The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-18
THE CELIBATE CLERGY.

Huntington, of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, into the celibate brotherhood known
as the Order of the Holy Cross considerable
acrimonious discussion has taken place be-
tween the dgnitaries of the church over the
advisability of introducing and encouraging
this and similar orders The argument used
by young Huntington was that by taking
vows of celibacy and poverty he could better
prosecute the ecclesiastical work he had as
signed himself among the depraved classes of
New York. Those who opposed the step in
sisted that such vows were un-American, that
they were unmanly and unchurchly, and
could in no wise lead to greater or more de
voted efforts to evangelize than if they were
omitted or the pious worker were married.
The ascetc life of Saint Paul they
held to bs no proper example for the
youth Of to-day. They might. and perhaps
did, paraphrase the advice of an aged Method
list elder to his young ministerial brother, and
urged that the Lord might be depended on to
keep him poor without any special efforts on
his part. However this may be, the argu-
ments in opposition have had so little effect
that already another young New Yorker has fol-
lowed in the footsteps of the junior Hunting
ton, and become member of tie order. AS
yet these two form the entire membership of
the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross in this
country, but there is no telling where the
matter will end It is we'll known that young
clergymen are like sheep in certain respects;
when one passes into field at any given spot,
the others will follow and jump over pre-
cisely the same bar, when, by deviating from
the path little, they might avoid the effort
Of Jumping altogether Owing to this peculi-
arity, it may be possible that the example set
by these two young priests will become con-
tagious, and that other youthful postulants
will feel bound not only to take the usual &C.
clesiastical obligations upon themselves, but
to Jump into the celibate fold, one and all.
The effect of this possible action has been
considered from several directions by the OPP
ponents of Protestant brotherhoods, but one
disastrous result has thus far escaped atten-
ton. Singularly enough the vows of abnega-
only the young clergyman himself; but
moments reflection should convince the most
thoughtless that the consequences Of his
action are far-reaching, and deeply concern
others than himself; that, in fact, the welfare
of the church may be seriously impaired
should the vows of celibacy become numerous.
1t is acknowledged on every hand
that an unmarried clergyman is an object of
interest in his parish above all other pastors,
probabilities of his taking wife from among
the eligible and more or less charming young
women who form large part of the congre
cation. Should it be understood that vows
bind him to perpetual bachelorhood, it cannot
be expected that the young ladies in question
will continue active in the prosecution of
church and parish work. They can't do it;
the very nature of the case forbids. Their zeal
and enthusiasm for home missionary labors and
earnestly engage, with the proper kind of a
shepherd to lead them, will at once
declines the souls and stomachs Of
the poor may or may not suffer
by their detection, but the sanctuary will soon
sadly miss their attractive presence. They
will wander to other pastures and even ven
ture into the forbidden unorthodox fields
where less ascetic shepherds reign. A church
may live and flourish without the aid of fair
young sisters but it is not likely to do 80.
Rather than lose this portion of the fock and
with it that other part which follows where
the sisters lead, the careful deacons will pre-
fer the ministrations of marrying man.
The matrimonial market in this country win
not be greatly affected should the entire body
Of clergymen of the denomination which is
adopting the brotherhood system resolve to
remain single; ministers of other denomina-
tons, which need not be named, can be
depended upon to marry early, and, if neces-
sary, often, so that the girls driven from one
church may readily find refuge and surcease
from sentimental sorrow in another. 1t is not
here, but in England, where the movement is
said to be gaining strength, that the celibate
clergy win wreak disaster. In this country
enough men exist outside of the ministerial
field to supply each and every woman with a
husband. A proper distribution is all that is
needed In England it is far different; and
the clergyman without wife is being Of
ten-fold more importance than his brother on
this side, To all feminine population. If, for