Evening journal., 1918-03-20
stan Correspondent.

stan Correspondent.
DOVER. Del. March 2o-Tho Rev. Dr.
william r. Mowbrsy. superintendent Of
Dover district. today read his report Of
the years work on his district, at the
session Of Wilmington NJ. z. Conference
with profound gratitude to our
Heavenly Father for health and ability
TO work. We come again from the helus
~ toll 10 tell OF some Of the things
U,h,ch have been done In His name ana
Tor His sake.
II IS cause for rejoicing that The
working ranks Of the ministers on
Doyer district have not been broken by
death this year. We are all here.
The brethren today are coming UP
nom fields which have boen storm
svept snow blocked and ice bound to
an unusual degree. Not in the mem
orv of the oldest inhabitant have these
untoward conditions existed lor suoh d
protracted period. We have seen as
much snow and experienced colder
weather, but for days and weeks, yea,
even months. conditions have been such
That not even a single service mas peen
held In many Of the country ehurches.
and the town CHURCHES have bad hard
rowing. They could get TO church bu'
scarcity Of fuel. Dr. Garncld's orders.
which strangely enjoined on churches
10 conserve fuel by having fewer
church services land allowing saloons
full timel. broken down or frozen up
heating systems, practically Int the
town churches out Of the running The
tide water section, where they depend
largely on what comes out Of the water
for their living has been paralyzed for
weeks on end. II results are not up
20 the high water mark there's a rea-
son. Under these conditions the breth-
rem have met well night insurmount-
able difficulties. It viii not be surpris-
ing II there shall come from these
places stories OF unpaid salaries and
beneyolences at the minimum.
Some Pastoral Changes.
on the adjournment OF last confer
ence we found ourselves without SUM-
cient force TO man the district. Sesford
circuit was left TO be supplied and a
day or two after that, CraDo was left
without q pastor by the transfer OF the
Rev. w. E. Matthews, at his own re
quest, to CordOya on Easton District.
The Rev. ]. NJ. Kelso OF Farmington,
was IN early June transferred TO Crap0
and the Rev. n. S. Hodgson OF the
Wesley Collegiate Institute was APP
pointed to supply Farmington. Sea
ford Circuit was filled by the transfer
Of the Rev. Hush Strain from Austin,
Central Pennsylvania Conference. In
November, the Rev. a. c. Smith, who
was appointed at last Conference 20
Blades, decided TO part company with
us. leaving the charge on November Is.
The Rev. r. w Mills, a local preacher
OF Crapo. has been placed In charge Of
that work. Governor J. G. Townsend,
appointed the Rev. Howard Davis, pas
tor OF our church at Bridgeville, as
chaplain OF the First Delaware Regi-
menl. and the Rev. r. =. Terry, one OF
our highly esteemed retired ministers,
has since been taking care OF the In
tercsts OF Bridgeville. Brother Terry
proposes TO make his future home with
these delightful people.
Need OF Higher Salaries.
The matter Of ministerial support has
received considerable attention this
year but the results are not yet what
they ought to be. There have been
Increases more or less ih several charges
as follows: Milford heads the list with
an increase OF $500; Dover. Harrington
Scaford Circuit and Rehoboth each,
500: Houston and Magnolia. $3.50 each E:
Bethel, Camden, FELTON,, Galestown,
Lewes, Little Creek, Mt. Pleasant, Sea-
ford and williamsburg, each SiO0;
Hooper's Island and Zoar, $50 each /;
making a total increase OF S2450. Sew
eral charges have indicated their inten-
tlon 20 make increases next year.
While these are considerable and we
are thankful for the evidence OF in
creased liberality among the laymen
vet we are In no adequate measure
keeping peace with the swiftly up
soaring price Of the cost OF living.
More than a month ago government
statistics declared that the cost Of liV-
ing had increased SO t-2 per cent since
1914, and since those statistics were
given out there has been an additional
Increase which will easily bring 70 up
10 400 per cent That is a salary OF
$500 would buy as much 90 supply The
living expenses in 1914 as $1,000 will
buy now, and yet there are many
charges on this district which are nay-
ing the same salary they did 20 years
ago. These places are asking the min
lister 40 do an The sacrificing. they fully
content to sit Snug with their drowsy
rOnsciences, while their pastor must do
an sorts of things in order 90 keep
out Of their debt I have ten charges
on this district which are paying or
proposing 20 pay 5000 or less-mostly
less-for their PASTORS support. and
these men are facing the problem 81
keeping themselves. thelr>famnies. feed
Ing a horse or buying gasoline ln or
der TO properly look after their work
One brother who must Keep a horse
told me that he was paying s2 30 a
bushel for corn and s35 per ton FOR
hay, and his salary is $500. Besides
this, he has himself and wife 10 feed
and clothe VIII some long headed
business layman figure that out. please
without an entry on the debit side Of
the ledger?
In some instances this condition
seems we'll nigh inevitable because On,
country churches are being depleie,
nnY nmnVE uuNnUr -