VICAR'S LETTER.

My dear People,

This letter is being written in Scotland, where my wife and I are spending a summer holiday. Mrs. Mutter is renewing acquaintance with the scenes of her younger days, looking up old friends, talking about old times, and enjoying the complete change.

All were sorry to hear of Colonel Locke's illness, and we trust he is on the way to recovery. His eldest sister, Miss Georgina Locke, has been very ill, and had to undergo an operation in a London Hospital, but I hear is "going on" as well as can be expected. Miss Locke has always retained her keen interest in Hartlip, and her frequent visits kept her in touch with old friends, so we hope to hear she maintains progress towards better health.

There is little parochial news to chronicle for the past month. On our return we hope to have a little party in the Vicarage garden for the members of the Mothers' Union.

Mrs. Woodcock was able to go to the Albert Hall, London, and see the Mothers' Union pageant there. It was a tremendous success. We hope she will tell the Branch all about it.

The Trustees of our Schools are hoping to get the buildings thoroughly cleaned and painted during the holiday time. Alas! that with such splendid buildings we should have so few children left to be educated here. At the end of this term more go off to Rainham School and we cannot expect but a few new infants, and so fear our numbers will be less than forty, whereas there is accommodation for a hundred.

The collectors for our Churchyard Fund will have called on you all, or are doing go. Hartlip is famous in the district for the way in which it maintains its burial ground. Clergy often ask me how we manage it. I have to tell them to consult Mr. Luck.

Very soon the Parochial Church Council will have to go into the matter of installing electric light in the Church.

Your sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER

BAPTISM.

July 19th-Rosemary Margaret, daughter of William James and Eva May McLean.

WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP.

Mrs. Noble gave a delightful party to the members on Thursday, July 2nd, at Dane House.

Unfortunately, the weather made it impossible to spend the afternoon in the garden, yet all the same all those present spent a most jolly time. After a strawberry and cream tea some amusing competitions were indulged in. Guessing old photographs of celebrities proved great fun, so did a smelling competition, while a fortune teller unveiled a very doubtful future for some of our mothers. Prizes were distributed and all joined in hearty cheers and thanks to Colonel and Mrs. Noble for their generous entertainment.

TITHE.

The Archbishop has recently said that the Bill which is to disendow the Church of twenty-three and a half per cent. of its income from tithe is certain to pass into law. Unhappy wrangles have for a long time proceeded over tithe payment. The agitation grew so that Parliament has stepped in to end the bother. Few people understand the question. Some have thought it was a tax. This it never was. In the days before Banks people who wished to leave money to the Church did so by making a Rent charge on their property. Land with such a charge, of course, sold for less money accordingly. As time went on confusion grew in the minds of people who did not understand the history of tithe, and with depression in agricultural matters it became a hardship oftentimes to meet a tithe charge. Now tithe payers will have to pay tithe to the Government, which will not make the concessions the tithe owners so often did. The new arrangement by Parliament means a big loss to the Church and many educational establishments. As long as the present Vicar remains in Hartlip the tithe will be paid as usual to him as Vicar, but when a vacancy in the cure arises there will be a big drop. It will mean amalgamating many country parishes. No Vicar of Hartlip can maintain the present Vicarage and garden and keep himself and family unless he dips heavily into private means. Taxes are getting higher it seems each year. It takes £1 per week to pay these in Hartlip. Dilapidation charges amount to £34 a year, and an incumbent has to maintain all interior repairs and decorations at his expense. Add to this a gardener's wages and you will see how much is left to maintain the Vicar and his dependants. Clergy with private means and willing to expend them on Vicarages are getting less and less, so that new arrangements must soon he effected in the great number of our country livings.