A hundred years ago
What can be done with aged clergymen who are really only fit for an almshouse, but under the existing laws of the Church of England have the charge of a parish? The case of Mr Miller, which Was heard before the Dean of Arches on Saturday, might be the case not indeed of any clergyman — for the hoary head is sometimes a crown of glory — but of a good many. He has the failings of old age, incoherence, loss of memory, and aptitude to have his head affected by a moderate quantity of wine. It does not appear that Mr Miller drinks enough to affect him on week-days. But under the pressure of Sunday work, he undoubtedly does drink more than is good for him. The amount may be small in itself, but it is enough, when taken at lunchtime, to make him quite unfit to read prayers or preach in the afternoon. There can be no doubt that this is the fact, because there is an unmistakable difference between his demeanour at the two services, in the morning he makes mistakes, but they are the natural mistakes of old age. He loses his place, or leaves out some part of the Service. But in the afternoon his mistakes are those of old age which is overexcited by drinking. He talks about anything that comes into his head, says the same prayers more than once, and in fact behaves in all ways as a man who has no control over himself.
Spectator, 20 December 1879
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