8 JULY 1893, Page 15

PRIVATE ENDOWMENTS OF CHURCHES.

ETO THE EDITOR OF THE 0 SPEOTATOIC."1 SIR,—Mr. Roche, in the Spectator of June 24th, writes :— "Why, men ask, should we permanently increase (lurch endowments merely to provide prey for the spoiler P" It ought to be generally known in England that when the Church of Ireland was disestablished and disendowed in 1869, all claims on account of private endowments were provided for. A sum of half-a-million sterling was paid to the Church Representative Body, out of which compensation was to be made for such claims. Three hundred and fifty thousand. pounds satisfied these claims in full, leaving a surplus of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for the general purposes of the Chun:03.-1 am, Sir, &c., LNo doubt; but the new cry is that private endowments should be confiscated.—ED. Spectator.]