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NOTES.

NOTE A. p. 23.

In cases where considerable outlay will be required in the repairs of a Church, and opposition to a Church-rate is expected, it would appear to be desirable that the Archdeacon should be requested to visit the Church, in order that he may, with full personal information, give such order as may be requisite. It will be for the Archdeacon to consider to what points, under the circumstances of the case, and on careful examination of the state of the Church, his order shall extend; and also whether, or not, it may be desirable in the first instance to proceed, as in the Braintree case, by monition formally issued from the proper Ecclesiastical Court.

In giving notice of a meeting of the Vestry, the Churchwardens should take care that it be stated, that the Vestry will be held "for the purpose of making a rate" for the necessary repairs of the Church, and providing all things necessary for the decent celebration of Divine service, and for the other expenses necessarily and legally incident to the office of Churchwarden, - or as the case may be. The Meeting having been called, not "for the purpose of taking into consideration," &c. &c., but "for the purpose of making a rate," the recent decision in the Braintree case will be strictly in point; making any resolution, or amendment, which has not this object in view, to be irrelevant,

and therefore inadmissible. In cases, especially, where considerable repairs are required, the Churchwardens should come prepared with an estimate, obtained from some Architect or Surveyor of good repute; the primary question to be determined. by the Vestry being this,—what sum is required for the necessary repairs; consequent on which question, and secondary to it, is the remaining question,-what rate must be levied. The several items in the estimate laid before the Vestry, or any questions which may arise with reference to the estimate itself, are fair subjects of consideration and discussion. It will not be difficult for the Chairman practically to determine whether any proposition that is made, in regard to the amount of the rate to be levied, has bona fide in view the purpose for which the Meeting was called, or is merely illusory-and consequently, whether such question ought, or ought not, to be put from the Chair.

NOTE B. p. 39.

İt need hardly be recalled to mind- -so recent is the occurrence—that, in answer to the enquiries made by the Wesleyan body, as to the intentions of the Government in regard to Roman Catholic Schools, it was answered, in the name of the Committee of Council, "Their Lordships have not superseded the operation of their Minute of the 3rd December, 1839, by their Minutes of August and December, 1846. The whole series of Minutes are connected, and are to be deemed mutually explanatory. Their Lordships have hitherto made no provision for the extension of aid to Roman Catholic Schools; but they have not, by their recent or by any preceding Minutes, precluded themselves from presenting to Parliament further Minutes, by which, upon a full consideration of the wants of the population, and the constitution of the Schools, they may be enabled to grant such further

assistance. These further Minutes, when presented, will make a separate provision for Roman Catholic Schools, and will in no degree unsettle the basis on which aid is now granted to other Schools. Full opportunity will be given for the consideration and discussion of such Minutes, before Parliament is called upon to carry them into execution; and no one who agrees to accept aid under the present Minutes will be thereby in any degree pledged to approve those further Minutes, or precluded from offering to them such opposition as he may think expedient."

The Minutes of August and December, 1846, are to be taken in connexion, it appears, with those of December, 1839; but there is, after all, no closer connexion between those Minutes than between these and the forthcoming Minutes, whatever they may be. The Minute of December 3, 1839, with regard to "special cases,"-viz. applications for aid to the erection of Schools not in connexion with the National Society or the British and Foreign School Society,—simply provides that in such cases the Committee will enquire, inter alia, “Whether the Bible or Testament will be required to be read daily in the School by the children, and whether any and what Catechism will be taught; and whether, if the parents, or guardian, object to any such catechetical instruction, it will be enforced or dispensed with." It is stated that "The Committee will further give a preference to Schools . . . . in which the School Committee or Trustees, while they provide for the daily reading of the Scriptures in the School, do not enforce any rule by which the children will be compelled to learn a Catechism, or attend a place of Divine worship, to which their parents, on religious grounds, object." Even in this Minute it is not required that "the Bible or Testament," "the Scriptures," be read in the School. Enquiry is simply to be made, whether or not the daily reading of the Scriptures in the School is provided for; and it is notified that "a preference" will be given to the Schools in which it is read. But this is all, so far as regards the reading of Scripture in any Version, even the Authorized. And this Minute, were it never so stringent, might be superseded to-morrow; the "connexion" between the several

Minutes is simply that of a series of successive developments. It is due to all parties concerned to admit, that there is no concealment in this respect. It is only important that an undue weight be not attached to the existence of earlier Minutes, which, not being provisions of an Act of Parliament to be carried into effect by the Committee, may be altered or abrogated, as occasion may arise.

NOTE C. p. 45.

In the Annual Report of the Canterbury Diocesan Board of Education (Appendix, No. III.) is printed an "Address on Union." In this Address, "circulated in 1840," it is stated that

"The Canterbury Diocesan Education Society having been some time established, and having communicated the advance they have made to the Anniversary Meeting, at which the Archbishop of Canterbury presided; the Diocesan Board have, in their farther communication with the Local Boards in the Diocese, to request that they will direct their attention to the subject of bringing the several schools into Union, which are not already united with the Board.

"In order to effect this, the Diocesan Board recommend that the advantages of Union should be submitted to the Clergymen of the several parishes, with a view of inducing them to place the schools under their immediate superintendence, in connexion with the Diocesan Board, and to make a return to the Local Boards of any School, in their respective parishes, the managers of which may be willing to enter into union on the terms of the National Society.

"The Board wish it to be distinctly understood, that by inviting schools into union, they neither claim nor desire any power or controul over them. They are only anxious to assist

the Managers in the completion of their own designs by promoting an efficient education, and to receive an assurance that they are conducted according to the authorized formularies and discipline of the Church.

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Among the many advantages of Union with the Board," which the Address proceeds to specify, the first and foremost is, that

"It will be an obvious means of strengthening the hands of the Church, when it is seen that all her members are disposed to act in concert, in immediate connexion with all Church Schools similarly united throughout the Diocese."

THE END.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.

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