Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-11-05
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page.
WASHINGTON CITY:
WEDNEsDAY......N November ), 1878
Taxing Church Property.

The question whether church property should
be exempted from taxation is attracting in
creased attention, and is made the subject Of a
recent essay by James Parton, the historian.
Coneeding the Importance Of the part which
churches play in our modern world, and how
much solace, admonition, elevation, and enter
tainment they afford 10 multitudes of most
worthy people in every land, you do not
strengthen institution, he argues, by pau
perizing IL, and you do not strengthen II by
making 1t . fractional part Of a pauper, even
to the extent Of relieving IL Of its taxes Tax
ing ecclesiastical property, 50 far from being
an injury to the church, should be one Of those
just, wise, and timely measures which benefit
everybody and hurt nobody. IL would send the
sap circulating through torpid members; 1t
would extinguish some feeble life but il would
strengthen and vivify the fttest, which would
survive. This Is the opinion of many of the
most influential members Of the Evangelical
Alliance.
In support Of his view Mr.. Parton refers to
the state Of things now existing in any repre-
sentative country town in the United States He
cites the case Of one in New England of TO- 900 or
1900 Inhabitants to show how a fair taxation of
the churches would work in practice. In this
town are seventeen churches struggling for life.
The moral and benevolent activity of the pl ace
that noblest part of human toll which Is dedi-
which others share besides ourselves this most
precious overplus Of human energy, strictly
limited a. it Is in amount, Is chiefly expended in
keeping the breath of life in these seventeen
feeble organizations. For this the ladies sew
contrive, beg, cook, sing, hold fairs, give enter
tainments, get up picnics drum for the Sunday
school, and move heaven and earth. For this
seventeen anxious clergymen toll, scheme and
wear out their souls. For this seventeen sections
pull the awful bell, making the day hideous
with horrid noise. This strain upon the best
activity Of the place is due to the simple fact
that one-half Of these churches are superfuous
On . certain Sunday, some months aso. fine
day In winter, ii was determined by actual
count that the whole number of persons attend
ing these churches during the day, including
the two services, was 500. The entire church
going population would be handsomely accom-
modated in one-hslf the existing edifces WHY
then, do they not unite? IL is because none of
them can quite succeed in dying. While there
Is life there is hope. They hold on and will hold
on, as long as il is possible for the annual ex-
pense TO be met. The law of the survival of the
tttest hungers for the extinction of half of
them; but that law is baked aud frustrated BY
the exemption from taxation.
In the case of the wealthy city churches. Mr.
Parton points out the hardship to the tax-pay-
ers from the exemption Of church property from
taxation. How heavily rests the burden of life
upon the shoulders, and upon the heart, too, of
an average citizen and virtuous father of a
family! For ten years he tolls and saves, deny
ing himself many alIuring enjoyments, in order
that he may make first payment upon a mod
est home for those he loves. Then he works and
saves for another five years to pay OFF the mort
gage. When all this is done, when he is at last
the proud possessor on the nest that shelters his
ha
pays tax upon it, from 500 to 5000. But right
before his eyes, rises a lofty and luxurious edi-
nee, the property of few rich men, which they
only care to use four hours a week. II is worth
half million dollars; and If it were fairly
taxed II would place in the city treasury in
the course Of the year not less than $1,000
But II viii not pay in one dollar, because IL
has two steeples upon 1t. But mark: If q mob
should burn IT, the tax payers would be ex-
pected to pay every dollar of the damage. At this
moment number of very worthy gentlemen
who stand justly high in the community, are
building In the Fifth avenue an edifice for their
Sunday edincation which Is to cost about
Ssoo,occ. The land alone cost $3.50 ,OOO These
gentlemen have perfect right to build this
elegant and costly church if they can afford it,
and IL II sccords with the principles of their
religion, OF which they alone are to be Judges;
but churches of this character NAV fairly be
CHASED as Injuries. and, as such, are peculiarly
adapted to taxation. Many good Christians
deeply lament the expenditure of 80 much
money upon edifces which minister to the
desires Of 30 few, and to those few during
only few hours in every week 9ut those
ismenting Christians should be told IT,.
tne only way to keep within bounds the erection
OF tnese costly churches is to subject them to
just and equal taxation.