CHURCH MISSION FUND.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11502, 7 February 1903, Page 8

CHURCH MISSION FUND.

TO THE EDITOB OP THE PRESS. Sir, —As a member at different times of one or two country vestries I must take exception to the implication suggested by "W.H.G." who says "with regard to tlie providing of a suitable stipend for the priest, if the people appreciate his work amongst them, I am sure they would willingly give him 'a decent hire.' But if lie is poorly paid, the reason is quite clear." My sympathies are very largely with the poorer paid clergy. There are some parochial districts in Canterbury where the population has become very considerably reduced, and yet owing to distances it is not possible, if wise, to attach the declining district to the nearest, more populous, and flourishing neighbour. No iault may be found with the clergyman, but the few remaining church people (penhaps bereft of the most prominent or active members), are unable to keep up tlie guarantee to what it used to be, hence the clergyman suffers through no fault of his own. I do think there ought to be somethfog more like equaLity in the stipends of the clergy, who call themselves brethren. Surely in the church preference should be reckoned by the importance of the work allotted, not by the amount of the filthy lucre attached. As a rule those clergy, holding, as -it were, the outpost* of the church, have the more wearing wearying work, but owing to the smaller numbers of'their flock, the less honourable status. Why should they have also the less stipend 1 , when they have likewise the greater expense, as so clearly pointed out by "Only a Subscriber." I am sure some of the . country clergy could give far better accounts of themselves if by receiving larger stipends they were enabled to employ more labour, and so save themselves from bodily fatigue and loss of time in doing absolutely necessary manual labour about their vegetable gardens and paddocks, which at present they themselves are obliged to do in order to keep the family pot boiling. Prom conversations held, I know instances where relief from anxiety concerning the chiidren's education, and where cessation from too much manual labour, would conduce to greater miental vigour and usefulness, and to more frequent visiting Yours, etc., A COUNTRY CHURCHMAN.