Newspaper Page Text
22 THE
THOSE STATISTICAL COLUMNS.
The Presbyteiian Standard Insists that
the columns for pastors' salary and baptized
non-communicants be restored in
the Minutes of the Assembly, and that
the last. Assembly made a mistake in
taking them out.
ftiay we ask what practical use is
made of the statistics given in the column
for baptized non-communicants?
What service does that column render
to the church at large? The number of
baptized non-communicants in a given
congregation is a matter which should
demand the prayerful consideration of
that particular church. The experience
of the writer may be exceptional, but he
suspects his experience is similar to
many others (possibly a large majority),
viz.: The figures given are inaccurate,
often approximated or not given at all.
Out nf fi f * crV* 4. ?*
? ? - W? VI6IIL VUU1 \_11tro 111 Deilltfl
Presbytery nineteen give blanks in that
column, and the editor of the Standard
will find that twenty-seven churches in
his Pre3bytery (Fayetteville) are likewise
guilty of the same fault. There
are many Presbyterians where the proportion
of churches' failing to answer
this question is much larger than in
these two.
What are some of the reasons for
striking out the column for pastors' salary?
ta) Many who do not know the
pastor judge of his ability and fitness by
the amount of salary he receives. The
information given in this column encourages
this false standard by which
to measure a man, and fosters a spirit
of commercialism in the church.
(b) The information is often misleading:
e. g. Rev. A. B. C., pastor of
Church, enrolling 150 members, is represented
as receiving $800. As a matter
of fact he receives from the mother of
the church, he serves, $700.00 additional,
(c) Here is a church, abundantly
* able to pay $2,000 seeking a pastor. The
attention of the members is directed to
Rev. X. Y. Z. They decide to call him,
and when they come to the matter of
salary to be offered the Minutes of the
Assembly tell them that this man is now
receiving $1,200. They decide to offer
$1,500, and as a result they injure both
themselves and the pastor?but themselves
most. It is not meant that most
nf nnr phnrohoa oro
w. wuw* vuvo h> c aviunicu u.y txiiv
such economical spirit. Other reasons
might be given.
But it is urged that this column for
pastors' salary is necessary to bring the
pressure upon many churches to comply
with the terms of the call and settle
with the pastor at the end of the ecclesiastical
year; and that it is a necessary
lever to enable the Presbytery to see
that this plain duty is discharged. The
last Assembly did not overlook this
phase of the matter. On page 61 of the
1900 minutes we find in the adopted re?
??* "
i*ui i. ui, iuc v/uiuiiiiiife on aysiemauc
Beneflcience:
8. That question No. 7 in the sessional
narrative blanks be amended so that
it shall read: "What salary has your
church promised its pastor? Has that
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT
amount been paid fully and promptly?
If not, how much is due on his salary"?
Thus the matter of salary is brought
before the session and Presbytery, the
responsibility placed where it belongs,
iu the effort to see that delinquent
churches do their duty in this particular.
Dr. B. M. Palmer opposed publishing
the salaries of ministers in the Assembly's
minutes, and as long as he lived
you will find that his Presbytery included
in "congregational" the salaries of
her ministers, and blanked "Pastors' salaries."
Was he not wise?
J. M. Holladay.
Winnsloro. S. C., Aug. 28, 1909.
THE PRESBYTERY OF EAST
MISSISSIPPI.
The Presbytery of East Mississippi
convened in Unity church, Tuesday, August
24th, at 2 p. in., with fifteen ministers
nrPSPnt Hiirlnc tho mnnn?~ 1
.... WM...i0 vuv lucckiiig auu
eleven churches out of fifty-two represented.
Rev. J. W. Moseley, Jr., preached
the opening sermon from John 1: 14. Officers
chosen: Rev. W. E. B. Harris,
moderator, and \V. C. Lam, temporary
clerk.
Committees appointed: On Proof
Texts of Doctrinal Standards: J. J. Hill,
H. M. Sydenstricker and J. W. Orr, and
Ruling Elders L. T. Carlisle and John
Stinson: to raise money and purchase a
tent for evangelistic purposes: J. W.
Orr, John Goff and L. R. Simpson.
Received: Rev. F. \V. Lewis, from
Presbytery of Louisiana. Hamilton
church was granted permission to employ
him for one-fourth of his time. The
call from Aberdeen church for threefourths
of his time was accepted by him,
and the following brethren were appointed
to install him pastor of the church
on the third Sabbath of September: Rev.
A. O. Price to preside and pregch the
sermon, Rev. J. \V. Moseley to charge
the pastor, and Ruling Elder John Stinson
to charge the people.
Rev. W. V. Frierson presented the
needs of Palmer Orphanage, and a collection
of $50.20 in cash and subscriptions
to help pay for the five cows purchased
for the institution was taken.
Each Sabbath school was reniipatf?-t tr?
make a monthly or at least a quarterly
collection for the Orphanage, and the
nlinisteis to preach a sermon in the behalf
of the cause near Thanksgiving Day.
The committee were granted further
time to prepare memorial addresses on
the life and work of "Father Stewart,"
the pioneer missionary among the Indians
of this country. Brother Goff exhibited
the silver babtismal bowl owned
and used by "Father Stewart" in the
baptizing of Indians in this country and
in the West. Brother GofT used this
same bowl in the baptizing of twenty-six
children in the Walnut Creek church
and neighborhood lately. He also ex
hibited the old wooden collection box
and silver communion plateB of Monroe
church.
The Stated Clerk was instructed to notify
all the churches employing stated
supplies that they must send up yearly
September 8, 1909.
requests, with the amount of salary
promised, for the labors of such brethren.
The Presbytery approved of a General
Assembly Fund to defray expenses
cf the representatives to said meeting.
Rev. J. S. Shaw was given permission
to labor in the DeKalb group until the
next stated mpetino t?.~ "
. _ m. uo. uciuuay caurcli
was given leave to employ Rev. H. M.
Jenkins for another year for one-fourth
of his time.
The following recommendations were
adopted: That the chairman of local
home missions be authorized to send a
pastor or elder of the Presbytery into
the churches to present the cause of local
home missions, and take subscriptions
while on the ground. That the
chairman be authnri*oH try -> -*
vw ? ion. an me
churches in the interest of the Amory
debt and that a collection be taken in
all the churches of the Presbytery on
the fifth Sunday of October. That the
Presbytery, through the home mission
committee, arrange for a series of simultaneous
evangelistic meetings to be conducted
throughout the bounds of Presbytery,
each pastor conducting at least
two meetings at such time and place as
the committee may arrange.
After a most delightful short stay with
the good people of Unity neighborhood,
the Presbytery adjourned Wednesday
night, to meet at the call of the moderator
during the meeting of the Synod.
J. W. Allen, S. C.
"WHY IS IT"?
The query "Why is it"? which appeared
in your issue of Aug. 11 is a timely
one. Why is there not rotation in office
of elders and deacons?or at least opportunity
for rotation, as in the case of
pastors?
If the elder or deacon is acceptable
to the people, he would be re-elected,
and it is probable, under this system,
that many would hold their offices for
life, each election only giving opportunity
for a vote of confidence. On the
other hand, unworthy or inefficient men ,
could be eliminated.
It is a frequent boast of Presbyterians
that the government of our nation was
modeled after the Presbyterian system.
How vain this claim is, is chiefly manifested
in the custom we have adopted of
retaining our church officers (after being
once elected by the people), to a life
term of service. For instance, the ruling
elders may for a long time have been
out of sympathy with the desires and
arbitrations of the congregation. Yet
they are the only medium of expression
of the popular will of the church. Speaking
of the peremptory manner of the
Committee on Bills and Overtures in turning
down overtures, without assigning
reasons thpr??fnr* thia
?.w. , vu?o ai umai y style
is manifested on other questions.
An overture came before the last .Assembly
on the validity of the baptism of
a Catholic. The illuminating answer of
the Committee was to refer the Presbytery
making the overture to "former deliverances"
on the subject repeatedly
made and to be found in Alexander's
Digest. M.