The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-05-22
DECAY OF FAITH AMONG PROTESTANTS

All history records that what a man believes to
be true and of benefit himself and his neighbors
he viii advocate by word Of mouth and support by
contributions from his purse. Not only that but
he will contribute generously to the support of the
men who devote their time, education and talents
to the propagation of truth and the destruction of
error.
When his faith in the reality Of what he once
thought was true a revelation from God to man,
begins to wane. his contributions fall away and in
time are entirely withheld.
Reports Of the many conferences of the Metho
dist Episcopal church held not long ago in the mid
die west show that whatever prosperity missionary
enterprises of the church may claim chat prosperity
has failed to reach the pastors Reading the sta
tisics Of the salaries, one wonders that any edu-
Gated man. matter how sincere or devout. can be
secured for the ministry. Twenty pastors presum-
ably married men, attached to the Wisconsin con
ference which takes in the part of the state
average salary of less than $+OO year, and many
of these have to preach in two or three villages 10
earn that much The best pastorate in the confer
ence. that of the Grand Avenue church, Milwaukee,
pays its minister $4,000 year and the use of a
house estimated in rental at S400. Forty years ago
this same church paid its pastor $4,000 year
Thrty-eght ministers affiliated with the NJ T.
conferences of the middle west get annually from
800 to 5000; fourteen from 1000 TO 81 200; six
teen from $1,000 10 $1,000 and only three over ST.
600. Nor is the Wisconsin conference exceptional
in its niggardly support of its preachers. The Des
Moines Ia conference reports 81 vacant pulpits out
of 2l1 for the reason that the preachers are not
supported. Five Withdrawals are reported from the
northern Iowa conference because the preachers
could not live on the salaries promised.
The Indiana conference although ii includes
number of large and prosperous churches pays only
an average salary of 500, which is somewhat lower
than the average pay Of school teachers in the state
Michigan ministers are appealing for more gem
erous treatment of themselves and families. and
southern Illinois reports the loss of pastors at Eff
bingham and Alton. who were compelled to 90 into
business to support their families.
Compared with earnings in other cangs. these
salaries for married men are ridiculous and with the
increased cost of living a premium on illieracy
These ministers are expected TO live respectfully and
in appearance least, to dress as gentlemen; they
have to meet social demands, to contribute for this
and that meritorious work. and dress their wives
and children becomingly. Say what we may about
shabbily dressed the cold shoulder viii soon re-
mind them of their social inferiority The pick
andshovel men, the scrapers on the public highway
the mortar mixers for the stone mason, are better
paid than these gentlemen who bear the title of
reverend and wear the livery of an honorable class
The smith, shooting mules and horses has a prncely
income when compared with the Methodist Episco-
pal ministers, who barely receive in some parishes
little more than dollar day.
Who is to blame for this pitiful condition of af-
fairs Well, according to Mr.. Harold Boloe. the
professors in our universities, many of whom are
Protestant preachers. are largely to blame for the
expulsion Of faith and the destruction of private
and family morality among the people The afro
eious views held and the opinions subversire of all
morality expressed by these men occupying the
chairs of learning in universities are revolving
10 Christian faith and public decency.
Again alas. that we have to record it, the Prot
estant ministers themselves, by their destructive
criticism of the Holy Scriptures. by their political
harangues from the pupit-the throne of moral
and doctrinal solidarity-and by their sensational
Sunday driTel, yclept sermons, are strangling the