Simonds
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
FRANK HERBERT, an American journalist and newspaper editor, born in Concord, Mass., in 1878. After graduating from Harvard, he went as correspondent to Porto Rico during the Spanish-American War. Afterward he became a reporter on the staff of the New York "Tribune," where he remained until he was sent to Albany as legislative reporter for this paper. In 1905 he joined the staff of the New York "Evening Post," with which he remained until 1908 when he joined the editorial staff of the New York "Morning Sun." In 1913 he became editor of the New York "Evening Sun," which position he held until he took cha charge of the edit editorial page of the "Tribune," in 1915. Mr. Simonds attracted general attention by his able military and political articles during the World War, his expert knowledge of politics in southern Europe bringing him to the notice of European statesmen. He is the author of "They Shall Not Pass - Verdun, 1916"; "History of the World War" (5 vols.), 1917. SIMONY (so called from its resemblance to the sin of Simon Magus), in English law, an offense consisting in the presentation to an ecclesiastical benefice for a reward. By 31 Eliz. c. 6, a simoniacal presentation is presentation is declared void, and two years' value of the benefice forfeited, oneof to go to the crown, the half the forfeit other half to the person suing; and the person accepting the benefice is forever debarred from holding it. An act of George IV., however, legalizes engage-begun practice had his attention specially ments for the resignation of ecclesiastical preferments in favor of one of two persons specially named, being by blood or marriage an uncle, son, grandson, brother, nephew, or grand-nephew of the patron. The bond must be entered into before the presentation, and entered in the registry of the diocese. The resignation in terms of the bond will be void unless one of the presentees named in it is presented within six months after notice of resignation has been given to the patron.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
When Collier's wrote this in 1921, Frank H. Simonds was a serving editorial writer whose reputation rested on his five-volume "History of the World War." He went on to become one of America's most widely syndicated commentators on foreign affairs, warning through books such as "Can Europe Keep the Peace?" (1931) that the Versailles settlement would not hold; he died in January 1936, three years before the war he feared. The note on simony has dated further: the Elizabethan statute of 1589 described here has been superseded, the trade in advowsons and next presentations that made such bonds necessary was closed off by Church of England legislation in the 1920s, and patronage was overhauled again by the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986. Simony remains an offence in canon law, but as a live legal problem in England it has effectively vanished.
Written for this edition, 2026.