The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-19 00:00:00

. ,
I think' it right to prove to- you that idleness was not my
motive for employing the schoolmaster, but simply the weight
of duty falling upon me on the Sunday; when in a very feeble
state of health, brought on, as I verily believe, and greatly
increased. by the severe nature and extent of my duties.
Observe, jirst, the voluntary duty amongst the debtors,
preaching evtry Wednesday night in their ward until illness
Obliged me to desist.
" Report, 29th October, 18`
fcred by over much exertio'
and service in the debte

3efore my:health had st
;tituted a weekly sermi

led by

nearly every person in confinement.
On looking to my journal, at the date June 3d, IS3B, you
will find that I preached three sermons ; December 9th,
three.; December 16th, three; December 23d, four: Del-
eember 3Uth, four;_ May sth, 1839, five; May 12th, six;
May 30th, four sermons ; the entry being—the schoolmaster
officiated for inc amongst the boys the untried men, and the
misdemeanants, as I had not strength to perform more than
four seltt!ces.
These extracts will, I trust, fully convince you, that when
in health, I have
never flinched from performing heavy
duties. I hope that where there has been an apparent avoid-
ance of fatigue, it will be ascribed to its right motive.
I proceed to the consideration of the charges of mutila-
tion, omission, and superfluity.
Either the entire short morning service has been used, or
the entire litany and communion services, or simply the en-
tire litany with a chapter, or with the psalms 'of the day.
In one or other of these three ways morning prayer has al-
ways been conducted by me.
You have been informed in the evidence that the commu-
nion service has not been read so frequently of late as for-
merly, the reason you have had in my reply a few minutes
situ,

As to ever having wilfu
or the creed; I utterly deny it as untrue. I I
lapse at the moment have omitted a single prays

.ly neglected to

ad the absolution

through

r, on an oc-

casion; hut wilful systematical omission, 'I
deny in the
strongest terms which the decencies of e will permit. It
is absolutely contrary to matter of fact.

I have always prayed for Prince Albert, as the consort of
the Queen of Great Britain ; if it be an offence I am willing
to be punished for it.
I have, however, desisted from the practice, and have read
the entire full services, from the moment Capt. Williams
expressed an opinion that I had been doing wrong.
I have always performed clerical duties in a master of arts
gown, not in a surplice ::my reasons were simply that I
thought it more ,comfortable, more suitable to a prison, more
cleanly, more convenient. Since my appointment seven
magistrates, or eight, and several members of the council,
have at various times been present at the chapel service, and
have seen me thus attired, thus performing clerical duties ;
no one ever yet spoke to me, except in the language of ap-
probation. The inspector on his first visit saw me thus
attired, and made no complaint. Server qui non prohibet,
naandaci creditur.

Any departure from mere forms, in a prison, where the
minority only profess to be of the Established Charch, and
where nearly all are absolutely ignorant of the fir4t princi-
ples of christianity ; any departure from forms (without
sacrifice of principle) which may be likely to gain the willing
attention of such an auditory, I should until now, have
thought proper, judicious, necessary, and therefore quite
justifiable. To impart truth to the ignorant, has been my
object ; to do which, I have avoided all that could give of-
fence ; I have held forms at a very great discount, in a place,
where I witness only ignorance and crime, and consequently
wretchedness.
You have it in evidence that the service, shortened as it
has been, occupies one hour and a half, of which thirty
minutes are devoted to the sermon. There cannot, - there-
fore, have been any very extensive omissions. Now when it
is considered that during this period, the prisoners, very
closely seated to each other, on low forms, without any sup-
port for the back, are subjected to that prison rule which
says, " The following are declared to be the acts of disorder
and punishable as such—namely, any unnecessary looking
round or about (each prisoner being required to look before
him) either at divine service, or at work or meals, &c., and
that the interpretation of what is necessary or unnecessary
movement, rests with a turnkey ; you will surely think that
these wretched beings have been detained sufficiently long by
me, Witness to this, the fact of 199 reports in six weeks,
and 27 reports on one and the same day, for offences in
chapel—the great proportion of these human beings being
obliged to attend the service, though contrary to the convic-
tions of their consciences ; and you will not lose sight of the

fact, that many extremely ignorant and even worthless cha-
racters; feel keenly on matters affecting their fancied creeds.
Consider once again, gentlemen, the evidence runs all one
way : that the prisoners like to attend the service—that no
dissatisfaction has been expressed—that an individual, who
you know will speak out his mind freely and warmly, has yet
managed to steer clear of giving offence to prisoners, never
needlessly arousing angry feelings, but of whom it is wit-
nessed that they would think it a punishment to be kept
away. Shall a person, having this hold upon their feelings,
and under suchpeculiarly trying circumstances be deraded !
dishonoured ! rejected ! subjected tou the pains and penalties
of an ecclesiastical court! for dealing in the truth, rather
than in forms and ceremonies ? You cannot, gentlemen,
you will not, I am sure, assent to such injustice.
Consider the singularity, the absurdity of a trial before an
ecclesiastical tribunal, not in the ease of the Church against
Thorogood, but of Christopher Rawdon, Robert Ellison
Harvey, Richard Vaughan Yates, Esquires, and others, ma-
gistrates, on behalf of the corporation of Liverpool, against
John Buck, D.C.L., Clerk,
" For dividing the usual morning service.
" For officiating without a surplice.
" For praying for Prince Albert.
" For allowing a layman to read prayers."

I regret, gentlenien, 'deeply regret, that such an inquiry,
I mean on such points, should have been instituted. One
word to me in private would have led to any change deemed
really needful .for the good of the prison, or the comforts of
the magistracy.
Now, in reference to these departures from matters of
form, I call your attention to some obervations which have
been elicited in evidence, which will stew that good has been
effected, religious instruction well and prudently adminis-
tered.
Governor,—

The present morning service, including the
sermon, occupies an hour and a half. The sermon occupies

on an average 30 to 35 minute.—
" I believe magistrates have attended the service, and seen
Dr. Buck without a surplice."
•" The magistrates have ordered that in the clrai
absence the service should be read by the schoolmaster
flee " I believe that Dr. Buck's health has been so weak,
employment of the schoolmaster has been in consequence
of it. I have seen him so bad that he was scarcely fit to yo
into the Pulpit."
" I have ,the opportunity of knowing whether Dr. Buck
Performs his duty ill or well. I should not apply the word
Skulking' to any part of his conduct. Ido not think that
he, with a view to escape his duties, ever went through them
in a slight or frivolous way."
" I always thought that Dr. Buck has done everything in
his power to promote the good and the moral improvement
of the prisoners. lam not aware that he ever performed
service more frequently than the law requires—I mean in the
chapel ; but he has done it in the rooms, and on various oc-
casions gone from room to room, when the chapel was unfit
for use, and a other times. Be has addressed the prisoners