The annual income of the clergy of the church of England of all ranks, is supposed to be about 3,000,0001.; but the average annual income of the parochial clergy, or rectors, vicars, and curates, does not exceed 1001. This income is derived principally from tithes; but it is a mistaken idea to suppose that all the tithes are in the hands of the clergy,—a great proportion of them belong to laymen.
The following Table exhibits the annual value of land in all the counties of England and Wales that is tithe free, titheable, tithe-free in part, and tithe-free on pay ment of a modus, which is a very small and inadequate compensation.
The next Table exhibits, according to the last dioce san return, the number of parishes in each diocese ; the population of each diocese ; the number of churches and chapels ; the number of persons which they will contain ; and the number of dissenting places of worship in each diocese.
According to the last diocesan return, the total num ber of benefices in England and Wales (including 133 dignities,) was 10,582 ; the number of non-resident paro chial clergy was 5037, of which, however, 986 did duty; and the number of residents 5397 ; the number of curates on livings where the incumbents were not resident, was 3926. The following Table exhibits the respective num ber of curates who had salaries from L.10 per annum to above 270.
The convocation, the highest of the ecclesiastical courts, has already been mentioned : the next in dig nity is the court of delegates, then the court of arches : there are also courts of audience, of prerogative, and of peculiars.
The special tenets of the church of England are given in the 39 articles; hut some of the most learned and conscientious of her divines have doubted whether they are Calvinistic or Lutheran.
The law considers all persons as dissenters, who do not conform to the church of England in the establish ed mode of religious worship, agreeably to the statutes 1 Elizabeth, chap. i. ; and 13 Charles II. chap. 4. call ed the Acts of Uniformity. Latterly, however, and especially during the present reign, toleration has been greatly extended to dissenters from the church of Eng land. The principal classes of dissenters are, the Pres byterians, Independents, Papists, Methodists, Quakers, Swedenborgians, and Unitarians. The Presbyterians and Independents are scattered over all England and Wales. The Papists, or Roman Catholics, arc, for the most part, confined to Lancashire, Yorkshire, Stafford shire, Warwickshire, and Northumberland. The coun
__ ties in which they are most numerous after these, arc Durham, Cheshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, and Wor cester. The total number in all these counties is sup posed to be 200,000 ; in London, Surry, and Middlesex, it is supposed there are 50,000 ; and in Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Southampton, Exeter, Glouces ter, and in a few other places, 50,000 more ; making in all 300,000. There are 900 Roman Catholic chapels, of which 100 are in Lancashire.
The Methodists sprung up in England about 70 years ago: there are two grand divisions of them—the fol lowers of Whitfield, who are Calvinists ; these are not numerous, nor are they increasing : and th% followers of Wesley, whose creed is Arminian. These have increas ed, and are increasing rapidly, their number in England and Wales being nearly 150,000.
The society of Quakers, or Friends, as they style them selves, also originated in England ; but they are not numerous, and are probably not increasing, not being anxious to make converts. The greatest number of them is in London, and in the northern counties, par ticularly Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Westmoreland. The followers of Swedenborgi are far from numerous. The modern Unitarians, of whom Dr Priestley may be considered the founder, are also far from numerous, be ing principally found in the North and West of England, and in the metropolis.
The civil and religious freedom which Englishmen enjoy, and by which they are proudly and happily dis tinguished from all the other nations of the earth, ought not, however, to be attributed solely to the constitu tion and laws under which they live. The same con stitution and laws would fail to produce or ensure the same blessings in any other country : they would be a dead letter even here, if those who govern, as well as those who are governed, were not so enlightened, as to be firmly and deeply convinced ; the latter, that if their civil or religious liberties were infringed, both their individual and national security and happiness would be endangered ; and the former, that any attempt to infringe them would be in vain ; and that, in fact, they as rulers, as well as the people over whom they rule, are much more secure and happy, while civil and religious liberty is entire, than if it were to be broken iv upon.
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