The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-09 00:00:00

THE CHURCH.

The Marquis of TA VIST OCK said that his Noble Friend
near him (the Marquis of Westminster) had upon a late occa-
sion pressed upon the Government the necessity of proceeding
with reforms, in order to meet the demands of the people ; he
would also press the same thing upon them, and must
say that he had before that expected they would have introduced
some safe and salutary reforms with respect to the Church, in
order to clear away those great abuses which had crept into her
government. In his opinion, it was absolutely necessary that
those abuses should be done away with even for the well-being of
the Church herself ; he alluded more particularly to the great
grievance of non-residence; for, notwithstanding all that had
been said, he must say there was no greater blessing that could
be given to England than a well-educated and rightly minded
clergyman resident in every parish.—( Hear, hear.) He had
great confidence in his Noble Friend at the head of the Go-
vernment, but unless he well considered the subject during
the recess, and early in the next session introduced some
measure upon the subject, that confidence would be greatly
shaken. Having briefly stated his views upon the subject, he
begged leave to ask the Noble and Learned Lord on the Wool-
sack whether it was his intention to proceed with his Bills re-.
lative to Pluralities and non-residence, in the next session.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he agreed in every
word that had fallen from the Noble Marquis, and for his
satisfaction, and for the information of their Lordships and the
public he might say that the subject would be seriously consi-
dered by the Government during the recess. He had been pre-
vented from proceeding with his Bills in consequence of the pres-
sure of other business, that in the first place ; and in the next,
he had had a very active correspondence with clergymen upon
the subject, and was anxious to give others time to for-
ward him their suggestions in order that the Bills might be
rendered as perfect as possible.—( Hear, hear.) He was
most anxious, as a friend to the Church, to have the question
settled, and would be most happy to receive and consider any
amendment in the details of the bills, but he believed that no-
thing short of the principles contained in them would satisfy the
just expectations and wishes of the people. In answer to
the Noble Marquis's question, he had to say, that it was his in-
tention to resume both Bills immediately upon the reassem-
bling of Parliament.
The Duke of CUMBERLAND protested against
the use of the words ," great abuses " in speaking
upon the subject of the church—they were misapplied. If
their Lordships made it requisite to have a resident vicar in
every parish, what then would become of the poor curates?
The Bishop of LONDON must enter his protest against
the words as applied to the Church in their popular sense :
he held that pluralities were a great blemish to the Church,
but it was a system handed down from their Popish ancestors
which could not be got rid of in the present time without also
putting an end to another great abuse, derived from the same
source, viz., the system of lay impropriation, with which the
Noble Marquis was as well acquainted as any of their Lord-
ships.—( Hear.) He did not think that the two Bills alluded
to could possibly pass with safety without some very great
modifications.
Viscount MELBOURNE said, though not personally asked
any question, still their Lordships would expect him to
say a word or two upon the occasion.—( Hear, hear.) He
professed himself a warm friend to the Church which he
considered was in some danger in the present day ; to avoid
which it was necessary to remove the evils which had crept into
the system from time. The whole question would engage his
attention, and that of his colleagues during the recess ; and he