Kansas City journal., 1898-02-11
HOW MUCH SHOULD A SUBURBAN
MINISTER RECEIVER
PASTORS TESTIFY AS EXPERTS
MEN WHO DRAW BIG SALARIES
PLACE Low ESTIMATES.
An Attempt to Boom q Real Estate
Scheme Through the Assistance
of n Church-FaiIure of the
Plan Caused Pastor to
Sue for Back Pay.

Judge Scarritts court room yesterday af-
ternoon looked like an adjourned meeting
OF the Ministers Alliance, as most of the
prominent ministers of the city were pres
ent in the capacity of expert witnesses TO
testify TO the value of the services of min
4s.ers of the gospel. The necessity for their
attendance grew out of a wholly anomalous
situation.
William Hoelzel is the owner of large
tracts of land within a radius of several
blocks of Twenty-eighth and Cherry streets.
and o. H. ]. Miller is a German Lutheran
minister. An arrangement was made where
by Miller became the pastor of a small
congregation which worshiped in the little
church building at Twenty-eighth and
Cherry streets Singularly enough. this was
called the Church of Peace. but IL was a
glaring misnomer, for nothing but dissen-
sion and strife have resulted from Its es-
tablfshment.
Miller claims that Hoelzel engaged him to
build up a congregation. SO as to enhance
the value OF his property and increase his
income from rents. realizing that the proH-
ot th ms va1e fcr 70 Tesdence
Miller preached for twenty-three weeks and
then. for some reason. the church was dis
banded. Miller claims that Hoelzel prom
ised to deed the property to the congrega-
ton, but the latter refused to do so. Hoel-
gel denies that he agreed to pay all OF the
minister's salary, and says that Miller was
not a preacher capable of building up a
church. Miller brought suit to recover $40
e week salary for twenty-three weeks. or
II was a peculiar fact that the ministers
of tho most prominent evangelical churches
5000 to $1,000. TESTIFIED that Miller's serv-
ices were worth not over 500 per month.
e RI i E Robe 2, rs, o, ractv sae Gn4hea arabado2 Sl
testified that Miller was worth 1850 for
twenty-three weeks.
pastors Of the two churches into which the
Second Presbyterian church divided. placed
8. valuation OF 81 200 a year on on the the services services
end preached to a congregation OF ten or
fifteen people. DR.. Hancher. of the Grand
Avenue church. and DR.. Quayle. of the In
we're not qualified to testify as to SUBURBAN
salaries.
ne kept his right arm stiff1y, at his side for
an instant. Then he raised IT ginger!y
few inches until the right hand was little
eaid: when one is in Rome he might as
well do as the Romans do" He took the
I the most Ss orthodox witness Of them all. He
testified that the services of a man engaged
under the circumstances alleged In the pc
the twenty three weeks. or $3.50 per year.
'Now, DOCTOR" he was asked on cross
examination. wouldn't the kind OF e..
preacher he was make some difference?"
Eyes. there is difference in preacher
Would the denomination make any DIFF
ference?" was the next question
well, the rule is that the better the
denomination the less salary the preacher
gets"
what kind of preacher and what kind
of a congregation did you have in your
mind when you said Mr.. Miller'S services
were worth 1880 for twenty-three weeks?"
We'll. an average preacher, and an aver
age congregation"
What do you mean?'
We'll" replied DR.. Roberts. thought
fully. IAN average congregation Is a lot of
people. up to date, who have the courage
OF their convictions and are ready to back
them up by sacrificing something for them.
An average preacher is man of brains,
working to build up church,
Would the character Of the minister
make any difference?"
DR.. Roberts smiled one Of his Church of
This World smiles as he replied:
We'll. character is assumed in the case
Of a minister"
But suppose this preacher failed to
build up this church,"
We'll, then it would be a showdown"
rem Of the cloth were scandaliZed "A
preacher would be in luck IL he could
shoulder the responsibility for failure upon
some one else"
The case went over until to-day
As a business proposition" said DR..
Roberts. after adjournment, "a preacher
Is worth 5000 a year. II he goes into the
work for the love Of God or humanity he
must rely upon compensation which no
minister gets who breaches merely for
money or to enhance the value of real
estate"