New-York tribune., 1900-07-22
PAY OF MISSIONARIES
THOSE IN CHINA LEAD, BUT THINGS
ARE EQUALIZED BY PERILS.

has served to bring the missionary, particularly
the one in China, prominently before the eyes of
the world There are many things connected
with the missionary which not generally
known. The Protestant missionaries in China
among the best paid of those in any part of
lhe world. While it is true however, that they
receive more money than those in most other
countries, when the conditions under which they
work are taken into consideration, the pay is
found to be about equal to that elsewhere.
The cost Of living, the social requirements, and
the climate all considered in deciding the
amount of salary to be paid 1t is intended that
the salary shall about cover necessary living ex-
penses In the torrid zone, where the clothing
must be light and food is easily obtained, the
rate of pay is low One of the leading Amer-
can societies pays $3.50 to a man stationed in
Micronesia, $500 to one in Africa, and $1,000 to
every married couple going to Japan. This So
ciety pays a trfe less to married couple going
to China than to those accredited to Japan.
Another society has a graded scale, paying in
China to a single man per annum, the first five
years, $3.50: the next ten years, 500, and the
next ten years $500. After twenty-five years
of service he gets $500. Married couples begin
with $3.50 and are increased to 81 O00 81, 100 and
81, 200 A third society has fixed rate of $1,000
for married couples.
PRO RATA DIVISION OF RECEIPTS.
One society having a large number of mis-
sionaries divides the receipts of the year pro
rata The leading societies allow 500 year
for each child. Houses are provided for the
missionaries. One missionary organization also
provides what it calls outfit" at expense
of from $400 to $500. This consists of furniture
and clothing. Another society provides furni-
ture and the house only. The houses would
be considered plain in this country. but in China
they are substantial when compared with the
houses of the natives. The houses of the for
eigners are placed in walled Enclosures, called
compounds. because of the unsanitary conditions
prevailing.
The travelling expenses of the missionaries
are paid by the societies sending them out They
have a vacation of a year at intervals, deter
mined by the nature of the climate where they
are stationed. In South Africa the service is
from three to five years. It is dangerous to stay
beyond five years. In China they remain from
seven to ten years. AS the missionaries who re
main in the harness until their usefulness is
past usually have been able to save but little If
anything, from their income, provision is made
for their support when they placed upon the
superannuated list if they have no relatives or
friends to care for them.
SELECTIONS MADE WITH CARE.
Care is taken in the selection from the candi-
dates of those to go to the mission fields. They
examined TO their physical condition and
their intellectual and religious qualifications 4
large percentage of those accepted are graduates
from colleges and many have taken post-gradu-
ate courses. There a time when the demand
for missionaries exceeded the supply of candi-
dates, but within the last three four years
owing to the Student Volunteer movement the
number of those desiring to serve as mission
aries has exceeded the demands of the Boards
The candidates selected are usually under thirty
years old, as languages are best learned before
that age, and effort is made obtain persons
who learn languages with particular facility
The societies are not seeking married couples for
missionaries much formerly, as there are
be found. The first year two after the can
didates arrival upon the field is usually spent in
acquiring a knowledge of the language of the
country to which he is accredited In China il
requires from a year to a year and half to
obtain a working knowledge Of the language
preaching is one Of the chief functions of the
missionary, and he must seek out methods Of
attracting people to listen to him He must
speak in the street squares and at the fairs if
he get audience in other way. One of
for Bible instruction. The contributions for for
eign missionary purposes, according to the sta
tistics prepared for the Ecumencal Council, the
asst year were as follows: United States 81. J.403,-
C4S; England. $6S43O31. The worlds total was
S17.1Gl092