HL Deb 22 May 1882 vol 269 cc1229-31

House in Committee (according to order).

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clause 2 (Construction and interpretation).

On the Motion of The Lord Bishop of EXETER, the following Amendments made:—In page 1, line 14, leave out ("not only"); line 15, leave out ("but also ") and insert— ("The visiting and private monishing and exhortation of the sick and the whole, the religious instruction of the young and the preparation of them for confirmation and"); and leave out from ("as") to ("and") in line 19 and insert— ("Any spiritual person holding a benefice is bound by law to perform or which may lawfully be required of him by the bishop of the diocese, and shall have been so required.")

Moved, after Clause 2, to insert as a new clause—

(Celebration of Holy Communion.)

"The incumbent of every benefice or his curate shall celebrate holy communion in every church or chapel belonging thereto (if there shall be a sufficient number to communicate with him) on one Sunday at least in every month throughout the year after morning prayer, or oftener, if the bishop, having regard to the population and circumstances of the benefice, shall so require; and shall give due warning of every such intended celebration."—(The Lord Bishop of Exeter.)

THE BISHOP OF CARLISLE

said, he strongly opposed the adoption of the clause, because he considered that the object in view would not be nearly so well accomplished as it was now being accomplished by the efforts of the Bishops and the goodwill of the clergy. The clause was not in pari materie with the rest of the Bill. The proposal of his right rev. Brother (the Bishop of Exeter) was, in fact, to introduce a new Rubric, which would be exceedingly unsatisfactory.

THE BISHOP OF EXETER

said, he could not agree with his right rev. Brother; but, in deference to his views, he would withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment (by leave of the Committee) withdrawn.

Clause 3 (Repeal of so much of s. 77 of 1 & 2 Vict. c. 106, as relates to the persons to act as commissioners on inquiries as to inadequate performance of ecclesiastical duties. Persons to act as commissioners on inquiries as to inadequate performance of ecclesiastical duties).

On the Motion of The Lord Bishop of EXETER, the following Amendments made:—In page 2, line 11, leave out ("and the remaining two") and insert ("one other"), and after ("be") insert ("a"); line 12, leave out ("clergymen") and insert ("clergyman"); line 13, after ("provided") insert— ("And one other of such commissioners shall be a magistrate in the commission of the peace for the county wherein the benefice is situated and a member of the Church of England, nominated for the purpose of such commission on the requisition of the bishop by the person who presided as chairman of the quarter sessions for the county or division of the county last preceding such requisition, or if there be no such person then by the lord lieutenant of the county.")

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 4 agreed to.

Clause 5 (Beneficed clergy of every archdeaconry to elect triennially two beneficed clergymen of the archdeaconry to act as commissioners for the purpose of inquiries as to inadequate performance of ecclesiastical duties).

On the Motion of The Lord Bishop of EXETER, the following Amendments made:—In page 2, line 41, leave out ("two") and insert ("a"); line 42, leave out ("clergymen") and insert ("clergyman") and leave out ("commissioners") and insert ("a commissioner"); page 3, line 3, leave out ("names") and insert ("name"), and leave out ("persons") and insert ("person"); line 6, leave out ("persons") and insert ("person").

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clauses 6 to 10, inclusive, agreed to.

On the Motion of The Lord Bishop of CARLISLE, the following new clause was agreed to, and added to the Bill, after Clause 10:—

(Saving as to certain cases.)

"Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained shall prejudice the provisions of the fifteenth section of the Act of the session of the first year of the reign of Her present Majesty, chapter twenty-three, or the provisions of the Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act, 1871, or any mortgage or charge duly created under any Act of Parliament upon the profits of any benefice which may come under the operation of this Act."

Remaining clauses agreed to.

House resumed.

The Report of the said amendments to be received on Tuesday the 13th of June next; and Bill to be printed as amended. (No. 102.)