River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-05-16
ALL ABOUT WEDDING FEES.
CteFgy1ten Uho Receirc as Much as So, 900
Year Tor Tying the N"pfidt Knot---The
Districts az Which h.e Bag Fees are raid

Ctergymen UHo Receirc as Much as So, 900
a Year Tor Tying the Nuptiat Kaot---The
Districts ia Witch the Bag Fees are Paid
New York Sun.
In New York, where marriages form a
very important part of the clergy's functions,
wedding fees are looked after with especial
solicitude. If clergyman be popular, ge-
NAL, and of good social standing, his fees
often form large item of his income. The
cream of the marriages in HIGH life usually
fall to the share of the Protestant Episcopal
and Presbyterian ministers, since those two
denominations embrace the wealth.
est part of the church-going com
munity. The Episcopal marriage service,
with its ring accompaniment, fine music, and
poetic and historic attractions, Is generally
preferred by those who desire to b. welded in
style, and to start in life under fashionable
auspices. The rectors of this denomina-
TONS hundred or more churches probably
reap larger revenue in this respect than
those of any other denomination, with one
possible exception. Fees of $40, $50, and
800 are not uncommon, while on occasions
where the Bishop or some other dignitary Of
the church is called in, they reach $500 In
the poorer parishes on the east and west
sides the amount shrinks to 81, So, and
even So. As a rule, well-to-do Episcopa-
hans pay larger fees than others.
Next to the Episcopalians in this respect
come the Catholics. Strictly speaking, priests
are forbidden to take money for such SER
vices-that is. they are requested not to sell
the sacrament-but custom sanctions gratu-
ity or offering, the size of which is according
to the ability of the giver. AS class Catho-
lies are more prompt and liberal than the av-
erage of Professionals. Ten dollars is the sum
ordinarily given. Even poor mechanics pay
as high as So. Where the parties are evil
IDENTIFY too poor to meet such an expense,
the priest often declines taking anything.
After the Catholics are Method ists, Baptists
Congregationalists, and other Protestant de-
nominations in the order of their numbers
and wealth. Fees of SIS, $40 and $50 are
those most commonly given, the latter being
the limit usually reached by the well-to-do
but not wealthy class.
Hebrews contribute literally, and rabbi
with an average congregation rarely gets
less than $40 or $50, and often $50, 800,
and $3.50.
The largest fees are paid in the district
bounded ON the east of Fourth avenue ON
the south by Fourteenth street, on the west
by Sixth avenue, and on the north by Cen
trail park. In this narrow strip, more than
fee of $50 is considered ordinary, and one
of 800 ''from fair to middling." In we'd
dings attended by great eclat the amount
sometimes reaches $500, though this is only
when bishop or cardinal is called in.
The wealthy dwellers about Gramercy
park are very good payers, as are those of
Second avenue, from Eighth street to TWEEN
tieth, while the long and solid blocks of
brown stone about Stuyvesant square are
highly remunerative to the neighboring pas
tors.
More fees are paid on the east side than
on the west side, and more north of Four
teenth street than south of it. 1t is a little
singular that the proportionate size of the
see decreases on an average ratio with the
wealth of the contracting parties. Thus
man with $4,000 would rarely think of
rendering less than so: while man worth
100000 would consider 300 ample. A
clergyman of twenty years. experience thinks
that one per cent. of the groom's income
would be fair amount. A man in receipt
of 81, 900 per year is willing to pay so, but
one with five times as much would decidedly
object to giving $50.
But many persons get married without
paying any fee. An Episcopal rector on the
east side says that IN ten years of ministry
he has married over one hundred couples
many of them well to do, and some even
wealthy, who have not paid him one cent
In a number of instances the parties hare
called in carriages, with the usual accom-
paniments of silks, bouquets, and costly at
tire, been pronounced man and wife, and
gone away without leaving the pastoral
treasury one cent the richer. In one case
the groom was a rnan of exceedingly fash
L. fIr-
nections. and of acknowledged social
standing. The rector and the de-
fauiting groom still meet frequently
in society, but not suspicion seems to dawn
across the mind of the latter that he is still
his pastors debtor. A Roman Catholic
clergyman in one of the most populous par
ishes. saws that he has married hundreds of
complies who gave him nothing, although a
large proportion of them were evidently
able TO pay handsomely. Some of them
promised to "esii an6 settle in a few days.
oitass excused themselves by saying they
chad no change with them" and still others
walked Oft without word of explanation
The rabbi of a prosperous synagogue said
that he meets almost every day well dressed
Young men whom he has married, and who
have not paid.
Clarcymen of all denominations ara unan-
imons IN saying that very large percent
age of persons who marry never pay any
fee at all. Sometimes these SINS of onnls-
sion are beyond the reach of the bridegroom.
Too often the handsome sum he has allotted
for that purpose is pocketed by the perfidi-
Gus best man who stands up with him.
wealthy young gent eman, the son OF a mer-
chant belonging to fashionable congrega-
ton up town. was married by his pastor.
Before the ceremony the groom confided
to the keeping Of the groomsman a richly
knit silk purse containing ten shining
gold eagles, to be handed to tAis clergy
man at the close of the service. Instead
Of doing this. however. the groomsman
coolly pocketed the purse, and gave to the
pastor in its stead a s. note The gr1eyed
and aston ished dominic was too proud TO
say ANYTHING at the time, but when, on the