The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Tuesday, April 14, 1908. WORTHY OF HIS HIRE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5246, 14 April 1908, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Tuesday, April 14, 1908. WORTHY OF HIS HIRE.

A serious difficulty that has to be grappled with by the Churches is that of finding adequate remuneration for clergymen in scattered parishes. In large and scattered districts with which tho Church, in tho country districts has to deal, finance is bound to be no easy problem. The harvest is so plentiful and tho labourers so few. And it is a harvest which, whatever view we tako of religion, wo can all agree should be gathered. Many of tho clergy, whom we all know, have been heroically striving to keep at their tasks. They aro often the only available hearers of light and sympathy into very ill-illuminated corners of the Dominion ; and they stand for an clement in life which we cannot afford to bo without. Merely as a paying profession, no man of ability would enter tho Church as things are. But the problem presents itself on a lower piano than ecclesiastical emolument, and what really is in question is tho “living wago.” Unfortunately, it is too often the case that, however worthy of his hire tho labourer may bo, ho is expected to work without it.

It would, however, bo doubly unfortunate if the clergy should come to permit themselves a feeling of bitterness against tboso lay brethren who neglect a manifest duty—and wo fancy thoro is a traco of such a feeling in some quarters. The question has to he looked fairly in tho faco. Although perhaps a majority of peoplo are still nominally adherents of one Church organisation or anothor, it is well known that even in apparently prosperous churches the proportion of the congregation that actively participates in tho life of tho Church is comparatively small; and tho problem of finding ways and means, of course, falls on this section. In Homo cases too much is expected of it, and then it feels inclined to rebel. This is not a difficulty confined to one denomination ; in ono form or another wo meet it on every side. The stringent exponent of economics would, of courso, toll us that the laws of supply and demand must be left to do their work, But that does not help us. No doubt tho financial difficulty would not exist if the Church could find a way to meet the rising tide of indlfferentism; but this again is counsol of perfection. As a body our clergy arc probably as earnest and devoted as were, and more intelligent and cultured than were, predecessors who bad no such trouble to meet. It is the atmosphere of civilisation which has changed. How to got onco moro en rapport with the masses, is of course, tho fundamental problem for tho Church ; and it is not one that tho layman can take it on himself to solve, homo palliatives iudeod aro obvious, A good deal of financial stringency no

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thalj there are too many church, a anywh*ioj,but too many for the wdrift tig mAttjhers viojMy’‘happenin«r the heads donoffiaSttons should g< t together and apportion territory equitably between them. Another solution which is no doubt looked to in some quarters lies in the missionary enterprise of colibafco orders; but wo have yet to see whether some such development will acclimatise readily on New Zealand soil. Meantime the clergyman who struggles nobly against overwhelming odds cannot but command the respect and admiration oven of those who do not share his faith.