The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-01
HARD ON THE MINISTER.
His Poor Pay for special services u
Few Hints


These old questions concerning pay
ing the minister for such special seryicr-
as taptisms, weddings and funeral ser
vices are again up for agitation and dis
cussion. People are to be found who
think not only that a minister ought to
work for almost nothing and find him
self, but that he ought to include all
these special services in the work he
does for his regular salary 1t is hard
on the ordinary minister. A, to the few
ministers who receive princely salaries,
their fees are large in proportion. Peo-
pie who expect special services Of them
generally do the fair thing as to COM
pensatiOn.
Such special services us ought to be
performed in church when the cOngrc-
CATION is assembled are usually cOusid-
cred part of a minister's regular duty
Should a minister be called to a private
house To baptize baby there is an eyi-
dent prOpriety in making him a present
of some kind in return for h kindness
and as a compensation for bis trouble
1t may be in cash, or it may be some &C
ceptable article for table use or for
household decoration. People who
give books to ministers generally make
the mistake of selecting some book
which the minister does not want
Some good people who recently gave
their pastor copy of the Bible did not
stop to think that he already had in his
library about fifteen copies in various
styles and languages.
In wedding fees it may safely he said
that the man who gives none is a mean
fellow, not worthy to have a good wife.
He who pays only dollar or two is not
much better, unless his abject poverty is
the cause of the smallness of the fee.
Why minister should be expected to
attend and conduct a funeral without
charge is hard to guess. Ii is quite a.
hard work, both for mind and body. a.
TO preach a sermon. More attacks Of
clerical bronchitis and pneumonia have
been suffered by going to funerals than
rom any other cause. The person who
stands bare-headed on the cold ground
Ir damp boards beside an open grave is
lpt to be reading his own death warrant
While he pronOunces the words Of the
uneral service. In word. the minis
el ought to be as Squarely deaItW with a,
my other man OF any profession orra.i-
ng who renders service of any kind.
The ait and science of handing thc
preacher his money would seem i very
impIe thing. Get there are maly grCh
'ificlal- who lack u.aera..r. t1
lie mos speedy and graceful u...H. IF
olng t, A. % the regul, ,r pt-..r IS
D be supposed thet he lrredr.r pf mpt-
= hands him check on paw day. But
is in regard to he minister who hap
ems to be the supply ior a Sunday or
Ho that embarrassment sometimes eN-
'ts.
There are cases in which the treasurer
ONES to the supplying minister after
ne service, aud Just when some Of the
hief people of the church are shaking
ands with him aud telling him how
realty they were pleased with the ser-
ION. With q show of official impor-
ance, and with descending smile ON
ne preacher. the treasurer hands over
ne fee in sight of all who are present.
he idea conveyed by this proceeding ig,
I'm treasurer, you're preacher you've
cen preaching for money, Derr. take
our pay and CO.
The most graceful way of settling with
supply" is for the treasurer or some
-her gentleman connec ed with the
hurch to shake hands with the minis
n in quiet and unostentious way, and
hile doing so to leave in the minister's
aim the exact sum, either in gold or in
otes Of the largest denomination the
I'm will allow. A bank check is quite
acceptable and as proper -Nsr iOH
I'PSS