The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-02-15
RICHEST CHURCH IN AMERICA.
Trinity is Wort" s5o,0uo 600 and Rec.
tor Gets $4,000 a Year.

tor Gets $4,000 a Year.
Like many Of the great trusts and
corporations, Trinity has become IN
ordinatels wealthy No church in the
world. perhaps, has SO much property
and snch varied aud costly equip
ment. The value OF its property s
beyond $4,000 900. OF INST about
two-tbirds Is distinctly church pro-
pnrty, untaxed; for Trinity parish not
only OWLS the magnificent church
which stands in the midst of the
spacious and beautiful land enor-
mously valuable) old church yard at
the head OF Wall street, but. IT. owns
ana conducts nine other churches,
some Of them nearly as large as Old
Trinity itself 1t also owns num-
Der Of church houses, school buildings,
a hospital and cemetery, all of which
ire Included in its list OF untaxed
church property This vast machin-
cry of service is controlled by Trinity
parish. a corporation similar to other
business corporations, except that the
Directors are known as vestrymen,
the general manager as Rector, and
the stockholders as COMMITMENTS
Like many other corporations. Trinity
has large in ome-prJducins invest
ment outside OF its actual operating
plant About one-third of its pro-
perty-to the value o. over SIG 900 900
--tassessed value as given in the
Trinity report, $l3,G46, 300l lis In
rented lands and tenements. In
short 1t is a big business corporation;
calling it church does not change
IFS character.
People ordinarily expect to pay
something, making some self-sacr-
fees for their religious advantages
Some OF the most heroic stories in the
world are told Of the sacrifices of men
and women 10 build up places OF
worship but the congregations Of
Trinity parish get their religious adj
vantages practically for nothing. Ac.
cording to the financial statement is
sued recently by Trinity uhe first
pIblie report In over SO years. it
cost S340,S70 to maintain the ten
churches and schools of Trinity for one
year OF this vast sum the members
of all the churches contributed just
$l8,2l0 lin pew rents) All the
remainder of the expense was
met from the rental income from
The property owned by Trinity
In other words, the poor
people and other tenants on Trinity
lands have paid not only for the sup
port of the cbapels in the poorer part
Of town, but they have built the rich
uptown churches and are paying
practically all the running expenses
Communicates in Trinity worship in
churches which they have NOT built,
and 10 the support Of which they con-
tribute practically no. hing They
are, in short, religious papers
Music alone cost Trinity last year
Including care of organsl $63 900, or
over three times as much as all the
members contributed to the entire
support Of the church There have
been many complaints OF the Trinity
tenements, but at least they pay for
a great deal of fine music-also for
~ clergymen at cost OF $l0l ,G74
and for 80 sections and engineers at
s26,5o5. find an item of fuel and
light for churches of sl2,2S0. The to-
tai contributions OF Trinity communi-
- cants for church imposes (Sis,000l
will pay that, am some to srare.
As In the life insurance Companies
salaries range high the Rec Or Is SAD
10 receive the highest salary Of ary
Clergyman in America, $4,000 sc +.
and some of the Wears receive $1,000
each--more than the salary of a
United States Senator. Besides the
salaries many OF the clergy also re-
ceive free residences ton partially
untaxed property. so that they have
no rem, TO pay big item in New
York City--aud when they retire are
generously pensoned
.. NJ III iIE me IhohAd ante COMPANIES.
that although keen business men
conducted the operations, some of the
real estate owned yielded very low
income The same is true Of Trinity
AT costs just short OF $4,000 Tor sal
aries and Office expenses in conduct
ing the real estate business Of Trim
ify, and yet the net income last year
on $4,000 no0 worth Of real e.tate
was only about 1915 ono (gross s75a.-
h0Nl--or a little mors than > per cen,
Tenement house property in Nsp
York is ordinarily expected 10 nav
from 5 to per cent net. and other
rented property not less than per
cent Judging even from a suNt
business point OF view then Trinity
corporation Is certainly open u Sc
we're criticism The management u
4 private estate whith could she
earnings OF only 2 per cent would
speedily be turned out, but Trinity
not making public reports, no Que
could know hov the vestry was con.
Quoting itg trust --AmerlcAn Maya.