50 



Resources exist which might be utilised for this purpose, 

 especially in the diocese of Peterborough, where the danger is 

 most urgent. Though the surface of glebe lands yields no profit 

 the subsoil is often of enormous value. Irons^jne exists in 

 large quantities at from 3ft. to 12ft. from the surface. At 

 present this mine of wealth is unworked, owing to 

 conflicts between the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the 

 patrons of the benefice. It would be easy to raise sufiicient 

 money from this source to take up the Land Improvement 

 Charges, and thus to save for the Church the advantage of 

 any prospective improvement in the value of the land. Another 

 fixed charge which hangs like a dead weight round the necks of 

 the clergy, whether glebeowner or titheowner, is the liability 

 incurred under the Incumbents' Resignation Act. The gross 

 income of a living derived partly from tithe partly from glebe 

 in 1879 was 759L 6s. 9d. Out of this a pension was payable to 

 the late incumbent of 245L In 1886 the gross income has 

 fallen to 5971. 53. lOd. ; but the pension remains the same. The 

 uett value of the living has fallen from 397?. 5s. 4d. to 

 24DI. Is. Id. Thus the pension now exceeds the nett income of 

 the incumbent, who is responsible for the care of the parish, 

 and for whose benefit the endowment is intended. The 

 committee of Convocation recommended that the Incum- 

 bents' Resignation Act should be " amended so as (1) to 

 provide that the charge should not exceed one-third part 

 of the net revenue actually received for any one year ; and 

 (2) to secure a reserved ^ninhnum for the incumbent who is 

 responsible for the actual duties of the cure." Such a change 

 appears to be not only expedient but equitable. 



The points to which I have alluded by no means exhaust the 

 changes which might be made to mitigate the suffen'ngs of the 

 clergy, and to give them the same chances of developing the 

 resources of the soil that are already enjoyed by the rest of the 

 community. The question of rates is one upon which I have no 

 time or space to dwell. This is a grievance which the clergy 

 share with all owners and occupiers of land. But I take the 

 opportunity of expressing my thanks to the Rev. A. C. Dicker 

 and others for the information upon the subject which they 

 have kindly placed at my disposal. I hope I may be able on 

 some future occasion to turn it to account. 



There remains the larger question, What is to be the ultimate 

 fate of clerical glebe lands? Are they to remain in the hands of 

 the clergy? Are they to be transferred to the Ecclesiastical 

 Commissioners? or are they to be sold? If the latter course is 

 pursued are patrons to have the right of pre-emption? or is the 

 land to be sold to the highest bidder? With these questions 

 must also be considered the proposal to sell the glebes for 

 allotment purposes. 



