Mr. Fletcher.
The Times, 1824-09-30T00:00:00

YcstcHrdav a public taCeting of the menibers of the Albion Chapel, in loAndon Vaill, toolk place for tIhc NirpoRC of considering the case e. tbh Rev. Alexander Fletchier, to vhich we adverted in Tue Timter *r AMoilay, anrti oi allopting buch nmeasures as slollUd appear to bq -ccrs.rry. A t six o dclock the doors of tilc cltapel were opened, ant c bhilding was irAmedliately filled almost to su/lbcatien. (On account of the laItc hour at sveiicls thtc proceedings terminated, * are prevented from givinz a lengthened report of them. I )n th motion of M1r. Joi rq., Ir. FiEr LItER WMS unanihOsuslv o,en to fill thc hair. Mr. JoN-F.S, after deprrcatitg the attempt;iwlich lie said the Sy. i.o< at Edinburgh had ittile to foist upoi tiltc congregation of Al- hi-n Chapcl a sitnister respecting whosC talents and charactcr they . ,d no knowlcdrcwhate ver, read tltc follwhing resolttion: "Titat tile R.-. Alexandcr F'letcher, whora we htave chosen to b3e our minister * * the last thirteen years, be still considered by tis as *eth, notwitlt. s: ding the tinfoundcd and invidiotts attack nmalle by lhis enemics airt htis ::tor4l character. and thc ultparalleled anil iunclristiati 'r-terce pawsed he the Uttited Asbociate Synod at Edinburgh, on -1 &.; inst., susEperting lhn front preaching to us fot fi illonthlIs to -rnmc; beirg toll[y convtuced that hia cTrsecIttion in this instance ongnated in taalicr, was carried ott by envy and thc (decision -.,rnmphlhcdt by tet. firce of false evidence." The rcsolotion was *ccontiedt and propoedl by Mr. Jones (Mlr. .- etcFhr dccnt: run Put it, -av. it related so hitlytediately to himself), nrd cu-ritrda trniiouilly, with thc exception of one hand which was rwed rp against ii. Sronie pcrson sugeestcd, that tlte gentleman who had raised his ii.mnd zgi;it r tche rttsmt-ion ha4 not understool the question. The enillernan rose atrl said, I understood it petficctly well. * >.nsc disappirots~i<n.? .'tr. Fi.rvcEn sa:d. that the getitleian in qucstion vas thie t.rtst persont Nho had sthowed htoshttalltty to IhitmI in Loondo. Onl hi, atming to thtc nietropolIs it was at that gentleiitan's taLble ;t .hv fi.t brIcke bTral, and it r as in his bed that he first slept. lif bulirved hint to be an cxci!ctnt man and a Chiristian, butt Ile alho I.eved him to be deceived. ile forgave hiiti, atil called upon tite a emliv to discover no more signs of disapprobation. 710t rs!..sS nstcvtd a resoliltion,dcclaring the leterminatioti of It,e f ott).c pcl to supvort the mhii6ter vwhoil. they loved, ;rd. no-, o sulifrT `ic,-se1vcs to be robbced ot' thc platce of vworship, -hid) br- their voluntarycontribtitions they hal erected, for thc r'-p'ona 0: his prtachi9g to thlem thie verlhting Gospel. Thlc mntion rees stooldtde, pat, antd carried utnanimoutrlv. MT. PLETCtIs3 observed, that in thr presenrc of Hini who was hr szarcher of all lteartA. the impression of that mnmitent would *e- he cezsed frorn hii bosom. He would say, in the words of Ruth to Natormni-' Withl you I rill live, Witli you I will die." 'Apras. Two deel'rations v;ere here read. tvhicl, it was atinotinectc, would f. r rte s ignature-s. of thc adult atld the yotith1l1 attenders of the ;apc. They severally exptretsse approbation of Alt. Fletchel's nsoqi4et. and adetcmlination tosupponthim. (n the nmotionof sMr. JONES, it was ordered thlt the noatagera - ; e chapel be instructed to draw up end publish a statesoent in Ean-er to the falsehoods whicb h ad been) circulated by *lr. Klircaldy a tnic othter mcAitbers of tile Synod, respecting certain pioceed. u4gs which had taken place in the ctisp(l. i2r. FiaE'1rtE thcii ascended the ptp1lit and addressed thc asi- r-'-re. It might be expected that he wosuld ettter into a very lull &rtail of the particulars connected %vith his uvnworiliy histor,v bit lie ee sre>tfi so advcrt to only a few particuilars leaving the svibde t,hjcct to bc nirre h.illy cxplaiteid in a printedl state- tlel,tt which, by a painful necessitv, le felt himse'f cont- "le to lay before tle religious 13titisli public. He felt ertplew-pnam in knowing that ie waii a Btiton-an inhabitant of tV7 land whence the piinciples of'libertV had enianated,and beeii car- tOd to ilie utmnost limits ot the eartt. Ile rejoked that lielived in a m;sitaJ be le a persecuting spirit cotild never prevail, and wlhere a dt~er;olinaitoa to effect the tuin of an individual who was anxious to t,'lr,zr the interesLi ofrcligion;never cculd avail. Ilefeltconvinced) that the adorable providenIce of God had sutroultded him its the eon- fEs whiclh he had pa&sed through,and thatitivould guard Iiinii tle t5nSlecs which might be to come, for hie might be agai, :;sailed. Thxe was a kind of immortality about tiialevolence. Afler what 1-d tz AeOi pIse, he feared that the tiilevolent feelings which ex. Ms M-i zoa7e quartCrs-against hint would survive thtat evening; but r l til brs trst in Go3d, wtd -wonid go forward without the fear ft' w Severalv of the partieniara to which it would be neces. V-7 f him to aweeat, it wcrald gi.ve pain to anyindivid4sal to LlaUed'. eVen in thAe most private retiremlent of li fe. Somle per. sons looked upprn the situation of .a minister ats envibe it was, his lot, if any real fault Were connected withl his chrcr,t have it instantly pointed out, (and prtoperly so) ; andifayi- gi nary Ulerris4/were sup r5ed to attta,h to it, to have i ntnl magnified by eilaggerated descriptionE utenilit gathiered into a torrent of misrepresentation. In the m-onthi of' Apr~il last an action was] raised against tire hiumble individual whou was a4dressing thiem in the Court of King's Bench. The que-stion) that evening was not whethier that proceeding wvas merited : thie question whichi presSed upon attenition at that stage of ttie businEss was, wiether that actioni could have beeni avoided. Hle wouild, for the sake of argu- men,ci,allow h&.1fitilt to be assumnedtohettorsexn. e wudallowv Yto be supposed that lie lhad formedi the pa~h cruel, deliberute, diespicable plan-o...f violating the most sacred en. gagements. But it would be necessary to see whether there did not exist strongv reasons whyv the case should not have come before the public- W7ho were the parties ?- One was a PTofessor of divinity at Glasgows,anrd he, the other,was a preacher of thog s .l. The charac- ter of thze former was sufficiently public; but his was miore so on account ofl his locality. Wras it not then desirable for the inlterests 'of religion, thiat thie casie shouild hiave been kept out of Court: Ilie believed that thecre was trot a Chiristian in Eng- land in the porssesio5in of hi% facutlties who wouild answer " No." (H HeAr.) The initerests of religion were involved. in the case, and lie felt that. Hie received a letter stating thiat if he dlid not marry a certain ind;vIdualtin September, an action woildl be raisedI agaitist himn. At lthe timie when he receive;l the letter, and indeed for a few weeks previous.ly tothiatperiod, lie was insastate of grea,t affliction.- lle had a soul to be Saved, aiad it would not avail hinm to tell them that which wtcs niot true. lie declared, as a ntan andi a Christians minis- ter, that for several weeks beforu that letter reachedI him he hadl been in a state of extereme agony of' mindl. Gtreat wag his aitlictioni, whien a belovedf Sister dlied, who'Walthe darling ofliris heart, anti whtoni he had nursed in early age; great was hiis afflictioni, wheon he lost a toio- ther distinguiislied tSri her great erudition, her hil!torical lore, andI ier theological knowledge; great, again, wats the hifdiction wbich visited hin,whe Iiris fAther- expired, anti left Iris yotunger sisters to hiim as a rcharge which heeagerly eriiibraced; butihe coild not state the circum. stnce which had produced. an effect upon his mindI never to b- destroy. ed. Ile laboured undera degreeofagony,anid indescribablecsuffe:ringof rnind.such as hie had never experienced before, anti such as he trustedi lie shoul 'Inever experience again. He wri-s in thiat state when lie received the letteT towhich lire hail alludled. Ile knew that the writer of that letter was of an irrascible disposition, and tlhat, perhaps, ntight akPOlogize for its Style. Perhaps that indlividual did -not believe tflat.his M lr. Fletcher's) sittuation was such as he hatd describeti it to hint. jfe had stated to him that Ili attachmient to the ladly was as strong as ever, but that thiere existed a barrier to their uniion which Provi- dence alone could remove. Tire circumnstances of the case were stated amongst the managers of tire chapel, and he was told by one of those gentlemtn that li,' iould be rutted it he did not marty tIre girl. At this conduct lie feclt a degree of indignation which he could not repre:-s. Hie, however, took m~eans to prevent the case coming before a court of justice, and for that purpose he wrote so Mr. Dick, requesting that the matter might be subnriiitted to the arbitration of four ministers in Eniglandl ; two to be chosen by each party ; and of four laymeni of Scotland, two to be chosen bj4 each party in like manner ; and to abid by their decision. P that letter he received an answer ofle haghty disdain. Ilie then called on Dr. Warre, with whiom lie found Alir. Broadfbot, and he toldI the Doctor to endeavour to dis%uatie Ai1r. Dick from bring'ing thc case into Court Dr. Warre said, "1 Pil dear Sandy I was thinking of the same tlhing last, night in bed." Dr.Warre antui Mr. Broadfoot both wrote to Mr. Dick to advise him not to agi- tate the subject in a coUrTE Of law, and piointing ouit the idoor which such a proceeding would open to the sneers of inifidlelity. Those letterswere disregarded. After thait, he wasi anxiouas to mnake a'ny apo- logy that he coulti Consistently wvithi truthi ; but it waLs proposedI that he should put hisi name to a paper whicih Dr. Dick should haveI iti i wrto fill up withi what `iie pleased. Then hie said, that 'h oixrter die than consent to such a proposal. (Applauise. ) At length thje miatter went into Court, and Mir. Scarlett, after some observations, prroprosed a coTnpromise, which w.ts accepted. After that coi-np-romise had takeni place, hie Supposed that nothbing more would have been said on thec subject, and he scru- pulously avoidetI saying any tiring respecting it himself ; whiat, then, wouild be thought of Dr. Dick's family, when it was known they senttlie whiole of the papers which hadA beets prepared for the tjial to the Pre'bytery of Londotn, to furnislh matter of accusation against him. (Shame.) r Here Mr. Fletchier read Mr. Scarlett's apethin the Court of King's Bcnclt.1 Mtr. Brougham, tIre cotinsel for tire opposite party, accented tite off'er qf comnpromlise; andlhis speech con- tained the following remarkable passage The lady does not come litre to persectite the defendant : shle does not aslk for damages by way of compenramion for an injury, 'rhich no damages can repay, but for the vind(ication of her charTacter." Whiat was required was given ;the reparationir hichi was souglht was arade ; the conrpromise was accepted ; atnd tire Chief Jiustice declared himsnelf satisfiedI withi the conduct of bothl parties. He had supposed that the comppromise wouldI have satisfiedt tire Presb.ytery of Londonr, buit Mr. Broad- foot and some other mnembers of' that hotly were trot Satisfitd whitl it. Ile wall at that tinie ignorant, thatt at tire very itroinient tire comproniise wsare o anothier plot was being brewedi against him. Heirti since learned tirat somei of tire parties on leaving tie court were hteartd to tooutler.-." It is not orer wvithi Iiior yet; we haye dlnne 'with hlim in a COUTt of law, but we will hanve Iiim in the Eccle- siastical Court." Trlere were only two ways in wlhichi the Preslby- tery of boudkoir couldI have received tire documents. 'Thcy inust r'ithicr lhave been oitbred, antI that would hrave beeni a irrost dlishiououir able act, or itley musthriave been Solicited, hr tire latter, cas;e it would trave been tire tiuty of the prarties in thte northi to liave saidl that they could uiot give them up, because they had enteredI into a comnprormise wit)r tire Partv to whonr they ref'erred. IJe was extremnely atnxious to know how'the Prcsbytery becam epossessed of" tie documentis, and lie cross-examined Air. P.rsadifoot pretty c!osely on thet subiect. .M r. Blroadroot hiesitated, btitt at lengthi saidi that lie hiad tolti hiim. Ife said, "1 That roay be, Mir. Brsuadfoot, but I positively declare, up n ty hognoir, thiat I have forgoet i." Alr. Broadfoot their changed colouir, and said, " WVell, I will tell you." [le then informed himn, thant a few days after tire trial he saw Dr. Dick, and told him that the Preshytery intendedI to take cognii. zance of tire affair ; to which Dr. Dick replied, that he had got all thie papers ready, and that thiey miight have them. Could any thing be riporc invidliousi than such a proceeding oni the part of a fa- mily whio said, through the mouth of their most eloquent and patri. atic couiiaeh,thiat they came not into court to persrcute himu? If'they did triot whilh to perstecute hint thecre, it seecured that they svere dleterminedi to persecute him somewhere else, hrowever. (Applause.) Ile htad trow led hiis hearers up thec banks of the streana ., calumrny wsirh whinch it hiad beein soughit to overwhelmi hima, and pointed out to thecn, thec muddy source of maliKnity whience it issued. lie had been obliged to look at patrts of theecase only, reserving a fuill detais f'or a priuned statement. He would not ilctain themn by a long ac- count oftueii proceedings in, thte P1rebytety. That hrody, iratd exer- cisedI tire greatest s'everity towards him'i undler thle sanction of the very mintiister whio can-.e last Suniday to take Po - session of tlire pulpit. So iralignant was itheir coimLduct, that a brave mant ulto wouldI have slited his blood in t he service of' lils conurttry retired froin tlietnu, and declared that lie wouldi ncr-er agaiti rettirn. He wvould( state the character whichi tire Loo- (lan delegates. M )essrs. Reiti aird l{irkaltly, had giveir of' his congpre.- gatiott. One of the:se gentlemyen was a. delegate fram the Preaby- tory of London, anti the othecr frotri a congregation to whicir lie orn- Irrerly preached a1tl'liles's-lane, ainti siieh irethiouglit otiglitrtatiter to irave,seat a ilege;ate for, thatiragaiirst hiim. Titeevidence of thedtile- gates was the, fotunthation on winch Iiis sentence rested. One of tile elelegates saidi that lie litad not deigned to attendr severaI meetings or' tire Pregbytery, thouigh arimmoned to do so. TIhe reason was,' that when lie h~ad 'attendedI he receiveel the rioost malignant abuise, and he protesteti against thie assembly to the Synoid. Again, it was saiti( that our one occagion his conduct was so extravsgat)t, thaBt thte rmeni- hers ef tire l'rei;bytery lookeil aghast at hiim. Wh'lat !anti didi lie k'nock litr. Blroatdfot'down withi tire dtteurnent.-_(a laiugh)..-did lie Say wlhat was not trice ? No ; all that lie saul( was too true for tirciri, anti therefore it was considered extravagant, lie was representedl as acing extravagantly ansi lutec a fatio"tic in thceP1tlimit ever, L~ord'stiay. A,nol ladly wiro hiad lately aririved in Londton said to diei the frienui in whose house slite resided, "So poor Fletcher is raviug, I find. Jle is unite a"a! tridman, airti lialst pt every hotly ott t of lila chattel.'' (A lanogh.) " Wlell," said her friend, -' next SitirtaY yoo shiall gti to fliSee tire entity chlapel aird heartshe extiavagaint preachier." Slhe wcrt, andi lifitiig up her hutidtl said., " Oht, whiat fiiheioods they tell of' himI never saw tire lutec bef'ore.'' {Laugthter.) Thisse whto lived in L,onrdon knew tuhat wasi tire real state of thle caise; bitt thle gootl people of the irortli believeel all that was s,aint of' hU,n. It was saulf that tire looese respectable part of'thte congrc- gatian were in opposition to him. lIIe was certaini tlhat two) pewva at. tire itinmost wcould catitnini all thiat respectable part of' thec congre- gatiotr. (I-lear.) The delegates, likew-ise, intiulged in sonice abutte of' the conrgiegation of' Wdels-street chapel. TIhrst was tlie oldecst corurregation of their perxuasion in lionthoni. It miighit he called their titohcrnay thir rairiuttlir ;forit was the toiotlier of the Miles'-lanecongreation and tat wa theiiotirer cof die one lire was addrssig. his,ther, heirvenrabe gratndmothier, rast to htitvc lia reutaionblatediiiire oi ag. (atghtter.) After conitra- dieingsom oter tatniema f tre otrhondelegates, thle reverentd gnlanconcludedI bY reaflin tliresnee 8 01 the synoti oh dti dug,st the puotest whiichi tie liac p eseitt agaitist it. (Mluchl applus. The Reverend - ADAsI saidI a few twords in approval ofMr Fletcher. Alr. FLETCrty1n againi addrcesseti tne meecting, Ile teas quite uin- able to express the grititttde of hisi licat. IlIe wass now 3,5 years o1 agce, and had been a triniusiter since lie was 1.9, bitt henevvcr,duciiig hisi past life,lrad coot witl such public coutntenairce sod support ag he itad thiat night expterienced. lie wouhiti not soy that hie wvas ittoutl on thatu ac- count, (Jod deliver himn fertit pridie ; but lire would be rendered miore attxiouis to Promnote tire irnterests of'ttire great capital in wlinch lie was pitiaet ; and lie intended, (iod willinig, to he inii ta, pulpit treat ~6abr irathi irorning anti evemuitug, surroundedt by iris hotly guarul. MSl body guard did niot consist'of ttle twelve irobie Youths whio dhefendedl the itarrowe pass of Thcrnriopylle or Alarathoti behhind tire pulpit, but of' the whllole congregatioll. -lie had tio objection to give any titan in (hreat Britain an opportunrity to ptreach ia that place next Sunrday, if the congres4a6oio tlirrigirt fit to receir'e him.) fie woujld never imp ose hitItef uPOn tire congregation, as aunotlier person heel( attetiopteti to itnipose himiself on thieni last Sundaty. 'Fi'h divitte itt- dittances hiad never brett nmore tiecorouslv Observed titan they scene last Sunday. He hopedi that tire ease w`ould be the siame next Sali- hat.nd sig tllljh t -di --os ig . 1 1- T1- _ Af ter a short Isynu astud prayer had been gone through, the intel- ing isarersed. AIR. FI.ETChJER.