Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.Abbott, Lyman
Religion
Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.
Abbott, Lyman
Christian fiction; New York (State) -- Fiction; Parishes -- Fiction
Dr.
Minister's Salary
$1,500.00
Organist, (the office was discontinued, congregational singing
established, and Deacon Goodsole's eldest daughter voluntered to play.)
Nothing
Church Repairs-Sundries
55.50
Interest on Mortgage
315.00
Sexton (Salary reduced by himself as a contribution to the support
of the church.)
175.00
Fire, lights and incidentals
231.40
$2,276.90
The church has never before had a balance in its treasury, and it
was bewildered with astonishment at the result. The money was really
due to Maurice, who was to pay, the reader will recollect, the
incidental expenses out of the monthly subscriptions and take the
remainder as his salary. But Maurice positively refused to take it.
He, however, has long wanted the old pulpit cut down and a low
platform substituted. The money was voted for that purpose, and the
alterations are now going on.
Though the pews are free, the pew system is not wholly abandoned.
Each attendant selects a seat for himself or a pew for his family.
This is regarded his as much as if he paid pew rent for it. But
instead of a fixed rent he pays what he will. No one has paid less
than the old rates and some have nearly doubled them. But the
improvement in finances is not the only nor even the best result of
Maurice Mapleson's experiment. The congregation has increased quite
as much as the income. Not less than a score of families are regular
attendants on our church who never went to church before. With one
or two exceptions every pew is taken. We are beginning to talk
quietly about an enlargement.
I think this change had something to do with the revival last
Spring. Maurice thinks so at all events. And any attempt to go back
to the old system would meet with as much opposition from Deacon
Goodsole as from Jim Wheaton. The only member of the congregation
who regrets the change is Mrs. Potiphar. She turns up her nose
--metaphorically I mean--the natural nose is turned up all the time at
that revival. "It did not reach any of our set," she says. "Why,
bless you, I don't believe it added fifty dollars to the church
income."
One would think to hear her talk that Mrs. Potiphar supported the
church. If she does, her right hand does not know what her left hand
is doing.
The immediate precursor of that revival was the prayer-meeting which
Mr. Gear attended, and in which he asked the prayers of the church.
When in June he stood up before the congregation to profess his
faith in Christ as a Savior from sin, and in the Holy Spirit as a
Divine Comforter in trial and in sorrow, he did not stand alone.
Twenty-eight stood with him. Among them were nine of the boys from
our Mill village Bible-class. Of that brightest of Sabbath days I
cannot trust myself to speak. The tears come to my eyes, and my hand
trembles as I write. I must pass on to other thoughts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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