THE ARCHDEACON ANSWERED.
[At the Annual Meeting of the Curates' Augmentation Fund, Archdeacon KAYE, of Lincoln, urged the desirability of imposing some limitation to the number ordained to the Ministry of the Church of England, as three-fifths of the Clergy were in poverty.]
"Oh, sad indeed it is to think,"
Quoth good Archdeacon KAYE,
"That though our Clergy are so 'High,'
So low should be their pay!
"They fly to money-lenders' lures,
To speculative chances;
Advancement they appear to lack.
And so they get advances.
"This 'Discipline of Clergy' Bill
On us is rather rough;
Surely the bills our tradesmen bring
Are discipline enough!
"A fresh supply of Rectories
Must really soon be found;
All would be square, if once there were
Sufficient to go round.
"To get the Clergy out of their
Pecuniary holes,
The sole and only cure I see
Would be—a Cure of Souls!
"'One man, one Vicarage!'—the cry
To stir a thoughtless nation;
But just at present let us try
Restricted Ordination!"
"Free Trade in Curates!" shout our girls,
Responsive from their pew;
"You say there are too many, but
We know there are too few!
"Think of the budding Candidates
For Orders, whom, no doubt,
This limiting of out-put would
Excessively put out!
"If Curates now are destitute,
A brighter future beacons;
'Tis only fair that all should share
The stipends of Archdeacons!"
