New-York tribune., 1901-04-07
GROUP OF IGoRRoTEs THE HEADMEN IN EUROPEAN DRESS

grown in numbers in wealth and in power it has
been inevitable that new needs and new conditions
Should arise. And it may be OF passing interest
just at this time, the l02d session of the New
York Conference is about 10 meet, 10 glance back
at some OF the conditions which prevailed before
the twentieth century civilization took hold OF the
machinery OF Methodism.
IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Nor is ii necessary to go back Very many years
before coming to those days Of simple and primi
tive Methodism when salaries were Of the thinnest
variety, when comfortable parsonages were almost
unknown and wnen the bulk Of circuit travelling
was done with a horse As the New-York Con-
ference is the strongest anG weathiest of all these
Methodist organizations scattered throughout the
land, what may be said OF this conference is
true in greater or less degree Of them all. Take
the period, then. about forty years ago when the
New-fork Conference comprised the greater part
Of Manhattan Island, whence it up the Hud-
River 10 Hudson. up the Harlem Railroad
Chatham, and the side Of the Hudson
River stretched over the bleak heads OF the Cats
kill Mountains far up into Delaware Schohare
and Sullivan counties. Those the times when
most OF the small country parishes were joined
sether into different circuits one minister.
sionally several, covering each circuit 1t the
hardest sort Of work. for Of the churches
were sixty miles from the railroad. and the preach
had TO fight their way horseback through
the roaring gales and deepening SHOWS Of the rug
a
country usually of rather small ideas and the
poor minister had easy time 70 make both ends
meet. The farmers especially, living off their
produce and seeing little need OF ready cash could
hardly be called cheerful givers
II well remember" said one OF the old retired
ministers the other Gay, how OF my
charges ~ in Delaware County well-to-do farmer
brought me his 'quarterage' Quarterly
trfbution) dozen eggs. Eggs We're selling then at
10 cents dozen. 1t in another parish, not far
that orao ~ for
too Of considerable means-asked me how in the
world managed TO spend my annual salary, which
amounted TO just SOC and was not promptly paid
IT that.
BIG DEBT HAPPILY RAISED.
1T was in this bleak region that after SER
vice Sunday of the trustees came for
ward and, With solemn countenance and dismal
voice. announced: Brethren. we are resting under
q debt of 10 cents. How shall raise it? II
voted 10 take an immediate collection and happily
the sum was raised and the debt wiped out
But, Of course that was simply the hard side of
the picture. We clergy;nen Of the last generation
found plenty on the othe. side that warm and
generous and openhearted- There was almost al
ways, even IN the smallest OF parishes. kind
esPsea woman VINO would never go by Lhe par par
just insce the front door; and in time OF trouble
OF course these far away country districts I'm the
Methodism as it was forty wears ago in the times
inportant-of the churcb's York In The iareer
towns and cities modern and liberal ideas
prevailed, but even in NeWYork City the church
The tables published just after the annual session
or the New-York Conference in 1862. held in that
instance. in the local district Clew- York; of the
that AT eniY two e s s5os ane ae
and St. Paurs, in Fourth-ave. At White Plains
and AT Yonkers the salaries only $500. Yet in
the other districts Of the conference stlI smaller
salaries Were paid. In the whole district centring
Poughkeepsie and one at Sing sing-paid as high
salary 10 their pastors sl.019 In the Rhinebeck
he maid HrafS
But the Prattsville and Monticello districts made
the poorest showing for they embraced those cir
no hight affairs on the salary list OF the Pratts
vile district Durham, with $50, represented the
n1sa water & mark OF prosperity while the poor
Dugway and Russ Hin, in Schoharie County. re-
ceived just $50 wear 10 support his growing fam
ran about $500 or s4C6 Mongaup paid oniy SOS but
then Elenville paid $500 and Crawford held up its
The Newburg district was in comparative affuence
One Of The Newburg churches paid 81 900 One of
had to contribute ss25 for its religion -'O''0'1'
THREE CHURCHES PAID $1,000.
But, as summary. it may be said that outside
Of New-York City In 1862 there were only three
churches In the conference that paid their pastors
as much as $1,000 year. Take now some of those
same districts in 1900 In New-York ST. Pauls had
risen from s2oOo TO $4,000 and allowance 5000
York City churches pay 5000 or over 'Ie foge,be
with liberal allowance for house rent while
sonage provided. Outside OF the local district the
advance in prosperity and in salaries is also
marked. The Poughkeer rsie district. which in 1862
could show only one or two salaries high as
s. 800, has fifteen good that or better
and ranging up TO $500. In the rest OF the con-
ference where In 1862 there only one salary as
high 81, 90, there twenty-six OF course
the salaries paid even low as compared
with OF those at wealthy city churches Of
other denominations. but the Methodist Church
has always tried 10 be the church Of the plain peo
pie with small
The figures which show even more directly the
growth OF the church Interesting. In there
were In the conference &.2s5 members; the I57
churches valued at sSs5 800 The seventy-four
parsonagcs set down for sI3s 200 In 1900 the
number OF church members had swelled 10 50 $40
There 4Sl churches valued s. 737 $50 N IN
crease OF 600 per cent in value. There were 2s4
parsonsgcs. worth sslsl5o. while the benevolent
collections had Increased enormously.
Despite the abolition Of the time limit IL is ex-
pected that there Will be few changes an
nouDce6 at the close Of the coming conference FOR
the iunerant habit is too strong 10 be eradicated
Tor some time TO come.