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 ir(L 
 

 
 NOTES OF MEETINGS 
 
 OF 
 
 Cljt Clergj 0f tlje ^rtljbeacflnrg of Wortester, 
 
 MARCH, 1857. 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ^ Reverend the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Worcester. 
 
 ^^ Reveeend and dear Brethren, 
 
 "; The Meetings of the Clergy of this Archdeaconry, held at 
 
 .;J Stratford, Pershore, Worcester, and Kidderminster, on the 16th, 
 - 17th, 18th, and 19th ult., occupied altogether some fourteen 
 ^ hours, and were attended by about one hundred and fifty of the 
 ,o Clergy, of whom sixty-seven spoke. 
 
 "^ You are aware that our subject was, The best means of 
 ;^ " sustaining and extending the Missionary efforts of the Chm-ch, 
 ^ at Home and Abroad ; " but chiefly, "The Spiritual Necessities of 
 ^X^the People of this Land." 
 
 '- You also know that I had a reason for seeking your counsel at 
 - this time, arising out of my having been appointed a Member 
 :: of a Committee of Convocation, to which this subject hud been 
 "^ entrusted for deliberation.
 
 Independently, however, of that reason for holding these 
 Meetin<rs, I shall always remember them with pleasure and 
 thankfulness. They have elicited many valuable suggestions. 
 They have brought to light the concurrence of many minds on cer- 
 tain important points. 1'hoy have proved that intense earnestness 
 may declare itself without a word of party spirit, (of which not a 
 trace was discernible from the first day to the last) and that this 
 charity may be maintained without any compromise or suppres- 
 sion of honest convictions. Above all, I am thankful to remem- 
 ber that they have witnessed to the lively and more general 
 appreciation of the spiritual wants of om- Country, and to the 
 distinct recognition of this great truth, — That the conversion 
 of sinners ought to be much more zealously and faithfully sought 
 after by all possible means, and supplicated continually ft-om God. 
 
 T made Notes at the Meetings, and possibly it may be pleasant 
 and useful to some of my brethi-en to have a Digest of them. 
 There are hints amongst them, which need not wait for any new 
 organization, in order to their being carried into effect. 
 
 In arranging these Notes, I am not conscious of having omitted 
 a single suggestion; neither have I allowed myself to be influenced 
 by considering whether or no I concurred in what was recom- 
 mended. I have only attempted to throw them into a sort of 
 , order, and so leave them to be estimated according to theii- real 
 value. 
 
 In such a form, however, they are only dry skeletons, and I 
 heartily regret that some of them are not clothed with the life 
 and energy in which they were first presented to us, instinct with 
 "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." 
 
 No attempt is here made to mark what appears to myself to be 
 the comparative worth of these numerous and sometimes conflict- 
 ing suggestions, of various and independent minds. Some of them 
 were both reiterated, and hailed with expressions of approval ; 
 others were solitary recommendations, with Avhieh concurrence 
 was at least not expressed. I undertake no more than to dis- 
 
 o
 
 tinguish, by a somewhat larger type, the suggestions which 
 seemed to me to meet with the most acceptance. The rest un- 
 doubtedly appear to stand on an equality ; but I venture to say 
 generally, that I believe the most important subjects filled the 
 foremost place, being either most vigorously enunciated, or re- 
 peated by several speakers. 
 
 I remain, 
 
 Reverend and dear Brethren, 
 
 Your faithful Brother and Servant in Christ, 
 
 RICHARD B. HONE. 
 
 Halesoiven, near Birmingham, 
 2nd April, 1857. 
 
 Suggestions as to the best means of sustaining and 
 
 EXTENDING THE MISSIONARY EfFOKTS OF THE ChURCH, 
 
 at Home, and in Foreign Parts. 
 
 An Increase of the Episcopate in England and 
 Wales. 
 
 A Bishop to be set over every great Town, or Populous District. 
 
 Bishops to be very numerous, as in some parts of the ChurcJi 
 of Christ in early times, with small spheres, and with inconsider- 
 able incomes. 
 
 An increase of the Episcopate, with a proportionate increase of 
 the subordinate Offices in the Church. 
 
 ■ An Increase of the Colonial and Missionary Episcopate. 
 
 More Medical Missionaries. 
 
 More Theological Colleges in the Colonies. 
 
 An extensive Subdivision of Parishes. 
 
 Such a Subdivision as that no Parish shall have a greater 
 Population than 2,000.
 
 Further Subdivision, but made with caution, as possible to be 
 carried too far. 
 
 The Sale of Livings to be prohibited, or at least restrained. 
 
 Sittings in Parish Churches to be unappropriated, 
 and free to all. 
 
 Appropriation of Sittings only, not of whole Pews. 
 
 In Town Churches, where Seats are appropriated, that privi- 
 lege to be suspended at one Sunday Service, and the whole Church 
 to be at that time free. 
 
 More Churches. 
 
 Iron, or other temporary Churches. 
 
 "Ragged" Churches. 
 
 Preaching Places, (Mission Chapels) to be built 
 in great numbers, to meet the immediate wants of 
 rapidly increasing populations. 
 
 A considerable Increase of the number of the 
 Clergy. 
 
 Much more, and more effective, Preaching, to be 
 maintained on some recognized system ; as, by one 
 or more of the following plans : — 
 
 1. Colleges of Clergy in large Towns, licensed by 
 the Bishop, and in subordination to the Incum- 
 bents. 
 
 2. Colleges of Deacons or Subdeacons, with the like authority, 
 and under the like control. 
 
 3. Additional Curates, provided according to the wants of 
 Parishes. 
 
 4. The Clergy of small Parishes, having suitable 
 qualilications, to enrol themselves for service, 
 (a fortnight or more in a year) in populous 
 districts, on the application of Incumbents ; — 
 and each to be employed according to his gifts, 
 as in the Schools, Visiting, or Preaching.
 
 5. Dioeesau Preachers to be maintained, in connection with 
 the Cathedrals, ready for service wherever they may be 
 called. 
 
 6. Special Mission-Services to be held, with the aid of the 
 best-qualified Preachers, for the revival of religion. 
 
 7. Occasional extraordinary Services, as in Durham Cathedral. 
 
 8. An organization of Missionary Agency, by which every 
 Parish in a Diocese may be visited at regular intervals, 
 with the consent of the Incumbent, the object being the 
 efiectual awakening of the people ; according to the tried 
 plan of the Irish Home Mission, from 1832 to 1839. 
 
 More frequent Sei-\'ices. 
 
 Services at times chosen with reference to the habits and con- 
 venience of the people. 
 
 Shorter Services. 
 
 Services entirely new. 
 
 Services made attractive by the aid of Music. 
 
 A Special Service for Children. 
 
 Afternoon and Evening Communion. 
 
 Plainer and more familiar Preaching. Conversational Preach- 
 ing. 
 
 Open- Air Preaching. 
 
 Public Catechising. 
 
 Teaching with the help of Pictures, for illustration. 
 
 Yearly Confirmations. 
 
 Half-yearly, or even Quarterly Confirmations, when the Epis- 
 copate is sufficiently increased. 
 
 Godliness to be more carefully enquired into, as an essential 
 qualification for Holy Orders. 
 
 More Theological Colleges. 
 
 The University Course to be shortened, as regards its secular 
 subjects, to those who may declare their intention of ofiering them- 
 selves for Holy Orders, and the time thus gained to be devoted 
 to theological study in the University. 
 
 The University Course to be absolutely shortened to candi- 
 dates for Holy Orders. 
 
 Preachers in the Universities to be appointed to preach on 
 the Ministerial Office, and to direct those who have special gifts 
 to the service for which they are best sxiited, and for which 
 their peculiar talents ought to be cultivated.
 
 The Ordination of persons of inferior education to that now 
 required. 
 
 A Subdiacoiiate. 
 
 Tradesmen, and other persons in business, to be admissible to 
 the Order of Deacon and Subdeacon, without forsaking their 
 worldly calling. 
 
 A longer continuance in the Order of Deacons. 
 
 No Clergyman to be admitted to any Incimibency \mtil he 
 has been five years in Holy Orders. 
 
 Lay influence to be called into much more exercise. 
 
 Lay agency, by Scripture Readers. 
 
 The Services of Ladies to be more generally sought. 
 
 Brotherhoods and Sisterhoods, under proper control, and acting 
 as helpers to the Clergy in large Parishes. 
 
 Guilds. 
 
 Associations of young Men in Parishes, for specific active 
 service. 
 
 Laymen to be induced to undertake the work which does not 
 specially belong to the Ministerial Office. 
 
 Laymen to be licensed and encouraged to teach, or preach, in 
 rooms, or in the open air. 
 
 Communicants to be organized, as an agency for drawing the 
 people to Church. 
 
 Parish Clerks, better quahfied than is usual now, to be helpers 
 to the Pastor. 
 
 A Society of Sponsors to be formed from amongst the Com- 
 municants in each Parish, and to be ready to fulfil that office 
 when required to do so. 
 
 Sponsorship to be either revised, or abolished, as being at pre- 
 sent a frequent obstacle to the baptism of childi-en in populous 
 parishes. 
 
 Middle Schools to be generally established. 
 
 Church Discipline to be improved. 
 
 Prayers to be provided for the people to use in private, sup- 
 plicating the much wider diffusion of true religion and virtue. 
 
 Letters Qommendatory (such as are now given to Emigrants) 
 to be given lo those who migrate from the country into populous 
 places. Such letters to be addressed to the Clergy of the Dis- 
 tricts in which the bearers arc about to reside.
 
 Sympathy and Unity among tlie Clergy to be desired, prayed 
 for, cultivated, and promoted. 
 
 With a view to increased Unity, some special means to be 
 used, as, — 
 
 1. A Yearly Gathering of the Clergy at the Cathedral, with an 
 
 appropriate Sermon, and the Holy Communion. ; or 
 
 2. Smaller assemblages, first uniting in special prayer in pri- 
 vate, and then proceeding to a Public Service. 
 
 More Meetings of the Clergy, under an official head, for mu- 
 tual counsel. 
 
 Diocesan Synods. 
 
 Convocation to have more liberty of action. 
 
 A Reformed Convocation. 
 
 Improvement of the Dwellings of the Poor as 
 essential to the success of any efforts for their 
 spiritual good. 
 
 Suggestions as to the Provision of additional pecuniary 
 means for strengthening and sustaining the missions 
 OF THE Church at Home and Abroad. 
 
 The Weekly Offertory. 
 
 The same, — with an announcement of the object to which the 
 collection is to be appropriated, foUoAved by an acknowledge- 
 ment of the amoimt contributed, on the Church Doors. 
 
 An occasional Offertoiy. 
 
 The Offertory sometimes in the Evening. 
 
 In any of the above cases, the introduction of 
 the Offertory to to be made with the concurrence 
 
 of the Congregation. 
 
 Collections to be made, in every Parish, and un- 
 der authority, two, three, or four times a year, and 
 to be compulsory on the Clergy.
 
 8 
 
 The Objects of the Collections to be prescribed, 
 
 but the choice of the Channels, through which they 
 
 are aided, to be left to the Clergy. 
 
 Such General Objects might be, 
 
 i. Foreign and Colonial Missions. 
 
 ii. Home Missions. 
 
 iii. Church Building. 
 
 iv. Education. 
 
 Parochial Associations, or Committees, in aid of various Objects 
 or Societies. 
 
 Quarterly Meetings in Parishes. 
 
 Periodical Meetings in large Towns, in aid of Objects pre- 
 scribed by Episcopal letters ; these to be attended by Deputations. 
 
 The Circulation of accurate Statistics, shewing clearly the 
 wants for which provision is to be made. 
 
 The Appropriation to each Diocese of its own Surplus Epis- 
 copal and Cajjitular Revenues. 
 
 A more economical Management of the business of the Eccle- 
 siastical Commission, effecting a great saving in respect of Law 
 and Agency. 
 
 The Subdivision of Endo-vvments as Avell as of Parishes. 
 
 The Restoration to Parishes requiring fvirther Pastoral Assist- 
 ance, of the wliole impropriate Tithes, where they are held by 
 the Ecclesiastical Commission. 
 
 An Actual Assessment of the Tenths yearly, after the next 
 avoidance, in Parishes where the Endowment is above a certain 
 vahic.