such a commission, according to his discretion, when he appre hends that the court of delegates have been led into a material error. In this respect he follows the example of the Pope. These grants, however, are matters of favor, not of right.

Archbishops.

In the church of England there are two archbishops, the archbishop of Canterbury and the archbishop of York. They are elected by the chapters of their cathedral churches, by virtue of a license from the king proposing the candidate to be elected. The king has the exclusive right of proposing candidates for these offices. The chapter or electoral college, therefore, has only a negative power in respect to this election. It can reject a candidate, but it cannot propose one. If the chapter delays the election more than twelve days, the king may appoint any person whom he pleases to this office, by letters-patent. This appointment, when made by the king, must be signified to the other archbishop and two bishops, or to four bishops, requiring them to confirm, invest and consecrate, the person so appointed; which they are bound to do.

The archbishops are the spiritual rulers of their respective provinces. England is divided into two archepiscopal provinces, under its two archbishops. The province of Canterbury contains twenty-one dioceses; that of York, four. Besides their archepiscopal functions, the archbishops are themselves bishops each of a single diocese, in which they perform the duties of other bishops. In their provinces they have power to assemble the provincial synods, on the receipt of the king's writ for that purpose, and to preside in the same.

The archbishop receives appeals from the bishops, and, during the vacancy of any diocese in his province, has charge of its spiritualities, its temporalities devolving on the king. He is entitled to the incomes of all the ecclesiastical livings at the disposal of his diocesan bishops which are not filled in six months, and has a customary prerogative, when he consecrates a bishop,

In

to receive a living from him for a clergyman of his own. the place of this, he often receives, by deed, the right of the next presentation of such dignity or benefice, in the bishop's disposal, as he may choose.

The archbishop holds courts of appeal, in which his principal official acts as judge, and receives and determines appeals from the sentences of all the inferior ecclesiastical courts.

The archbishop of Canterbury is termed primate of all England, and is the first peer of the realm. He takes precedence of all the nobility, except of the blood royal, and of all the great officers of state. Next to him is the archbishop of York. The archbishop of Canterbury crowns the kings and queens of England, and the archbishop of York the queen-consort. The first archbishop of Canterbury was the celebrated missionarymonk Augustin, previously abbot of St. Andrews, at Rome. He was appointed to the archepiscopal office, by Pope Gregory the Great. A. D. 598. The first archbishop of York was appointed A. D. 622.

Bishops.

Bishops, in the church of England, are next in rank to the archbishops, and are elected, like them, by virtue of a special license from the king, proposing the candidate. Their election is by episcopal chapters, as in the case of the archbishops. They receive consecration from the archbishop. The bishops of the provinces of Canterbury and York, with the exception of the bishop of Sodor and Man, are spiritual lords, and occupy seats in the House of Lords, as such. The secular aristocracy, in distinction from the spiritual, are denominated temporal lords.

The bishop of London takes precedence of the other bishops. Next to him is the bishop of Durham; the third in rank is the bishop of Winchester. The rest take rank according to the seniority of their consecration.

The bishop's district is denominated his diocese, and his church the cathedral. The clergy who officiate in the cathedrals are

denominated canons and prebendaries, and are supported by funds set apart for the purpose. The canons and prebendaries constitute a chapter, and their moderator, or presiding officer, is denominated a dean.

Deans are elected in conformity with letters-missive from the king; and, in modern chapters, by letters-patent from the king. The canons and prebendaries are sometimes appointed by the king, sometimes by the bishop, and sometimes by the chapter, according to the local regulations and prescriptive rights of different establishments.

The chapter is not only the electoral college for the choice of bishops, but is the bishop's council to assist him in the management both of the spiritual and temporal affairs of his diocese. They are also collegiate ministers for the cathedral service.

The Powers of Bishops.

1. Bishops have the exclusive power of ordination and confirmation. They may administer ordination anywhere, but they can administer confirmation only in their own dioceses.

2. They have ecclesiastical jurisdiction over their dioceses, and hold courts, in which they are assisted by a chancellor, who is required to be a doctor of the civil law.

The bishops also visit their dioceses for the purpose of instructing them, administering confirmation, directing their concerns, &c.

They consecrate church edifices; ordain, admit and institute priests; confirm, suspend and excommunicate church-members; grant licenses for marriage, &c.

Besides these spiritual functions, they have the administration of the revenues of their respective dioceses.

Archdeacons.

Archdeacons are priests invested with authority or jurisdiction over the clergy and laity, either through the whole diocese or only a part of it. The number of archdeacons in the prov

inces of Canterbury and York is sixty. They are mostly deputies of the bishops, from whom they hold their appointments.

The archdeacon has a separate court, in which he sits as judge, or deputes his official to do so. An appeal is admitted from the archdeacon's to the bishop's court.

The archdeacons visit different parts of their districts once in every two years, when they inquire into the condition of the church edifices, reform abuses, administer discipline, and induct candidates into their benefices.

All the superior clergy, comprehending archbishops, bishops, deans, canons, prebendaries and archdeacons, are styled dignitaries.

Priests.

The order of the clergy of the church of England, below that of bishops, is, in conformity with Roman Catholic usage, denominated priests. These have power to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, and are the public preachers of the Gospel, and expounders of the word of God; but have not the rights of ordination or confirmation, both of which are restricted to the bishops, for the purpose of giving increased dignity and importance to that order. Priests are parish ministers. They may be parsons, vicars, or curates. When they are instituted pastors of parishes, with full possession of all their ecclesiastical revenues, they are called pastors or rectors. Those who are employed to officiate in the stead and place of an incumbent, and who are not invested with a right to the ecclesiastical revenues of the parish, are called vicars; that is, vicarious ministers, ministers officiating for others. When a rector and vicar are instituted in the same parish, the rectorship is a sinecure, and all parochial duties devolve on the vicar. One who officiates for a vicar is called a curate. .

The right of presenting candidates to the charge of parishes belongs to the lords of the manors, or other persons ascertained by law, and is a species of incorporeal property. It is considered a property of very considerable value, as affording the pos

sessor the means of obliging his friends, and providing for his relations.

The support of parsons is, in many cases, liberal; that of vicars is less ample, and that of curates least of all.

Besides ministers, parishes have church-wardens, and a parish clerk, chosen annually, either by the minister or the parish, or by both together, as the custom of the different parishes requires. The church-wardens have charge of the temporalities of the parish, and form an advisory council of the minister.

Parish clerks are usually appointed by the minister; sometimes by the parish; in which case, they are sworn into office by the authority of the king. In some parishes they are appointed annually.

The revenues of the church of England are derived partly from tithes, and partly from the avails of property devoted to ecclesiastical purposes. The church of England derives its tithe system, as it does many other of its institutions, from the Roman Catholics.

An ecclesiastical living is called a benefice.

CHAPTER III.

POLITY AND REVENUES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

THE church of England is as really a spiritual despotism as the church of Rome. It is not only a spiritual despotism, but a despotism, to a great extent, copied after that of Rome. Its ministry are a hierarchy, over which the membership have no control. The English people have a representation in the House of Commons, but there is no House of Commons to the English church. Their legislation is all done by lords and masters. The church of England is, in a great measure, subordinated to the state, and the servant of the state. The king's headship