"Within my lifetime it was perfectly permissable for a 40 year old man to marry a 13 or 14 year old."
You're correct, of course. It is only in very recent years that the age of consent in a number of states was raised above 14. It's pretty uniform now at 16 or 17, which makes a lot of sense.
Still, however, for someone in a position of authority or trust to take sexual advantage of any young person is a terrible wrong. The medical profession simply prohibits it at any age, as do most universities, finally.
This story was about a pastor. There are stories every day of people abusing their position to take sexual advantage of other people. It's not limited just to ministers and priests, by any means.
That goes without saying for sure. I can't even recall the number of "bosses" I had to contend with over the years. Of course I wasn't a child, but the "position of authority" issue was still in play.
As a child, I did encounter problems with older men. I had a great uncle who would fondle me whenever I got within arms reach of him. I learned right off to keep a respectable distance when no one else was around. When I was 15 I made the mistake of accepting a ride home from play practice at the high school with a deacon in my church. He tried to rape me, but I was a fiesty one and fought like tiger and screamed like a banshee. He backed off and I never told a soul. I'm not sure that our girls today are as aware of the predatory nature of men. My mother and grandmother talked to me about the need to be alert for such things. I don't wish to offend any men (I love em), but my sainted grandmother told me that men have "urges" they "can't" control, and so it would be up to me to be in control. I still think it was good advice.