The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-12

three four or five years In the same
charge; that they had paid their bills;
cared for them while they were In their
midst. and that in their old age II was
the duty of some one else to provide Tor
them. That could not be, however, as
the minister had given the best service
for the time while he was In particular
charge, and had done likewise In each
place he fulfilled his sduties. and hence
II was the duty of the Methodist Epis-
copalians. as u great organization. 10
become responsible for the well-being
of the minister after he had passed his
days of usefulness.
II might also be said that they paid
their ministers sufficiently or much
more than they were accustomed to re-
ceive for their services. He had read
with some interest that In the earlier
part OF the century, ministers received
500 "A year. but the stipend was subse-
ouently increased to $2l7, made up or
groceries, provisions. etc. II the stew
ards could raise 1t. and after that S6O u
wear was raised for house rent, bringing
up the salary to about $500 year. If
the argument of comparing the salaries
was applied 1t would appear to be a
good and powerful argument on the
face of 1t. but there were other features
which should be taken Into considera-
ton The churches were not 50 wealthy
In those days-they had not the same
surroundings as in the present days
the very church In which they We're as
sembled was an Instance, which de-
stroyed the force of the argument.
Not Proper Policy.
Further. the argument could be made
that sufficient money should be paid. so
that ministers would not be brought to
the distress which they witnessed under
the present system: but, he replied, en-
phatically, that this could not be ac-
complished. 1t was not policy, nor was
II right for any church corporation to
pay more to its minister than the
amounts received by those making up
the corporation. In other cases 1t was
not possible for churches to pay the
amount that they should pay. In order
10 meet this condition of things the
wealthier churches, and the people who
could afford it. should assist the weaker
charges and less wealthy men. The
question was, How were they to do, II?
Not by making up the salary, but by
assisting to take care OF the men VINO
have worked for the weather. churches.
His hearers might be astonished at this
remark, but he claimed that when a
man served country charge, which,
generally, We're not the churches imam
cially able to pay the high salaries, he
was also serving the weather. city
churches. as it was from the influx OF
the country which supplied the large
city churches,
Another argument which captain
May also disposed of was that some. or
| many. of the ministers did not deserve
| the assistance. Ministers We're not per-
| feet. and there were men in the minis
| try who ought not to be there: they
were there simply to make livelihood
seeking the best appointments, looking
| out for themselves and caring no more
| for their Master than they do for the
people they do not want to serve. They
We're. however. the exceptions, and they
| should rather think of the men who
went into the ministry because they
| sincerely believed that they were going
| to spend their lives in doing the best
work for the Master.
In conclusion Captain May remarked
| that It did not seem possible to him that
good Methodists could live in beautiful
| houses, with all that wealth and luxury
could give them. while there We're sona
| of their ministers who in old age Were
| deprived of the necessities of life and
| comforts. which We're their right after
the years of work they mad given their
| Master. 1t was therefore a duty which
they could not shirk, and the fund ought
to be raised in so short time that all
| difficulties would be removed and jus.
| tice done to the veterans of the pulnit.