The sun., 1905-08-06
VEST NEEDS PREACHERS.
Fifteen Per Cent. Of the Protestant Churches
Of Nebraska without Pastors.


LINCOLN. Neb., Aug. g. Fifteen per cent.
of the Protestant churches OF Nebraska
are without pastors, and 1t Is impossible
to secure ministers to fillthe vacant pulpits.
According to reports received at the head
quarters Of the Congregational, Methodist
and Lutheran Churches here, scarcely
week passes but some minister breaks
away from the calling to engage In another
line of work. The prosperity Of the farm
ing industry has called away the greater
number. but many others have gone into
business and other professions
Low salaries are the cause Of the trouble.
In the Congregational Church, for instance.
there ia but one church in the State that
pays $1,000 to its pastor. Another pays
$500, several others from 81 500 to u 800.
A few pay from 81 900 to 81, 200. but tho
great bulk Of the preachers receive $500
or 500 a year. A large number do not
receive more than $500 year.
When It is considered that churches
nowadays demand highly finished products
in the way OF ministers-and 1t requires
three years Of academic training, four in
college and three at the seminary to round
out the modern preacher-the scarcity Is not
to be wondered at Five hundred dollers
laborer receives In this State, and at that
figure. with q family to keep, minister
has hard time Of 1t.
THE truth is, Gays the Rev. y. 4. French,
editor of the Congregational News. "the
mercialism, and the faint IL spreading.
'The minister Of to-day is usually coli
lege bred man, and he must have books,
he must live fairly well, and he wants his
family to enjoy some OF the material ad-
onto 80 10 Nho rs~sk 81 e
sacrifice is by no means dead. preachers
are compelled. with the prices of every
thing they REQUIRE mounting. to consider
the question Of financial returns.
.The preacher is sufficiently worldly TO
believe that he is entitled to fair return
for the time and money spent In prera-a-
tion for his life work, and in addition he
must support his family according TO
standard of living commensurate with his
position In the world.
Congregational Church are in the missions
and the small places paying only $500
year. The average length of . pasto-'s
stay at one OF these pisces is q year. Usually
he finds II hard task to raise even $500
among his people.
sThe desire to enter another field at
larger salary induces many resienstions.
A bright, capable, ambitions young man ia
not content TO labor long for day laborer's
wages, and II one succeeds him Of like cali
'The Church has fallen in line with the
demands Of business in another sense.
The aged minister Is not wanted and very
often the line is drawn at the middle
aged. some con ngreg cations in making
their acquisitions put down an age limit Of
Often the first question asked of a rro-
posed minister Is his ago. and very often
this is the chief requisite insisted upon.
IN The ri'sa older men % are being crowded out in
one q the reasons for the scarcity Of men
to fll Protestant pulpits. The S5Oo con.
eregations usually insist upon the matter
OF I, sgs 2 IKE % The others: .S
anoe at theological seminaries show a lower
AVERAGE than ever. The larger financial
opportunities offered by the law, medicine
and other professions is believed to be
preventing many from entsrinc the minis
requirements. Ambitious young mon
Investigate now before they adopt a pro- 4,
feesion or enter business, and the ministrv
no longer calls with its old force.
The scarcity Of preachers has given
number Of churches. In many instances
Lutheran missionaries, who are IN reality
business agents Of the Church, advise their
people to join other Churches, and tho
san same Is true Of practically al Of the Protest.
Where complaints come in Of small
salaries or slow payments an agent Of The
Church investigates. and II he is unable
to bring about better conditions he frankly
advises the abandonment Of the church
organization and q union with some other
denomination In the town. None Of the
churches can compel the acceptance OF
this advice, but In many instances oircum-
stances and the withdrawal Of the psstor
foroe its adopticn.
Cnmolai?t u made that the church treas.
uries reflect but slightly the existing pros.