The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-16
PREACHERS NOT HIGH LINERS.
Salaries Were Extremely
Meagre in the Early Days.


New York Evangelist: We have heard
great deal about plain living and high
thinking, with illustrations from men
who had hardly wherewithal to keep soul
and body together, but who, in spite of
that, have written books that have left
the impress not only upon their own
times, but upon after generations. We
are little suspicious of such stories, lest
they should be quoted to justify the mig
gardliness of those who "receive of the
Gospel in providing for the wants of
those who preach the Gospel. But the
following instance is too remarkable to
be overlooked, and we give it to our read
ers, since we can vouch for its accuracy,
having examined the reco rd only recently.
Jonathan Edwards is the greatest the
ologian that this country has ever pro-
duced. Robert Hall, the famous English
preacher, used to devour his books with
such amazement at the power of reason
ing they showed that he exclaimed: ED
wards is the greatest'-perhaps he meant
solely in the field of philosophical and
theological speculation-"of the sons of
men," Yet this great man was settled
in county parish in Northampton,
where the people, who could not appreci-
ate his greatness, fairly drove him away,
after which, as if he would find lodge
in some vast wilderness, he went over the
mountains at took refuge at Stockbridge,
on the banks of the Housatonic, where
there was Il mission of the Indians, with
few settlers from Eastern Massachu-
sets, and there the records tell us that a
meeting of the town mot OF the church,
for in those days there was but one
church, which was established by law,
and the town was to provide for it's sup
port) held on February %, 1850 (when,
arl,n a Ill
Washington was celebrating his 18th
birthday, it was voted that ain case the
Rev. Jonathan Edwards should settle
with them in the work of the ministry
he should receive the sum of CO los 4d
per annum-about S35, 1t was comfort
ing to know that he was assured in the
contract that it should he "lawful
money!
When read this l confess | could
hardly believe it-yet no rubbing of eyes
or of spectacles could change the figures:
there they stand rs they stood for 146
years. for the benefit of whatsoever may
nave curiosity to read them. The
amount seems, indeed, Incredibly small,
and perhaps was supplemented by con
tribution from the English Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel in foreign
parts. But so far as the record goes,
that was the salary, and the whole salary,
so far as it was paid in money. But with
this there was also provision for keep
ing the minister warm. If the people
could not supply much to stimulate him
inwardly they would at least keen the
blood from freezing in his veins by keep
ing the fire burning on his hcarthstone.
And, accordingly, with this munificent
salary, it was voted also that he should
have 100 sleigh loads of firewood, of
which the Indians were to furnish eighty
and the white settlers twenty, which they
were to chop in the woods and draw on
sleds TO his dwelling house, With this
very modest supply of that which could
buy food and clothing, yet with the fire
burning brightly on his hearth, Jonathan
Edwards wrote books that will be mmor-
tai in the history of his country. Plain
living and high thinking, indeed