PREFERMENT OF PLURALISTS IN THE CHURCH-
TILE promotion of Dr. ALLEN to the see of Bristol has excited the indignation of the spirited and independent Member for Gates- head, Mr. CUTHBERT RIPPON; who has addressed a letter on the subject to Lord MELBOURNE, which was published in the Times of Thursday. The letter opens with the following passages. "My Lord-The despisal of public opinion is evidence of daring rather than discretion : it complitimits the animal courage, but condemns the human un- derstanding. To bestow patronage on the corrupt-to approve bad practice by he reward of its perpetrators-to prefer private interest to public good-to em- ploy the privileges of others to the injury of themselves, discloses a pernicious- ness of purpose unsurpassed by the worst acts of )11t11 predecessors. " Dly language is plain-my name is subscribed. I despise the ornamental verbiage of fashionable phraseology, and I scorn to assume an anonymous dis- guise. My purpose is honest, my charge is brief-to expose abuse in the ele- vation of Dr, Allen to a Bishopric."
After some remarks upon the right distribution of patronage, the writer proceeds to give excellent reasons why it was impro-
perly bestowed on Dr. ALLEN by Lord MELBOURNE. " The Vicarage of Battersea, in Surry, with a Prebendal stall in Westminster, afforded to Dr. Allen, for many years, an income exceeding 15001. The living of St. Bride's. Fleet Street, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, became vacant some years since ; when Dr. Allen (himself a trustee for this living) was appointed Vicar ; thus becoming a pluralist ; thus withholding from 7,000 inhabitants of that parish their undoubted right—the advantage of a resi- dent pastor. "If the guardian of a ward's estate applies the revenue to his own use, we proclaim him a fraudulent villain. By what style shall we designate that man who, professing himself a minister of God's word, absolutely betrays, for a pe- cuniary consideration, a trust solemnly committed to his charge, and who sacri- fices to his own cupidity the spiritual advantage of thousands?"
This is startling language, and unpleasing withal to sleek plu- ralists; who cannot deny that the duties of a pastor are correctly described in the next paragraph.
" The duties of a pastor are numerous and continual—to visit the sick, to com- fort the afflicted, to relieve the poor, to advise the adult, to instruct the young, to be the trusted counsellor in present matters, and the leader, by example, to a state which is to come. The resident shepherd has permanent concern in the welfare of his flock ; but the cheaply-paid Curate, the mere hireling expounder of the law, whose interest is localized, who moves from cure to cure, as the advantages of superior emolument may troll t him, will not be excited by similar feelings."
Lord MELBOURNE is then called to acceunt for elevating an un- scrupulous pluralist to the Episcopal bench.
" You elevate to honour a specimen of shameless pluralism ; you confer public distinction on one who has betrayed a public trust; you make him a legislator to reform the abuses of the Church, calculating that a culprit may become the honest condemner of his crime, and that mitred audacity may denounce the deed of its own guiltiness. You place on high, as a beacon-light of example to the in- ferior clergy, one who has evinced his contempt for moral obligation—who bar- tered the sacred office for the vilest 'purposes of gain. In former times, Judas cast down the thirty pieces of silver, the price of his infamy, and hanged himself; in our day, another yields up his embezzled wealth, and straightway mounts the Episcopal bench, because, forsooth, he was formerly the tutor of Viscount Abhor p. " Yuu call yourself, my Lord, a supporter of the Establishment, a friend of religion. If so, I counsel you to regard the possible consequences of your pro- cceding. The people are too wise to look for religion in prayers and sermons; they rather seek it in the lives and conduct of the clergy. If they find it not them, is it unreasonable to fear that they may suspect it to be a mere delusion, piofe-sed, for interest, by priests and politicians ; and may consider that its coun- sels may be rejected with equal safety by them, as its practice is disregarded by its professional supporters ?"
Many will think that Mr. RIPPON bears rather too hard upon Dr. ALLEN; who is by no means remarkable in the Church for his multifarious preferment, any more than for his learning as a divine. But it must be remembered, that Ministers are pledged to Church Reform ; and that they have denounced pluralities and non-residence as in a high degree injurious to the Established religion. To make a Bishop, therefore, of one who has been guilty in his own person of the offences which he will be called upon to censure and prevent in others, is at least a very unwise proceed- ing. A few years ago, such an appointment would have passed unnoticed. The fact of his having been Lord ALTHORP'S tutor, would have been held a sufficient reason for giving Dr. ALLEN a mitre : all Ministers were expected to provide for their tutors, at whatever injury to the real interests of the Church. But the times are altered. IV hat was venial in Anti-Reforming Tories, is held to be intolerable in their successors, who have been supported on the condition of their abandoning the evil courses in which former Ministers have trod. Dr. ALLEN cannot be unmitred; but we hope Lord MELBOURNE will be warned by the expression of dissatisfaction which his preferment has called forth, and make a better selection on the next vacancy.
Previous page
