CHURCH “SCANDALS.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18750, 2 January 1923, Page 2

CHURCH “SCANDALS.”

NEGLECTFUL CLERGYMEN. PROTEST BY A BISHOP. The Bishop of St. Albans, speaking at a Diocesan Conference recently/ condemned the present law of the Church of England which enabled crying scandals to go on the while the bishop of tho diocese stood by powerless. “The present law of the Church of England, which is supposed to deal with incumbents who neglect their duty, or do it thoroughly inefficiently, is not only wholly inadequate, but, I believe, a scandal to the Churcn,” he said. It was true that a bishop of a diocese could institute proceedings in his Court against an incumbent for neglect of his duty, and if the Court found him guilty the bishop could inhibit him, either for a stated or indefinite period. , T , “So far so good, but what then? Is ho deprived of all the emoluments accruing from the endowments attached to the living? Not at nil. Hie bishop can claim a certain portion of the stipend wherewith to pay a curate-in-charge; never more than two-thirds of the whole stipend, and witoro the population does not exceed 500 not more than £2OO per annum. “Thus the inhibited incumbent draws what is practically a pension for life, just because ho has shown himself utterly and scandalously neglectful of his - duty; and this law has been allowed to go on for years. “Though the bishop knew of those scandals, his hands were tied by the laws which the people of the Church of England had tolerated for years. “The fact that the churches at Sundon tnd Streatley in this diocese have been allowed to fall into practical ruin is a gross and crying scandal, but ns the law stands to-day I am advised by the highest legal authorities that, as bishop of ibis diocese, I am utterly powerless in tho matter. All I can say is tho sooner tho law is amended the better.” Discussing other scandals in our power to remove,” the bishop said:— “First, I believe every form of gambling, however mild, is n wholly unworthy method of raising funds for tho upbuilding of extension of Christ’s Kingdom, and that deliberately breaking the law of flic land for tho purpose of increasing Church funds is simply playing into the hands of the devil. It is time these things stopped; and if they do not stop I only hone the police will carry out tho law and slop them for us.”