below a fair equivalent for the rights of the tithe-owner," the rent charge is to be increased the whole fifth, or such a proportion as the commissioners shall think reasonable. And further, it is open to the tithe-owner to shew, as a ground for increase, that from a course of culture calculated to be permanent, there would be a probable increased production, above the actual value, during the seven years, the tithe-payer on the other hand being at liberty to shew a progressive and permanent decrease. Secondly, in regard to special cases, That the commissioners reserve to themselves the entire discretion vested in them by the act as far as deciding on the classes of cases to be so deemed, and on the merits of each particular case; but they consider themselves, in establishing the rent-charges in such cases, confined to the rate of rent-charge fixed on similar lands in the neighbouring districts. Thirdly, in regard to expenses, you will observe, that you will be chargeable only with the expense of making out your own case. The commissioners will act at the public expense. If, in order to make out your case, there be ground to require a previous admeasurement and valuation of the parish, you will be at liberty to ask the commissioner to direct such valuation and admeasurement; and so far as such valuation and admeasurement will lessen the expense of apportionment, the commissioner will direct such expense to be considered as expense incident to the apportionment, and as such to be borne exclusively by the land-owners. In regard to all expenses which you may find it necessary to incur for the protection of the interests of the church, you are allowed by the act, with the approbation of the commissioners, to charge the amount on the benefice, to be paid off in twenty years. RALPH BARNES. 22nd May, 1838. INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT, BUILDING, AND REPAIRING OF CHURCHES AND CHAPELS. REPORT READ AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL COURT, HELD ON 28TH MAY, 1838. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chair. THE Committee have the satisfaction of commencing their annual report by announcing that her Majesty has been graciously pleased to mark her sense of the society's usefulness and value by signifying her royal consent to become its Patron. Every year since the first institution of the Society for Promoting the Enlargement, Building, and Repairing of Churches and Chapels, in 1818, the committee have had the satisfaction of making a report of regular, and generally of increasing, usefulness. Every year, therefore, has afforded fresh occasion of thankfulness to the great Head of the church, and fresh cause for unwearied exertion in those who would approve themselves faithful in his sight. The year just ended has exceeded all that have gone before it, both in the number and in the amount of the grants which have been made; the number of places to which assistance has been afforded being 117; the amount of sums granted no less than 24,060l., a sum exceeding two-thirds of the amount collected under the last King's Letter. The number of sittings obtained has been proportionate to the amount of money expended-viz., 44,035 in all; of which 29,973 are free and unappropriated; numbers considerably exceeding those of any former year. The meeting will be gratified to hear that the claims of the society upon the public are every year becoming more extensively known by means of additional local associations. Three are now to be reported as having been added to the list during the year just ended-viz., two societies, in the dioceses of Chichester and Norwich, and one district committee at Bury St. Edmunds. The formaVOL. XIV.-July, 1838. L tion of a society is also contemplated in the diocese of Ripon. The district committee contributes all its receipts to the parent society; as will also, in future years, the diocesan society of Norwich. Diocesan societies in general reserve a portion of their subscriptions for their own local purposes. Among the contributions of this kind received during the last year, there is one which demands special acknowledgment-viz., 1,0917. from the Bath and Wells Diocesan Society. Nor can the committee refrain from the pleasure of noticing a donation of still greater amount, received from the diocese of Winchester, too late, however, to be included in the present audit. In addition to the aid derived from these sources, the committee have to acknowledge the receipt, during the last year, of donations from individuals amounting to 6931. 178. 6d. They have also great satisfaction in announcing a legacy of 2,000l. from the late Lord Farnborough. At the close of the year, ending 31st of March last, the society's disposable balance was 4,5181. But from this sum nearly 3,000l. have been since granted, and the society is thus left dependent on future contributions for the continuance of its usefulness. Twenty years have now elapsed since the society commenced the good work in which it is still engaged; and it may be well at the present period to look back to its origin, and, in some degree, to trace its progress. Beginning with a fund not much exceeding 50,000l., the society has been enabled to expend not less than 244,7317. from its own resources, and to cause the expenditure of a much larger amount. The total number of places which have received assistance from it, is 1,485; and the total number of additional sittings obtained is 398,960, of which, 292,339 are free and unappropriated; the average cost to the society on the whole number being 12s. 6d. per sitting; on the freesittings, 16s. 10d. In order to form a due estimate of the benefit produced by the society, it is necessary to take into the account not only the sum which it has itself expended, or induced others to expend in the several places to which it has afforded assistance, but also the influence exerted by it in stirring up the zeal of individuals in many other places, which were placed beyond its reach, or did not require its aid. This was fully contemplated by the founders of this society, and greatly contributed to encourage them in what was deemed by many almost a hopeless undertaking. It is not necessary, and would be scarcely possible, to ascertain the amount of the monies thus expended for the attainment of the society's object. We shall probably be far below the amount if we state that not less than a million and a half sterling has been devoted by individuals, during the last twenty years, to this great and holy cause; a sum not less than the amount of the parliamentary grant to the commissioners for building additional churches. Whether this be such a sum as becomes the members of a wealthy community, and of a church which Providence has blessed so largely with the knowledge of Christian truth, and the means of diffusing that knowledge, need not now be asked. It presents a striking contrast to the sad neglect which marked the last century, and fully justifies the views and expectations of those zealous men who first set their hands to this good work. Some of these have gone to their rest; but several yet survive to enjoy the privilege of contemplating a scene which they could scarcely have ventured to anticipate. In a word, those who are engaged in administering the affairs of the society, and its members at large, will derive from the history of the last twenty years, and from a sense of the great exigences of the country, a motive for continued, and, if possible, increased exertion; seeing how much has already grown out of small beginnings, and being thus encouraged to look forward with confidence to a blessing upon their future labours. INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT, BUILDING, AND REPAIRING OF CHURCHES AND CHAPELS. A MEETING of this society was held at their chambers, St. Martin's place, on Monday, the 18th of June. His Grace the Archbishop of York in the chair. There were present-the Bishops of London, Winchester, Lincoln, Bangor, Carlisle, Gloucester and Bristol, Ripon and Salisbury, the Ven. Archdeacon Watson, the Revs. Dr. D'Oyly, Dr. Shepherd, and J. Lonsdale; Sir S. Gaselee; W. Cotton, Benjamin Harrison, and J. W. Bowden, Esqrs. Among other business transacted, grants were voted towards building a new church in the parish of St. Paul, in Bedford; re-pewing the church at Burton Overy, in the county of Leicester; building a chapel for the townships of Pelsham and Coxley, in the parish of St. Cuthbert, Wells; enlarging the church at Llangeinwen, in the county of Anglesey; enlarging the church at St. Blazey, in the county of Cornwall; building a gallery in the church at Denby, in the county of Derby; enlarging by rebuilding the chapel at Pool, in the county of York; enlarging by rebuilding the church at Cann, in the county of Dorset; re-pewing the church of St. Thomas, Salisbury, in the county of Wilts; building a new chapel-of-ease at Edington, in the parish of Moorlinch, in the county of Somerset ; enlarging organ gallery in the church of St. Mary, Haggerstone, in the county of Middlesex; enlarging by rebuilding the church at Twerton, in the county of Somerset; building a new church at Denbigh; enlarging the church at Clifford, in the county of Hereford; rebuilding and enlarging the church of St. Lawrence and St. John, in the town of Southampton; enlarging the church at Wootton-under-Edge, in the county of Gloucester; enlarging by rebuilding the chapel at Wheaton Aston, in the parish of Lapley; building a new chapel at Mawdesley, in the parish of Croston, in the county of Lancaster; building a new chapel at Bretherton, in the parish of Croston, in the county of Lancaster, building a new chapel at Hersham in the parish of Walton-on-Thames, in the county of Surrey. THE DERBY MEMORIAL. (From the Derbyshire Courier, May 12, 1838.) EXTINCTION OF PLURALITIES.-The following Memorial has been sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and a copy has also been forwarded to every member of both Houses of Parliament. We, your Memorialists, beg leave to address your Grace on the subject of the Abolition of Church Pluralities-a matter which we conceive to be of very considerable importance not only to the clergy of the establishment, but to the community at large. We would respectfully offer the following observations:-It is almost universally admitted that the system of pluralities which has grown up in the church most materially interferes with its efficiency. There are at present about five thousand benefices held in plurality. Although the smallness of the incomes of many of the parishes constitute one great difficulty in the way of the abolition of pluralities, yet about two thirds of these five thousand benefices are of a sufficient income to maintain a resident incumbent; so that great numbers of livings are clearly held in plurality for no other purpose than that of individual advantage. In a vast number of instances the plurality system has led to there being no resident clergyman, and only one service on the Sunday, in the several parishes, and thus a wide field has been opened for the spread of dissent from the establishment, which is much to be deplored. The most sad result, also, of the present system is, that the clergy, as a body, and particularly those who are pluralists, are suffering thereby in the opinion of persons of all ranks throughout the land; and it is to be feared that the cases are by no means uncommon in which not only laymen, but ministers, have been so stumbled by it as to have been induced thereby to secede from the established church. Some of the bishops have shewn their strong disapprobation of pluralities by never having given a living in plurality; others have not done so for several years past. Many of the leading statesmen of both parties in politics have declared their conviction that the interests of the church and of the country require that pluralities should be abolished, and that a resident minister should be established in every parish and district. The plan proposed in the Plurality Bill, now before Parliament, of not allowing livings to be held in plurality which are more than ten miles distant from each other, will leave the tremendous evil almost untouched; of the livings at present held in plurality, nearly 3000 are within ten miles, and about 2000 are within five miles of each other; it is evident also that the exchanging of livings, and the supposed necessity of the smaller livings being still given in plurality, would most materially add to these numbers. The smallness of the incomes of many of the livings being the chief difficulty in the way of the extinction of pluralities, it is most earnestly to be desired that every effort should be made to raise them to an adequate amount. We should much rejoice to see a large grant made by parliament for the purpose of meeting the difficulty; but when we reflect on the more favourable opinion which must have generally prevailed with regard to a proper provision for the clergy in by-gone years, since the Reformation, and consider that no effectual augmentation of small livings has taken place, we have little hope of any large parliamentary grant being made to the church in these days of such extensive separation from it. We are of opinion, under the circumstances in which we are placed, that the church (in which term we include the laity) would act judiciously and in a manner pleasing to Almighty God, if it were to shew itself contented with its present scanty revenues, and if from those revenues it should endeavour to augment every small living, with a view to the entire abolition of pluralities. It appears, from a small pamphlet on the subject which has been recently forwarded to your Grace, and to every member of both Houses of Parliament, that there are 4,861 livings in England and Wales under 2001. per annum, and that in order to raise them all to that amount the yearly sum of 407,2751. would be required. To meet this demand there will be an available sum, on the reduction of the cathedral establishments, of about 100,000l., and possibly nearly an equal sum may be raised by an improved mode of leasing the episcopal and cathedral property; but still there would be a deficiency for the desired purpose of more than 200,000l. per annum. We would particularly entreat your Grace's attention to, and support of, a plan proposed in the pamphlet referred to (which was submitted to Sir Robert Peel some years ago, and which has been recommended for adoption in the fourth report, and in the draft of the fifth report of the ecclesiastical commissioners, although it has not been embodied in the present Plurality Bill)— the plan of permitting patrons to take a portion from the incomes of their richer livings for the augmentation of the poorer ones to the sum of 2001. a year. This plan might be most readily acted upon in the case of the livings in the patronage of the Crown, the archbishops and bishops, the deans and chapters, the colleges, and of other persons possessing the patronage of more livings than one. We cannot conceive that there is anything unjust in thus taking from the clerical income raised in one parish for the augmentation of that of another. Under the present system, non-resident incumbents, who hold more than one living, draw from one of their parishes a large proportion of its clerical income, which they spend in another. The patron stands, in some degree at least, in the place of the original donor. The circumstances of the different parishes, which were endowed by the person whom he represents, have greatly altered perhaps with regard to population or income, and we humbly submit that there is no invasion of the rights of property in the country giving permission to the patron to make an alteration, with which, it is fairly to be presumed, the original endower's conduct would have been in accordance had the circumstances of the population &c. been the same when the grant was made as they are now. The funds devoted to charitable objects in ancient times have continually been re-appropriated by the Court of Chancery, or by Parliament, so as to meet the altered circumstances of the charity, and such re-appropriation has never been considered as an invasion of the rights of property. We consider another suggestion contained in the pamphlet to which we refer to be of the very greatest importance in this matter:-it is that, in the case of poor vicarages, perpetual curacies, and donatives (and nine-tenths of the poor livings are of this description), a grant should be made from the funds at the disposal of the commissioners towards making up an income of 2001. a year, to be met by a sum to be paid by the patron, in proportion to the increased value of the advowson of the living so augmented. We have no desire that livings should be equalized, or that any diminution of the income of a living should take place, without the consent of the patron; or that there should be any interference with the rights of present incumbents. The difficulty in the way of the utter extinction of pluralities, which arises from some of the livings having very small populations, not amounting to 100 persons, we think might be met, in some cases, by annexing a portion of another parish, in others by incorporating the parish with some adjacent and more populous parish. We would take the liberty of mentioning our strong objection to a plan which has been much mooted, of a graduated tax of 5l., 7., 10l., and 151. per cent. respectively on livings above the yearly value of 400l., 500l., 800l., and 1,2007.; the sum thus raised would only amount to about 100,000l. per annum, whilst 400 livings would be taxed in sums varying from 80l. to 1,080l. per year, which would not only be exceedingly unpalatable, but also a manifest injustice, to many private patrons, inasmuch as the value of the advowsons in their patronage would thereby be greatly deteriorated. We, your memorialists, venture to submit these views to your Grace, in the earnest hope that they may meet with the approval and support of your Grace and of the other dignitaries of our church. We beg leave to assure your Grace that our sole desire in this matter is to improve the efficiency of our beloved and venerated church, by removing from it the odium and the other evils attaching to the plurality system. With much prayer that the Great Head of the Church may purify and make our Zion a praise in the earth, and that he may bless your Grace and every member of the same with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, we remain your Grace's humble memorialists and faithful servants, Samuel Hay, V. of Ockbrook. Henry James Fielding, M.A., R. of Langley. Wm. G. Mayne, A.M., Clerk. Charles Rolfe, C. of South Normanton. Richard Hollings, C. of Barrow and Twyford. Henry Robert Crewe, M.A., R. of Breadsale. Edward Unwin, M.A., V. of St. Werburgh's, Derby. Richard Evans, C. of St. Werburgh's, Derby. Samuel Shipley, V. of Ashbourne and R. of Evan Thomas, Lecturer of Ashbourne. Henry Waine, M.A., P. C. of Parwich and Wm. Fletcher, M.A., Lecturer of All Saints, Wm. Dewe, B,A. C., of Weston-on-Trent. James Parker, M.A., C. of Wormhill. Richardson Cox, M.A., Incumbent of Tick- G. W. Lloyd, D. D., Minister of Church Henry Sim, M.A.. C. of Longford, 1 Matthew Tunstall, Incumbent of Belper and Turnditch. Joseph Holt, C. of Belper. Francis Thornburgh, M.A., C. of Belper. J. Edmund Carr, P. C. of Darley Abbey, Joseph Metcalfe, B.A., C. of Chaddesden. J. Maxwell Dunn, B.A., C. of Rosliton. |