HC Deb 18 April 1871 vol 205 cc1332-4

Bill, as amended, considered.

SIR WILLIAM HUTT moved to leave out Clause 1, and insert— (Bishop's licence to entitle Ministers to serve in Private Chapels, without consent of incumbent.) The licence of the Bishop of the diocese to a minister duly appointed to a consecrated Private Chapel, or to a chapel belonging to any college, school, hospital, asylum, or other public institution, whether consecrated or not, shall entitle such minister to serve such chapel, and to administer and perform within the walls thereof the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and such other offices, except the solemnization of marriage, as shall be specified in such licence, without the consent of the incumbent of the parish or district in which such chapel is situate.

Clause (Bishop's licence to entitle minister to serve in Private Chapels without consent of incumbent,)—(Sir William Hutt,)—brought up, and read the first time.

Motion made, and Question proposed "That the said Clause be now read a second time."

MR. MONK

objected to the Motion on the ground that by its adoption the House would be practically reversing the decision come to in Committee.

MR. BERESFORD HOPE

begged to back up the appeal of the hon. Gentleman opposite. The Bill, as it stood, met the need which existed for recognizing the common worship of hospitals, schools, and similar institutions as a thing to be regulated independently of the general parochial system; but this clause set up the possibility of schism and division in every parish in the country by the creation of rival churches at the mere will of the Bishop, in collusion with some discontented parishioners. If no one else should he would, in the event of the clause being adopted, or of the adoption of the very similar clause of the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Salt), put a Notice on the Paper to move the rejection of the Bill on the third reading.

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

said, he thought it desirable that the 1st clause should be allowed to stand as it was settled by the Committee.

MR. SALT

said, he hoped the hon. Member for Gateshead would withdraw the clause.

SIR WILLIAM HUTT

said, he would consent to do so.

MR. SALT moved a new clause (Provisions as to Private Chapels.)

Clause brought up, and read the first time.

On Motion, "That the clause be now read the second time,"

MR. BERESFORD HOPE

objected to the clause, as he had done to the one of the right hon. Member for Gateshead, on the ground that it would introduce general confusion, as the Bishops of different dioceses, who would have to certify that such chapels were required for the spiritual necessities of the district, might have different views with regard to them, and that, in all probability, out of good nature and from the desire to avoid criticism and minimize responsibility, many of them might consider that they were bound by Act of Parliament to accept any teaching for the creation of such chapels, and so in unmerous cases inflict a cruel wrong on the legitimate work of the meritorious parish priest. It would be better not to imperil the remaining Bill by the introduction of such a clause, but rest content with the specific remedy which it provided for a well-defined class of cases.

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

suggested that that portion of the clause should be left out which provided that the Bishop should certify that additional spiritual provision was required for the district.

MR. MONK

said, the question was, whether private chapels were really needed in particular parishes; and, under these circumstances, it was better to leave it to the Bishop to say whether they were required or not.

Clause read the second time and amended.

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

Amendment proposed to the Clause, in line 15, after the word "incumbent," to insert the words "or any parishioner being a member of the Church of England."—(Mr. Holt.)

Question, "That those words be there inserted," put, and negatived.

Another Amendment made to the Clause.

Clause, as amended, added.

Amendment proposed to the Bill, in page 2, line 2, to leave out the words "minister thereof," and insert the words "incumbent and churchwardens of parish or district,"—(Mr. Raikes,)—instead thereof.

Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill."

The House divided:—Ayes 41; Noes 13: Majority 28.

Bill to be read the third time upon Tuesday 2nd May, and to be printed. [Bill 112.]

House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock.