The National Register.
London, England, 1812-03-15 00:00:00

152

in its vortex ah the termer votaries of the Church ? What
incitements to apostacy, does not the comparison of
thee: relative state hold forth to a blind and easily misled
peasantry ? and how can we blame the Dissenters -for
displaying an indefatigable spirit of proselytism, when
we open so fair -; field for its unresisted exertion ?
These con,ideratiensd
o are n
facts. really i
But mportis aitnt,true tit m
haayt be
said, if they are, founde in
any part of the United Kingdoms, and at the present
time, when the Church, awakening from her torpor, puts
Told) all her strengthland activity to repel the hosts of
enemies by whith she has so long been assailed ; is it
true that any of lie: Ministers are left in situations so de •
grading and so afflicting ? The fact has already been esta-
blished by the report laid before Parliament about two
years ago, when the value of every living in. England and
\V a les was registered: a list was then pi oduced,which called
forth not only the sympathetic commiseration of humanity,
for so many respectable Ministers toiling through life
with numerous families, on incomes of fifteen or twenty
pima; a year, but the most unfeigned astonishment that
in these times ( t dearness and difficulty, it should be pos.
sible for a single being to subsist on so ti illing a sum. A
fresh ins!7An_e of still gi eater privations with which we
accidentally became acqu tinted, has given birth to the
p,..eceding ternaiks, whit 11 we hope may attract the notice
of the Legislature. This instance of unexampled excl.-
frugality, and suffering, is given in the last Bath
Paper, on the authority of the most respectable chat ac-
ters, amongst whom we find the Rev. R. WARsinn, whose
purse and exertions have bun devoted to the relief of the
respectable unfortunate clergyman wiih a zeal truly wor-
thy or a christian. As the Rev. Mr MeatEnern's letter
contains a plain and affecting relation of his necessities,
we shall lay it before our Readers, as a document which
fully establishes the truth of our observaions, and whilst
it awakens sincere sympathy, proves the necessity of a re-
form ill the system of provision adapted for out country
Clergy.

• -
.{ RI:VERLND Sis,
6' It is with nmch reluctance I address the subsequent lines, humbly
begri!:g your pardon for such all intrusion upon your goodness ; but
hearieg, in a letter from the Rev. Mr. IlowrLt., of Clutton, near
Pen ford, in Somersetshire, of your candour, symptthy, and readitn•ss
to aabi.t the distressed; I presume to lay before you the mtlanehely
and di-tressed circumstances of myst If and family, being four In nuta-
ber e home, v;z. a wire, a daughter, and a son, of the age of 2S } ears,
deficnia in his intellects, quite incapable of getting his bread. My k
yea iv income is only thirteen guineas, for servhig two churches once i
a futt.-ight at yOa. ati. per Sunday, besides teaching .t few small
children in my own hause, which brings me in about four shillings
jet week; which, together with my income, produces upon an aver-
age about nine shillings a week, towards supporting my family,
house-rent, tuxes, &c. Clothing we are not able to purchase,
and rt.ally set, are become vtry hart ; was it in my power to
purchase sea-mid-hand clothes, they would do for us, but it is to-
tally out of my power to purchase any ; and so must trust in God,
who is always better to us than we deserve. I can never render
align due thaoks for his benevolence to us at all times, and his infisen-
cing the hearts of his people to relieve our nectv-side;; and may the
God of mercies pour abundant blessings upon a Lady of Sydney-
place, Bath, who bath innumerable times relieved our wants when we
were in the utmost distress, and ready to pine away. I have been
forty-four years in orders; am sixty-seven years of age; and through
bickness and infirmity hardly able to do duty ; and my eyesight fails
me very much.-4 have brought up a lace family, viz. seven children,
and I:ever before felt the times SO pressing; all the necessaries of life so
dear, that we cannot reach but little of that valuable blessing to support
slature.—Thank God fur them, we have a few potatoes, reared in a
farmer's field, which is most of our food ; and as an addition to our
grief we are involved in debt, which I am not able to litluidate.—ln
short, we are nearly in want ;--therefore, Reverend Sir, I hoe you
will be pleased to pardon the liberty I took with your goodnessp; and
amain, Reverend bir,
66 Your most humble petitioner,
EVAN Mk,REDITIi."
" Usk, Monmoutlabire, Feb. •Bth, 1519."