LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
LAY PATRONAGE.
[The following letter, from Sir Henry Taylor to Lord Blachford, is sent to us, as dealing with a subject likely to interest the readers of the Spectator. We have made some remarks on it else►vhero.J MY DEAR BLACRFORD,—You regard the troubles of the Church with a more undisturbed judgment than any other person I know who is so much interested in them, and there is a church here not altogether unknown to you (St. Peter's, Bournemouth), whose troubles I desire to bring before you, for the chance that you may be able to suggest some mode of deliverance. A lay advowson is at the root of them, the lay patron being apparently determined to present a Low-Church clergyman, to minister in a church which is filled almost exclu- sively with a High-Church congregation
Our Vicar, Mr. Bennett, died about six months ago. He was a man who, without any extraordinary abilities, had exercised, for, I think, about thirty years, through force of character, generosity, and a governed ardour, extra- ordinary power. The grand church of St. Peter's was built by his efforts, and he may be said to have created the congregation. He built and endowed several affiliated churches in the neighbourhood, with parsonages, mission-houses, and schools, and it was, perhaps, in no small measure due to him that Bournemouth rose from a small sea-side village to be a first-rate watering-place. We were all devoted to him, and the spiritual influence he exercised may be attributed to his modera- tion, not less than to his unintermitting energies. High Church- man as he was, he was regarded with admiration and a friendly respect by his Low-Church neighbours. His diocesan, the Bishop of Winchester, considered some of his practices not strictly legal, but thinking "none of them very important, and knowing all the good work he was doing, and the love which his people had for him," he was " not inclined to take any steps, or to encourage others to take any steps, to oblige him to give up what he and they valued so much."
So all went well till the day of his death. But hardly was the breath out of his body, when the three curates and the con- gregation learnt with dismay that a clergyman understood to
hold opposite opinions had been selected for the living. He came, and rather to our surprise expressed his satisfaction, and even his delight, with everything that he found in use, and his intention to make no change. He remained with us till a week or two ago as Vicar-designate, but not actually instituted, and then he announced that there were ten practices which were illegal, and which on that ground he must abolish; and he quoted the authority of the Bishop. A deputation waited upon the Bishop, with a memorial signed by a thou- sand—more or less—members of the congregations of St. Peter's and the affiliated churches, and were assured by his Lordship that, although when called upon to state what prac- tices were legal and what were not, he had felt it his duty to do so, he had not himself auy desire that changes should be made; and he had required the Vicar-designate to contradict a para- graph which had been put into the Times and Guardian, which implied that the Vicar-designate had acted under pressure from him. Under these circumstances, it was hardly possible that the Vicar-designate should remain, and he announced his resigna- tion. So far, well ; but as I have said, the root of the evil was in the lay advowson ; and it is now stated that another Low Churchman, Dr. Ryan, sometime Bishop of Mauritius, has been selected to be Mr. Harland's successor, and all our troubles are renewed.
Such is the case which I have wished to put before you as an extreme example of the evils of Lay Patronage, or rather of lay patronage in private hands. In the hands of a Lord Chan- cellor or a Prime Minister, it would be almost sure to be admin- istered with a large appreciation of its results, and there are few Bishops who would be wanting in the like appreciation. In the hands of this or that country squire, the feelings, and with the feelings the spiritual welfare, of a large congregation may be dealt with at pleasure.
I am not so much disturbed as many are at divisions in the Church. Lord Bacon has spoken some wise words on the sub- ject :—" It must be remembered that the Church of God hath
been, in all ages, subject to contentions and schisms Our Saviour Christ delivered it for an ill-note to have outward peace,—saying, when a strong ?nan is in possession of the house, meaning the Devil, all things are in peace Reason teaches us that in ignorance and implied belief it is easy to agree, as colours agree in the dark ; or if any country decline into Atheism, then controversies wax dainty, because men do think religion scarce worth the falling-out for ; so as it is a weak divinity to account controversies an ill sign in the Church."
I am entirely of Lord Bacon's mind in this, but I think it should be added that when controversies prevail, then it is needful above all things that there should be a mediating power at work, and that this is to be looked for in the Bishops, and not in the country squires.—Every yours, (Signed,) HENRY TAYLOR.
The Boost, Bournemouth, July 10th.
P.S.—I may add that in this case the lay patron contributes only La) per annum to the endowment.
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