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meet it resolutely . '' We are not , we are free to confess , entirely disinterested in our wishes for a disjunction of Church and State . As ministers of Christ we desire it from principle , but we desire it also from interest . Already are the people of England , Dissenters as well as Churchmen , so taxed for the support of religion , that both the means and the will of the former to remunerate their own ministers are considerably diminished . The enormous wealth of the dignified clergy exerts an evil influence on the
pittance of the poor Nonconformist , tending to check a liberal treatment of those who , among Dissenters , minister in holy things , and diminishing to them the amount of what is set apart for religious purposes . Their superfluity thus acts to our detriment in two ways—by appropriating to themselves that which in part would fall to the Dissenter , and by narrowing men ' s minds and hearts , and causing them to forget or to disregard the just claims of the labourer . When we call upon the labouring clergy to leave their well-foddered brethren—fruges consumere natos —we do not invite them
to come amongst \ is , for they would be then further , if possible , from the good things of the world than they are at present . We wish them to leave , assured that then the Church would be really in danger , and that a breaking up of the present nefarious system might lead ( o each minister of Christ ' s receiving a fair remuneration for his labours . If we turn from the clergy of the Church of England to the ministers of our own body , we shall not , indeed , be pained with beholding gross inequalities in the emoluments of the
clergy , for with few , very few , exceptions , they are all pitiably small . With scarcely an exception , certainly with very few exceptions , the stipends which they receive from their congregations are utterly insufficient for the maintenance of themselves and families , while , owing to the nature of their education and the society with which they are expected to mingle , their wants are greater than those of many other Dissenting ministers . Waving the last consideration , however , is the average amount of their stipends any way
adequate for the subsistence and the education of a family ? Will this average exceed £ 120 per annum , the kingdom through ? If not , how is it possible that ministers can subsist upon their salaries , to say nothing of contributing to charitable objects , and procuring requisite nutriment for their minds ? The consequence is , that other occupations besides the ministry are of necessity sought and pursued . No man can execute two things and fulfil two offices so well as he can one . The time and energy that might be directed
to ministerial and pastoral duties , are now diverted from their proper objects into channels which often have no immediate connexion with the office of a minister . We do not say that our ministers are not usefully employed in teaching schools , or in literary engagements . But are they so usefully engaged as ministers as they otherwise might be ? In the present state of Unitarianism , nay , in every condition of Christianity that has come to our knowledge , there are wanted , not schoolmasters , but active and energetic p reachers and pastors ; we want men who can devote all the energies of
their mind to one leading object ; men who are mighty in the Scriptures , both critically and practically ; who will not suffer in comparison , either as to general information , or as to a knowledge on biblical subjects , with those who , as laymen or as divines , have enjoyed the advantages of an university education ; while their devotement to one object shall enable them to concentrate on it the unimpaired vigour of their intellect , and the entire homage of their heart . As it is , however , our ministers in general are engaged during the whole of the week in the harassing occupation of teaching schools ; in consequence , they bring to the composition of their pulpit ser-
Untitled Article
236 State of the Curates of the Church of England .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1829, page 236, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2571/page/12/
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