The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-26
SURPLUS Versus sURPLICE
Woes OF CIersymen without Pulpits Ia ,
Episcopal Church.

Woes OF Clersymen without Pulpits .. ths
Episcopal Church.
1t lie not alone In the Baptist denominstion
that the field OF ministerial effort IL over.
crowded or the glut in the clerical labor mar.
ket OF that particular body TIL SUN has re-
Gently told. The Episcopal pulpits are equally
ovorsupplied. and the competition for vacant
charges or appointments OF any kind within
the Church is keen. Many regularly ordained
clergymen OF the Episcopal Church. unable to
obtain clerical employment. are engaged inNA
hard struggle for mere subsistence.
One well-informed Episcopallan OF the high
est responsibility said yesterday that Mt least
IL per cent. Of the more than 1000 mombers Of
the Episcopal clergy arc not engaged In any
sort OF clerical work. Some two years ago the
Cmrch,Hd'. tho leading organ OF the Episcopa-
liam denomination. discussed this serious
question at length. aud much Of interest on
the subject was contributed by correspond
ents. 1t was nsccrtdinod that at that t.mo
GS2 out OF a total OF 4.163 ordained Episcopal
clergymcn were not engaged in any kind Of
clerical work. During the three months pre-
vious 401 ~clergyTen. nearly ten per cent. Of
the whole number. had changed their Post
Office addresses. This MEANS" commonted
the Gh,rcintnn. moro than the existence Of
an unemployed clergy: it means the exist
ence OF n migratory clergy-a clergy inigra.
tory. not OF purpose. like the Methodist itin-
erancy. for the Church Processes to believe In
settled ministries. nor migratory from choice.
rs many n leartbreak goes to prove. hut mi
Eratory because nothing but continual migra-
ton Is possible
About the time of this discussion the Arch.
deacon of Now York wrote an open letter In tho
Chpuchmnn warning the unemployed clergy
that he could not find places for any Of them
in this diocese. He was impellcd to makethis
public statement. he said. by sorrowful con.
siderAtion OF the false hopes no was contI6u.
ally compelled to disappoint." Tho unconsid-
cred rushing into holy orders by all sorts and
conditions OF men appears to be the primo
cause of this lamentaLle condition OF affairs.
and the Curchnan has suggested 1t would DO
q very excellent idea for clergymcn to learn
some other profession. or some honest handi-
craft as II resource in case they should. after
a life silent in the ministry. find themselves.
as not u few do. crowded out to make room for
younger men.
What was true two years ago, when, the
matter was SO fully discussed" said the Epis.
day. The conditions H"s' arc not changed SH%M:a t for the he
better. hut rather have grown worse. In the
oniy Mifhd mne even s" si E p sosS ae ot are e@fssrIeessff
s %nneIntiss sm nut sys safd ~ a pus e sin Il fe N,t r..
pairing him $ for y m n n,t career s,,+ Is Ss
mon struggle for existence. for his training has
heen such as to unit him for such q contest,
things has not been made apparent"
The conditions GOVERNING 9dmittance to and
f n%p' sSoss oi /" the the EE,ttSSGf! t%alRn a4sS. e which, eR.
Si9ss ~ i, mi fnE 1T III m min siIy, to Il IT. ~ ns ss;d R% Pr.
Methodist Bishop appoints the minister for
each church in his diocese. and the church 10
2 GpissSps s2 e cfS.Ff tn the % Hessrs Of 70 a s Church IL h sss
the sole right and power o. select II minister.
s usnaliy y t e"n Gisa9p f 20 IN ,ff d di Ts e : is asked asi Set to
often tho vestry, advertises for u minister.
md very, carefully examines the qua!iilea-
student for the Episcopal ministry be a young
man Q! good character and fair .nttainments.
nj %it tai, " to the ranks "%a 'e ., n the e!erss TO f. FIJI Is not not
intrelu"ntly encouraged and helped TO take
t~lc;tlly no one can assure linn work to do in
the Church. least OF all n fairly r%emunsrativs
factor in the Episcopal labor market. a clever
clergyman, may come over from Grent BEitain
have ha1 i besm fr ,tT Slfi pro'es as'f iS n nsinti ag uHsss
the importation by Western Bishops Of clergy
Ir"Ia nGI for se m 's,loaa reHT Mark fT In ib enIs Jtnces snd
instead Of giving home talent a proper show. :,
There Is 4 r"soGni"ee ID labor Exchrngs"
lEpiscopal Reorganization. where the demands
for labor and tn: offers OF labornrs are regu-
Of tho dSnom!national organs. The th.rch-
man publishes II column. moro or less. Of nd.
SS eTssSMYH snpr IF :"c"!t Si itsati ms'S Wn lms n Ss.ss
and "Churrh and Parish" in which ~ wants
An interesting study is Afforded in many Of
these Hdyertiseni.mts, ILL.," GnsIi,i.ations and
Is wanted. FOE u beautiful Western
S s'ssti that e sCsi { DO r "sd.iDsi: OF ot .sn:
celirAl or old high church principles. 10
E Eainty. 500 G5 or @F si.do" 1HuFG T"s Hlsn nsr', IF " %rsy:
ern Colorado also ndvertises his need Of an
eGn ood saIsI rEios snl. r"r ID" d t.rn!nf On so tne onns
hand. there In usually a plenty Of ADVERTISE
ments by young priests or clerEymcn In
country" The adverttsers state their rutlin-
cSti"ns iTl!y; II YOU ars in NEED q ".Prlyats
prayer book, chMrchman," q man o: mod.
crate views" u "medinm chu,chmnn. or
lar sre'keS. a good reader r'Gs''rSe ready y' rS-
temporaneous speaker; n capable, musician. or
anyttinG you Wish in thar Linz" whtIo It viii 10
daous work" and al! are reaiy TO- furnish
there appears IN advertisement OF spmo aris-
tor. and tho statement Of aiynntnge" and
mako the average unemployed c~lergyman's
mouth water. TIE yestry Of such a church,
by side with such nm advertisement may rer-
HAIRS DO seen one inviting nm energetic Young
T Tes1Sn% MISSION % Ala . snail S"HiFI Salary. WHAT iHs"te@ sasS
a charge means few peopie not closely ac-
nu gn ! W nnn ' smch e nGv,rii se rrs snt, co rnn api
tho suggestive clause. AUST possess the
power Of continuous hard work."
The large body OF clergy not employed In
tho Church find Indifferent employinont In a
variety OF ways. A great number work as book
SSnnyyssseTTSS, Frs hh" nn i M rs sbssrs If t Gs eG .It :
" have the names OF n dozen or more clergy.
mon on their list OF canyassers. OftentimesS
publisher will advertise for ciergymen to can.
yass the sale of a particular work. Others Of
the clergy find employment MS teachers In
private schools or as private tutors
An especially sad feature OF this subject 10
that not q few VI tho unemployed. or casually
clergy are men well advanced In
years who are compelled in their old age to
seek other means Of subsistence than laboring
In that vineyard In which the best part 0ftheir
life has been spent and their best work done
Permanency Of employment Is not assured to
n minister. and there is a sadly suggestive
saying among tho clergy that "the dead line
Is passed at 30 years OF age" The saying has
been quoted ia the Chnrchman as proof
N, osf nroha hIv will Ia 10 Loot Jnr oths. ~