The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-24 00:00:00

some time forcibly directed to the subject, and there
is a strong and almost universal feeling that speedy
legislation is required. The Secretary of State for
the Home Department, during the discussion on the

Episcopal and C2pitular Revenues Bill, distinctly
and unequivocally stated " that the Government were

willing to undertake the consideration of the subject

with reference to capitular bodies and cathedral insti-

:utiono, so as to make them more extensive and more

practically useful than at present." The Marquis of
BLANDronD withdrew the measure which he had in-
troduced on that understanding, and at the sugges-

tion of the Right Hon. Gentleman. There is, there-
fore, a positive pledge that the Government will
bring forward a Bill of some description, and every
member of the Church of England, and every per-

son friendly to the continuance of a national
establishment, ought to endeavour to point out
the most crying grievances, and the nature of the

remedies that should be adopted.
It is, we believe, generally admitted that the Church
property, if properly and judiciously managed, as
private persons of ordinary prudence are accustomed
to regulate their own estates, might be rendered far
more productive than at present. Ample funds then
might be obtained for Church purposes, without any
undue interference with existing interests, or re-
ducing the incomes enjoyed by parties now in
possession. There may, and we should hope will
be, a new distribution, so that as vacancies arise
large benefices may be divided, and sine-
cures abolished. There will, unquestionably,

be difficulties and impediments to be encountered
Lay patrons will naturally object to a division of the
livings at their disposal. Whether the object be to
provide for a friend or relative, or to sell the next
presentation to the best bidder, one large, will be far
more valuable, in a pecuniary point of view, than two
or three comparatively smaller benefices. But the
reverse is the case so far as the public are concerned.
The good of the Church is diametrically opposed to
the pecuniary interests of the lay patrons. There is,
of course, a great objection to interfere in any way with
what maybe termed the rights of property. But in such
cases we should hope that a majority of those inte-
rested would not insist too stringently on their rights,
but would rather sacrifice a portion of their privileges
for the benefit of the Church, for which, after all,
they can only be regarded as trustees. But were it
even otherwise, and that a strong resistance were
offered by a large proportion of the number, the ad-
vantage of the community generally must be re-
garded as the predominating principle, the great ob-
ject to be attained, rather than that an advowson or
next presentation, matters which ought never to be
sold, should bring a few pounds more or less by
public auction. We deal with private property in
many instances for matters of public utility, and
where could there be a subject more fully justifying
legislative interference than that above referred to,
viz., the most prudent and judicious application of
Church property to Church purposes ?
There are, we are aware, many conscientious per-
sons who entertain the opinion that, what may, for the
purpose of an argument, be termed the surplus re-
venues of the Church, should be applied to the in-
crease of the episcopacy. We would, however,
strongly urge the claims of the hard-working
and inadequately remunerated clergy to these
funds. We believe that the general feeling
among the most zealous members of the
Established Church is, that there is no necessity for any
addition to the bench of bishops, and certainly recent
revelations as to the manner in which different pre-
lates had received, and appropriated to their own use,
sums far exceeding the incomes which Parliament
considered fitting remuneration for their services, has
not increased the desire for additional bishops. It
must also be borne in mind, that the services of
twenty working clergymen, at 250/. per annum each
—as little, in all conscience, as could possibly be given
to a man of education and refinement, expected to
maintain the position of gentlemen, and to contribute
to the local charities, and to relieve the wants of the
poorer members of their congregation—could be ob-
tained for the income assigned to a single prelate.
But even greatly as the addition of such men to the
working staff is to be desired, we think it even of
greater importance that the stipends of the badly-paid
incumbents should be raised to a degree suitable to
their stations, and the important functions they are
expected to discharge.
On this point we would earnestly invite attention
to a petition presented by Mr. HODGSON on the 9th
instant, previous to the discussion on the Marquis of
BLANDFORD'S Bill. This petition emanated from
two clergymen, the incumbents of the contiguous
parishes of Kirklinton and Stapleton, in the county of
Cumberland and the diocese of Carlisle, who detailed in
simple and forcible language their own cases,and there
is no doubt that many similar instances might be
adduced of gentlemen of high learning and unim-
peachable character, who, after having gone to all the
expenses of a collegiate education, have spent their
days on most inadequate incomes, although their
labours have been of the most onerous character, and
their entire time has been devoted to the duties of
their sacred calling. For instance the petitioners, in
speaking of their own benefices, say—
" That the two said parishes consist of an entirely
agricultural population, so very much scattered that
there is scarcely anything in the shape of a village in
either of them—a fact the more especially to be noticed,
since clerical labour and superintendence are hereby so
vastly increased a fact, too the more easily and
practically to be understood when it is considered that
the parish of Kirklinton alone contains an area of at least
27 square miles, being 11 miles by 2i, the church being
pretty nearly in the centre, longitudinally, whilst by
the roads it is more than 14 miles in a direct line, and
with a population of 1,869 persons; and the parish of
Stapleton contains an area of 17 square miles, being 44
miles by 4, with a population of 1,119 persons."
S a much for the position of the parishes, which
will, we think, be considered as affording abundant
occupation for persons desirous of conscientiously and
efficiently discharging the functions of their office in
accordance with the solemn obligations taken at the
time of ordination. Now, as to the position and re-
muneration of the petitioners. They state that they,
" Both married men, with families, have now been
ministers of the Established Church—tho one twenty-
five years, and the other thirty-one years—and thus
have spent the best of their days and their strength in
her service; and yet they have neither received at
any time from her ample funds as much as 1001. per
annum."
What, not 1001. a year for a person having to at-
tend to a parish containing 27 square miles-11 long
and 2i wide, with a population of 1,869 persons ?
How, without other resources, could he maintain a
wife and educate his children in credit and respecta-
bility ? How assist his humble parishioners in the
various exigencies in which they are accustomed to
look for aid and comfort to their friend and pastor? It
is really too bad that in the face of such a state of affairs
there should be any discussion as to the appropria-
tion of the " surplus revenues of the Church."
The matter, however, is so clearly and forcibly,
although simply put, that we must again borrow
from the petition. They add, and we think the
justice of their complaint will be universally acknow-
ledged—
" That your petitioners feel this a very hard case,
since the income for which they professioly
labour is not only insufficient for the bare.
maintenance of a clergyman, bat that it greatly .im-
pedes their ministerial usefulness, and deprives
the poor of their parishes of much of that pe-
cuniary and needful assistance which they might
otherwise receive at their hands; thatafeelin feeling of de-
gradation to the ministerial office is forced upon them.
from the fact that they are unable to maintain that posi-
tion in society which their calling seems to lay claim to,
being positively worse remunerated for their services
than the ordinary agents employed in the other learned
professions, in trade, in commerce, or in manufacture;
and that it is an anomaly not allowed to exist amongst
them; whilst, on the other hand, our venerable and ex-
cellent establishment is supposed to bestow upon all her
spiritual labourers an earthly competence whereby they
may live in comfort, and serve her faithfully and without
secular distraction or pursuit, according to the divine
rule that the spiritual workman is worthy of his hire,
and that they who preach the Gospel should live of the
Gospel.',"
Petitioners also hoar their willing testimony to the
condition of many of their ill-paid brethren, showing
that their own cases are by no means exceptional
ones. They soy—
" That your petitioners do not wish it to be thought
that they aro the only persons thus painfully suffering
from inadequate incomes in tbis diocese, or in the Church
generally, for they are aware that there is a numerous'
a respectable, and a hard-working body of their clerical
brethren similarly and unfortunately circumstanced, to
whom, if an act of justice and benevolence similar to
that for which they themselves here humbly pray were
extended Jeer your Honourable House, your petitioners
would sincerely rejoice,"
Having given so much of the petition, we once figttill