The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-02-20
For the Central Presby terrain.
Minutes of the General Assembly
for 1888

the teulum or SICK room, we nave been
looking over the Minutes of the Assem-
bly, for 1888. Some facts embodied there
In were novel to us, and as they may
prove interesting to others, we jot them
down.
1st. Number of ministers enrolled in
the Southern Presbyterian Church, !, O7O;
churches, 2,O4O Total salary paid by
all the churches, 1868 1913. Being an
average OF 1926 to each minister.
ID. There are 80 churches in our AS
sembly which pay to their pastors in all,
$99 O36 only those counted who pay
$4,000 and more. Being an average of
81 $40 each.
Sd. Deducting these extraordinary sal
aries-ertra ordinary because received by
less than 4 per cent of our minsters-we
find the average salaries paid by the
churches in our Assembly to be $3.50.
4th. The total membership of our Church
is l27,Ol7. Contributions to all objects
OF Church benefcence, 81 ,269416; aver
aging SO 80 per member.
9th. In the Synod of Virginia there
are reported ZIG ministers and 1926
churches paying salaries of 1924 100 /;
but 40 ministers are without a charge,
and several churches paying an aggre-
gate salary of SO 270, and without pas
tors. We thus have 1877 ministers re-
celving from the churches $114, 500
being an average of 1858 to each minis
ter employed as preacher.
9th. There are II churches in the Syn,
Cd of Virginia paying their pastors the
sum of $28, 1856, or an average of S2625
each Deducting this amount from the
total salary paid, the ordinary salary paid
by the churches for pastoral support was
$6lO. How much this amount has been
increased by sums paid from the Susten-
tatlon and Evangelistic fund, is not known
to the writer. Membership of the church
In Virginia, 25,437; amount contributed
for all purposes, 1851, O83; average per
member, $10.26
18th. OF late years we have often heard
it said, Our best preachers will 90 South,
because the Southern churches pay high.
er salaries than the Virginia churches. -
Do not the facts refute such statements?
The highest salary paid in our Church is
paid in Virginia A greater pro rata Of
liberal salaries are paid in Virginia than
in any other Synod And the average
salary paid ministers by the churches is
% per cent better in Virginia than in the
residue of the Church
During the meeting of the General AS
sembly at Louisville, one of our gifted
preachers who had "gone South" some
years ago, expressed his regret at having
left Virginia, and speaking of brother
preacher who thought of following his
example, said to the writer Tell him
for me, if he can hold on to his pastoral
charge by the skin of his teeth, to do So
If he leaves dear old Virginia, he will be
sorry for it the balance of his life -
Though the speaker has "gone from labor
to reward his earnest manner as he ut.
tered these words will ever live in the
memory of the writer.
8th There are other facts worthy OIL
careful consideration Is it not a fact
that the time, thorough study, capital
talents, and character, all required to fit
man to be "a teaching Elder" in the
Presbyterian Church, would in other
avocations of life command at least 81 200
year? Yet our ministers consecrate
their lives to this work for less than hall
that amount
9th. How many in our Southern Church
receive directly from their churches less
than $3OO2 We are notprepared to an.
swer this question. The reports as made
out not being clearly understood but we
notice that in the Synod of Texas one
Presbytery numbering % churches pay
only 1914. How much of this amount
the preachers in the Presbytery receive
we cannot tell. In the Synod of Virginia
there are % ministers who only receive
from the churches to which they devote
their time and labor, the sum of $3.50
or an average of $3.50 each. In one sin
gle Presbytery there are four preachers
who receive from their several churches
less than an average of $170 each. One
of them, in theological lore, general learn.
ing, and personal sacrifice for the Mas.
ter's cause, is the peer of any man in the
whole church The others are all men
thoroughly educated and trained, who
only lack opportunity to take high rank
in the councils of our Church All these
thoroughly qualified ministers receive
save as benifciaries of the Church al
large, is less than farmer pays to a good
day laborer.
We have now only time to state the
facts. Will not brethren weigh them
prayerfully in all their bearings2
r. B. NJ