The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-01
TROUBLES OF A PASTOR.
Happiness on SOS Month in Charge
of q Country Church.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: was the
principal party in the case before Judge
Frank Phillips In Cleveland. Ohio, which
was referred to In your editorial article
entitled '"rhe Poorly Paid Preacher Who
Works at Trade" and In which was
found guilty OF extreme cruelty for re-
naming in the ministry on s93 month
having a wife and FIVE children to sup
port The court ruling has called forth
much comment from all parts OF the
country. In view of the ruling. based
upon misrepresentation OF the true sit
uation, I would like TO make statement
to the public of the facts.
It Is nearly four years since I left
the ministry. before the high cost OF
living struck the country. My ministry
for the most part was among the rural
churches and not in the cities and s93
a month salary for a rural pastor was
considered a good salary at that time.
We had free parsonage to live in and
large garden plot. sometimes to the
extent of three acres. which made good
use Of. The church members. as we'll
IS outsiders. were kind toward us. be-
slowing gifts of meat -four, potatoes.
apples and the like. Besides many a
meal, cash donations were made. Then
there were the marriage and funeral
fees. When the church would allow me.
sold garden and farm seed and fruit
trees. which netted me few extra hun
dred dollars.
We had no financial hardships; we
lacked no necessary. At times there
were some Inconvenience. Owing to the
poor financial system in.vogue among the
country churches money, came in irreg-
ularly, but at the end Of the pastoral
year the salary was all paid In. Indeed.
my family Jared better while / was In
the ministry on 500 a month while in the
country than they have since left 1t
and came to Cleveland, Ohio, where
had a much larger income.
The greatest hardships we ever expe-
rienced have been right here in Cleve-
land, and we really haven't had any
to make ends meet here than it was
while In the ministry.
l did not leave the ministry because
of lack of support, but it was because
of domestic troubles AS my children
grew up to the years of IL, Is and II
they wanted to be out late at night
This objected to, while my wife APP
proved of 1t, so it went on growing worse
and worse, until couldn't control them,
and this hurt my influence and brought
on wrangling between father and mother.
l found it impossible to keep up the
right spirit under such home conditions,
SO / decided to retire. / moved from
country town into Cleveland in 1917
Our relations as husband and wife were
happy for few months. Finally diff
ferences arose between us, and Mrs
Sherwin left me with two little boys to
care for and took the two Oldest, one
boy IS and the girl is, and the little
girl years For nineteen months
have cared FOR them the best 1 could.
In order to make her take them and care
for them ] sued for a divorce. Now she
must care for them.
Her charges against me were all un-
founded, so that the Judge dismissed
the case and didn't grant divorce to
either of US. could not bring suit
for divorce for desertion until she was
absent three years, so the decision was
all that could expect. While it liz
based upon misapprehension. of the
trie situation, yet It is satisfactory ia
me and shall abide by the courts judy
ment, at present at least.
The Rev. b. A. SHERwIN.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, November rs.