Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/60

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DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN

general belief, only a comparatively nominal salary. As a matter of fact, the Archdeaconry carries with it no pay, and the Canonry which, like the others at St Paul's is set down in the reference books as being of £1000 in annual value, was for many years actually charged with the stipend of the Archdeacon of Middlesex. It was only through personal influence in Parliament that this anomaly was removed. Hence, it may be justly remarked that Archdeacon Sinclair's services were, to a large extent, given to the Church.

An Archdeacon's duties are numerous and responsible in any case, but in the metropolis they are particularly so. To say nothing of the minor duties, there are the four examinations for Orders during the year, and the admission of churchwardens to office annually, the latter involving the delivery of a charge. These annual charges have been made to cover a wide field, the Archdeacon having dealt with the following topics:—“Condition of the People”; “The Church, National and Catholic”; “The English Church and the Canon Law”; “The Ancient British Churches”; “Eastern Churches”; “Points at Issue between the Church of England and the Church of Rome”; “Church Courts”; and “The Duty of Archdeacons.”

It is pretty generally known that an Archdeacon has charge of the fabrics of the churches in the Archdeaconry, and that he has to send reports to the Bishop about their repair. Furthermore, he