PEW RENTS.

Press, Volume IX, Issue 1090, 7 May 1866, Page 2

PEW RENTS.

TO THB EDITOB OT THB " FBMB."

Sib,—With reference to the question which is exciting so much attention here jo»t now, I think it maj be useful to lay before the church* men of Canterbury a system which has been found to work extremely well in a large Bom* ber of dissenting and come few Episcopalian churches in England, but which, I beliete, has escaped remark in the discussion here; I allude to " the weekly offering" ejitem, Its details are as follows— i The treasurer of the church gives to anyone applying for them thirteen little envelope* (one for each week of the quarter)^bearing* certain number, which id entered against the name of the applicant in a book kept for the purpose, and. to whioh none but the treasurer is ever permitted access. A box ie jjWced , at the entrance to the church, into which the cab* scriptions, enclosed in the envelopes, ere supposed to be dropped every Sunday. As the end of the quarter the treasurer report* the amount contributed by each number, Mα thus a check can be kept upon the correeineM of hia accounts. . The great advantage of the »• I believe, that by its means all pewMi no matter how poor, can keep up a STWfflttMW course of contribution by the very" ettf&ueK weekly instalments, without feeling the* »«* richer neighbors are sneering at their hmnwer efforts. Many who would rather givenotatt* than that their contributions should be sMfle the subject of remark, ire enabled to »w without fear of ridicule or contempt what WJ consider they can afford. - * , I Delieve I em not exceeding tfa*4rew when I cay that in almost all the ohoroae* * which it has been adopted a large* iocreate » *heir funde has been immediately tSff we«* In one which I myeeif attended, where tae system of pew rent* wie abaßdooed w »»» of weekly offerings,' the increase wae aemj one hundred per cent. Oertainlr &*"£»*£. for the moat part BpiecopeJiwi chercbwi t" one to which I Iwve in pertieubr ftUeded was notj and wa«, moworer, a* o ****™,? small conntry village, with but tterynajj congregation. It may, tn erefore » be argued that what nray-work admne«/» dieeentaig churchee of all diasee, •Bβ, »■»• •till in those of the poorer order, wooUMJ no means necessarily eocoeeeful if «22Sa into the Church of England in the «»«*"; where an altogether different clase of pMF" attend. It is not, however, my M^ M *JZ the present time to find arguments in «W of the adoption of the eystem here^ }?!**%* to lay it before the public as one that a haps worthy of its consideration. -_fclooking at it from a religious pom* efwjj it certainly seems to bear a very »^ or^^ w . spect. No compulsion, no constraint no j» sure even, except that which springe ftvm i «*- ---man's own conscience; every one ««* that which his heart prompts, and for more likely to give ungrudgingly ana. out display, than when the fear ofPgJ opinion and the opportunity ° f . notice are able to supply baser moUvee.* I am, Sir, &c. $ A WBIIrWISIW* .