THE SUPPORT OF OUR MINISTERS by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 18, 1878

THE SUPPORT OF OUR MINISTERS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

The proper support of our ministers is every year becoming a more important question. In the first place, the number of our ministers is increasing each year. In the second place, new missions are rapidly being opened by us. And in the third place, it is becoming impossible for our experienced laborers in the work to personally visit all our preachers, inspect their work, and determine what they should receive. The greater the number of our ministers, the more danger there is that laggards, and selfish men will enter the ministry simply for the pay. Moreover, the work is increasing so fast that our brethren are falling behind in the support of the various enterprises connected with the cause. Of course this is largely due to the lack of sacrifice on their part, but it is nevertheless a fact that must be considered.

Our plan of systematic benevolence is in the order of God, and it has many advantages above any other system; and yet it unavoidably has some drawbacks. As conducted thus far, it does not throw each minister upon his own individual efforts as much as other systems do. For instance, among the Baptists, every minister is left to find a field of labor for himself, and to obtain pastorate if he can. If he is an energetic man, one that can build up, then his chances are good. Churches will call for him, and generally ministers are paid in accordance with the success they have, and their personal ability. If they fail to build up, they are soon dropped out of the list, and have to go at some other work. But this system has great disadvantages which we will not stop to name here.

Among us every minister expects his pay regularly, without much regard to whether he is successful or not, or whether he builds up churches and brings in systematic benevolence or not. Of course, a man who accomplishes nothing at all does not expect support long; but if he receives a license and accomplishes anything, if a half dozen receive the truth under his labors, he thinks that is sufficient to warrant him in expecting support from the Conference. Hence some of our brethren have been granted licenses and credentials year after year, and have drawn regular pay from the Conference, and still expect to, notwithstanding

they do not bring one dollar into the general treasury where they receive two from it.

You may give these men a tent; you may donate them books; you may give them a hundred dollars to start with; you may give them all the moral support of our people; you may allow them to choose their own field of labor; and after they have labored there one, two, three, or even five years, they will still call for means; and yet after they have received from five hundred to a thousand dollars, and have had every dollar that has been paid in by those converted under their labors, still they are drawing from the Conference. Evidently there is something wrong somewhere. Either these men have missed their calling, or else the Conference is doing too much for them,—paying them more than their work is worth. We fear that these men have learned to depend upon the contributions of others till they do not make proper efforts to support themselves.

It is a very fine thing for them to go into a place, and tell the people that they have not come after their money; that they ask no contributions; that they can pay their own expenses. That sounds very well there. It is very easy to tell the church, when they get one, that they will not be expected to do a great deal; but we imagine that those very ones would talk somewhat differently if they had to get their bread and board from their own converts.

We think there must be a greater effort on the part of our ministers in this matter, or our treasuries will be unwisely exhausted. It is perfectly right when a man goes into a new mission, or even out into new fields, to help him with a tent, with books, and with money, but this should not last very long. A year or two, under ordinary circumstances in our own home fields, should be long enough for a minister to lean upon the Conference. He ought by that time to have a systematic fund in his own churches sufficient not only to support himself, but to help support the general cause. If this is not done, how shall the cause be sustained? If a man cannot do this, it is very doubtful if it is his duty to labor in this direction.

Our foreign missions must be supported. Our printing presses must be established, our institutions must be built up, our tract and missionary work must be carried on, and many other things that pertain to the general cause. Every man and woman, and every church that embraces this truth, should take some stock in these enterprises. None should be content to simply support the minister who brought them the truth or who preaches to them. This is only a part of their duty.

What shall we say of the labors of those men who, when they have had every dollar that their own converts bring into the treasury, still need help from the Conference year after year? They must not be surprised if they are soon left to shift for themselves. The fact probably is that they have so long been accustomed to look to the Conference for support, that they have not formed any habits of economy and self-reliance for themselves. Years ago, they left it for Bro. White to come around and talk money and raise the systematic benevolence. Latterly they have expected other brethren to do this, and have contented themselves with saying they are no financiers; that is not their business. But the field is becoming so large that no one of our leading brethren can go to all these churches any more; hence this burden must be laid upon the individual ministers. If they have neither taste nor talent for it, then they will have to be dropped out of the Conference.

We simply say this to prepare the minds of our brethren for what will certainly come sooner or later. D. M. CANRIGHT.