Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-05-12
For the Ellsworth American
Ministerial Wages, Not Salary, But a
Support.


hy iSeN Jay Benson Hamilton.
The Methodist minister is the only Ia
borer not slave who works without
wages. He is the only laborer for whose
services no attempt is made TO pay the iul
value received The compensation e>ti
mated for him is called support. He has
no voice In liking H. He cannot collect it
by law. He has no power to choose hi,
field OF labor. H- may be sent TO a church
which does not desire him and have the
salary OF the former year reduced one half;
He may be returned To u church which de
sired To get rid OF him and have his salary
reduced to one-third. He may be removed
from church paying $1,000 salary anu
sent 70 one paying but 81 500. He NAV
serve churches for years for 8 900 or
5 800 and By lucky accident become III.
pastor OF a church paying s., 500 and find
himself appreciated by his people as worth
all they pay him. He may give up II bu>i
ness Of 50 500 year 10 enter the ministry
and never receive above $500 year AT
ter giving his life to the ministry he may
find himself at tifty years of age com
PEELED to drop from 50 .O00 salary to one
of 1850, and at the same time have a
great business house offer him S65 week
to ill one Of Its most responsible posi-
tions. He may lind himself after more
longer considered for the best places, al
though he has lifted from the second or
third rank several churches to the frs
rank. And he may be thus ignored when
| hs is so effective that one Of his official
members may say of him II will take
| him into my employ to-day and teach him
my business. and pay him from the start
twice the salary he ever received from any
| church | can name the eminent and di-
tinguished ministers whose experience
have hinted al.
When the minister gets old he is not lie
sired for pastor. He is unable TO go in,
to business from lack of capital; he Is uu
able to take up another profession; he l.
unable to learna trade. orwork at one il
himself with the aid Of beggarly pittanc.
doled out to him as q charity by the church
he has made rich. The gift is bestowed
with such offensive parade that nothing
it. Methodism does better by her veteran
ministers than any Protestant church IL
this country, but she falls far short of hel
duty or ability. She contributed just
dime from each member and probatione
in 1890. Three annual conferences contri
buted 25 cents or over per capita; four
from 90 to % cents; twentythree, over II
and under 20 cents; twenty -four, over
AMI under 10 cents; twenty-five, to
cents; sixteen. less than | cent.
506 churches contributed to veteran mia
listers, So each; +0l churches, 81; 81
churches, SO; 767 churches, 81; s73 church
that gave 81 of certainty took no cnlec
tion, 1872 churches ignored this cause 81
far as public presentation goes. 5,27
churches contributed S9,574, or less thai
81 each.
There are two Methodist Annual Confer
ences in Maine. In these Conferences, l.
churches with 622 members and probation
ers, S55 800 worth of property, pawn,
81, ,065 salary, contributing Sl47 to churcl
benevulence, gave 81 to veteran ministers
81 churches with 1868 members and pro
bationers, S2l6,550 worth of property
paying S26,7l5 salary, contributing 81 80
to church benevolence, gave Sl95 to tn
veterans. 72 churches with 4 $50 member
and probationers, S27l, $50 worth of Pre-
J perty, paying $50, $50 salary, contributing
81 sos to church benevolence. gave Sl9
to the veterans or less than 90 from eac
church.
!, - In the whole state. %, ,544 Methodist
contributed for the veterans 81, 7O4 or les
than IL cents each. SO veteran minister
received %, 27O or S9l each 80 widows re
| ceived $3, 23O or Sl0l each. Had these 6
claimants been dependent upon the contr
buttons of the people, they would have re
, ceiyei less than $40 each; the rest wa
. provided Dy the DIVIDENDS OF the BOO
Concern, 81 ,629 the Wesleyan Association
, 1924, and invested funds
354 churches in New England with %
r 902 members and probationers, Sl,349, 90
I worth of property. paying sl65,572 salar,
contributing s1O,2l4 to church benevc
lence, gave for the veterans, s7sO or Ii
tie over So from each church. Had eac
pastor secured for the veterans one pe
i. cent. of his own salary, the amount raise
would have been more than doubled. Th
, terrible exhibit reveals the greatest veal
ness in the polity of Methodism. Thel
: can be but one remedy for this evil. L.
: each pastor do IS he will wish to be dor
I by when he Is veteran.
HackettatOWn n T.