Description Harbor Parish Wage Agreement

By the Unanimous Call of us the Subscribers- Inhabitants of the Harbor Parish in the District of Pictou given to the Reverend Mr . Thomas McCulloch to be our Minister of the Gospel; and he having fully assented and consented thereto; and having been duly and regularly placed our Minister in said Parish- For the raising and paying a sufficient sum for the decent support and maintenance of him and his family- We hereby conjunctly bind and oblige ourselves to pay or cause to be paid to him of lawful money of Nova Scotia, the certain sum of One hundred pounds per annum, to be raised and paid in manner and form as follows vig: each subscriber, in or [d?--] make up the said hundred pounds, shall volun [t?--] annex to his respective name such sum or sums as [--] providence and discretion may think fit, paid to a Committee, which shall consist of three persons to be nominated and appointed yearly and every year, by a Majority of the subscribers, for the purpose of collecting the stipends. It is to be understood that the said sum of one hundred pounds per annum shall be levied and paid certainly, for the term of three years, at the expiration of which, at a meeting of the subscribers appointed for taking that matter into consideration, such further increase and addition [s-]/ be made to the said stipends, as the necessities of the minister may require, and the Congregation, from [th-] future ability and prosperity may be able to pay- find the sums subscribed by us individually, shall be subject to be increased or diminished, according to the increase or decrease of the population of the Parish.- Which sum shall, in future, be regulated by a committee of five persons; also to be annually elected and appointed by a Majority of the Subscribers, who shall take for their rule in determining the amount to be individually paid- the original sum respectively subscribed; and the number of subscribers and other who can be actually made accountable for the whole amount to be raised- and the above Committee [-] of five persons, shall make it their business [-] frequently into the state of the population [-] Parish; and after these presents to all new [-], who may be inclined to join the congregation [-] to their subscribing the sum- The stipends shall be paid quarterly; and the collecting committee, shall be invested with power and authority to compel those legally to pay, whose delinquency in not regularly paying their proportion may render it necessary for them to take legal-measures.

But it is hereby especially provided that, if the above mode of raising the stipends, from experience, or any unforeseen Emergency, should be found not to be agreeable, convenient, nor effectual for that purpose/; it shall and may, at any time, be in the power of the Majority of the Subscribers, to advise together, and devise such other more adequate and eligible plan, as they in their deliberation shall think proper- which other plan so devised; shall be as valid and as binding, upon all parties concerned- as if he or they had freely and voluntarily given- his or their special sanction thereto, and it is hereby specially provided, that any Subscriber or Subscribers, who, may remove from being a Residenter or Residenters in the said Harbor Parish, shall be, and is hereby absolved, from all the Obligations and burden incurred, by being a Subscriber to these presents.

In Witness of all whereof we have subscribed these presents, and affixed our Seals, at Pictou this 1st day of May, annoque Domini 1804.