The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-04-28
PASTORS ARE PAID
A S7ARVIHG WAGE
But Few Ministers Come With.
in Scope Of Dreaded income
Tax; Relief in Sight.

For every minister who paid a1 in
come tax last. year .neFe were 50
whose churches failed 10 pay them
enough TO bring them within the scope
of this form of taxation. according 10
a statement issued yesterday by Dr..
William Hiram F0ulkes. vice chairman
of the executive committee ot the IN
terchurch World Movement. The L.
terchurch survey of ministerial ssl-
aries and relief shows that only three
states exceed New York in the SAL
aries paid 10 ministers. and in this
state the average is Sf.199. exactly
1910 less than the amount fixed by
government economists IS the mini
mum amount on which family can lie
decently maintained.
Plans for increases. based on min
imum salary. have been developed il
several Of the SO denominations which
have united in Il program OF co-cpera-
rion under the name OF the Inter
church World Movement. The aggre-
gate budget of the cooperating. s.
churches shows that Of the s:S36.sI1.372. :.
which is 10 be sosiglt during 1he week
beginning April - there is an item cf
81. c99 for ministerial salaries and
support.
'.The Interehurch World Movement
was wisely led AT the beginning of its
laborS," said Dr.. Fouikes. ITO give
large and sympathetic recognition 10
the present crits,al situation Of the
gospel ministry with reference 70 in2t-
eQuate support. In CONNECTION with
the proposed survey IF conditions IT
home and sbroa9 II WAS early deter
mined 10 make an equally thorough re-
view of the actual conditions coltroas-
ing the gospel ministry.
Ina Slnuch rs the fn,erchurci World
Movement did NOT undertake to ad-
minister funds or 70 deal directly wi5l,
the problems arising out of such al
miniStratlon it v-aS wisely decided -
place their cause upon the same high
level upon which the ether causes wese
being considered. namely that of
careful and thorough going survey u
the facts"
Such II survey shows thas In the
Protestant EPISCOPAL church. which
maintains higher salary than 10
other denominations. fewer than one
as sl.:0o year. In the CongreSatIol.-
Stt0l ANA AA'N N>SNStN7
that total. In the Methodist EpiSco-
PAL church (North) the percentage IS
somewhat smaller while the churches
of the Northern Baptist convention pay
more than Sl.l00 year TO only eight
per cent Of their clergy.
To this inadequate salary standard
may be sscrihed the shortage OF min
listers. which is 81 great that one de-
nomination reports thar II has SSSS
congregations that are not receiving
regular pastoral care. Another hiss
a9i fewer ministers today than il had
i'm 1914. and Il third lamentS thar be-
cause of Insufficient salaries young
men are deferred from entering the
ministry and Ii has 1000 vacant pull
pits.
"As q result of these surveys. COM
pleted and in process" DIR. FoulkeS
adds, lit is firmly believed by the Of
ficers of the Interchurch World Move
ment that the level of ministerial Sal-
aries will be raised more substantially
than in response TO any other impulse
in decades.
'sThe lifting power Of a movement
which conscientiously embraces the
whole world for its load. will not fail
when IL comes 70 deal with the sol.
GxlssL ot-Iihs E2rkAfE 81 49,