The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-03-22
Pauper Churches.
Ry ONE OF THEIR VICTIMS.

There is no man among us who, has
a happier knack of putting things thah
Bishop Keener. In his recently pup
lished sketch of Bishop McTyelre oc-
ours this significant sentence, our
people are fond of contemplating men
who die poor, if they be IN the mln-
istry." The subtitle touch of irony IN
these words, so CHARACTERISTIC OF tne
author of the "Post Oak Circuit" does
not rob them of any part OF their
truth. There is widespread feeling
to the effect that poverty is speclai
virtue in Christian minister.
Personally, have had some rare eX-
neriences on this line. If were to
tell them all just as they occurred, Civ,
ing names, places and dates, l could
make the fortune of Harper's "DraW-
er" for q whole year; and If l were 10
put them into the form of Lecture,
dressing them out just a little to meet
the demands of rhetorical rules, l
could drive DR.. Lafferty from the f1eld,
and make him so much ashamed OF
his humorous ventures that he would
nevermore "appear in public on tne
stage" Of course l shall not 40 any
thing of the kind. These experiences,
and similar ones Of my brethren, 1all
under three heads:
l. The cases in which there Is no
mention of compensation. ! nave
been q Methodist preacher for about a
quarter of a century. In that time l
have. first and last, occupied hundreds
of different pulpits in different States
At times T have preached to intiuen,
tial congregations for month or more
continuously. Yet do not now re-
member more than single Instance
in which there has been the slightest
. financial recognition of my work.
More than this, l have frequently
travelled hundreds of miles, and lost
davs of time, without receiving even
as much as q copper cent to pay my
necessary expenses. Such treaIlnen'
is unmixed meanness.,
2 The cases in which there Is
pretense of paying expenses. 10
preach Commencement sermon ~.
q leading Female College, once went
three hundred miles on the railroad
There was a carriage for me at tne
depot. During my stay l was court
eously and Hospitality entreated. my
morning sermon was loudly praised,
and under pressure held forth q Sec
ond time. When I got ready to leave
the brother whom I had served hand
al me q roll of bills, saving. "Here is
a nresent for YOU" 1t turned out to be
ten dollars-a little more than half OF
what it had cost me to make the trip:
This is not an extreme instance. l
haue been treated worse dozen times.
q The cases in which the question
is asked directly, What are your ex-
penses? Ah, but here's riches ! once
mon q time I had an invitation to
dedicate a country church. The pre-
siding elder wrote: at is in a fine
Community. The people are rich, hos
pitable, and religious. Ihey nave
heard great deal about you. ana now
they want to see you ana llsleh W
your living voice." OF course went,
and of course was pleased. The new
church was q beauty, situated IN a
great oak forest, beyond which lay rich
fields of blue grass, anu immense
herds of fat cattle. On Sunday morn
ing had liberty - and everybody
spoke kindly of my poor effort: When
Monday came, and 1 was about t" be
off T noticed two of the leading breth-
rem putting their heads together.
After a grave consultation one OF them,
who was worth nearly S25O,OOo, came
and said 10 me, "What are your eX-
penses ?" A bit nettled, 1 responded,
tYou know the distance to, ana
INV fare was three cents mile" with
this he left me, but after brief ao-
senLe returned with second inquiry,
Haven't you got half-fare pass OH
the railroad ?" l was not in the sweet.
est temper, and simply answered, NO.
The information depressed him but
by and by be brought two dollars and
sixty-five cents in small change, and
put it into my hand with the resolute
air of q man that was resolved to 90
his duty at all costs. 81
Just now a meditating "strike"
against such impositions. TO the roor
it is the.bounden duty Of the preacher
to give the gospel without thought OF
money or price. If he refuses or fails
to do so, he is not worthy of his call
ing. But there is no good reason why,
while himself buffeting the waves OF
adverse fortune, and keeping himself
and his family down to the narrowest
kind of living, he should spend his
best strength in preaching to rich and
stingy saints, whose only return is the
cheap and easy one of a few hollow
words of praise.-In Nashville Advo-