STIPENDS OF CLERGY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20075, 12 October 1928, Page 14

STIPENDS OF CLERGY.

NECESSITY FOR INCREASE. WORK GREATLY HANDICAPPED. "MUST BE FREE FROM CARES." A fear that the low stipends paid to ninny clcrgv was likely to interfere seriously with the spiritual value of the work was expressed by Archbishop Averill in his charge to the Auckland Diocesan ■Synod ycslerday. In accordance with a resolution passed last year a hill would be introduced into the present synod in order to fix the minimum stipend for all clergy af £350 a yeai. togethei with a free house and travelling expenses. This was a question of vital importance to the diocese, as the standard of stipends was below that in othei dioceses in New Zealand. The inevitable result was that they could not hope to securo and retain the ser vices of i ready efficient body of clergy when a more adequate living could bo obtained elsewhere. The assistanco now offered by the central fund was saving flie diocese from disgraco and many of tho clergy from semi-starvation. "I venture to think many of our church officers and church people are not really alive to the feriousness of tho present position," Ilis Grace said. "The provision made by the diocese some years ago in tho interests of the clergy, namely, tiie advancing of tho stipends of the clergy by tho dioceso for two months, has beon seriously abused in some instances, and, in spite of the provision, some of the clergy still have to suffer through delay of the monthly cheque. There is still great need of moro thorough organisation of finance in many parishes, but there is still greater need of an earnest and conscientious searching of conscience on tho part ot many of the laity with regard to their duty in this matter. Making all the Sacrifices.

"We pride ourselves on our voluntary system, and on tho absence of compulsion in matters affecting our duty to God and His Church, but aro we not in danger of drifting into an attitude toward religioi in which the Cross is being eliminated and tho dca of sacrifice omitted? Aro wo conscientiously asking ourselves whether we aro really doing our duty to God and His Church while tho ministers of religion are compelled to make all the sacrifices ? "Tho real need of the Church at tho present time is not so much a revised Prayer Book or increased ceremonial, or constant conferences, as an increase of vital religion and spiritual fervour, and more thorough and personal devotion to Jesus Christ. If the clergy are to be tho pioneers and leaders in preparing tho way for the manifestation of the spirit of God in the hearts of men they must bo reasonably free from tho cares of this world and from unnecessary anxiety with regard to tho education of their children. Unless the clergy arc themselves spiritually alive and free to devote their whole energies to tho claims,of their holy calling, the general spiritual level of congregations and parishes must surely decrease. Involved in " Vicious Circle." "in order to provide an antidote to the very real danger of the Church acquiescing in n standard of Christian life below the level of t-h* New Testament ideal, and in order to prevent tho possibility of tho clergy appearing to acquiesce in a purely ethical standard of Christianity, there is undoubtedly gieat need of a higher degree of spirituality among tho clergy generally, and greater devotion to tho purely pastoral side of their work, but how is it possible to attain to such an increased standard of devotion and witness so long as spirituality is blunted by constant financial worries, personal and parochial ? We are indeed up against and involved in a 'vicious circle,' for it is only by greater spiritual earnestness on behalf of tho general body of the laity that the financial problem can bo solved. "At tho present time tho work in many parishes is seriously handicapped for want of additional clergy, and the supply of ordinandi is fni below the demands and requirements of the diocese. Hero again we aro up against the financial problem, and are caught in the vicious circle. The day seems to have gone by when parents regarded i| as an honour to give one son at' 1 least to the ministry of tho Church, and even to sacrifice themselves to provide. for bis efficient training. Most parents have other ideas For their sons in these days " An amending bill was later introduced by Mr J Ilogben providing for a minimum stipend of £350 with a free house and travelling expenses. After lengthy discussion it was decided tho minimum stipend should be raised from £250 to £3OO. Tho bill as amended was read a first timo

POSITION OF MAORIS. " NOT A LIVING WAGE." "NO CREDIT TO THE CHURCH." " I urn bitterly ashamed that t.ho Church is content to send tho Maori clergy out. to work on a stipend of £l5O a year," said Archdeacon G. MacMurrav, when tho report on work among the natives was before synod last evening. " It. is a condition of affairs which should not be tolerated. .It is not fair or just to ask men to carry on this work, to marry, and to bring up a family on such a stipend " It is no credit to the Church that we should permit this, and tho Church should lie told about it. It is a very great wrong that the Southern dioceses of New Zealand should have left the whole burden of Maori work in the North Island The task of giving the gospel t.o the Maoris is one that should be laid upon the wholo population of tho prov mce.'

Archdeacon Mac Murray added that candidates for the ministry, both native and pakeha, were educated at St. John's College, but the former, 011 going into the world, were faced with a remarkable disparity in the wherewithal to secure a living. He hoped the Rev. F. A. Bennett, when consecrated Bishop of Ao-tea-noa, would appeal to (ho whole country on behalf of the Maori clergy. Archdeacon H. A. Hawkins, superintendent of the Maori Mission, said the stipend of the Maori clergy had been increased from £l2O to £l5O during the past year. Even yet the Maori clergy wore not receiving a living wage The absolute minimum should bo £2OO. The. archdeacon said that apart from lay workers and lay readers among ' the Maoris, the Church owed ;i gre.-it debt nf gratitude to teachers at native schools in the North Were it not for the work of many teachers, children in several districts would nol receive any Sunday School training at all Archbishop Averill said Archdeacon Hawkins and lie had conceived the idea of a Maori standing committee, and this body had done excellent service since its formation. It had taken a great share of financial and other responsibility. It was gratifying to see the natives taking such interest in their own work.

The report of tho Maori Mission showed that tho settlements, mainly in the North, had contributed between £7OO and £BOO in three years toward the stipends of clergy over and above Church expenses in the different settlements,.