BISHOPS AND THEIR INCOMES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXII, Issue 23, 28 January 1898, Page 4

BISHOPS AND THEIR INCOMES.

A VINDICATION BY BISHOP HOW. When the late Bishop Walsharu How died he left behind him the following memorandum, which his family have made public:-"My father left me a good fortune in money, and this has been considerably increased since the death of my father-in-law. ... I have, ever since I possessed an income at all, always dedicated one-tenth annually to God in charity. When I became a Bishop, I resolved that my children should never profit by my episcopal income, and as soon as I became Bishop of Wakefield I dedicated to God in charity (i.e., in direct gifts and subscriptions) £3000 a year, or a full fifth of my gioss income. Perhaps 1 should mention that I alwayß gave away the large sum I received for my books in addition to the tenth of my income, aud that, of course, far the greater part of my present income is spent on my diocese in travelling about, entertaining .the clergy, etc.. My chief object in naming these things is to provide an answer to the charge, sure to be made that I have enriched myself and my children out of the endowments of the Church. This would not much matter if my personal credit alone were at stake. But such belief, does great harm to the Church. As I believe there is no class which approaches that of the clergy in self sacrifice, so I believe there is no class which approaches that of the Bishops in the amount they give away. Thank God, the days are past when Bishops enriched themselves out of the revenue of the Church. I know as a fact that the late Bishop Short, of Asaph, and the late Bishop Fraser, of Manchester, never saved a shilling of their personal income. Ido not wish to condemn a Bishop for making some modest pro vision for his family out of his episcopal income if ho has no private means. It is a great privilege to have no necessity to do this."