Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-02-16
MINISTERIAL WAGES, NOT A sALAa,
Out A SUPPORT.
NJ Rrv. JAr Brxsox HAMILTON.

The Methodist minister IL tho only
laborer not Q slave who works without
wages. lie 10 the only laborer for whose
services NO attempt IL made To pay the
full value received. The compensation
estimated for him Il called support. lie
has no voice In fixing Il. lie can
not collect Il by Law. lie has no power
10 choose his field of labor. lie may he
sent 10 church which does not desire
him and have the salary of the former
year reduccd one half. lie may b. re-
turned 10 Q church which desired To
get rid Of him aud have his salary re-
ducei 10 one third. lie may be removed
from church paying $1,000 salary aud
cent 10 one pc ing but OIL. 800. lie may
serve churches for years for si,Ooo or
ei,s00 and by lucky accident bvcome
the pastor of . church paying G,s0
aud nnd himself appreciated by his pco-
pie ss worth ell they pay him. lie may
give M q business Of $3.50 q year to
enter the ministry aud never receive
sboye 600 . year. Afier giving hi. life
to the ministry be may hnd himself at
50 years Of age compelled tn drop from
q $1,000 salary to one of OIL ,soo, and at
the same time have . great business
house Offer him ef5 q week to oil one
of its most responsible positions. lie
may hnd himself after more than TWEEN
~ years Of faithful service M longer
cons iier-d for the beat places, although
be has lifted from the second or third
rank several churches Ia the frat rank.
And be may be thus Ignored when he IL
en- effective that Que ~ hls official mem.
bers may say ~ him, II will take him
Into my employ to-day and teach him
my business. aud pay him from the
start twic. the salary he ever received
from any church" ! can name the EN-
inept aud distinguished ministers whose
experience ha,. limited AZ.
When the mini.tsr gets old bs !. not
desired for q pastor. lie IL unable Ia
~ Into buslne.. from lack ~ capital; he
l. unable to take up another profession (;
he I. unable a. learn q trade, or work
at on. II he hsd IL; h. !. turned adrift
Ia support himself With the all 10 q
beggarly pitiancc dolei ont to him as Q
charity by the church he la. mad. rich.
The gift {. bestowed With such Ofiensly.
parade that nothing hut absolute need
will drive him to accept II. Methciism
doe. better by her veteran ministers
than any protestant church In ihi.
country. hut che falls Ear short 81 her
duty or ability. she contributed just a
dime from each member and pfobstloDsr
In isc0. Thr-- annual conferences con.
tribuiei - cents or over pr oapt'd, four,
FROM ~ Ca Is cents. twenty three, Over
10 and under 10 cents. tventy-fuur,
over s and under ~ cents, twenty-five.
I 90 s cents sixteen. lea. than cent.
s0i churches Contributed "a veteran
ministers. u each: col churches, 81;
81 churches. 81; 20; churches, ~; NJ
churches, si. 1919 churches, 80. -
the churche. that Cav. I'll ofa certainty
took no collection, ava churchss w
nored this cause so fsr az q public pre-
..D,stlou goes. 5.;'7 churcbe- contrib
ut.,i so,S'i. az lee. than - each.
Therv are two Methodist Annual Con
ferencr- In Maine. In these conference.
Is churches With 6?i member. aud pro-
h,tioner.. ssS,JDJ worth ~ property,
raging si,05 salary, contributing sli'
to church bcne,olenc--, gave 80 Ia vet
ersn ministers. 5; churches with Do
member. and prohstionsrs, s9lG, -
worth 10 property, paying 80, 10 salary
contributing III. rs Ia church brneNo'
lence., CAV. ,lp5 Ia the veterans. ..
churche. with l.w-O member. aud pro.
hitioner., s!7i, 80 worth ~ property
paying sl0,1s0 salary, contributing 81,
S0j 10 church h-nc,olence., gave SID
o. the veterans, or le.. than ~ from
each church.
10 the whole state, sI,5I Methodist.
contributed for the veteran. si,sOI ~
less than ~ ccn,. each. " veteran min
i.isr. received si,!1O or spl each. J!
willow. revived ~, ~ or sl0l each. Had
these g. claimant. b--n dependent upon
~. contributions ~ the people, tbeJ
would have rrv-i,~l les. than go each
the rrt va. provided by the diyh
dend. ~ the Hook Concern, sl,6fp, th'
Wesleyan Association, .iii. and Invest
81 funds.
81 churches In New Englsni viii
/ 1851 member. AMI prob itlonsr.
/ siSj. 80, salary contributing sboat 81
$500 worth ~ property, paying slO,'
~ 10 church beDe,olspccs, gave fo'
the veterans, $50 az little over - iron
each church. Had zach pastor secure
for the veteran. Que Ter cent 81 his "Nf
I salary, the amount rai.ed wouli have
been more than doubled. This tsrribl'
exhibit reveals ths>vrraie.t weakness u
the polity ~ methoii.m. Il,src can y
but Que rrme-iy for TIL. evil. Ut caci
pastor do q. he would Wish a. b. don'
by when be .. veteran.