MEN AND THE MINISTRY
SIR,—Is it fair to invite young men to enter a ministry when the majority of them will never be able to make ends meet except by marrying money, or earning additional funds by such extraneous work as teaching or writing ? I append a statement of my own earnings during an active ministry of 38 years:— First year, ao (lodgings in a London slum) ; znd year, £120 (lodgings in a London slum); 3rd year, £120 (industrial curacy in provinces); 4th-7th years, Lt5o (industrial curacy in provinces); 8th-13th years, £210 (important urban benefice, huge vicarage, two churches); 14th-19th years, £2Io (rural isolated village, owing to ill-health. Enormous house and grounds); 2oth-25th years, £300 (rural isolated village, owing to ill-health. Enormous house and grounds); 26th-39th years, £400 (important urban benefice, two churches, very large house). In the last benefice I received certain ex gratia presents which improved the stipend, including Easter Offerings, etc. These, of course, were fortuitous, and might have failed if conscience had forced me to make anY unpopular stand. The average assured income over the entire period works out at a shade over £210 per annum.
I was reasonably efficient in my duties, as two bishops nominated me for unpaid canonries, I preached in many -cathedrals and also repeatedly by selection on the air (not merely because it was the turn of my parish to broadcast a service). I was certainly fortunate in being preferred to my first benefice after only seven years as a curate, and possibly correspondingly unfortunate in never being offered wealthier livings with smaller rectories. But very few of my neighbours attained more lucrative employment. Most of them made ends meet either by (a) private means, (b) their wives' moneys, or (c) undertaking additional secular work. Neither do the bishops warn applicants for ordination that if their health fails before the age of 7o (as mine did) they will receive a heavily curtailed pension in lieu of the £200 per annum, which is the standard figure. I have no wish to over-stress the financial aspects. But it is fair that young ordinands should be warned of what awaits them if they are paid a typical stipend in a typical vicarage.—I am, Sirs, yours
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