The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-11 00:00:00

‘rformance of which is the test essential of their duties. ti's (•
b..ive already recommended that in each ,catliedral v,liere such
an arrangement is practicable, one at least of the stalls 51i07.11
be applied to the purpose of snaking a better proviiion
important office. An instance of strch an arraltgeinent
exists in the cathedral of Rochester. . _ _

Ai iL is desirable that dignities in cathedral anl
churches sliou'Al Le theAo red upon those only ;:,hose

tions have Leen proved by a (..rtain period of seiviea the
ministry of the ollurch. Ile further IN...common:l that no persc.n
ibe hmeafter caFaLle of reeeivio,r t a.;p,iatment of &an,
„
archdeacor, or canon, until he shall have been s';x.

QS Cfl-

plete in yiest's crders.
Omosattention has been drawn to the coraditiee of those mi-
nistera in the cathedral and collegiate churches who arc
known, by the names of joiner canons, %kers choral,
priest, vicars, or chaplains. The service is performed by
them, or some of them, in all these churches twice, and in
some three times a day, throughout the year. The number in
St. Paul's Cathedral is twelve ; in others there are sight,
f ur, and in the collegiate church of Manchester two. 'lie
emoluments are almosi. as various as the nurni.ers. At Dur-
ham some of the minor (omens receive as much as 1701. a year;
in s-ene churches they have not more than 30!. ; but the majo-
rity receive f: am 50/. to 701. In consequence of the smallness
of their salaries in almost all -the cathedrels, we find a preva-
givieg to these ministers chapter livings,
lent cust(m of
they 1101(1 ,together with their places in the cathedral. We
me of opinicu that the interests both of the cathedrals and of
the p woeld be consulted hy retaining only se male; of
these •mlnisters as are sufficient for the service of the cathe-
drals, and giving them such salaries as may preclude the ne
cessity of their holding benefices together with their ()Zees in
the cathedraL . .
Jo most of the catliesTrais of the old foiindaticn, these sub-
minhters form a d•istinct corpiration, subsist upon the
s:iparate lends thereto belonging, and exert the sale,: power of
leasing their property as other ecclesiastical bodies. The cal-
sequent fluctuation and uncertainty of income, arising from
fines receive:l upon renewal of y leases, in (Efferent years,
which is found very inconvenient by the holders of larger pre-
ferment, must oceasionally become a source of distress to those
whose average subsistence is very slender. We are of
- opinion that it would be expedient to make some arrangement
for placing* the property pf these minor Corporations upon a
better footing.
The alterations which we hare proposed, with respect both
to the arrangement of dioceses, and the constitution of deans
eud chapters, appear to us to. render it expedient that a
change should be made in the exercise of the patronage which
is now vested in the last mentioned bodies. We recommend
that such regulations ought to be adopted as may leave it in
the power of deans and chapters, under certain restrictions, to
give preferment to the members of their own body, and to the
minor canons, who may reasonably look to them for reward
after a certain period of service ; and that where the presenta-
tion. to any benefice in their gift is not required fur these pur-
poses, it should pass. in some cases to the Crown, and in
others to the bishop of the. diocese in which either the cathe-
dral or the benefice may he respectively situate. This re-
commendation is not to be regarded as extending to Christ-
church, and must, of course, be considered as subject to mo-
dification, in particular cases.
We likewise recommend that, in general, the livings, the pa-
tronage of which. belongs to the prebends which are to cease,
and those of the deans and residentiaries, in right of their se-
parate estates, shall, after the present incumbencies, fall to the
presentation of the respective Bishops.
As the last remaining point connected with deans and
chapters, we feel it right to take some notice of the expenditure
of their corporate revenues, arising from rentals and other re-
gular sources. We have already noticed the great liberality
of those bodies, in bestowing large sums on the reparation and
embellishment of their churches, to the diminution of their own
incomes. The ordinary expenditure appears to us in general
economical and moderate, and such as is required for the due
• performance of choral service, the care and maintenance of
the fabric, and the decent propriety of a cathedral establish-
ment. There is, however, a considerable difference observable
in the scale of this expenditure in different places : but, with
respect to any reductions which can be effected under this
head, the case of each cathedral will require to be considered
by itself.
We have still to mention the subject of sinecure rectories.
The total number of these preferments is seventy-one, of
which above thirty are in the patronage of the Crown or of ec-
clesiastical corporations. We recommend that these should
be suppressed, and that the resources arising from them should
be applied towards augmenting the existing provision for the
cure of souls ; due regard being had, in the first instance, to
the wants of those dioceses in which the sinecure rectories are
situate.
With respect to the probable extent of the fund applicable
to the purpose of increasing the present provision for the paro-
chial clergy, which may be derived from the different sources
pointed out in this report, although it is not possible to form an
accurate estimate until the points which are reserved for fur-
ther consideration shall have been finally settled, we entertain a
confident expectation that the amount will ultimately not be
less than 13p,000/. per annum.
It appears by the Liber Regis, compiled in the reign of
King Henry VIII., that. in several parts of England there are
hospitals of ancient foundation which were at that time deemed
promotions spiritual, and as such were charged with first-fruits
and tenths, although partaking also of an eleemosynary charac-
ter. We arc informed that these establishments are, from the
increase in the value of their possessions, capable of affording,
in some instances, after amply satisfying the objects of the
founders' bounty, the means of making a better provision for
the cure of souls, in the parishes with which they are con-
nected. Our attention, however, having but recently been
called to them, we have no precise information either of their
number, of the value of their possessions, or of the expenditure
necessary for their proper maintenance ; and are not, there-
fore_, at present able to offer to
,your Majesty any suggestions
with respect to these hospitals.
In obedience to your Majesty's command, we have next
directed our special attention to the residence of the clergy on
their respective benefices; and we have taken this subject into
consideration jointly with that of pluralities, which has a direct
and important bearing upon it.
A cursory inspection of the returns made to the Ecclesias-
tical Revenues Commission is sufficient to show the difficulty
of abolishing pluralities altogether.
It appears that of 10,478 benefices, from which returns have
been received, 297 are under 50/. per annum, 1,629 are be-
tween 50/. and 1001. per annum, and 1,602 are between 1001.
and 1501. So that there are 1,926 benefices under 100/. per
annum, and 3,528 under 150/., not taking account of the re-
ductions even of these small values which have taken place
since the returns were made.
On many of these benefices there is no glebe house, nor' do
they furnish the means of erecting any. It is difficult, in many
cases, to provide- for the performance of the spiritual duties of
very poor livings, except by intrusting them to the clergyman
of some neighbouring parish. With the evils, however, which
may be supposed to result from such a state of things, there is
this advantage—that it furnishes employment for young men,
upon their first entering into the ministry, in the character
of stipe idiary curates ; a _regular • supply of whom is indis-
pensable b the efficiency and good order of the Established
Churoh. Nevertheless, it has long been admitted that plu-
ralities, if not wholly abolished, should be restricted within
as narrow limits as the actual state of the Church will per-
mit : and it is not unreasonable to expect that such restric-
tion may lead to the augmentation of many of the poorer
benefices, partly from private resources, and partly from the
funds, which the operation of measures proposed by us may ren-
der available to that purpose.
Is determining the principles upon which the holding of
benefices in plurality should in future be regulated, we have
had respect partly to distance, and partly to value.
With respect to distance, We are' of opinion that if an in-
cemieent be permitted to hold two benefices, distant from
each other not more than ten miles, he nill be able, without
inconvenience, 'to exercise an occasional superintendence and
control over the benefice upon which he does not reside; the
regular duties of which will be performed by his curate.
With respect to value, we recommend that no benefice of
greater annual value than 5001. should be held in plurality
with any other benefice, except in cases where the small value
or large population of some neighbouring benefice may.render
it advisable that it should be held by the incumbent of a better
endowed living. In such cases we recommend that upon a
statement made by the bishop of the diocese to the arch-
bishop, and transmitted with the sanction of his approval to
the Privy Council, it shall be lawful for your Majesty in Coun-
cil to allow such plurality.
We to commend that not more than two preferments of any
description be held by the same person, except in the case of
an•archdeacon, who may be permitted to bold one benefice
with cure of souls, and one canonry. We are of opinion that
the operation of a law embodying these provisions will, at no
very distant period, have so far reduced the number of plura-
lities; as to leave no just ground of complaint on that score.
Closely connected with this subject is that which relates
to the union of small livings, and the dissolution of existing

unions.
Where two benefices are contiguous to each other, each
being of small value and population, we think that it may in
many cases be expedient to unite them, so as to form one be-
nefice. This rrav now- be done, under certain restrictions, by
the Bishop, with the consent of the patron; but there exists
a degree of uncertainty, as to the circumstances under which
it can be legally done, which it is desirable to remove by a
more strict and precise limitation. On the ether hand, some
instances arc to bee found of unions, the constituent members
of which are ik circumstanced, with respect to value or popu-
lation, as to render it desirable that they should be separated
from each other, and made independent benefices. We think
that your Majesty in council, upon the recommendation of the
Bishop, certified to your Majesty by such Commissioners as
may be appointed for the purposes connected with the objects
of this. Report, should have the power of declaring that such
separation shall take place, either immediately with consent of
the incumbent, or if such consent be not given, upon the first
avn dance of the benefice.
We are also of .opinion that power should be given to your
Majesty, is certain cases, with the advice of your Majesty's
Privy Council, and with the consent of the Bishop and,
patrons, to alter the boundaries of parish contiguomt to
each other. • •
With respect to residence, we are of opinion that it is not
necessary to depart from the-general principles of the statute
57 G. 111., 0. 99., which consolidated all the previous Acts
relating to the residence, and the employment of stipendiary
curates by non-resident incumbents. But we think it ex-
pedient to make further provision fcr the enforcing of re-
sidence, by dimigishing the number of exemptions, and the
grounds of license of non-residqr, which the Act in clues-
tit* allows; by limiting the perifflt of legal absence in cer-
tain cases; and by giving additional powers to the bishops,
with respect' to the, appointment and payment of curates, and
the reps rs• and treetresn of glebe houses.
With reference to these subjects, pluralities, residence, and

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