New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-11-17
English Church Livings.

English Church LiVinGs.
81 don't support the church liv-
ings, don't you know" said Lord
Lonsdale, in an interview with the
Utica Observer correspondent; chats
all mistake. Idon't even own the
land upon which all of them are To-
Gated. l have the power OF appoint
ment, don't you see; when curacy OF
parish loses its curate or vicar by
death or resignation the next follow
to get the place must get it through
me, you know. Iappoint him. Soin
that way the Church in these forty.
one livings depends upon me. A lIv'
ing, don't you see, is IA living, ol
course; fellow that has taken orders !
must have place to do his work and
earn his salt; we'll, he looks after q
church living, and if he or any OF his
friends think they have pull with
me they ask me to appoint him to
the next vacancy, you know, and
suppose l appoint the fellow that's
So0 VIC OASSSSo pun 1ol CICiO . Always
more c!erics than livings, and that
gives rise to a lot OF funny things that
would make your people open their
eyes; it has made % vast deal
OF fuss over there, you know; so
many reformers are all the time
wanting to improve things. This is
how it is. Some day man comes to
me and says, 'M'lud, my son, Henry,
has just taken orders, Now, who is
the Oldest and feeblest curate in your
livings?' And | think a minute andD
say. There's Smith at-worth, he's
over eighty and very decrepit; it is
not probable he'll last long Then
the gentleman says, Mum, I'll give
you five hundred pounds for the
presentation when the vacancy
occurs That means, don't you
know, that he wants me to ap-
point his son to the curacy when its
descripit incumbent dies. Now I've
known such things as holder Of liv-
ings being SO hard up to be mighty
glad to bargain for vacancy for
$500. And l could name noblemen
who didn't need the money so much,
but who believed on general principles
in making people pay for what they
get, to do the same thing. Why, in
stead OF supporting number OF liv-
ings, a man with enough Of thena
might almost be supported by the:
There's a very odd twist in the law
about this; have O. right to bargain
away a vacancy before it occurs, but
If an incumbent should die or resign,
it would be criminal to sell the priv
lege OF presentation or appointment.
Anybody who bought the place under
such circumstances would be guilty
OF simony Now and then q pro
spectlve vacancy is put up at
auction by some holder OF appoint1
ments who gets short. 1t seems rathe.1
odd, you know, to hear an auctioneeN
running on about the health of the '
present incumbent, assuring the would
be buyers that the Rev. So-and-so
will not have to wait long. Yes, the
reform crowd stir up a good deal OF
fuss about that kind OF thing. Here's
a curious thing that sometimes hank
pens: Suppose Lord A. has four sons;
the first succeeds to his fathers es-
tate and titles, so he's all right; the
second, maybe. is put into Parliament
Will ohS 1oe1 VI SeCCliiS 10 De a. CaO-
met officer; the third goes into the
army; the fourth into the Church.
Now suppose that when the fourth is
ten years old the very best curacy in
Lord AS patronage becomes vacant;
it's a desirable place for the prospect
i've cleric, but if once filled. he must
wait till the incumbent's death before
appointing another. So Lord A.
finds some young cleric who is under
obligations to him; might be th4
tutor of the elder sons, you know!
in the varsity, and says toN
him. Here | will give you the benefit
OF this living if you will agree to re-
sign it when my son is ready to take
orders. The young cleric agrees, aId
the bargain is made, the cleric evN IA
giving bonds that he will resign at the
stated time. No, that is not simony,
and is perfectly lega,l. Odd isn't it?"
Yes it was odd and the Cameron,
still swinging nonchalantly about on
the piano stool, thought SO too.
''My power OF presentation or ap-
polntment," concluded his lordship,
comes with my title. There are those
who have great many more livings
at Their disposal than I, as well
some who have fewer"