The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-03
POVERTY OF THE CLERGY.
Rector Who Does His Own Washing,
Ironing and Grave-Digging.
London Mail.

London Mail.
The sad case of the Rev. G. F. Briscoe,
who has been trying to support the dignity
or a clergyman In st. Benets, Kentish
Town, on f122 a year, has attracted sympa-
thetic attention throughout the country.
A large number of lettersNhas reached the
Daily Mail emphasizing the hardship en-
dured by many other clergymen in similar
circumstances; and a Scarborough lady of
fers to start a subscription for Mr.. Briscoe
with a gift of e10.
A rector whose net income is much less
than 9lW' sends a most pathetic descrip-
ton of his life.
You ask" he writes. eff it is possible
for a clergyman TO starVe. / myself have not
actually done so as yet, but the least little
accident, now or for years past, would have
sent me into the .w%Orkhouse, or 1 should
have died on my bed and remained there
unburied for possibly a fortnight.
Il have kept starvation away by living
alone for the last seven years. l do my own
cooking, my own washing. light my own
church fires, and on one occasion even dug
a grave.
Il have been ordained somewhere about
eighteen years, and am worse off from a
money point of view than L was before Ordi-
nation. New clothes and such things-well,
/ simply don't bother about them. as 1 have
ceased to bother about having TO do my own
little washing and mending and darning.
The neighboring clergy / simply let go, for
l have a pride that prevents me from visit
ing as a Pauper where L feel that my in
telligence and position would entitle me 10
appear as an equal. or more.
Il am poor and proud, and i suppose that
many of my brother clergy are the same.
We don't complain. for what is the use Of
complaining? L have not a single helper in
my parish, which is a poor one, and l am
obliged 70 play my " music in the church
on Sundays, and pay my own church ex-
penses."
Several correspondents point out that the
clergy are in many cases paid far less than
skilled artisans, and some earn as little as
laborers. When the amount OF money spent
on their education is considered, there is
no class in the community so badly paid"
according to our correspondents.
The shadow Of the workhOuse appears TO
creep into many a parsons life. to judge by
the letters we receive. A curate observes
that several Of his colleagues have ended
their existence in the workhouse after years
of work, and he looks forward gloOmily 10
the same fate. as my earning capacity,
after twenty years experience, is consider
ably less than when 1 first started, and is
likely TO decrease"
The Rev. II. T. Palmer, NJ. A, rector OF
Keighley, gives some startling instances in
a pamphlet OF the rush for 'livings, how
ever tiny and out of the way they may be-
The patron of a small benefice worth under
5000 told Mr.. Palmer that he had over 800
applications for IL without himself making
any move in the matter. For a more i'm
portant b%enefice, which was publicly ad-
vertised. nearly 700 applications and recon-
mendations were received.
A little time ago. on the death of a certain
clergyman the suffering widow was i'm
mediately assailed by applicants for the
beneice. of which she was not the pa
troness.
A lady who advertised an attractive
chaplaincy in the church newspapers
handed over To Mr.. Palmer nearly one hun
dred letters Of applicants ranging from an
honorary canon down TO an ambitioUg cur
ate who had just taken priests orders"
"Curates of twenty-five years standing -
says Mr.. Palmer. get from 80 10 20 per
cent. less stipend than those newly or
dained. and many Of them find IL impos-
sible TO obtain regular employment az all.
Their average stipend is only els per an
num-, and these stipends decrease at the
rate OF f5 every five years. Curates are be-
ing multiplied three times as rapidly as
beneices.'