The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-02-16
Why One Pastor Quit the Ministry

Why One Pastor Quit the Ministry.
The following letter was not in
tended for pblication, but it is such
a frank statement of experiences
which, possibly, many pastors know,
that we venture to give it to the pub
lie:
"My Dear Jim: I am through.
Yesterday I handed in my resigna-
ton, to take effect at once, and this
morning I began work for the -
Land Company. I shall not return
to the -pastorate. I think can see
into your heart as you read these
words and behold not little disap-
pointment, if not disgust. I don't
blame you at all, for I am somewhat
disguised with myself. Do you re-
call the days in the seminary, when
we talked of the future and painted
pictures of what we were to do for
the kingdom of God? We saw the
boundless need for unselfish Chris
tian service, and longed to be out
among men doing our part toward
the worlds redemption. shall
never forget that last talk on the
night before our graduation. You
were to go to the foreign field and |
to the First church of -. We had
brave dreams of usefulness, and you
have realized them. AS l look back
across twenty-five years I can see
some lives that I have helped, and
some things which l have been per-
mitted to do that are worth while;
but, sitting here tonight, l am more
than half convinced that God never
intended me to be.a minister. If He
did, am not big enough and brave
enough to pay the price. Even if 1t
leaves you to write me down a
coward, I'm going to tell you why 1
quit.
ITO be perfectly honest with you,
money has had much to do with my
decision. I think you will not charge
me with being mercenary in those
days when you knew me we'll, and I
am not conscious of caring any more
for money now than I did then.
have never desired to be rich; I do
not desire to be. I have not gone
into business with any expectation of
making a fortune, but I do want to
have something for the years when l
can no longer work, and for my
family, if 1 should be taken from
them. I do want to be able to meet
my bills as they fall due. A month
ago, in our ministers meeting, an
old minister, shabby almost to rag
gedness, arose and told us that he
and his wife were on the verge of
starvation. He had no money, his
credit was exhausted, they had no
food, no coal, and were about to be
put upon the street because they
could not pay the rent. We raised
some $50 among us and gave it to
him, and I suppose he will go to the
home for aged ministers; but it
scared me. I saw myself in him.
What reason have I to expect that
I shall not be where he is twenty
years from now?
"'Frugality? Well, I have not been
thriftless. Wife and I have tried
hard to lay by a little each year. We
did get $500 saved up, and then Edna
was taken with tuberculosis, and it
all went, and much more, before
God took her home. I had $1,000
per year from the church at B..
They paid it promptly, and possibly
some men would have been able to
save something out of it each year.
We tried our best, and failed. Once
the church thought of increasing the
pastors salary, but Deacon Edmunds
argued that the minister should trust
God; said that when he began life
he only had an income of $500 for
the first year; spoke of the joys of
Christian sacrifice; pointed to the
Saviour of the world and His self
abnegation, and the salary was not
increased. l may say that the dea-
con is supposed to be worth not less
than 100000. Then I was called
to this field at $1,000 a year. 1 have
been here seven years, and there has
never been a month since the begin
ming when my salary has been paid
promptly. At times the church has
owed me $500 and $500. have bor-
rowed and paid interest, have stood
Off my creditors until I was ashamed
to go upon the street, have crimped
and twisted and wiggled until my
soul was raw. I've had enough.
"Other things have contributed
l.