THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3516, 14 October 1882, Page 4

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Although other religious bodies have long had yenv-books, which record their labors and give much useful information relative to their progress, the Church of England, singularly enough, has never in its history had one till this year. The Estnblisment is a gigantic organisation, embracing about thirteen and a half millions of the people in England, and if we consider tho membership of the Episcopal Church in America, Ireland, Scotland, and the colonies, we cannot help wondering that no official effort has ever been made till now to tabulate its numerical strength and resources, and its objects and efforts in the spiritual culture of the world. A well-known Church writer, Mr Charles Mackeson, has at last undertaken this work with the full approval of the Bishops, who will be able to secure for him very full and reliable information. At present the Church in the Colonies and United States is scarcely touched upon, but this being the first year of p üblication, the omission is excusable One thing is certain, whatever be the extra labor in compiling the information, the additional interest attaching to the year-book would repay the cost. As it now stands, there is much very curious and interesting information.

It reports the work done by tho various Church of England organisations, viz., Convocations, Missions, Colleges, Schools, Scripture Readers, Penitentiary Societies, the Society for Waifs and Strays, Temperance, Girls' Society, and the different printing and publishing societies which have for their object the diffusion of Church literature. Last year the Church of England spent on secular education in day-schools in England and Wales £587,272 16s 2d, while the Weslevans spent only £16,018 lis Bd, the Roman Catholics £54,480 18s, and all British and other schools put together only £79,493 8s 9d. This extract is from the tables taken from the report from the Committee of Council on Education for 1880 81. Passing from day schools to Sunday schools, we find that last year there were in England and Wales 2,222,891 scholars and 113,412 teachers ; 163,734 of the scholars were over 14 years of age, and only 48,680 of them were communicants. Thirty thousand seven hundred and sixty of the teachers had been formerly scholars, and five thousand young men and women were in Bible classes. Last year 939 deacons and 706 priests were ordained, making a total of 17,970 clergy; and 176,46-4 candidate? were confirmed, leaving out of account Ireland and Scotland. As regards new buildings, 79 new churches were consecrated, 206 were re-opened, after re-building, enlargement or restoration, and 48 mission rooms were licensed. Some idea of Church newspapers may be got from the mention of the Guardian, Church Quarterly, The Record, Eock, Church Bells, Churchman, Church Eeview, Church Times, and John Bull. These papers represent various shades of thought, and the following figures will indicate the extension of Church work and tho increase of Ritualism during the last few years in London and its suburbs: In 1875 there were no churches with candles on the altar, but in 1882 there were 45 ; in 1873 no church observed the eastward position, but in 1882 270 did; in 1873 not a single church kept dedication festivals, now 160 do; and not one had floral decoration, but 242 do now : in 1869 incense was used in eight churches. This number increased to 18 in 1876, but fell to 13 in 1882. In 1869 the surplice was not used in one pulpit, [but at the beginning of this year it was used in 656. Eucharistic vestments were used in 37 churches in 1876 and have not increased by one since then. Since 1869 churches with free seats have increased from 49. to 319, and weekly offertories from 106. to 507. Voluntary choirs have risen in tho same time from 235 to 468 ; surpliced choirs from 114 to. 47,6.; choral services from 125 to 350; daily services from 113 to 568 ; Saints Duy services from 186 to 470; evening Holy Communion from 65 to 285 ; early Communion from 135 to 588 ; weekly Communion from 154 to 483; and in 1869 the number of churches was 588, but in December, 1881, they had increased to 903. In the London churches 3000 lay-helpers are organised to co-operate with the clergy, and special efforts are now being made to induce suitable laymen to offer themselves to be set apart as lay-readers. '1 lie forpgoing figures will afford some idea of the magnitude of tho Anglican communion in England generally, and London in partcular. Its power for good is immense. The learning, wealth, and sterling goodness of multitudes of her children give the Church of England a very unique position of influence for good, and it behoves her, as much as individuals, to heed the warning that ' to whom much is given, of them will much be required.'