The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-01 00:00:00

tions for the education of all classes of the people, and when they
considered the change which had taken place lately, by which.'
two-thirds of the people of Scotland had separated from the '
Chu' ch, it became the more necessary that some change should
be made in these tests. Such a change would tend to do away
with reli.2ious animosity, by educating the children of parents
of diff,rent sects together. The subject was a most important
one, and he agreed with the Hon. Member for Renfrew, that
the Government' ought to allow the Bill to be introduced, so
as to give the people of Scotland an opportunity of expressing
an opinion on the subject. He should support the motion.
Mr. FOR BES could see no good reason for the introduc-
tion of this measure. Three or four years ago there were large
bodies of Dissenters in Scotland, but neither the Right Hon.
Gentleman, who was then in office, nor the Hon. and Learned
Member for Leith, who was then Lord Advocate, ever thought
it necessary to bring forward any measure of this nature. He
had been recently in Scotland, and certainly he had not heard
any desire expressed for such a measure as that proposed by
the [tight Hon. Gentleman. He trusted that the House
would reject this motion winch had been submitted to them.
Mr. F. MAULS then rose to rerly. He must say that if
the question of tests could meet with no better defence than
that which it had received from Right Hon. Gentlemen and
Hon. Gentlemen opposite, he thougnt he might anticipate the
time when t:,sts—he meant tests upon lay professors—would
be abolished. He confessed that he was somewhat surprised
at what had fallen from the lion. Baronet opposite (Sir G.
Clerk) with respect to these tests. The Hon. Baronet said
that tlieSte'tests were so slight that any respectable man might
take them, even though he differed entirely from their plain
interpretation. Now, if these tests were so slight, he would
ask, what was lite use of maintaining them, or what protection
did they give? But, however, he did not look upon them as
being so slight. A member of the Church of England, by ac-
cepting the professorships which Mr. Sandford and Dr.
Lushington held, were obliged to sign a confession of faith to
which they did not belong. He was surprised that such a man
as Dr. Lushington could do this, and it was the fact of his
having done so which made him (Mr. F. Maule) believe
that by encouraging such tests they were encourag-
ing a system of immorality on the part of those
who ought to be an example to the country.—(Cheers.) He
believed that if this Bill which he proposed had gone down to
Scotland, that petitions innumerable would have been sent
up in its favour.. In refusing to legislate upon this subject,
they might depend upon it that they would do more injury
than good to the Church. lie felt that it would have the
effect of establishing rival Universities and seminaries to a
great extent, which would be attended by the youth of Scot-
land, although those seminaries might not have the privilege of
conferring degrees, while those seminaries which could confer
degrees would be conducted by pauper professors, and attended
by very poor students.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared— _

For the motion
Against it.

101
128

Majority against the motion —27

The announcement of the majority was received with loud
cheers by the Opposition.
ARCHDEACONRY OF ARMAGH.

Viscount EBRINGTON then rose to move for the produc-
tion of certain papers connected with the Archdeaconry of
Armagh. The Noble Lord observed that up to the present time
the Government had taken no steps whatever to carry out
the recommendations of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for
the dissoiution of unions, and the appointment of a clergyman
in every parish where'there was a benefice. The intention of the
late Government had been to do away with the monstrous
anomaly of one clergyman holding livings in several parishes
far distant from each other, and they had acted up to their in-
tentions as the unions happened to become void. if the pre-
sent Government declined to interfere to abate such nuisances,
it would be his (Lord Ebrington's duty to take further steps
in the matter. The condit►on of the Arehdeaconry of Armagh
was this. It contained two parishes covering a surface of
nine miles by four and three quarters. It contained 11,500
acres, and the total population of the union was 16,393. There
were churches and glebe houses, and the income of the two
parishes, enjoyed by one person, was stated in the report of the
Commissioners at 1,6421., though he admitted it was now re-
duced to about 9001. Why had there not been a severance of
the parishes, forming this union when an avoidance had taken
place ? He admitted that in the case of the deanery of Meath,
the Government had acted on the principle laid down by the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and ordered the severance of the
parishes forming it. This, however, he must observe, had
been done since he (Lord Ebrington) put his notiee of motion
on the books. The importance of the case he wished to ob-
serve was in the principle, and since the present Ministers had
been in power the dissolution of unions of parishes had been the
exception, and not, as with the late Ministers, the rule of
conduct.

Lord ELIOT said it was true that, in 1831, the Ecclesias-
tical Commissioners had recommended that a division in unions
should take place, viith a view to the better apportionment of
clerical duty and a juster distribution of patronage.
At that time the income of this union was 1,600/. per annum,
but by the provisions of the Church Temporalities Act, this
was subject to a charge of 14 per cent., and its present amount
did not exceed 900/. Such an income his Noble Friend the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had thought not too much for the
dignity of Archdeacon, and he had therefore not thought it his
fluty to interfere in the matter. But when an avoidance took
place he had taken care to appoint a person most amply quali-
fied for the discharge of the important duties attached to the
living. This was the Rev. Mr Stokes, who, he could assure
the Noble Lord had not been selected for any political partizan-
ship, but for his acquirements, for his character, and for his
peculiar fitness for the duties of a Christian minister.
He thought it was only strict justice to adhere strictly to the
recommendation of the Commissioners; and he could assure
his Noble Friend opposite, that no man was so anxious as he
was to carry out all the provisions of the Church Temporalities
Act, but there was now under the consideration of her Ma-
jesty's Government a measure which would tend to cause a
better distribution amongst the clergy of the Church revenues,
and therefore he thought it would be mere wise of his Noble
Friend to defer his motion for a Committee on this subject.
He should not object to giving his Noble Friend opposite any
papers in connextion with this matter, excepting those of a
private and individual nature.
After a few observations from Mr. Ross, Mr. Shaw, and
Viscount Ebrington in reply, the maion was agreed to.