New-York tribune., 1909-11-14

Some Get as Much as SI5.-
GOO a Year, but the Aver
age Is About $500.
nv the Rev Thomas r. Bridges. South Church,
-. \.

The community. as well as the minister,
should be anxious 10 find out II the latter
receives a decent living In return fer his
labors II organized religion is 10 be main
tained In This country. Young men must be
persuaded 10 enter the ministry. and must
be assured q a reasonable livelihood.
The average salary Of Protestant clergy
men IN the United States is perhaps a little
less than 500. II differs considerably in
different denominations and different sec
tons. The salary is. Of course. higher in
the city than IN the country. and the man
~ high attsinmepts just as in other pro-
fessions. fares much better than his con-
freue whose talents are ordinary.
Assuming the above average TO be reason
ably accurate. II Is easy 10 argue that the
Trospec: before the young m-ister who is
educated and generally expects TO be mar
fiod is not alluring. The skilled mechanic
Who has regular employment AT union
wages makes more than 500 year. The
IveTsge bank clerk looks forward 10 al
least twice ss much. A competent chauf-
feur can command in the neigh5orhood ot
500 a month.
u may be safely assumed that the min
lister is not paid in proportion 10 his ability
or his usefulness. In other nelds the same
talents aud the same fidelity command a
larger financial return. Here is a class OF
workers who have not shared IN the tre-
Iucndous prosperity which has come 10 this
country IN recent years. y hile the COM
munity al large has been growing in wealth
ycar by year and the cost Of living has
been Increasing. the salaries Of clersynen
have remained Stationary IL they have not
actually decreased.
Notwithstanding these facts and in spite
81 them, ministers generally manage 10
proHent = decent appearance. 20 pay their
bills. 10 educate their children and 10 leave
q little life Insurance when they die. They
would be more comfortable il their salaries
were Increased 81 around. but they are
not complaining. and very few Of them
regret their choice % "A life work.
The present writer believes that min
listers. az well as teachers. ought 10 be paid
more Tor their work, but be desires 10
point out some facts which escape the stu
dents - averages and which may serve
io modify his conclusions.
The salary 81 the minister Is generally
determined by the community in which he
ntes and tine people whom he serves. IL
should he remembered that the rural con-
ssregatioHs. in which the cost Of living r.
-. Gar outuumber those DO the city. ana
bring down tic average. a salary Of 800
10 not small or inadequate in most sec
tions 81 our country. ln prosperous town
~ three thousand hila Ditauts. in kentucky.
which 4 know well. the few men who have
Incomes ~ Si.@1o "r more arc regarded as
being aery fortunate aud successful
n is customary 10 provide the minister
with a house, II which no account Is taken
in computing the average salary. Rent is
a consider n1o mari ~ Tho gasf ~ liAtur
everywhere. and when that h eliminated
long way.
A garden nearly always goes Eith a
country parsonage. The cultivation Of IL
provides healthy exercise. and the produce
from II viii furnish a table with better