The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

PUBLIC PRESENTATION

IN CR:OSBY.

A public presentation took plaee last night, in Crosby,
to the Rev. ;dr. Burn, who lately: officiated as curate in
the parish of, Great Crosby. The offering, which was
designed to express the respect of. the parishioners, and
their regret at the termination of the Rev. Mr. Burrs
pastoral labours among them, consisted of a silk purse,
containing the sum of £3O, collected among the members.
of the congregation. The presentationtook place at eight
o'clock, in Mr. Balshaw's Hotel, Great Crosby, and a
large number of the parishioners were present.
It may be well to explain the proceedings by mentioning
some of the circumstances in which they. originated. It
will be recollected by our readers that some time since
certain disputes ares 3 between the incumbent of Great
Crosby and a portion of the influential parishioners, which
led to law proceedings. The litigation was, after some
time, brought to a close, and the parishioners then requested,
for reasons which we need not state, that a curate should
be appointed for Great Crosby, to assist the incumbent.
The Rev. Mr. Clarke, the :ncumbent, consented to carry
out the suggestion, and the Rev. Mr. Burn was introduced,
and entered upon the ministerial duties. The Great Crosby
church becama again filled, and the preaching of the Rev.
Mr. Barn gave so much satisfaction that the parishioners
were desirous to retain his services. The incumbent offered
no difficulty, and the parishioners only required a nominal
or formal appointment for the R3V. Mr. Burn as curate,
they pledging themselves to make up a stipend without
any demand on the incumbent. The new clergyman per-
formed the duties for two months, and a sum was
collected among the congregation each month. When,
however, the appointment was pressed for, the Rev. Mr.
Clarke refused positively to make any appointment,
and the Rev. Mr. Burn therefore ceased his functions. As
an additional step in the proceedings, the following memo-
rial, which fully sets forth the whole circumstances, was
addressed by a number of the inhabitants to the Rector of
Sefton :

TO THE REVEREND THE RECTOR OF BEFTON, IN TETE COUNTY

OF LANCASTER.
TllO Memorial of the Inhabitants of Great Crosby,

Humbly Shetveth—
That the undersigned, being inhabitants of the township of
Great Crosby, in the parish of Sefton, and attendants at the
Church of St. Luke, and of which the Reverend Joseph Clark
is the incumbent, being anxious that additional assistance
should be provided for Mr. Clark, by means of another
clergyman, to be nominated as his curate, and feeling that
Mr. Clark was not able, in consequence of his large tamily,
to trespass on his income sufficiently to enable him to appoint
a curate with a suitable stipend, did, in the month of January
last, propose to Mr. Clark to nominate the Reverend W. P.
Burn, who had consented to accept the office, relying for a
short period upon a monthly offertory fur his stipend.
That Mr. Clark acquiesced in the wishes of the congregation
represented to him, provided he was satisfied that the proposal
met with the approbation of the majority of the congregation.
That on the 26th of January last, at a meeting of the con-
gregation, held at the National School-rcom, in Great Crosby,
and at which meeting Mr. Clark was present, it was nnani-
mously resolved that Mr. Burn's offer be accepted ; and Mr.
Clark, at that meeting, consented to appoint Mr. Burn his
curate for the period of two months.
Thtlt Mr. Burn has ever since officiated as curate, to the
great satisfaction of your memorialists and of the congregation,
and Mr. Burn has also been exceedingly zealous and active
in visiting the poor and sick, and is most universally and
deservedly respected by the inhabitants of Great Crosby, to
whom he has spiritually ministered, and with whom he has
socially mixed.
That the period for which Mr. Burns was appointed having
expired, your memorialists held a meeting at the National
School-room, on the Bth instant, which meeting was numer-
ously attended, and it was unanimously resolved that means
should be taken to raise among the congregation a stipend for
Mr. Burn, and a committee was accordingly appointed to wait
upon those of the inhabitants who. attended the church, to
ascertain their willingness individually to contribute.
That such committee appointed Mr. Sharman and Mr.
Barnes, two of their members, to wait upon Mr. Clark, to
request him to continue Mr. Burn in his curacy, and licence
him to the office, certain of the congregation being prepared to
to guarantee to Mr. Clark tile necessary stipend.
That Mr. Sharman and Mr. Barnes saw Mr. Clark, and
communicated to him the resolution of the meeting, and at the
caprcooca tlaomoolvoo anniou, not to take any active
steps before ostaining his cbnsent, and at such interview Mr.
Clark stated that he would not act contrary to the wishes of
the congregation, and did not make any objection to the pro-
ceedings of the committee.
That the committee consequently visited nearly all the
members of the congregation, and received from them a most
cordial and willing assent to the means proposed for providing
Mr. Burn's stipend.
Tlitat on Monday evening last, Mr. Sharman and Mr.
Barnes again waited upon Mr. Clark, and communicated to
him \he result of the efforts of the committee, when, to their
aurprise, Mr. Clark informed them that he declined to nomi-
nate Mr. Burn, though he acknowledged he could not take
any objection to Mr. Burn's doctrine, but stated that in conse-
quence of Mrs. Clark's dislike to Mr. Burn, he could not
appoint him. Mr. Sharman and Mr. Barnes then explained
to Mr: Clark how unanimous the feeling was in favour of
Mr. Burn—that there was no unfriendly or hostile feeling
towards Mr. Clark, and that no slight to him was intended ;
and begged of him to come to the meeting of the congregation,
then to be held for the purpose of receiving the committee's
report.
That Mr. Clark accordingly attended the meeting of the
congregation, at which meeting there was not a dissentient
voice on the subject of Mr. Burn's re-appointment.
That on Monday morning last, previous to the commence-
ment of the ordinal), business of the vestry meeting, Mr.
Clark was requested to state whether he would appoint Mr.
•

Burn, when ho intimated his refusal, and at the same time
admitted that his only reason was in consequence of Mrs.
Clark's dislike to Mr. Burn.
• That Mr. Claik stated publicly to Mr. Burn, and privately
to several members of the congregation, his regret that be could
not appoint Mr. Burn, and his wish to do so,
That Mr. Clark then nominated as his churchwarden tho
only member of the congregation opposed to Mr. Burn ; and,
in consequence, the congregation declined to nominate another
warden, for the simple reason, that no one could be found to
serve in the office under the circumstances.
That your memorialists deeply regret Mr. Clark's conduct,
and his refusal to nominate Mr. Burr. ; for they think,'under
the circumstances above stated, but few of the congregation
will retain their seats in the church, and they do aet wish for
an additional clergyman on account of any ill-feeling towards
Mr. Clark, but because in the present unhappy division
! amongst the members of the Church of England in Great
Crosby, they consider the only chance of promoting good feel-
ing and unanimity, is by reason of the good offices and minis-
trations of another clergyman imbued with sound doctrine,
active in.his parochial duties, and possessing the attainments of
a scholar and the manners of a gentleman; and as Mr. Burn,
in your memorialists' humble opinion, possesses these qualiti-
cationq, they ate extremely anxious that he should not be

removed.
Your memorialists beg to call your attention to the fact tha
since Mr. Burn has been located amongst them, the congrega
tion has considerably increased, and the number of cominuni.
cants has multiplied at least threefold.
Your memorialists, therefore, humbly pray that you
will be pleased to allow the old church to be opened
for the performance of Divine service, and permit
Mr.. Burn to officiate as minister therein, subject to
your jurisdiction.
The prayer of the memorial was, however, not conceded,
and the duties of the Rev. Mr. Burn, therefore, ceased in
Crosby. The parishioners, however, could not suffer him
so depart without some tribute of respect and regret. A.
committee, was, tnerefore formed, consisting of Mr. Shar
man, Mr. Mawdsley, Dr. Barnes, and Mr. Abrahams, for
the purpose of organising such a testimonial, and the result
was' the meeting and presentation of last night.
When the meeting had assembled, Mr. W. H. Humphreys
was unanimously called upon to preside.
The CHAIRMAN in a few words stated that the object of
the meeting was to present the Rev. Mr. Burn, with a
small testimonial of the respect and affection which he had
won for himself in that neighhourhood. He had won
esteem and affection, not only from those present, but from
many who could not attend, who were no great speakers,
and under whose roofs Lome ministers were seldom seen.
It was all very well for ministers to go to the houees of
the rich, where they were well received and well fed, but
the true minister of religion was he who attended to the
wants of tho poor. (Hear, hear.) The minister who
visited the poor, who cared for them in sickness, who caused
the wealth; man to put his hand into his pocket on their
hohalc., would not only ensure the affection of those to
whom he brought comfort and relief, but would cause the
,
rich man, whose bounty he dispensed. to erabracQ him.