Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-01-26
A Wo I'd for tho Preachers.

AN exchange says: "A clergyman In
Hornellsville, N. Y, has excited much
hostile criticism by suing an estate for
$50 for officiating at funeral, and secur-
Ing the amount. 1t turns out, however,
that he had pretty good grounds for his
course. A rich man died, and the family
wanted the funeral to take place on Sun.
day, and also wanted this particular min
lister to officiate. He gave up his appoint.
ments for the day to oblige the family,
hired 4 carriage, and went. He waited
some time for remuneration, aud at last
sent a bill for $25, which was refused, and
so for the bill and damages he sued for
$50 and got it. The dead man never
hired a pew in the church nor paid for
preaching, and tue question naturally
arises: Why are not ministers entitled to
pay for extra labor as we'll as other men ?"
That is precisely what we should like
to know. Why should the action Of this
New York clergyman excite hostile cri,i-
cism? Under what obligation was this
minister to the dead man in question, or
to his family? What claim had they
upon him!
We think the clergyman did precisely
right in putting in his bill; we think it
was modest one; and we think he did
just right in suing for it when he found
he couldn't get it in any other way, and
we think the jury did just the right thing
in allowing the clam.
We do most certainly believe that the
clergy of this country are most shameful
ly imposed upon in this matter Of con-
Quoting funerals. 1t Is subject upon
which they cannot very we'll speak, and
we thiak the newspaper men should be
generous enough to take up the cudgel
for them and Help them to get just fair
treatment in this matter. The newspaper
men should set public sentiment right
upon this question.
The average clergyman's time IS pref
ty well occupied. All of them have one
sermon to prepare, weekly, aud very
many of them two. And we say if min
lister prepares one good sermon in a
week, he has done good weeks work,
without giving thought or an hours
time to anything else. Besides this, they
generally have two or three evening meet
ings through the week. We think on an
average, at least three OF the six work-day
evenings are occupied. Then they have
their parishonal calls to make. which take
up great deal OF time; numberless call
ers to receive and entertain, the sick to
visit, and marriages and funerals to attend
to. The wonder is that they can do any.
thing at all. They have all they ought to
do without putting IN an hours study.
And then we wonder that their sermons
are 80 thin. The wonder should be that
they are 80 thick-that they are so good
as they are. They ought TO demand so
much time for study, and then refuse to
be disturbed during study hours
But we started out to say something
about funerals. And Of all the selfish out.
RACES that are perpetrated upon clergy
men, the worst are perpetrated right here
in regard to this funeral business.
A man dies outside of q clergyman's
flock. In his life time he has never done
anything for this clergyman, or the church
he presldes over. The funeral is to. be
held at the home Of the deceased, which
is in the country and perhaps fifteen
miles from the clergyman's home. The
friends of the dead man come to this cler.
gyman, whose duties are pressing upon
him from every side, and request him to
preach the funeral sermon. He can not
refuse; custom forbids it. The dead man
is stranger to him. The clergyman
must drop everything and post himself
in regard to the life of the deceased; he
mus, learn his history, and he must pre-.
pare funeral sermon. The day Of the
funeral comes. The clergyman rides out
fifteen miles, conducts the funeral services
at the house, and is then-ready to go
home, you say. Oh, no! By no means,
no! The burial takes place some six or
eight miles from the home of the deceas.
ed. At the grave the clergyman has to
utter a very short prayer-perhaps MIN.
ute in length-a prayer which ary Chris.
tian could make, and so he has this t..
dious ride to make, in addition to the
other. Two days, at the very least, of his
precious time is gone, he has worked
hard, he has suffered any amount Of dis
comfort, and his pay for all this is
THANK you" Perhaps with the addi-
ton Of: I'VE were very much pleased
with your remarks" thrown in.
Isn't this shameful, outrageous way
to treat human being? The grace of
God isn't equal to the task of causing a
man to look upon such transaction as
this pleasantly. All the human nature
that God has put in a man rebels at a
proceeding so unfair.
But you say: This is an aggravated
case" II ,s probably more than an aver
age case; but just such an one as every
clergyman IS called to every now and
then. Ask them and see. We have heard
of worse cases. But there are thousands
OF cases Of less aggravatlrg nature, ev.
cry one of which is an imposition upon
some clergyman.
We hold that the min lister, in every case,
has just as good RICH, to be paid for his
time and hard work-fOr the creation of
his brain-as has the undertaken to be;pald
for the coffin aud the Learse he fur.
nishes-every bit. And there can be no
possible law, laid in justice, to coun,e.
nance contrary view. If the clergy