The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-29 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We should not again have adverted to the great
" Conservative" meeting—as it is denominated at
Canterbury—did we not think that the exposures
which take place in such assemblies are the precursors
of Church Reform, and that by the instrumentality of
the Winchilseas, Crofts, Rodens, Suttous, Sprys, and
Russells, this great and important measure will be
considerably expedited. The declared intention of
this meeting was to commemorate the declaration to
the Bishops of the Sovereigns " firm determination
to preserve the principles of the Protestant religion in.
Church and State." Passing over the effusions of the
Noble Chairman, that " Seraph Abdiel" of ascen-
dancy, " amidst the faithless faithful only he" (Globe,
September 27th), we shall at once advert to the
speech of the venerable Archdeacon Croft,
when the healths of the Metropolitan and
the Clergy of the diocese were given. Here
was a wide field for the venerable son-in-
law of the late Primate ; and we certainly did
expect to hear of some of the blessings which had
attended the labours of the parochial clergy, and how
their flocks had multiplied since " the Roman Catho-
lic chain of religion, tarnished and disfigured by the
rust of ages, had been beautified by Protestantism,
freed from corruption, and relieved from the rust
which had accumulated upon it, rendering it again the
original chain" (speech of W. 0. Hammond, Esq.) ;
but the original chain, we found, was what it was in
the time of Becket, though not exactly of the same
ore—Peter's pence. The " loaves and
.fishes"—not
the principle of the Protestant religion—it seems, are
in danger. The venerable Archdeacon trusted that
the Archbishop, (a blessing from whose lips, Mr.
Hammond declared, was far more gratifying than
the soft tones of the organ in the Cathedral), would
have " the firmness to resist that spirit of reform
which threatened their noblest institutions with
ruin. The present Ministers, under pretence of
benefiting the Church, had attempted to interfere
with its REVENUES. Attempts would be made, in
the next session of Parliament, to interfere with the
revenues of the Church, in compliance with the desire
of infidels, and to please some tithe-payers and land-
lords ;" and the Venerable Archdeacon is therefore
delighted to see himself " surrounded by men attached
to the Church (all links in the same chain)—who
knew that it was distinguished by the noblest of all
principles—a devotion to true Christianity. ." We trust
that this great dignitary's anticipations will be rea-
lized—that the Ministers will not only attempt to inter-
fere, but will legislate so as to save the noblest institu-
tion from ruin, by a more just and equitable appro-
priation of its revenues. Perhaps the inhabitants of
Canterbury will be the first to rejoice in such salutary
reform. " The endowments of the Church (says an
intelligent writer) are property given for a special pur-
pose—they are the subjects of a great trust for the
maintenance and service of religion ; and if by time,
or accident, or neglect, or by use or improvement
of property, or increase of population, any material
impediment shall have arisen to prevent the due
performance of this trust, it is the clear right and
bounden duty of the Legislature to enforce its
faithful execution." And now let us see—how the
Roman Catholic chain being tarnished, the rust has
been removed in the good city of Canterbury. In this
city there are sixteen parishes, all of which, save one (St.
George's, which the Conservative dignitaries there-
fore preserve for one of their own body), do not average
1001. per annum each, containing a population of more
than 20,000 souls. The Prebendaries, twelve in
number, have only a month's duty each, for which
they receive 9001. a year, exclusive of their other
preferments. In Catholic times, " when the rust and
moth did corrupt," these dignitaries were monks,
who prayed by the sick—attended daily (not monthly)
in performing the mass and other sacred duties
at the cathedral. All these duties, of praying,
&c., are now performed by the poor incum-
bents, who enjoy the internal satisfaction attendant
on their " devotion to true Christianity," while
the rich possessors of the revenues of the re-
ligion tarnished and disfigured by the " rust of ages,"
are connected with no poor who " look up to them for
protectors and guides, have no sick or dying to pray
with, no children to catechise, no flock towards whom
the sympathies and affections of a pastor can be called
forth." If by time or accident any material impedi-
ment shall have arisen, and it is the duty of the Le-
gislature (in despite of a Crofts, or Sutton, or Daw-
son) to enforce its faithful execution, we trust it will
be so enforced, and even with some of those whom the
Archdeacon is so rejoiced to see around him, and wilt
are so devoted to the principles of Church and State, to
true Christianity. For instance, time or accident has
destroyed the Church of Orpington, which is, therefore,
asinecure, and held by the Rev. Prebendary Dawson (one
of the Canterbury Conservatives), who is, moreover, Rec-
tor of Chislehurst, in Kent, and Rector of All-Hallows,
in the city of London. Orpington is only about 401. or
50/. a year, but the tithes are held on lives, and on the
drop of any life, a large bonus goes into the funds
(not of Queen Anne's bounty, which it should do,
to augment small livings and build parsonage houses),
but into the pocket of the said dignitary, who has
already received one fine of two thousand pounds.
Again—" time or accident " has so increased the
population of Bishopsgate and Mary-la-Bonne, that
the Reverends Dr. Russell and Spry might, one
would think, be as much devoted to " true
Christianity," and acting up to the principles of
the Protestant Religion in Church and State, by
residing among their numerous flocks, with incomes
of 2,000/. and 3,0001. a year, as eating dinners,
making speeches, or slumbering in their stalls at Can-
terbury.* We could go on ; but perhaps our readers
will think these two specimens of the Represen-
tatives of Church and State a sufficient demonstra-
tion of our position, that the exposure of the corrup-
tions of the Church, which is sure to take place at
these and similar meetings, will be a stimulus to the
Ministry (in despite of the denunciations of the Ve-
nerable Dr. Crofts, son-in-law of the late Primate of
England, the Right Rev. Father in God C. Manners
Sutton, Archdeacon of Canterbury, Prebendary of
ditto, Rector of Cliffe at Hone, Rector of Saltwood,
in Hythe, whether in compliance with the wishes of
infidels or others), not only to attempt, but to reform the
abuses of the Church, and more especially those in the
Hierarchy. We cannot pass over one or two more of these
exhibitors, who are devoted to true Christianity—Dr.
Bayley, Prebendary of Canterbury, Vicar of Margate,
Rector of Wilmington ; Rev. T. Manners Sutton,
Subdean and Canon Residentiary of Lincoln, Rector
of Great Chart, Rector of Tunstal. These are some
of the great " preservers of the principles of the Pro-
testant religion in Church and State.
" Reform it altogether ! "
We shall return to the subject ;- when we hope to
illustrate the declaration of the Honourable Member
for East Kent, Sir E. Knatchbull, " that the Church
Establishment was maintained for the people alone ; "
that is, that it ought.to be.---Morning Chronicle.

Among. the reforms promised the country by the
present Administration (for the present, and that of
which Earl Grey was at the head, are in this respect
one), was a thorough routing out of Corporation ar-
chives, and the multifarious abuses of which many of
these bodies had long been the chosen and indulged
possessors. Asa•preliminary to this necessary and
wished-for cleansing of this modern augean stable, a
whole tribe of Barristers were last year appointed,
under a Parliamentary Commission, to examine and re-
port upon what they
.should find defective. The last
year's long vacation, it may be remembered, was occu-
pied in this research ; the results of which have not
hitherto come to light, but have been looked for till ex-
pectation seems actually to have died of its own sus-
pense, and the subject seemed nearly forgotten. On a
sudden, however, the Committee of the London
Common Council has recalled the subject into
existence, and the Lord Mayor, if we mistake
not, seems likely to end his hitherto peaceable
reign in a tempest, owing to an apparent unwil-
lingness to give effect to this dormant inquiry.
As his Lordship appears, as far as his pro-
ceedings hitherto have come to our knowledge, to be a

• When it comes to the turn of a Prebendary to be Vice-
Dean and Treasurer, he is obliged to reside the whole
twelvemonth at Canterbury. The benefit of such non-resi-
dent on his cure of some 100,000 souls has already been expe-
rienced by Dr. Spry's " flock " at Mary-la-bonne.