The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-14

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warm weather necessary to both the spr-
itual and the physical health of the pastors
of city churches At the time Of this meet
ing the town was cool and comfortable, 1t is
true, but they forcsaw the sultry days which
soon came, and longcd for the quiet and
shade Of the country-for relief from labor
and exemption from the dlsagreeabIo task
OF writing sermons with the thermometer
In the ninctics. Therefore it was not hard
for them to find Biblical and other argu-
ments in support OF the playtimc they de-
sired
The Rev. DR.. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR, the
well known and vigorous Congregational
pastor, now comes out in his paper, the
Christian at Work, strongly sustaining the
position OF those who cOntcndcd that minis
tcrs, Of all men, need holidays and without
them are unable to properly perform their
cxhausting labors. He acknowledges that
city preachers at present assume that they
must as a matter Of course be given more
or less protractcd summer furlough, where
as their predecessors Of fifty years ago
claimed no such rest from pastoral duties
He contends, however, that they have far
more work To do than the old clcrgymcn,
and that as the merchant Of to-day allows
himself much more recreation than the
traders of the past so his spiritual guide
must have the same privilege Of resuscita
ton after labors just as arduous rs his.
More is demanded of the modern city clcr-
gyman now in week." he says. Ethan
many OF his predecessors Of fifty or n hun
drcd years ago were required to do in a
month. He receives more kilograms than
| merchant. tvrftnc know IA
our cost. more letters than most business
men makes as many visits as an average
physician; and besides. prepares two dis
courses weekly for the edilication and in
structon Of his people
This may be in part true, but the city
minister Of to-day also enjoys many adj
vantages and convenicnces denied the pms
tors Of the old time. He is paid a higher
salary than they, lives much more COM
fortably, has more assistance in his labor,
has at his hand facilities for working which
greatly reduce the friction Of it. and which
were unknown to the preachers Of half
century ago. while the diversity Of his
tasks makes the performance of them easier
Take it all in all. the lot OF modern min
lister in New York Is more enviablc than that
of the pastors who lived before the days Of
railways tclcgraph-, gorgeous churches
wcll-paid assistants high pew rents. hand
some salaries. and newspapers which keep
the clerical mind agog and give it fruitful
suggestions for Sunday discourscs.
The merchants who take n summer trip to
| Europe or spend the warm season at cOun-
try places. are those who can afford 10 spare
the time from their business, which they
have so organized that their absence does II
no harm. The vast majority Of merchants
and men in the secular professions. how
ever, can give themselves only brief
holidays, while the mass OF the peO-
pie are tied to the town the sum
mer through. Physicians. especially,
must keep at thoir work in heat and
in cold, and, as the summer season IL the
sicklicst n large part Of them are most So
vcrcly taxed ut the very time when the ply
s.clans Of the souls of their patients ar,
taking the tour of Europe or disportlng
themselves by the sea or among the cool
hills Of Vermont or New IIamphire. If the
more complex development Of modern life
increases the cares and tasks Of ministers
if adds equally to those OF merchants in
large business and professional men OF eN
tcn-ivc practice. II is, indeed, not too mucl
To say that the pastors Of city churches VIII,
got the longest vacations do not work >,
hard as many Of the members Of their con
grcgaton- who thank their stars II they ear
snatch half-dozen holidays in succession
and that they stand in less need Of reaxa
ton than hundreds Of their hearers who arr
found engaged in their tasks, without any
vacations at all, the year through, and yc
, do not ask the sympathy Of the public
Let the ministers, therefore, not try to de
ccive themselves with the idea that tn,
clerical profession especially requires lonl
holiday, for it does not. A playtlme may dc
them good, and they are luckier than mos
men in getting it; but they can dispcns'
/ with it just rs well as those Of their parish
toner's who have TO sweat the summer out il
town, and who cannot get further away from
bricks and mortar than Concy Island or TIN
, Central Park. Let them also bear in mine
( that sin and sorrow. sickness, temptation
and death are peculiarly rife in New Yorl
, during the summer months, and the consu
latiuns and admontions Of religion are u
. least as much needed then as at any othc
, time of the year While thcyarc of rollin!
D tcnpins and playing lawn tennis, bathing il
the surf, and driving over the hills, tn
T. devil, vino never takes II vacation. is hard II
. work in the metropolis.