This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 18 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Pella Chronicle
Location
Pella, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Dec 27, 1923
Page
1
A local pastor has resigned citing inadequate financial return for his services. He stated a capable minister cannot afford to stay in the ministry outside larger city churches and plans to leave the clergy.
A pastor in a county seat town earns $1,700 annually, the church states this is the limit. His remarks invite questions about church salaries, whether the issue is widespread or unique to his case, and why ministry pay lags.
The text argues that ministers as a class receive low salaries and that their pay depends on how the value of their services is rated. It notes salaries did not keep pace with a general price rise a few years ago.
The text argues that clergy are not the only workers harmed by salary inertia with rising prices. It notes teachers, public officials, and other salaried workers share woes, but pastors have endured the longest lack of effective protest.
A columnist argues that any worker can be overpaid and that wages should reflect productivity rather than a fixed standard of living. They note ministerial unions rarely push this theory but acknowledge its subconscious influence in some cases.
The economic truth is that reward comes only from what a person produces. Farmers, tradesmen, builders, miners, and even ministers must earn through their own work. Those with poor health or reduced earning power cannot sustain a high standard of living without inherited wealth or aid from friends.
The pastor says a man in any honest occupation can do as much good as a preacher and that a preacher has as much right to change his occupation as someone in another line of work. He suggests pay reflects ability to produce, and notes the congregation is paying him all they can.
The speaker argues communities can fund large investments when convinced of value, noting half a billion dollars spent on motor vehicles over time. He compares maintenance costs to overall expenditure and suggests the ministry shares the same value ethic as manufacturers and other workers.
The piece argues pastors earn less than available honest work because they do not produce goods that people are willing to pay for. It acknowledges idealistic service but notes the resigning Iowa pastor is not in the same class and avoids condemning changing careers. The focus is economic, not on human wickedness, despite some ministers receiving high returns in uplift efforts.
The piece argues pastors vary in approach from zealot to common-sense professionals. It notes ministers crave adulation and pay, yet many can perform meaningful work without compromising dignity. It suggests communities choose the right pastor type and that pastoral work can be dignified yet financially compensated.
The author argues pastors may neglect their own community by chasing external duties, influenced by distant authorities. They warn against any system that binds a pastor to follow directives not from local congregants, stressing the need to prioritize local interests while recognizing the value of broader work.
The piece argues pastors have a right to fair pay for each benefit they render to neighbors. It urges leaders to identify community needs, whether evangelism or instruction, and warns that underpayment hurts progress. It says clergy should avoid special reverence and accept compensation as fulfillment of a contract, or quit.
In a tale from the Lives of Little Men, a generous peasant enjoys a grand mansion with servants and luxury while others beg. Three wise men disguise themselves as beggars to visit, but are turned away by the master who rejects the poor. The mansion vanishes when the flute fails to play, returning all to their old hut as a proverb warns that those who ignore the cry of the poor will cry without being heard.
The essay notes Henry Ford’s support for President Coolidge, calling him a far seeing patriot. It describes Ford’s talks in Washington, his refusal to run, and hopes for a dam project, framing Ford as politically savvy and loyal to Coolidge despite speculation about his ambitions.
The article notes winter offers time for reading as farmers face long nights and reduced field work. It argues the season is ideal for selecting and enjoying literature, with emphasis on using scarce daylight for study and leisure rather than strenuous labor.
Adair County Free Press reports Rev. Charles Francis Potter in a West Side Unitarian sermon argues the Ten Commandments are inadequate for modern life. He proposes additions to address lies, social trespasses, and urban issues such as midnight phonograph music, loud conversations on conveyances, horn honking, trivial telephone use, holiday noisemakers, gift givers, talkative tellers, late appointment keepers, forgetful borrowers, and street beggars. He also critiques birth control laws and cites marriage as a relic of ancient taboos.
A poor peasant family in a single room cabin shelters three weary wise men. They share their limited food and space, offering hospitality. In gratitude the travelers leave a flute behind before continuing their journey.
Wabash Time table from Howell Iowa lists eastbound and westbound passenger numbers and times for a day schedule. It notes local freights 882 and 831 with passenger carriage and a 5:00 p m cut off for freight shipments the evening before.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.