new resources in her establishment. The means she had must be developed; and the coöperation of the state and laity must be invoked, to combat the difficulties by which she was surrounded. The church of the sixteenth century must be adapted to the population and needs of the nineteenth.

The first efforts made for the regeneration of the church were not very vigorous, but they were in the right direction. In 1803, measures were passed to restrain clerical farming, to enforce the residence of incumbents, and to encourage the building of churches.1

2

1818.

Fifteen years later, a comprehensive scheme was devised for the building and endowment of churches in Church populous places. The disproportion between the Building Act, means of the church and the growing population was becoming more and more evident; and in 1818 provision was made by Parliament for a systematic extension of church accommodation. Relying mainly upon local liberality, Parliament added contributions from the public revenue, in aid of the building and endowment of additional churches. Further encouragement was also given by the remission of duties upon building materials.*

The work of church extension was undertaken with ex

England.

emplary zeal. The piety of our ancestors, who Church exhad raised churches in every village throughout tension, the land, was emulated by the laity, in the present century, who provided for the spiritual needs of their own time. New churches arose everywhere among a growing

1 43 Geo. III. c. 84, 108; and see Stephen's Ecclesiastical Statutes, 892, 985.

2 Lord Sidmouth's Life, iii. 138; Returns laid before the House of Lords, 1811.

8 58 Geo. III. c. 45; 3 Geo. IV. c. 72, &c. One million was voted in 1813, and 500,000l. in 1824. Exchequer bill loans to about the same amount were also made. - Porter's Progress, 619.

4 In 1837 these remissions had amounted to 170,5617.; and from 1837 to 1845, to 165,7781.- Parl. Papers, 1838, No. 325; 1845, No. 322.

and prosperous population; parishes were divided; and endowments found for thousands of additional clergy.1

Other en

The poorer clergy have also received much welcome assistance from augmentations of the fund known as dowments of Queen Anne's bounty.2 Nor is it unworthy of rethe church. mark, that the general opulence of the country

has contributed, in another form, to the poorer benefices. Large numbers of clergy have added their private resources to the scant endowments of their cures; and with a noble spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice, have dedicated their lives and fortunes to the service of the church.

revenues.

While the exertions of the church were thus encouraged Ecclesiastical by public and private liberality, the legislature was devising means for developing the existing resources of the establishment. Its revenues were large, but ill administered and unequally distributed. Notwithstanding the spoliations of the sixteenth century, the net revenues amounted to 3,490,4977.; of which 435,0467. was appropriated by the bishops and other dignitaries; while many incumbents derived a scanty pittance from the ample patrimony of the church. Sound policy, and the interests of the Ecclesiastical church herself, demanded an improved management and distribution of this great income; and

commission,

1836.

1 Between 1801 and 1831 about five hundred churches were built at an expense of 3,000,000l. In twenty years, from 1831 to 1851, more than two thousand new churches were erected at an expense exceeding 6,000,000. In this whole period of fifty years, 2,529 churches were built at an expense of 9,087,000l., of which 1,663,4291. were contributed from public funds, and 7,423,5717. from private benefactions. - Census, 1851, Religious Worship, p. xxxix.; see also Lords' Debate, May 11th, 1854.- Hans. Deb., 3d Ser., cxxxiii. 153. Between 1801 and 1858, it appears that 3150 churches had been built at an expense of 11,000,000l. - Lords' Report on Spiritual Destitution, 1858; Cotton's Ev., Q. 141.

2 2 & 3 Anne, c. 11; 1 Geo. I. st. 2, c. 10; 45 Geo. III. c. 84; 1 & 2 Will. IV. c. 45, &c. From 1809 to 1820, the governors of Queen Anne's bounty distributed no less than 1,000,000l. to the poorer clergy. From April 5th, 1831, to Dec. 31st, 1835, they disbursed 687,342. From 1850 to 1860 inclusive, they distributed 2,502,7471.

8 Report on Ecclesiastical Duties and Revenues Comm., 1831.

in 1835 a commission was constituted, which, in five successive reports, recommended numerous ecclesiastical reforms. In 1836, the ecclesiastical commissioners were incorporated,1 with power to prepare schemes for carrying these recommendations into effect. Many reforms in the church establishment were afterwards sanctioned by Parliament. The boundaries of the several dioceses were revised: the sees of Gloucester, Bristol, Bangor, and St. Asaph were consolidated into two, and the new sees of Manchester and Ripon created the episcopal revenues and patronage were readjusted.2 The establishments of cathedral and collegiate churches were reduced, and their revenues appropriated to the relief of spiritual destitution. And the surplus revenues of the church, accruing from all these reforms, have since been applied, under the authority of the commissioners, to the augmentation of small livings, and other purposes designed to increase the efficiency of the church. At the same time pluralities were more effectually restrained, and residence enforced, among the clergy.*

8

In extending her ministrations to a growing community, the church has further been assisted from other Private sources. Several charitable societies have largely munificence. contributed to this good work, and private munificence

16 & 7 Will. IV. c. 77.

The constitution of the commissioners was altered in 1840 by 3 & 4 Vict. c. 113; 14 & 15 Vict. c. 104; 23 & 24 Vict. c. 124.

2 See 6 & 7 Will. IV. c. 77; 3 & 4 Vict. c. 113.

8 In 1860, no less than 1388 benefices and districts had been augmented and endowed, out of the common fund of the commissioners, to the extent of 98,9001. a year; to which had been added land and tithe rent-charge amounting to 96007. a year.— 14th Report of Commissioners, p. 5.

4 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106.

5 In twenty-five years the Church Pastoral Aid Society raised and expended 715,6241., by which 1015 parishes were aided. In twenty-four years the Additional Curates Society raised and expended 531,1107. In thirty-three years the Church Building Society expended 680,233., which was met by a further expenditure, on the part of the public, of 4,451,405l. - Reports of these Societies for 1861.

Independently of diocesan and other local societies, the aggregate funds

in an age not less remarkable for its pious charity than for its opulence has nobly supported the zeal and devotion of the clergy.

Tithes commutation, England.

The principal revenues of the church, however, were derived from tithes; and these continued to be collected by the clergy, according to ancient usage, "in kind." The parson was entitled to the farmer's tenth wheat-sheaf, his tenth pig, and his tenth sack of potatoes! This primitive custom of the Jews was wholly unsuited to a civilized age. It was vexatious to the farmer, discouraging to agriculture, and invidious to the clergy. A large proportion of the land was tithe-free: and tithes were often the property of lay impropriators: yet the church sustained all the odium of an antiquated and anomalous law. The evil had long been acknowledged. Prior to the Acts of Elizabeth restraining alienations of church property, landowners had purchased exemption from tithes by the transfer of lands to the church; and in many parishes a particular custom prevailed, known as a modus, by which payment of tithes in kind had been commuted. The Long Parliament had designed a more general commutation.2 Adam Smith and Paley had pointed out the injurious operation of tithes; and the latter had recommended their conversion into cornrents.8 This suggestion having been carried out in some local enclosure bills, Mr. Pitt submitted to the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1791, the propriety of its general adoption: but unfortunately for the interests of the church, his wise counsels were not accepted.* It was not for more than forty years afterwards, that Parliament perceived the necessity of a general measure of commutation. In 1833

of religious societies connected with the church amounted, in 1851, to upwards of 400,000l. a year, of which 250,000l. was applied to foreign missions. - Census of 1851, Religious Worship, p. xli.

1

1 1 Eliz. c. 19; 13 Eliz. c. 10.

2 Collier's Eccl. Hist., ii. 861.

8 Moral and Political Philosophy, ch. xii.

4 Lord Stanhope's Life of Pitt, ii. 131.

2

and 1834, Lord Althorp submitted imperfect schemes for consideration;1 and in 1835 Sir Robert Peel proposed a measure to facilitate voluntary commutation, which was obviously inadequate. But in 1836 a measure, more comprehensive, was framed by Lord Melbourne's government, and accepted by Parliament. It provided for the general commutation of tithes into a rent-charge upon the land, payable in money, but varying according to the average price of corn for seven preceding years. Voluntary agreements upon this principle were first encouraged; and where none were made, a compulsory commutation was effected by commissioners appointed for that purpose. The success of this statesmanlike measure was complete. In fifteen years, the entire commutation of tithes was accomplished in nearly every parish in England and Wales. To no measure, since the Reformation, has the church owed so much peace and security. All disputes between the clergy and their parishioners, in relation to tithes, were averted; while their rights, identified with those of the lay impropriators, were secured immutably upon the land itself.

church.

Throughout the progress of these various measures the church has been gaining strength and influence by Continued her own spiritual renovation. While the judicious zeal of the policy of the legislature has relieved her from many causes of jealousy and ill-will, and added to her temporal resources, she has displayed a zeal and activity worthy of her high calling and destinies. Her clergy, earnest, intellectual, and accomplished,—have kept pace with the ad

1 April 18th, 1833; April 15th, 1834; Hans. Deb., 3d Ser., xvii. 281; xxii. 834.

2 March 24th, 1835; Ibid., xxvii. 183.

8 Feb. 9th, 1836. Hans. Deb., 3d Ser., xxxi. 185; 6 & 7 Will. IV. c. 71; 7 Will. IV. and 1 Vict. c. 69; 1 & 2 Vict. c. 64; 2 & 3 Vict. c. 32; 5 & 6 Vict. c. 54; 9 & 10 Vict. c. 73; 10 & 11 Vict. c. 104; 14 & 15 Vict. c. 53. 4 In Feb. 1851, the commissioners reported that "the great work of commutation is substantially achieved.” — 1851, No. [1825]. In 1852, they speak of formal difficulties in about one hundred cases. — 1852, No. [1447].