The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-20 00:00:00

It'll. FLETCIIER.

A meeting was last evening held at the Albion Chapel, Moor-
gate, for the purpose of enabling the Rev. Mr. Fletcher to rend to
h s coop iga t ion the reports of the proceeding.. of the l'iniet of Chan-
ceiy, rAitiee ta the eubjtxt which at the prCsent moment (vomits
so miteii of the public attention. The ariesubly was by no means
nuttierw:x. and the greater portion of hisainlitors were of the center
yet, aho rontruu illy manifested the more than ordinary interest
they took in the aftiiir, and their sympathy with theirreverend pas-
tor. At seven o'clock, after a prayer hail been said and a hymn
had been sung, dlr. Fletcher mounted the rostrum, and In-
formed his congregation that he should descend to the reta-
in r desk, as be conceived it to he somewhat intlecemus
to era i a newspaper in a pulpit. He descended according-
, ly, and stated that his object was to give a short account
of the proceedings that, during two days, had taken
place before the Lord Chancellor. lie had anticipated that it
would have been in his power to inform them of the judgment of
his Lordship, but it had not yet been pronounced. as an much
tun; had been occupied in hearing the arguments of the Counted
that had been opposed to him. He hoped, however, that the cause
would tt decided on Monday next, and that the decision would be
according to the wishes and the prayers of those who heard him.
It had excited a considerable feeling in this country, but a far mom
universal one in Scotland, where they were more especially inte-
rested in its result. The Ike,. Gentleman then read the report of
fte proceedings from the British Traraler newspaper, and tom-
Telled on various parts of it. The Solicitor-General, he observed,
had acted througlrint the cause as a gentleman, and, although op-
pose 1 to him, he would say. that his conduct had been dignified
and fair. Ile (Mr. Fletcher) would declare, that wherever there
wti oppression. the 111411 who would tamely bow to it deserved to
have a mill-sane tied to his neck and to be thrown into the
s'a. Ills ease was exactly as if the hoed Mayor was to drive
shopkc:pear for a period from his habitation, and write over his
door duet ;" for what would become of the .haracter of a Chris-
tian Minister who bad been suspended during any term from
his °tibial duties ? The observations of the Lord Chancellor had
been. throughout the finite. such as to satisfy him as to the court:
he had pursued, —" You will next come here," observed his Lord-
ship on one occasion, " and move that I restrain a mob from
breaking the chapel windows." (loud clapping of hands.)
Mr. ILITC2IFe-1f you do not take care, an application will
be made to the Lord Chancellor to restrain you from clapping your
hands, (Cheering.) You arc not aware, continued the Reverend
Gentleman, nor you will not be until my publication appears, if
the atrocity of that body calling themselves the Associate Synod.
It was at the hour of midnight. when the most respectable of
of their members were &tweet, that Judas-like they came to the
resolution respecting one of their body. When I heard
the noble speech of 31r. Hart, this morning, I felt as if retributive
justice was about to visit them ; and when he described the in-
justice with which they had acted it seemed as if I heard the 'wee
of an All.seeing Power exclaming to them, " Tekel ! thou art
weighed in the balance, and art found wanting." I will say,
that since the Star-Chamber became extinct, there has not been so
iatarnotts a proceeding. They had long nursed in their hearts the
cockatrice' egg, which they at length hatched ; hut all the waters
in the ocean cannot wash their shame away ; it will follow them to
their grin es. It was not only a sentence of suspension they pro-
nrioneed against me, but one of expulsion from the Christian
fellowship. I might die before the next meeting of the Synod,
but I must not take in my hand or to my lips the sacred breed
and wine, which so immediately connects me with my brethren.
Such has been the ronduct of the Synod towards me ; and until they
abandon such Sentiments and such conduct, the anathemas of heaven
will not leave thcm,fir it is the mark of acorn. nt Church when justice
and mercy hare no influence over it. Mr. Fletcher, in conclusion.
expressed a hope that his friends would be present in the Court of
Chancery on 31onday to hear the decision of the cause, and that
if it should be decided in his favour, which he anticipated it would
hr, no r xprs...sion of any kind would escape front then) that might
be derogatory to the dignity of the Cutlet, but that they should
express their thanks to the Throne of Mercy. He hoped also
they would recollect that however the affair might terminate, and
there was no knowing how, there was room enough in London ;
there was plenty of brick and mortar, and of money too, to answer
all their purposes.
After a few observations from Mr. Amax, which did not di.
redly apply to the matter in question, the Meeting separated.