The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

I LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT BUCKLEY. COUNTY COUNCIL ORDER CONFIRMED. I Under date September 21st. the Local Govern- ment Board have issued their confirming order of the order made by the Flintshire County Council on December 11th, 1896, constituting the new urban district of Buckley. The new district consists of portions of the parishes of Hawarden and Mold Rural, and is both ex- tensive and of considerable ratable value. There will be two parishes in the new district, to be known as Buckley (Hawarden) and Buckley (Mold), and the whole district will be styled The Buckley Urban Sanitary District.' By the order of the Flintshire County Council, it was provided that the whole of the new urban dis- trict should be situated within the Hawarden Poor-law Union, and that those portions of the townships of Argoed and Bistre, now situated within and forming part of the parish of Mold and of the Holywell Rural Sanitary District, should be transferred to and form part of the Buckley Urban District, and form part of the Hawarden Poor-law Union. Acting upon repre- sentations made to them, however, the Local Government Board have decided to expunge this part of the County Council's order, and have ordered that the whole of the new district shall be included in the Holywell Union, and thus there will be no alteration in the poor-law administration of the district. The order came into force on Friday, October 1st, and the first election of the Urban Council (which is to consist of 15 members) will take place within a month. Great interest is being taken in the forthcoming election in Buckley. The district is one of the most important industrial centres in North Wales, and is greatly in need of sanitary improvements. One of the first matters to which the new Council will turn its attention will be the sewerage question, for I which plans have already been prepared, the estimated outlay being about £ 4,000.

Sir Alfred Milner, the South African High Commissioner, in a letter addressed to the Colonial Office, states that the celebrations in South Africa in connection with the Queen's Jubilee prove that the racial differences there have not affected the loyalty of the population, who all, whether English, Dutch, Asiatic, or native, vied with one another in demonstrations of affection for Her Majesty. EPPS'S COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COMFORTING.— By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected COCOA, Mr. Epps has provided for our breakfast and supper a delicately flavoured bevel age which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradu- ally built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame.Civil Service Gazette.—Made simply with boiling water or milk.—Sold only in packets and pound tins, by Grocers, labelled-JAMBs Epps & Co., Ltd., Homceopathic Chemists, London."—Also makers of Epps's Cocoaine or Cocoa-Nib Extract: Tea- like A thin beverage of full flavour, now with many beneficially taking the place of tea. Its active principle being a gentle nerve stimulant, supplies the needed energy without unduly exciting the system.

RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE. Now that September has departed—if not in a flood of glory, at least in autumnal kindliness —we are in a position to take a backward as well as forward view, to some extent at least, of the results and probabilities that lie before us in regard to farming prospects and the coming winter. The fine weather of the late month no doubt did much to retrieve the lee- way left from the wet summer. Arrears of harvesting in late districts, particularly in the North, have been cleared up; on the whole seasonable weather has prevailed, and the out- look is regarded as far less cheerless than at Michaelmas a year ago. Substantial progress with the autumn tillages has been made. Recently-sown catch crops have nearly every- where brairded strongly, being favoured by warm, moist seed beds. Preparations for wheat sowing are being steadily pushed forward, and moderate breadths are already being seeded. The soil on the whole has been in capital working condition, and as we write there is a prospect of field work being well advanced before winter sets in. The crop that seems to be giving most un- easiness is the potato. Disease is very prevalent, the yields small, while super growth is frequent. The poor quality of the Irish potato crop is early producing evil effects, to judge by a report from Skibbereen, which states that on Cape Clear Island an outbreak of Irish cholera has occurred, the attack being attri- buted to the consumption of diseased potatoes. The Skibbereen Board of Guardians, in con- sequence of the almost total failure of the potato crop and the necessity of providing employment for the people round the coast, have passed a resolution urging the Govern- ment to construct a railway to Glandore, to extend the Schull tramway to Crookhaven and Dunmanus Bay, to construct piers at Baltimore and Crookhaven as works of utility calculated to largely develop the fisheries and other industries. The potato crop in the United States is proving a poor one this year, and the indications are that it will not be sufficient for domestic wants. Root crops are generally reported on favour- ably, though they do not appear to have pro- gressed in all parts of the country. Between Rugby and Leamington swedes are said to be much blighted, not more than half a crop being expected. Mangolds are doing well, but late sown turnips have proved a failure. From Staffordshire we hear bad accounts of turnips and potatoes, and a fall in the values of sheep and lambs, as well as of cattle, has been experienced. On the whole, however, the position is not unsatisfactory, reports being, as a rule, of a favourable nature in this depart- ment of farming. WHKAT AND THE WHEAT HARVEST. In bis annual report of the weather of the year as affecting the crops, and of the yield on the various experimental plots at Rothamsted, Sir J. B. Lawes estimates that the average yield of this year's wheat crop does not exceed bushels per acre. But not only in quantity, but in quality also is this year's crop inferior. The amount of offal or immature grain is, he says, exceedingly large this year, though the grower is to some extent consoled by receiving a better prict) for his produce. Taking the population of the United Kingdom in the middle ot the harvest year at rather over forty millions, and reckoning a consumption of six bushels per head, Sir John Lawes calculates that rather more than thirty million quarters will be required. The area under wheat in the United Kingdom in 1897 was 1,936,041 acres, and taking 26k bushels (of 60 pounds) per acre as a basis upon which to calculate the crop of the country, we get six and one-third million quarters. Deducting two bushels per acre for seed, it leaves nearly six million quarters available. He therefore concludes that another twenty- four million quarters of foreign wheat will be required. A cargo of wheat has been disposed of at Plymouth, on which a very handsome profit was realised. In May last, the ship Mayfield brought to that port 16,000 quarters of wheat, which, however, were not sold, but held for a rise, as the quotation at the time was only 30s. per quarter. The holding has now been parted with at 40s. per quarter, which represented a gain of storage expenses.—Wheat is still rising in value, and the official average stands at 33s. lid. per quarter of 4801b. The sales last week were remarkably heavy, being 18.000 quarters more than were marketed in the same week from the big crop of last year. The price of wheat in New York has been falling almost every day since September 14th. The visible supply east of the Rockies keeps on increasing, but is still not much more than one- third of the quantity in sight a year ago. XANOEL STORING. Professor Wrightson, who as a practical adviser in agricultural matters is worth fol- lowing, writes under this head in the Agricul- tural Gazette as followE :—Mangels may now be stored, for there is little advantage in leaving them in the ground after the first week in October. They are then liable to injury from frost, and the work is often interrupted by wet weather. Few crops are more profitable than a really heavy crop of mangel. They should be stored dry, and well íprotected from frost. They are better placed in large wide heaps than in narrow ones, as they protect each other from frost, and always come out in better condition. Clamps 12ft. at the base, and built up as a long prism-shaped heap, are the best. They should be placed conveniently for the use of various descriptions of stock, and well protected by a thick covering of straw and earth. The apex of the heap should be left free of earth for a few weeks, to allow of the escape of heat and moisture, as a closely-confined heap of mangel, potatoes, carrots, or parsnips is liable to heat and rot. Ventilation is thus secured, and this risk is avoided. A heap of mangel upon a headland close to rye or trifolium will Be found useful, as will another heap convenient for the lambing pens, and .another fur the cow sheds or cattle yards. It is seldom that a farmer feels that he has too much mangel. DISEASES OF ANIMALS. The statistics compiled by the Board of Agri- culture under the Diseases of Animals Acts shew that during the week ended September 25 there were 25 outbreaks of swine fever, and that 854 pigs were slaughtered as diseased or exposed to infection. In the corresponding week last year the number of outbreaks was 80, and the number of pigs slaughtered 1,522. During the week one head of cattle was slaughtered as suspected of pleuro-pneumonia, but on post- mortem examination was found to be free from the disease. There were 8 outbreaks of anthrax, attacking 10 animals, as compared with 7 and 12 last year; 17 outbreaks of glanders attack- ing 29 animals, against 23 and 31 last year; and 4 cases of rabies in dogs were reported, against 2 last year. JOURNAL OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Number 2, vol. 4, of the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, now on issue, is most instructive, and well worthy the attention of all who take a practical interest in agriculture. The con- tents range over a wide series of subjects, embracing well-written papers on The Storage of Farmyard Manure,' The Imports of the Cereal year,' Canadian Agriculture,' Condi- tion of Agriculture in India,' Co-operation among French Farmers,' The Starling,' and Agricultural Development of the last twenty yearsbesides which a fund of information is contained in an illustrated dissertation on C Injunous Insects and Fungi: Agricultural and Miscellaneous Notes, and Prices of Agricul- tural Produce. From the agricultural returns compiled on June 4th, 1897, with a com- parative statement for 1896, we gather that in each division of cattle, sheep and pigs, there is a considerable decrease in the aggregate numbers this year compared with 1896. The figures are as follows, the second set represent- ing the returns for 1896:—-Total of cattle, 6,500,497 — 6,493,582; sheep. 26,340,440— 26,705,329; pigs, 2,342,302-2,878,801. 1,889,161 acres were sown with wheat against 1,693,957 in 1896, being an increase of 11 5 per cent., and 33'3 per cent. over 1895. 2,035,790 acres were sown with barley, against 2,104,764 last year, being a decrease of 3 3 per cent., and of 6 0 per cent. compared with 1895. Oats comprised 3,036,056 acres, against 3,095,488 in the previous year, being a decrease of 19 per cent., and 79 per cent. under 1895. 504,914 acres of potatoes were planted, against 563,741 last year, being a decrease of 10 4 per cent. compared with 1896, and of 67 per cent. compared with 1895. For the county of Chester the following are the figuresCattle, 174,367 — 174,586; sheep, 95,073—103,434; pigs, 66,222—75,034; wheat, 13,533 acres-10,035; barley, 1,930—1,869; oats, 61,940—63,266; potatoes, 23,252—25,432; hay from clover and rotation grasses, 60,363—56,047; from permanent pastures, 93,151—100,048 acres. In addition, a large amount of information is appended under the heads of Agricultural and Miscellaneous Notes,' Prices of Agricultural Produce,' Parliamentary information, &e. The number is a valuable shillings-worth, and should be in the possession of all practical farmers. It is to be obtained from Messrs. Laughton and Co., 1, Essex-street, Strand, W.C., London, printers for Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

DEATH OF A CHESHIRE FARMER.—The funeral took place on Saturday at Acton, of Mr. Joseph Furber, of Austerson Hall Farm, near Nant- wich, who died on the previous Tuesday. The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of friends and neighbours, who joined the procession in conveyances, the distance from the residence of the deceased to the place of interment being nearly five miles A large number of wreaths were sent. The deceased gentleman was 77 years of age, having been born in 1819. He succeeded his father in the tenancy of the farm, and had been in the occupation of it nearly 50 years. Austerson Hall Farm has been tenanted by the late Mr. Furber and his ancestors in a direct line for nearly 200 years. The farm was formerly part of the Kilmorey estate, but a few years ago was purchased by Mr. Shaw, together with some adjacent farms. The late Mr. Furber was looked up to by his neighbouring farmers as a man of sterling integrity and uprightness. On rent days, during the agency of Mr. 0. E. Grant, he occupied a prominent position, and responded to the toast of the tenantry at the half-yearly audit dinners at the Lamb Hotel, Nantwich. His judgment, impartiality, and straight- forwardness were always to be relied upon in the event of any differences arising between landlord and tenant. When the Kilmorey estate came into the market, Mr. Furber was employed to assist in allotting it, and also to show it to intending purchasers. He sub- sequently managed the unsold portions, and acted as agent to Mr. Anthony Shaw, of Congleton. The deceased was a trustee and executor for other estates, some of which were of considerable size, and in a few instances several years were occupied in their winding up. Mr. Furber, owi to failing health, decided to give up the tenancy of his farm some four or five years ago to his eldest son, Mr. Joseph Furber, and there also survive him another son, Mr. John Furber, and one daughter, Mrs. T. Dutton.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE. 0 PRESENTATION TO THE EARL OF EGERTON. The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire was held on Wednesday, at the Town Hall, Sandbach, the Right Worship- ful Provincial Grand Master (Earl Egerton of Tatton) presiding. There was a very large attendance of brethren from the lodges in the province, and a number of visiting brethren from Lancashire. The lodge having been opened in due form, Bro. Henry Jackson, P.M., P.J.G.W. presented the Provincial Grand Treasurer's financial statements, and the accounts were passed as satisfactory.—Bro. Clayton, P.G.A.D.C., presented the reports of the Committee of Benevolence, the Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution, and the Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution to the lodge, and the reports were adopted.—The Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master (Bro. Sir Horatio Lloyd), in the course of an address, referred to the honour which Her Majesty the Queen had conferred upon their Provincial Grand Master (Lord Egerton), by creating him an earl. He remarked that when the news of the Sovereign having conferred this dignity upon their esteemed Provincial Grand Master was made known, it created a thrill of pleasure and satisfaction throughout England, and especially in the province of Cheshire. (Applause.) The great public ser- vices which Lord Egerton had rendered were known to all of them, and were appreciated by them. (Applause.) Sir Horatio, in the name of the province, then presented Lord Egerton with a beau- tifully-illuminated address of congratulation. The Earl of Egerton, who was received with cheers, said it had been his privilege to be con- nected with Masonry in various capacities for a long time, and he felt deeply the many kind- nesses which he had received from his fellow- Masons. He warmly thanked them for the address, and said he should treasure it as long as he lived, and it would be an heirloom in his family. During the past ten years there had been a great increase in the number of lodges and in the membership of the Province of Cheshire, and he hoped the numbers would continue to increase. The progress of that province had elicited the sympathy of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, who, in commemoration of Her Most Graciotia Majesty's reign of 60 years, had empowered him to confer past prov. rank on six brethren, members of the province. The six brethren were-Bro. H. Gordon Small, P.P.S.G.W.; Bro. J. H. Holt, P.P.S.G.W.; Bro. Robert Finlow, P.P.J.S.W. Bro. George Ibeson, P.P.G. Registrar; Bre. E. J. Sidebottom, P.P.G.S.D.; Bro. C. H. Andrews, P.P.G.J.D. He thanked the Deputy-Grand Master for the kind way in which he had spoken of him, and he should value the address as a mark of their esteem. (Applause.) Bro. William Holloway was elected Prov. Grand Treasurer. The Prov. Grand officers invested by the P.G.M. included Deputy-Prov. G.M. his Honour Judge Sir Horatio Lloyd, Chester; P.G. Senior Chaplain, the Rev. C. H. Hylton Stewart; P.G. Junior Chaplain, the Rev. C. E. Jackson; P.G. Treasurer, W. Holloway, Sand- bach; P.G.D.D. of Ceremonies, W. R. Wass, Runcorn; J. Foden, Altrincham; T. Owen, Chester; S. Sherratt, Sandbach; P.G. Stewards, F. R. Oke, r. Marriott, Sandbach S. Jude, Liverpool; T. W. Stanbury, Liscard; T. Browne, Chester; R. G. Hawkins, Willaston (Chester). Altrincham and Liscard were nominated as the place of the next annual meeting, but the nominee of Liscard withdrew in favour of Altrincbam. Grand Lodge was afterwards closed. The weather was so wet that the pro- cession to church had to be abandoned.

PURE COCOA is a Perfect Food-tbe addition of drugs only deteriorates it. The Lancet says: CADBUELY's Cocoa represents the standard of highest purity."—The public should be wary of mixtures, and the plausible arguments used to promote their sale. 3 EXPLOSION AT A GUNPOWDER FACTORY.—Just after five o'clock on Saturday morning Waltham Abbey and neighbourhood for some miles around were awakened by a loud rumble, and a number of inhabitants, on hastening to the gunpowder factory, found that an explosion had occurred at number five mill, Millhead. Men willing to render asaistance were turned back by the officials at the gates, and the only news to be obtained was that the mill is a complete wreck, but that no one has been injured. WILL OF Ma. GEORGE G. MACRAE, HART- FORD.—Mr. George Gordon Macrae, J.P., of Beechfield, Hartford, who died on June 16 last, appointed as his executor Mr. Alfred Billson, M.P., and Mr. Arthur Lionel Woodhouse, his cousin, the value of the personal estate being £ 220,619. The testator bequeaths £1,000 and his leasehold house, Beechfield, with the furni- ture, plate, household effects (except pictures and objects of art), carriages, and horses, to his wife, Mrs. Jessie Mary Macrae; X500 to Alfred Billson; X5,500 to his cousin, Arthur Lionel Woodhouse; £ 5,000, upon trust, for his cousin, Hannah Shore, for life, and then to her children £1,000 each to the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool, the Seamen's Orphan- age, Liverpool, and the Blue Coat School, Liverpool; 91,000 to Eliza Meteyard £ 2,500 each to his cousins, Alice and Cecilia Woodhouse; and legacies to servants. He devises The Uplands, with the furniture and household effects therein (except pictures and objects of art), to his cousin, Hannah Shore. The residue of his real and personal estate he leaves, upon trust, for his wife during her life, and at her decease, as to one-third thereof, to his godson, Edward Mostyn Woodhouse; one- third to the children of his cousin, Samuel Henry Woodhouse; and the remaining one- third is to be divided into three portions, one of which he gives to the children of John Forbes Woodhouse, one to the children of Frederick William Woodhouse, and the remain- ing one portion to the children of Cordelia Blanche Courtney.

CARTERJSLlTTLE ='< V LIVER PILLS. 8maH Jp BEAUTIFUL TEETH ^HcARTSitT''1*nm. for all who nae daily on tha tooth a brush a few dreps of JKMftK S0Z0D0NT, Jv jlP'y'S Forty in a tha pleaaantait danttfrica la the r1 f ii* nil. world. Purely vegetable. Cleanses the teeth and spaces „ „ between them as nothing else Sallow Complexion"* sii* peariy white Headaches promptly: and tcetfl, rosy up6t ftfid fr&gT&ni oare them souto stay oar«L W6MU ensured. Cbttnista, k 1*4. j Ask tor SOZODONT. tea ft.

THE CHURCH CONGRESS. 4. On Wednesday papers were read on the Book of Common Prayer as the rule of the Church of England,' and on the Athanasian Creed.—Viscount Halifax also read a paper, in whieh he urged the expediency of allowing, within limits, a variety of uses in the same Church. In another of the sections the Bishop of Ripon introduced the subject of the progress of life and thought in the Church of England during the Victorian era.—Father Ignatius, in the course of the discussion which followed, made a vigorous protest against what he deemed the erroneus teachings of certain dignitaries of the Church. He said they were 'treating creeds as illusions, denying Christ, and taking away God.' Thus, he added, was the raison d'etre of missionary work destroyed, and they were on the fringe of a great apostacy. —Several public meetings were, as usual, held in the evening. CHURCH PREFERMENT AND PATRONAGE. ADDRESS BY MR. GRIFFITH- BOSCAWEN, M.P. The Congress was continued on Thursday, when Mr. A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN, M.P., read a paper upon Methods of preferment and pat- ronage in the Church of England compared with other existing methods, and considered in reference to the actual circumstances of the English Church.' He said I confess it is with feelings of no little dis- appointment that I stand once more before a Church Congress audience, to speak on the patronage question, and to have to admit that another year has passed, and we remain in statu quo ante. The Benefices Bill of 1896, which dealt comprehensively with the whole question of patronage, if not of preferment, only just missed becoming law. The smaller measure of 1897 never had a chance. This was not due to apathy on the part of Churchmen in Parliament. It was due primarily to the want of Government support, and secondly to the absurd method of dealing with private members' Bills which Parliament in its wisdom has thought fit to adopt. Most people are aware that the number of days allotted to private members are few and becoming rapidly fewer. But it may be a surprise to many to know that they are allotted not on any rational principle, but by the mere luck of the ballot. Thus it often happens that a most trumpery measure, the fad of some one member, secures the best day in the session, while Bills desired by large sections of the House get no days at all. This is what happened to the Benefices Bill this year. No less than forty members of the Church Parliamentary Committee ballotted for it, but so unlucky were we that the highest came out twenty-seventh, and the Bill never came on at all. Of course we shall try again. But I think the time has come when the Government might reasonably be asked to bring in a Bill on the subject themselves. The present Government owes much to the Church, and to the bulk of Churchmen who voted for them in 1895 it has long been apparent that Church reform must accompany Church defence. If the establishment is to be a bar to the removal of abuses, disestablishment must come sooner or later. The Church Committee has already petitioned them to do this, and I earnestly hope that another year will not elapse without the removal of some of the worst evils of the patronage system. Meanwhile we have once more an opportunity for reflection. We have enjoyed this advantage a good many times. Sixteen patronage and three benefices Bills have been introduced in the last twenty years, and there has been an opportunity of reflection between each. Still, I should be the last to claim that these many proposals have received unanimous support even from Church reformers. It may not therefore be amiss once more to examine our present system in order that we may not merely recognise its defects, but also decide in what direction we should seek to reform them. Now I do not propose to deal with bishops' patronage. No doubt we all sometimes hear complaints of it. But needless to say it is not here that the scandals arise of buying and selling and trafficking in holy things that are the stumbling block in our Church. These arise out of private patronage, and a very small portion of it. Now, the system of private patron- age, so far as I know, is peculiar to England, though till quite lately it existed in Scotland and Ireland too. It dates from the original formation of parishes, and is a relic of feudalism. The ealdaman of Saxon and feudal lord of Norman times built the church on his land, endowed it with tithes, a portion of the produce of his land, and perhaps with glebe, a portion of the land itself-the parishioners were all his men, his tenants, and he reserved to himself the appointment of the parish priest, subject only to the right of the bishop to refuse [the presentee if not idoneus. Such was the original patron; the present patron is either the last inheritor or the latest purchaser of his feudal rights. Perhaps it will be said that the system was in theory uncanonical and wrong. It gave to one rich man what properly belonged to all. But it was in accordance with the ideas of the time, and on the whole worked very well for many years. It prevented Church patronage from being unduly episcopal, giving a variety well suited to the disposition of the English people. However, abuses crept in. In the lapse of time the right of presenting a priest to the bishop for institution ceased to be regarded as a sacred trust, and came to be looked on as a form of property capable of being bought or sold; while the power of the bishop to reject a presentee who was not idoneous became less and less, till now it is practically non-existent. Hence it became possible to purchase what was in theory only a presentation, but in practice the cure of souls. And, indeed, for a man with an easy conscience, and a few thousands in his pcoket, there is no better investment. He has only to get himself ordained, buy an advowson in a parish with a small population and a pleasant neighbourhood, and present himself; and then, so long as he barely discharges his ecclesiastical duties, and commits no heinous crime, he may stay for the rest of bis life, while the spiritual welfare of the parish may go to ruin. This is a bare statement of what under our present system may, and often does, happen; that it is intolerable, I think we are all agreed; the question is, how to amend it ? Are we to retain private patronage, purging it of its abuses, or shall we sweep it clean away P The latter course would place us more in line with other Churches and religious bodies in the world. I don't know of any other instance of private patronage. In the Scotch Kirk it once existed, was abolished at the Reformation, restored at the Restoration, and became the chief source of that great schism which created the Free Kirk, and it was finally abolished by a Conservative Government in 1874, the patrons being given compensation by a charge made on the benefices. Most of them, however, refused it, yielding their right for nothing. Would English patrons behave with like generosity ? Many true sons of the Church doubtless would, but many would not, so deeply rooted is the property view this side of the Tweed. Private patronage also existed in the Church of Ireland, but came to an end with disestablishment. But supposing by any such means it ceased to exist in England, what is to take its place? Are we to adopt the plan of the Romish Church in Ireland and in most continental countries, which is also the plan of the Eastern Church in Russia, and vest all patronage in the bishops. Without in the least sharing in the curious anti-episcopal feeling of some English Episco- palians, I do not think I should say I Yes' to this. Travellers in Russia say that it works badly there, all the richest livings going either to the best men or the bishops' families, and I am sure it would not commend itself to the English people, with their horror of one man power in Church or State. Or shall we restore, what is asserted to be the Old Canonical method, of election by all the parishioners, which does actually exist in some English parishes, which was adopted by the Scotch in 1874, and which has always been the system in Switzerland, both among Roman Catholics and Protestants ? In Scotland, where far greater relative importance is attached to the sermon, it appears to work well, and it is usual to have a succession of candidates on trial Sunday after Sunday. I have heard indeed of so many that the really meritorious performances of some of the earlier candidates were forgotten in the multitude of their successors. But I do not think we should like this plan in England—and certainly at present it would be impossible, for we have no proper definition of parishioner. To place the election in the hands of all ratepayers, because in the eye of the law they all belong to the Church of England, would be intolerable. It was attempted recently in the parish of Llanhary, South Wales, by the patron transferring his rights to the parishioners, with the result that the candidate run by the local Nonconformist chapel was elected, and it was publicly stated that not a single Churchman voted for him. j Clearly parishioners must be defined as Church- men, and Churchmen as communicants, before we can travel a step in this direction. A third alternative would be to combine the power of the bishop and the parishioners, so as to give due weight to each. This is attempted in various ways in American and colonial dioceses, especially in the Eastern part of Canada, where the right of election lies with the parishioners, i.e., the faithful laity, while the bishops have very full powers of refusal. In some American dioceses, where a clergyman from some other diocese has been duly chosen by the parish, the bishop can refuse to admit him into his diocese altogether, and from his decision there is no appeal. What would some opponents of the Benefices Bill, who so suffer from episcophobia, say to this ? But the best plan of combining the powers of the bishop and the parish is to be found in the system of patronage boards, as set up in Ireland since disestablishment. When a vacancy occurs there, it is filled by a joint meeting of the patronage committee of the whole diocese and three representatives of the parish, the bishop presiding and having a casting vote. Thus the views of the parishioners are fully ascertained, while the ultimate decision may rest with the bishop. Probably the establishment of patron- age boards will be found to be the ultimate solution here. Even their tentative establish- ment at the present moment would be an immense boon to the Church of England. One thing, however, we must remember. We are not engaged in establishing a new church in a new country, but in attempting to reform an old one in an old country, whose constitution is older than that of the State, and the reform of which must proceed on the same conservative lines. I am all for Church reform, especially patronage reform, but I am not for laying violent hands on a system which has grown up with the country. At the present moment I do not believe the abolition of private patronage would be possible; the attempt would, I am sure, be most unwise. But I should like to see insuperable obstacles put in the way of its abuse. This would best be done by prohibiting the sale of Church patronage altogether but to do this you must offer compensation to those patrons who wish to part with their rights, and nobody has yet suggested where the money is to come from. Failing this, therefore, the next best plan is that of Part I. of the Benefices Bill, 1896, which by slopping the sale of next presen- tations and of advowsons with immediate possession and by compelling the registration ot all transfers of patronage, etc., would go far towards ending that corrupt traffic which disgraces our Church. Of greater importance is it to restore to the bishops their proper power of refusing to institute unfit presentees, and also, under reasonable safeguards, of getting rid of those clergy who cannot or will not do their work. Nobody, in proposing this, wishes to press hard on the clergy, who, we all agree, are probably the hardest working, worst paid, and certainly most over-taxed class in the country; but the spiritual welfare of the parish is, and must always be, the first consideration. With this reform, however, another is closely linked. It would be far easier to increase the power of the episcopate if the bishops were themselves the nominees not ot the State but of the Church. In saying this, I hope I am not saying anything in derogation of the present bench of bishops; I am speaking of the system only. The present bench has been almost entirely nominated by Lord Salisbury and Mr. Glad- stone, two of the most conscientious Churchmen who have ever been Prime Ministers, and in recent years, therefore, the system has worked well. But has it always ? Can we forget the political bishops of the Whigs in the last century, or even Lord John Russell's avowed attempt to 'liberalize' the Church in the middle of the present century, with such appointments as that of Dr. Hampden ? Such a policy might recur any day. But what I wish to emphasise is this: however excellent the bishops may be, they are not, and under the present system cannot be, regarded as the chosen leaders of the Church; they appear to be imposed from outside, with the result that any increase in their power is resented as it would not be if they were appointed by the Church herself. In fact, the ehapters should be reformed, and the cong6 d'elire made a reality, or else by the formation of diocesan synods some other system of election should be devised, which, saving the rights of the Crown, would give the Church a far greater measure of independence than she enjoys at present. But I am plunging into questions of preferment, the discussion of which, though part of our subject, would carry me far beyond my allotted time. This, however, I would impress upon my hearers, that the two questions of patronage reform and the preferment to the higher offices in the Church are closely connected; we shall never finally settle the former till we have dealt with the latter. In the meantime, it remains for us to go forward, slowly it may be, and piecemeal, with the Reform policy. And if next Session we can pass even a part of the Benefices Bill, with or without Government help, we shall at least have accomplished something. I hope that a unanimous appeal will go forth from this Congress to Government to deal, and to deal quickly, with the admitted gross abuses of the patronage system, and that the appeal will not be in vain.

EDDISBURY REVISION COURT. ♦ BRADWALL. Mr. E. Burke Wood, revising barrister, con- tinued these courts at the Commercial Hotel, Bradwall, on Tuesday, Mr. R. N. Owen and Mr. Seller appearing for the Conservative and Liberal parties. The lists were carefully gone through, but no point of public interest arose. At a later hour in the day a court was held at Minshull Vernon. In Church Minshull claims had been made by the Liberals for two lodgers of the names of Askey and Henshall. Mr. Owen said he objected, as they had not the slightest claim to go on as lodgers. The Barrister said they were not good enough, and disallowed the claims. Two occupiers' claims were put forward by the Liberals in respect of Clement Egerton and George Egerton. Mr. Owen said the claims were bad on the face of them, as there could be no joint occupancy of a dwelling- house. The claims failed. The Conservatives I sustained a freehold claim for William Holland in Cholmondeston. AUDLEM. Mr. E. Burke-Wood held a Revision Court at the Lamb Hotel, Audlem, on Wednesday, Mr. Owen attending for the Conservatives and Mr. Seller for the Liberals. In Andlem the Con- servatives claimed a parochial vote for Mr. Wallace Lumb, of Crewe, which was allowed; also new lodger votes for Wm. Barratt, Wm. Minshull, Ryland Blakeman, and Arthur Holland, all of whom attended and sustained their claims. An independent lodger claim was also sustained by Charles Gresty. In Buerton the Conservatives sustained a freehold claim for W. W. Kellock, of Liverpool. ACTON. The revision of these lists was held subse- quently at the Salamanca Hotel, Wrenbury, the political parties being represented as before. In Acton township the Conservatives sustained lodger votes for E. Williams, Madams Farm; in Brindley, W. Allwood; in Edlaston, for T. P. Hodson in Hurleston, for Samuel Boughey in Poole, for J. Faulkner in Baddiley for Thos. and Walter Holland; also freehold claims for H. D. Hill and J. A. Davenport, in Dodcott. The Liberals sustained in Newhall for Chas. Young, but failed in Broomhall for Weaver, and Chesters in Sound. An expression of thanks was general to the Revising Barrister for so carefully and considerately dealing with the lists throughout the division.

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