Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-14
MINIsTERIIL YlcATIONs.

The question of whether church should
be taxed to pay the expenses of it's pastor
during his summer vacation of two or three
months, and in addition pay :. supply for
the pulpit during his absence. is creating
some discussion at the East. The subject is
one that demands attention in these hard
times.
1t has become the fashion for minister's
in making contracts with clutches, to stipu-
late that they shall have vacation of from
six weeks to three months, every su inner,
their salary to continue during their absence.
This is simply an imposition. In the first
place, there is no more need of minister
having long vacation than for any other
professional man-nor as mach. Ministers
do not perform one-tenth the labor of
lawyers, editors or physicians, nor are
their labors so Frustrating to the phys
ical strength. Their constitutions must be
weak indeed if they find themselves worn
out after nine months of duty in the pulpit,
which involves at most two or three days'
work each week. Then, they receive sala-
to pay their own expenses, if they feel bound
to take rest, and it is an outrage to ask
their parishioners, oftentimes hard-pressed
for means to pay living expenses, to make
up a purse for them. There are thousands
of men who never enjoy days rest save
the Sabbath, from one years end to the
other, who are obliged to contribute to main
tain their pastor in luxurious idleness for
months at time.
The pastors who do not go to Europe are
often guilty of another fraud upon their peo-
pie. Many of them make it point to 90
from city to city, and supply the pulpits
made vacant by each other, receiving therefor
from $50 to $3.50 week. We know of min
listers who for years have followed this plan,
and have never lost Sunday. They have
thus been drawing double salary-one from
their home churches, and the other for sup
plying other pulpits by preaching old ser
mons. To say nothing of the morality of
the practice, Otis scarcely removed from lar
ceny) this is an imposition upon the good
nature of their congregations which should
not be tolerated..
We will not discuss the inconsistency of
those pastors who insist upon their long va
cations-their professions of desire to
labor increasingly for the cause of the Master
and their practice of deserving their focks
at that time of the year when their services
are most required. Consistency of profess
sion and practice is an article we have long
ceased to look for. But it is hardship that
few congregations are able to endure
to be compelled to hire two expen-
sive ministers during one-third of the year,
besides often contributing large sums for
travelling expenses and luxurious outfits. If
ministers are bound to desert their posts,
let them pay their own expenses and hire a
substitute to fill their places during their
absence, as other professional and business
men do. They have no right to shoulder
these additional expenses upon their congre-
cations, and if they make such unreason-
able claims they should receive their walking
papers at once; for if, a man is hired to per-
form certain work he has no right to shirk
it OF to compel his employers to hire some
one else to do it for him.