The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-04-25
THE COST OF RELIGION,

There are no expenses that should be
more cheerfully borne than those that
support and propagate the Christian re-
lig ion, and yet uine-tenths of protesting
Christians contribute less for this pur-
pose than for any necessity or luxury of
their lives. There is always u gentle de-
moustration of dissent throughout con-
gregation whenever an appeal is made for
the support of the gospel. Men will spend
five times the amount they contribute to
the church for an unnecessary luxury
without murmur, but generally speak
ing church contributions are grudgiDgly
given. To those who are apt to complain
Of the burdens of the church it may be an
interesting and perhaps notifying fact to
know that the cost of religion in this
country is about half a cent a day foreach
inbabitant. Taking the census of 1860,
which is the nearest at hand, and will
serve the purpose as well as any other, let
us compare religious fixed capital with
secular. By that census we have SILL
392, 432 as the value of the church proper
ty of all denominations in America. BY
the same census the total valuation of
property in the United States was esti-
mated at SIG, 900, 000,00 The annual
production was $4,000, 000 900. Thus we
have one hundred and seventy-one dollars
for the gospel against sixteen thousand
for the world. The cost of supporting
the clergy in the United States by the last
census is six millions per annum. The
fees of the lawyers are $35, 100000 This
is to 49, 1893 lawyers, and to 81, 900 clergy
men, $4,000, 600, and one profession is as
useful and as honorable as the other.
Our dogs cost $40, 100000 per annum
and their support, according to the Com
m issioner of Agriculture, is estimated at
$50, 900, 900 per annum. Fifty millions
for dogs and six millions for ministers,
and yet it is the fashion for Christians to
complain of the expenses of religion.
The production of liquors is nearly 2,000,-
000, 600 gallons per annum and its esti-
mated value above 5000, 600, 600. The
sales of liquor in the United States in a
single year from same returns have been
estimated at 81, 483, 401, 1868, or over forty
dollars for each man, woman and child in
the country, more than has been given to
the support of the clergy in three hun
dred years.
The cost of supporting the criminals
which the sale of this liquor made was
100000 More than one hundred and
thirty-two thousand persons, wholesale
and retail, are engaged in the traffic, caus-
ing in year the destruction of one hun
bred thousand souls and bodies, and only
thirty-seyen thousand ministers trying to
save both. In view of these stupendous
facts who will say the expenses ofrelig ion
are burden?
Even those who are lukewarm iu the
matter, or who are directly opposed to the
church, will allow that it is productive of
good. 1t acts as a curb upon the pas
i sions, as a balance wheel in the opera
tions of the day, even If it does nothing
more, and that can be said of no other
business. Every trade or profession has
something of selfisbness in it but this
4 There may be occasional preachers who
think of themselves and their salaries
more than they do Of the gospel, but as a
rule this is not SO. The average compen.
sation to the ministry is lower than il
any other of the educated divisions o.
labor, and even the great orators who are
pointed to as receiving from $4,000 t.
$40, 900 could earn more in the law, o.
possibly in medicine. 1t is we'll to keel
such facts as these prominently before th,
people.-Neaoark Daily Advertiser.