There are

66

chapels" within a given district of the West Riding of Yorkshire, whose dates reach back as far 1836, 1824, 1818, 1816, 1811, and even 1793, which are still encumbered, even altho' the cost of erection in the first instance was in no case large.

But more. The disproportion between the churches or societies of members, and the chapels or places of worship has been already noticed. It has been shown that there are 834 more chapels than there are churches :clearly a curious phenomenon!! But the disproportion between the number of chapels and the number of preachers is even greater.* For to 3,485 "chapels" there are but 2,339 preachers, 444 of whom are without pastoral charge. In brief, for 3,485 so-called "chapels" the denomination only supplies 1,895 working pastors. With such facts before us, we are able to judge for ourselves of the nature of these Congregational chapelries. If the truth were told many of them are not " chapels" at all. Of the 3,338" chapels" in England and Wales, only 1,824 are "registered for public worship"-and a still smaller number 1,494 are "registered for Marriages." Now, these latter figures more truly represent the actual number of chapels or structures worthy of the name at present furnished by Congregationalism. Not more than half the so-called "chapels" in Great Britain really are such,— much less are they to be put in competition with the

* And these animadversions apply with equal truthfulness to Dissent generally, as the subjoined tabular statement will show. In this table, drawn up by the Rev. Dr. Hume,- -one of the ablest statisticians in this country, we have presented to view " "the

churches of the National Establishment. There are for

Registration divisions of the kingdom.

number of places of worship and of ministers in each of the eleven

Protestant Dissenters in England and Wales there are only 33 Now here it will be seen that," for every 100 chapels of

example, 640" chapels" in the principality of Wales; but what is their average capacity? Not more than 273 to each. Now many of these chapels, perhaps a third are of considerably larger capacity. But the consequence is, that the other two-thirds fall below the average. And if below a miserable average of 273 to each-where in the name of common honesty and truthfulness is the propriety of the designation? Why mislead the public? Why vamp up sham statistics?

But the small average capacity of the congregational chapels of the principality is by no means of rare

rence.

Take several English counties. In Bedfordshire, the average is only 376 to each; that is, each chapel, taking one with another, does not afford accommodation for more than 376 persons. The average capacity of the Congregational chapels in Berkshire is 282. The average capacity for Buckinghamshire is still less, being only 216!! In Cheshire, although there are included such places as Birkenhead, Crewe, Macclesfield, and Stockport, yet, the average capacity of Congregationalist chapels does not exceed that of 333* to each. In Lancashire union again,

Ministers; while for every 100 churches there are 123 Ministers. This simple fact shows the different kind of duty performed by the two classes of men; the one class discharging Pastoral duties, the other Ministerial or Preaching duties only."-The Church of England, the Best Home Missionary, by the Rev. A. Hume, D.C.L., F.S.A., p. 6. It is to the courtesy of the Rev. Dr. Hume that we are indebted for the possession of these and some other valuable statistics, which will be found incorporated in the footnotes.

* 333.4.

even although there are included all the larger chapels of Liverpool, Wigan, Southport, Blackpool, Preston, Ashtonunder-Lyne, Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Rochdale, Oldham, Blackburn, and many other centres of population, yet, withal the average capacity of the chapels in the union does not exceed that of 490 each. And this is a high average. In Essex the average capacity of Congregationalist chapels is only 356 7, or 357 to each; in Somersetshire 258 to each; in Shropshire 2018 or 202 to each; in Westmoreland 200 to each; and in Rutlandshire not more than 181 to each. These are facts; and facts are inflexible. What must be the character of these chapels, when their average capacity falls as low as 258, 202, 200, and even 181, for as many several English counties. Surely these are not the structures which, in a numerical estimate, are to be brought into comparison with the churches of the establishment. So many "chapels" over against so many churches is not a fair argument, unless it can be shown that the "chapels" represent an equivalent amount of accommodation for worship, an equivalent amount of religious organization, and an equivalent amount of pastoral supervision to that of such several churches of the Anglican Communion. But is it possible to show this? Certainly and decisively no ! *

* For 1,590 Congregationalist chapels are at this present time without pastors, being but some 200 short of a half of the total number of such chapels in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Isles of the British Seas. But not so of the National Church. Every church has at least one, in many cases two, and in not a few cases three and even four, resident working clergy.

But the fifth column of figures in the table given, at page 71, suggests another curious characteristic of such denominational system. Much has been said about the existence of pluralities in the church; and that it is an abuse none will pretend to deny. There are circumstances which may palliate the practice it is true, especially where two or more benefices taken singly would not have afforded adequate maintenance. But in any case it is an abuse, and an abuse which, whatever may at one time have been true, has at present little more than a nominal existence in the Church of the Nation. But who could have thought it possible that they who have clamoured the loudest against pluralities in the Church, have actually incorporated the very self-same abuse, and that on an extensive scale, into their own ecclesiastical organization. In England there are 116 cases of Congregationalist pluralism-in Wales 208, and in the remaining portion of the kingdom, 11. To commit more than one church to one pastor is to commit an ecclesiastical error. He cannot in the nature of things exercise the proper amount of pastoral care over more than one religious society at once. In attempting more, the church is injured, and he himself is injured; yes, he himself is injured, for he either over-taxes his own energies, vainly of course, or else, as more commonly happens, lapses into a state of ministerial apathy and supineness. In the attempt to do more than his duty he ends by doing less. He ceases to be a true pastor. He becomes a lecturer or declaimer. Upon the unreclaimed masses he is able to make no impression whatever. He never reaches them. He never attempts house to house visitation; how