The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-04-23
1 Clergyman Defending His Wife

1t is one advantage of republican So
ciety that a man may marry the woman
he loves, without asking permission of
anybody but the bride, and without ex-
planning his course to his "set." But
they do these things differently in Eng
land. A curious story comes across the
water from the little English parish OF
Oldswinfold, the incumbent of which is
the Rev. c. H. Craufurd. Mr.. Craufurd
has "blue blood"-at least so he told his
parishioners the other day in public
sermon-but chose for his second wife a
"plebian." The members of his flock
have turned the cold shoulder upon the
newly married couple, the reverend
gentleman rebuked them ronudly from
his pulpit, preaching from the text, l..
Corinthians, fourth chapter, third verse,
"With me it is very small thing that l
should be judged of you or of mans
Judgment"
This remarkable sermon is reported in
the Birmingham papers. Mr.. Craufurd
first established his own claim to aristo-
cratic descent. He was the eldest son of
a soldier who was "seeond to the great
Duke alone" who served in the British
Win ul5GihStlOllt anu was VIC lI-
innate friend of the great. Moreover,
he was "not unConnected with the. he-
roic Wallace" and was himselfdesceHd-
ed from the Lords of Craufurd, who
ruled their broad domains in all the
majesty of teudal state for centuries be-
fore the many mushrooms who swarm
at the present day had sprouted from
their native dunghill." This was Sc
we're. but it was not all; for Mr.. Crau-
furd'swife, albeit no reader of foreign
tongues, nor yet skillful musician, but
slightly inaccurate in pronunciation,
and unacqusinted with some ofthe con-
ventlonalities of society, was still, he
said, noble woman, and he loved her;
therefore'he wonld remind those who
thought proper to ridicuie her that
"their1enements were constructed of a
material largely manufactured in that
neighborhood-eerta not iron-and
to such persons the throwing of stones
was dangerous" He added:
Having no choice to him apprecia-
BILE in rank, and utterly despising mon
ey, he had chosen one whose goodness,
whese kindness of heart, whose love on
" disinterested, whose simple piety,
were incomparably more to him than
her birth. But she was not only not of
high birth, she was not highly educat-
ed. Putting aside Stael aud Somer-
vile, and others, what were the aver
age accomplishment and learning of Ia
dies They coHld make drawings which,
to pass muster, their masters must re-
touch; they could play little, sing a
little, and dance considerably. They
were deeply read in novels. and super
ficially, perhaps, in some other things.
They could write, and perhaps speak a
little French, and less German or ltal-
ian. That his wife was deficient in
these respects was not their loss, and,
therefore, concerned him not. As for
himself, he cared little for drawing or
music, except the finest: and the finest
was always to be had for money. As
to the languages-to express himself in
familiar parlance-one tongue was
sufficient"
Mr.. Craufurd wound up his sermon
thus: "He could not suppose his neigh
bOrs were so brutally deficient in good
breeding, and so utterly unchristian Ill
such trivial matter, as TO expose her
to ridicule; and, secondly, by reason of
his infirmities, his studious habits and
his numerous avocations, and her quiet,
domestic nature, they had resolved to
lead life of almost complete secluSion;
devoting themselves to their improve
ment, to the duties of their station, and
the preparation of their souls for
Heaven"
The benediction was then pronounced,
aud the congregation dispersed, having
heard much palmer talk than was usual
in the quiet little church of Oldswin-
ford