STARVATION OR MONEYLENDERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 81, 31 December 1919, Page 8

STARVATION OR MONEYLENDERS

VICAR'S FIGIIT TO LIVE.

A trade story of a vicar's struggle -with poverty was told at the Bradford Bunkruutcy Court, when Joseph Baldwin Meredith Chaplin, Vicsar. of Hublwrholmc. near Skipton, came up for his m.blic 'examhiiition (writer, the Bradford correspondent of the "Daily News ). II is flcficion.iv was <£SR7. Detailing his history, debtor sajd lie obtained a curacy at Vv' at J2MI) a year. He had to borrow money, and lmorted to moneylenders. lie after- ' a curacy at Sainton, Yorkshire'. at £lfiO a year. Two years later ho took a curacy neat Stoke at .Cl2O a vcar. lie was four years curate at Bucknall and Bnsnall. Staffs, at ,Cl5O a year.' 11l May last he was appointed vicar of nnbherholme at JtSCO.a year Ho added that, lie dealt with seven dif 7 ferent moneylenders. In one transaction he received .EM and repaid £130, in another he received .£!•"> and signed for AVI. in another he received .ilOft and siencd for JE2SO. AKnin, he signed for ,£2BO-and received X'2W). There_was one cn.se in which he received .£255, repaid and still owed .£290. Ho had been Eiiiltv of no extravagance. The Official ■Receiver: Yon have lost no money in Rumbling or spent in on drink?—" Oh. no." 1 "I have four children," continued the virar. ".Mv wife has been out siclc nursing. but is now engaged as a waitress in Txindnn to keep tlie pot l>o : lin;r." The Oflieial Receiver: [n order to educate vour children, you and your wife linvc.hnd to suffer for want of the bare necessities o? life? Debtor,: Yes. Since, 'March I have been livinsr at'lhe vicarage with practically no fnrnitnro. . v Can I take it vour church accounts are nil straight?—" Yes." The Official Kcceiver: I stand beside this debtor.', who has been faced with the alternative of the starvation of his wife and children or of rcsoHinff to moneylenders He went tn them, and from that time his life has been n hard one. Tf the Church and other denominations do not spp their clergy arc better mid. if Christianity does not compel til MU to do it. then liuinnnity nml v:p should not have pronle of education faced with such a horrible alternative.