The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-09-18
STATUS OF THE PASTOR.
GIRLS DO NOT WISH TO be YOUNG
MINISTER'S WIVES.

10 me misunderstanding Young Wom'
an and Her Ambitious Mother, the
Clergyman Holds a Possible Filth
P'aeo-The coeter Haa TAKEN Pree-
odenee.
Somewhere IN this age Of material
lam and IN the present race after
wealth, It has become apparent that
tie minister Of the gospel, az be was
known ana recognized thirty years
ago. has been displaced The doctor
q medicine has taken precedence Of
the doctor Of divinity in the worldly
course Of sentiment. Four women
may attend church services to each
man to be found there. but this gem
eral observation holds good, regard
less CT the age appearance OF married
or single condition OF the minister.
To the misunderstanding young WON.
an and her determined and ambitious
mother the young minister Of the Cos
pei today holds q possible ffth place.
Bishop Samuel NJ. Merrill Of the
Methodist Episcopal church was
asked to substantiate the general ap.
plcations OF these assertions. AS 70
the romantic side OF the preachers
life, however, be holds that 1t was al
ways the romance Of the man himself,
regardless of his cloth; that where
the preachers position was considered
pro and con In the arrangement of a
wedding the situation was only local
and meaningless as applied to the
profession OF the ministry.
In the middle west especially there
are hundreds OF thousands Of obserY-
srs CT the churches of a generation
ago who recall when frequently the
mere consideration Of a married cler-
gyman in the filling of a pulpit va
eancy would cause a faction OF moth
ers with manageable daughters to
enter such vigorous protest as some
times to split the church. The posi-
ton OF most OF the sober-sided mem
bers Of the flock would be against the
engagement OF boy preacher, while
certain of the mothers with daughters
eligible to matrimonial adventure
would find the young candidate espe-
cially eloquent" or spiritual" or
sympathetic. This condition pre-
vailed particularly in those churches
which made their own votiYe choice
Of the minister.
Today, save In the smaller rural
churches off the railroads and away
from touch with the great money cen.
tres Of the country, the question Of the
young preacher was never less pro
voking Of factions
When the young preacher was the
mark Of especial favor with ambitious
mammas, there were fewer represen-
tatives OF the profession to draw from
in rural communities AS a rule four
preachers could find livings OF some
kind in town that could support per.
Eaps only two doctors. There would
be one druggist, perhaps; cashier IN
the one bank CT the place, railroad
station agent and a postmaster The
lawyer Of the PIE cogld be upon &C
cordingly Tnin pInkings, and most
likely already married. Beyond these
the choice of son-in-law would lie in
the grocery and dry goods stores,
hardware store and the coal dealer, 9
Office. A.r.,, .,tI TN .14rAl(S,.-s
To-day one not familiar with the
conditions in the smaller towns Of
the country would be surprised to
know how sharply they are rejecting
the life of the cities" said traveller
who has made observations in the
country towns of the middle west es-
pecially. For instance, there is
scarcely a wealthy man in one Of
these places who has not made his
ventures upon the boards of trade and
the stock exchanges of the big cities.
He can talk about millions with all
the natural ease that comes to Wall
street freQuenters. The seeming ease
with which promoters and corn kings
and wheat kings have made fortunes
has impressed the man in the country
town quite as strongly as the impress.
sion has been marked in the pOpUla-
ton of the cities, and to talk to him
now Of local man whose claims to
wealth are in a pa.lry $4,000 or $780,
coo, is to provoke a smile OF patient
consideration.
In general, too, the whole country
has increased in wealth, and as this
has come about, and the intricacles Of
civilization have multiplied, room has
been made for more OF the professions
in the small towns, and nearly every
one of these has profted more than
has the ministry. 1t seems in these