The remainder of the nineteenth century was filled with events of great interest and import ance, and with characters illustrious for their talents and virtues. It is completely covered by the reign of Queen Victoria. During the period there were constant heated controversies over such matters as the Catholic Emancipation Act (1827 and later), the disestablishment of the Irish Church (which went into effect in 1871), the re moval of disabilities from Jews and atheists, the Essays and Ikviews (containing nothing par ticularly new, but attracting wide attention because of their distinguished authors), the Gor ham Judgment as to baptismal regeneration, the excommunication of Bishop Colenso for his views of the inspiration of Holy Scripture, the Public Worship Regulation Act (1874), the Lincoln judgment (1892) dealing with ceremonial acts in the celebration of the Holy Communion, the unsuccessful attempts to disestablish the Church in Wales, and religious education in the State supported schools.
The Church, however, has not been so much occupied with these exciting controversies as to overlook the constantly enlarging demands upon it for work at home and abroad. In its mis sionary enterprises of all kinds. in its charitable and educational schemes, in the multiplication and endowment of new dioceses and parishes. sod in the development of the spiritual side of its life, no period can show more zeal and lib erality. With all this energy. there would seem to be a growing charity among those that differ honestly from each other.
That there are these differenees appears fur ther from the existenee not only of what are called the High and Low Church parties, but also of what is known as the Broad Church party, the progenitor of which was Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and which has numbered among its members Julius Charles Ilare, Whewell, Thirlwall, Arnold, Stanley, Maurice, Kingsley, and Robertson.
Other names—such as Samuel Wilberforce, Liddon, Palmer, Church, Christopher Words worth. Lightfoot, Stubbs, Bright, Westeott, :Ma gee, Butler, Hook, Burgon, Neale—will recall men who, as prelates, preachers, scholars. and pastors, have been worthy of the best days of the Church.
For such an organization as the Church of England. there is an amazingly small amount of ecclesiastical law. There is no formal document styled Constitutions. Of canons—enacted at vari ous periods, many of them before the year 1604 —there are nearly one hundred and fifty. Parlia ment may, with the sanction of the sovereign, impose upon the Church any law. Convocations (q.v.) are called for the purpose of discussing ecclesiastical matters, and of advising the Crown concerning them. Their discussions, no matter how influential, cannot directly eventuate in law. The diocesan conferences and synods (the former com posed of elected clergymen and laymen. the latter of clergymen alone) may likewise take action binding upon the conscience. The houses of lay men seek to give counsel to the convocations in matters of practical importance. The functions of the Church Congress are confined entirely to the consideration of ecclesiastical topics.
There are two archbishops ( q.v.). As Metropoli tan, the Archbishop of Canterbury had under him in 1902 44 bishops. with 24 dioceses. The
Archbishop of York had 17 bishops. with 9 dioceses. Next in dignity to the bishops are the archdeacons and deans (q.v.). Then follow can ons. prebendaries, rectors, vicars, and curates. The right of presentation to parochial benefices is almost wholly in the hands of certain clerical or lay persons or bodies called 'patrons' of the `liv ing.' (See PATRONAGE, ECCLESIASTICAL. ) ad dition to the clerical officers already named, there are church-wardens. sidesmen. and parish clerks. The last-mentioned are ra pidly disappea ring. There are voluntary organizations, not recognized by law, called church boards or parochial councils, who act as advisers and helpers to the clergymen and church-wardens. The vestry of each parish is a body whose membership and meetings are open to all rate-payers, and whose functions are largely civil. They have. among other things, the settlement of church rates, which, after all, are voluntary and cannot be recovered by law.
Because of the existence of large endowments, many congregations are wholly or partially re lieved from the necessity of contributing to the support of the clergy, and are, therefore, the more free to give to other ecclesiastical objects. The annual income from endowments is esti mated to be something like £4.500.000. Of this sum, the tithes and voluntary rents, as provided for by members of the Church before the Refor mation, would amount to nearly £2..000.000. To supplement its endowments, the voluntary gifts aggregate annually not less than £600.000.
As to organized work, there would seem to have been but little, outside of the universities and schools, until the beginning of the eighteenth cen tury. The two great missionary societies named above include in their operations almost all the heathen parts of Asia and Africa. as well as all the colonies of Great Britain. In addition, there are many special organizations, whose territory is defined and comparatively limited. Provision is regularly made, by means of temporary or resident chaplains, for services of the Church in many towns and villages on the Continent of Europe. where English-speaking people arc found in any considerable numbers.
In home mission work the agencies are almost countless. The army, the navy, seamen, drunk ards, fallen women, friendless girls and lads, the navvies, the hop-piekers. the deaf, dumb, and blind, the Jews. the waifs and strays. and unedu cated—all these and many other classes are pro vided for by organizations more or less national in their character. Besides the organizations already specified. there exist others of a semi monastic character composed of men, of women, or of both, by means of which much of the Chureh's work is done. Sisterhoods (q.v.), of which a number have been formed. were first organized in the year 1845. under the direction of Dr. Pusey. In 1902 there were in all 13.953 benefices or cures, and about 20,000 clergymen. See ANGLICAN COMM UNION ; REFORMATION; PRAYER-BOOK, COMMON ; BISHOP; TITHES; Es TABLISIIMENTS, ECCLESIASTICAL; APOSTOLIC SUC CESSION: and the articles on many of the organi zations, institutions, and men named above.