Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-24
A ALATTER-DAY SAINT.
The Trials and TribuIatiOns Of a
Poor Preachers Wife Who
HAS TO KEEP UP APPEARANCES.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher Catching Drift
wood for Fuel.
THE HOME LIFE OF A POOR MINISTER.
WRITTEN ron THE DrsrATcH.I

| WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.l
Unless a woman has the virtue Of humility
developed In very great degree. and possesses
the ready power of saying and doing things
In sweetly smooth and polite way, and is
withal, gifted with an absolute and Unborn
capacity for the calling of q Christian
martyr, she should wisely refrain from at
tempting to run parsonage in the position
OF parsons wife. When the consequences
are contemplated, when the outcome is so
plain, when the selfsacri6ce demanded is so
clearly shown, it is really wonderful how any
girl, who has an appreciation Of her own best
interests, and a comprehension Of the COM
forts and blessings of this mortal life, can
marry poor preacher, whether financially or
intellectually speaking.
In the olden time, when the parson was
looked up to as the chief man of the COM
munity, when his position was one of power,
and held in highest respect, when, as in the
English Church, he was generally young
er son of some family of note or nobility, and
therefore aristocratic and entitled to all
honor, a poor girl might satisfy her ambi-
ton for high social position by marrying a
parson, even though his income might be very
small. To be the chief lady of the village,
to be connected with the nobility, to rank
with the magnates, even when arrayed in
an old silk gown dyed and made over, would
possibly be glory enough for some women,
put In these days, when the parsons wife Is
looked upon as something sort of thrown
into the bargain when her husband is hired
to attend to the spiritual needs of congre-
cation, she must be verv dead in love, in
deed, who consents to marry young and
callow preacher who has nothing in view
but parish at less than thousand year,
and who is not one of the exceptions in the
line of brains, who peradVenture, by his elo-
quence and popularity, might some day Sc
cure soft sit in wealthy city parish.
A POOR PREACHER
and his family have sore straits, rasping
yexations and humiliating trials that do not
fall to people who are even poorer in income
than they, but who can sustain themselves
much more independently and less under
the score of carping criticism. A minis
ter's family cannot live as economically
as they would, perhaps, because they have
to keep up appe araDces. The congregation
would be shocked if they lived in plain
little house in a back street in regular
poor-folksy style; and yet, according to
their means and the rules of economy, that
is what they should do. Political econo-
mists say that rent should never exceed one
tenth of the income. II that were carried
into effect, preachers and clerks and work.
ers generally whose salaries are not more
than six or eight hundred a year would
have to live in the back alleys and the
slums. In recognition of this fact the pro-
viding parsonage at the expense of the
church is growing custom, though it oc-
casions considerable grumbling, since, as
anyone knows vino keeps house, those who
have to live in it would rather have voice
in its selection as TO location and accommo-
dations. However, they are, as a rule,
thankful for anything that saves house rent.
We have somewhere seen the statement
that apart from the exceptionally large
salaries paid to such preachers as Beecher,
Talmage, DR.. John Hall and others of the
famous few who are ''caIled" unto wealthy
churches in the large cities, that the aver
age income of the great majority of preach
ers is about $500 year. This, Of course, is
eked out to something more by donations
and gifts and marriage fees, but taken all
together it is a sorry salary on which to
marry and support family. Getting along
on that, or even twice that, under the
scriptural injunction to "Owe no man any
thing" must be not only difficult, but
doubly so when the ministers, as happens
in poor parishes, cannot as a usual thing
receive his salary until the pew-holders pay
up their dues, in which duty they are not so
seldom delinquent as might be supposed
Said an observant man the other day,
when the poor sermons of one Of the min
listers was under discussion, "What can you
expect from a man who has to spend his
time shining round to save car fare in
stead of studying up his subjects. More
over, he has to do the heft of the housework,
Fou hSd fo has
a family of little children, and most
of the time they have no money to pay help"
Well but, said his hearers, his salary is
small to be sure, but then there are the do
nations, and the marriage fees. Oh, yes,
said the good brother sarcastically, but how
could any of you with even these accIdentals
keep house and maintain q family on his
slim stipend of 5000.
AFALsE IDEA.
Some people have sentimental idea that
a preacher lives in such state of moral ele-
vation that he has full faith that he will be
fed as Elijah was by the ravens, and that if
the people do not pay their pew rent that a
measure of meal and cruise of oil will al |
ways be forthcoming to him who has faith, |
but the fact is that the shepherd of souls is |
very human and oftentimes has hard |
struggle of it-with his nose on the grind |
stone. But even if he is little nearer the |
imaginary parson we read about, his wife |
has no illusions on the subject. She knows |
him, not in his ideal form as creature of |
eminent piety, of soulful sermons, and |
heavenly planes of thought, but as an ordi- |
nary man who will grumble over his dinner |
if not suited to his mind, and be as cross over |
his clerical shirts, and his wife shortcomings |
as any one of the laity. Poverty is no more |
congenial or conducive to cheeriulness with |
him than to other men. He enjoys good |
living, has liking for good clothes, good |
books, papers and all the luxuries of life, |
and lives in the hope of receiving ga call'
that will some day rid him of the weary, |
carking cares and sordid straits of small |
salary and large family.
As to gifts, he-however grateful and ap-
preciative he may appear-must in the-na |
ture OF things hate to receive as presents a |
suit OF clothes, an overcoat, pair of shoes |
or hat as Christmas gifts. His wife-as |
follows in the fitness of fthings-however use
full and much needed they may be, would |
rather buy her own dresses, and wraps, and
bonnets than receive them as donations to |
help them along. 1t must go against the |
grain with them, if they have any spirit, to
be compelled to be treated thus as paupers.
But that this feeling of pride is not always
dominant is shown by some of the letters
sent to the sewing societies by poor preachers
and their wives from the far West, who
solicit boxes of clothing and supplies in
way that shows them to be lost and
dead to any fine feelings of independ- !
ence or any sentiment that would forbid |
their asking favors. Without any
apologies or nicely trimmed heroics on
the subject, they plainly designate
with painful particularly and detail their
wants as to underwear and wraps, and over
coats and toys and books and gloves and