The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-05
UNDERPAID CLERGY,
SOME OF THEM RECEIVE LESS THAN
A oRAPER's CLERK.

A great deal is heard from time to
time about the u%nderpaid clergy. 1t
has been recently said by an English
writer that there arc many clerks in
holy orders who receive less than clerks
in linen draper shops" This is es-
pecially true in Europe, where the cler-
gy, or at least the c~urates, 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 tai
ents and refinement, receives a 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 are paid very
large salaries. In New York city. for
example, it is said that there are 100
ministers who receive salaries of $1O,-
600, and many of them have rectories or
parish houses free in addition. But
in the country towns, east and west
alike, the minister who gets 81, 900 is a
rare exception. Many, perhaps the ma
jority, do not receive as much as 81, GOO.
While the reflection may not prove of
tangible benefit to these u%nderpaid serv-
ants in the highest of callings, still it
is interesting to know that in a social
and in a financial way, and in the self
respect consequent upon these condi-
lions, the clergyman of today is vastly
ho%tar of fhor tho chonloir nv curofo
of a century ago. In point of abject
poverty there are no Wears of Wake
field today, nor any chaplains who fig
ure as testers or b%uffoOns. as did many
of the more favored ones of G~oldsmith's
day.
The following extract from The Gen
tleman's Magazine of 1856 shows how
poor was the lot Of the curate of that
time:
Observation-Disclosures e1O from my
rector, being one-half years salary :;
obliged to wait q long time before my
admittance to the doctor, and even
when admitted was never once asked
10 cit down or refresh myself, though I
had walked II miles. .Item-The doc
tor limited he could have the curacy ILL
ed for e15 q year.
'''Tuesday-Paid 60 70 seven differ
ent people, bat could not buy the Sec
ondhand pair Of black breeches offered
me n q great bargain, my wife want
ing a petticoat above all things, and
neither Betsy nor Polly having q shoe
10 go to church. >.". "'@
- ENTHUSIASTICALLY wife bought a pet
ticoat for herself and shoes for her two
daughters, but unluckily, In coming
home, dropped half a guinea through a
hole which she had never before per-
ceived in her pocket and reduced all
our cash in the world to half q crown.
Item-Chid my poor woman for being
afflicted at the misfortune and tenderly
advised her to depend upon the good
ness Of God.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS q note from
the alehouse at the top of the hill, in
forming me that a gentleman begged
to speak to mt ON pressing business.
Went and found IL was an unfortunate
member Of a strolling company of play
ers. who was pledged for sevenpence
hslf penny. In a struggle what to do.
Tn" baker, though we had paid him but
on Tuesday, quarreled with as, to avoid
giving any credit in future, and the
butcher sent us word that he heard it
whispered how the rector intended to
take a curate who would do the parish
duty at an inferior price, and therefore,
though he would do anything to serve
me, advised me to deal at the upper end
of the town. Notifying reflections
these, but a want of humility is, in my
opinion, a want Of justice. The Father
Of the universe lends his blessings to
us, with a view that we should relieve
n another, and we consequently do
no more than pay a debt when we per-
form an act of benevolence. Paid the
strangers reckoning out of the shilling
in my pocket and gave him the re-
mainder of the money to prosecute his
journey.
"Friday-A very scant dinner, and
pretended therefore to be i'll, that, by
avoiding to eat, l might leave some
thing like enough for my poor wife and
CuAAOIcH. 1 SOlu lily "Alo WHAT L udu
done with the shilling; the excellent
creature, instead of blaming me for the
action, blessed the goodness of my
heart and burst into tears. Men,
Never to contradict her as long as l
live, for the mind that can argue like
hers, though it may deviate from the
more rigid sentiments of prudence, is
even amiable for it's indiscretlon, and
in every lapse from the severity OF
economy performs an act of virtue, SUI
perior to the value of a kingdom.
"Saturday-Wrote a sermon, which
on Sunday l preached at four different
parish churches, and came home exces-
sively wearied and excessively hungry;
no more money than twopence half
penny in the house, but You SEQ the
goodness of God! The ~strolling player
whom l had relieved was a man of for
tune, who accidently heard that l was
as humane rs l was INDECENT, and from
a generous eccentricity of temper want
ed to do me an essential piece of serv-
, ice. i had not been an bour at home
when hs came in, and declaring him,
self my friend put a ESQ note in my
hand, aad the next day presented me