The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-15
THE RULE or AMMON.
the English Church ON the Auction
BtOck. "
The London Telegraph says:

The London Telegraph says:
The purchase system is enwoven-shAll we
beautifully say lie golden thread with
many British Institutions, For the loyal
luxury Of sewing his sovereign, ensign, leu
tenant, captain, maj or or hentenant-colonel.
al English gentien also mas 10 pay certain
sums, regu ed by the Horse Guards and an
u"certan sum ruled bv the statesof the COM
missi on m rket. where swords are sold to the
highest bidder, and Take. then, the sabre,"
is her Majesty's spirit stirring address to the
buyer who has most money in his pur Q.
Then we all know that there is tariff for
boroughs rule h,gh." others are '.firm," while
purchasable.
But Of all kinds OF British purchase
none must seem SO strange to. foreign OBJ
Church. Centuries have elapsed since the
Apostles were sent forth to preach, and the
early ideal of The Christian priest and mission
ary has been often travestied, sometimes terri
| men. Nevertheless, IN all chul ches the cid
| standard ls avowod. People do still consider
that q minister or religion is a man that holds
himself commissioned by Divine authority
| to preach the Gospel and administer the
rites OF the Christian Church. Face to face
with this still potent belief. we have tho
openly offered for sale that the greatest pub
| lcau and sinner lu the City Of London may buy
the next right OF presentation to a living, and
| may exercise the power of appointments. His
money may have been made in any Of the vile
ways within the wide boundary of our loose,
| elastic law; but the gold does not SMELL and
| he purchases the right of placing at one Of
| Gods altars any creature of his Own-perhaps
| some clerical companion OF his festive hours,
perhaps some silly or iunately vicious relative
OF his house. But. independently of this ire
quently deplorable result. the open sale is
surely among the grOssest scandals of our day.
The actioneer endeavors to show off the null
tlfaIlou attractions" Of the living, and those
| attractions are the very reverse Of such as
would be supposed to influence q jealous or
| be saved are few, that the ''duties are light" J"
hat the ''society" aud even the '.huntiDg" is
| good. The ''reetory and yicarage Of Westbo-
| rough. with that Of Dry Dodd,ngton," were
thus praised at an auction mart on Tuesday
last; but the biddines we're slack. Intending
| sterling year would pay eurate to discharge
| the duties, leaving si1 hundred pound year
OF surplus for the rector; while the present rec
| tor was seventy-three, aud therefore must soon
die; still the bidders paused, and the .'prop ,r-
| ty" was withdrawn. 1'hess shameful scenes
are not rare; they occur in the metropolis at
least once week, aud the religious" or DER
haps We ought to say the clerical journals
abound with the latest reports from the markst
Of souls.
The origin of this gross evil is explainable
enough, and the theory is not half SO bad as
the practice itself Strictly speaking, the auo-
| tloneer does not sell the fight TO minister at
the altar IN particular parish; be SIMPLY sells
the right OF the next presentatiOns" that is,
the purchaser may present" to the bishop an
ordained clergyman Of the Church OF England
| for induction in.o the hviDg. If the bishop
theological defect he May legally refuse in
duction; but the usual uncertainty Of British
law hangs around this right, AID it is, there
fore, rarely exercised.