Clergy.

45. There being no State religion in Victoria, and no money voted for any religious object, the clergy are supported by the efforts of the denomination to which they are attached. In 1879 the total number of registered clergy was 703, of whom 156 belonged to the Church of England, 94 to the Roman Catholic Church, 156 to the Presbyterian Church, 139 to the Wesleyan Church, 48 to the Independent Church, 40 to the Baptist Church, 16 to the Bible Christian Church, 46 to other Christian churches, and 8 to the Jewish Church. Besides these there are other officials connected with some of the sects who, without being regularly ordained, perform the functions of clergymen, and are styled lay readers, lay assistants, local preachers, mission agents, See. The number of these is not known, but it, no doubt, materially swells the ranks of religious instructors in the colony.