Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-05-31
MINISTERIAL FUNERAL FEES.

By Dr.. Wm. Taylor, /. the Christian at Work.
Ministers arc expected to visit tho sick
and attend the funerals Of members of
their own congregations without extra
compensation. When man takes pew
in church he becomes entitled not only
to what satisfaction and benefit he may re-
ceive from the sanctuary but to the pastor
al visits and offices Of his minister. Some.
times parishioncrs are thoughtful and
kind enough to show their appreciation
of faithful pastors services ut the bed
siee and the grave by present expressive
Of their grateful regard, but such gifts arc
never offered as compensation nor re-
ccivcd as pay. 1t is the recognized duty
of a christian pastor to visit the sick and
comfort the afflicted, and if those who OK.
pcriencc the benefit Of his minlstrations
respond by gift or act, their appreciation
strcng thcns the ties that binds him to his
people. And it is pleasant to think that
the custom Of remembering a pastor in
this way is steadily increasing. =.
AT the present time the number of pco-
pie who have no church connection is
very large, and when one Of these people
dies his friends are usually anxious that
he should have a christian burial, and do
not hesitate to call on clergyman to per
form the service. The services of many
clcrgymcn, especially in our cities and
large towns, arc in constant demand by
people who do not belong to any parish,
and whose only claim on clergyman IS
that which sympathy gives. 1t is to the
credit Of the clergy that these calls arc al
ways promptly responded to. and some
times not without great personal incon.
vcnicncc. Most clergymcnt regard it as
a sacred privilege to comfort the mourncr
and speak words Of trust and hope and
cheer to the sick, anu pray with and for
the dying. And the thought OF rcmuncr
alton for these sacred offices seldom enters
into their calculations. Oflcntincs they
arc rendered TO those who are too poor to
make any return save that of q fcrvcnt
"God bless you, Sir" But in many in
stances they arc rendered for people who
arc well-to-d", II not wealthy, and yet
who make no return. Sometimes clergy.
man is obliged to give up pressing engage.
ments to pert rlm funeral service for
rich non-parishioner, for which he is bare
ly thanked; and almost every clergyman
has sometimes been put to expense as
well as trouble to attend the funeral Of u
non- parishioner, for which the poor COM
plimeht OF thanks was not even returned.
This is an abuse which certainly ought to
he remedicd. Certainly if man does
not value the institutions of religion
enough to take pew in q church, and
thus contribute hi. part to support q
christian minister. whose services he
would then lave right TO command, he
should certainly BY expected to pay for
the minister's services when lie requires
them. 1fmen will not pay for religion
to live by, they should he manly enough
TO pay for the religion they want to he
buried by. And this is point which the
friends and supporters of religious insli.
tutions, rs well as ministers, should unite
in enforcing. Let it I've understood that
when man Of means refuses to contribute
in any way to the support of religious in.
s'itutions, he neither cares for nor expects
the services Of a minister in sickness and
death, and many Of the people who now
stand aloof from the church will begin IL
think seriously of what common deccncy
requires them to do. And fthcy want d
christian burial for themselves or those
who are dear to them, they should NJ
more think Of calling on the minister OF a
parish to which they do not belong TO
perform the service without compcnsa.
ton or at least acknowledgment, than
they should expect the services OF q ply.
sican without paying for them.