, 1876-10-15
THE MODERN MINISTER.
How He Gets in tho Pulpit and His Pay
When lie Gets There.

Inc average annual 6atdFy Oh the American
clergyman is 275 paper dollars. And yet he Is
not happy!
From the princcly revenue OF Cardinal to
the wretched pittance Of Presbyterian Help
er'' the distance is great, although in point Of
time, occupation, constancy, and devotion the
highest and the lowest occupy common level.
In view of the fact that the churches OF
America cannot accommodate one-half Of the
population, and OF the other fact that, as rule,
not more than two-thrds OF the accommoda-
tIons provided are required or ayailed Of, it
would not be the most difficult matter III the
world to raise question as to the actual value
Of the average clergyman to mankind. There
is good deal that might be said with truth on
both sides, but instead Of that shall present,
rather, few facts Of interest, from which
others may draw texts for controversy.
The 40,0oo, 600 OF people in the United States
support annually $1,000 clergymeu, at IN ex-
pense Of s13, 750,0o0. Fifty thousand men, who
are recognized and respectfully sa1uted as
"religious teachers WHO are they? Are they
selected for their position By reason OF obvious
fitness? Do they elect the profession Of their
own yo1itiona Arc they safe and worthy OF their
trusts Are they happy in their busincsss Are
they generally sincere. bearing out III their pri
vate lives the doctrines taught from the pulpit!
In the first place, it is fact that men are
rarely made ministers because children or
lads they manifest any special calling or fitness
for the profession. a trade is a trade, all the
world over. II merchant, prosperous in life,
has three SONS, one Of whom cares nothing for
books, white the others are sLudious average
well at school, he is apt to take the one into his
store or Office and send the others to college.
Whatever is the fathers line OF AFFAIRS as rule,
fnls in that son deVotee. The others 60 to
college. Coming out, one is very likely taken
into business, and the other chooses a profess
SION Ii revival wave has flooded the college,
It is possible that one OF the boys may make
deliberate choice Of the ministry, and prepare
for it. AS rule, however, such absolute choice
Is not frequent.
The fathers occupation, and Its cognate
branches, have much TO do with the drift which
ninety-nine times in hundred fonts our young
clergyman, With-as is generally the case--a
large family, the sons become ministers and the
daughters marry ministers. In ordinary busi-
ness lite 90 per cent fail, per cent succeed, and
2 per cent rise to pronounced and notable pros
psrity. So it is4n the pulpit. The vast major
ity of clergymen fail as preachers, fail as teach
era, fail as couYiucers, and are saved from
thorough uselessness solely By reason OF their
quality as nurses, domcsticians, and pastors.
It's mistake to say that tluency Of speech,
ministers. The average preacher. is not fluent
OF speech. Good speakers are the exceptions.
Written sermons prosily delivered are the rule,
and if the success Of the great Christian Church
of the clergy, Heaven help the Church.
As from West Point class may come ono
Sherman, so from q Theological class may come
one Tying, one Storrs, one Hall, one Adams;
never have given Sherman his military genius,
so would it be farccal to claim that any teacher
OF theology created the power which in the
clergymen named gives them success and influ-
ence, and puts thousands OF mighty dollars in
their well1ined wallets.
There is wide difference between popular
preacher and a good paetor. Popular preach
ers are impulsiVe, enthusiastic, and eloquent,
but they are rarely good pastors. Good pastors
are kind-hearted, Sympathetic, and attentive to
the calls If the parish. They care for the poor.
visit the sick, counsel with the afflicted, and
literally minister to the households Of their
f1rks; but such men are never heard OF, never
known, never reported. They live humbly,' and
die unnoticed-also poor.
ind after careful survey OF the field, open to
us ali, that the majority Of living clergymen be-
come such either because their fathers were
ministers, or by the merest accident. need
but refer the Tynes The storrses, the Beeehers,
Coxes, the CAROLS, as proof Of the former fact.
It was perfectly natural for Lyman Beecher's
sons to follow their fathers footsteps. He was
moor and they were forced TO study anu fup-
port themselves. They all became clergymen,
some successfully, some without particle Of
success And as it was with that family it Is in
yer1 ,;,any others. In all Evangelical Churches
occur periodical rerivals, when the young men
and maidens are emotionally 'convicted Of
sin. ;" and after an honest but defective examin-
fnatiou are made members of the Church. This
leads to the social gathering and the scmfweek-
ly prayer-mceting. The brother in the chair
calls on the convert to pray, or to give his ex-
perience. Some eau do SO with ease; others
would sink into embarrassment. Often little
talking in this scmi-public way leads to more
public talking, and that to kind OF missionary
business, teaching in the Sundav-school.
talking on the docks, or lectur1ng be-
fore society without settled pas
tor. Self-conceit steps in very often. The
good preacher thought1essly encourages the
Young brother. The Deacons, glad OF any re-
lief from their cast-iron phraseolosy, welcome
him to the front. 4 second revival comes and
the Young man becomes ''helper." He
h]nwS the gospel trumpet and cIh0rts the
brethren to Hold the Fort with the best OF
them. He NAV be clerk in dry goods or hard
ware, but trade is dull to him now: ne neeos
the exaltation of the sessions in the lecture
room. He attends the seminary course. ne
invests in bombazine coats, alpaca shoes, anu
lutte string for his watch. a rear passes
two. three All the time he is filling up with
texts for bombardmeut, and acquiring the RnacA
of controversy.
Does he practices
Oh, yes; but not rs before. He isn't going
50 much on the docks Or among the poor as ne
r ~. 14nif~n a