The National Register. — London, England, 1814-05-29 00:00:00

• ••• • • s SIG di-. - THE NATIONAL REGISTER. miIidoMIPME MAY 29. But this great contest did not terminate at this point. Urged by his supporters to resist the decision, the unstrccess ful candidate. the Rev. Richard Leodon, M. A. entered a caveat iw tilc Bishop's Court ; litigation was the consequence of thii pr;:ceeding, and parochial charges were accitmulated, so as finally tp furnishlzgnments to the adversaries of popu lar elections for the pl ies:hood. Yet, may not arguments of this deseripti , m prove too much ? _Elected by Vs p.is ishion cu, Mr. Foster, for instance, found no reason to complain of Inv defalcation on their part; - whilst the dim - nished adher en:s of Mr. Lendon, wins till of late years continued to preach close t( him, seemed to indicate what might have proved the otherwi.7e flourishing F tat€ of his chnrch, had his competitor succeeded to it, in the cow se of his ministry. There is, however, too much ground for believing that both parties extended the opposition of opinions to acts of personal hos tility; and that christian clvirity was too often lost sight. or, fow,o 7 ,st the chief partizans of, both - candidates, in the con flict for clerical aseend.lrn.v ; since it is notorious, that Foster ; at hast, was afterwards the object of unforgiving ani mosity, so that, fGr some time, be could riot perambrat the streets of big patibh, day after day, without meeting witty in sults almost too galling to hear. Rancour was thus et. Pied t its extremes. One of his gseat opponents, it k - perfemls known, used to boast of spitting in his face whenever fie bap pencil to meet with him ! " London," it has been remarked by the Rey. Mr. Cecil, "is very peculiar as a mini , tcrial walk. Almost all a . :ninister can do (he adds) is by the pulpit and the pen. His hearers are so occupied in the w',rld, that, if he visits them, ',every minute. perhaps, hi inks in some interroption." then, the importance of Ole ministerial work, it is gratifying to review the career of such clerical characters as the sub-: jcct of this sketcl, who, since they are placed in situa.: tions where alniost all that can be done is by the . pulpit or the pen, are intent to render the pulpit most effectual to the high purposes for which it was de'signed. Hence it Might hive been said, concerning the Rector of ClerLetiwell, be retained the capability of addressing his chary, "''" 6 L e r mo d e st roster, if he will, excel • Ten tuctrrapolians in preaching well:—PorE. For, perhar, there did not exist the dk;ine, to whom. cotbidering his wei7ht and celebrity, theepithet of modest," more truly applied than to, 'this preacher. Diffidence was, itt the saute tine, in him, united to diAnity , Nrilije energy endeared by placability. It was thus that• he could're,- itukeand condemn stn, and yet encourage the penitent sin »er fo cultivate the contrition that needed not to be.reftnted of. Still t het e was kindness in his voice, and there was m;hlness in his lookq. Never was there the christian tnitii;ttet' Nv!:, more thoroughly understodd, more deeply felt, or more impressed :Ton those ,who•Leard him; the ever lajing importance of tins great trtit,,•retiealed as with a tin.hciri, in the scriptures, that ' Jeini fCbriqt cat»e into the world to ,stve sinners ;' and that there is no other name given .under leaven,' by which the race f transgressing moi tali can hope to obtain their redemption from peidition. This wits his pettifirion through life; and this was his comb la:iou in death. Doctrindlly, in the speculative sense, he was moticrate as to points, therefore, but most practical ac t'i the conseTrences that should be deduce-. 1 L - om sound doc. trines. THE LIFE AND MINISTERIAL CITARACTER Of THE LAVE REV. HE NB FO •TE R, 111. A. J'B JP` Clerlcenwell ap.rear; soon to precept a theatre for r!erieal contention It; ~a llitary reoqse of ten } ears, hardly acquired, and scarcely consolidated, seems to be fearfully to -paced liv an event that had been serionly looked for. :Death •has interposed 'his dart. Providence has at length v'a'let to his rest an accented Minister of the New 'Testa• ment,' whose loss, altnough long anticipated, wiLl in all linman probability occasion much vexation to his congre gnted parishioners. _ _ • The Il t•Ar. HENRY FOSTER, M.A. latterly Rector of St. • Jones's, Cleikenwell, and also Presenter of Pentonville Cha pel, was 3 native of Yorkshire, where he was born about the Tear 1744. After passing some of his first years at a country g aaitnar.school, he is represented as having graduated at Cambridge; whence, in due time, be repaired to th e metro. polls, and became known to the frequenters of the London C hurchec, by whom he continued to be esteemed through We, as Curate to the relebrated Remaine. .About the •N'ear 7 , 1), however, being conjoined with the late Mr. Cecil iu pulpit labours of Long Acre Chapel, his professional tennta:ion appears to have attained its tine height; for, in 178 t. we find Mr. Foster called upon, by the l'onrt of As sistaets of he Weavers Company, to open the Sunday Even ing Lecture at Christ Church, Spitalftelds. Here also he was snrcessivelv a l / 4 sociated with his fi iend Cecil ; and though the Founder of this Lecture had provided for its being irtrielied enly from • September to April, inclusive, these conscientions coadjutors in fact continued it, without further rewai throlif4h the whole of the year.—"l need not speak," obsei yes Mrs. Cecil, in ler Memoir of her Husband, " of tie vast ron7regations which OSsf.'mbled in that immense T em ple, the v ery sight of which w:ls animating ; and twhere the stillness and attention of the unmet .:us pr..:Qr were 3nost interesting!" Circum-fanees at last induced Mr. Voster to turn his tlionr;hts towalds the rectory of Ileikenwell. eartened by vt: unpropitious ft , st attempt tins pl:('e, friends, on the death (;f the ii v. Mr. Plyins, July MI, commenced an active canvas, without delay, of whirl the re toilt soon appeared to be in favour or thi,; if-pular lyear:her. On the 20th of the came month, therefore, after; p(tii• of ftinr itlyg ceotinnance, followed up by:4 farri“iny, Fo:iter was declared to he duly elected Minister 'of Clerkenweil, by a itia . f:9rity of fifty-ei;zht votes.: and it may $e worth rematking, 1 ti,: bye, that the same numerical `majoritt, fifty-eight, ;Tel wards decided the question about confirming the old • hurchwandens for another year, in 'order that the same p_arties rnieht abide the result of an appeal to the diocesan. Upwatds of ten thousand individuals had been'polled: • The Rev. • TlNtly Foster, lire sulticct of. this Memoir, who changed corruptiot.' for ineorruption,' on Thursday lst, about nine o'clock in the morning, at his residence. - in Il'ildoliessirow, near Goswell-street... An ect ire Canvas .14 the .14(1m.y pi C! crleenirt it, tonsbegun yegterdety.ntorOntr by ..the Prititris r.f the Re r.'l7l,iiii.ls Skep. 1 ,„ r d,.111,..t. the liftwister of Penlcntille Chariest; and it is rumoured, ilia the.Rvv. Mr.- Fattikner. -roeceptiy officiating for the late rector, -he Rev. Hairy White; A' A. one of the Foundlin4 I.,ecturerq, and the Net. John Leese,, M.A. Curate ..of Cl:.‘rkenwell, man also io ttcnggic fur this rectorial prize !!!! • s., (T. be concltided ne.rt week.) 4 `,„.* Observatiom nn the Election tor Clerkenwell, together with !he Decease, Burial, C!i:lractcr of Mr. Fo3tcr, are designed to complete Cie pr-s•art. Ostsiatu. AIN , 0 • • J . 1111. -