The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-26 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

CIIERCII REFORM IN MANCHESTER.—Yesterday
was the day appointed for the grand struggle at the Cathe-
dral Church of Manchester, between the clerical party and
the church reform party, for the appointment of the new
churchwardens. There appears to have been a compromise,
however, between them, brought about at the instance of
the corporate authorities, who were afraid of the excitement
which it might lead to in the present disturbed state of the
district (or supposed disturbed state of the district), and had
proposed a third list, being an amalgamation of the two par-
ties. The most important feature of the meeting, however,
consisted in the statement made by Mr. Brooks, one of the
retiring wardens, as to the concessions already obtained
from the dean and chap:et', and the promised reform in the
establishment at Manchester.—On the chair being taken by
the Rev. Mr. Wilson, Mr. Brooks (son of Mr. S. Brooks,
the banker) rose to propose as the new churchwardens Mr.W.
B. Watkins, Mr. J. Morley, and Mr. P. Coupland. In moving
this list he expressed his regret that the church of the
last century had not done its duty better in repair-
ing the church edifice and in looking after the poor.
If they bad done their duty there would have been
no necessity for the legislature to interfere. But this was
past, and the churchwarden' could not undo it—all they
could do was to look to the future; and he bad the gratifica-
tion of saying that the retiring churchwardens bad made an
arrangement by which the stipend of the present dean and
canons of Manchester should he limited to 6,000 f. per an-
num, the present acknowledged amount of the dean and
ehapter's revenues, and that all monies which may here-
after accrue is the shape of reverue above that amount shall
be expended in increasing the salaries of the poorer district

clergy of the parish. They had also made ►rrangements
that the dean and chapter should in future be bound to con-
stant residence in the parish, and to visit the sick. For them
purposa a new statute was to be added to the charter, drawn
in the most stringent terms, forbidding in future all mem-
bers of the chapter to reside beyond the boundaries of the
parish. He read in support of this statement the following
resolutions, as the basis of an arrangement between the
chapter and churchwardens *freed to last years and which
had been forwarded in a petition to the ecclesiastical oom-

miisioners:
I. That the chapter join the churchwardens in all such steps OA may
be necessary to secure all surplus funds arising from the chapter pro-
perty for the benefit of the parish, and to prevent any portion trues
being disposed of otherwise than for ecclesissttml purposes within
the purish. 2. That the chapter join the churchward ens in all such
steps as may be necessary to preclude all future members or tha
chapter from holding any living beyond the limits of the parish.
3. And the chapter have offered to devote one of their estates to oh.
Mate in future the payment of fees to the mother church from other
churches in the pariah.
The answer to the petition from the ectlesiuticel commis-
"

sinners was as follows:
5, Whitehall, April 22, 1843.—Dear Sir,—The reeoluti one parsed
by the churchwar,.ens of Manchester on the 12th of July last,
having been under the annsideration of the ecclesiastical Com-
nalssionyre, I am directed to express their entire approval
of the amend of three resolution, restricting any ration
hereafter appointed from holding a benefice with cure of souls
situate beyond the boundaries of the parish of Manchester; and toad 4
that if It should hereafter be deemed necessary to give add.tional
validity to this revolution as part of the cathedral otatute., they will
be ready at any time to lay before her Majesty in council a schema
for ratifying it under the 47th 'sedan of the act 3 and 4 Viet. e. 113.
With respect to the first resolution, the commirsioners, with • doom
to aid the dean and chapter in the laudable object which it contem-
plates of improving the spiritual condition of the parish of Manchester,
regret that it is not in their power now to boos a resolution respecting
the future appropriation of any ourplus which may hereafter arise from
she corpth . rate revenues of the cathedral church. Whenever Ml' b a
urpl may be found to exist they will be ready fully to consider any
eommunication from the dean and chapter uponthe subject.
am instructed to assure you that upon the completion of the inquiry
which is now pending respecting the chapter property, the comons.
stoners will take the earliest opportunity of deliberating upon rho
proposal contained in the third rimlution for appropriating one of the
estates of the chapter to the purpose mentioned in that reeolution.—
I tun, be., C. K. Meariay.
—The reading of this cerrtspondence was received in a very
large me. ting of parishioners with considerable applause.—
Mr. Richard Reilly, chairman of the Church Reform Asso-
ciation, seconded the list of churchwardens proposed, awl it
was expected a contest would have been avoided; but Mr.
R. J Riche:thou, on behalf of a third party, proposed a list,
representing what be called the higher, middle, and lower
classes, and this list being declared lost on a show of hands,
• poll was demanded, which is e
rnE commence this day
YORRe.
ALLEGED CLERICAL DELINQUENCY.—The Sheffield
Times publishes the following :—" The pariah of Rawmarab,
near Ste-Meld, has lately been the scene of very rencarkAle
doings on the part of the officiating clergyman. In Novem-
ber last the rector of Rawmarsh, the ltev. W. R. Mahon,
having rcaolved upon spending the winter months in Ire-
land, took steps for procuring a gentleman to assume his
pastoral duties in his absence, and through the medium of
an advertisement in the Ecclesiastical Gazette, was brought
into communication with an individual who represented
himself as the lion. and Rev. B. C. D. F. Fairfax. Arrange-
,
ments were speedily completed, and Mr. Mahon depart,:d
for Ireland early to November, not having had an iaterview
with Mr. Fairfax, but the latter gentleman having under-
taken to appear in the pulpit on the ensuing Sabbath.
True to the compact, Mr. Fairfax arrived at Raw-
marsh rectory his future home —on the Saturday
evening preparatory to the assumption of the im-
portant res
tdut delegated to him. tie was • young
snan—perhaPs eenty-five, or he might be a year or
two older. In stature he was tall and 'lender, of dark
complexion, with dark eyes and hair. He coon made cerifi-
dents of divers of the villagers, and upon the minds of these
he moat sedulously imprinted .he fact that he was nobly
born. His private fortune was represent.' at 20,0001. a
year: and the profuse liberality that he began to display
seemed to warrant the assertion. The children of the schools
were regaled sumptuously during his first week with claret
and other good things. He was incenantly active in every
part of the parish, and paid marked attention to those who
did not form part of his congregation, or who were known to
cherish a spirit of hostility to the Established Church.
All these were asked why they did nut go to church ;
and if a want of suitable personal habiliments was
named so an impediment, which, during the existing dull-
ness of trade, was no doubt in many cases the fact—the ob-
stacle was at once surmounted "y an order upon the village
tailor, or hatter, or shoemaker, or bonnet maker, according
to the necessities of the individual. Sy the time that Mr.
Fairfax had been a month or so in his new quarter*, and
when he found his credit among the trade-people unlimited,
he began to make some important additions to his house-
hold, which hitherto had consisted of only one female
domestic. There arrived, one day, at the rectory, a youth
whom Mr. Fairfax described as his page, a youth about
whom there . ppcared a gra at deal of mystery. There also
arrived another personage, even more mysteriou&looking
than the former, which led to a very general suspicion
that it was a female in disguise. However good Mr Fair-
fax's credit might be, it soon became esieleut that he had
very little money at command. The few payments that he
made—and they were few—were mostly in fourpt nay pieces,
a description of coin which the villagers brought to him
in profusion once a fortnight, as contributions to a clothing
club. From this source he received about 71. • fortnight.
He was straitened in his finances, he said, on account of his
father's steward having absconded with a very large sum of
money. When allusion was made to his family connexions
and acquaintances, he made the most contradictory state-
ments. He laid claim to America as the place of hi. birth,
and raid that he bad very extensive estates there. He also
stated that he was the only eurvivieg son of Lord Fairfax,
who was an intimate friend of Earl Fitzwilliam ; but that
nobleman, who resides in the neighbourhood, disclaims any
knowledge of either Lord Fairfax or his reverend son. The
time allotted for Mr. Fairfax's sojourn drawing to a clo,e,
sundry tradesmen's accounts were presented for payment.
Mr. Mahon returned to Rewmarsh on Friday, the last day in
March, and then odd parties dropped in at the rectory, and
begged that they might have a settlement of their small
accounts, but not a farthing could they get—nothing bu
excuses. Sespicions then arose among them thot thee had
been duped, and their worst fears were soon straigth.. ned.
Mr. Fairfax left the rectory on the following Monday. under
the pretence of spending a few days at Whiston rectory, and
saying that he should return in a few days ; but it was as-
cenained that he bad taken up hie quarters at the Prince of
Wales Hotel, at blasborough, whence he departed by train
in • northwardly direction, at four o'clock on the movniog of
the following Friday, without having paid one shilling to
his creditors. lie took away with Lim an immense quan-
tity of luggage—property that he gut from tradespeople at
Sheffield, Rotherham, and elsewhere. The page and the
other coa.pemion bad been dispatched by train in opposite
directions. After Mr. Fairfax's disappearance from Raw-
marsh under such discreditable circumstances, it oc-
curred to one of the churchwardens (Mr. Ilan) that
Mr. Fairfax had received the amount of a collec-
tion made in the church on Sunday, the 12th ult.,
in favour of the Propagation Society, in obedience to the
Queen's letter. The sum collected was about '1 ; and Mr.
lien, doubting whether his reverence had paid over the
amount to the proper parties, has since written to make in-
quiries, and has received the following relay :
Societe for the Propagation of the G,apel in Aweigh Parts, 76,
Pall-mall, London, April 17.—T0 Mr. Gorge Hae.—sir, -Is reply
to your letter of April 13, I have to inform you that nu amount big
been forwarded from liawniarsh to this oftice.—l have, Co —J. Rus-
sell Treasurer, S.P.G.
It is suspected also that a collection for the distressed Irish
has shared the tame fate, but this is not certainly known to
be the ease. It now turns out, too, that the money which
this worthy has received on account of the c'othing club, with
the exci puon of the receipts for the first fortnight vita his
bare
uiuns
arrival,been, I i s
andn t
there Men
ispaid
a deficitin
Leedsd(
eotenef rnti
d, tahte:coe.
the
iii:widreu
residence,
pr
cp
ethtpeiEel
ot
or
hesaio,ib
tr:e
appeased
;alt. ;rwqoatiwiNu s
aristo-
cratic IT 011
h
t oho
. It
fax)
fspac2;trrieaceiLehteti.nacn7:Tdmid:o3o:::hd.l:.etigtarei,:,lL:bo.lF:::janthtkii;u:'rftwaiwn:xr,upaflaame,yit.K,a,hwimhosaenres,it
t htr rhtoe:of
s they
o wereteo
i.Myh
willm.p
t Mahon b),
proposed."
t doped, tlnt itie
asavt
leteeehaatw.:l;:eat:hr,ehe
the
ael use
:bi pd.di
preferencehh to
i oouw (concludes n: words,
t:
ery
as
Times) that the missing one's creditors, feeling themselves
p
f
he
redress that civil or ecclesiastical law affords them. Ni, doubt

THE BI,TIOP OF HEREFORD PREACHED IfFt FARE-
WELL StRSON to his parishioners at Ewelme, on flit after-
noon of Easter Sunday. The day being line, persons from
the adjoining parishes fl into the village in great num-
bers. Many came en foot from Oxford, a distance or fourteen
miles • and the beautiful little church, which is calciested to
seat about 600 persons, was crammed witn a concre. ation of
nearly 2,00.). The right rev. prelate took his text from the
20th chapter of Acts, 32nd verse, " Aud cow, brethren, I
commend you to God, and to the word of Isis grac,, which
is able to build you up, and to give you an inl.er.tance
among all :hem which are sanctified." The divosisse. which
was impressive and affectionate, was listined to through-
out with deep attention. The bishop appeared to oe
greatly affected, and several times his feelings well nigh
overcame him. He spoke touchingly of his approaching
separation from a flock that he had watched over with
anxious love and solicitude for a period of 12 years, and
assured them that although he was to be their pastor no
longer he should continue to entertain towards them the
same sentiments of affectionate regard that he had ever
done durintr his long residence amongst them. We are
sorry to add that, on Saturday evening, Miss Hampden, his
lordship's eldest daughter, met with an accident. Whilst
riding her horse stumbled, and she was thrown from her
saddle and dislocated ti,r shoulder. The, newly appointed
Regius Protestor of Divinity at Oxford, Dr. Jacobson. suo-
coeds Dr. Hampden as rector of Ewelme.