The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-29 00:00:00

AVARICE' OF THE CHURCH.

(From the Leeds Times.)
It has been reserved for the Rev. Mr. Urquhart, of
Chapeltown, to exhibit to the world how the avarice of
Churchmen is not to be stopped by death, but will pur•
sue their parishioners into the very grave itself.
George Watson, of Lorrybank Hill, a notice
of whose death appeared in our last week's obi-
tuary, was interred in the burying ground of the
family, in Chapeltown churchyard, on last Tues-
day week, after the usual Church forms and ceremo-
nies. It appears that the friends of the deceased,
in order to make the grave as secure as possible from
the exhumers of the dead, wished to lay a heavy flat
stone immediately over the cot pse ; but the clergyman
being informed Of this, said it could not be allowed un-
less on payment of a fee of one guinea! The de-
ceased's friends disputed the legality of any such claim,
besides considering it to be exceedingly exorbi.
tent. They offered, however, for the sake of peace,
to compromise the matter; but in the mean-
time the interment took place, the stone was
laid over the dead body, and the ordinary burial
fees were paid, and a discharge given. The cler-
gyman, however, continuing to insist on the payment
of the extra guinea, Thomas Watson, the son of the de-
ceased, proceeded to take professional advice upon the
subject, and en learning that the claim was perfectly
illegal, he refused to satisfy it. And what, do our
readers think, was the next resource of clerical cupi-
dity, when thus baulked of its extra " guinea ?" The
Rev. Mr. Urquhart, after the body had lain undis-
turbed in its narrow bed for six days, gave orders
that the grave should be opened, and the stone re-
moved from off the corpse. Accordingly, on Monday
last, the grave was opened up, and the stone was
taken out. The friends of the deceased, resenting this
insult upon the dead body of !heir relative, imme-
diately had the corpse disinterred, and removed from
Chapeltown to the new Cemetery, at Woodhouse,
where it was buried on Wednesday ; the same stone
being laid down without any additional fee being de-
manded.

Thus has George Watson, one of the oldest and most
venerated men in the parish, at length evaded for ever,
it is to be hoped, the clutches of the established priest-
hood. We have long had the assurance that in the
grave " the wicked cease from troubling and the weary
are at rest," but the present case proves that this holds
true only with graves over which State priests have no
control ; for there appears to be no spot so sacred and
hallowed that it may not be profaned by the intrusion
of clerical extortion and avarice.

Had the clergyman's claim to the extra "guinea"
really been a legal one, he could have had no difficulty
whatever in recovering the amount by legal process,
without violating the last resting-placa of the " hal.
lowed dead." Three several courses were left for him
to adopt, before resorting to such an extreme and un-
precedented measure. It may be asked whether the
friends of the deceased ought not to take further steps
in this matter ? Were there a pes&bility of obtaining
justice, they assuredly would ; but the nuisance of Ec-
clesiastical Courts is a barrier in the way of all remedy,
adding insult to wrong, and tyranny to injustice.
In conclusion, we must congratulate the Rev. Mr.
Urquhart upon his display of Christian love and charity
in this matter ; we congratulate him on the loss of his
extra " guinea," now feeling more than ever assured
that " money is the root of all evil ;" we congratulate
him upon the victory which he has gained over a dead
parishioner ; and, finally, we congratulate him upon
the Christian reputation which he is likely to acquire
by the achievement.

ACCIDENT IN SWANSEA BAY.—On Monday
morning last, the pilot boat Mary, left the Pier Head,
Swansea, with fresh provisions for the brig John Haidy,
then lying in the Mumble Roads. In the boat were
Thomas Rosser, aged 19; Edward Browne, aged 18 ;
and three boys about thirteen years old, William Shaw,
Thomas David, and Griffith Rosser. When the) put to
sea, the wind blew very strong, and the sea ran very high.
As they passed the Pier Head, some sailors there cautioned
them that they had too much sail ; however, they paid no
attention, and went on. When they were about two
hundred yards from the Pier, the boat was struck by a
tr,2inendous wave—filled, and instantly went down. They
all clung to the boom for a few minutes, when Thomas
Rosser said, " Here I am, off for a boat," and threw off
his coat. He swam very well for some distance, but the
sea was so very strong that he soon became exhausted and
sank. The other four continued clinging to the boom;
three were picked up soon after by Mr. Lewis Rosser, master
of the Dasher, who put off in his boat. The Victoria pilot
boat ais.) put off, and was instrumental in saving one. The
three boys would undoubtedly have been lost had it not
ben for the noble end .ct of Edw. Brown, who held them
on to the boom, after they were completely exhausted. The
body of Thornas Rosser was found behind the East Pier
the vaiane evening by Mr. Joseph R )biuson, pilot. A most
sin4ular ch-curnstance attended its recovery, for as the
body was bein conveyed into the house, the mother of the
Unflrtunate %num, man was saf,ly ielivered of another
son l An itiqueq was held On the blely cf the deceased, and
verdict of Accidentally Drowned was returned.-
11Telshman.

The quarterly incetin,ls of the Staffordshire Lon-
masters be hull in Wolva...anyton On Oct. 7, and in
Birmingham October.B.