xiv DISESTABLISHMENT AND DISENDOWMENT 247 



might either exercise their right of nomination jointly or 

 alternately, or one might pay a sum to the other for 

 exclusive possession. If they failed to agree to either of 

 these alternatives, the joint advowson must be sold by 

 public auction and the proceeds equitably divided between 

 them. Equalisations of endowments might be treated on 

 a similar principle. In every case they might be effected 

 by taking a definite sum, say 100 per annum, from one 

 living and adding the same amount to another. The 

 owner of the advowson which is increased in value might 

 either pay a sum to be determined by arbitrators, to the 

 owner of that which is diminished, or the advowson which 

 is increased must be sold, and the proceeds divided equitably 

 as before. It would be advisable to leave some inequalities 

 in the value of rectories, and while none should be under 

 300 or 400 a year, a few might remain as high as 

 1,000, in important districts, to which men of special 

 abilities would alone be appointed. The revenues now 

 devoted to episcopal and cathedral establishments have 

 not been reckoned as sources of increased rectorial 

 incomes, although, whatever system of supervision might 

 be adopted, it is probable that a considerable surplus from 

 these revenues would remain. It may, perhaps, be 

 further objected, that the country could not supply six or 

 seven thousand men of the requisite ability and character, 

 in addition to the clergy of the disestablished Church, 

 who would continue in existence as an independent body. 

 But we must consider that the new men would be only 

 required in gradual succession as livings became vacant ; 

 and, as it is almost certain that no voluntary establish- 

 ment would be able to appoint resident clergy in the 

 thousands of small parishes with a very scanty population, 

 the total number of men required for the service of the 

 national and the disestablished Churches would not 

 perhaps be very much greater than at present. 



Although the power of nominating rectors now possessed 

 by private persons is not proposed to be interfered with, 

 candidates would have to pass a much more rigid examin- 

 ation, and to furnish much better evidence of temper and 

 moral character, than is now required ; and they would 



