The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1887-01-21 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE CHURCH DEFENCE MNETY AT SOUTHERNDOWN.  Ti the Editor of the "Central Glamorgan Gazette." in.—Two semi-replisea appeared in your cslumns on the 14th inst. Mr Lriwis seems anxious that should not make a mistake, but t can assure him thst his anxiety is altogsther onnsces-aary on my behali since all facts remain the same, and still prove concinsively that the Church of England in Wa ea has miserably failed to do its duty in the past. His assertion that the, 'hurch in his parish has done its duty" is accompanied with a htimourous qualification, viz., that during the last twenty years the Chu :oh has increased twenty times in number in his own parish. Twenty years ago there were only four at.-ending Church, but now there are eighty, an incrassase ot ion for each year. What an enormous sum ! I in.-wise if Mr Lewis had gone another year back we shonld expect that only the poor clergyman and his clerk were present, as it has often occurred elsewhere, even at the present time. I was glad to find -.hat he very prudently attached "almost in every other parish" to what he had previously said. Yoe it is almost, but oh, how few parishes can say Amen to this statement. Rut there I may hear something better from Mr Lewis next week and so must wait pa-iently - -  As to Mr Jones' letter I leave the matter of the criticism to the more impartial public, believi 1g thst their pPreeptione are not so blunt as to be unable to observe that my letter has "damaged " some of hie assertions. None are said to be so blind as th.:se who will not see.  Mr Jones appears to content himself with Flying that I am a coward, whether I am one or not imi yet to he proved, and now perhaps since 1" wri..e over my ntims " tha matter will soon he settled. Should I give my name can I dare to expect that so di:niticd a being will deign to ropy to one so o scure. How much would the public stiffer through his :Menge " tinenswered," what a doomed man would I t len he. But thank geodness that Church zealots of 110 day have to bridle their winked anger mid cannot like their &tweeters of old persecute their honest opponents by the instrumentality of the law. They are no longer able to murder good and pions people by con leming them to spend months in filthy, dark, and damp prisons This was the lot of poor Edward E-tans, at Welshpool, in I 62. Those bigoted, and etrimge to say. ungodly Chureh zealots, would not allow such men as Vavasor Powell, Henry Williams, iamnel Jones, Stephen Hughes, T. George, Henry Maurice, James Owen, and a host of other men who were filled with the spirit and love of their Divine Master, to preach the " nnsearchable riches of Christ" to dying sinners, but they hunted them over mountains, dragged them in chains, bound them in fetters, robbed them of their homes and possessions, and even were guilty of the abominable crime of the murder of many. • • Foul deeds rise, though all the earth o'erwhelna them to men's eyes." Those wicked servante of their Father, the Devil, would not do good themselves and prevented others from doing it. The present Bishop of Liverpool has said "that scores of the Waist, clergy of that time were shamefully neglecting their duties, and too often were drunkards, gamblers, sportsmen, if not worse, arid yet these are they who tormented and cruelly pursued night and day, men who laboured for the welfare of souls neglected by them. Say then no longer that these wrongs are imaginary, else all suffering since the creation of the world is "imaginary," all the intolerant and fierce persecution of the early Church was only imaginary, the martyrdom of good and holy men during the time of the Lollard/a, and the reigns of Blood! Queen Mary and other bigoted, cruel, and blowl-thiraty Queens and Kings were only imaginary. If I were to strike • man in the face, or rob him of his goods, it would be poor consolation he tell him that it was only "imaginary" Nay, these wrongs, these robberies, these persecutions, these murderers are real, and their reality will come upon the heads of the wicked perpetrators of them. may tell Mr Jones that I have my own reasons for writing to the paper I wrote to. Perhaps the full report given of his lecture, and others of the same nature, had furnished a quota to other things, so as to induce me to take the course I adopted. Yours, do., Maesteg. T.