The sun., 1893-08-14
THE STARVING PREACHER.
COMPLAINT OF P<RsoN SMITH OF THE
Hamlet OF SILVER MINE.

Can't He starviug when ne Cnn Al
s,rs IN Keen "a Horse and Cnrrirge-Th
p,r-o, Makes n Statement OF His Case
sot,Tu NoRwALK, Aug 13.-hccording to
Trustworthy gnzatteer. Silver Mine is pos
hamlet OF Norwalk township. one mile and
half from winnipauk Station. and consists OF
church, n saw mill. turning shop. and tan
merry. This summary Justly places the churcl
FIRST in Its list Of buildings but It has nothins
TO say about Its congregation or its minister
.vbo ia at present tho Rev James A. Smith.
Some OF the members of the congregation
said tonight that Silver Mine would have Il
choose between the Rev. Mr.. Smith and thu
church. But the Rev. Mr. Smith announced
from his pulpit this morning that he INTENDED
to stick 1t out until the next conference. Tor Il
10 o Methodist church. even II his family die
have to live on blackberries and bread a.
times.
No one who heard the vigorous way In which
the Rev. Mr.. Smith played tennis with Hezokiah
ana jeremiah and some others in his dis
course to- night could doubt his force. one
steward OF the flock said:
Yes. Mr.. Smith is man OF wonderful
strength. He never preached moro forceful
sermon than he did two weeks ago. and after 1t
wae flniahed he told us that he had talked on an
empty stomach and that his family had lived
for over "A week upon black berries and bread.
1t is n shame that a servant in the vineyard OF
the Lord should 20 hungry. and In Connecti-
cut. too"
The Rev. Mr.. Smith claims that on his salary
OF $500 year. with house rent he can support
his family and preach the Gospel, provided
and there's the hitch-that his salary is paid
on time and In cash. Garden truck Is all right.
but even in these times It doesn't pass AS cur
rency in Silver Mine
That Is the Rev. Mr. Smiths side OF the story.
Some OF his stewards. however, say that it
does not look plausible for a minister OF the
Gospel to com plain that he is starving whom
he can ride around the country in n horse and
carrage of his own. even II there is still SO
owing on the carriage.
Two weeks ago The SUN printed the Rev.
Mr.. Smiths statement from the pulpit that he
was starving and wanted his pay. and that
black berries and bread were not proper food
on which to bring up q family. Since then
Silver Mine has found little comfort. but II
good deal OF entertainment In discussing its
church affairs.
To-day's developments indicate that crisis
is Mt hand. 1t is viewed differently by different
PEOPLE. One sister. whose hair has grown gray
in the service Of the Methodist Church. said
tonight:
Gospel Ia preached long MS it's Methodist.
When Brother Smith. after his powerful ser
mon two weeks ago. said he hadn't had any
thing to sustain him for week but black
berries and bread; said to myself. Dear SUI;
couldn't sleep for two nights. ,.---,
i'Then thought Of his very. fine horse and
carriage. and all the chic ckens that run around
his yard. and. dear suz. do You know 1t seems
to me now kinder ridiculous 1t does, really.
though perhaps !! shouldn't say So"
Silver Mfna's Methodist IpisrOpal Church is
email frame building, monrstly painted and
without any steeple, E.. It might easily be taken
ON slieht, hill on the SILVER Mine road and
It is q social as well us religious centre.
Around 1t have been grouped sewing circles
and young peopl les organizations. where the
young men and women OF the surrounding
country have met and wooed in years past.
Naturally this church is very dear to the old
people. and the minister who guides the flock
Every woman takes an interest in his do
nestle economy. and that is the reason now
church membership counts only one man and
about thirty women is ut present divided on
the question OF his s,o ong % or %stayinG. OF
family In New York. but it means n good deal
in Silver Mine. where the minister gets his
The Rev MIR. smith. is not moro than 40
years old. and he has the privilege OF wearing
the the only frock coat and the only, silk hat in
ministry according to his friends. he was Il
paper hanger by trade and. besides being q
horse
He ,an spot a SPAWN ora ringbone half
%e 10 aS S Silver Mne Shen
many men were p esent. he earnestly exhorted
them never to buy whstling horse.
hinder Gurus about the parson. said one
church. lie mostly always brings in a horse
can can tell you. you " He gets You % MI worked % up Vi on
Daniel. and Just when you think the lions are
coming. the parson brings IN horse story.
before told horse stories"
There il. however. nothing horsy In the
Rev. Mr. smiths appearance. He is rather a
strising-lookinG man, man, tall and nd slim: with a
speaks slowly. and when Mrs Smith Is around
he refers to her for corroboration. Mrs Smith
~ keen featured; sriRht..,yea woman. who
They have one child. daughter. living with
8se from rom % S qn"TSh shSsr sssr Mnes ah
odsts are N Eo9d 9d stock md the
Rev. Air. smith two years ago with a letter Of
IL she sSupsb Said one oil the Oldest women
same e. soH, to my my hog;s Ss, and ragped
what he was. Thought he might be detsc-
fsid to me; ,. Djdnt B yGp Y see rom slarse thst
Of course he does look ike @ one" ~ 1 "'''n y 'u'
There were negotiations between the Rev.
Mr.. smith and the stewards OF the flock. Sill
yer Mine had previously paid its ministers
34O0 a year. Times had changed however.
Several OF the stanch old supports of the
church had died. One brother who always
contributed $40 year and what garden truck
he could spare. took letter to another church
and moved away. Mr.. Smith preached a trial
sermon. and then he talk ed business:
~ don't want TO lower tho salaries Of Meth
$500 year. andif You can pay another SIOO,
all right. II you can't. why. we will lust con-
slider 1t paid. an 80 the bargain was settled
Mr. Smith complained so during his first
year." said one woman. who is n steward, that
ne was starved a good deal OF the time. that we
talked matters over before the conference asst
fall said that I didn't have the heart TO ask
him to come back for $500. and we couldn't
pay more, for the church had TO be shingled."
trouble is that Mr.; Smith s too big man for
back, and he did.
Things have been going from bad to worse
In Silver Mines Methodist Church, however
and between death and dessrtion and the par
sons horse and carriage the church solicitors
have had hard work raising money.
. IL isn't that we object TO Mr.. Smith riding
IN his own carriage" said one OF them to-
night. but 1t made 1t hard to collect his
salary. When / asked for money, the peopia
xUnn he II