On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    times , and would be found too valuable an institution to be abandoned . We cannot think this opinion sound in reference to the interests either of religion or of good government . Its farther discussion may be desirable , but we must not enter upon it now . We believe no sincere friend of religious liberty will doubt the gross injustice of imposing on Dissenters rates for building or

    repairing the churches of the established sect , or of exacting from them dues for spiritual services , which they have neither asked for nor accepted . Let these grievances be got rid of in the first place , and if with these we obtain the commutation of tithes , which is a measure rather of economical than religious reform ,

    and see some attempt made so to modify the application of the funds possessed by the church as to produce a better performance of official duties , and a better reward to those who really labour , we may be well satisfied with the first attempts at church reform , and may very cheerfully anticipate the results of farther inquiry and increasing knowledge .

    Note . We take the liberty of appending to our Correspondent ' s remarks , a word on the proceedings , on this matter , now pending in Parliament . The work of ecclesiastical reformation has commenced . It has begun , as was fitting " , with the Irish department of the establishment . The axe is not laid to the root , but a good blow is made at the largest and most pestiferous branch of the tree of corruption . Yet it has been struck with great tenderness . Lord Althorp ' s estimate of the revenue of the Irish church we believe to be egregiously below the truth . The estimated value of the church lands , from which the incomes of the

    bishops are chiefly , but not wholly derived , is 600 , 000 / . per annum . Those lands , together with the demesne lands attached to the episcopal residences , constitute one-nineteenth of the entire surface of Ireland . Wretchedly cultivated they doubtless are ; worse than any portion of the soil of the same average fertility ; that is one of the effects of the

    present system . But still their present value is not over estimated at the above amount . They are held on leases from the bishops for twentyone years ; the lease being annually renewed , on payment of a fine , so as always to leave twenty-one years unexpired . At least such is the customary arrangement . Either bishop or tenant may decline the renewal , and let the lease run out . The revenue is derived from the rent and the fines conjointly . That , in one form or the other , or by patronage in the leasing , the bishops only reap one-sixth of the value is ' not to be credited . There can be no reasonable doubt of their realizing a much larger proportion . In some dioceses , they also receive a fourth part of tVie tithes . Then again , the Deaneries and Chapters are reduced to 2 , 200 / . by the deduction of 21 , 400 / . for necessary expenses . ' It does not appear what these expenses are , nor how much of the outlay goes into clerical pockets . The value of the benefices is reckoned from the tithes exclusively . This , though a very onerous and hateful portion , yet ia far from being the total of clerical exaction . There is

    Untitled Article

    210 Church Reform .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1833, page 210, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2610/page/66/