Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-08-11
THE ENGLISH PARSON.

In England the Pars0n'' is the par
ish hclergyman-Episcopalian, OF course,
Nonconformist preachers of all kinds
being termed ministers" the title of
clergyman" denied them, and that of
Reverend" given with grudge-
legally they have it not; neither, by law,
any ecclesiastical connection with the
parish. nor say in its secular affairs.
Legislation and adjudication upon these
last are done by the parishioners as
sembled in vestry, their execution being
intrusted to two church wardens, one of
whom is elected by the vestry, the other
appointed by the clergyman himself,
and known as his church-warden. The
latter is usually the Squire, or other
"gentleman'' belonging to the church
congregation. Dissenters, however,
have the same right of voice and vote in
the vestry as other parishioners. In the
holding of his Office and administration
OF it, the parson is altogether free of re-
ssponsibility to the people. He holds it
Independent of them, and for life, or
during good behavior. But he must be-
have badly, indeed, to lose it; and then
Its loss would come through the Bishop,
and not by any act or power of the par
ishloners. As these have no say in
making. neither can they unmake him.
The appointment of Church clergy
men to their beneiices, or, as they are
more commonly called, "livings." pro-
ceeds from various sources. Some are
in the gift of the Crown, through tho
Lord Chancellor; others at the disposal
OF the Bishops; still others where cor
porate institutions have the right of be-
stowal; while of the $4,000 odd liyings
the total number in England and
Wales-more than half are the property
OF private individuals, just as much as
their houses or lands! These last
named owners or patrons of church
temporalities, are of every class and
KIND; though chiefly heads of great
houses-titled families-some of whose
ancestors owned them by ancient man.
orlal right; while upon others they were
bestowed by Henry VIII, being part of
the spoils taken from the suppressed
monasteries. Many grandees, as the
Duke of Bedford. have each a score or
TWO OF church livings at their disposal,
ana can give or sell them to whomsoever
they please. unless under entail, as their
lands, or other portions of their estates.
Independent of these noble proprietors,
hundreds, nay thousands, of benefices
are in the hands of men of
every rank and degree; in short,
OF all who have the money,
with the inclination to speculate in
them. Scores of "advowsons' s''-anoth-
er name for this marketable commodity
ARE ever in the market, barefacedly
advertised in the newspapers. bought
and sold like houses, horses or any
other merchantable thing. 1t is not un-
common to see advertisements of livings
in the George Robins style" painted
couleur-de-roSe; the parish described rs
having only few hundred inhabitants
hence the less trouble with the cure of
its souls-the rectory, or vicaragc, as
handsome house with ornamental
grounds, the scenery of the neighbor-
hood picturesque. its climate salubrious
and society of the best. If the living
be a reversion instead of one to be i'm
mediately entered upon, its occupying
incumbent is depicted as an aged man
old as the advertiser dare make him,
possibly in poor health and feeble-in
short. on his last legs! Half column
Of such advertisements frequently ap-
pears in papers that are the special or
gans of the Established Church! OF
course there is outcry against this
shameful tratfic-trading in souls. as it
were-stili il continues. and will con-
tinue so long as England's State Church
stands on her present footing.
Taking advantage of this condition
OF things. not unfre, ,uently a man who
has the means and knows himself to he
saddled with a half-imbec!e son. has
the latter trained up for the church,