New-York tribune., 1901-05-08
DISSENTFROM MvAN NORDEN
CLERGYMEN SAY THAT THEIR vACA-
TIONS ARE NO LONGER THAN
THEY NEED

1t has become nothing less than a scandal
tnat so many ministers leave their work for
three or four months a year."-Cwarner Van
Norden on Monday night before the Presby-
terian Union.
Those who say that clergymen take too long
vacations are ignorant Of facts. They have no
conception Of the clergymans manner Of life.
For the last forty years I have labored seven
days a week and eighteen hours a day. I
couldn't do IL II did not have adequate vaca-
tions. two months vacation for the average
clergyman is none too long."-CBishop Potter
yesterday to a Tribune reporter
The criticism which Warner Van Norden ex-
pressed on Monday night before the Presby-
terian Union on the length of clergymen's vaca-
tions has awakened widespread discussion and
occasional condemnation in church circles
Clergymen who were seen by Tribune reporters
yesterday said in answer TO Mr.. Van Norden
that he had blundered in his assertion. and that
their vacations were none too long.
When Bishop Potter read Mr.. Van Norden's
speech he spoke as quoted at the beginning Of
this article. Continuing he said:
Many men fail to realize that the clergyman
works every day in the week The strain upon
his brain and nerves is continuous and accord
ingly tremendously exhausting. No can
stand such Intellectual labor without respite
average preacher. Even with that some of
them break down.
The business man who goes to work at 10
a. and is through at p. m, who closes his
place OF business Saturday noon and lOls about
until Monday morning fOrgets that he is taking
all the year through an intermittent vacation
from which the minister is debarred. Neverthe-
less. in addition the business man must take
a vacation nearly long as the clergyman s
isolated period Of rest.
And whose fault Is it that some churches are
closed in summer? It is not the minister :
fault. II is the fault Of those members Of the
congregation who could go down into their pock-
cts TO pay for a supply. but who don't.
The Rev Dr. Morgan Dix rector Of Trinity
Church, told Tribune reporter that none of the
churches Of Trinity Parish were ever closed,
and vacations were given by church ordinance.
DR.. Dix expressed the opinion that clergymen
did not get any longer vacations than they
really needed. so far as his knowledge went.
The Rev. DR.. Junius B. Remensnyder. pastor
OF St. Jamess Lutheran Church. said:
The matter is simplified a great deal in some
parishes, where there are a number of min
isterial colleagues in charge. In such a situa-
ton they can alternate in their vacations with
out any interruption Of the church services.
In the case OF only one minister being in charge
the difficulty is greatly increased. owing to the
inability, as rule, or the tmpraCticability OF
having the church open during his absence.
The vacation of a minister is perhaps not fifty
to be compared with that of every other pro-
fessiOnal or business man. The length Of vaca-
tiOn needed depends very largely on the intel
lectua strain OF the worker. In city pulpits,
where pulpit work of a high order is demanded
and many outside intellectual calls made
upon the minister, the strain is very severe. and
a short vacation would afford little opportunity
for reCuperation.
Much too. depends upon the locality OF a
church In quarters OF the city where very few
OF the population go away the Importance OF
the church being open during the summer is
much more urgent. In neigh bOrhOOds where
nearly the entire community are absent for a
large part Of the summer experience shows II is
almost impraCtiCable 10 hold any such COngre-
cation as would warrant having continuous ser
vices. As a practical matter / believe very
few churches suffer loss from the summer a
ti0ns OF ministers. while beyond doubt they
make great gain in the intellectual freshness
and physical buoyancy with which the pastors
return TO the resumption of their duties
The Rev DR.. George T. Purves. pastor OF the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church: the Rev.
DR.. Edward Walpole Warren. rector OF st.
James's Protestan, Episcopal Church. the Rev.
Dr. Joseph Silverman. rabbi Of Temple Emanu-
Fl. and the Rev Or. Robert 8. Macarthur. pas
tor OF Calvary Baptist Church, were not at their
homes when the reporter called