The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-16 00:00:00

CLERICAL NEWS.

The Bishop of Chester has licensed a place of worship
on the principles of the Established Church in the village
of Oxton. The Rev. Joshua King and his nephew will
officiate until % minister is appointed.
CHURCH EXTENSION.—A supplement to the London
Gazette, published on Friday night, contains an an-
nouncement that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for
England have, in virtue of powers intrusted to them by
Parliament, prepared a scheme, which is explained at
great length, for constituting a separate district for spiri-
tual purposes in each of the parishes of Astbury and
Prestbury, in the county and diocess of Chester. Seve-
ral other places are named, in which it is proposed that
separate districts of this kind should be constituted.

FALL OF THE TOWER OF HALLSTEAD NEW CHURCH.
—On Wednesday afternoon last, the beautiful tower and
steeple of this church, (which was to have been conse-
crated on the 31st instant,) which had been completed to
a height of 115 feet, fell with an awful crash, which must
have been heard for miles round. The first impression
was, that all the labourers were beneath the ruins, and
the shrieks and screams of the women and children were
dreadful. It was a most providential interposition that
such was not the case. It appears that Mr. Johnstone,
the builder, actually saw the tower sinking, and he imme-
diately ordered the workmen off, when the tower fell;
only two labourers were then upon the scaffold, one of
whom is severely injured, but it is hoped may ultimately
recover ; the other is comparatively but slightly hurt.
The Rev. Archdeacon Burney and G. Sperling, Esq., ex-
perienced a very narrow escape, as did also Mr. and Mrs.
Arden, who were in the body of the church at the time of
the accident, a portion of the ruins falling into that part
of the structure. The church itself has received but little
injury.
LECTURERS AND PARISH CLERKS.—A bill has been
recently passed by the House of Lords, and brought
down to the Lower Chamber, entitled " An Act for bet-
ter regulating the Offices of Lecturers and Parish Clerks."
It has been, we believe, already read a first time in the
House of Commons. The preamble recites the fact that
there are now in divers parishes, &c., certain lecturers or
preachers elected to deliver or preaclectures or sermons
only. without the obligation of performing other clerical
or ministerial duties, and declares that it is " expedient"
that, in many cases, such lecturers should be required to
perform other clerical duties, and act, if necessary, as
assistant-curates in such parishes, &c. We need hardly
state that the enactments are in strict accordance with the
requirements of the preamble. Lecturers or preachers
(so called) may be required by the bishop of the diocese
to perform such other clerical or ministerial duties as the
bishop, acting in conjunction with the incumbent of the
parish, may think fit, under pain of suspension or re-
moval. An appeal may be made to the archbishop of the
province within fourteen days. This enactment, how-
ever, is not to affect or be deemed applicable to any lec-
turer appointed prior to the passing of this act, unless
such lecturer shall consent to be bound thereby. Power
is given to the rectors or incumbents of parishes by the
second clause to fill up vacancies occurring in the office
of church or parish clerk, by the appointment of persons
in the holy orders of deacon or priest of the united Church
of England and Ireland, such persons to act as assistant
curates if required. The appointments of assistant-clergy
under this act are not to exempt incumbents (now liable)
from the duty of providing curates. Power is given to
archdeacons and other ordinaries to remove such parish
clerks, not in holy orders, as may be guilty of misbehavi-
our or neglect of duty.