THE BISHOP AND THE INCUMBENT
Silt,—God forbid: that the truly appalling suggestion of Mr. H. L. Fos- brooke should be put into operation. As things are, bishops are terribly out of touch with their parochial clergy, and even more out of touch with their parishes ; but in theory at least they share the cure of souls with the incumbent. How many priests can say that their bishop has paid them the sort of pastoral visit which they pay their own faithful people. in, say, the last two years? I do not count—because it seems to me utterly futile—the sort of visit during which the bishop preaches to .a congregation increased for this special occasion, has a meal at the vicarage attended by two or three guests, and finally returns home before (or lest) he may be called upon to do his proper job and see his clergy alone about their work and their problems. Bishops sometimes appoint men to livings which they have not seen for years before the appointment ; but if the cure of souls is to be handed over to a board which can know nothing 'of the spiritual history and life of the parish, and little of the man, God help the Church of England. It seems to me that the only practical solution of this problem of vicarages is to get rid of them to the local authorities. It is human souls that matter-most ; but from the way people write one would think that adequate housing and cash are the first essential in deciding a call.— Yours, &c., P. M. GEDGE. St. Anne's Vicarage, S.W.i8.
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