Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-19
A MINISTER'S WIFE
Expected 10 Do a Thousand and One
Things for Which She's No Time.
AHARD WORKER WITHOUT SALARY
An Unwritten Contract, but One That's
None the Less Binding.
ITEMS OF INTEREST FOB CHRISTIANS

Protestant ministers, not thinking it re.
quired of them BY any law, either human OF
divine, to live a life of celibacy, take to
themselves wives, thinking they will be ol
great comfort to them in their homes, OF
rather in making a home. But there are
churches that seem to forget minister 8
wife has any household cares to occupy her
time and attention. She is expected to lead
in all the work of the Aid Society, to pre-
side at all missionary meetings, to teach in
the Sabbath school, to visit all the sick, to
go to comfort and help the distressed, to
take charge of all the ladies' prayer meet
ings, to superintend all suppers, teas, So
cials, baZaaTs, ETC.. in short, she is expected to
be all things to all women, that by any means
she may help some. But why should she be
asked to do all this? She is a member of the
church; SO are other ladies. at might be
means of power in the pastors work if his part
ner were possessed of all graces, SO that she
might be his assistant, without salary; but have
the churches any right to ask SO much from
her? At time when some ministers are intro
ducIng new wives to congregations and SO
many others are beginning work in new felds
it will be well for both parties if they will, in
this respect, begin Alright. Marion Harland, who
knows well how these things are by personal
experience, having been minister's wife for
many years (she being the wife of Rev. E p.
Terhune. D. D.. Brooklyn. n. Y. J, wrote an ar
tlcle for the North american ReUieU worthy
attentive perusal by all in the churches. In it
she well SAYS:
woman who has espoused a clergyman to have,
ex oficio special fitness for all departments of
charitable and religious labor. Common sense
rules she may suit him excellently well as
necnli0r
leading meetings and taking chairs He
cannot, after the manner of other public men,
bold in the knowledge that their houses are
their castles, cast himself between her and her
censors with the protest. "A poor thing, but
mine own. have known men thus 'hindered'
TO drag the shrinking weaklugs into the fore
front of the battle, prick them into action be-
yond their strength by frantic appeals to ex-
pediency, custom, pride. love, piety. until the
victims OF a false system, wounded and wearied
to their death, fell under the harness SO much
too heavy for them. The minister's wife is, in
too many parishes, virtually included in the
engagement which hires him, body and soul.
The unwritten contract is unfair, cruel and
iniquitous. What private church member Of
equal ability can do, she is bound to undertake
and nothing more. What she may or may not
accomplish should affect her husbands infiu-
ence in the same field no more than if he were
a lay communicant in the church to which she
belongs neod no father or mother in Israel
to warn me am touching upon delicate and
dangerous ground. There are exceptional par
ishes where the love and loyalty rendered the
pastor envelope his home and the dwellers
therein in an atmosphere of affectionate appre-
ciatIon, which is at once sweet and wholesome,
invigoration and balm. Labor with such peo-
pie is continual joy, and companionship with
those who compose it enriches with fuller
meaning the phrase-The household of faith"
~
Gods tabernacle, by His pattern made,
Shall fail in finish, thong in order laid,
Unless ye women lift your hands to aid.
Yours is the very skill for which CALL
50 bring your cunning needlework, though small
Your gifts may seem, the Lord hath need of all.
q, Christian women. for the temple set
Throughout earth desert lands, do you forget
The sanctuary curtains need your ibroidery vet.