.    Church Support

 

The kingdom of God is not "of this world" yet in the world, and therefore cannot forego the use of the things of the world.

 

How then was Old St. Michael's supported?

In the days of the Spanish Dominion the Parish Priest received a salary of 500.00 from the government. In this manner Father Maxwell, one of the visiting priests of our early days, enjoyed ample support. But with the Louisiana Purchase all this came to an end. The people of the Parish were now obliged to raise the amounts necessary for the Church.

 

How it was done at St. Michael's will appear from the following Subscription list of January 1. 1831:

 

Subscriber's Name

Amount

Num of Members
Caleb  Cox

5.00

7
Jenry Janis

5.00

7
Joseph D. Villard

5.00

6
Valentin Heirner

4.00

6
J. B. St. Gemme, Jr.

4.00

8
Michael Deguire

1.50

3
Joseph Tessereau

3.00

8
J. B. Bossier

10.00

4
S. A. Guignon

5.00

4
E. F. Pratte

7.00

11
L. B. St. Gemme

2.00

3
Baptiste Deblois

1.75

7
Baptiste Deguire

1.75

7
John Valle

5.00

18
Antonine Lachance

1.50

5
Charles Belmar, Sr.

0.75

3
Jacob Miller 

1.50

7
William Jacobs

1.00

4
August Bequette

1.00

9
Henry Deguire

0.50

1
W. H. Brooks

5.00

4
Moses Sebastian

1.00

4
Joseph Santee, Jr.

0.75

3
J. B. Tessereau

0.75

3
William Gaines

3.00

3
Antonine Diel

1.00

3
Bernard Tessereau

0.50

2
Michael Lachanche

1.50

3
Louis Bernier, Sr.

1.25

5
Louis Robert

1.00

2
 

81.75

162

 

One hundred and sixty-two members, therefore, contributed by subscription $81.75 towards the support of St. Michael's Church in 1843.

 

But besides this amount there were the dues for pew rents, averaging $1.75 per pew, and bringing the salary to about $150.00 per annum.

 

That this amount was not deemed sufficient is evidenced by the following report of a meeting of the parishioners, as recorded by the Parish Clerk, S. A. Guignon:

 

"At a call meeting from the pulpit of the heads of families of Catholics on Sunday, February 1835, the Parish Priest Rev. Mr. F. Cellini presiding, it was resolved that Mr. S. A. Guignon having been in charge of the business of the church as Trustee, be discharged from further duty and Caleb Cox take charge of the same, being next oldest in office as one of the three Trustees.

 

"Resolved also that J. B. Bossier be appointed to fill S. A. Guignon's place.

 

"Also that Walter Heifner be appointed Collector for the year 1836.

 

"Also it was agreed by said meeting, that a new List of Parish subscriptions be run, and also to take the census of what Catholics there may be in the Parish.

 

"On examination it was found that Michael Lachanche, Jacob Miller and Wm. Jacobs had not paid the Rent for their Pews for 1835.

 

It having been proclaimed from the pulpit, two Sundays previous, that all persons not paying the rent on their pews by that day, they (the pews we surmise) would be sold, and in conformity with said proclamation said persons having failed to pay. their pews were offered for sale to the highest bidder and Mr. Antoine Lachanche became the purchaser of Mr. Jacob Miller's pew by giving $------, and Mr. Walter Heifner the purchaser of Mr. Michael Lachanche's.

 

Mr. Jacob's was offered, but no purchaser appearing to buy, the sale was posted and the meeting adjourned by order of the president.

 

S. A. Guignon, clerk."

 

 

 

 

Whether these Parish resolutions increased the Parish revenue to any considerable extent, does not appear on the Records.

 

Father Cellini, however, managed to get along in some way, probably having other sources of income.

 

Then it must be borne in mind that a dollar of that day had three or four times the purchasing power of a dollar of today. 

 

Wages were low and the cost of living was very moderate; circumstances that explain in a measure the rather small amounts of the subscriptions for the support of the church.

 

But there must have been quite a number of Parishioners, who failed altogether to do their duty.

 

Even the smallest contribution is, therefore, a badge of honor.

 

 

 

 

Chronicles of an Old Missouri Parish 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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