The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-15 00:00:00

CHURCH ITEMS.

The accounts of the Bishop of Salisbury are very
sad. He suffers from the bursting of small blood
vessels near the heart, and it has been found neces-
sary to bleed him in the feet. His illness is said io
have been brought on by over-work. The Dorset-
shire papers say that there are but slight hopes of his
health ever being re-established.
Dean Stanley has been returning good for evil.
When he was appointed Dean of Westminster his
appointment was violently opposed by the then
Archdeacon Wordsworth. The archdeacon has
now become Bishop of Lincoln, and the
dean took occasion, in a recent sermon,
to refer to Dr. Wordsworth's promotion in
very flattering terms. Referring to the fact that
hymns bridged over all controversies and united all
parties, he mentioned that at the recent consecra-
tion of three bishops a hymn composed by one of
them had been sung. That hymn so greatly pleased
a Nonconformist minister when he heard it that he
introduced it into his own service. That hymn was
composed by Bishop Wordsworth, and, added the
Dean, " the author of that hymn has now left us for
a wider field of usefulness; but during the twenty-
four years with which he was connected with this
place he had endeared himself, by his fine Christian
gift, to all. We shall often be reminded of him by
the use of his favourite hymn ; but still more closely
by his holy life, and the many good works which he
has left us all to imitate."
DR. JEREMIE'S PLURALITIES.

Some further correspondence appears in the Tele-
graph on the case of Dr. Jeremie, who holds, together
with the Professorship of Divinity at Cambridge
and the Deanery of Lichfield, the Rectory of Somer-
sham. A Cambridge graduate defends the very
reverend dean. " The Regius Professorship of
Divinity in the University of Cambridge is endowed
with £4O per annum, and, by the gift of James 1.,
with the living also of Somersham and its
chapelries, situated in the county of Huntingdon.
This is secured to the professorship by a specific Act
of Parliament. This Act frees the Professor from
all processes of ' presentation, admission, institution,
or induction,' relieves him likewise of the care of
souls ; but it requires that he shall appoint for this
especial purpose a competent substitute—in truth, he
holds the position with regard to the living of
Somersham rather of a lay rector than of a
spiritualpastor. As to the emoluments of Somersham,
the existence of any payments to curates—of whom
by the way, there are three—and the usual out-
goings incidental to all incumbencies seems to be
ignored." To this the Telegraph retorts, "We cannot
see the force of the apology which affirms that if Dr.
Jeremie neglects Somersham he does so as ' a lay
rector.' Does he keep two consciences, then—one
for his lay duties, another to regulate the spiritual
man ? Again, when, in defence of pluralism,
covetousness, and wordly greed, we are met with
quotations from Acts of Parliament, we are rather
taken aback. We never doubted the technical
strength of Dr. Jereinie's position ; he has a perfect
legal title to the emoluments of Somersham ; but,
while there are many over-worked and half-starved
curates in the Church, has he a right to draw any
profits from a situation the duties of which he does
not discharge ?" The real point at issue is not if
Dr. Jeremie, as professor, may hold Somersham, but
if Dr. Jeremie, as dean, may hold the professorship-
cum-rectorship.