The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-24 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA AT BILSTON.

An appalling description of the orate of Rilston is given
in the followinz letter, which the Rev. W. Leigh bas pub-
lished in the Wolverhampton Chronicle :

" Parsonage, Bilston, Aug. 21, 1832.
" The state of Bilston continues frightful in the ex-
treme, without any abatement of the disease whatever.
Our distress has been increased by want of medical aid, all
our professional gentlemen having been worn out by fatigue
and exertion. So long as they had the strength they were
most active, and we feel much indebted to them. Since
Saturday, by the kindness of some of the medical gentle-
men in Birmingham, especially Mr. S. Cox, we have had
aid from that place. We have also written to the Central
Board, who will send to us a Waysician from town. When
and where this most awful visitation will end, God only
knows ; here it is unhappily increased by the wretched
condition of the poor. We help their starving state in the
best way we can. We relieved last week, from a sub-
scription raised amongst the inhabitants, 814 families, and
we are still proceeding in the same good work, our fund
amounting to two hundred pounds. It has been quite
impossible to transmit a correct list of cases to the
Central Board, the medical gentlemen not having had time
to make out their respective lists. But this I may say
with truth, and I tremble while I give you the statement,
that from the 4th of this month up to this morning, there
have been 1,200 eases of cholera, and 240 deaths, within
the township of Bilston. In this wretched situation, I
earnestly implore the prayers of your readers to- Almighty
God on our behalf. Under the sanction of the highest
medical authorities in Birmingham, I came to the painful
resolution of closing my church on Sunday last, to prevent
the congregating together of the people, nothing tending
so much to spread the disease. A copy of my address to
the inhabitants on this melancholy subject I have annexed
for you. Those who know me will sympathize with me
in my distress in thus feeling compelled to forego the com-
fort of public worship myself, and depriving my afflicted
flock of the same consolation.
" To THE INHABITANTS OF BILSTON.-It iS with ex-
treme pain and reluctance I have prevailed upon myself to
announce to you that there will be no public worship this
day in St. Leonard's Chapel. In taking this step lam
doing great violence to my sense of religious duty as a
Christian Minister, and I am urged to it only from the
awful situation in which we are now placed. Having
learned from the highest medical authorities that large
assemblages of people congregated together tend more than
any thing else to spread disease, I have, after much serious
reflection, come to the present determination. I hope,
however, that all persons bearing the sacred name of
Christians will " Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it
holy." I hope that family worship will not be forgotten
on this most solemn occasion, and that every household
throughout the township will, with united prayers and
supplications, implore the God of all mercies to turn away
from us that grievous calamity with which it has pleased
Him to visit us. I respectfully offer these considerations
to my dissenting brethren, and shall be thankful to find
that they come to the same conclusion as myself. My ex-
cellent young friend, Mr. Fletcher, coincides with me in
opinion, and begs me to say for him that his chapel will
also be closed.

" W. LEIGH, Incumbent of Bilqton."
" N.B.—The Board of Health earnestly entreat the
different Lodges and Benefit Societies not to attend for the
present any funeral whatever of their respective members.
" Aug. 19. " W. LEIGH, Chairman."