The Dean of Norwich at the Church Congress in that
city, which was opened on Tuesday, read a striking paper on the poverty in which the clergy have been plunged by the fall in the value of corn. Four hundred beneficed clergymen now receive less than £50 a year, three thousand five hundred less than £100, and seven thousand less than £150 a year, only about three thousand five hundred of the whole body of incumbents receiving more than that inadequate allowance. The suffering thus caused is borne with wonderful patience ; but it is discreditable to the laity of the Church, probably the richest community in the world. The Dean proposes to establish a Sustentation Fund of a million a year, so as to raise the minimum of livelihood to £200 a year. We have- said a kind word for the project elsewhere, but we ought to add here that, before the laity can be deeply stirred, some trustworthy statistics must be published as to the pro- portion of the clergy, over thirty years old, who have private means, and the clergy must define the extent to which they will admit lay control. In England the subscribers, even to the holiest charity, invariably claim and usually enforce a share in the management. We suspect that what will happen will be pew-rents, aided by a monthly offertory " for the vicar.'
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