GRANTS TO POOR LIVINGS.
LTO TIIII EDITOR Or THR "SCROT4T04.1
Sub,—On what grounds do the Ecclesiastical Commissioners confine their grants to those livings which have a population of five hundred and over P Does the incumbent of a smaller living require less food, clothing, firing, Sics. P Is he able to educate his family at less cost P Are the calls upon his private puree leas exacting ? On the contrary, in many of the smaller parishes the clergyman has to finance almost entirely the church expenses, the sick and poor, and the school funds, and often has a large house and grounds to maintain and keep in repair. Do the Commissioners assert that the charge of five hundred souls is of more importance than that of two or three hundred P Why P Is not the man who does his duty to those committed . to his charge, whether few or many, entitled to "live of the Gospel " P . Why, then, should be be left out in the cold P If the Commissioners cannot increase all stipends to 2200 per annum, let them do some- what less for each and treat all alike.—I am, Sir, dic.,
[The Commissioners cannot consider individual incumbents, but only individual livings. That being so, it is only natural that they should choose for help those livings which aro not only poor, but have a population relatively large.—En. Spectator.J
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