The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-10-11 00:00:00

Other speakers followed.

short sinatenees, • practice which was now coining very
ouch into use.

ON CHURCH PATRONAGH.

Dr. Waddilove read a paper on Church Patronage
its historical. legal, and social aspects. The conclm
I rims at which be arrived were that an undue import-
ance had been given to the oonnesiou which was sup-
posed to exist between the cure, or rather the care, of
1 souls of a parish and the em luments of a benefice.
That idea was based on the t anon Law of the Church
of 11,,me' and has been imported into our Ecclesiastical
' and also Statute Law. He, maintainesi thet the oath
required before induction to a benefice or living wall
productive of mach evil. First, conscientious men,
zealous in the canoe of religion, were deterred from
taking orders by the impediment it cast in their way
in their desire to become useful incumbents
secondly, it tended to make the lees scrm
potions tamper with the oath required; thirdly,
it deterred fathers and relatives from the honest en-
deavour to advance the interests of those who are near
and dear to them. He would do away with these im-
pediments, and let a clergyman or layman become the
poesessor of a benefice, whether void or foil. He
would also do away with the distinction between the
purchase of advowsons and presentations, as regarded
the clergy. This could only be effected by repealing
the clauses of the statutes he had cited and by modify-
ing the provisions of the 40th Canon., If that were
done, the result would be an increase of caadlilatea for
ordination, and the National Church would in some
measure be treed from that narrow, sectarian spirit
which in some quarters pervaded it.

The Rev. Mr. Jessup could not agree that the ques-
tion was eo narrow as had been represented. It did
not begin and end with the patron selling his right.
The social question was much wider. Was nobody to
have the veto? He should object to give the patronage
to the Bishops or the congregations or the shopkeepers
In towns.

The Rev H. Smyth was ready to admit that the emn
of simony was committed when Bishops ordained for
money some hundred years ago. The writer of the
paper was in favour of throwing open the whole thing
and repealing the law of simony. But what would be
the effect of this outside on the great body of Church-
men and of Noncomformists if they saw such • scandal
as thin? A living was vacant—it might be the cure of
a large p inch of 20 COO smile and it was put up to the
highest bidder. They might picture to themerlves
the burning indignation of the pious members of the
flock while the mile was going on. What would com-
pensate for that crying evil? But cool I nothing be
done to remedy the present state of things? lie would
not extend largely the patronage of the Biahops ; that
would be • temptation to nepotism. Nor was he dis-
posed to place patronage in the hands of the parish-
ioners. rhe church was the only profession in which
merit was not sure sooner or later to meet with its re-
ward. In some diocesee conspicuous merit, if it at all
deviated front the common path, would be abar to pro-
motion. ("No " and " Hear.") Lie would therefore
suggest that patronage should be left as it was, but no
man should be allowed to hold a living till he had
served a sufficient apprenticeship—say, till he was
twenty-eight or thirty years of age; again, no man
should be allowed to hold a benefice over £5OO in value
till he had been fifteen years in orders, and no one
should be allowed to become • Bishop, • canon, or
archdeacon till he had been another seven years in
orders.

The Rev. R. Kenyon approved the proposal which
had been made by a Bishop to give some sort of veto
to the parishioners or communicants.

Dr. Edgar was disposed to abolish altogether the
sale of next presentations. He would also abolish
bonds of resignation, and give a certain veto to the
parishioners. They had now hourehoid suffrage in the
boroughs; they were very likely soon to have honse-
hold suffrage 111 the countiee also, and people would
have some voice in Church matters if the Church of
England waa to be maintained in her present poeition.
The Rev. Mr. Shute recommended the removal of
donative*' which were a great ecandaL
Sir A. Brady and litfr. De Meachisi continued the
discussion, after which thanks were given to the authors
of the papers.

The Roe. Daniel rlie:,--15.-1-).,-r-e•d- a paper on the
Marriage Laws, in which he pointed out the anomalies
existing in the laws of the three countries. He said
marriage by banns was most unsatisfactory, because it
afforded facilities for clandestine and illegal unions.
Every useful purpose would be served by having a
registered notice from the contracting parties, acetic°.
panied with a true declaration exacted up.m pain
of the penalties of perjury. Those who k referred
the publication of their bang of marriage might be
permitted to enjoy this luxury, but in no case should
the publication of bans be required as • condition either
of the lawfulness or regularity of marriage. All
preliminary requirt merits should be regard., as tirectory
and none of them as essential to the validity of marriage
or in anywise to invalidate them. No minister of re.
'igloo or civil officer shoulit arbitrarily or without
suffilent legal reason interpose impediments to the
reception of notices of marriage or to the granting cer-
tificates thereof. On the other hand, all undue or
illegal facilities should be severely punished. All
penalties of felony aseignel to minieters or civil officers
in dereliction of their duties should be reduced to
misdemeanours. As to the place if marriage, let
the conscience of the contra iding parties have
freedom sufficient to determine that question. He
urged the necessity for the immediate interposition
of the Legislature and for the strong support of
the Government to sweep away • heterogenous con-
geries of at least 27 English Acts of Parliament and
other diverse ordinances, and enact a general marriage
law for the three kingdoms, admitting the peculiarities
of each, but securing for all the certainty of • valid
sort indisputable marriage, for the legitimacy and
peace of families, and for the maintenance of the rights
and preservation of the property of the married pair.
He entirely agreed with Lord Stowel, that marriage is
the parent of civil society, but, more than this, it is
the basis of social science and of sound morale, the
purest source of domestic affection and of angelic
virtue.

Dr. Waddilove thought the whole difficulty might be
met as in France and Portugal, where marriages were
considered sacramental by the parties going first to the
mayoralty and contracting a civil marriage, which was
binding in all respects, and then going to a place of
worship, where the religiuus cerem iny might be per-
formed. The present was a most unsatisfactory state
of things, and It was high time that something should
be done.