The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-23 00:00:00

THE REV. FREDERIC IRENIONGER.

On Tuesday last t!,e remains of the late la-
mented Mr. F. IREMONGER were conveyed from
his prebendal house, in the Close, Winchester,
in the most private manner, to be interred in the
family vault, at Wherwell. But though the
burial was private, the woe way public. The
children educated at the Central School, as a last
tribute of respect. to their revered benefactor,. at-
tended on the mournful occasion, and followed
the hearse short distance out of the town. Oa
art icing at the vicarage, tire melancholy proces-
sion was .joined by all the respectirble tenantry
and inhabitants of Wherwell and the oeighbour-
ing roill iges, eight of whom supported the rill,
The funeral set vice was ,impressively performed by
the Rev. G, Chard, whom the deceased had:re-
cently appoirrtrd to the curacy ;- and the imieign-
ed expression of sorrow depicted on the counten-
ances of those assembled, frilly demonstrated the
veneration arid esteem in which Ire was held, and
a deep sense of the irreparable loss which they
have sustained.

It is scarcely possible to speak in adequate
terms of the feelings of sorrow and dismay which
the death of this ieestimsble man has occasioned-.
To consider hint as only a private individual,
would be to underv«lue.the services w hick the
country has received at his hands. If the edit-
cation of its lower orders in the true principles
and practice of the Gospel, be a measure of vital
importance to a kingdom ; and, it to give such a
measure its full effect, the establishment and sop
port of a general system of correspondence and
co-operation be essential, then, sorely, the loss of
a mall who has so powerfully contributed to brim:
the parts of this great machine boo bartn.wy and
action, may Justly be considered as a public 'eala.
.miry. In every department of the National
System his knowledge was eminent, and his ex-
perience isvaliisble. To see him in the schools.
attending to the numerous details of each crowderi
class, regulating the movements, and cheering
the exertioos of the poor children tsromid.
was a sight not lost upon a Ckristien eye. Such,
indeed, wasshis 'ardent and diffusive utility, that
there is not' a National School ro be found to this
popolon-•counsy, whose establishment his, energy
has not prorpoied, whose weft:it presence has
not sostained. But tbough his laltours were attire
especially dedicated to the schools of his native
county, there is not,A part of England which his
activity has not reachesi.. Every
_county he hail
persimilly visited ; and, in order to perfect and
extend his experience, in the course of the last
year he travelled to Swi,zerland, to inspect simi•
lar institutions there. Witt) seen/agent in she
same good work w;ch himself be was in constant
correspondence. Upon_ every point relating to
the management of this extensive system, he was
invariably consulted ; and even to those who
had not the advantage of his personal "communi-
cation, his writings furnished a store of the
fullest and most. practical information. Nor were
his publie.services confined to the promotion of
national education, but in the general diffusion
of Christian knowledge he took she same active
and aealoos part. Ile was well acquainted with
all the arrangements necessary: for supplying the
lower orders with bibles, prdytr-books, and tyher
religious works ; the .adeanta!ges indeed which in
this point of view resulted to the country at
large, were incalculable, It every point of pro-
fessional business his talents iwere peculiarly va-
luable. Few men indeed were gifted with mere
readiness in procuring ititormation, or greater per-
spicuity in arranging it when procured ; and to.
these he added so. much good humour in dis-
cussion, and so much dispatch its execution, as
always to give hint the lead even Among those
who, itr some points, were perhaps his superiors.
Asia private clergymen, if we make the-due al
towance for the infirmities of our common nature,
we may fairly say that he exhibited the very mo-
del of Christian perfection. The native innocence
ut his mind, and the guarded parity of his lite,
gave him a cheerfulness and an.. animation which
fascinated all who kite* him.—Wherever he went
he was a Invottrite and a welcome guest. His
whole deportment exhibited that mild and ones-
aiming suavi'y which conciliated the eveem of
the highest, and won the affections of the lowest.
DI hint, indeed, it may truly be said, that " When
the eye saw him, then it blessed hint; and-when
the ear heat d him, it gave witness to him," Nor
did the enlargement of the sphere of his public
services in the least detract from the devoted at-
tention which he paid to
,his proper parochial
charge. Of the parishes intrusted to Isis care, he
was indeed the good Shepherd, and they ;(vlr
themselves to be his flock. With the character,•
the family, the habitation, even of the poorest
cottager, be was well acquainted. lie was their
father, their protector, their visitor, and their
friend. Wherever there was poverty, affliction,
or disease—there was Frederic lrenionger.
As a preacher, his sermons found their way' Co
the very heart, lie was not a theoretical or a
metaphysical divine, but he was ,an- ardent, sound,
and a Christian minister. There was an earnest-
ness in Isis matinee which could not be mistaken ;
it was the earnestness of one, who was conscious
of his high calling, who knew and who telt that
to-his ministry Was intrusted the care of many an
immortal soul.

It please4l the Almighty, thrungh the favour of
our worthy Diocesan, to' reward his exertions in

the good cause with high processional honours ;
but it pleased him also to coil him early front their
enjoyment—tht:s teaching us of how little value
is all earthly promotion and honour as a sign of
his favour, or a testimony of his love. To Mr.
Iremonger it was but the earnest and the antici-
patiou of I hat high and heavenly crown; which
shall hereafter be the 'need cf act►ve exertion and
affectionate zeal in the cause of the Redeemer,
and in the promotion of his spit itual kingdom here
upon earth. 'l'o him a tew years more of life were
of little value,.excepting,as they ►night have been
the means of increasing the measure of genera!
good.

The sighs and tears of every rank and order,
and pariicolarly of the poor children to whom be
%v s a spiiitoal fattier, have tollowed him to the

grave.

It in the salvation of human souls the

rt(lics of a Christian minister consist, then bas
blr Iremonger died rich indeed. Thonsni,ds tilkd

thoulands w:111 Olie their llf)peb of aLuthcr world

to the blessings which, under the Providence of
Gmi, his exertions have showered down upon
them.

He has now entered intohis rest. For his sad-
den and awful departure nooe, excepting himself,
were at all prepared. High and low, rich and
poor, by the'same unexpected blow, seem to have
lost acommOn relation, protector, and friend. By
his death, indeed, a void has been creattd in so-
ciety, which no single person is qualified to'fill,
unless it shall please a good Providence.to raise
up,another, who shall be gifted with the same
rare assemblage of moral, social, and Christian
virtues. But there are many, we trust, who will
now press forward to spew their affectionate re-
membrance of their departed friend, by an active
promotion of the same greet object, in which with
him, they were engaged. ," Though dead, tie yet
spe4ketb," and even though his body is laid
he will be the happy instrument of advancing the
clory of God and the welfare of mankind in the
goo I spirit which he :has awakened, in the model
of hiniselt wisich he has left for imitation, and in
the numberless friends, over whom his Memory
and example will•eVer retain a strong and an ant-
mating influence.

The tolln,ving legacies evince his affectionate
anxiety for the numerous charitable institutions
in this place, beyond the period of his existence.
He has berineatitt-tt fifty' pounds to the Treasiii er
ot, the HArnpsiiite Society for the E:ttication ot the
Pool on Dr 13, :I't.4 flAti ; fif,y pounds to roe Trea-
surer of the VVltithet•ter Diocesan
.}l(),i
,he Society tor Pronto, ing
Committee iii 4111 ot
Christian K owledge ; fitly to the 'I i:en.
buret ot the Winches et Vvntale Asylum;• tor
the use .'t '1 use hi l'll,llllleB, tree trout it gacy
duty.—('Winchester Journal.)