ALL Wheathedge is in a fever of excitement. "Blessings1 brighten as they take their flight." We have just learned that we have enjoyed for these several years the ministry2 of one of the most energetic, faithful, assiduous, eloquent3, and devoted4 "sons of thunder," in the State. We never appreciated our dominie aright till now. But now no one can praise him too highly. The cause of this his sudden rise in public estimation is a very simple one. He has been called to a New York City parish. And he has accepted the call.
This is a curious world, and the most curious part of it is the Church. While he stayed we grumbled5 at him. Now he leaves we grumble6 because he is going.
I first heard of this matter a couple of weeks ago. No. Some rumors8 of what was threatened were in the air last summer. One Sabbath, in our congregation, were three gentlemen, in one of whom I recognised my friend, Mr. Eccles, of the--street Presbyterian Church of New York City. He was there again the second Sabbath. It was rumored9 then that he was on a tour of inspection10. But I paid little attention to the rumor7. In October, our pastor11 takes his vacation. I thought it a little strange that he should spend half of it in New York, and seek rest from preaching in his own pulpit by repeating his sermons in a metropolitan12 church. But I knew the state of his purse. I therefore gave very little heed13 to the gossip which my wife repeated to me, and which she had picked up in the open market. For Sunday is market day, and the church is the market for village gossip in Wheathedge. And Jennie, who is constitutionally averse14 to change, was afraid we were going to lose our pastor, and said as much. But I laughed at her fears.
However, the result proved that the gossips were, for once, right. About two weeks ago, Mr. and Mrs. Work came into my house in a high state of subdued15 excitement. Mr. Work handed me a letter. It was a call to the--street Presbyterian Church in New York--salary $4000 a year. It was accompanied by a glowing portraiture16 of the present and prospective17 usefulness which this field opened. The church was situated18 in a part of the city where there were few or no churches. The ward19 had a population of over fifty thousand, a large majority of whom attended no church. More than half were Protestants. There was a grand field for Sabbath-school labor20. The church was thoroughly21 united. Its financial condition was satisfactory, and its prospects22 encouraging. And the hearts of the people had been led to unite as one man upon Mr. Work.
"I cannot but think," said Mr. Work, "that it is Providential. The position is entirely23 unsought. Yet I do not really feel equal to a place of such importance. I am sensible how much wider is the sphere of usefulness. But am I able to fill it? That is the question."
"Well, for my part," said Mrs. Work, "I confess that I am mercenary. There is a great deal of difference between $1,200 and $4,000 a year. It will put us at our ease at once. And just think what advantages for the children."
They wanted my advice. At least they said so. It is my private opinion that they wanted me to advise them to go. I told them I would think about it and tell them the result the next week. They agreed meanwhile to wait.
There were two considerations which operated on their minds, one usefulness, the other salary. I undertook to measure those two considerations.
The very next day gave me an opportunity to investigate the former. I met my friend Mr. Eccles at Delmonico's. We talked over the affairs of his church at the table.
"You are trying to get our minister away from us," said I.
"Yes," said he. "And I think we shall get him. He is a sound man--just the man to build us up."
"And how are you prospering24?" said I.
"Capitally," said he. And then he proceeded, in answer to a cross-examination, to interpret his reply. The Church had almost a monopoly of the ward. Its debt was but $10,000, which was in a mortgage on the property. There was also a small floating debt which would be easily provided for. It paid its former pastor $4,000, just what it offered Mr. Work. Its pew rents were about $3,500. The deficiency was considerable, and had to be made up every year by subscription25. "But our minister," said M. Eccles, confidentially26, "was a dull preacher. I liked him--my wife liked him. All the church folks liked him. But he did not draw. And it is not enough in New York city, Mr. Laicus, for a minister to be a good man, or even a good preacher. He must draw. That's it; he must draw. I expect the first year, that we shall have a deficit27 to make up, but if next spring we don't let all our pews, why I am mistaken in my man, that's all. Besides they say he is a capital man to get money out of people, and we must pay off our debt or we will never succeed, and that's a fact."
I got some figures from Mr. Eccles, and put them down. They give the following result:
Income. | Expenses.
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200 pews at present | Salary
$4,000 average-$30 a pew. | Interest 700
$6,000 | Music 1,200
| Sexton, fuel, light, &c. 1,200
| Total $7,100
When I showed the footing to Mr. Eccles he shrugged28 his shoulders. "We shall have to raise our pew rents," said he. "They are unconscionably low, and we must pay off our debt. Then we are all right. And if we get the right man, one that can draw, he will put our heads above water."
With that we separated.
Not, however, till I got some further information from him. He remarked casually29 that he had a notion of moving out of town, and asked me about prices at Wheathedge. "It costs a fortune to live here," said he. "My wife has an allowance of $300 a month for household and personal expenses. My clothing and extras cost me another $500. And the "sundries" are awful. You can't go out of your house for less than a dollar. I have no doubt my incidentals are another $500. It is awful--awful."
I advised him to move up to Wheathedge, the more cordially because I have a lot I would like to sell him for about a thousand dollars. I really believe he is thinking seriously of it.
The next day I went into the office of my friend Mr. Rental30, the broker31. I told him I was looking for a house for a friend, and asked the prices. He showed me a list-rents $2,000, $2,500, $3,000. They were too high. Would property in Brooklyn or Jersey32 City do? No. It must be in New York. It must be in the -- ward. It must be a good, comfortable, plain house, without any show or pretension33.
"There are none such to let in the city," said Mr. Rental. "Land costs too much. The few plain houses are all occupied by their owners." The very best he could do was one house, half a mile from the church, for $1,800. He had one other for $1,500, but it was opposite an immense stable, and had neither cellar nor furnace, and croton only on the first floor. I thanked him and said I would look in again if either of them suited.
Last week, according to appointment, our pastor and his wife came in for a second consultation34.
"There are," said I, "two considerations which might lead you to accept this call-increased usefulness and increased salary. I do not deny the importance of a New York city parish, nor fail to recognize the good work the city ministers are doing. But you must not fail to recognize the difficulties of the situation. New York is sensation-mad. The competition in churches is as great as in business. There are perhaps half a dozen men of genius who fill their churches with ease, or whose churches are filled because they are the resort of "good society." The rest of the ministers are compelled to devote three-quarters of their energies to keeping a congregation together, the other quarter to doing them good. They accomplish the first, sometimes by patient, persistent35, assiduous, unwearying pastoral labor, sometimes by achieving a public reputation, sometimes by the doubtful expedient36 of sensational37 advertisements of paradoxical topics. But in whatever way they do it the hardest part of their work, a part, country parsons know next to nothing of, is to get and keep a congregation. What you are wanted for at the--street Presbyterian Church is to 'build it up.' The one quality for which you are commended is the capacity to 'draw.' Doubtless there are devout38 praying men and women who will measure your work by its spiritual results, by the conversion39 of sinners and the growth in grace of Christians40. But what the financial managers want is one who will fill up their empty pews, enable them to add fifty per cent. to the rentals41, and in some way pay off their debt. That will be their measure of your usefulness."
It was quite evident that my good pastor and his wife thought me uncharitable. Was I?
"As to salary," said I, "you country clergymen are greatly mistaken in supposing that city salaries are prizes to be coveted42. Six thousand dollars is only a moderately fair support for a New York clergyman, and there are comparatively few who get it. You must pay at least $1,800 rent. You must dress as well as the average of your best families. You must neither be ashamed for yourselves nor for your children in the best society. You must keep open house. You must set a good table. You must be "given to hospitality." You must take a lead in organizing the missionary43 and charitable movements of your Church, which you cannot do without some money. You must be ready to co-operate in great public, church, and philanthropic movements. You must take a vacation of six weeks every summer, which of itself, at the lowest estimate, will cost you $150 or $200 a year. I have made some inquiries44 of three or four economical friends in New York. Here is the result of my inquiries. You may reduce the figures a little. But it will require quite as much economy to live in New York on $4,000 a year as in Wheathedge on $1,200."
With that I showed them the following memorandum45:
Rent $1,800
Household expenses (a low estimate) 1,800
Dress for Mrs. Work and the two children 600
Dress and personal expenses of Mr. Work 500
Summer vacation 150
Incidentals 500
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$5,350
Mr. and Mrs. Work thanked me for my advice, and took my memorandum home with them. But it was quite evident that Mrs. Work was not satisfied that $4,000 was not a great advance on $1,200. And I was not at all surprised when Mr. Work read his resignation from the pulpit last Sabbath. Next Sabbath he preaches his farewell sermon.
I hope I may prove a false prophet. But I think Mrs. Work will find her arithmetical powers taxed in New York as they never were in Wheathedge, and I shall be more pleased than I can tell if in five years Mr. Work does not retire from his post a disappointed man, or find that he has purchased success at the price of his health, if not his life.
Meanwhile we are beginning already to look about for his successor.
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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rumored
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| adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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portraiture
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| n.肖像画法 | |
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prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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24
prospering
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 ) | |
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subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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deficit
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| n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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rental
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| n.租赁，出租，出租业 | |
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broker
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| n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排 | |
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jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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pretension
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| n.要求；自命，自称；自负 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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rentals
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| n.租费，租金额( rental的名词复数 ) | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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