Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1901 — POVERTY OF ENGLISH CLERGYMEN. [ARTICLE]

POVERTY OF ENGLISH CLERGYMEN.

Meay as the Benefloee Raid to Ba Worth Lom Than BTSO a Tear. The lot of the clergy in the Church of England to-day is said to be so wretched that even younger sons have given up the career which for so many years was looked upon as their chief resource. It may easily be understood that this calling has ceased to appeal to them when the fact is known that out of about 14,000 benefices in the church more than 7000 are worth less than 1750 a year, and that nearly all of them are decreasing in value. About 1500 beneflcies are worth only 8500 a year and less than 8250 annually is the return from ,800 livings which have been recently described ag more nearly "starvings” to the unfortunates who afe assigned to them. In, the diocese of Petersborongh there are sixty-one livings that are worth no more than 8225 a year and this is not yet the worst as there are in Newcastle benefices that are valued at only 8125 a year. | The wives of the clergymen in these parishes are, of course, unable to employ servants, and all the drudgery of housework falls on their shoulders. The luxury of meat is denied to them except on alternate days, and their children—of whom the number is always in Inverse ratio to the amount of the living—are prepared by education in the elementary schools, or by the teaching their parents can give them at odd times for their descent to a lower social sphere. These clergymen as a rule come from good country families. Their wives are from the same class and are in few cases fitted by their training for a life of drudgery and hard work.

The actual return from these livings is frequently much less than the figures quoted here Since their value is dependent on the price of corn and this has declined until in many cases what used to be a living worth 8500 is now in reality not worth more than two-thirds of that sum. Various exactions make, life hard for the rector who Is trying to struggle along on the meagre incomes mentioned here. If his predecessor happened to be a man of private means and chosfi to enlarge the rectory by the addition of wings or drawing, rooms, the P oor incumbent must keep all this up; and the Bishop’s chapter, who receive fees from the rector and not from the Bishop for their work, are caVeful to see that the church and the rectory are kept In condition. There Is thought to be no hope of improvement in the lot of the priest so long as the representation of this bodyjs so small in the synods of the church in which the Bishops are represented by eight ouipf ten delegates. It Is to this Injustice that most of the present evil is attributed and the remedy is expected to come from the tack of candidates for holy orders. They are decreasing so rapidly in number that it. will soon be a problem to find enough to fill the vacancies made by death. No greater Evidence of the present miseries could be found than the fact that the over supply of clergy of a few years ago threatens to become a memory and be followed by an' absolutely scarcity .—New York Sun.< absolute scarcity.—New York Bun.