The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-20
SUNDAY. APRIL 20, 1890.


When a congregation becomes tired OF
their minister they staryo him out. Not
that they actually deprive him Of the nece7-
saries Of life. though this is known 10 have
been done. but they bring him TO such Z"
situation that be may be- said % De- starved.
Now a man seldom enters the ministry m ihe
hope Of making great living Few are the
men who are such victims Of circumstances
ms tine Rev. Or. Cuyler. who retiring from
Brooklyn passionate Of thirty years. has I'D
addition 10 what hc may have saved. e FUND
Of $4,000 presented him 10y his friends
When the average young mag leaves the
seminary. with a great deal 10 iearn' ana
perhaps much more 20 mlearn, he has a cail
10 a country parish, where. mayb'YS'"
wear are promised him. lie may stay there
sntI age and infrmity tell him that
his work ON earth is drawing TO close. lie
mos, ho called 10 "a city church with a salary
nerhap- of -. 900 or 81. 800 year. OF course
the truc minister does not regard salary
as a primary object though he knows ne
must live. But his reason for being in the
pnlpit is that he has message TO deliver.
and must deliver il. And so he undertakes
his life work. often deprived Of those
compnni0ns. books. which Doc loNed
so at his seminary. and obliged by
hard experience 10 obtain that bitter knoWl-
edoe of human nature which no books Will
eve him. With hope and ambition he en-
ters his new field and for a while every
thing is as pleasant as one could wish. Noi
only in the pulpit does he make his intu-
cnce 10 De- felt. but as pastor, prepared 10
share the lows or sorrOws of members OF his
flock. he forms ties which apparently time
cannot sever. But after while the starving
process begins; how, no one can tell exact
IN. But the pastor feels il nj once, and feels
II the more keenly because he knows that
Intentionally ne has done nothing 20 deserve
such treatment. OF all men. the minister
need. the sympathy and affection Of his par
i.hioners. Without their confidence he may
preach the most eloquent sermons in vain
And as soon as he begins 10 feel that his
congregation is drifting from him, his men
tai suffering can hardly be appreciated. But
he must not relax his enorts, whatever
may De said or done. Here are few of
the elements which assist i'm the starvation.
In most congregations are persons who are
chronic fault finders. They wouldn't hc
satisfied with Paul as their pastor. And
what are some of their reasons for disliking
the minister one thinks his sermons are
too long, another that they are TOO short
another that they are confined 10 the subject
of salvation. or iis opposite, and are
not abreast Of modern thought. II
is right hard 90 keep abreast
If modern thought ON salary
Of six hundred dollars year promised
Then there'is the person who attends church
ms regularly as ne plcases. and when illness
really causes him 10 Doe absent one Sunday,h
becomes am enemy Of his pastor. whom 10y
the way. he had NOT notified Of his condition
Another does MT like the ministers wife, ano
another thinks his children are 1.-The wors
set he ever saw" and so the category o
complaints increases. The ever present bus,
bodies help to swell the wave which washe'
up against the faithful pastors heart an'
chils il. They wouldn't say anything il
the world against him, Of course, bat asl
This one and that one whether that SUNDAY
lecture was not little labored, or that We'd
nesday night address rather tame Tor thcs'
wide-awake times. When the ministe
makes his parochial call, he perceives tina
false politeness covers feeling of disap
pointment that he had come. In one hous
his reception, though polite, is not as heart
felt as that time he came 10 offer comfort am
consolation when the youngest child died
and in another. he finds GOODNESS instead q
corliality. Under the accumulation q
neglect. and open or half concealed oppos
ton. his mind loses the freshness and Yigore
his early ministry, his sermons begin TO los
their attractNcness even for him, and hi
pastoral work becomes actual work IN
stead Of e pleasing occupation. lie feel
shat for shat congregation, at least his us'
fitness has come TO an end. lie has bee
starved out.