The sun., 1896-02-03
The Pay of Preachers.

The Pay of Preachers.
The clergyman Of one of the churches OF
this city recently delivered sermon in
which he scolded his congregation for their
failure to support him in proper style. He
argued that his salary of $4,000 a year did
not represent the value of his services, and
that it ought to be at least twice as much
as that. He told his people that he could
make more money IL he were to take up
some other business, and he spoke words of
warning to them which are said to have
had an effect upon the authorities OF his
church. This particular preacher belongs
to the class known as "sensationalists,"
and we infer from what we have heard
about his sermons that it would be we'll for
him to look for job outside Of the pulpit,
more especially if he can get higher pay else
where.
Within few months we have had news
of two cases in which ministers left their
churches because of dissatisfaction with
their salaries. There was the Hoboken
minister who gave up preaching to start
beer saloon, in which, as we learn from the
reports, he has found prosperity; and there
was the other minister on the outskirts of
Jersey City who gave up preaching to estab-
lish an undertaker's shop, in which, as the
reports have told, he is doing profitable
business. But neither of these ministers
had an income of s5, 900 year. In truth.
the salary of the Hoboken man was only
$500, while that of the other man was not
any larger; and both of them complained
that they were hardly ever able to collect the
amount due. 1t would be too rough, as
things go, to censure these men for making
a change which they believed would be ad
vantageous for them. The Rev. Mr.. FEICKE,
for example, declared that he could not
maintain his growing family upon the sums
which were taken up at the collections;
and certainly it was his bounden duty to
support his wife and children. We have
not doubt that If either of them had held
the $4,000 pulpit Of their New York minis
terial contemporary, he would have been
abundantly contented, and would never
have thought of laying complaint before
the church.
1t has always been our opinion that it is
the duty of every church to give fair pay
to the minister whose services it procures !;
and if any church is unable or unwilling to
do that it's minister has n right to resign
In many country places where money is
scarce, it Is customary for the people to fur
nish their ministers with family supplies, so
that large salaries are not necessary: and
we are free to think that the custom Is
not bad one. We have heard that by this
method the minister's larder is pretty sure
to be kept full.
Our religious contemporary, the Christian
Register, speaks temperately upon this sub
ject. After saying that "all ministers are
not paid their full worth" it adds: Yet
ministerial salaries have steadily increased
in this country, and the minister is sup
ported in degree of comfort which does not
compare unfavorably with that of members
of other professions" at cannot be said"
we quote from the Christian Register, THAT
the ministry is losing it's influence in the
money market" Though the words Of this
last sentence are not happily chosen, they
are probably the truth.
Another of our religious contemporaries,
the Wdtchmdn of Boston, also makes some
remarks upon the subject This paper says
that a minister should never be spoken of
as hired man." that he ought not to be
regarded rs one whose pay represents his
value, and that. so far rs his salary Is con-
cerned, it is often but a meagre reward for
his service. II it be expected that he shall
preach with spiritual energy. and lavish the
wine of the spirit in fellowship with his
people, he must be treated otherwise than
rs mere hireling. "The hard, CONNER
cial way of looking Mt the pastorate." says
the Wdtchmnn, which is Baptist organ.
"reacts unfavorably both upon ministers
and churches; it ruins the more delicate
aspects Of the pastoral relation" We feel
sure that this remark must be true; and it
is more satisfactory to us than many other
remarks upon the subject presented by
religious papers
| In any event, the minister must live If he
is to preach; and 1t is the duty of the people
who engage his services to see to it that he
is fairly paid for them. "How much pay ?"
That is n question which must be deter
mined by the parties in interest