Evening journal., 1911-03-24
RURAL PASTORS
GET THE PRAISE
City Preachers Resent SlurS
on Their Country
Brethren
BRAINS NOT ALL
In TIE BIG CITIES

CHICAGO. ILL.,, March 24.--"When
you go to preach in the country take
along your best sermon; when you
go 10 preach in the city put on your
best coat"
This we'll known proyerb found
champions among Chicago preachers
who formerly had been rural preach
ers and who resented the statement
which came from the rural church
conference held in Decatur in which
Dean j. II. Skinner Of Purdue uni
versity was quoted as saying that the
rural preacher "is the most cOnspicu-
GUS back number In the country to-
day" and +. White Allen, president of
the Mason County Farmers institute,
was quoted as saying that the rural
ministers were responsible for the so
cial, religious. and educational back
warduess of the farmers.
The pastors resented likewise the
statement IF the rural preacher should
attend the agricultural college and fit
himself for a $1,000 position he would
not be content to preach for $500
Defends Rural Preachers.
"It is a fact" said the Rev. Frank
d. Sheets. pastor of the South Park
Methodist Episcopal Church. that one
occasionally finds a farming commu-
nifty in which there are college grad
yates among the farmers and a back
ward, poorly educated man in the pull
pit, but as a sweeping statement the
assertion is false that the rural
preachers keep back the progress OF
the farming community.
LAS to the matter of salary the state
ment that the preachers would quit
the ministry If they were fitted by an
agricultural college to earn a salary
two or three times as large. evidently
was made by a man who did not know
the stuff out Of which ministers are
made
1T is one or the common slurs
against ministers that they are in the
work for what they can get out Of it,
Gave Up Big Salary for Small.
II don't like TO say what may seem
to be parading my own virtues, but
have no objections II you care to say
that gave up a position that was pay
ing me a salary Of $4,000 year and
began preaching in rural community
/ I'm Burton, Kas., where the minister
preceding me had received a salary OF
only $500 a year and where | received
800 year and house in which tc
live. .clv.t4~ t.t
ut is the exceptional case where a
man enters the ministry or stays in II
for pecuniary reasons. There is many
a Methodist preacher in the country
who could just as we'll be in the city
but he goes where he is sent. The ma.
jority Of Methodist preachers in the
country are college graduates
"Back Numbers Everywhere
There are back numbers and un
progressive men in every profession
said the Rev. John A. Earl, pastor O
the Belden Avenue Baptist church
They are not confined 10 the country
either. ! was country preacher foi
a period of years I organized a liter.
/ airy society among my young peopl,
that WAS Of the highest type. The
/ Grange the farmers organization pop.
ular az that time, was held in oui
church 7 know q minister now in Min
nesota who prefers the country TO the
city. and he is the most inspiring in
! fuence in all the entire countryside
The backwardncss with the rural
preacher is more frequently tho fault
Of the farmer than Of the preacher
A dollar looks TO the farmer
as big as wagon wheel and
he fails TO appreciate that II the min
lister Is TO keep up TO date he must have
books and travel, and have some other
/ things to think about than simply
! clothes and food for the family"