New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-06
UNPAID MINISTER'S SALARIES
,xp rHE oBLIG>rIoN # THE CHURCH 10 AG
PASTORS


To the Editor Of Tho Tribune.
SIR Many thanks FIR your full and faithful report
II niy adore, in ah Of aged ministers. The wide
and deep Interest your reports have awakened have
been In the highest degree helpful The editorial dis
cuS,on ir the religious press 4 the rcicrn cc % IN
paid ~ala-c, induce, me To- treeplss upon Your cour
tc,y hy Offering you some hitherto unpublished facts
The Method - mia! ter :, worker without wages. lie
AGREES not uny 10 60 To any field bat 10 accept such
remuneration the congregation he serves chooses 10
Give him Were he 70 attempt to demand the amount
pronl cd him. he would soon learn that II was
cratuy and not collectabc by law. The word salary
can only De used IN an accommodated sense 10y a
Methodist. When II i 80 used 1t simply means the
amount estimated To- be sufficient for the minister's
.upport The estimated allowance 81 the early TIN
Grant was such plttancc that he barely managed 70
l,.c ,n,,, IL hy the most rigid economy and Setde
rial HIS family rarely enjoyed the luXurc' OF NE
often vc.e denied the necessities Of lie, ana IN not
lnfirqucnt Instances were reduced {" condition oil
icrrhl" distress. The man Of God called 70 preach
Disciplined by long and faithful service. va, compcei
&, many Instances 10 retire from the ministry when
hes, nttcd Tor g. simply 70 provide for the present and
,,,ure necessities Of himself and family When oY
.,r.le.s methods, or lack Of method. The salary est
mated vas unpaid At the end Of the year. the preacher
bod no redress, Although involved I'm debt. II may
c incurred upon the basis of the estimated support
m. had to borrow money pay his debts and get 10
same experience. Sever free from embarrassment
driven 10 the exercise of the most rigid economy HIS
distress Of mind was only equalled by tile SufermGs
# his body.
The General Conference. afflicted by the appalling
Deficiencies IN salaries adopted a heroic remedy II
caused 20 be published In the minutes record OF me
claims receipts and dChcienccS This II was hopeu
world not only be cbuke for the past but stimulus
IN do better IN the fuurc. The records are very IN
accurate Many conferences did not report AZ all :
others made but partial report, Others demanded al
accounting Of all presents and often Offset one man
deficiency by another mans donation by ms haPpy
kind Of dnancierIng conferences which were reaIy
deficient many thousands of dollars appeared TO nave
4 surplus. All this but renders the record tne m0gc
tppa!ng Thirty i've conferences from LIB To l. -,
iirly years. reported deficiency OF @p'foo'ooo. ~
these conferences, fourteen reported cd'h -Ica''h
total deficiency than the value OF thc.r parsonage
property Their par,onascs were valued at les an
~ 500 900 but The Deficiencies were over T2'oVou
n the par-ouagcs 10 bc sold 10 pay the debt II
Would lt leave over 100000 unpaid which would
Maine ihc,o same fourteen conferences last year
wcse deficient over 10000, or over So'o"o fa, .
Fiv- conferences last year reported Icn'l,u.f
Of @9o5Qoo Il i not nish esiiMStG 70 say ti1t
last wear VA, aoOo.ooo from a comparison ="
r,.,Iou, year, IN lHrec number o conferences II j.,
have been ~ OoOooo every three Years. INES m'",
- 600 OuO bc added 20 the figure, previously gwen
from l-3 10 800 the Deficiencies. without lht''.f'
reached nearly tl1,VOVnO'' without 'Chpu""n ,,r,o
,ictccuclc, for forty year, pI"Nloa> - l-3" ~ ~,
,Nes' rate ct interest bu,lncS, would dcchc ~
o equitable 10 bc added, IL il evident hst mere
i, a debt almost inc:~lib, enormous. We need 20
remember A, The New FORK Christian Advocate mas
aid these Deficiencies occurred for the most par
ON ,alarlcs Of ministers who could least afford 10 ''aF
t,c los. hurchcS which gave large sanrlc, u>utN
paid them in full. The dcnqucnts were churvhGS
witch promised only mcaerc support to the"
pastors and did not pay even that ,.
II may begin 10 dawn upon the average NINA tIla'
all mi, Tia, considerable bearing upon the oDi-a
lion Of the Church to care for aged ministers Wnoi
worn ont I'm her service | have scores OF le.''',
from ministers In abjcct dcstItdtion, every one "i
whom would he put In position Of comfort LOT wv
r,,, of their lives were they To be paid the amount
they failed 81 receive OF their ere salaries wien
they were serving the Church We believe the onH
way f. remedy evil l. first to reveal II. McthouN
has no place In her economy for mcrccnhy ministry .
She must therefore. make IL her first duty 10 see !"
That her ap'd and iuirm VctcvnS. who have by Sou,
DENYING and heroic EFFORT cg aicd her wealth Sia y
not suffer for bread. The Methodist Episcopal 'hurcn
does better for her >upcrInnuat' ministers IMAM any
other great Protestant Church. but she does mucl 700
little Her eifts 10 this holy charity amount 10
hundred, Of thousands annually. hut she ousht 10
give million She would then but poorl: PROVIDE
for her faithful needy servants. The most popniar
raying cry for Mchodism Is destined 10 be i" million
for our veterans" JAY BENSON HAMILTON.