Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-10
Salaries of Teachers and Preachers.

| speaking 10 MN over lte IeleDNpiie.
Il
Salaries of Teachers and Preachers.
At the annual conference of the
Congregational churches of Maine
and Maine missionary society at
Brunswick, Wednesday, Rev. Charles
Harbutt of Portland, while making
his report as State superintendent.
asked a striking and somewhat peril
nent question. II was this: is it any
wonder that self-respecting men, al
though they honor the ministry and
feel it's call to service, hesitate be-
fore they enter its ranks2"
The question came after he had
stated that there are more than 80
congregational pastors in Maine. re-
ceiving $500 or less year. several of
them preaching in more than one
place, and being obliged 10 maintain
a horse att cost of at least $125 a
year.
In the city of Portland he said.
"a policeman receives from $3.50 to
| $1,000 year and fireman. from $3.50
/ To $1,000 and both of them, the police
! man at IS and the fireman at 60. may
| be retired ON pension, while in the
ministry when man is old he must
retire without financial assistance.
| 1t is not surprising that Rev. Har-
butts report was followed by a
spirited discussion in which the con-
ference members agreed with the
| Superintendent 1t was decided that
there ought TO be some system to pro-
vide better salaries. The matter
was referred to a committee for in
vestigation. We sincerely hope that
an effective plan will be discovered
| by this committee and that it will be
put into operation at an early date.
We hope, also. that other churches
will be equally successful in discov-
ering means to provide wages for
| their pastors in accordance with the
American standard of living. If not
| disgrace, il is at least cause for
censure of churches that the men who
devote the first third of their lives to
fitting themselves for the work and
! the rest in caring for the spiritual and
many times the physical welfare of
various fiocks, are granted in return
| barely enough to provide for the i'm
4 mediate wants of their families.
When janitors, walters. cafe bark
4
ers. or porters are able 10 earn more
of this worlds goods than are school
/ teachers and preachers it is mighty
poor encouragement for the student
| to put in years of hard study, spend
| ing the accumulations of parents, to
properly fit themselves for these pro-
| fessions. 1t is no wonder, as DIR.
| Harbutt suggested, that self-respect-
| ing men, although they feel the call
| to duty in the schools or in the
churches, hesitate before they enter
the ranks of profession that prom
Uses bare existence in return for
endless hours of labor after years of
1 preparation.
| A recent critic of conditions re-
marked somewhat bitterly, that the
preacher who sticks to the Bible must
| find his reward in heaven" 1t might
be added To this assertion that the
unorthodox man of education VINO mas
a new idea can stir the crowd 70
generosity The preacher VINO mas
been driven from church Tor Some
heresy may go upon the lecture piat-
form and receive reward Of Sloo
night, or SO. The orthodox preacher
is fortunate If he receives that
amount in year above the absolute
necessities of life.
In a report by the United States
commissioner OF education, pupiisheu
in a recent issue OF the kehnebec
Journal, we find that the average an
nual salary for teachers IN IL states
is less than $500; in eight 1t is less