New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-07
SCARCITY OF The CLERGY.
REPLY TO THE ASSERTION THAT THERE Is sur
FELT OF MINISTERS.

FELT OF MINISTERS.
TO the EditOr Of the Tribune.
SIR Allow me word in reply TO the state.
ments made by your correspondent from Philadelphia
regard to scarcity OF the clergy" So far as they
strike at the efforts made IN the Presbyterian Church
for the development of the ministry, they convey an
erroneous and injurious impression which needs 10 be
corrected Nothing than to generaze broadly
from limited observations imperfestly mate, and 70
conclude that state Of thins exists universally be-
cause found In immediate neighbOrhOod A SNOW.
dt before the door does not prove that the storm has
been severe, aud that the plains are similarly GOV.
cred
In the Presbyterian Church. according to the minutes
Of tn last general assembly, there were marked pre-
ciselv 3s5 ministers "without CHARGE out OF sum total
of4.9O1 Among these are included those who, for
generiton, have shown themselves to be mistaken IN
their calling. aud many who. by OF a few gray
hairs and other nrGiesare deemed by many churches
In their Righteousness, as unfit for resettement
rbe proportion of the cOniessedly unemployed must
therefore be deemed very small. They do begin tc
como up to the 1" thousands" and they are mostly
clustered IN our larger cities and naturally keep looking
for places.
Per contra, from the same minutes we discover that
out Of 5000 churches there reported vacant-L
without pastor stated supply-957 a told. or these
10 number 800 to 500 members each % from 200
10 300 members EACH 80 from 100 to 200 members
25 members each or course mere numbers do not
always dete mine the importance OF church. But they
furnish data for judgment and from these figures
1t will be that there according TO the last re-
ports $40 churches, numbering over % members EACH
ALL one would suppose, worth being cared for destitute
" any stated ministratiOns. Then, when the whole
number OF churches Is compared with the whole number
of ministers hOmay be considered available for WORK.
there an excess of over 1900 showing that number
Of our churches are supplied by ministers OF other
bodies so that many several grouped under
charge
still further the number OF candidates for the minis
try in colleges and seminarie Is rapidly ana alarm
ingly dim nshng has been discovered Dy extensive
correspondence-OwiDg in part It is distinctly Affirmed
to the false impressions made BY Just such statements
as those of your correspondent. And now when our
country appears TO be entering upon period OF fur'
Their apid expansion, actually threatened win
" dearth 81 Ministers" This is the alarm which s
sounded by in various quarters occupying posts OK
wide obseryatlon II is one 10 be needed. But what
will your correspondent say TO the EFFORTS making iot
educatng ministers tor our German Congregations so
mucn In need Of Them and also for our Freedmen at the
South, where from neglect thousands ar" ap,ls utO
barbdrsml In these directions te PresDy teldh
Church has not begun accOmp sh what Is required
and il stil greatly Murdered from accomplishing by me
stratness In its resources. Surely were your CORE
spUndeut fully cOgnzant OF the facts question whether
he would have FASTENED TO put IN ms protest. as ne mas
against appeals made for raising funds 10 ald ~ pre-
parlng young men for the ministry" THIS Work 1as
been already much hindered by such protests Tor
any good man knowingly TO BLOCK u further. ,,-. =,
But what about those -: eighty applicants
said On examination IL will be found that by far
the larger proportion OF these applicants are ministers
already settled whO urged by evils that they nave se
ndnced 10 seen change only TO those they
wot not Of Some suffer from sCanty salaries, Others
from vexatOus church members, Others from an
insaIubriOus climate, others lima CINE that by a
new settlement they profit better nom the acquire
meDts already made. THIS desire for change-ths seek
ing for place-wel there s good deal 10 De SAID ABOUT
it which perhaps would better not be said But Ooghb
not every minister ponder the matter ana try
10 imagine how Il looks In the eyes OF the word oDseiV
ing IT. and how IL compares With the doctrine hed
about a Divine call to the ministry and DIVINE aI-
polutmer Of IT, Does Il not SAVIOR too much OF Df
er Baehind when man9uvre for position and then
cal! IL a PPOyidt meet DANIEL ~ toOh'
NeIc- York. Dec 2, 1873.