Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/79

 RELIGION -7

has been formed into a separate Archbishopric. Property belonging to the Church in Wales, and a sum of 1,000,000/. provided by Parliament, have been assigned to a temporary body not exceeding three persons, called the Welsh Commissioners, for distribution to a body representing the Church (called the Representative Body), an 1 to certain other authorities including the University of Wales.

The King is by law the supreme governor of the Church in England, possessing the right, regulated by statute, to nominate to the vacant arch- bishoprics and bishoprics. The King, and the First Lord of the Treasury in his name, also appoint to such deaneries, prebendaries, and canonries as are in the gift of the Crown, while a large number of livings and also some canonries are in the gift of the Lord Chancellor.

There are- 3 archbishops (at the head of the three 'provinces' of Can- terbury, York and Wales) and 43 bishops, and 39 suffragan and assistant bishops in England and Wales. Each archbishop has also his own particular diocese, wherein he exercises episcopal, as in his province he exercises archiepiscopal jurisdiction. Under the bishops are about 30 deans and 100 archdeacons. Under the Church of England Assembly Power- 1919, there is a National Assembly, called ' the Church Assembly,' in England consisting of a House of Bishops, a House of Clergy, and a House of Laymen, which has poarer to legislate regarding Church matteis. The first two Houses consist of the Convocations of Canterbuiy and York, which in turn consist of the bishops (forming an Upper House), archdeacons, and deans, and a certain number of pro<tors, as the representatives of the inferior clergy (forming the Lower House). The House of Laymen is elected by the lay members of the Diocesan Conference. Parochial affairs are managed by a Parochial Church Meeting and Church Council. Every measure passed by the Church Assembly mu-t be submitted to an Ecclesiastical Committee, con- sisting of fifteen members of the House of Lords nominated by the Lord Chan- cellor, and fifteen members of the House of Commons nominated 1 Speaker. This Committee reports on each measure to Parliau.e nt. and the measure becomes law if each House of Parliament passes a resolution to that effect.

The number of civil yarishes (districts for which a separate poor rate is or can be made) at the census of 1911 was 14.614. These, however, in most cases, do not coincide with ecclesiastical parishes, which have lost their old importance. Of such parishes there were il911) 14.357. inclusive of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Each parish has its church, presided over by an incumbent or minister, who must be in priest's orders, and who is known as rector, vicar, or perpetual curate, according to his relation to the temporalities of his parish. Private persons possess the right of presentation to about 8,500 benefices ; the patronage of the others belongs mainly to the King, the bishops and cathedrals, the Lord Chancellor, and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In 1918 thete were about 13,000 beneficed clergy, and 6,800 curates, etc. The voluntary offerings in the Church of England in 191S amounted to 8,853,000Z.

Of 33,6S2 churches and chapels registered for the solemnisation of marriage at the end of 1919, 16,114 belonged to the Established Church and 17,568 to other religious denominations. Of the marriages celebrated in 1919. 597 per cent, were in the Established Church. 5 "2 percent, in the Roman Catholic Church, 11 5 per cent, were Nonconformist marriages, 0*04 per cent, were Quaker marriages, 0'5 per cent. Jewish, and 231 per cent, civil marriages in Registrar's Office.