The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-30 00:00:00

ECCLESIASTICAL REFORM.

The Marquis of_ BLANDFORD moved for leave to
bring in a Bill to enable her'Majesty further to regulate
the duty of ecelesiastical personages, and to make bet-
ter prevision for the management and distribution of
episcopal and capitular revenues. He believed that the
Church, with all its faults, was one of the best
bulwarks of the country's freedom, and was asso-
ciated in the hearts and minds of the people
with all that was dear to them. His reason for propos-
ing his Bill was twofold—first, the necessity, which all
acknowledge, of enabling,the Established Church to ex-
tend its ramifications through all the masses of the
rapidly increasing population; and, secondly, that he
considered he had discovered some practical remedies
for those abuses which he admitted existed in the
Establishment, but which were far less than he antici-
pated, considering the complicated nature of our social
relations. The evils received the reluctant avowal of
the friends of the Church, and presented a fair mark for
the sneers and sarcasm of her enemies. Much of what
was to be deplored in the Church arose from a want
of sufficiently active legislation in matters concerning
her management and control. That some reform for the
more equal distribution of ecclesiastical revenues, and the
more efficient discharge of the duties by clergymen, was
required no one who wished the prosperity of the Church
could venture to contradict. It was, he contended,
unconstitutional to allow the Established Church
of the kingdom to remain under any unjust reproach,
when a judicious remedy might be applied. To ac-
complish his object he intended to propose cer-
tain modifications, which would be attended by great
and important, benefits. ..They were first, the al-
teration of the constitution of chapters, next the
formation of new sees and chapters, and, lastly, certain
modifications 'connected with the management of pro-
perty. There was no direct precedent for this last course,
hut he hoped the House would not hesitate to create one.
An entire sum of 60,0001. would be saved by his plan of
reform for extending the usefulness of the Church. He
proposed to create two new sees, one at Westminster and the
other at Bristol. The Bill, however, was purely per-
missive, as it was left to the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sioners or the Queen in Council to consider the pro-
priety of altering any diocese. He proposed to fix the
salary of the new deans to be appointed at 1,0004 and
that of the new bishops at 4,2001. He contemplated the
ultimate formation of 16 or 17 new sees. The total

annual cost of them would be 40,0001, and the sum of
41,000/. would be provided to meet that additional outlay
by means of tho reforms he suggested. He intended to
fix the salary of the Archbishop of Canterbury at
10,0001., the Archbishop of York at 8,0001,, and the
Bishop of London at 6,0001. He proposed that all capi-
tular property -should be vested in the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners. Ho was confident the measure he was
proposing would conduce alike to the interest of the
church and the community, and he trusted for the
sake of promoting Christianity the House would allow
him to bring in this Bill. Many of our Dissenting
bodies had been working in a similar direction, and with
them he asked the House to assist him in era-
dicating abuses from the Church, and placing its
ministry upon the venerable and elevated posi-
tion of former epochs. Ira bringing forward this
measure he was actuated by no party motives, but by a
sincere desire to increase the usefulness of the Church.
Lord It. GROSVENOR, in seconding the motion, said
that his Noble Friend merited the thanks of every true
friend of the Established Church and of religion, not only
on account of the trouble which he had taken to inform him-
self on every point with regard to this question, but also on
account of the additional labour which he had undertaken on
the framing of a comprehensive measure for the considera-
tion of the House. And when he stated that sooner than
abandon this measure his Noble Friend had refused to join
the present Government, he was sure that all would appre-
ciate the motives by which he was actuated.—( Hear, hear.)
Most of the comprehensive provisions contained in the Bill
which his Noble Friend proposed to introduce had been re-
commended by Committees of that House which had sat
on this subject; and he believed that their effect would be
to render the funds of the Established Church more available
for the purposes of further education and spiritual instruction
at a time when the attainment of these objects was so loudly
demanded on all sides. He trusted that neither the Go-
vernment nor the House would offer the smallest obstruction
to the introduction of the Bill, and that by that means an
expression of public opinion with respect to it might be ob-
tained. When it was publicly stated that there were
1,500,000 persons in the metropolis who did not attend any
place hi
of public worship, he thought it high time that they
should entertain some measure of this nature.
Mr. WALPOLE said his Noble Friend i
h had taken such
immense
part
pains with the subject,
.and had made such efforts
to improve the spiritual institutions of the Established
Church, that he should br ungrateful wheerearh.e,
of the Government, to object to his oabtaining leave to thetto
h bringa ght
rti rnucti
in a Bill such as he proposed.—(l e
Aples s
the arguments of the Noblel
could Lord
apaodsesreastsaeadd
far as he (Mr. ‘ValPe e much
the p
Bill, they were, first, to increase the erection of bishop-
the
and in the second, to •
• by new sees, provide better
TICS
the ecclesiastical
management forrevenues. Now in both
agreed, provided the
those objects hey
the members could be effected
of the Churchandthe
country;
with advantage to
therefore, he thought
and, wait until
it would be better
House should wait until the details of the
that the
measure were before it. He thought it would be desirable to
include also the parochial clergy in these arrangements. The
management of ecclesiastical property was a very grave
it would require
subject, and. „. considerable attention before
• to any conclusion. nis Noble coming Friend proposed to put
ecclesiastical hands of eccle • • the property in the cal commissioners.
upon that subject he was not at present prepared to give
definite opinion. It seemed to him to
any be a question
mode in • •
turning more upon the which it ought to be done,
than upon the propriety of doing it. Upon this subject he
would reserve all further observations until they saw the
Bill, to the introduction of which he would offer no opposi-
tion- (Hoar-)
Sir H. H. INGLIS said that he had learnt that it was not
the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to oppose the intro-
duction of the Bill, and he had come down to the House not
intending to offer any observations on the subject; but be
was not prepared for the speech of the Noble Lord who had
introduced the motion, or the Right Hon. Gentleman the
Secretary of State for thl Home Department. He depre-
cated with all his heart the principles laid down, and when
he heard the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Walpole) congra-
tulate the Noble Lord upon his great knowledge of the sub-
jeet, as manifested in his speech, he could not help express-
ing his surprise. He would just, by way of example, and to
show the great knowledge of the Noble Lord, call the atten-
tion of the House to one of his Propositions, " Deaneries and
canonries are sinecures." He need do nothing more than call
attention to that proposition, by way of exemplifying the
great knowledge of the Noble Marq • uis upon this subject.
He would not offer any further remarks, but content himself
with intimating his perfect aversion to
the mode in which
the Noble Marquis intended to carry
out his proposition,
and his extreme regret at
the course pursued by the
Government.

Sir BENJAMIN HALL said he would not take up the
time of the House long. He should content himself simply
with saying, that as he had taken an active part in reform-
ing soma of the abuses of the Church, he was most thankful
for this Bill. He should be prepared to offer some observa-
tions on the broad prop6sitions contained in this Bill when
it came on for discussion in due course. He approved of
taking the whole management of this property oat of the
hands of the episcopal capitular bodies, and further, at pre-
sent, he had only to thank his Hon. Friend for bringing for
ward this motion, and to reiterate that he should off
fur-
ther observations when the discussion took place upon the
measure.— ( Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME said that he was quite sure the Noble Mar-
quis (Marquis of Blandford) stood forward as the best
friend of the English Church when he proposed to put
down these abuses. His Hon. Friend the Hon. Baronet (Sir
Robert Inglis) near him had been consistent in supporting
these abuses, but he had been equally consistent in his en-
deavours to suppress them. From the constant efforts of
himself and others,
he was happy to say that since he
came into Parliament the Church of England had
greatly improved in many respects. The abolition
of sinecures was an attempt which every friend of the
Church should support. One of the first attempts he made
in Parliament was in the line of this motion, and he was de-
lightedon. The to see that things were coming round in the right peopledi-
light of England must look upon this with
recti
satisfaction. Sinecures had ceased in the civil service, in
the army, and in the navy, and in almost every department,
and why should sinecures and pluralities be permitted
amongst a body of men professing to be the uides and
instructors of the people?—(Cheers.) He approved of
placing
.—in (Ile lay hands the management of the property of the
Chrchar.)
Mr. COWPER said that there was a large party in this
country who felt very strongly the necessity of further re-
forms in the Established Church. Great exertions had been
made on this subject, both in the House and out of it.—
(Hear.) In the House Committees had been appointed, and
inquiries instituted on the subject, but the House had been
negligent, and nothing had been done. But the time had
now come when they must act in real earnest.—( Hear.) He
approved of having the management of this Church property
in lay hands, and of the introduction of this measure, which
should have his support.
Mr. lIORSMAN said that this was one of those motions
which was extremely comforting to those who had laboured
to do away with these abuses. He felt happy that , there
was a feelivg expressed in the Souse indicating tan it

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