller, Of st. Johnsbury Rev. G..
5. Smith, of Montpelier, who is also
Secretary of the Vermont Domestic
Missionary Society Deacon G. F.
Thompson, together with the writer Of
| this article
The committee met as soon as pos
siblo and adopted this plan
All salaries now below that amount
shall be raised to nine hundred dollars,
provided only that evidence be given
of having met the following condi-
tions
L. Actual installation of pastor
2. Salary, paid by people, at least
$500
8, Average payment, by people, at
least $40 per resident church member.
f. No parsonage to be reckoned more
than 500.
5. No reduction of salary from pre-
ceding year.
6. Church's salary to be first paid
quarterly and reported.
7. Advance payment to sustentation
committee of contribution equal to one
twentieth Of church's salary.
s. Pastor to pay nothing toward
meeting above conditions.
| 9. Systematic contributions each
year to the American Board, Vermont
Domestic Missionary Society, A. NJ
/ A. and Sustentation Committee, as
above.
TO- Two or more churches to be aid
cd, eonJointly, in the discretion of the
committee. Grant of aid to date from
actual fulfllment Of the above condi
tons, aud payment of the same at the
end Of the quarter.
We have not hesitated to profit by
the experience Of the Presbyterians
| We have not adopted their plan, but
have been guided by it. We draw
/ hope also from the same source. They
have aided three hundred and eight
. churches, and have raised the salaries
which these churches pay, to one thou
sand dollars. From two hundred O
these churches they learn the following
+ facts $50 600 we're paid before fo
salaries, Now, in order to meet tht
conditions Of aid, they pay $4,000
The increase Of bcnoyolcnce has beer
) from S. 600 to S2O,0OO. Applying thi
ratio Of gain to all the aided churches
we find that the increase TO the genera
! treasury Of the church is S5s 600
! This work has required an outlay 0
, 500, 600 Surely the returns are good
When we consider the pastorates es
tabIishcd, the increased vigor aud cour
r age Of the churches and the relief ]
gives q the Home Board for most c
l. these churches we're drawing upon tn
t Home Mission treasury, it is sufi
cienlly recommended.
c There is no reason why equally goo
s results should not follow Ia our Stat,
! We have some problems to meet whic
. tie Prcsbytcriaas did not have The
e drew their supplies from the ublimite
& wealth 81 their entire denomination
% We can appeal 70 the comparatiyel
. poor churches u single State Ye