Evening star., 1923-08-05
Fears Lest Material Rewards
Outweigh Divine in Ministry

church aid. The uplift movement. as
result. has become cold, calculating,
deliberate in its methods. 1t has as
sumed almost scientific eXactness. 1t
has become machine-like.
This would be well enough in all
practical workings if it did not affect
those who are doing the work. Soci
ology is now as much OF trade as max
ing shoes. Those engaged in it are
educated along special lines. They are
intensively and extensively prepared for
service. a shortage of trained workers
is calculated to give any community
dearth OF skilled and competent workers
and that the number OF initiates is
constantly decreasing.
For twenty-five years we had in
Indiana as secretary Of its board Of
state charities a consecrated Chrfstia n
gentleman who looked upon his work
as profession, who gave more
thought to the quality of his service
than he did to the size of his salary,
whose ambition and pride were con-
hned to success of his undertakings
Age and failing health compelled him
to give up his work and competent
successor was not available for less
than the salary received by the gov
ernor of the state. This item of in
formation came to me from q member
of the board who is priest minister
ing to one of the largest parishes in
indianapolis upon the salary of $500
a year. | sometimes feel that doers of
Gods work are giving too much
thought to the loaveS and fishes In
the past week l was consulted about
three vacancies where the work is
sociological and charitable which had
not been filled, because the salaries
n
tent applicants. Is it not rather
startling that while men and women
In countless number are pressing
| forward into every avenue that seems
to lead to financial success the really
great avenues of life are becoming as
an A. Z. A. procession is passing?
X * X X
We are getting our trades and pro-
fessions mixed. 1t is far easier in life
to scramble than it is to unscramble.
1t would be well to set up a single
standard of life. If that could be done.
but attempt to do so would have to
j be along the line of material reward,
and such system would confuse the
thoughts of men. They would be un-
able to tell how much was done as a
trade and how much as a profession.
The blending of the material and
spiritual already has gone far enough.
If, indeed, not too far. The material
ought always to have to do with
, trade. the spiritual with profession.
The material. of course, is seen and
therefore fits itself to trade. The
ideal is unseen and therefore fits
;; itself to a profession. l. do not mean
that the best preacher is a starving
preacher or that the best social worker
| is a pauper. i merely insist that
much depends upon the prime motive
of life in determining real satisfac-
tion. He is not a real lawyer who has
more interest in the payment of his
fee than in success OF his cause He
is not a genuine doctor who neglects
his patient to write out his bill. He
is not a successful social worker who
administers charity in proportion to
the size of his salary, who lifts so
many men up for SO many dollars and
wipes away so many tears for SO
many cents.
OF course. men and women must
live. and live decently, and good
workmen are worthy of their hire
! mand higher pay, but the prime need
| in the sociological work of today Is
for trained men and women who love
the work and love the people the
work takes them among, who are SO
impressed with their divine mission
that their cry will be not more salary
but more opportunity for service
Sociology needs men and women who
feel about the worlds woes and wants
as John Knox felt about Scotland
] when he cried Give me Scotland or
III die"
] Copyright 1928, by 2lst Century Press:)