124 PROBLEMS OF VILLAGE LIFE 



Further, the clergyman is usually a far greater 

 personage in the eyes of rural than of urban 

 parishioners. He comes from " college," dines 

 occasionally with the squire, and, however free 

 personally from pride or snobbery, is always 

 regarded as belonging to a different class from 

 the vast majority of his flock. 



The vitalising influence of the Oxford 

 Movement, though chiefly felt in the towns, 

 left its mark also on our rural parishes. The 

 improved discipline of the Anglican Church, 

 while stili a somewhat feeble instrument, has 

 at least helped to weed out many notorious 

 cases of worthless clergymen and that spiritual 

 caricature the " sporting parson," while 

 infinitely greater care is exercised in Church 

 patronage than was the case fifty years ago. 

 Services are brighter and more numerous, and 

 the connection between the Church and the 

 social and intellectual life of the parish becomes 

 daily more close. A general survey, however, 

 leaves the impression that religion in rural 

 England is more alive in the Nonconformist 

 chapel than in the Established church. The 

 emotionalism of the services, the popular 

 phraseology, the vigour of the preaching, the 

 sympathy between the members of each little 

 congregation all these things are strong influ- 

 ences ; while the note of individualism in 



