The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-03
UNDERPAID CLERGY.
SOME OF THEM RECEIVE LESS THAN
A ,DRAPER'S CLERK.

nal Tale of Prlvation.
a great deal is heard from time to
time about tho underpaid clergy. 1t
has been recently said by an English
writer that there are many clerks in
holy orders who receive less than clerks
IN linen tr"per's shops This is cs-
pecially true i'll Europe, where tho cler-
gy, or at least tho curates, are paid
such miserably poor stipends that but
for the generosity of the parishioners
they could not live.
In the United States. too, the clergy
man. usually a college bred man of tail
ents and refinement, receives salary
altogether out of proportion to his call
ing and his ability. This remark does
not apply to the clergy in the large cit
les, to many of whom arc paid very
large salaries. In New York city, for
example, it is said that there are 100
ministers who receive salaries of &c.,
600, and many of them have rectories or
parish houses FREQ i'll addition. But
in tho country towns, east and west
alike, the minister who gets So, 900 is
rare exception. Many, perhaps the ma
Jority, do not receive us much as 81 900.
tangible benefit to these undergrad scrv-
ants III the highest of callings. still it
is interesting to know that III a social
and IN II financial way, and in tho self
respect consequent upon these condi-
tions, the clergyman of today is vastly
better off than the chaplain or curatc
of century ago. In point Of abject
poverty there are no Wears Of Wake
field today, nor any chaplains who fig
ure as testers or buffoons. as did many
of the moro favored ones of Goldsmith's
day.
Tho following extract from The Gen
tleman's Magazine of 1866 shows how
poor was the lot of tho curato of that
time:
"Monday-Received e1O from my
rector, being one-half years salary
obliged to wait Il long time before my
Abundance 10 the doctor, and even
when admitted was never once asked
to sit down or refresh myself, though |
had walked miles. Itcm-Thc doc
tor limited he could have the curacy fill
ed for 81 Il year.
Tuesday, go to seven differ
ent people. but could not buy tho sec
ondhand pair of black brooches offered
mo as Il great bargain, my vito want
ing pctticoat above all things, and
neither Betsy nor Polly having IL shoe
to go to church.
Wednesday My vito bought pet
tlcoat for herself and shoes for her two
4 daughters, but unluckily, in coming
home, dropped half guinea through Il
i hole which she had never before per-
: ceived in her pocket and reduced all
: our cash in the world to half crown.
4 ltem-Chid my poor woman for being
q afflicted at the misfortune and tenderly
advised her to depend upon the good
mess of God
Thursday Received note from
q tho alchouso at the top of the HILL in
HformlnS me that Il gentleman begged
Ito speak to me on pressing business.
= Went and found it was an unfortunate
3amember of Il strolling company of play
Hers, who was pledged for sevcnpence
3half penny. In Il struggle what to do.
8The baker, though we had paid linn but
Non Tuesday, quarreled with us, to avoid
any credit in future, and the
abutcher sent us word that he heard it
118$whispcred how the rector intended to
a8luty at an inferior price, and therefore,
Enough he would do anything to serve
g&ne, advised me to deal at the upper end
pf the town. Notifying reflections
hcse, but Il want of humility is, in my
XBpinion, want of justice. The Father
a4f the universe lends his blessings to
MS, with IL view that we should relieve
&$ne another, and we consequently do
|Slo moro than pay a debt when wo per
MORN an act of benevolcnce Paid the
tranger's reckoning out of the shilling
I'm my pocket and gave him tho re-
$Slainder of tho money to prosecute his
;$ourney.
'Friday-A very scant dinner, and
Pretended therefore to he ill. that, by
8voiding to eat, l might leave some
81 hing like enough for my poor vito and
Hhildren. told my wife what had
za3 one with the shilling: tho excellent
feature, instead of blaming mo for the
M ction, blessed the goodness of my
III cart and burst into tears. Men,
H ever to contradict her as long as |
we, for the mind that can argue like
ers, though it may deviate from tho
~ bore rigid sentiments of prudence, is
sFen amiablo for its indiscretlon, and
every lapse from the severity of
W tOnomy performs IN act of virtue, Sill
prior to the value of 81 kingdom.
Saturday-Wrote a sermon, which
Sunday preached at four different
lrish churches, and came homo exces-
5vely wearied and excessively hungry;
- more money than twopence half