The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1869-10-23 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

TFTE STOMIBRIDGE OI3SERVER.  day bond employment for Edwards in the stamping department of Somerset-house, and from which establishment, upon his retirement, he received a superannuation of £66 13s. 43. per annum. During the time he was at Somerset-house he was remarkable among his fellow employsis as a very litigious, irritable sort of man, flying into a paroxysm of rage at the slightest provocation. Amongst those with whom he was officially associated he would sometimes have allusions made to him of the part he took in connection with the Cato-street conspiracy, allusions always most distasteful to him, and which led to the issue of an order by the Lords of the Treasury of the day, threatening with dismissal any employ 6 who persisted in doing so. The annoyance continuing, however, Edwards left London and came down to Windsor, where, having a natural gift in carving figures in stone, which he had practised as a recreation when he was at Somerset-house, he made it, with his pension a source of livelihood, and took the small house at Eton !above indicated. He used to imitate the ancient grotesque carving of Windsor Castle and Eton College, and sell them to visitors and the Eton boys as antiquities. Mr. Robert Smith, of Eton, has now some of them in his possession. Edwards was then about 30 years of age, and used to linger about the Lower Ward of the Castle and "The Wall" at Eton College, with his basket of so-called antiquities. He was as already stated, a man of morose temper, which the Eton boys for •` a lark," would excite, calling him " blood and thunder "—no inappropriate cognomen— enraging him tremendously, and causing him to use the most horrid imprecations. Mr. Charles Knight. in his delightful work, "passages in the Life of a Working Man," which abounds in local allusion, has the following in reference to the old image-maker :—"This Edwards was not an itinerant vendor of images. I have spoken with him in his small shop in the High-street of Eton, when he would talk of the Cato-street conspirators. He had some ingenuity as a modeller ; and produced a very tolerable statuette of Dr. Keate, in his cocked hat. His sale of this Lttle model was considerable amongst the junior boys of the school, not exactly out of reverence for their head toaster, but as a mark to be pelted at. If I remember rightly, the face of the spy George Edwards said he was a rogue by nature. He was a diminutive animal, with democrat looks, and stealthy face, and seemed capable of any eviL" Little did our illustrious townsman think when he penned these almost prophetic words, that the subject of them, when he had " come to fourscore years" and more, would end his eventful life as a murderer and suicide.  all high, diep, t.iiiy troth; but yet not all that party division so prevalent among us. Heresy indeed was rejected—but there was a great Catholic element—a great Evangelic element, and even a considerable freedom of discussion, both in philosophy and in hitilical criticism. Differences there now are, no doubt, on very serious questions. Yet beneath the strong surface we may hope that there is a tranquil deep of truth and rem,. Aleny can remember nbeo the distinction of parties was said to be, that one party exalted I Christ, whilst the other dwelt only on morality. This is not so now. Much and fiercely as the two parties are opposed, even their distinctive symbols and watchwords which so offend each other are devised for the very mimes.) of honourtag Christ and His cross? and must they treat one another as deadly foes who profess to have one common object of faith, and love, and worship. Can we not unite in the faith and Church of Christ in peace and love, instead of uniting in Church Unions, Church Associations, and the like for well Can we pot refuse to make our mission societies scenes of conMet Can we not repudiate the bitterness of religious newspapers, whose one mission has been to net brother against brother, and heart against heart, and so all against the cause of Christ? If we are to survive the present crisis in the Church it must be by some sacrifice of individual self-will, and uniting for general good. Clergy and laity too most unite The Church's tutu, e is as wools a layman's question as a Churchman's. We have a great unknown future before us. Some think the end of all things is at hand. If no, the believing, loving Christians, and the united, loving Church, are those who can best say, as St. John said, "Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus.' After the conclusion of his lordship's charge the clergy and churchwardens present were entertained by his lordship to luncheon at the Lion HoteL This concluded, a number of Church questions were discussed, of which the meet particular was, "How may we best help the Irish Church?" Numerous suggestions by the local clergy were male in this respect. The Bishop will address the representatives of the other respective deaneries within his diocese at New. market, Huntingdon. Bury St Edmunds, Sudbury, Bedford, Luton, and Ely, on dates appointed, ranging up to the sth of November.