A DEADLY BLOW.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1424, 26 April 1912, Page 5

A DEADLY BLOW.

DISESTABLISHMENT.

WELSH BILL EXPLAINED^ SCATHING CRITICISM. Uy TciecraDh-Prcsa Association-Copyright London, April 24. Jll Uio House of Commons tho Homo .Secretary itha lion. Reginald M'Kcnna) said that the Welsh Disestablishment Bill was similar to that of 11)09. The present ineomo from endowments amounted lo JiiiiD.OOO; in future it would have a minimuni ol' .1'87,000 a year. Existing incumbents wnuhl continue, to receivo stipends. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners and tho governors of Queen Auno's bounty would also be permitted to contributo from English sources a sufficient sum to make- tho income of tho Welsh Clrarcl\ Jilßo,ooo a year, including lifo interests valued at and to retain cathedrals, churches, and parsonages. Welsh Commissioners would be appointed to distribute Church property, of which .£20,700 will bo given to tho University of Wales and Ji170,000 goes to county councils and districts vrhcro tithes are levied. Tho Bight Hon. Alfred Lyttelton , (Unionist member for St. George's, Hanover Suunro Division), said that (ho English Church hod still tho largest denomination in AVales. The Government was dealing a deadly blow to Christianity by liio Bill, which violated tho principle cf religious toleration.

Sir David Brynmor Jones (Labour member for Swansea) approved the Bill. The debate was adjourned. Tho second rending of the Welsh Disestablishment Bill has been set down for Slay 13. WHAT THE BILL PROVIDES. The .movement for the termination of (lie legal establishment of tho Church of England in Wales took definite shajo 40 years ago. In 1870 Hγ. Watkin Williams declared in tiio House of Commons that "the, people had come to the conclusion that all Stato establishments of religion werewrong," and moved that: the time was ripe for the separation of Church and State in the Principality. Only six Welsh members, however, voted with him. In 1886 27 voted for a similar motion by Jlr. Dillwvn. Tn 1805 31 voted for Jlr. Asquith s Bill; in 18l)(i the representation was unanimous on the subject. The Bill of 1!)(I9 gives the best idea of what Disestablishment will mean for tho Church and tho State. So far as it extends to Wales and Moninrfiith: — (1) Tlie Church of England will cease to, be established by law. (i) All cathedral and ecclesiastical corporal ions will bo dissolved. (3) The bishops of the four dioceses will censo to be Lords of Parliament. (J) Tho present ecclesiastical laiv will cense to exist as law, and no ecclesiastical court will have any coercive jurisdiction. (5) The bishops and clergy will not be member.? of, op be represented in, tlie Houses of Convocation of the Province of Canterbury.

After disestablishment, tho bishops, clergy, and laity will be free to ' hold synods, and to frame regulations for tho government of the Church as a. whole, or according to dioceses; and in the event of ■a. representative body being appointed to hold property the King in Council may by Charter incorporate this body. Provision will be' luailo-for the clergy, so that they will suffer no financial loss when the legal establishment of tho Church is terminated. All plate, furniture, and other movable chattels belonging to tho churches affected by the Act will bn vested in the representative body of tho Church; and to this body there will also bo transferred all churches, chapels-of-ease, and church buildings, etc. Tho burial-grounds and glebes will vest in the parish, urban, or borough councils within whoso areas they ore- situated, while the tithe rent-charge issuing from land in any particular county will bo transferred to the county council. The parochial property will be applied for the following purposes: The erection or support of cottage or other hospitals, or dispensaries, or convalescent homes; the provision of trained nurses for the sick poor; the provision and maintenance of public, parish, or district halls, or institutes, or libraries; technical and higher education; any other charitable purpose of public weal or geireral utility for which provision is ! not mado by statute or out of public funds.