The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-16 00:00:00

CHURCH-RATES.

'TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,•—.ln this quiet little parish nothing has occurred
for a long time to interrupt the harmony happily pre-
vailing between Churchmen and Dissenters. Our late
parson was not a man to trouble himself with the re-
ligious -opinions of his parishioners. The only thing
that ever disturbed his equanimity was the Bishop in-
sisting on his preaching two sermons every Sunday.
This ruffled him with a vengeance. But he is gone, and
whether the recent change is in favour of religion or not,
it certainly cannot he said to have brought any increase
of charity along with it. Oa the contrary, the demon of
intolerance has now made his appearance, and the
dominant sect, according to well-established precedent,
has invoked the secular power for the purpose of op-
pression. _

The usual preliminaries having been carefully gdne
through by the churchwardens; Messrs. Charles -Tooks
and Joseph Stone, with the assistance and advice of the
clergyman of the parish, the Rev. Alexander 11.-oadly,
the said cd+rehw ardrns made 4,ll.e_foll.9,viii4g ,sai=u
Ritiletitittitte&' ikit.,cfneuied, VOITO.
s. d. i d.
Mr. James Williams 0 16 0 a dining table 3 0 0
Mr. Peter lienway 014 8 2 chairs and a

table
Mr. Satnuel Bennett 0 18 4 10 bottles of

wine
Mr. Win. Kenway 01S 4 a pair of silver
table spf,)ons,
a pair of
silver salt

s2oons, a set

Of tire-irons 2 6 0
llr. J. P. Stephens 1 7 6 set of harness 2 3 0
These goods were taken away :into the village, and
there solo privately, without the aid of an auctioneer or
any notice of sale ; and report says the churchwardens
were buyers as wail as sellers, and that some of the articles
now form part of the furniture of their houses.
It is proper you should know, Sir, that the village of
Walditch is about a mile from the town of Bridport, but
:he part of the parish where these seizures were mode
lies close to the town, and by the Reform Bill was in-
cluded within the borough. Furthermore, all these
officials are Tories, and all the sufferers Liberals, who
warmly supported Messrs. Warburton and Mitchell at
the late election. Add to this, that the time selected to
make the seizures was soon after the galling defeat the
Tory party sustained, and then say if the question does
not naturally arise—" Is the Church to be converted into
an engine for the gratification of political revenge ?"
Surely, even reflecting Churchmen themselves, who
wish well to the Establishment they belong to, must
grieve to witness such disgraceful proceedings perpe-
trated under a hypocritical pretence of promoting re-
ligion, but in reality as utterly opposed to the benign
spirit of Christianity, whose ruling principle is " 1)0
unto others as ye would that others should do unto
you," as light. is to darkness.:
I am, Sir, your obedient Serrant,
Walditch, near Bridport, Aug.l3, 1841. R.

THE WEATHER.—Noori, AUGUST 14.
ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELATDE-STREET•
Barometer -
Thermometer— 66 ( Highest 66 f Lowest ... ..... 45
Wind S.W.—Freezing Point 32 Deg.

--
ALARMING FIRE IN THE ADELPIII ARCHES
IN THE STRAND.—Friday morning, between twelve and
one o'clock, the highly respectable inhabitants residing
in John and Adam-streets, Adelphi. Strand, were aroused
from their beds in their night dresses, and thrown into
the utmost alarm and excitement, by their bed-rooms and
other parts of their houses bring filled almost to suffoca-
tion with a dense smoke, which also issued up the areas
into the street in complete volumes. The policeman in-
stantly hastened to Chandos-street fire-station for the
immediate assistance of the fire-engines and brigade-
men, who promptly arrived, under the superintendence
of Mullett, the engineer, when the fire was discovered
to be in some extensive stabling beneath' the houses in
the dark arches of the Adelphi, in which were many
loads of loose straw deposited, adjoining to which is
a long. range of stabling, in which were between 20 and
30 valuable cart-horses, besides 14 cows, all of which
with great difficulty were got out. So dense was the
smoke, that for some time it was totally impossible for
the firemen to approach, but at last the fire-engines were
got into operation. It about an hour and a half all
fears were subdued by the exertions of the firemen.
Nearly the whole of the straw is destroyed, but the
flames were prevented reaching the adjoining range of
fromthe strawa Lucifernd matchl7 a
lwsv otihtionhi
ceshmmifoi
ignited,
extensiveihtseoo dl um, 'eail lid
stabling. The fire originated by a number of houseless
mendicants colrregatimg in the stables to sleep amongst
tobacco,ln(obtaining
sd 00 dfu rpbc
property
pao
would eelight
laila7bsete been he
attended s tra"-,
had it not been for the prompt arrival and exertions of
the firemen. It is the intention of the inhabitants to so-
licit the Commissioners of Police to place constables
in those parts of the dark arches, to prevent a recur-
rence of such danger. It was only on Saturday last 17
were apprehended sleeping in the same place, and all
committed to the House of Correction for various
periods.

The Address in the House of Lords, in reply
to her Majesty's Speech on the opening of the new Par-
liament, will, we understand, be moved by Earl Spencer
and be seconded by the Marquis of Clanricarde.
The re-appearance of Lord Spencer on the public
stage, at such a time, ankOn an occasion to -Which the
nation looks with deep anxiety and almost enexampled
interest at the present crisis of its affairs, will be hailed
with pleasure by all who remember the great ability and
stern integrity by which, as Chancellor. Of the Exche-
quer, and leaner of the House of Commons, his Lordships
whole course of public duty was distinguished, and recog-
nised as so distinguished by all parties in the country.
SINGULAR LIGHTNING.—On Saturday laht,
about four o'clock, no lightning having been seen before
or after, at Shoffbrd, a single flash struck a tree in Mr.
Johnson's field, and broke the branches off; throwing.
them to a great distance. Some premises fifty yai di iff
were found to be full of smoke, but no damage was dis-
.lfaortetu firena teloyf
covered.--Beqford Mercury.
Three splendid birds, the great crowned pigeon
(Columba Coronata), brought from New Guinea by Mr.
escapedatßlackheath,aeBtruction h atav itnh6e
that gentleman
tnleamrraonwly
,shus
been shut in the greenhouse the previous evening,
which
saved the lives of these most beautiful and valuable crea-
tures.' • They have since the accident
been presented to
the Surrey Zoological GardenE.

On TH RSD AY NEXT, the 19TM,
,;- AND

FRlDArifele 20Tir of AUGUST,
WILL BI: rr2Lisiu:D,
THE
PARLIAMENTARY SUN•

CONTAINING,
AT ONE VIEW,
THE NEW PARLIAMENT,

Embracing all Particulars of Interest, together with the
ELECTION OF SPEAKER,
IN TIME FOR POST ON THURSDAY
E VENING.

And on TUESDAY, the 24TH,
THE NEW PARLIAMENT
Will be REPEATED, with

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH ON

OPENING THE SESSION.

Early Orders are requested to enable us to
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PRICE SIXPTI-NCE.

THE RAILWAY SUN
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Sun Office, 112, Strand. •

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY.
11, ruing...... 0 minutes after I 1 Evening lb minutes after 1.