(2.) REV. T. E. ESPIN. (67-79.) Need of more clergy. Gradual

decline in the numbers ordained. Importance of educated men. Inadequate incomes of the clergy. Mischief of the multiplication of pauper benefices. Unwillingness of parents to sanction their sons taking holy orders. Remedies suggested. Conscientious exercise of patronage. Establishment of societies for the augmentation of poor benefices. Improvement in the training of literates needed. Undesirability of so many small theological colleges. Affiliation of theological colleges to the universities. University of Durham. The Ember seasons.

(79, 80.)

DISCUSSION. (79-84.) THE LORD BISHOP OF MELBOURNE. Necessity of large increase in the numbers of the clergy. Two objects at which the Church ought to aim,-(1) increase in the numbers of the bishops,-(2) increase in the incomes of the clergy. Local councils under the presidency of the Bishops suggested. REV. A. J. D. D'ORSEY. (80-82.) Necessity of a sound professional training.-REV. W. POLLOCK. (82, 83.) Objections to relaxing subscription. Miserable incomes of the clergy. Important that the clergy should be taken from men of education and of good social position. The clergy ought to know how to read, speak, and preach in public.—VEN. ARCHDEACON DENISON. (83, 84.) Necessity of a great increase in the number of the bishops. The present limited number an intolerable abuse.

LAY CO-OPERATION. (84-98.)

(1.) MR. EDWARD AKROYD. (84-90.) Recognised in the constitution of the Church of England. Churchwardens. Parish vestries. Present signs of growing earnestness of purpose to work with the clergy. Committee of Laymen. Church Institutions. Church Congress. Increase of churches, new parishes, and parochial organisations. Diocese of Ripon instanced. Candidates for Holy Orders from the Universities fall short of the needs of the church. Causes of such deficiency. Remediable in part by help of the laity. Contrast between rural and town or manufacturing parishes. Toils and burdens of the latter. Mutual want of understanding between clergy and people in such districts: not necessary nor reasonable. Slenderness of endowments. Stipends disproportionate to the work required. Should be augmented by the laity: (1) by permanent endowments; (2) by annual donations, until the endowment is secured. Measure of almsgiving. One tenth of income recommended by Mr. Hubbard. Instance where this measure was observed and blessed. Modern standard of almsgiving far below that of our ancestors, although our means are larger. No cathedrals now built. Men are given up to ease and money-making: need to be roused. Necessity for earnest preaching to this end.

(2.) REV. T. J. ROWSELL. Lay Co-Operation in Ministerial

Work. (91-97.) Activity of the lay element in the Primitive Church. Shown in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, and generally in the earlier centuries. Not undervalued by our Church, yet not drawn forth. Isolation of the parish priest, though kindly treated. Body of the laity hold back from assisting him in ministerial work, from indolence or reserve, natural to the English character. Whether the clergy may not be in fault. Might be useful to ascertain the system of the "Christian Brothers" in France and the Wesleyan body at home. Lay Co-Operation in large parishes chiefly confined to Sunday-school teachers and district visitors. Scripture readers and Bible teachers not considered, because both paid. Objections to both. Suggestions as to the direction of district visitors by their pastor. Great gulf between the richer and poorer quarters of London. Endeavours to remedy this evil. Letter of the late Earl of Ellesmere thereupon. The poor should be instructed in homely and secular matters. Such instruction too much neglected by the clergy in sermons and otherwise. The clergy ought to mix with their people in social meetings and amusements. Might learn much in this way. Might influence laymen of character to act as vestrymen or guardians, or treasurers and managers of Church Institutions. Laymen apt to think that the clergy want nothing of them but their money. Clergy not men of business. Great treasures locked up in the body of the Church, which it is the duty of the clergy to bring forth.

DISCUSSION. (97-98.) MR.HENRY HOARE. (97.) Facts corroborative of the desire of the laity to co-operate with the clergy. Meetings in Sussex. Of united churchwardens. Invitation to himself to attend a conference of bishops and clergy in Ireland. Lay Co-operation to be kept distinct from the synodal action of the clergy in convocation. The clergy should enact canons when called on by the laity, not otherwise. A reformation of the existing canons needed. Suggested that a standing committee should be appointed to manage the business of the Church Congress.—MR. R. A. CROSS. (98.) Impatience a characteristic of the times. Plans for the co-operation of laity with the clergy failed because hasty and ill-considered. Work of clergy and laity distinct. Province of the laity defined. Plan for supplying the deficiency of clergy in large towns. Confirmed by experience of a colonial bishop. Now in action at Warrington. Applicable to the whole diocese of Manchester.

PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH IN IRELAND (99—132.)

(1.) REV. W. C. PLUNKET. (99-122.) Grateful acknowledgment of the good feeling shown to Ireland by English Churchmen. Thorough examination of subjects which may have caused misgivings in the minds of persons in England; including the census, the Church population, revenues, and emigration. Decided Church progress. Restoration of cathedrals. Desire for revival of synodal action. Efforts amongst Roman Catholics. Successes amongst them. Remarkable indirect influences. Conclusion.

(2.) REV. A. T. LEE. (122-126.) Testimony of an English clergyman

working in Ireland. Important facts and documents proving the early union of the Churches of England and Ireland. Statistics of revenue. Tables, showing the relative decrease of Roman Catholic, Church, and other populations. Hopeful aspect of the Church in Ireland.

DISCUSSION.

(126-132.) REV. CANON M'NEILE, D.D. (126, 127.) Combined assault by Romanists and Voluntaryists against the Church. Abuses and inefficiency charged against the Church in Ireland. Abuses should be removed wherever they existed. The charge of inefficiency untrue, but the Church had not been allowed to try to convert the Roman Catholics. The grounds on which he would uphold the Church in Ireland. The question whether Romanism could be regarded as "saving Christianity.”—Mr. H. HOARE. (127, 128.) The necessity of the episcopate. The apostolical succession. The lapse of eighteen centuries had not altered the value or need of them.-The VENERABLE ARCHDEACON STOPFORD. (128.) Gratitude to the committee in arranging to have this subject discussed. Causes which had restrained the usefulness of the Church in Ireland. Great improvements in the working of the Church.-EARL OF HARROWBY. (128, 129.) Sympathy with the Irish Church. The English and Irish Churches one, and must stand or fall together. Personal testimony to the reality of the work.-BISHOP OF OXFORD. (129, 130.) Conviction that the imputations cast upon the work were absolutely without foundation. Gratification at much which he saw in Ireland. Abuses must be removed. The Church should be missionary in its character. A point wherein he differed from Canon M'Neile.-CANON MC. NEILE (130.) Upon a supposed difference in their opinions. MR. A. J. B. BERESFORD HOPE. (130.) The Church of Ireland doing a great work. The rise of co-operative energy and of the cathedral movement began in the Irish Church The Church of England was fully determined to stand by the Church of Ireland.-REV. CHARLES RICE. (130, 131.) Visitors did not judge Ireland fairly. Superiority of the clergy in Ireland. Some of the clergy did not approve of the movement regarded by Mr. Plunket as a church movement.-REV. J. Mc. GUIRE. (131.) Irish should be taught in the Irish language. Missionary bishops wanted.-REV. CANON TREVOR (131.) A general synod of the United Church unknown. Irish Convocation unmitigated Erastianism. The Primates of Ireland can convene ecclesiastical synods whenever they please. The "Act of Submission," which restrains the Church in England, does not extend to Ireland. Churchmen in England

would listen to Churchmen in Ireland if they would speak through the lawful synods.-MAJOR EGERTON LEIGH. (132.) Personal testimony.-REV. ČANON STOWELL, MR. WARD, the REV. W. Mc. ILWAINE, and the VENERABLE ARCHDEACON ELPHIN. (132.)

FREE AND OPEN CHURCHES.-THE OFFERTORY.
(132-153.)

(1.) REV. W. R. WROTH. Free and Open Churches. (132-140.) Importance of subject. Origin and progress of Pew System. Vast increase of population without adequate spiritual provision. Mistake of Church Building Acts. Three objections to Pew System. Best substitute. Defini tion of Free Churches. The offertory divided in early times. Superseded by endowments. Necessity for a return to ancient usage in poor parishes. Manner in which the people are to be seated. Magnitude of the evil apparent in London and elsewhere. The poor will shrink from appropriation, &c. Duty of churchwardens in assigning seats. One parishioner has no claim to exclusion of another. "Church of the People" quoted. Arguments from Holy Scripture.

(2.) REV. CANON ANSON. The Offertory. (141-146.) The Offertory may be regarded as a part of worship, or as a provision for necessities. Two questions. Authority for appropriating offertory to maintenance of clergy. Opinions. Best mode of making offertory conducive to pious purposes. Interest not merely congregational but universal. Various examples, Offertory not to supersede other modes of giving. Congregation should know beforehand the objects for which offertory should be given, and have an account of its expenditure.

DISCUSSION. (146-153.) REV. CANON ATLAY. (146.) Danger of riding hobby of free and open churches too hard. Practical view as distinguished from æsthetical. Case of Parish Church of Leeds. Dislike of the poor to encroach on the rich. Same people occupy same seats._Difficulties of churchwardens. Desirableness of extending_offertory.-REV. DR. MOLESWORTH. (146.) Twofold argument. Principle of offertory established by St. Paul. Absurdity of objectors to the offertory. Not to be regarded as a tax but as a privilege. Results of offertory.—ARCH. HARRIS. (147.) Principle of free and open churches. Impossibility of carrying out parochial system in large parishes. Great convenience of separating sexes. Advisability of allotting portions of churches to different classes. Examples. Annual statement recommended.-REV. A. F. CHATER. (147, 148.) Case of Nantwich. Disgraceful scenes during prevalence of pew system. Great advantage of getting rid of pews. Cordial co-operation of parishioners.REV. J. IRVINE. (148.) Difficulties attending a pewed church at Leigh met by catechetical lectures in school. Results. PROF. BURROWS. (148, 149.) Right principle to have free and open churches. Dislike of the poor to sit with the rich to be met.-REV. J. FENDALL. (149.) Right of churchwardens invaded. Impossible for clergymen to know parishioners if churches are free to all comers. Should be opened to members of parish alone.-REV. W. CLEMENTSON. (150.) Parishoner's reasons for taking his seat. Tithes the true remedy. Pew rents make the minister dependent on congregation, but offertory more so. Pew system bad. Offertory worse.MR. H. B. JACKSON. (150.) Past arguments apply to parishes not to district churches. Manchester Parish Church. If district parish churches can be permanently endowed, pew rents may be done away. Case of St. Peter's, Oldham Road. Reasons for failure in supply of clergy. Need of greater sympathy between the clergy.-REV. C. J. LE GEYT. (150, 151.) Advocates of offertory not opposed to endowments. Results, if tested by attendance, satisfactory.-Mr. F. S. POWELL, M.P. (151.) Had considered question of pew rents. No general desire for free and open churches. Experience would prove them to be a failure.-Mr. R.S. SOWLER, Q.C. (151). Case of a model parish (Ringley.) People consider it a privilege to give. An account published in church porch every week. Great success of experi

ment and hopes of the speaker for its continuance. MR. A. BRADY. (152.) First thing attempted. Great success. Outcry for permanent Church. Resolved to support it by offertory. First plant spiritual Church. Grand feature of movement.-MR. J. ALLEN. (152.) Value of open church system. Churches open all day long.-Mr. R. BRETT. (152, 153.) Repudiated insinuation. Appropriation would bring us back to pews. Churches to be absolutely free and open. Free system. Success.-REV. W. EMERY. (153.) Pew and offertory systems can go together. Five examples in Cambridge. Success of offertory. Pew rents abolished. The offertory adopted with marked success. Offertory not to be forced on the people. Need to examine question carefully.

CLERGY DISCIPLINE. (154-160.)

REV. W. J. BEAMONT. (154–158.) Faults of public officers: their antidotes. Need of consultation among clergy. Clerical societies. Ruridecanal chapters: their value. Introduction of laymen. Presentments of churchwardens, corrective of negligence. Remedy against remissness of archdeacon or bishop. Visitations. Diocesan synods. Clergy Discipline Act. Modification proposed. Mixed jury of incumbents and churchwardens. Punishment of criminal clergy. Episcopal visitation of parishes.

DISCUSSION. (158–159.) DR. A. F. BAYFORD. (158.) Multiplied appeals, under old system, not removed by Church Discipline Act. Act disables Consistory Courts. Remedies suggested.-VENERABLE ARCHDEACON RANDALL, (159.) Objections to Church Discipline Act. Need for heavier sentences on criminal clergy. Rights of patrons not to stand in the way.-DR. BAYFORD. (159.) Reply to question put by VENERABLE ARCHDEACON MOORE. THE CHAIRMAN. (159, 160.) Inexpedient to alter existing law. Had had to deal with few cases of crime and with no appeals. Church Discipline Act answered in the main. Objections to proposed mixed jury. Evil of slight sentences for crime, and of sequestration of livings.

(1.) REV. SIR F. A. GORE OUSELEY. (161-172.) Its origin and development. Erroneous theories. Ancient nations unacquainted with harmony. Ancient melodies of two kinds. Earliest specimens of harmony. Two distinct systems of harmony in the first century of Christianity. English school of cathedral music. Six kinds of word delivery. Six gradations of musical development. Injuries to the cause of Church music. Music of our parish churches recently much improved.

The

(2.) DR. MONK. (172-175.) Desirablensss of congregational singing. The importance of all being taught to sing, both clergy and laity. people should join in singing the Litany. The evil of dabblers and adapters.

DISCUSSION. (175-176.) REV. DR. KENNEDY. (175.) Composers should be masters of poetic rhythm. Hymns should convey devotional truth.-PROF. W. H. MONK. (176.) Cathedral choirs should be models for the country. Difficulties of the clergy in arranging musical services and promoting congregational singing.

MANAGEMENT OF A LARGE PARISH. 176-184.)

Requisites of the
Such lay helpers

REV. W. CADMAN. (176-181.) Definition of subject. clergyman. Present means must be made the most of. as will work must be used. Parish should be mapped out into manageable sub-districts. A clergyman and a helper placed in every sub-district. Rooms and other places hired for schools and short services. Districts should not be separated from the mother church too soon. Means for obtaining a thorough knowledge of the parish. Three essential things on the part of the clergyman.

DISCUSSION. (181-184.) VERY REV. THE DEAN OF CHICHESTER. (181, 182.) A clergyman sbould first study the principles of the Church. A large body of curates and lay helpers desirable. A parish will manage itself if a man of sound principles is at the head of it. Agreement with Mr. Cadman's views. Importance of young clergymen giving attention to preaching. Not favourable to the division of parishes. REV. DR. MOLESWORTH. (182, 183.) Division of large parishes ultimately necessary. Suffragan bishops ought to be appointed throughout the country. Answer to supposed objections to this.-REV. JOS. BARDSLEY. (183.) Parochial sub-division might be correct, but it does not exist. Proofs. More clergymen wanted; also lay co-operation, and missionary women. The "London Diocesan Home Mission".-REV. H. MACKENZIE. (183, 184.) Population ought not to alarm. It is the Church's wealth. The elasticity to be found in our Prayer Book services much neglected. Catechising should take place in church. Domestic visitation important. Co-operation. Permanent diaconate.

PAROCHIAL MISSION WOMEN. (184-192.)

VICE-CHANCELLOR SIR WILLIAM PAGE WOOD. (184-191.) Reference to a paper by the Rev. Wellington Turze, at the Oxford Congress, and to the narrative by the Hon. Mrs. Talbot. History and rules of the Institution. Remarks on the rules. Practical working of the Institution. Extension of its labours. Great advantages of it.

DISCUSSION.

(191-192.) REV. T. P. DALE (St. Vedast, London). (191, 192.) Supervision essential to success. Previous training very desirable. Probationary trial requisite. The best mode of training. A central institution necessary. THE REV. CANON BROOKE. (192.) One great evil in towns that the richer classes lived apart from the poorer. Proposal that a rich district should furnish a mission woman, or one of the former order of widows.

GROWTH OF THE CHURCH IN LANCASHIRE.

(192-204.)

(1.) REV. JAMES BARDSLEY. (192-196.) State of Lancashire at Reformation and in last century. Rapid increase of population. Insuffi ciency of ecclesiastical arrangements. Legal impediments to Church Extension. Exertions of Bishop Sumner. Present church accommodation. Comparison of towns. In township of Manchester great improvement. Increase of lay agencies. Increase of church accommodation. Increase of church schools. Future of the church in large towns.

(2.) REV. A. HUME. (196-203.) Numerical examination of subject

proposed from 1801 to present time. County as a whole. Correction of fallacies. County in sections. Churches increased more rapidly in south than in north. Ratio of increments of churches and population in the twc divisions. Boroughs and county proper. Separation of population of municipal boroughs. Population of towns increased. Lancashire population. Population per acre. Ratio of churches to population in boroughs. Comparison of growth of Church with that of other religious bodies. Romanists in Lancashire. Progress of Protestant Dissent. Lancashire ratio higher. Church attendance in various districts of county. Proportion of church schools. Growth of Church feeling.

DISCUSSION. (203-204.) EARL OF HARROWBY. (203.) Defence of Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Causes of their unpopularity. Benefits accruing to Lancashire from their operation. Principle of readjustment of endowments recognised as necessary. Economical and wise administration of the Commission.-REV. CANON DURNFORD. (204.) Correction of false impression from Mr. Bardsley's paper. Character of population in the north. Call for female aid in hospitals and workhouses. And for funds to assist in training for the ministry. Testimony to the beneficial operation of Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Objections to residence of Bishops away from their cathedrals.