Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] WEDNESDAY MAY 2, 1894. PAROCHIAL DIFFICULTIES,

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4708, 2 May 1894, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] WEDNESDAY MAY 2, 1894. PAROCHIAL DIFFICULTIES,

In Masterton the Catholics, the Presbyterians, the Wesleyans, and the Salvation Army appear to make satisfactory arrangements for the support of their respective religious institutions, and it srems to be somewhat singular that the Episcopalian Church, which cprtajnly has on its register a very considerable seotion of ■the wealth of the town, should have a reputation for shortcomings and embarrassments, It is, however,- the case that Masterton is not at all singular amongstcountry Episcopalian Churches in its financial position, but that they are in most instances tarred with the same brush, With larger resources the Church of England produces less results than other denominations, and this is accounted for by its bad business management. For instance, it possesses valuable reserves and endowments which any other Church would turn to profitable amount, but which it religiously guards from utilization,

In Masterton, for example, it possesses four or five thousand pounds worth of property, the greater part of which is held idle for posterity to deal with. Not only this, but its'administration of tho funds whiob it does enjoy is marki d by inoonsißtency, and it is no wonder that the rulers of the Church, like the foolish virgins, continually find do oil in their lamps, Some

fourteen' years ago a new scheme of a general fund was launched, which was to put its finances on a Bound Ms. Ihg essential part of the project was that Ohurohmen all over the diocese should give an annual subscription to the fund, and tbatout oftbjseyery clergyman should ! be paid an adequate salary at stated intervals. As soon as the project ot into working order the diocesan committee dropped its obligation to pay the clergyman, and as a necessary ponsequenoe many subscribers considered their obligation of contributing to the fund to be cancelled, The

general church fund has been a failure from not having been carried out on the lines it was planned, but it still survives in a crippled condition interfering with &mV emasculating local efforts. A parish like Masterton could very well manage to provide all necessary monies for its inoumbent if the responsibility of so doing, rested with it, but the ohurch orders otherwise. Tho income of the inoumbent is paid in Wellington, and all Masiterton has to do is to comply with I tbo demands made upon it by the churoh committee, If the parish does' ' not pay the levy at which, it ip ag, sensed the cburph committee does not pay the'parson. 'The position is that the parish is not a|lowe§ to pay its minister, and the Church Committee does not hold itself responsible for the payment. There is little feeling of local responsibility, and no sense of responsibility at headquarters, The result is of course the condition of muddle which characterises ohuroh districts generally, The Masterton congregation has been in no worse condition financially'than the averagj congregations of the diocese, but its little shortcomings have been brought more prominently before tho public. No doubt when the diocese gets a new Bishop somo:better system of providing for its requirer&ent's'maj' be Inaugurated, that is of Course presuming that the new bishop is a capable man, The advanced age and the physical infirmities of the lain head of the Oiooese, precluded of late years reforms which were obviouly needed. The late vestry of St. Matthew's might have been exouaed

if it had not, prior to the departure oftheKcv.W.E, Paige, raised all the money. wbioH the Wellington authorities demanded before they jypuld settle up with the departing, plergywan, but m a patter of fap|,bf a'auprejrio effort it paid over Pwry eixp3nee and wen discharged some contingent liabilities .for whioh it [could not'lwell baye beea Md liable,