Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-08-01
PLAIN LIVING AND HIGH THINKING.
ON How Much OF How Little Ministers
Lived 40 Years Ago.

On How Much OF How Little Ministers
Lived $50 Years Ago.
We have heard great deal about
plain living and high thinking, with
illustrations from men. who had
hardly the wherewithal to keep soul
and body together, but who, in spite
of that, have written books that have
left their impress not only upon
their own time, but upon after gen.
erations. We are little suspicious
of such stories, lest they should be
quoted to justify the niggardliness
of those who receive of the gospel
in providing for the wants of those
who preach the gospel. But the fol.
lowing instance is too renxsrkable to
be overlooked, and wo give it to our
readers, since We can vouch for its
accuracy, having examined tho rec
ord only Saturday last.
Jonathan Edwards is the greatest
theologian that this country has ev-
or produced. Robert Hall, the tn.
nous English preacher, used to do.
YOUR his hooks with such amaze
ment at tho power of reasoning they
showed that he exclaimed, ed
wards is tho greatest perhaps he
meant solely in the field of philo-
sophical and theological speculation
-"of tho sons of men, Yet this
great man was settled in a country
parish in Northampton, where the
people, who could not appreciate his
greatness, fairly drove him away,
after which, as if he would find a
lodge in some vast wilderness, ne
went over the mountains and took
refuge at Stockbridge, on the banks
of the Housatonic, where there was
mission TO the Indians, with a few
settlers from eastern Massachusetts,
and the records tell US that meet
ing at the town (not of the church,
for in those days there was but one
church, which was established BY
law, and tho town was to provide
for its support> held on Feb. %, 1850
(when, perhaps, down in old Vir.
ginia, George Washington was cele-
brating his eighteenth birthday, it
was voted that "in case Rev. Jona-
than Edwards should settle with
them in tho work of the ministry"
he should receive tho sum Of 9G los.
4d. per year-about s35. 1t is com.
forting to know that lie was assured
in the contract that it should be
lawful money. W.
When read this, confess / could
hardly believe it; yet no rubbing of
eyes or of spootacles could change
the figures. There they stand as
they have stood for Jag years, for
the benefit of whatsoever may have
curiosity to read them. The
amount seems indeed incredibly
small, and perhaps was supplement-
ed by q contribution from the Eng
lish Society For the Propagation of
the Gospel In Foreign Parts. But so
far as the record goes that was the
salary, and tho whole salary, so far
as it was paid in money. But with
this there was also q provision for
keeping the minister warm. # the
people could not supply much to
stimulate him inwardly, they would
at least keep tho blood from freez.
ing in his veins by keeping the fire
burning on his hearthstune. And &C.
cordingly, with this munificent sala-
ry, it was voted also that he should
have 100 sleighloads OF firewood, OF
which tho Indians We're to furnish
50 and the white settlers 20, 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 cloth
ing, yet with the fire burning bright
ly on his hearth, Jonathan Edwards
wrote books that will be immortal
in the history of his country. Plain
living and high thinking indeed.-
Henry M. Field in New York Evan
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