Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-10
srnoSY IN rHEcHuEcH OF ENGLAND
Wholesale Traffic in Church Lirfngs-
Clerical Agents-0ueer .4dcertisiag
London Times

Wholesale Traffic in Church Lirings-
Clerical 4gents-0ueer 4dUertisiag.
London Times
In the house of commons on Feb. II. Mr..
Leatham rose to call attention to the traffic
in church ivings, and to move that it is de-
sirable to adopt measures for preventing
simoniacal evasion of the law and checking
abuses in the sale oflivings in private patron
age. The evils cut at the very reasons for
the existence of the church, that
religious feelings were shocked, and that
many become Nonconformists on account of
the sale of advowsons. Next, the practice
produced decentralization among the clergy.
many of whom were quite insensible to the
evils of simoniacal transactions. That was
public scandal, the existence of which was
often used against the church by the Non
conformists. Next, the sales of livings de-
morallzed the patrons no less than the clergy,
and was likely to make them take too low
view of their duties. The market value of
llvlngs was raised by the fact that patrons
were not bound, and frequently took no
pains, to find the best men.
Just to show the house how frequently the
presentation to living changed hands, he
would mention the h1tory of the Cheshire
living of Wilmslow. which was worth 81 500
per annum, and was in the gift of the 1raf-
ford family, who, being Roman Catholics.
could not present to it. The advowson of
| the living was in 1914 bought for the benefit
of the purchasers sister: in 1924 it was sold
| in hurry in the hunting field for 10000;
but the incumbet being then an d9ticulo
moitis, the Bishop refused to institute. and
legal proceedings followed for several years
during which the Crown presented to the
living. 1t was next sold, again for q lady's
benefit. IN 1929, and the incumbent was so
often Ill and yet lived SO long that ii was sold
| again three times before it passed to the
present patron. He wished especially to
point out how often the advowson had
changed hands for lady's benefit
The sale of livings are announced by the
CLERICAL agents by means of advertisements.
and upward of 1000 Of those livings-that
was to say, about one-fourth of the whole
salable patronage of the church-were now
IN the hands OF those agents for sale or ex-
change. Any gentlemen, therefore. who
wished for living, had only to consult those
advertisements, III which much was generally
made OF the situation Of the place offered for
sale, and the advantages III the way of hunt
ing, scenery, the shooting of rocks a laugh.
attached to the living, except that they were
light and few in number. A laugh. Moth
ing was more common than to have i. living
advertised with immediate possession, and
he had at home circular published last
year from one of the best known of those
clerical agents. in which immediate posses
sion, was guaranteed in no less than 81 out
of SO cases.
Another mode of evasion practised, and
which was equally reprehensible, was that
when living became vacant and it was de-
sired to sell 1t, the most venerable clergyman
who could be found was appointed to it. III
order that when the living came to be SOLD
by auction the auctioneer might be able TO
say that tn present incumbent was absolute
ly on his last legs. A laugh
Auctions were constantly occurring. and
the auctloneer iii lated not on the amount OF
good to be done, but on such matters as the
) advanced age of the incumbent and the de-
slrabie character of the accommodation to be
had. Ii he We're churchman and happened
to find himself in Tokenhouse yard when the
auctloneer was cracking up his spiritual
wares, he should hang his head with shame
Hear, hear. Not long after the home
secretary expressed his aversion to the prac-
tice last year, the first lord of the admiralty
was offered for by private tender less
than eight livings in bunch in the north
of England. He did not know whether the
right honorable gentleman had that tempting
lot still on hand, but if government livings
might be sold, why not the patronage of the
g Crown?
, After some debate the house was counted
out, there being only thirty-eight members
, present.