Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-10
LApY MIssIoNARY sPEAKs.

lAO MlCDlONAh1 GEEAhO.
Mrs. Isabelle Even gave a delightful
little history OF her work in the mission
pastorate Of South Woodbury., whose
church building has been saved from
ruin, shingled, painted on the exterior,
cleaned and made attractive on the interi-
or, given new steps and fixed up gener-
ally-all without cent of debt. AS
great a change has been wrought in the
spiritual life of the community that looks
with less and less hostility on the church
It formerly regarded with open disfavor.
Mrs Even, with womanly wit, makes her
funeral discourses serve double purpose.
Perceiving that funerals are always
largely attended by those who never en-
tered the church, she frames her ''re-
marks with more reference to the living
than to the dead.
Rev. c. II. Smith of Pittsiord read a
paper prepared by Rev. E. P. Treat of
Richmond on the subject of assistant
Pastors for Missionary Circuits and sup
plemented It by practical suggestions of
his own. He thought the small fields
should be brought into close relation
with the large and that a prosperous
church, like the one in Rutland, mig hit
take under its wing some one or two
struggling missions and care for them by
means of an assistant pastor. This would
establish a vital relationship between the
two and would lead to an increase If in
terest and the solving of many perplexing
difficulties. The assistant would feel
that he had the backing of the big
church and its pastor, could turn to them
for advice and draw from them strength
and encouragement for his work.
MORE PAY FOR PREACHERS.
Rev. F. A. Poole Of Barre handled the
subject Of an increase in pastors salaries
in vigorous way and the clergy were
wideawake during the discussion. Mr..
Poole said that the salaries OF all the
Cong'l ministers in the state should be
increased and especially the salaries of
those in the smaller places. II Is q
blemish upon Congregationslism in Yer
mont that the average salary is so low
and, in many instances, so very low. We
ask men to do the work OF the Christian
ministry and then create conditions
which make it impossible for anything
but genius in finance to do that work.
Eight hundred dollars should be the min
imum amount paid a pastor. There are
very few, IL any, ministers in Vermont
whose services are not worth $500 and il
they should receive that sum, they would
still be the hardest worked and poorest
paid men in their communities. Some
salaries, now over $500, should be in
creased. Some OF those pastors who are..re.
ceiving $1,000, or $1,000, should have $500
and $500. When a clerk in the employ
T OF layman has given HIM faithful serv-
ice for years, his salary is increased and
why shouldn't the faithful pastor have
his services thus substantially recog-
nized
A lively discussion was aroused, and
one pastor declared that he could not
stay where he was il he did not cultivate
a small piece of land to help out on his
expenses. He cleared s75 of the land
last wear and felt certain that none oi
his farmer practitioners had done as vel
with an equal extent of acreage. Hs
plans to extend his agricultural pursuits
and means to become the best farmer in
his town.
HAS TO Exc OUT BY FARMING.
/ Another clergyman is also obliged tC
depend upon his farming ability to make
/ both ends meet, but regretted that work
/ ing in a potato patch left him les'
strength and time to labor in the fields o.
/ the Lord.
| Rev. Mr.. Ballou pointed out that the
( cost Of living has increased so in the las
/ 10 wears that il church raised its pas
I tors salary 20 per cent, it would still p
I paying him practically just what it did Il
/ years ago as far as the purchasing powei
I Of the money is concerned.
! Dea. r. H. Holmes OF Shoreham spoke
I from the laymen's standpoint and said i
y 1. \ 49, n foar finn
he needed to 90 somew here, or had t.
buy eli the hay and grain he fed The
/ horse he happened to own, had to pay
cash for his fire wood, vegetables, milk
butter, eggs and most of the items OF liv
ing, ne would not think $500 or $500
such a princely sum fer a pastor, as b.
does now. The farmers ready cash i
clear profit and he makes no account o
his living. Mr.. Holmes thought il al
farmer persisted in his view, be ought t
try living on the PASTORS salary for yea
and see how he liked it.
Mr.. Poole said he offered to exchang'
incomes with one of his farmer parish
toner's and the farmer didn't dare to TAX
him up.
1t seemed to be the concensus Of opin
ion that the advisory committees Of tn
different associations should take the sal
AIRY increase under advisement and FIX tn
lowest stipend at $500 with parsonage.
Rev. E. E. Herrick OF Milton, Rev
Benz. swift Of Woodstock and Rev. w
c. Clark of Ludlow were appointed
nom mating committee and reported th
following officers, who we're elected =
President, DR.. Henry Fairbanks OF 81
Bloomsbury; vice president, Dea. n. 9
williams OF Bellows Falls: auditor, Dea
G. s. Adams OF st. Johnsbury; director
for three years, Dea. g. w. Osgood
Bellows Falls, Dea. W. J. VanPatten
Burlington, Dea. J. M. Comstock OF Chez
sea and Rev. W.P. Jackson OF st. Adams
for two years, Rev. r. M. Houghton