The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-13 00:00:00

PARTSII OF ST. ANN'S, SOHO.
(THIS DAY.)

A vestry meeting which, in the course of its proceed,
ingi, threatened more than once to become not a litt!e to
multuous, was held in the Vestry-room, St. Ann's, Sulp•

this morning. The object of the meeting was to take into
consideration a report which had been made respecting the
dangerous state of St. Ann's church, by Mr. Abraham;
the architect, and to adopt the necessary measures iu *con-
sequence. The measure, it appeared, was exceedingly
obnoxious to many of the parishioners, since at eleven
o'clock, the hour appointed for the commencement of the
proceedings, we found the Vestry-room in a state of some
confusion.

On the Rev. Dr. APCLoun (the Rector), taking the
Chair,

Mr. NORMAN rose to olioct to his presiding on the pre.
sent occasion.

Dr. M'Cr.oun—l sit here, Sir, by right-1 am em-
powered to preside at all Vestry Meetings.
Air. NORMAN still thought if the Rev. Dr. did not in-
sist upon that right-it would be much more becoming.
The CHAIRMAN-But, Sir, I do insist upon it.—(Ap-
plause, not unmixed with laughter.)
On the motion that the Report be read, Mr. NORMAN
again rose to address the Meeting, when a scene of con-
siderable confusion ensued.

Mr NORMAN—I never rise to express my sentiments
in this room without meeting with interruption.—(A
cry of " I should wonder if you ever did.")—He then
proceeded amidst great confusion, insisting upon his right
to be heard. However gentlemen might sneer, laugh, or
scoff, he would never tamely submit to see the money
taken from the pockets of the parishioners squandered
away, and especially in such times as the present. He
would beg to remind the meeting that the churchwardens,
at the time the last church-rate was made, had given a pledge
that not a farthing should be spent on the repairs of the
church, until the whole of it was paid up. But six
months had elapsed since that pledge had been given, and
now these respectable men—he meant the late church-
wardens—had scarcely gone out of office, when the pa-
rishioners were called upon for a sum, which would not
be less, nor indeed so little, as from six to 7,000/.

Mr. KELK warmly denied that any such pledge had
been given. What had been promised was, that no repairs
should be undertaken without a Vestry being previou•ly
called.

Mr. GRANT said, that at the time the last church-rate
was made, he had expressly asked whether any repairs for
the church Were in contemplation, and had teen as ex-
pressly answered in the negative.
Mr. KELI again repeated his former declaration. It
should be remembered that from the office he held, he
was sworn to support and uphold the church—(A laugh)
—how therefore could he have given such a pledge as that
which had been insisted upon by the two former speakers.
The confusion now became redoubled; when it had some-
what subsided, the report of the architect, Mr. Abraham,
was read. It gave a deplorable account of the state of the
church, which was declared, both as respected the walls
and roof, to be in a most dangerous condition. The esti-
mate of the expense to put it in sufficient repair to warrant
its perfect security, was 1,5001.

Mr. NORMAN wished to know what necessity there was
of their going out of the parish for an architect.—
(Much laughter.)
Mr. FOSTER rose with reluctance on the present occa-
sion, but when the sacred buildings of their parish were
in danger, he could not remain silent. The report of Mr.
Abraham had been confirmed by two other architects, and
therefore it was absolutely necessary that some steps should
be taken to effect the necessary repairs. After having
eulogised the able manner in which the architect had
drawn up his report, the speaker proceeded to say
that he should propose that a Committee of twenty-
one parishioners should be appointed to assist the
parish officers in making the necessary investiga-
tion into the actual state of the church, and to pro-
cure estimates of the expences necessary for its repair,
to he laid before the Vestry, subject to their approval or
rejection. He thought no one could object to this course
who did not wish to frighten away the inhabitants from
divine worship. Ile would ask any one present if he
would continue to live for a single hour in a house pro-
nounced to be in as dangerous a st its as the church was
shown to be in.

Mr. NORMAN persisted, that the church bad been in the
same conditio❑ for the last twenty years, and he should
not have the least objection to live in a house in a similar
condition.—(A laugh.)
Mr. FOSTER would beg to be excluded from his list of
visitors in this case.—(Laughter.)—After having cen-
sured the opposition which had been made to the Rev.
Dr. M'Cloud presiding on the occasion. Mr. Foster mu-
eluded, by moving a resolution to the effect above state-d.
Mr. GRANT complained that sufficient notice bad not
been given, as to the state the church was in.

KELIC said, that the real amount of the danger had
not been discovered for more than six weets.
Mr. GRANT was convinced that the time the last exa-
mination had been made into the state of the church, the
expellee of a few pounds would have put all to rights.
He, however, approved of the resolution, for at a time of
such general distress as the present, when every pound
was a se: ious object to every tradesman in the United
Kingdom, it was quite monstrous that so large a sum as
6,000/. should be taken out of the pockets of the pa-
rishioners, without a due investigation as to the ne-
cessity of the measure. For his own part, he was con-
vinced that they might pull the old church down
and build a new one in its place, for a less sum than
would be requisite to effect the repairs pointed out in the
report of the architect. He hoped that the contract
would be open and general, and not confined to the parish.
A long discussion here ensued as to the manner in which
the dangerous state bad been so suddenly discovered.
Mr. NORMAN explained the reasons of his objection to
Dr. M'Cloud taking the Chair. It had been complained
that the seats in the church were but very thinly
occupied. He would beg to assure the Reverend
Doctor that every fresh church-rate that was made
would produce a corresponding effect on the number of his
congregation. The inhabitants would leave in disgust at
the enormous expences entailed upon the parish. lie
should move as an amendment, that the question of the
repairs of the church be taken into consideration this day
six months._(Long-continued laughter.)
After a lengthy discussion, •which our limits will not
admit of being given, the original resolution was put to the
vote, and carried unanimously. The Ccmmittce was then
elected amidst considerable confusion, much opposition,
and still snore laughter; after which the meeting separated.