Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-12-09
TIE PASTORS WEE.
She ls Expected TO be But Little
Lower then the Angels.

The following article, written by Mrs,
Fred Daniels, wife OF the Meth odist pas
tor at Chelsea, was read at recent dis.
trict meeting OF Methodist .clergymen
held at South Royalton:-
The discussion OF the relation OF the
PASTORS wife to local church activities
will begin from the peoples viewpoint.
II seems that from the first the people
have looked upon the PASTORS wife as
different in some way from others OF her
sex. While she may be like other folks
before marriage the fact that she has
married minister changes her at once in
the eyes OF the people. They expect the
minister's wife to be as perfect a speci-
men Of humanity as is TO be found both
| physically, mentally and religiously. In
short she should be so perfect that when
the summons comes from the Great Be
yond she will need only to be given q
pair OF wings to be immediately identi-
fed with the other angels. She must not
only be combination OF all the Christian
Rraces but must be leader and organizer
as we'll She is supposed to be such
model housekeeper that if the most scru-
tinizing lady in the parish chooses to call
and inspect the house everything will be
found in perfect order. She should also
be model mother bringing up her chill
dren in the way they should go. Besides
all the home cares she should attend all
church services, both Sundays and week
day evenings. She should be president
OF the Home and Foreign Missionary So
cieties, Ladies' Aid and Epworth League;
supt OF Junior League; teach a class in
On la. hoe Eofr. In he oh
depends upon her to keep all Of these va
rious organizations properly oiled so that
all parts will run smoothly and without
friction. she.must also go about with
her husband visiting the various families
on the charge two or three times year
the sick and aged requiring, of course,
special attention. She must assist in get
ting up boiled dinners, bean dinners and
chicken pie dinners, sociables, fairs, food
sales and all the other things that are
now popular ways OF raising money.
She must bear the brunt OF criticism from
all directions but should never talk back
Most ladies are privileged to dress as they
choose, but not SO with the minister's
wife. II she dresses too stability they
are ashamed OF her: II she dresses more
deliberately than they think she ought she
is criticized. The minister's wife is also
supposed to entertain a great deal. II is
especially expected that she will take ia
and care for all the circulating clergy v no
rotate her way, auch as speakers on
missions, deaconesses. district superin.
tendents, Representatives OF the Anti
Saloon League, ETC., although why it
is her duty more than anyone else is a
question ! cannot answer; al | can say is
that it is expected Of her. II she is not
willing to do or is not efficient ia all
these lines she is OF no account aud the
people are anxious to ship her a. soon as
possible.
Leaving the consideration OF the pas
tors wife from the peoples viewpoint
let us give our attention TO the second d. I
vision OF the suhject-the relation OF tie 4
PASTORS wife to local church activi- /
ties from her owe viewpoint. Let Us
start at the beginning. rhe minister's
wife nlarries her husband because she /
loves him, not because he is a minister. 4
Previous to her marriage she has prob 4
ably been engaged in some secular en-
ploymeut for self support. az teacher, /
nurse or some similar occu-
patton. She has had no special training
in church work and probably knows no
more about it than any ordinary Chris
tian worker. So all the equipment she
brings with her is a good Christian char
acter and willingness to do what she
can. Perhaps her call TO the work has
been from the undershepherd. l am
speaking now of the average minister's
wife. | think there are exceptions.
! think there are women as we'll az
men who have received a special cali 10
the Christian work. These women re-
ceive special training and devote their en-
tire time to the work. They are usually
peculiarly adapted to The work and their
life should be given to it. But do not
think the average minister's wife ever bears
any special call to the ministry. The
question OF neither or not she ought to
marry minister unless she does need not
be discussed now. Strange to say knowl-
edge and experience in church work are
not given to her with the marriage certi-
fcate.
think the PASTORS wife should hold
practically the same relation to church
work as any other member of the church. I
have not been able to find any place
in the Bible where more is required Of the
wife ia order that she NAV 90
to heaven than there is OF any other
woman. The same law applies to all.
Every woman has some duties to her
church, none are wholly exempt. The
wife's first duty is at home.
II she keeps the home machinery in GOOD
order, looking we'll to her nus
bands needs that be may not be hiudered
or interrupted in his work, she is doing
How much she does more
than this must depend upon her physical
strength. Perhaps this is all she is able
10 do. How often have heard IL said To
me when calling, 80, can't come to see
you for have so much work to do. ana
when get it done l am too tired to 90
out, but you come and see me, you don't
have as much to do as /. Just run in apy
time. shall always be glad to see you.,,
Why does 1t not work the other wav as
we'll II the minister's wife could keen
maid to do her work she might do mora
outside. But where is the family that
can do this on the meagre salaries thew
receive II there is any family where Il
is positive necessity for a woman to do
her own work it is in a minister's family
Is i right to hire q man, paying him
only five or six hundred dollars wear a.
perhaps even less, and expect that not
only he, but his wife, must put in her
v hole time Vhan 4. ,-,-..-.