MEN FOR THE CHURCH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3463, 31 March 1930, Page 2

MEN FOR THE CHURCH.

PROBLEM IN EiNULAiNI)

From Advent to Advent last year 139 deacons were ordained by bishops of tipi Church of England. Of these 7(3 .came from Oxford and Cambridge. The total number of candidates was an increase of 54 on the previous year, but nearly 200 below the pre-war level, although 'a far greater number of candidates are being helped in their training period than ever iielore. Writing on the subject in the Daily Mail the Rev. Austin Lee, ex curate ol Kew, says:—“It is time that the Church of England grappled with the problem in all seriousness. Because whatever a-man’s religious views may liappejl ;,£o- .be... he 'ls ‘ready to admit that the Church of England and her sons' have played a noble part in the history pi the nation. To day she is not playing that part, and 1 would suggest that there are two main rea•son.sv. tW fod -financial,- and the .second that lier house is divided against itself.

“A graduate taking Holy Orders has Ira(htrpwimls'ol -j£2(KJO spent on Ids education. He probably thinks of marrying. Hut lie is in a calling which gives him a commencing stipend ol Irom flso to C 250, and does not guarantee an income ol more than £3O(J lor the next 20 years. And out of this a compulsory pensions contribution is levied. As is well known, ! have found it quite impossible to live on bids salary and keep up the necessary appearances. “It is interesting to compare the salaries in various professions, bearing m mind that the- clergyman’s calling is different in kind, but that the laborer is at least worthy of his hire. Ihe chief engineer of a famous city construction company told me, recently that ho had engaged irom 20 to 30 graduates straight from the. university in a single year at salaries ranging from C2OO to £3OO, with, prospects of an increase each year. Of a'dozen such taken on over eight years ago, eight are already earning £SOO, .’and one of them over Clooo. He pointed out that these salaries would be even higher if it were not for intense foreign competition. The Church of England is not subject to this. *

“A graduate on leaving the university and going into the teaching profession obtains from £2OO to £3OO with free board and some 14 weeks’ holiday during the year. To be assured of promotion i.n the Church one must now back a party, and that a very many good men cannot bring themselves to do, and consequently they linger on in poverty with no prospects of advancement.

. “It is these, the silent backbone of the Church England, that need to be helped. Tins/. struggle on nobly, often knowing that they will never rcveivu promotion, often wondering what will happen to their families after their own death. Can it be wondered that ,-.ey arc not the spiritual force in the nation that they might be? “The Church of England does not expect her clergy to he celibate. Indeed she has in the past pointed with pride to the. achievements of the parsons’ sons. Cannot she turn for a moment from the doctrinal questions which are agitating , her, and—High and ’ Low aljke —bring their wits to hear on the irtundane .problem of clerical ways and means ? Relieved of what is indeed, the burden of living, her ministers would once again take their rightful place- 'in. the nation’s life.”