The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-11-25

idNe Il piouly Boou Itiiio ob eito wa
dings l solomnize."
The Rev. Henry Afford Porter, just
rounding out his third year as pastor
OF the Walnut-strceet Baptist chuch
says that average marriage fee In
Louisville is smaller than in the ex-
treme western cities. DIR. Porter held
a former Passionate In Oklahoma City,
and stats that in the West every
body marrics young and everybody
.pends money literally. even when 1t
COMES to feeliDg the minister.
Il seldom receive less than hive dol
lars or none than ten, as a marriage
fee in Louisville" said DIR. Porter.
'F.fteen Is the largest fee l have re-
ceived sirre leaving the wet whare
S25 or its eqmvaltIt was not an
uncommon fee.
Western men are usually so elated
at winning a bride, they are in
mood TO give the parson half of
the old ranch or any little thing of
very accepable wedding fee to the
Oklahoma parson."
DR.. Porter recalled the story about
the lawyer ard the preacher who
We're INDUCING in a slight differ
ence of opinion as TO the relative fit
pas of the fees their work com
manded. The lawyer claimed that
the preachers wedding fees were far
TOO liberal for the service rendered
The pastor DECLARED he seldom re-
ceived enough to pay him for his time
and trouble. Well" said the lawyer
I'll make YOU fair Offer. I'll pay yo
IN dollars for half OF your next
W -dding fes. sight urs m, whatever
it is and I'll bet went loose any
thing on il, either"
The preacher agreed. A few days
lair he called on tho lawyer TO
come and make good his offer. I've
Just received my first WEDDING foe
since our little discussion" said h..
The lawy .r immediately went to the
pr 1acaer' home and ti,e wedding fee
was produc d, intact II was a SET
Ter pup Which half will you take?
said he preackT. (
TIE Rev. Father Ratio, on of the
most popular parish priests in Louis
vile says he marries twsnty Or TWEEN
ty-fiye couples a y.ar and usually re-
ceivus s. for tn. c,c-mony.
Il have received as high as $40.
said Father Ratio, but that was ID
cover sp clal mass. choir services
ard 9th AZ extra EXPENSES in the use
of the church. Often receive
nothing at all, but s. is consider
ID upon as an offering rather than
a fee"
The odd thing about wedding fees
ministers all agree is the stealth
with which the remuneration be 1t
large or small, is Slipped TO the min
ist+r. Has anyone eV.r On the
groom or the bIst man, VIII, often per
forms that little functioin. actually
pass an 1I.ys.cit over to tn prsach-
r? Never and yat it Is usually done
at some time during the wedding fes-
tiviti1S. But the pastor is invariably
iursd into a dark corner OF off into
the gAntl lnen's coat room where his
just and righteous fee Is turned over
70 him GOV rtly and with as much Sc
crecy as If it wTe contraband goods
and then according TO all the con-
Ors of all tn Prot slant churchs
b, turns it over 10 his wife for the
parsons wife considers the wedding
foe her own inalionable right, as
proven through generation after gem
Grafton of prompt SURF 5nd,r.
The Rev. Harlan X. Fennsr said:
Not infreluently ministers are en-
baTassed by the bridegroom asking.
What is the foe for this ssrvice?"
Or What does it COST" Perhaps the
has mental schedule as
TO what would be a fitting fee but
he is unwilling To produce the figures.
When the minister is familiar with
the environment of the bridal cou-
PIE he easily estimates what would !
De proper because a fee should bear
some commensurate size with local
This Is not true always |
Mental authorizations often fall below,
iomstimes excetd. the fitting mark
Personally We have no complaint TO
odge against the many fair couples |
who have asked our services. As
'ule the bridegroom has been genarou
o the preacher. Such statement al
ows room fer some who, when leaving
he floor, promised. | will Sue you
lftar next pay day." or You'll hear
rom me later etc, etc. An expert
need minister sets little value on such
He knows that such nav