Sales Talk

An article attempting to break down sales resistance on the part of lukewarm candidates for the ministry was contributed to the North American Review by the Right Reverend James Henry Darlington, of the Episcopal diocese of Harrisburg, Pa. The Christian Century summarized the Bishop's sales-talk as follows:

"Bishop Darlington specifies thirteen 'joys,' which he thinks should, when all is taken into account, make the ministerial calling attractive to a young man. Here are the thirteen, numbered in the order in which the bishop gives them: 1. The ministry is mentally stimulating; the minister keeps up with secular knowledge as well as with religious events. 2. It is physically attractive; pastoral calling means much fresh air, walking and driving a car. 3. It is spiritually helpful to the minister; building up the faith of others, he also builds up his own and so has few spiritual worries. 4. It is a prayerful life and therefore 'his nerves are at rest.' 5. It is independent ; 'one can rise at any hour one pleases,' fix one's own office hours, take days off ad libitum. 6. It is honored; he and his family are respected and deference is paid to his opinions on all sorts of subjects. 7. It is fairly well paid; minimum net salary about $3,000 in most (Episcopal) dioceses. 8. It has permanence of tenure; clergymen (Episcopal) need not fear losing their appointments except for grave cause. 9. 'The clergy are exempt from being drafted for war.' Also they often get ten per cent discount on merchandise and they travel for half-fare on the railroads. 10. 'They are so favored by the kindly attention of wealthy and leading parishioners that their children enter the highest social life.' 11. They are often able to save money, especially when, 'through the kindness of financial leaders who are on their church boards,' they are let in on the ground floor on good investments. 12. The pension fund (Episcopal) will soon insure a comfortable income in old age. 13. 'The greatest joy of the ministry, however, has nothing to do with its financial compensations; it is the fact that it is his life work to make bad men and women good.' "

Then The Christian Century concluded sardonically: "As one reads this list of inducements, one cannot help wondering what sort of ministerial candidate it will attract. Another Polycarp? Or Athanasius? Or Francis? Or Luther? Or Latimer? Or Wesley? Or Brooks? Would it have caused the closing up of a carpenter shop in Nazareth?"