The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-10-18

Mg. EDITog;-On pickiDg up u religious
weekly few days ago our attention. lsil
Oh the following paragraph, which both
amused us und sugRested that 1t was
good rule and ought to be applied in
many other cases In order that justice
might be dealt out. The article read as
follows: 'kev. Dr. Horace A. Cleveland,
OF Erie Conference OF the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, at the end OF HE lrst year
In charge OF the First Al. j.. Church. Erie,
Ia., was removed by Bishop Goodsell at
the recent session of confeience and ap'
pointed to Mexican. Pa, q circuit OF four
churches"
Tho tonn OF the paragraph seems to be
that OF surprise at the removal OF Br.
Cleveland from nice easy place with
fat salary aud II good parsonage Furnish
cd freD OF charger Who Is Dr. Cleveland,
ana why all this hustle and stir through
The pers because lie has been sent To
charge with four churches to server Well.
Dr. Cleveland is u minister, and a profess
sioual star CHAMBER transfer from ono
Conference 10 anoher lllIiDg the big
churches paying line eulhries lIr. Cleve.
land nus as much right TO serve a Circuit
with four churches us any other man In
MethOusm. lie ought to serve tue hard
scrabble appointments lying moderate
salaries with his less favored brethern in
the ministry.
he neod Of the church o, to-day Is not
star cha III ber rings In the ministry and
htar chumDe chUf fches to circle round In
year after year. We nave too mL-h cast
IN tho ministry winch is growing too
worldly and secular Tor the sp.- ,Iul we'll
fare OF the church.
There is growing tendency to ignore
good all round preachers, men whose
iabors keep tue rank and lilo OF the churtn
up, when appointments are to be consld-
cred by tho BinhoLs aud Presiding Elders
OF the Methodist EplscOpal Church. lhrro
are hard working, God fearing and soul
ayin IN mi NJ mr. al
who are never considered In CONNECTION
with the better churches by the appoint
Ing power. .....
These cast off men are men frequently
of superior ability to those VINO are III
position and shape their destiny Tor thetn
We know mihsttrs who always do good
work In the elds they serve. They Lulid
up the church by revivals, building and
repairing churches anu pltsunages; all
the general de.ais oil tue work are look
cd after aud taken care OF by them. and
yot they never have had a fair salary or
pleasantly located parsonage to live in.
Are these men goUd preachers and faith
ful in their pastoral work? In many in.
stances. hut lOr their WORK tile church
would have died.
Why, then, have they never been pro-
NOTED to higher stitionsf Here Is tile
question, aud IL Is said to bD haru To an.
swer. But the main reasons for their lack
of promotion are because II they have had
been crowded bnci; or ililly denied pro-
motion uegause the appointing power
wanted some one else for the place or had
u;deIated Inc man To be promoted. Ii is
an easy thing to keep worthy msu out OF
promUtion-it only takes II word Ur a
smile of drrsion On the part of an official
who stunds netween The minister and the
church or declare the man Will not sui
the church
hure IL generally stops, unless the min
tata t..I a I,Al. tn.
ference ring or makes dorerininei flEht
for position. There are uinistere III all
our conferences who rotate from OnB
good appointment to ano'her. VINO htys
never built parsonage. church, or horse
stable In all thhir mlEiStaraI life or had
u revival Ill any charge they have served.
How 10 all This? Why, like IN. Cleveland.
they have hud tile luck to ring Into tue
better appointments and remain there,
more on salary and position than real
worth or merit. What Is the ruls by
winch ministers hIe too ctten. anu un.
justly too. ed by laylnHn wren IN
quest OF Il pastur 10 serve their churches?
We are sorry To say the salary let OF
the ministers ie the first and frequently
the last source OF INFORMATION consulted
II he hapt els To serve n Smaller church or
gets sIGail salary lie lS not sought al ter.
A recent writer has we'll SAID fat uulhriss
and star prencneIs have well nigh ruIned
lie Spirituality OF many churches and
pIbaCHtIS. OlutI UtlIp oludi
man Of small church unu salary would
he IN the lurgal church getting the fat
salary. while like Dr. Cleveland the man
OF the big church would be In the email
church receiving the small salary.
A prominent laylnan iD this city snid
some time ago, go to the smaller church.
es wh1h 4 want II real gospel to Iced on.
feur sad ns. our peopie " II starrO un.
le5s W" lave change IN tho plan nf max
ing Appointments az AZ pl eseut they are
litf1AF
the demands of the work and condition of
Preachers. uul they ara made according to
what certain preachers want and don't
want. u certain class get what they fish
alter all the year and anothur class take
what they can got b cause tho: are called
of God 10 preach the gospel and must
preach It or be lost forever.
How is this evil to be remedied2 and
how will the church eHpunge the .njustice
lrom ner BOSOM which Is b Ing lnLhcted
upon these lnithfui ut suffering minis,
ters whose rights have been so long ig
norsdY Bishop Goodsell gives the church
the key of solution. Let tn, churcn give
the mel WHO have worked faithfully to
build up the church chance to I'LL the
better appointments for season and
have fat salaries and easy pl ces take
places with ess salaries and unfayoraDiy
located charges.
But who Is to do this work In giving
these men u chance? Will the ministerial
WHO pihu5 iOt iIieHuS W Do
kept n the more favored churGnes2 He
cannot afford that, as he will soJn be in
the bands OF sumo one else OF his present
rank to receive an appointment. Tho lay
men of the churches, who support the
church. are the proper parties TO lake thls
matter IN hand and huri the hoodwluk
from their eyes that only few men can
be found to I'LL their pulpits with acceptl.
blty. The laymen should inteGposo and
readjust the present plan OF making the
appointment.
1t Is their right to select the preacher
they want and SEQ to it that they get him.
notwithstanding the undue assu ption of
authority by middlenen. The ialty pay
the snlaries and they keep up the running
expenses of tho church and they have a
right to be heard and get the preacher
ttey want. There arc ways devious and
dark employed by some middemen in
making appointments for their friends
and against their loss favored brethren.
Let the church SEQ to 1t that not few
ministers only, bat all tue pastors have
what beloDgs to them by applying Bishop
Goodsell's rule IN DR.. Cieveland'A case.