The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-02
MEAGER SALARIES OF
COUNTRY PREACHERS

HEA&EH SALARIES OF
COUNTRY PREACHERS
Christian ministers in Scott county,
Virginia, where the rural church sur
vey being conducted by the Inter.
church World Movement has lust
been completed, receive an annual
"a larry barely equal to the pay OF a
telegraph messenger hoy in Richmond
But IS per cent OF the total popu-
iation pf Scott county. exclusive Of
primitive Baptists numbering 600.
even profess Christianity by church
membership, while in one OF the
seven magisterial districts OF the
county the church mem bership is but
: per cent, Just bit higher than the
average Christian population Of China.
OF the thirty-four pastors in Scott
county. but fifteen receive compensa-
hon. nineteen others iaboring at
some other vocation during the week.
One OF these unpaid pastors works as
a section hand during the week to
support his family.
OF the seventy three churches in
the county, but two are seIf-support-
ing. the other. seventy-one depending
upon aid from mission boards OF their
denomina tions.
These are some OF the salient facts
presented to the State conference of
more than 500 Virginia pastors. now
meeting in Richmond, by DR.. James
buchanan. state rural survey director
for the Interchurch World Movement
In Virginia, last night in an address
at the Second Presbyterian church.
scott county Is the first county i'm the
state where the rural survey ha. been
completed, and the conditions found
here are said TO he similar, and in
many cases better. than those In some
other counties where the surveys are
still under way
In the seventy-three churches In
Scott county but los meetings are held
per month. or less than one and ONE
half MEETINGS per church per month
| Congregations preached to by tho
nineteen unpaid ministers have a
membership of 500. while the pail
pastors have congrerations number
! ing 4037 In membership.
one scott county pastor serves
twelve churches eight in Scott COUNTY
and four In an adjoining county In
the eight churches in Scott county to
which this one pastor ministers, there
are but two Sunday schools, and the
total membership Of these churches
Is 4as. or an average of less than
sixty per church DR.. Buchanan
pointed out in his address that the
membership figures he was using
we're based upon the enrolment, and
the actual attendance probably Is not
pore than SO per cent.
DIR. buchanan stated that the
average time spent in the public day
schools per child per month in Scott
county Is 100 hours, while thu aun,
Der of hours children spend in the
Sunday schools (where there are Sum
day schools) is four hours per
month. The number Of hours for
church services for each church per
month was given at S. or three SER
vices every two months for each
church. 1t was stated that this
average would be much lower were 1t
not for the fact that three churches
TN Gate City hold twenty-five meetings
per month or more than one fifth of
all the meetings in tho county.
Quoting thu percentage of enroll
ment in the sunday schools of Scott
county based upon the day school
reputation Ut Ru hanan stated tha,
IN the Estevilla magistar diqtri ~
tire percentage is a.; in the Powell
district but 10 per cert; in the Tav-
hr district 81 per cent; in the De-
| kaib district hut per cent, In the
t'oyd district hut 9 per cent. in the
Johnson district 10 per cent: In the
! f'ulkerson district but 10 per cent
Remarkable. statistiss on the educa-
tional facilities Of the county were
comniied and called to the attention
OF the pastors by DIR. Buchanan. n
| was shown that the average salary
Tor teachers in the county is but
sSA1,9S rer year. Out Of n school non.
! "iation OF 1900 i'm the Powell dis
| trtct- the. enrolment is hut ss7---less
than one-half--while there are TWEEN
ty-five schools and the same number
of teachers
In the Estevine district there aye
twenty nine schools and twenty-nine
teachers, with an enrolment Of 1.444
out of a school population of 1926
The average term runs hut IL
months. In the TavInr district there
are TWENTY-FIVE schools with n single
teacher for each and an enrolment
OF ss4 out of school population OF
f,70a, the average term being rs
months per year
These and scores of other figures
relating to the community life of
Scott county were produced by DR.
Buchanan during his address, which
was illustrated by charts. graphs and
maps, showing plainly how the pas
tors in these districts travel and cross
PIT To their various charges. tho
distribution OF population by families
as voters, distribution of churches
Win FaSteTs VINO nave other vOCA-
tons besides preaching, distribution of
day school and Sunday school popula-
ton, as we'll as other facts showing
the task confronting the church In
Virginia.
II was explained that the facts
brought out in the survey COMPLETED
In Scott county are little different
from those revealed elsewhere in the
state and natien where Interchurch
world Movement surveys are In prog
regs
Presentation Of these facts to the
various cooperating denominations Ia
one OF the purposes Of the Interchurch
world Movement The facts are pre-
scented without recommendation, tho
ANALYSIS Of the situation being given
to serve as a foundation or working
esss anSths ssasss sksnHt ssos,r
In determining their course In remedy.
ing conditions as they see at.