PARSONS AND THEIR PAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1161, 28 February 1874, Page 2

PARSONS AND THEIR PAY.

Whether or uot the Churches of Otago are regarded from the outside as mere clerical infirmaries, as a certain noted character delights to call them, there can be no doubt that there is a certain invalidism about them. The trumpet of public opinion declares with no uncertain sound that the men who man our pulpits do not wield that power begotten of ability which, in the interest of religion, we could wish them to possess. We suppose that the more thoughtful members of all Churches will ° incline to admit this much. Whatever be the cause or causes, we may take it for granted that the fact is undeniable now that there is a large class on the borderland, so to speak, of religion who turn an inattentive ear to its accredited exponents, while they eagerly read those sayings in our periodical literature which treat of religious subjects. Some weaklings in the ministerial ranks readily explain the fact by the natural stubbornness of the human lieart, which refuses to listen to the unpalatable truths of religion because they demand a purity which would be unwelcome. There is a certain truth, no doubt, in this, though we would remind the upholders of this view that the conflict of the two forces, always much the uuiio in power, has not always resulted in the present deplorable defeat of the side of religious truth. Making every allowance for the claim put, forth by churchmen, we way still ask the question whether the religious side of human affairs is upheld with the same power as of yore, or whether it is not partially true that the wisdom ard ability of the age to a previously unparallelled degree is standing outside Church bounds, and looking on with indifference, if not with antagonism, at the efforts made to pteach and teach the truths of the Bible % From one end of the religious world to the other, we find Bishops, Synods, Conferences, lamenting the fact that it is impossible to induce the best of the rising generation, to enter the ministry. It is true that no poo»w »w th* tfwleafr fcwty launched

in their new profession than those who but a week before had been lamenting their ignorance and want of general culture, are ready to go all lengths in condemning those who do not submit themselves to the spiritual guidance of that very class whom they have heard condemned as incompetent. We may fairly set down very much of this to the esprit die corps which animates every profession, but most of all the ministerial. But what a demand it is. A.B. is a first-class man, a graduate in honours, a man of wide culture, full of sweetness and light. CD. has, by dint of hard work, satisfied the examiners, and being of blameless life and character, is admitted a student for the ministry. They meet five years after their studies are ended, the one — we will say — as lawyer, the other as minister. Is it likely that A.B. will care to listen to, or be advised by, CD., whom he has known for years as his inferior in almost every conceivable matter, only savedfrom contempt by the innocence of his life 1 We have endeavoured to give a not exaggerated account of a not uncommon state of things. We ask our readers to remember that such things do in the long run tend to drive men out of Church, and render them indifferent to the calls of a religion — a duty upheld feebly by feeble advocates. When persisted in for a generation or two, the result, wo might almost prophesy, would be just what we see now. We have men among us of irreproachable life, who carefully disassociate themselves from every Church, not because they do not believe in religion, but because religion is so poorly expounded. Whether it be the cause or the effect of this wide-spread and spreading indifference, it is quite clear that the infamously poor pay given to ministers of religion has much to do with their incompetence. We are quite aware that there are qualities required in a minister, which money never has, and never can buy; yet, we say that if the churches want able ministers, they must bo prepared to pay them salaries computed on the basis of the average earnings of lawyers in full practice ; doctors, when the ball is at their feet. There was a proposition some time ago to send home for a minister for the First Church, offering* a salary of £1000 per annum. Had the amount been doubled or trebled, it would have been a manful effort upon thoroughly sound principles to do the very best that could be done for religion. At the present scale of payment, some two or three hundred per annum — a wago less than a good dork receives, and but little more than a mechanic — men of sound views \ipon most commercial subjects expect to get their Church pulpits filled by scholars and thinkers. The result is what we now see. A ministry almost wholly wanting in moral power, only maintaining the semblance of their proper position through the undying respect for religion, which is an instinct in most Englishmen. We shall be told that the lay members of the churches are prepared to open their purse strings, but not for the present occupants of their churches. We are quite sure they are. But who is to make the first move 1 The appointment of ministers iv every church lies with the laity here. If they want a partner or manager in their commercial concerns, they know very well that they must propose liberal terms. Is it not the part of the capitalists, the paymasters, to make proper, wise, and liberal proposals 1 We must not be understood to say that the present ministers of Otago are underpaid. That is quite another matter from saying that the rate of salary given for teaching religion in Otago is infamously small. We question very much whether many a minister is not very much overpaid, if a fair reckoning be made of his iibiiity, his worth in the world's market. Whft-t we do say ifs this — that if religion in the person of its professed exponents is to take its proper place again as a power, it must be by procuring a very different stamp of ministers, and that that in the long run is only to be done by paying salaries infinitely larger than any now given.

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