246 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



than 62 or 63 per cent, have under a thousand inhabit- 

 ants. The average value of all the benefices is about 

 £307 a year, but this value is by no means in proportion 

 to area or population, for the average of those parishes 

 whose population is under 1,000 is still about £275 a year. 



A careful examination of the circumstances of these 

 parishes, as regards area, means of communication, and 

 increasing or decreasing population, would enable us to 

 combine them, so that the number of rectors required 

 would be little more than one-half that of the 

 existing incumbents. About one-fourth of the parishes 

 whose population is less than a thousand could most 

 likely be attached to others with a population somewhat 

 exceeding that number, while the remainder might be 

 formed into groups of two, three, or four parishes. This 

 would result in a total reduction of about 45 i3er cent. A 

 further reduction might be made in towns, where three or 

 four parish churches might almost always be placed under 

 the control of one rector, because, although the population 

 might be large, many of the duties he would have to 

 fulfil in rural districts would be performed by existing 

 establishments, such as corporations, mechanics' and 

 other institutions, and ministers of religion ; and his 

 chief duties would be to protect and preserve the churches 

 for the use of the various religious bodies, and to promote 

 harmonious action among them. The average endowment 

 might thus be nearly doubled, and in addition there would 

 be the vacant parsonages and glebes, the rents of 

 which might form part of the income of the rector 

 of two or more combined parishes. We thus arrive at a 

 nominal average endowment of about £600 a year, while 

 the actual inequalities are enormous ; and we have to deal 

 with a large number of advowsons which are private 

 property fully recognized by the law. But this need not 

 interfere with an approximate equalization of livings. 

 Just as in other cases of far less momentous reforms, land 

 or house property has to be given up for public uses, the 

 owners receiving just compensation, so must the owners 

 of advowsons be dealt with. 



In cases of the union of parishes, the several patrons 



