Principles and observations on many and various subjects, for the health of nations and individuals / by John Moodie.

  • Moodie, John.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Principles and observations on many and various subjects, for the health of nations and individuals / by John Moodie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    the half of the minister's stipend. If it were L.200 a-year, they ought to subscribe L.100 a-year, and lay aside the other L.100 to accumulate ; and in twenty years the whole accumulations, with in- terest, might bring an interest of L.100 a-year, and they would thus have an endowment of L.100 a-year free of the country; and if they wished it, they might relieve the land of L.100 of the yearly sti- pend, if it had a right to it, or was a burden on the country, and it might be used for purposes of education, church extension, or for the poor. The sum arising from seat-rents and private subscriptions, in the course of twenty years, will amount to a handsome sum, which may at the least realize an interest of L.100 a-year. The seat-rents of each church,—say the average number of sittings in all the churches amounts at the lowest to 400 sittings that pay, and that each sitting pays 2s. 6d., it will bring a sum yearly of L.50 for each church ; and this, when accumulated for twenty years, with interest, the in- terest of the whole will amount to a considerable sum. The glebe lands, and the manses, and churches might be given up to the church. The glebe lands which are not felt as a burden, would bring a good yearly sum from interest, on the sum for which they might be sold, or rented at. They are frequently very well situated, which enhances their value and would attract purchasers. The heritors, to get rid of the building of churches, and manses, and repairing of the same, would give a principal sum, amounting to something less than the value of the churches and manses in their several districts, and the interest on this sum by accumulating, would build, and repair churches and manses, and the principal sum by being less, than the heritors would have to pay at present for building and repairing churches, &c, they would agree to it, by getting relieved of the future burden of it; and from its being less than it would cost them in the old or usual way, it would be doing away with a con- stant annoyance, and application on their purses, though a just one ; and it would also be better for them, as the public, would have it, at any rate, if they alienated the church revenues ; and it would be better for them to give it to the church, as it would save them the expense also of assisting to build new churches, which they might require, if they attended the Established Church of Scotland without her old revenues. So far as regards any benefit to landlords by the alienation of the revenues of the church, they will be worse off than ever, as they will always have to pay the tithes, whether the church gets them or not; and also the sum required for building and repairing churches, and manses may be required for other buildings, so far they will be no better off for the change. Who feels the burden ? the landlord or who ? So far as the landlord or proprietor of land is concerned, he or they will always be burdened. He may be inconvenienced by the churches being removed out of his district, from the population not being sufficient to support a minister, and he will also require to pay for his seat, and also to support the minister, and also for the build- ing and repairing of churches, &c, to which he may belong : the ad- vantages and benefits to proprietors of land will not therefore be great.