Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

gate of the members returned by any county bears a similar proportion to the 249 returned by the whole country, with that which the population of that county bears to the popu lation of the whole country.

I have now ventured to lay before you a slight plan for (as I humbly conceive it will be) an efficient support to our glorious constitution. Whether this plan be chimerical or not, rests with others to determine.

I would now proceed to propose some very slight alteration, with respect to the upper house; but fearful that I have desired already to occupy too much of your time, I shall postpone that consideration for one or two months.

I have the honor to subscribe myself,

Your most obedient humble servant,

THE AUTHOR,

OUTLINES OF A PLAN

FOR

BUILDING

Twenty-five Churches or Chapels

AT AN

EXPENCE

OF

£100,000 TO GOVERNMENT;

OR,

AT NO EXPENCE TO GOVERNMENT,

IF IT SHOULD BE THOUGHT ADVISABLE TO HAVE RECOURSE TO THE FUND, CALLED QUEEN ANNE'S BOUNTY, FOR THIS PURPOSE.

BY

THOMAS FALCONER, M. A.

OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE,

OXFORD.

NO. XII.

Pam.

VOL. VI.

20

OUTLINES OF A PLAN,

&c. &c.

THE Government have liberally voted a grant of £100,000 for the two last years, for the augmentation of the smaller Livings. It might not be deemed inexpedient to try the experiment proposed with a single grant of the same, or with one half of that sum. On account of the increase of the population of the country, and the inadequate size and insufficient number of places of public worship, particularly in large cities, it is necessary to give the members of the Church of England an opportunity of continuing in her communion, either

I. By enlarging the Parish Church; or,

II. By building new subsidiary Churches or Chapels.

N. B. It is supposed in these outlines that a parliamentary grant is obtained, and placed in the hands of Trustees; and that no larger portion than £4000 is allowed in any case whatever, whether for the enlargement of the Parish Church, or for the erection of new Churches or Chapels.

I. Of enlarging the Parish Church.

1. The necessity and practicability of enlarging the Parish Church shall be proved by the Minister, Church-wardens, and Parish assembled in a vestry-meeting, and by the representation of the Bishop of the Diocese.

2. When it has been determined that the Parish Church shall be enlarged, a vestry shall be called within ten days, when the meeting shall engage to obtain a plan and estimate of the enlargement of the Church, begin, and execute such alterations within a period proportioned to their nature and extent, and shall bind the persons employed to complete the work within a limited period.

3. That the plan and estimate of the nature and expence of the proposed alterations shall be sent to the Bishop of the Diocese, and remain in his custody; and that whatever pecuniary assistance the Parish may require, founded upon such plan and estimate, shall not be increased; and that all deviations from the original plan and estimate must be executed at the expence of the applicants.

4. That a third part of the new sittings gained by making such alterations in the Parish Church shall be free sittings.

5. That the annual sum to be demanded for each of the new sittings, exclusive of those which are free, shall not exceed eighteen or twenty shillings.

II. Of building new Churches or Chapels.

1. That previous to an application to the Trustees for pecuniary aid, the population of the Parish in which the new Church or Chapel is to be built, taken from authentic returns, and also a statement of the number of persons that can be accommodated with sittings in the Parish Church, shall be sent to the Bishop of the Diocese by the applicants for the bounty.

2. That a plan and estimate of the intended building shall be sent to the Bishop of the Diocese, and shall always remain in the Diocesan Archives.

3. That no alterations of the original plan shall be admitted without giving notice of such alterations, accompanied with a plan of them, to the Bishop of the Diocese; but that no additional sum beyond the original estimate shall be allowed to the applicants for these alterations, after the estimate and plan of the new building have been delivered to the Bishop of the Diocese, and approved.

4. That the plan and estimate of the proposed building be delivered to the Bishop of the Diocese before any part of the building is erected, or the ground purchased for the building.

5. That a sum equal to that solicited from the Trustees shall be

advanced by individuals, members of the Established Churches of England or Ireland, clerical or lay.

6. That when the Trustees have received the representation of the Bishop of the Diocese respecting the necessity of erecting a new Church, the Trustees shall notify to the applicants that they must deposit in advance a sum of money equal to one half of that for which they apply.

7. That this money of the applicants so deposited shall be repaid to the said applicants, together with an equal sum from the grant, when the Trustees shall be duly authorized to advance these sums by the representation of the Bishop of the Diocese.

8. That no farther sum be paid to the applicants from the grant, till a sum equal to the remainder of the grant be deposited by the applicants.

9. That no farther sum be advanced till the Trustees have received from the Bishop of the Diocese a certificate, signed by the Archdeacon of the Diocese or District, respecting the progress of the new building.

10. That the Archdeacon of the Diocese or District shall report the progress of the new building from quarter to quarter to the Bishop of the Diocese.

11. That the portions of the grant be advanced every quarter, and at no other times; and at no time till the quarterly report of the Bishop and Archdeacon shall have been received by the Trustees. 12. That such report shall be a sufficient warrant for the advancement of money by the Trustees,

III. Of the Subscribers to the new Churches or Chapels.

1. That no subscriptions under £500 be received.

2. That the names of the subscribing party or parties be sent to the Bishop of the Diocese, who shall be empowered to erase the name of any Dissenter.

3. That if any fraud be committed with respect to the admission of Dissenters as subscribing parties, the subscription shall be void upon the declaration of the fraud by the Bishop.

4. That the names of the subscribers shall remain, after they have been transmitted to the Bishop, for not less than a month for examination.

« ZurückWeiter »