S^Ld^VIM K-;"'^' . /■< - ';life'. %:" ^m^- :^x '^mm t%u^^^"^ m^-IH^^ L I B RARY OF THL U N I VER_S ITY or 1 LLl NOIS THE COMPLETION ^ - POLITY OF THE REFORMATION WORK OF THE 19th CENTURY. BY THE REY. EDWARD PHILLIPS, M.A, INCUMBENT OF ST. JIARK's, SURRTTON. SECOND EDITION, WITH FREE ACE. LONDON: BELL AND DALDY, YOEK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. • 1870. LONDON: PRINTED BT WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, DDKE STUEET, STAMFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS. i PREFACE. I HAVE been induced to republish, with a few omissions and necessary alterations, a pamphlet which has been out of print for some years, in the hope that some good may be done in helping, with others, to direct the thoughts of Churchmen into right channels in these critical times. It is now seven years since I ventured to indicate a course w^hich seemed to be one of safety for the Church, beset with many present dangers, and with many more impending over her. For many years the Church had been thiowing off the torpor of past generations, and was emerging into vigorous life. It did seem of no little importance that this renewed life should be brought under suitable constraint and guidance, in order that it might assume conditions of health, and that the seeds of disease, unquestionably existing, might not develope into chronic disorder, with the certainty of a fatal issue. Those seeds of disease have not remained dormant during a period of exceptional stir and excitement. The last seven years have produced changes both in Church and State, changes actually wrought, and changes in public opinion, with the prospect of early results, so startling that the mind can scarcely realize them in their sudden evolution. \Vho would have predicted seven years ago that household suffrage would now be a principle of the Constitution? — that one branch of the United Church of England and Ireland would now be disestablished? And who would venture to circumscribe the changes of the next seven years? Already organic changes in the Universities and House of Lords are foreshadowed ; and whilst the disestablishment of the Church of England herself is an absolutely settled point amongst sectarian bodies, it is sullenly recognised as all but settled by a large proportion of the members of the Church, and by one not uninflucntial section looked to as a desirable consummation. In real truth, what- ever might have been the prevailing feeling a few j'cars ago as to the security of the Established Chuich, none can shut their eyes to its present insecurity ; indeed, the possibility of maintaining the Esta- B 2 PREFACE. blishment. is one of the ciirrent questions of the day, and few would deny that to maintain it in its present disorganised state is simply an impossibility. The call, therefore, to the members of the Church at large to set their house in order is now the call of imperative neces. sity, if the only alternative is to be avoided — an alternative which few unprejudiced Englishmen can contemplate with serenity. And what is that altei-native ? It is nothing less than denationalizing the only national Chuich that was enabled at the Eefoimation to throw off the corruptions of the middle ages without losing her identity or damaging her integrity ; it is the repudiation, on the part of the nation, of the Church of St. Augustine, to which the nation owes its Christianity and its civilization, and which for twelve centuries has been intimately mixed up with the nation's history — to which the nation owes not only the circulation of the light of the Gospel through a land en- veloped in all but heathen darkness, but the revival of that light when it was wellnigh quenched by the mass of error and super- stition maintained by Papal authority, under which the Church and nation groaned ; and if it be a subject of rejoicing that the Papal yoke has been broken, it should be borne in mind that this deliverance was attained with the aid of the civil power, and to divorce the Church from the civil power is to undo the work already accomplished at so much cost — to further the designs of the Papacy, which is putting forth its utmost strength to regain the ascendancy in this country. It is impossible to shut one's eyes to what is going on elsewhere ; that, whilst the representative of the might and majesty of England is content with the modest title of " Defender of the Faith " — a title con- sistent with God's promise to His Church, that " kings should be her nursing fathers, and queens her nursing mothers ;" consistent with the responsibilit}'^ with which God has invested the Sovereign of England, who rules over a larger dominion than that which constituted the Empire of Eome in her palmiest days, when she assiimed the sove- reignty of the world — the modei-n occupant of the throne of Eome, who at least equals his heathen predecessors in arrogancy, is demanding the allegiance of all mankind, as Sovereign Dictator of the faith to all nations, and therefore to free England ; whilst histor}^ both past and present, represents him as the disturber of the peace of all nations, and no nation has more reason than England to testify to the truth of this latter representation, whilst protesting against the arrogant claim, now reiterated in the face of the world with an outward pomp of circumstance unparalleled. Is it at such a time as this that Englishmen can talk of dises- tablishment ? Is the voice of prophecy forgotten, which arose from the fires of martyrdom with which the Eefoimation was inaugurated ? A candle has been lighted in England that, by God's mercy, shall never be put out. And shall England now throw aside the candle- /^\ " iJl!Jr PREFACE. 3 stick upon which that light was lifted up— to which the Keformatiou luartyrs testified? Disestablishment of the Church of England, m the face of the pretensions now put forth by the Church of Eome ! i\Iay God arrest the thought of such infatuation ! Disestablishment, indeed ! The Church of Eome knows full well Avhat is the meaning of dis- establishment under the present circumstances of the Church, if wc were ignorant ; that it means disintegration, each section constituting a separate sect, and disintegration of the one religious body which is an effectual obstacle to the temporary success of Eomanism — the one body that can meet the Church of Eome on her own ground, that of tra- dition, ready to prove that she is more in accord with the primitive Church than is the Church of Eome, ready to prove that she is not only more Scriptural, but more Catholic. But we must acknowledge with shame that we have fallen short of our privileges, that in the past self-security and worldly prosperity were too productive of care- lessness and indolence, and now, in a day of sifting, we exhibit a sad spectacle of anarchy and division within the Church, whilst we can scarcely deny that we are as a body more responsible for the many secessions around us than the seceders themselves. We utterly, how- ever, deny the inference which is triumphantly thrown in our faces, that the Eeformation was a mistake, and has proved a failure. It was not a mistake, nor has it proved a failure, in so far as the purpose of the Eeformation was cairied out. It secured to the Church sound doctrine and sound principles of government, and the Church has adhered to this sound doctrine to this day. The mistake has been the not carrying into practical effect those principles of government which were intended to be embodied in fixed laws, and the failure therefore has been in the due maintenance of the necessary oider and discipline for carrying on the Church's work eftectively. What then ought avo to do ? Neither to show impatience nor despondency, but, like sensible people, seek, whilst there is time, to rectify our mistake and look for success to take the place of fiiiUue. As we owe the Eeformation, as far as it went, to the joint action of the Church and the State, so may we look to the same joint co-operation to give the country the benefit of a completed Eeformation. It was the object of the following pages to urge this course, as the course of wisdom and the course of safety ; and, however imperfectly I have fulfilled my purpose, I would fain hope that there are some points touched upon that are worthy the con- sideration of those who will bring greater knowledge and greater wisdom to their settlement. If no other good be etVectod, some good must be done by calling public attention to the valuable matter of the Eeports of the " Cathedral and Collegiate Church"' Commission of 18o2. What is at once wanted is the revival of that Coumiission. Most of the members of the Commission are still alive, and would lesume their work with a vastly enlarged experience, attained duiing the last B 2 4 PEEFACK. eventful decade, and supported by an irresistible force of public opinion in dealing with proved abuses, and in recommending what is deemed intrinsically best for the country, irrespective of private interests, with whatever high names or powerful classes associated. There is one essential condition for securing due weight to the decisions of the Commission, that it should contain a fair representation of the laity and parochial clergy. E. P. St. Mark's Vicarage, Surbiton, Dec. 8th, 1869. THE COMPLETION POLITY OF THE REFOEMATION. We live in an age of reform. With the growth of popular intelligence and power, there has been a gradual growth of popular influence upon the administration of public affairs, and a gradual adaptation of the institutions of the country to its requirements. Making allowance for occasional failures in legislation, through mistakes, or the perversity of political partisanship, we have cause to be thankful for the real improvement of the civil polity under which it is our privilege to live, for the removal of numberless abuses and corruptions in vtxrious departments of the State, for the softening of the penal code and the general purgation of the laws, for the pure admi- nisti'ation of justice, and for the high standard of ofScial integrity. The progress of Ecclesiastical Reform has been more slow, and less successful. SHll some progress has been made ; and of late years sounder principles have been recognised, than those which charac- terised the earlier changes of the present century. It is painful to look back upon some of those changes. In the year 1835 a Eoyal Com- mission was appointed for the purpose of inquiry into the state of the Church generally, and for the suggestion of measures for the improve- ment of the Church's efficiency. This was followed up by several Commissions in quick succession. Much valuable information was elicited by these Commissions. Amongst other facts, returns were published of Episcopal and Capitular Revenues, and also of the annual value of all livings throughout England and Wales. But the practical results of this ecclesiastical investigation were anything but satisfactory. The current of public opinion had been running very strongly against the Establishment ; the Cathedral bodies being hold in low esteem, from a prejudice that those bodies were maintained simply for the enjoyment of wealth and idleness ; whilst the Bishops were the especial mark of popular indignation, the part taken by the Spiritual Peers in the question of Parliamentary Reform having, doubt- less, stimulated the people's illwill. The Bishop of Bristol had been mobbed in the streets, and the Episcopal Palace of Bristol burnt by the populace; and so little secure was felt to be the position of the 6 COMPLETION OF THE Episcopal body, so little of public sympathy was felt to be with them, that the Prime Minister of the day could venture to warn the venerable Prelates, from his place in Parliament, to set their house in order. I will not dwell upon the ecclesiastical legislation of this period. It took place in the midst of panic, and bears the marks of fear rather than of iinfettered deliberation. I suspect that few of the eminent men who now adorn the Episcopal Bench would uphold the prin- ciple, or make themselves responsible for the results, of that legis- lation. The main object appears to have been to pacify popular feeling by making the large Capitular and Episcopal revenues avail- able for carrying into effect a veiy popular notion, the improvement of a large number of poor incumbencies already existing, and to furnish a moderate endowment to the many new churches springing up in populous districts without any endowment at all. In carrying out this notion, good in itself, of improving the condi- tion of the ill-paid portion of what is commonly styled the working clergy, the equally if not more important question was overlooked, how the working clergy could be made to work harmoniously, to the furtherance of the public good, instead of, by their independent and often contradictory action, stimulating division and strife, and so working for evil rather than for good. The Capitular revenues were the first to be dealt with, and they were dealt with most nnsparingly. Official incomes were reduced, and canonries suppressed ; but, whilst the Cathedral Establishments were impoverished, and their working staff diminished, not a single practical abuse was removed ; so that they were left just as much objects of public hostility as before. Eeform, as regarded the Cathedral Establishments, resolved itself into confiscation. The Episcopal funds were subjected to a no less revolutionary invasion. There was an entire redistribution of these funds, and, as in the case of the Cathedral Establishments, without adding in the least to the efficiency of the Episcojjate. There was this distinction in dealing with the Episcopal body, that, if little account was taken of its spiritual influences, great account was taken of its temporal interests. The following is a return made to the Commission of 1835, of the net incomes of the Archbishops and Bishops on three years' average, ending December, 1831 : — Canterbury £19,182 York 12,629 London 13,929 Durham 19,066 Winchester 11,151 St. Asaph 6,301 Bangor 4,464 Bath and Wells 5,946 Bristol 2,351 Carlisle 2,213 Chester 3,261 Chichester 4,229 St. David's 1,897 YAj £11,105 Exeter 2,713 Gloucester 2,282 Hereford 2,516 Lichfield and Coventry .. 3,923 Lincoln 4,542 Llandaff 924 Norwich 5,395 Oxford 2,648 Peterborough 3,103 Rochester 1,459 Salisbury 3,939 Worcester 6,569 This gives a total of 157,737Z. as the amount of the Episcopal revenues of that period. These revenues have since increased. The POLITY OF THE ItEFOliMATlON. 7 total net revenues ujDon an average of seven years, ending December 31, 1843, was more than 164,000?* The course pursued with reference to this fund was to reduce the incomes of the richer sees, and to raii^e those of the poorer, /. e. about one-half, up to what was deemed the peerao-e standard; so that, after allotting distinguishing incomes to certain sees 15,000Z. a year to Canterbury', 10,OOOZ. to York and Lundon, 8000?, to Durham, and 7000Z. to Winchester, the remainder of the sees were endowed with an average of something less than 5000Z. a year. Much scandal was created by the enormous sums expended upon Episcopal palaces, and not a little by the fixing as a rule the Bishop's residence at a distance from his Cathedral. With reference to the first ground of complaint, I make the follow- ing statement from a letter of the late Sir B. Hall (afterwards Lord Llanover) : — "Within a very few years GO,OO0Z. has been expeuded on tlie palace of I,ambeth, and I48,014Z. on the Episcopal residences and demesnes of eight dioceses; whilst in these eight dioceses only 5259Z. could be found for the benefit of the working clergy, by the augmentation of small livings. In these eight sees there are 85 livings under 50Z., and 417 livings between 50Z. and lOGl. a year." With reference to the second ground of complaint, I quote from an admirable letter from the late Bishop of Exeter to a more recent Commission : — "I am not aware of any mode of rendering more effective the imion of the Diocesan with his Cathedral, excepting the obvious one of providing Episcopal houses near the Cathedral, where there are none ; and making fit for residence those that are not fit. But I may be permitted to express my satisfaction at seeing the attention of Her Majesty's present Commission given to this important object ; the more so, because the Ecclesiastical Commissioners seem to have regarded this matter as of no moment. In the instance of Gloucester and Bristol, two sees having each an Episcopal house close to the Cathedral, tlie residence of tlie BishojJ has been fixed at a considerable distance even from the Cathedi-al which is nearest to it ; and this at a cost which it is painful to remember. " At Lincoln, where there are most venerable remains of the ancient Episcopal palace, and a site and grounds most salubriously and beautifully situated close to the Cathedra], a vast expenditure was incurred in providing a residence for the Bishop at the distance of two or tliree miles from the Cathedral. " In neither of the two new sees of llipon and Manchester has a house been provided near to the Cathedi'al. "At Eochester, the old Episcopal residence, being several miles distant from the Cathe*lral, has been exchanged for one much more remote. But tliis is accounted for by the limits of the diocese having been so extended, as in effect to cut it off entirely from the Cathedral city, which is at the extreme verge of the existing diocese. " At Worcester, an old and excellent palace, close to the Cathedral, has been assigned to the Dean, and the residence of the Bishop permanently fixed at his country mansion. This arrangement may, perliaps, te deemed to need revision, when a change of incumbents shall make it unobjectionable. " At Durham a similar measure has been adopted, the Episcopal palace tliere having been given to the uses of the University. In reference to this see I would venture to suggest the expediency of hereafter, when vacancies shall permit, removing the residence of the Bishop from Auckland Castle, ten miles distant from Durham, to the Deanery, which would give to the Bishop one of the best ecclesiastical houses * This (loos Hot iuclinlc Sudor and Man, fho rot urn for which see was 2555/. 8 COMPLETION OF THE in England. Tlie Dean might receive in excliange one of tlie houses at present assigned to the Canons, several of which would be of sufficient size and character for such an appropriation. ' There had been a call on the part of many earnest-minded members of the Church for an increase in the number of Bishops, to meet the vast increase of the population. This demand was met by the creation of two new sees, Eipon and Manchester ; but to effect this Bristol was merged in Gloucester, and, incredible as it seems, it was settled to suppress Sodor and Man altogether. Sodor and Man was an anomaly according to the idea of Episcopal Commissioners at that time, it wanted the assumeil requisite of an English Bishopric, a peerage ; and so this see, dear to true Churchmen, as having been held by the model Bishop of the English Church, Bishop Wilson, must be suppressed. This outrage, however, was prevented, mainly through the determined resist- ance in the House of Lords of the noble Lord Powis. Practically there was but one Bishop added to the Episcopate ; and to secure the finality of this settlement, all moneys derivable hereafter from Epis- copal revenues, beyond what was requii-ed to meet the conditions of the settlement referred to, were to be transferred to the common fund for the improvement of small livings. It would really almost seem that the great object of this reforming effort was, after pacifying the people by the sacrifice of a large portion of the Cathedral endowments, without the removal of a single abuse of administration, to improve the temporal position of the Episcopal body, as a whole, and to make the spiritual office as subordinate as possible. The Bishop was a great State functionary, and member of the House of Lords. This dignity must be sustained at any rate ; 4500Z. a-year, with a country mansion, were the essentials. His relation to the Cathedral chapter, or to the clergy of the diocese, was of small comparative consideration. I now gladly turn from the early and hasty acts of modern Church Eeformers to the wiser and more consistent deliberations of a more recent date, although these deliberations have not yet resulted in legis- lative enactments. There may be one good i-esult from the reckless- ness of the changes which have taken place, — the wholesale confiscation of corporate funds, and their transference to objects quite different from those for which they were originally intended, the suppression of dignitaries, the infinite alterations in the disposition of public and official patronage ; there may, I say, be one good result of the startling policy alluded to, that its boldness, at least, can be no ground of pre- judice against any future line of policy which may be deemed expedient for the interests of the Church. Since 1835 the Church has gone through a fearful crisis. At a period of religious deadness and apathy, Whitfield and Wesley came forth from the University of Oxford as the champions of evangelical truth, and with a zeal which no opposition could check stirred up the hearts of their fellow- countrj^men to an appreciation of the simple preaching of the Gospel ; so when, at a more recent period, open disaffection to the Church was extensively manifested, there were not wanting in both our Universities fervid spirits to meet POLITY or THE REFORMATION. 9 the special necessities of the times. In 1833 a small band of University men (with the exception of the Christian Advocate of Cambricl"-e, H. J. Rose, belonging to Oxford), united together for the defence of the Church's teaching and discipline. The reaction in the country- was, perhaps, unparalleled ; but, as in the case of the earlier movement just referred to, so in the case of what is called " the Oxford move- ment," those who held ride in the Church were not equal to the emer- gency, were not able to guide and utilise the zeal that was called into action. In the one case, the movement resulted in the great Weslej'au schism, and other sectarian divisions ; and in the other case, there was a considerable defection to the Church of Rome — a defection dis- tinguished more by the position and high personal qualities of those who left the Church than by their numbers.* Both these movements, though entailing upon the Church the loss of much piety and zeal, which could be ill-spared, yet left their permanent impression for good. The last movement has led many to investigate the principles of the Church, and consequently has led to the spread of the knowledge and appreciation of those principles. It has led, moreover, to practical Church work — to the multiplication of churches to an extent unknown since the Reformation, and to a great improvement in their character and arrangement ; to the spread of Church education ; and, what is still more important, it has led to eiforts for the improvement of the Church's organization ; to a wonderful development of the Colonial Episcopate, with unrestricted synodal action ; and in our own country to a revival of the deliberative powers of Convocation. It is the improvement of her organization which is the Church's gi'eat want at the present time, both for the development of her own spiritual life, and for protection against her enemies ; to Christianise the mass of practical heathenism nominally within her pale, and to resist the aggressive attacks of Romanist and Protestant sectarianism. The population has outgrown the machiner}' of the Church; but, what is of more serious consequence, that machinery is out of gear, and whilst that is the case, it is of little use to add to its power and complexity. More churches and more clergy are wanted ; but what is especially wanted is, more rule and order — more supervision — therefore, a more adequate controlling power to combine and direct the subordinate agencies of the Church. In the present disoiganised state of the Church, the multiplication of chiirches and clergy may lead to great disappointment as to the result. The first thing is, to put the existing machinery of the Chtirch inlo working order, and then the extension of the machinery ma}^ be expected to tell beneficially. * Contemporaneous with the Oxford movement was tliat attack upon the Enejlish Church on the part of the Pope of Kome, which went by the name of the " Papal Aggi-ession," the Pope having divided this country into various sees, over which bishops were placed with local titles, Cardinal Wiseman being the legate, with the title of Archbishop of Westminster. For a time the country was thrown into a state of great excitement. The No-Popery cry was raised ; party spirit was stirred up both within and without the Church, and even experienced statesmen were driven from their propriety. This excitement, combined with the puerilities displayed, not by the leaders, but by some of the followers in the Oxford movement, brought upon this move- ment much undeserved obloquy, and blinded the eyes of the public to the importance of the principles it sought to set forth and illustrate. 10 COMPLETION OF THE There are aboxit 20,000 clergy, as a body the best-educated in the country, with a higher standard of morals than any body of the same numbers in this or any other country, and, moreover, as a body pos- sessing considerable wealth, quite independently of their professional incomes. Now, does the influence of the clergy at all correspond to the conditions referred to ? Certainly not. And why not ? Simply because it is comparatively without discipline. There is little unity of purpose or action. Instead of acting with the combined force of an army, there is all the weakness of an irregular body, recognising no authority, each following his own individual caprice ; and it ought not to be lost sight of, that this disorganization has a tendency to increase fi-om the increase of unendowed incumbencies, where the clergy are dependent in a great degree upon their personal popularity — their pro- fessional income being entirely derived from pew-rents. Congrega- tionalism is, in fact, rapidly superseding all Church authority ; instead of the Bishop being a centre of unity for a diocese, each Minister beino- the centre of unity to the congregation v/hom he is able to attract to his church or chapel. If this tendency is to develope, it is easy to perceive that the Church will become actually weaker by extension. What is really wanted in the Church is government. This want has been more or less, experienced ever since the Eeformation ; but in these last times has been more strongly manifested, as complete liberty of conscience has become a recognised principle. The fact is, that the Reformation was never completed. Catholic truth had been cleared from the additions and corruptions by which it had been overlaid through the power of the Papacy ; the reformation of doctrine had been accomplished, but the arrangements for keeping the truth alive — for maintaining the order and discipline of the Church — were arrested in their progress. The Beformatio Legum, though drawn up for the settlement of the Church's polity, was never carried into effect. It was the design of Cranmer greatly to enlarge the Episcopate, and to perfect the Cathedral establishments, over which the Bishops were placed ; making them, amongst other things, schools for training up the clergy, both in theological knowledge and in the practical work of the pastor's office, immediately under the eye of the Bishop, the chief pastor. Provision was made both for Diocesan and Provincial Synods, by which the rulers of the Church were to be kept acquainted with the state of those portions under their respective jurisdictions, and assisted in strengthening what was right and remedying what was wrong. This design, however, was frustrated by Cranmer's death, and has never been resumed. The Church has gone on, exhibiting various phases of prosperity, but never realising her theory of Divine government, until it seemed that the very idea of discipline was dying out. Circumstances have, however, stirred up the minds of many to a sense of shame at the unreality of the Church's position as the National Church, as well as to a sense of fear for her stability as the National Church ; for in this restless age she cannot expect to retain that position unless she can adapt herself to the wants of the nation, and get a hold upon the affections of the nation. The desire has been POLITY OF THE REFORMATION. 11 growing, and spreading upwards amongst those in authority, to render the Church efficient for her proper work, and, in any measures of reform, to follow the lines of the Great Reformation, to carry on and complete the purpose of Cranmer, as regards the external polity of the Church, so far as it is suited to the times, the mainspring of that polity being an adequate loorlcimj Episcopate. It is with great satisfaction that I call attention to a Eoyal Com- mission issued in 1852. The following are the objects specified : — " To inquire into the state and condition of the several cathedral and collegiate churches in England and Wales, and into the duties of the members and ministers thereof, and other matters connected therewith, ■with a view to the suggestion of such measures as (regard being had to the purposes for which such cathedral and collegiage churches were originally founded) may render the same more efficient and useful in promoting and extending the means of public worship and religious education, and in enforcing ecclesiastical discipline in the several dio- ceses in which they are situate ; and also (where occasion may seem to require) with a view to the suggestion of such measures as may make the said cathedral and collegiate churches, and the revenues thereof, available in aid of the erection of new sees, or of other arrangements for the discharge of Episcopal duties." Nothing can be move satisfactory than the selection of the Commis- sioners, and nothing can be more full, and fair, and candid than the manner in which the inquiry entrusted to the Commissioners was cai'- ried out.* Three Eeports were the result of this Commission, the final one printed in 1855. These Eeports contain a large amount of very valuable and interesting information, and many valuable suggestions ; and it would be a great advantage to the Church if the contents could be more generally known. Besides a survey of the history of the Cathedral corporations, aud of Episcopacy in connexion with these corporations, and various communications, both from Cathedral Chapters and from Bishops, these Eeports contain a large body of statistics having reference to the subject-matter of inquiry. I will only advert to a few points, with a view to a practical suggestion which I would venture to make. In the first place, we learn from these Eeports that the Cathedral is the parish church of the diocese, and the Bishop is the chief pastor of the diocese, and, by inference, ought to be identified with the Cathedral, where is his throne, and where, surrounded by his council, the Chapter, he ought to reside, maintaining in the mother-church the highest type of worship, and from this centre diffusing spiritual life and vigoiir to the subordinate churches of the diocese, keeping alive the regular wor- ship of God, in the first place, and as the chief pastor (the pastor pas- * The following is a list of the Commissioners, in addition to the two Archbishops and the Bishop of London : — Marquis of Blandford (now Duke of Marlborough), Earl of Ilarrowby, Bishop of Oxfoi'd (now Bishop of Winchester), Sir .John Dodson, Sir W. Page Wood (now Lord Chancellor), Dr. Wordsworth (now Bishop of Lincoln), Dr. Hook (now Dean of Chichester), the Rev. J. Jackson, M.A. (now Bishop of London), and Rev. W. Selwyn, B.D. 12 COMPLETION OF THE torum) exercising personal watchfulness over those who are employed in the pastoral office under him. Of course, such a personal supervision of a diocese implies that a diocese ought to he of manageable propor- tions ; and that is just what our modern dioceses are not. It is almost needless to show how utterly impossible it is for the present Bishops, with their overwhelming dioceses, and secular duties imposed upon them as Peers, in addition to their spiritual duties, to realise the epi- scopal office. As to personal intercourse with the vast multitudes for whose souls they are responsible, their personal intercourse with their clergy is next to nothing ; and yet, if there be any hope of healing the miserable divisions in the Church, and bringing the discordant ele- ments of a professing Churchmanship into something like harmony, that hope rests in the establishment of the Divine rule of government — the MORAL influence of a spiritual aristocracy, the elite of the clergy, who, by their intellectual and moral qualities, have proved their superiority over their brethren before being made their superiors in position, as Fathers in God, the sphere of their rule being only such as is commensurate with the reasonable possibility of accurate personal supervision. There is a letter printed in the Appendix to the First Eeport, from Dr. Kaye, the late Bishop of Lincoln (in his day the Nestor of the University of Cambridge, to whose wisdom and prudence all looked up), urging upon the Commissioners the subdivision of dioceses. The following passage occurs in this letter :— " I am of opinion that the erection of new sees and the subdivision of dioceses is a measure urgently needed. The diocese from which I write (Lin- coln) is a striking illustration of this need. Eeduced though it has been from its former limits, it contains 822 parishes, or ecclesiastical districts (612 in Lincolnshire, 210 in Notts), in an area of 3448 square miles. This is a district which it is impossible to superintend, with due attention to the circumstances, wants, and condition of each parish, and its pastor; and a Bishop who should wish to pi-each in every church in the diocese, and should devote one Sunday to each parish, would require more than fifteen years to make the circuit. The result of this disproportionate size of a diocese to the powers of any one man is, that there cannot be confidential and intimate communication be- tween the Bishop and his clergy; that many of the most deserving clergy are imappreciated and unknown ; that confirmations are less frequent than the}' ought to be ; and that the Bishop, instead of being looked upon by the laity as their chief pastor, is known only as a state officer — rarely seen by any, by many never — who has to perform certain functions at distant intervals." From the First Report we learn, that in the time of William the Conqueror the population of this country was about 1,250,000, and that the number of sees in England and Wales at that time amounted to 21, In Henry the Eighth's reign the poiDulation had increased to about 4,000,000, and it was intended to erect 20 additional sees, and to increase the number of Bishops still further, by the addition of about 26 Suffragans; so that, at the time of the Eeformation, about 70 Bishops were not deemed too many for a population of 4,000,000. POLITY OF THE REFORMATION. 13 Only 6 sees were actually erected, making the number of Bishops 27 — 1 less than our present number, when our population exceeds 20,000,000. The actual number, according to the Census of 18G1, is 20,061,725. To bring up the number of Bishops to the actual stand- ard of the Eeformation, which was then not deemed sufficiently high, the number ought to be 135. The population of London alone is now more than half the population of England and Wales in the time of Henry VIII. ; and the spiritual and moral supervision of this population, which will be increased by another half-million at the next avoidance of Winchester, is left to the responsibility of one man, who has, in addition to this enormous spiritual charge, to perform, during six months in the year, laborious parliamentary duties. If Episcopacy is to be anything more than a name, such a state of things ought not to be allowed to remain. In no other Christian country is there such a disproportion between the population and number of spiritual overseers. In France, accord- ing to the Reports before me, there is a Bishop to 400,000 souls ; in Bavaria, a Bishop to 300,000 ; in Austria, a Bishop to 358,000 ; in Spain, a Bishop to 203,000 souls; in Portugal, a Bishop to 113,000; in Sardinia, a Bishop to 110,000; in the Two Sicilies, a Bishop to 100,000 souls. Sweden, with about 3,000,000, has 13 sees. Free Greece, with less than 1,000,000 people, has 24 sees. The Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America has about 1800 clergy, and 32 Episcopal sees ; indicating that, as in a Protestant Church there is more freedom of opinion than in either the Greek or Roman Churches, so there is need of more moral control to prevent the development of allowable differences of opinion into party division. Whilst in England, in 1835, there were 11,728 benefices, and about 18,000 clergy, there were, and are still, only 28 Episcopal sees — a less number than the American Church has for only 1800 clergy! At the present time there is one Bishop to 752,202 souls, with the average charge of more than 700 clergy ! Why should this strange anomaly be allowed to remain ? Why should the Church of England be an exception to all other Churches ? Why should the Church of the richest country in the world, to her grievous detriment, to the subversion of all order, to the destruction almost of her corporate character, be allowed to have a fewer propor- tionate number of spiritual rulers than is maintained in the poorest countries? Strange as this anomaly may be, the reason for it is stranger — that our spiritual rulers have double responsibilities, and double cares, and double duties. Our spiritual rulers are also (un- fortunately for the Church, in some respects) temporal rulers, and have to bear the cares of the State as well as of the Church. Our Bishops are Peers of Parliament. Without a doubt, the great difficulty in the way of adapting the Episcopate to the exigencies of the Church arises from the identifica- tion of the Episcopal office with the Peerage, and the high standard to which recent legislation has raised Episcopal incomes. This difficulty evidently hampers the Commissioners. The necessity for an increase 14 COMPLETION OF THE of the number of Bishops is admitted : where the necessary funds are to come from is not so apparent. They say very little upon that part of their inquiry, how far the Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, and the revenues thereof, may be made available for the erection of new sees. A large proportion of these revenues had been appropriated (it might be said, misappropriated) to the improvement of small livings, not in connexion with the several Cathedrals, but in all parts of England and Wales. The Commissioners cannot urge any further deductions. They recommend that in some cases the office of Bishop and Dean be combined. Coadjutor Bishops are also recommended under certain circumstances, as when Bishops are incapacitated from age or infirmity. The plan of Suffragan Bishops, adopted at the time of the Eeformation, and subsequently laid aside, does not find much favour. There is a decided objection, and with reason, to Bishops of different ranks. In point of fact, these Suffragans would be Suffragans to Suffragans. The main recommendation of the Commissioners is, that a Permissive Act should be passed, empowering the Sovereign to subdivide dioceses, and erect new sees, when s^ifficient funds can he obtained, both for the endowment of the new sees, and the provision of suitable Episcopal residences — public subscriptions being depended upon for assistance in carrying out this arrangement. There has just been a recommendation to the same effect from a Committee of the Lower House of Convocation. I should be sorry to cast any imputation upon the Commission of 1852. The Church and the country are under great obligation to the members of this Commission for the conscientious fulfilment of their duty. Besides the mass of important facts collected by them, there is the valuable body of suggestions which I have printed in an Ap- pendix ; and if their recommendation, with reference to the increase of the Episcopate, though bearing upon the vital principle upon which the efficacy of the whole Church system depends, seems to fall short of the occasion, every allowance is to be made for the position of the great proportion of the Commissioners, who, although not sympathising with the previous legislation, the result of the Commission of 1835, could scarcely adopt a course directly condemnatory of that legislation. But we poor clergy, who want the sympathy and guidance of our superiors in intellect and moral power to help and encuurage us in our difficult vocation, and who do not so much appreciate that unap- proachable superiority of rank which, clothed in purple and fine linen, dazzles without enlightening or warning us, are not bound by the same delicacy of feeling. We cannot help expressing our sorrow at the arrangements of the Episcopate, sanctioned by recent legislation, and our hope that these arrangements will be speedily amended. Looking at the amount of the Episcopal and Capitular Eevenues, as applicable to the rule and administration of the Church, and con- sidering how large a proportion these revenues bear to the total revenues of the Church, is it fair to call for contributions from the people for this purpose (the rule and administration of the Church), important as it may be, without an effort to make the existing revenues POLITY OF THE REFORMATION. 15 go as far as tliey may be reasonably expected to go, with all due con- sideration for the dignity, as well as for the piactical efficiency, of the ruling body ? The total revenues of 26 cathedral and 2 collegiate churches, in 1852, was 313,005?. 2s. Qcl, and, deducting the sum of 42,827Z. 8s. l^t?., paid over to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the available revemie was 270,177Z. 13s, \Q\d. Add to this 164,000/., as a low estimate of Episcopal revenues (net), and we get a total of 434,1 77Z. 13s. lOicZ. — nearly half a million for the maintenance of the Bishops and their Cathedral establishments. I do not say, fur a moment, that this is too large an expenditure for the efficient government of the Church. On the contrary, I do not think that the Church will gain so much by deducting 43,000Z. from the Cathedrals, as b}^ more consistently employing this money in developing the proper uses of Cathedrals ; but I do say — and I believe that the best friends of the Church will agree with me — that Avith such revenues the spiritual government of the Church ought to be more efficient than it is. It is a mockery to say that these revenues will not adequately and consistently sustain more than twenty-seven Bishops, and that, if the Church requires more, she must supply more funds, and that, until more funds are forthcoming, even the commonest episcopal function must be largely neglected, and when performed, commonly so performed as to do more harm than good to the general population. In the principle of Confirmation, or the admission to full communion by the chief pastor of candidates duly prepared by the parochial clerg}', is involved the Christian education of the people, and yet few comparatively partake of this rite ; and when, at "distant intervals," the "state officer" does appear at some central town, to " perform that function," to which town candidates are brought in crowds from the surrounding parishes, the result is too often more scandalous than edifying. The Church is both able and willing to find funds fur better pastoral superintendence, and would second, I have no doubt, in a large and sacrificing spirit, any honest legislative effort for this end ; but, seeing that the new standard of a Bishop's income represents a capital sum of about 150,000Z., indepen- dently of an Episcopal palace, the Church can hardly bo expected to sub:roved by the Cathedral Commissioners. Duties of Canons Non-Residentiaey. That they shall attend the Annual Meeting of the Greater Chapter, and any special meeting summoned by the Bishop, except when prevented by reasonable causes. That they p)reach from time to time in the Cathedral Church, according to a Cycle already established, or to be hereafter settled by the Dean and Chapter, with consent of tlie Bishop (saving any existing rights of appointment). That every Canon performing the above duties shall receive, wherever pro- vision can be made for the purpose, an annual payment from the Capitular Funds. Duties of Minor Canons. 1. That the Minor Canons take such parts of Divine Service on Sundays and weekdays as may be assigned to them by the Chapter. 2. That inasmuch as Minor Canons will in many cases succeed to Capitular Benefices, arrangements be made, where practicable, by the Dean and Chapter, for their assisting in the discharge of pastoral duties in the city and hamlets. Religious Education. That in all Cathedrals where the Grammar-School is a part of the original foundation, and suiEcient funds can be provided, an endowment of not less than 15U/. per annum be assigned to the Head-Master, with a commodious house, rent-free, for the reception of boarders ; and where there is a second master, that an endowment of not less than 100/. per annum, with a house, rent-free, for the reception of boarders, be assigned to him. That the boys on the foundation in the Grammar-School should be entitled to a liberal education free of expense. Tliat rewards be given to the most deserving scholars ; and that, if possible, such Grammar-Schooi should have one or more exhibitions annually to one of the Universities. Tiiat there should be connected with every Cathedral a school in which the Choristers of the church should receive a sound religious, liberal, and useful education, in addition to their musical training ; and that they should receive an apprentice-fee on quitting the Choir with the approbation of the Chapter, exce]jt in the case of their receiving an exhibition to the University. That for admission to the Choristers' School preference be given to such boys as are likely to be afterwards fit to pursue their studies in the Grammar-School (where such exists), to which, if duly qualified, they should have right of admis- sion, in case of vacancy, as foundation boys. That tlie superintendence of each of the schools be committed to the special care of tlie Dean or one of the Canons Residentiary as guardian of the school, who should examine l)oys for admission, and also examine the scholars, either by himself or deputy, once at least in every half-year, and make periodical reports on its state to the Chapter and Bishop of the Diocese. Theological Colleges. That it would be advantageous to religion and learning if, in each of the two [ rovinccs, a certain number of theological seminaries were Ibrmed or restored. Diocesan Inspection. That, where it is practicable, one of the Canons be assistant to the Bishop in the work of Diocesan education. 30 COMPLETION OF THE III. LAY MEMBERS AND OFFICERS. Organist. That in every Cathedral an adequate salary be provided for the organist, with a house rent-free within the precincts, where it may be practicable. Lay Vicars or Clerks. 1. That suitable stipends, rising with length of service, be paid to the Lay Vicars or Clerks. 2. That (saving existing interests) the Corporation of Lay Vicars be dissolved, in the manner proposed with respect to the corporations of Minor Canons. 3. That, if possible, a fund be established for retiring pensions. 4. That it be a condition in the appointment of Lay Clerks that they be under the control of tlie Precentor, with respect to singing in other places than the Cathedral Church. 5. That the Lay Clerks be removable at six months' notice, or, in case of grave misconduct, immediately, with consent of the Bishop. Choristers. That the choristers be placed under the spiritual care of one of the Canons. Also, that the Rule No. 4 (under the head of Lay Clerks) be applicable also to the Choristers. Bedesmen. 1. That the bedesmen discharge their statutable duties, and, where it is possible, their stipends be increased. 2. That they be removable for grave misconduct by the Dean and Chapter, with consent of the Crown, where the Crown has the appointment. 3. That they be placed under the spiritual charge of one of the Canons. IV. FABRIC. That a fund be set apart from the Capitular revenues of each Cathedral, which shall be sufScient for the repairs of the fabric of the Cathedral Church and the Capitular Buildings, the Chapter having power to borrow money for great emergencies. That all Cathedrals should be open to the public, free of charge, for inspection, &c., at seasonable hours. V. CAPITULAR PROPERTY AND REVENUE. 1. Expenses of Capitular Establishments. incomes of deans and canons. That the annual income of every Deanery in England be not less than 1500Z., and the income of every Canon Residentiary not less than 750?. ; and that a corresponding increase be made to the Deaneries and Canonries in Wales. 1. That inasmuch as by the Act 3 & 4 Vict. c. 113, s. 49, and 4 & 5 Vict, c. 39, s. 6, it is provided, that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners shall receive for ever3'- susjiended Canonry all the dividends and emoluments thereto belonging, " in like manner as the holder of such Canonry, or his successor, would have been entitled to receive the same:" In future the Ecclesiastical Commissioners be entitled to receive for each suspended Canonry in any Cathedral (the revenues of which Canonry are now or hereafter may be payable to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners) a payment equal to the average revenue of such Canonry for the last fourteen years. 2. That all the improved revenue derived or to be derived from the Capitular property by enfranchising copyholds, sales of reversions, and purchases of lease- POLITY OF THE REFORMATION. 31 hold interests, be invested for the benefit of the several Cliapters, the interest to be applied hereafter towards the augmentation of Capitular incomes and the im- provement of Cathedral institutions ; provided always, that no present member of any Chapter shall derive any increase of revenue from this fund. 3. That for every Canonry augmented, or partly augmented, according to the proposed new scale, the payment to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for one suspended Canonry be augmented equally at the same time ; and so on, till the payments for all the suspended Canonries are so augmented. INCOMES OF MINOR CANONS AND OTHER MEMBERS, AND VARIOUS EXPENSES. 1. That the stipends of Minor Canons should increase with the length of service. That when the office of Pi'ecentor is held by a Minor Canon, he receive an addition of 50?. to his income, and be constantly resident. 2. That an estimate of the amount required annually, for the purposes here- after recited, and other necessary expenses, be prepared by each Chapter, and laid before the Cathedral Commissioners for their approval; and a certain fund set apart for each purpose, viz. : — A. Incomes of Canons Non-Residentiary, Schoolmasters, Minor Canons, and other Members ; Expenses of Choir, Schools, «&;c. ; Retiring Pensions and Apprentice Fees for Choristers ; according to the recommendations under the several heads of our Report. B. Repairs of the fabric of the Cathedral Church, and of the Capitular buildings ; the Chapter having the power to borrow money on the Special Fabric Fund for great emergencies. 3. That an annual statement of accounts be prepared by the Chapter, and laid before the Greater Chapter at the Annual Meeting. 4. That any variations which may hereafter be reciuired in the apportionment of revenue to various purposes be laid before the Bishop and the Greater Chapter, and sanctioned by the Archbishop of the province. 2. Management and Improvement of Property, and Augmentation of Vicarages. That the Permissive Acts of 1851 and 1854 (so far as they relate to Capitular Property), be continued in force for seven years from the end of the present Session of Parliament. That, except in special cases, the reversions of Capitular tithe rent-charges be not sold, but that they be brought into hand gradually by means of the sums received for the reversion of lands, manors, and houses. That the Chapters be allowed to mortgage a particular rent-charge, for the purpose of meeting an emergency. Tiiat on the renewal or expiration of a tithe lease, provision be made (if neces- sary and jiracticalilc) for permanently augmenting the Vicarage. That the Chapiters be empowered, with consent of the Estates Commissioners, to assign jiortions of funded property, as well as lands, in augmentation of Vicar- ages, or towards building of Parsonage-houses. That all the surplus revenue obtained from the estates of York, Carlisle, Peter- borough, and Chester, and any other Chapters which have made, or may iiereafter make, similar transfers, be held in reserve (according to the provisions of the Act of 16 Sz 17 Vict. c. 35) until the estimate of expenditure for each Cathedral has been sanctioned by the Cathedral Commissioners. 32 POLITY OF THE ItEFORMATION. VI. ERECTIO^T OF NEW SEES, AND OTHEE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF EPISCOPAL DUTIES. New Sees. 1. That a Permissive Bill should be framed and introduced into Parliament (similar to the Act 31 Hen. VI II, c. 9) empowering your Majesty and your Majesty's successors to divide any diocese, under certain conditions of territory and population ; and with the consent of the Bishop, where it is proposed to effect the division before the avoidance of the See. 2. That in no case should a new see be erected, unless a sufficient income, with a suitable residence, be provided. 3. That the funds for these pui'poses might be provided partly by local contributions, or out of episcopal property now in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. 4. That powers be given in the enabling Act to allow your Majesty, upon advice of the Cathedral Commission, to authorise from time to time the union of the offices of Bishop and Dean. Certain places may be mentioned as offering special claims and facilities for the creation of additional Bishoprics. Among the foremost of these we would enumerate — St. Columb (for Cornwall). Westminster. Gloucester and Bristol (to be again made independent Sees). Southwell. That there are other places in which it is desirable that new Sees should be founded. Other Arrangements for the Discharge of Episcopal Duties. That a general Statute should be framed, enabling your Majesty, after due inquiry by a Commission specially appointed for that purpose, to recommend a person to be elected Coadjutor, cum jure successionis, to a Bishop, in case of such Bishop requiring such aid and relief, hy reason of advanced age or protracted infirmity, and being ready to surrender a portion of his Episcopal income in favour of such Coadjutor. LONDON : PKIKTED BX WILLUM CLOWES AND SONS, DUKE STKEET, STAMFORD SIliEET, AND CHAUING CitOSS. i .^a ■'1 «^&si ^;* ,4^3^ r,^