The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-01-18
PASTORS ARE PAID
A STARVING WAGE
But Few Ministers Come With.
In Scope Of Dreaded Income
Tax; Relief in Sight.

For every minister who paid an in.
come tax last year there were 90
whose churches failed to pay them
enough to bring them within the scope
Of this form of taxation, according to
q statement issued yesterday by DR.
William Hiram FOulkes, vice chairman
OF the executive committee of the In.
terchurch World Movement. The In.
terchurch survey Of ministerial sal.
aries and relief shows that only three
states exceed New York in the sal.
aries paid to ministers, and in thia
state the average is $1,199, exactly
$50 less than the amount fixed by
mum amount on which family can be
decently maintained.
Plans for increases, based on q min.
lmum salary, have been developed in
several of the 80 denominations which
have united in program of co-opera.
ton under the name Of the Inter.
church World Movement. The aggre-
gate budget Of the cooperating
churches shows that of the 1886, III, 573
which Is to be sought during the week
beginning April rs there is an item Of
$2O,510, 200 for ministerial salaries and
support.
'The Interchurch World Movement
was wisely led at the beginning of it's
labors." said DR.. Foulkes, ito give
large ans sympathetic recognition to
the present critical situation Of the
gospel ministry with reference to mad,
equate support. In connection with
the proposed survey of conditions at
home and abroad it was early deter
mined to make an equally thorough re.
view OF the actual conditions confront.
Ing the gospel ministry.
"Inasmuch as the Interchurch World
Movement did not undertake to ad.
minister funds or to deal directly wi.
the problems arising out of such nd.
ministration 1t was wisely decided to
place their cause upon the same high
level upon which the other causes were
being considered, namely that Of a
careful and thorough-going survey Of
the facts"
Such survey shows that IN the
Protestant Episcopal church, which
maintains higher salary than do
other denominations, fewer than one.
half OF its clergy receive as much
as $500 q year. In the Congregation.
al churches only one In five exceeds
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 $500 year to only eight
per cent Of their clergy.
To this inadequate salary standard
may be nscribed the shortage of min
listers, which Is so great that one de-
nomination reports that 1t has 1888
congregations that are not receiving
regular pastoral care Another has
o0t fewer ministers today than 1t had
In 1914, and third laments that be-
cause Of insufficient salaries young
men are deferred from entering the
ministry and 1t has 1000 vacant pull
pits.
"As result Of these surveys, com.
pleted and in process" Or. Foulkes
adds, ut is firmly believed by the Of
ficers Of the Intercharch World Move
mcnt that the level Of ministerial sal.
aries will be raised more substantially
thnn in response to any other impulse
In decades.
"Iae lifting power OF movement
which consclentious,y e"hraces the
whole verdi for Its load. u not foil
whe.i II comes to dcal ". tho sal
uric. CT til Yor.crg. Shy: