New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
LAY PATRONAGE.

Elsewhere I'm this issue will be found an In
terestjpg article by "Ex-Attache" on the abuse
Of Law patronage in the Church Of England, in
regard TO which some strong speeches have re-
Gently been made in Parliament. In the Eng
lish Church the right Of appointing clergyman
TO n parish is called an advowson And Black
stone defines this right an incorporea here
ditament. of which no bodily possession can be
had but which exists solely in contemplation
of law But though this definition suggests
something rather intangible. advOwsons are, in
fact. very real things; for they rest upon and
involve the rights Of property. than which moth
ing IS more sacred In the eyes Of Englishmen.
In theory. the Church ITSELF either through It's
bishops or by the vote Of the individual con-
gregations ought to choose the pastors or the
various parishes. But in reality this Is not
the case. Of nearly IL, 600 benefices in the Eng
llsh Church about one-half are In the nomina-
ton of the Crown. the bishops and other higher
clergy the universities. etc. and the remainder
are IN the gift Of private persons. IL Is true
that the bishop has the right to reject nomna-
ton to benefice; but II a bishop should avail
himself Of this right the nominee could insti-
tute civil proceedings, and the bishop. after
spending a great deal Of money, would be
forced 10 induct the man, provided he was
canoncally in good standing And 1t Is to be
remembered that a clergyman may be canoni-
cally in good standing and yet unfit, for one
reason or another to exercise the functions OF
| a parochiol clergyman.
The abue-s resulting from such a system are
| many, and for a long time have attracted the
| attention OF the Church In numerous instances
lay patrons have discharged their duty with
wisdom but even in those cases an injustice
| Is done TO the parlshoners, who have absolute
| " no voice in the choice Of their pastor But
the greatest abuses arise from the fact that
advowsons are n salable commodity-they can
| be transferred or sold at auction like any other
real property. And a man who Is not only
not a Christian. but actually a notorious evil
| liver. may become the patron OF one or more
| llvings which means that when one Of these
| livlpcs becomes vacant he can appoint any
| clergyman he plcases to the livng-one even,
whose life IS n notorious scandal to the Church.
| Such n system as that cannot but be harmful
| to the Church As n Church of England writer.
| Marsdcn SAYS: 1T excludes many valuable
men from livings Of importance. and thrusts
many incompetent men into stations for which
''they are but meanly qualified. 1t fills our
| choicest parishes with men rather well bred
than deeply learned-men Of courtesy and be-
''nevolence rather than a fervent ZEAL and con-
"scauently the parish church wears to the poor
man too frequently something of a cold and
| "arlsocratic air. The English lay
| ''Cmrchman in the most important event that
''can affect his parish during his lifetime finds
| everything done for him; II Is only on trifling
| .'matters that he is consulted. He may help 10
"build the school, he may discharge the duties
"of church warden; but with regard TO the np-
'pontment Of the minister he has no right 10
speak"
Yet though all these evils are admitted, every
attempt to reform oil do away with the system
OF lny patronage has failed. because. as we have
said il Is n vested right Of property, AMI Eng
| lishmen are not disposed to disturb such rights,
even when. incidentally, they lead TO grave
abuses That laymen who are disgraced Grim
Inals should have the right OF appointing clergy
men 10 parishes Is detail OF the system that
! attracts the most popular attention and pro-
yokes the greatest criticism But the system
does not always work well even In cases where
bishops have the sole right OF patronage. Not
long ago the Archbishop OF Canterbury APP
polnted a young and unknown minister to n
lucrative parish over the heads Of dozens Of
able men in the diocese who had. grown gray
in subordinate positions, and one Of whom
; ought in equity To have received the appoint
ment. II Is the bishops who are most anxious
to do away with the evil OF lay patronage. But
in view Of this action Of the Archbishop, and
Of other similar appointments by bishops II IL
an open question whether the bishops would
always satisfy the Church should they be en-
dowed with the sole right Of appointment
The Porto Ricans appear TO be pleased with
! General Mllcs's proclamation. and II ad-
| Aronaad 10 them not to PERSONS who insult the