The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-02-18
Pay Your Preacher.

The Charlotte IN. c. Observer says, under
the above heading:
This may seem rather singular subject for
secular newspaper, and we may be accused of
encroaching upon the reserved rights of the re-
ligious press, but then the eloquent Erskine, in
the course of one of his most powerful efforts,
said, "Truths come in cold abstract from the
pulpit, but men smart under them when we
lawyers turn preachers" And why not when
we editors turn preachers? By the term
preacher" we do not wish to be understood as
referring to that class Of pulpit orators, who
prance before footlights, and divide the popular
applause with the star theatrical actors of the
day, nor do we refer to that class of ignorant
hypocrites- be found, alas in some portions
of our State-who preach the gospel to keep
from paying poll tax. Neither do we refer to
the ministers of any particular denomination,
for it has been we'll said truth is ever the
same, whether it comes to US in the lofty die
tion Of the Episcopalian, the profound reason
ing of the Presbyterian, the earnest .entreaties
of the Baptist, the fiery zeal of the Methodist,
or the eloquent silence of the Quaker" No,
we refer to those self.sacrifcing, unappreciated,
disregarded men, whatever their creed, who
have left all to serve their meek and lowly
Master, men who might have adorned any
worldly station, many of whom might have
held listening senates entranced by their elo-
quence, men who have business capacity to
have accumulated the wealth of an Astor or
Stewart, men who might have achieved world
wide reputation in any of the learned secular
professions, these are the men to whom we re-
fer when we say, "pay your preachers" When
they chose this high calling they did not doom
themselves alone to life Of toll and privation,
but they involved their wives and children in
the sacrifice. And yet what thanks do they get
from the people of so-caled Christian commu
mites? Why, from many they receive nothing
but sneers and ridicule. Every little upstart
thinks it adds to his Importance to sneer at the
preachers. "He breaches only for the money"
says one, as if he did not know that the minis
ter referred to could, with the same amount of
labor, make more than his pitiful salary at the
most proftless occupation. Says another, II
could have preached a better sermon than that
myself" in answer to which we will quote from
an exchange: eff the time ever comes for the
explanation of the mysteries of this world, we
shall be glad to know why the young man who
remarks on leaving church, 4 can preach bet
ter sermon that that myself is content to wear
out his life at S25 month";"
We venture the assertion that the heather OF
the past es well as of to-day contributed pro-
portionately more of his means in furtherance
Of his religious belief than the Christian 1--WE
use the term in contradiction to "heathen") of
the boasted nineteenth century does to promote
his, and further, that the heather showed more
respect for the object of his worship whatever
it may nave been, than the Christian shows for
his God. Wonder if it ever occurred to the
young man who never contributes anything to-
ward the salary Of preacher or the cause of
religion, save a ragged "shinplaster" that
wouldn't pass current among the bootblacks,
thrown in the plate, occasionally, We wonder if
such person ever reflected how immeasurably
below the heather he is in piety? The pagan
would fear to. offer the being he worshipped,
counterfeit, worthless or even damaged coin;
yet young men in Christian communities will
offer to the God that made them currency that
they would be ashamed to present to their fe-
low men or even over the counter of bar-room.
The pitiful salaries of the Christian ministry
and the empty exchequers of Christian
churches is blot upon the boasted civilization
of the century, But it is said the heathens pay
through superstitious fear. Well, we think
Christian communities have too little supersti-
ton. If you have never contributed to the
support cf the ministry do SO now, and be no
longer worse than pagans you have but lit
tie contribute according to your means! fyou
have only one biscuit scatter few crumbs
on the water