The Penn's Grove record., 1912-07-12
S WAGES
Pressing Need Of More Concern for
the Comfort Of the Pastor.

~ NE SUBJECT, at least, treated in
the reports read at the New
W England Southern Methodist
Episcopal conference, should
ind sympathetic, intelligent a~pprecia-
ton by those within and without the
denomination and the ecclesiastical
calling. The matter of ministers,
salaries was presented by District SUI
p~er1ntendent Coultas of the New Bed
ford district. Mr.. Coultas finds that
90 churches of his denomination IN
the Southern New England confer
ence pay their ministers hardly a
living wage, and many of them less
thar a living wage" AS to the speak
ers standard Of a living wage let il
be known that ~ churches pay from
$500 to 800 salary, including parson-
age, and 46 pay less than $500, includ-
ing parsonage. The district suUerin-
tendent says truly that here are
wages almost as low as those Of the
striking operatives at Lawrence and
less than those of the street Iaboier."
Surely Worthy of His Hire.
The Methodists are not alone
among the denominations, probably. in
u~nderpaying their ministry. When the
costly educational preparation and the
social and cultured requirements for
the modern Christian ministry are
considered, 1t must be conceded that
he operative and manual laborer is
better off than the great majority of
preachers and pastors. It Is no de-
tense for laymen to say that clergy
men are doing their work for higher
considerations than the material. The
Master HAD not where to lay his
head" but to him was freely extend
ed the hospitality of the people of his
land and time. He lived as did the
average of the plain people to whom
ne preaehed-neither better nor
worse. But is this true of the min
lister, say, in the smaller southern
New England Methodist parishes?
The minister does not enjoy the free
dom from financial pinch that his
average parfshioner does. The inclu-
sion of the parsonage rent as the
equivalent OF so much wages is actual
ly a considerable reduction from the
figures given. Men in most callings
receiving $500, $500 or $500 a year do
not pay the rentals at which parson-
ages are appraised. These. like the
church edifces, being visible evil
dences of the degree Of Hberality OF
the parishioners, are seldom shabby.
There is more willingness to put
shingles on the roof than clothing on
the occupants.
Reproach to the Church.
Men of education, ability, influence
of power in the community" serving
the community. feeding its intellec-
tual, cultured and spiritual flames. up
holding the standard OF the homes
men of family. often with their own
education to pay for and their chill
dren's to plan for, giving all their
time, their soul, with less personal
liberty and privilege than any other
worker, all for a dollar or so a day
and perhaps a furnished house! Now
these are conditions existing in popu-
lous, prosperous southern New Eng
land; not in a new land, among a
struggling pioneer people. It is in an
old and great and influential denomin-
alton. whose preachers and laymeu
are strong men; not in a new and
scattered sect, with mere handfuls of
adherents here and there.
IN the same report from which
these facts are taken there are
numerous evidences of the devotion
and liberality of the churches in other
matters. The church strives general.
ly for the cause of better conditions
for humanity, for charity, education.
for the dissemination of good cheer
to the distressed, for the kingdom of
heaven on earth. Why not more con-
Germ for the pastors comfort, TO as
sure his cheerful view of life, the edu-
cation of himself and his children,
material sunshine for himself and his
helpmate? The church pays the
lowest wages possible says Mr.. Coul-
tas. The church member who In his
business pays the lowest wages pos
would be charged with falling
far short of the standard fer human
brotherliness that is expected of the
children of God. The moral
principle that it is the generous giver
who receives generously doubtless
would find demonstration in a church
better served If its servants were bet.
ter paid.-ProYidence Bulletin.
ConstralnIng Love.