The Local Government Act, 1894, has in many ways affected them.
Churchwardens in rural parishes are no
longer ex-officio Overseers of the Poor. [14] An additional number of Overseers may be appointed to replace the Churchwardens, and reference in any Act to the Churchwardens and Overseers, shall, as respects any rural parish (except so far as those references relate to the affairs of the Church), be construed as references to the Overseers, and the legal interest in all property vested either in the Overseer of a rural parish (other than a property connected with the affairs of the Church, or held for an Ecclesiastical Charity), shall, if there is a Parish Council, vest in that Council.—V. 2, (a), (b), (c).
The Poor Relief Act, 1819, i.e., 59 Geo. III, cap. 12, enabled Churchwardens and Overseers of a parish to acquire lands, &c., and they were made a Corporation for that special purpose alone, and for the specific purposes mentioned in the Act. Such lands, as regards rural parishes having a Parish Council, now come under the management of the Parish Council.
The Churchwardens of every rural parish are now only concerned as Churchwardens with the affairs of the Church. What changes then, it will be asked, are made with regard to Vestries?
Speaking generally as to rural parishes, the powers, duties, and liabilities of the Vestry except (i) so far as relates to the affairs of the Church or to Ecclesiastical Charities, or (ii) any power, duty, or liability, transferred by this Act from the Vestry to any other authority are transferred to the Parish Council.—6, a, 1, 2.
One word with regard to the expression, Ecclesiastical Charities. These words include a charity, the endowment whereof is held for some one or more of the following purposes:—
(a.) Any spiritual purpose which is a legal purpose, or,
(b.) For the benefit of any spiritual person, or ecclesiastical person as such, or
(c.) For use, if a building, as a church, chapel, mission room, Sunday School, or otherwise by any particular church or denomination, or