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Untitled Article
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Decline of Presbyterian \ Congre gations * Sir , In your former vakiraes you have discussed the subject of the decline of Presbyterian
Congregations ; and you have assigned many probable . concurrent causes of . the humiliating fact * But there is one , not as I remember hitherto brought forward , which has always appeared to me more operative thaa any other , and
that is—the mean provision which is CQflfrniQnly made for the ministers in this denomination , whose salaries are not upon an average sufficient to support them com * fortably ia the to west rank of life , while they are at the same time
expected to appear as gentlemen and fit companions for the best company which their auditors receive . — - " flow do I make this undeniable fact bear upon the case r" Thus , —The knowledge
of the painful , genteel poverty of Presbyterian ministers prevents aspiring youths , likely to make a fi gure , from looking to the ministry ; and prudent ministers
dissuade their 30 ns from the profession * If ^ however , very able men get into the ministry , they , in many cases , make their profession sub * ordinate to some other occupation , chiefly that of education or
authorship , and , in some few , retreat into the world , where they figure as physicians , lawyers , bankers , merchants , chemists , sugar . bakers , ironmongers , rasor-sellers , pr book-venders . Those that rein
ma ^ the profession , with a few exceptions ( in the cases of literary
rcfasc * place to his communication , c oftit * $ « gtlir with our profc ^ iom of a 4 < tei » ite « ftUKi to cttCQumg * fr < c , 41 * - cuwon ^ ^ tioa . ; . . j . -, -.. ' -:-
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reputation not ^ lioUy i ncompati We with the ministry , of celiba . cy ^ or of a buoyancy of talent thatao disadvantages can repress , ) groan and go on , dispirited , tame and
unable to make any popular exertions . Congregations comptaif ) , but they first starve the vital spirjl of an honourable , generous man , and then reproach him with th # want of energy .
" It is not so , it may per said , cc with the orthodox . ** In many cases it is ; but probably their habits and expectations , do not so generally incapacitate , them for poverty . Their ministers often * . times unite lucrative trades witk
their Sunday ' s calling . Beside * that their influence with their people and their familiar intercourse with them put them in the wayjaf many gratuities which a Presbyv terian minister , knows not- how
either to expect or to receive * ^ printed sermon is to an eysvag $ \ ic minister 4 handsome fee | tp a presbyterian a heavy tax . , # " The , reipedy ! - ^ - ^ laijrt - ^ Presbyterians ! either shut up your places of worship , 0 % do mQre for
your ministers . The sum vthieh . ye expend upon one gay winter party , converted into an annual subscription to your ineetfnghouse ^ would be sufficient toelier the state of things in your de « io » - mination . Ye will not alter in
this respect , but whilst your interest as members of a once respectable religious body is sinking , do not at least blame ypur poor ministers , to whose sslj-detti&l ye owe it that your consciences have
a gratification once a vye ^ k , ; I spy nothing of opinion ? , , be ,-cause I believe | fea | ; > hft aW >§? i | l opinion ^ . qI Presbyterranfy 4 U > my fwfij , wh ^ thiuf SabeUian ^ Aiiwi ,
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O ** tkg * D 0 oik&ir ' fiF ^ * IH
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1813, page 185, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2426/page/37/
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