Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-20
COU NTRY CLERGY
SOMETHING ABOUT THE coNDl.
TONS AND LIFE OF RURAL
GOSPEL ExPoNENTs.
Members OF Ministry Appear Like
Princes Of the Blood to Their Brit
lsh Brethren - Foreign Ministers
Have a hard lot.

Princes OF the Blood to Their Brit.
ish Brethren - Foreign Ministers
Have hard lot.
1t is not an uncommon thing to hear
complaints made Of the hard lot Of the
country clergyman in America; but
inc British press reveals state Of
things which makes Americas rural
reVerends appear almost like princes
OF the blood, at least as regar DIS the
luxury of their lot.
one recent case was that of poor
vicar whose living included q tumble
down dwelling. The dean and chapter,
after sitting in judgment on the condi.
tlon OF the premises, decided that the
repairs were not properly chargeable
against the former incumbent. and
that 1t would not be quite fair to com.
pei the present one to pay for them,
SO the best thing was to do nothing
and let the house fall If ii, would. But
meanwhile a bill due by the former
tenant, but chargeable against the liv-
ing itself, was raked up, and the pres
emit vicar was called upon to settle it.
AS he had nothing to draw upon for
the money, his salary was docked to
$5 a week, the rest of the paltry annu-
lty OF $3.50 being turned over in liquid
alton Of the debt. When this is paid
or-and 1t amounts now to barely ten
antable, but the vicar will be restored
to his customary pay of $3.50 week.
British cIersymen's Plight.
Another case is that Of a Clergyman
we'll advanced in years, with wife
and six children, whose regular salary
is about $500 a year, derived from the
rent of certain parish farm lands. But
the condition of some of the property
lately became such that the income
dropped Off and charge Of nearly
$8,OOO was made against the living.
Ihls has accordingly been sequestered
TILL the vicar shall be able, by drawing
only $3.50 a year and handing over the
balance, to square the debt,
The American Conditions.
Think of these poor fellows, We men
of the gospel in the United States who
are sometimes prone to complain that
hard work in the Lords VINEYARD ia
not appreciated by those in whose be-
half it is done! Many a Methodist or
Baptist parson in our pioneer country
has been working for less than either
OF their English brethren just cited.
But the difference in the other condi-
lions is immense. The clergyman. of
the English church cannot take of his
coat and go to work in thehferest with
the wood choppers in winter or in the
meadow with the haymakers in the
summer, and live with the other dollar.
a-day men on an equality and with
wholesome sense of self-respect. He;
is part of the great ecclesiastical es.
Enlistment of the Kingdom of Great
Britain, which recognizes the man who
takes orders as of a class apart from
the peasantry who toll with their
hands in the common industries.
A Man With Talent.
In England, the avenue to the
church is somewhat narrow one, and
most of the livings worth having are
picked up by the younger sons Of well.
placed families. The remnants, even.
are sometimes the subject of much
contention by persons who have moth
ing else in the world to which thew
can turn their hands, and to whom the
barest pittance is acceptable as a ref
uge from polite starvation. A man
with talent, but no family and no in
fuence, might be eligible enough for a
good place in one Of the dissenting
pulpits, but that would mean social os
tracism and compulsory association
with things and people that his proud.
soul had been schooled2to scorn.
Gaming and Specializing.
Of H. al Il =
ed to us the effects Of the poverty
stricken clergymen Of the established
church to retrieve themselves by gam
ing and speculation, and once in a
while the London police court chroni-
cles reveal pitiful story Of theft or
swindling by one of these unfortu.
mates. Harshly as the church frowns
upon suicide, the record of seIf-destruc.
ton is not wholly free. by any means,
of the names of pulpiteers who in r,ef-
ter days have preached most vigorously
against 1t.
donation Parties" Help.
Come to think of it then, the country
clergyman among us is not in SO very
bad a plight. He has gone into his
calling not because it is respectable,
his only chance Of professional liveli-
or because 1t devolves upon member.
of his family, or becanse II affords him
his only chance OF a liveli-
hood. He has taken 1t up because he
likes it, or because his talents seem to
fit him especially for it, or because he
believes that he can do good there.
If its rewards are too small, his neigh.
bors help him out with donation
parties" and the like; and bushel of
apples or couple of big pumpkins
or a barrel Of apples are not infre,
quently set aside by the farmer parish
Toner for the dominic" out of pure
good will. He need not be too proud
to turn dollar with spade OF buck
saw or pitchfork if he needs the mon
ey. Oh! there's many lot unhappiers
than his!
Add Humphrey, who reside south of
town last week