This Week in Texas Methodist History Feb. 5

Beverly W. Allen Contributes to Debate over Preacher Salaries, February 1938

One of the tropes attributed to older persons is how they comment on how easy the current generation has it compared to conditions when they were young.  The trope has even entered popular culture in the "walked to school in the snow uphill both ways" meme.

As the three branches of Methodist prepared for merger in 1939, one of the big items in the church press was preacher salaries.  Once upon a time all Methodist preachers received the same salary (with adjustment for marital state).   Those days were long gone.  There was a huge gap between big city churches and rural ones, and there were lots of rural churches.  The Great Depression depressed agricultural prices and hence rural prosperity.  It was common for churches not to be able to pay the salary in full.   Sometimes preachers were paid in kind, such as meat, poultry, eggs, and vegetables.  As late as 1941 my father received part of his salary in the form of used clothing left behind by young men entering the armed services when the served the DeKalb Circuit.

At the other end of the spectrum in the MECS were the big city churches who competed for the giants of the pulpit of the era.  Preachers were limited to four years at a church, so an informal system arose in which great preachers rotated among them.  In Texas those churches were First Houston, First Dallas, Travis Park San Antonio,  Polk Street Amarillo, and Trinity El Paso.  Other churches in the circuit were Boston Avenue in Tulsa, First Birmingham in Alabama, etc

The salary issue came more in focus with the Depression and impending merger.  The Methodist Protestant church was concentrated in rural areas so its pastors were not very well compensated.  the largest MP church on the eve of union was First Dallas with about 250 members pastored by future bishop Kenneth Copeland.

Throughout 1938 and 1939 the church press was full of letters about minimum salary and also what that salary should be.  The Methodist Church created in 1939 from the merger would have much larger geographic scope than the predecessors and cost of living varied widely across the country. 

In February 1938 retired preacher Bevely W. Allen contributed to the discussion.  In his letter he bragged about how he had done so much with so little salary in his youth.  Here is part of what he said.

My first year in the ministry 1895 I was paid $242.  I was not married and with that salary I bought lots of nice clothes, lots of good food, and a buggy.  I traded for the old grey mare.  I attended the state Epworth League meeting in Houston and the International Epworth League meeting in Chattanooga.  I had over a hundred accessions by profession of faith and paid all the assesssments (apportioments) in full.  I had plenty of money to travel to my next appointment,