The Washington times., 1903-01-18
ENOLAND'S LORDS SPIRITUAL.
and Proaes the New Canterbury of His
IOW-Pelates

King Edwards nomination Of the pre-
late who administered the last rites of
the church TO his mother. Queen Vic
toria. and his Iavorite sister. Empress
Frederick. to the primacy OF All Eng
land. renders timely a brief sketch of
some Of the pTcToEaJiyes and privileges
Of this the highest Office o. the British
realm. For DR.. Davidson. who is the
ninety-ffth Archbishop OF Canterbury,
dating from the foundation Of The See in
sos, ranks Immediately next to royalty.
having the pas over every one of the
Kings subjects. no matter whether duke.
premier lord high chancellor or secre-
tary of state This is. only right and fit
tinE- For there is no dignity so hoary
with antiquity as the Archbishopric of
Canterbury. of which the first holder was
ST Augustine, while among his success
sors are several PreIates who are rever-
ed as saints by the Roman Catholic
Church, including St. Thomas q Beckett.
who was murdered in the Cathedral Of
Canterbury just 722 years ago. The
prestige and Importance Of the Primate
OF All England dates from the earliest
times, and prior to the Reformation
the Pope was wont al councils TO place
The Archbishop of Canterbury on his
right hand. giving him precedence Of all
other arcbbishops, Urban II referring TO
him as 'AIterius Cribs Papa" lthe Pope
OF another world).
Among the most important and least
known Of the prerogauves OF the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury IS hat of heading
the commission Of great dfguttaries Of
the realm. who form species of couu-
ell Of regency, in the event of any time
intervening between the demise OF SOW
ereigu and the assumption Of the Teins
OF government by his or her successor
The last occasion when the primate was
called upon to I'll this office was on the
death OF Queen Anne, When some days
elapsed before the Elector Of Hanover
could reach England and take possession
Of the throne Of Great Britain Had. tor
instance, anything untoward happened to
King Edward while The Prince OF. Wales
was travelling round the world on board
the OphiT. year and half ago. and
had no special provision been made for
such . fatality, the Archbishop of Can
terbury, together with the lord high
chancellor. The premier. aud other of the
great officers Of the crown, would either
have taken the necessary steps to invest
Queen Alexandra OF the Duke Of Con
naught with the regency, OF else would
have themselves exercised the executive
duties Of the new sovereign until e.
return 10 England
Everybody knows that the Archbfsb0n
Of Canterbury. in addition TO an official
residence within the cathedral precincts
at Canterbury. and stately palace in
London on the Lambeth bank Of the
Thames, possesses q stipend Of S75, eco
year But few are aware of the sources
from which this money is derived. It
does not form part and parcel OF the
supplies voted every year by parliament
for the administration Of the govern
ment. Nor is 1t derived from the Teve.
nues Of the state-that is to say. from
the pockets OF the taxpayers The
Church Of England is stilI enormously
rich Not all ecclesiastical property
was diverted from religious uses at the
time OF the Reformation Much of il was
LETT 10 eDdow the Church of England.
and today the annual income Of the lat
ter IS estimated at near SAC, 600 600. The
administration Of which is vested in the
hands of a body known as the eccIesIas-
tdcaI commissioners, who pay TO the
aTchbishops and bishops their stipend.
provide salaries for the minor d3gnf-
taries OF the church, and spend the bal
ance in improving parochiaI endowments
and buildings and in providing funds for
additional clergy The ecclesiastical
commission consists Of the TWO archbish-
ops. namely OF Canterbury and of York.
OF all the bishops Of English and Welsh
dfoceses, Of the deans Of Canterbury.
St Paul and Westminster, Of five cabinet
ministers. three judges of the high
court OF judicature, and twelve Iaymeu.
all of them churchmen OF the Church Of
ENGLAND. two being appointed by the
Archbishop Of Canterbury and the re
mainder by the crown.
The commissioners have the power OF
creating new bishoDrIcs. deanerIes, and
archdeaconries Of creating new parish
es. OK uniting existing ones. etc. But
any Cd the more important steps which
they take have to be ratified by the King
in council. that IS 10 say, by the SOW
ereign sitting with a quorum OF his PRIV
council. and when thus ratified the acts
Of the ecclesiastical commissioners have
the power Of an act OF parliament. It is
necessary TO explain this, as very
widespread impression prevails even ii
England to the effect that the Establish
ed Church is maintained at the expense
OF the national treasury and OF the tax
payers whereas II viii be seen from the
above that nothing Of the sort is the
case. and that its cost is betrayed by
means Of its own cndowIneuts. estates
and property OF one kind and another.
In nearly every other country Of Eu-
rope. even IN republican France, the
Church figures for a very large amount
on the annual budget. and taxpayers
have frequently cause 10 complain that
they are being called upon 30 contribute
TO the support OF a faith which is not
their own. and TO which they are con
scientifically opposed. In England the
taxpayer has 30 such cause for dissatie-