The Sustentation Question in Various Denominations by G. B. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 17, 1916

The Sustentation Question in Various Denominations

By G. B. T.

THE question of securing proper support for aged and infirm ministers is now occupying the attention of the various Protestant denominations. One can scarcely help wondering why justice in this matter has been so long delayed. It would seem that some adequate plan would have been provided long since for caring for those who have given their lives to gospel work, most of whom do so at a rather moderate salary.

Concerning the average salary of Protestant clergymen, we take the following from the Literary Digest of Dec. 4, 1915:—

It is continually asked, says Rev. J. T. B. Smith, editor of the Veteran Preacher (Methodist Episcopal, Chicago), “What is the average salary of an American minister, and why he cannot save sufficient money to take care of himself and family in his old age?” The average salary of the Protestant preachers is barely $1,000, according to Mr. Smith, and he states the average salaries in the various denominations as follows: “Unitarian, $1,221; Protestant Episcopal, $994; Universalist, $974; Lutheran, $744; Presbyterian, North, $977; Presbyterian, South, $857; Methodist Episcopal, $741; Northern Baptist, $681; United Brethren, $547; Disciple, $527; Southern Baptist, $334.” A Congregationalist authority places the average ministerial salary in his denomination under $800. These salaries, declares Mr. Smith, “conclusively prove that if the preacher were to save he would rob himself and family of the necessities of life, and cripple his own efficient services as pastor and preacher.”

Another journal calls attention to the need of providing for aged and infirm ministers in the following language:—

We pension the faithful railroad man and the superannuated of scores of industries. Eventually we will care for the broken-down minister who served nobly for precious little in the way of earthly compensation.

At a church congress held in San Francisco last summer the plan of pensioning retired preachers was indorsed, and the various Protestant churches are endeavoring to secure fifty million or sixty million dollars to be used in caring for the ministers and their families who are no longer able to engage in active work. The Detroit Free Press voices its approval of this plan:—

The adoption of a pension system would do much to attract more young men to the ministry, for no matter how strong the spiritual call a man feels, he cannot be blamed for hesitating to enter a profession which is so poorly paid, in general, that he cannot hope to provide for his old age and that of those dependent upon him.

The soul of the inadequately paid preacher, no matter how strong his faith, must be strangely perplexed when he contrasts the stately cathedrals built in honor of the God he preaches with the deprivations he endures in order to spread the gospel message. Less magnificent churches and better rewards to the humble toilers in the field would seem more befitting the spirit of Christianity.

The justice of this movement must commend itself to all. It is a source of some satisfaction that for several years we have had in successful operation a sustentation plan to care for not only ministers but faithful and efficient workers in other lines of gospel work. It is founded not simply on a fund secured from the offerings of the people, but on the tithing system. This plan permits those who have become incapacitated from active work through years of faithful service to still share in such portion of the tithe as may be necessary to keep them from suffering. If the various Protestant churches would adopt the tithing system as taught in the Scriptures, they would not only have ample funds to care for their ministry during the period of their activity, but plenty to provide a liberal pension for them when in the decline of life. G. B. T.