be tolled, and the minister shall not then slack to do his last duty--and after the party's death, (if it so fall out,) there shall be rung no more but one short peal, and one other before the burial, and one other after the burial." In the particular case to which I allude, the Dissenter was interred in the Dissenter's burial-ground, and therefore there may be a doubt whether, as he was not interred in the churchyard, the bell ought to have tolled. the case is important as the clergyman has stepped forward, and in a letter, a copy of which I hold in my hand, declares:

But

That as to the passing bell, he never would permit that bell to be rung for a Dissenter,--even in the event of an interment in the church-yard; and that his pledge was open, publicly and universally known; that whilst he held the curacy, no bell of his church should ever toll for a Dissenter, and that he would not even permit the bells to ring for a marriage when the parties were Dissenters." And yet, whatever be our inclinations on this subject, they compel us to go, and to go only to their church to be married. (Hear, hear.) And at the moment when all is festivity and joy, when man should be cheated of his troublous thought," when all the flowers should be collected, and every brow be bound with roses and the myrtle; when there should be cheerfulness and gratulation in every eye; at such a moment, what think ye? This stern deputy of Rhadamanthus would forbid it all; (Loud laughter and cheers;) would forbid the merry bell to ring, because a Dissenter was about to be married. (Hisses.) In this instance, an appeal was made to the bishop of Peterborough, who wrote a long letter on the subject, and defended the conduct of this Wellingborough curate. I indeed regret that a man of such mighty mind should so have acted; and that he should have suffered any occurrence to have sullied a glory and a reputation hitherto so exalted, and so well deserved. (Hear, hear.) I have the opinion of some eminent men on this question, and I find that a right of a Dissenter to the two first ringings is unquestionable, but that it is not so clear as to the two latter. Yet we contribute to rear those edifices, (Cheers ;) we pay their tithes, we raise their funds. When £1,500,000. were required for the erection of new churches, did not we contribute? (Hear, hear, and applause.) And to their churches we must attend to be baptized, and there we must attend to be married, unless we are satisfied to live in a state which I would by no means recommend, a state of cheerless celibacy; (Loud laughter;) and in their church-yards, (except where the wisdom of Dissenters have provided for themselves a burial ground,) we must deposit the ashes of those we hold most dear; and yet

they would withhold from us that public token of esteem, which they would not withhold from the most worthless or most base.

One gentleman has applied for advice to this society, from a place so distant as Malta, and thus the society has there become known. But from the West Indies and from Canada, where amid eternal frosts and lengthened wastes, the demon of superstition rears its head, to us persons have come appealing for justice. The case I am alluding to, is that of lieutenant Dawson, (Hear,) a gentleman of high character and connexions, of liberal education, who had been in the army from his earliest days, and who had fought the battles of his country in many a land. In the year 1823, he was stationed at Malta; I have stated that he was a man of family and of character, but above all he was a man of principle, and he held the dictates of his conscience superior to any other mandate. (Hear, hear.) He was directed on a particular day, a day of festivity, dedicated to the patron saint of the island, (for though Malta is under British dominion, it is a Catholic country; and there Catholics enjoy, as they ought to enjoy, the free exercise of their religious rights and ceremonies,) to pay a salute to the procession of this saint as it passed along. I, who seek for toleration, or rather I, who loathe toleration and seek for liberty, complain that a gentleman, a Protestant, who, with the conscience of a member of the Church of England, read in its homilies, and finding there that many of the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic church are idolatry, should have been commanded to cause the bells to ring, and a salute to be fired, because a procession moved upon the day dedicated to the patron saint. (Loud Cheers.) It was with this order that Mr. Dawson declined to comply, and his captain also refused; the major who commanded, did not insist on their compliance, but gave the order in their absence, and the bells were rung, and the salute was fired. He yielded to the scruples of those men who had bared their bosoms, and had fought when England waged a war with her enemies. The lieutenant and the captain were however summoned before a court martial, the president of which was a Roman Catholic; they were found guilty, and the sentence was confirmed by the judge advocate at home. The lieutenant and the captain were both cashiered, and the major was severely censured for his lenity. It seems then, that, in performing his duty, an English officer must forget the claims of conscience; and that if he be so commanded, he must hail a sacrifice to Budhoo, and sanction the horrid murders committed under the pretence of religion.

There are a few other circumstances to which I shall allude as briefly as possible.

the cricket-ground, and one of them, a Rev. Mr. Lowndes, being called upon, he forsooth signed the mittimus under which these unfortunate men were deprived of their liberty and lodged in a common gaol. That at such a place, such tyranny should have been perpetrated, is what you, in London, can hardly conceive. You can scarcely form an idea of the scorn and obloquy which in more remote places are heaped upon the heads of Dissenters. In proof that these men were not impostors, and were entirely undeserving of the oppression which they endured, it was shown that they had signed the declaration, had taken the oaths, and the book which they produced contained a signature, which, to every enlightened and liberal man, would have proved sufficient evidence, that of Robert Hall, of Leicester. (Applause.)

(Cries of Go on.) I have been called a meddling attorney;" I have been assailed with obloquy, and I must defend myself. To the next particular I shall but briefly advert, since it has already been frequently before the public. It occurred the 29th of July last. On that day, two persons, of decent appearance, dressed soberly in black, with nothing unclerical in their exterior--nothing improper in their demeanor-waited on the Rev. William Marshall, a clergyman of the established church in the town of Newport Pagnell. There these poor people introduced themselves into the presence of the vicar of the parish, and in the course of their conversation presented to him a book containing the names of subscribers towards the erection of a chapel for the use of the General Baptist Revivalist's Society. They stated to him, that they had been deputed by the good people of that Society to collect subscriptions for the purpose stated; and they then came to solicit his aid.

In doing this, they certainly were not aware that they were in the presence of the clergyman of the parish, (Laughter ;) but even though they had been apprised of such a circumstance, they, Dissenters as they were, did not imagine themselves guilty of much presumption in approaching the presence of a man some of the highest members of whose establishment had not disdained to hold intercourse with such men as Watts and Doddridge, and in the present day, as Carey and Morrison. Mr. Marshall, however, thought proper to reject the example of his more liberal brethren, and to treat with contempt and severity those who deserved neither at his hands. He turned on them as enemies of the establishment--was astonished at their presumption--inquired their names--declared them to be impostors; -- (which term he speedily retracted ;) and threatened them with punishment. After such a reception they naturally wished to withdraw; they desired to retire in peace; but even that poor privilege was denied them. No! they had approached too near the lion's den, and having once entered, it was in vain that they attempted to escape unhurt. (A laugh.) The constable and the churchwardens were sent for, and although Mr. Marshall admitted that they were not impostors, yet he would have them sent to prison; for, as he said to them, "Some of your people are supposed to have committed a murder somewhere or other, and you are therefore dangerous persons, and must not be allowed to go at large;" (Much laughter;) accordingly they were then taken up to the house of the attorney, and there being no magistrate there, and none any where in the neighbourhood, with the exception of certain clergymen of the established church, then engaged at a cricket-match, those very reverend divines were in consequence sent for from

These men, then, Horner and Wood, were committed to gaol like common felons, for no better reason than that, in the opinion of this Mr. Marshall, they looked very like vagrants. When Mr. Marshall asked Horner at what school he was educated, and he replied, the school which teaches to speak the truth, the only retort of the Rev. Gentleman was, that he never saw men look so like vagrants in his life. Thus then were these unhappy men committed to the gaol at Aylesbury, without even being apprised that they were entitled to appeal, or that they might be held to bail; there they were confined for three weeks, in common with the basest felous ;" amongst convicted thieves of the most abandoned character. Nay, more, they were sentenced to the tread-mill, and kept at hard labour there, though during the time one of them was afflicted with spitting of blood. Their papers were seized upon, their money was taken from them, and by means of it the expenses of sending then to prison were defrayed. (Great disapprobation.) So soon as my excellent friend, the Hon. Robert Smith, the nephew of our chairman, and the member for the county, heard of this piece of ecclesiastical tyranny, he immediately rode twenty miles across to Aylesbury, (Hear, hear,) determined that, in his county at least, no oppression should be practised with impunity. He went immediately to an attorney, whom he employed; he used every exertion that was possible, though without being able then to effect their liberation, but he was determined that, if possible, it never should be said that in his county tyranny should go unpunished; (Applause ;) that if no other means could be obtained, he would himself defray every expense which might be incurred in their liberation and support. (Cheers.) Immediately on my being made acquainted with the case, I sent a person down to Aylesbury to investigate the circumstances, and my intention, under advice, was to apply to the Court of King's Bench for a writ of

habeas corpus. When Mr. Lowndes disdiscovered that we were determined to resist, and likely to resist with success, he let prudence take the place of passion-he let the men out of gaol-he, the committing magistrate, having power to do so. It was long before their papers were returned to them, (Much disapprobation.) Yet all this, gentlemen, has been perpetrated in England-in Bucks--not in the remote district of Wales, or of Cumberland, but within a short distance of London, (Hear;) and yet, for my interfer ence in such a case as this, I am called "A MEDDLING ATTORNEY!" Contrast what has been our conduct under existing circumstances with what would probably have been their's had they been placed in our situation. (Hear, hear.) Contrast our forbearance with their uncompromising severity; observe how they overbear and proscribe the timid and the weak, but how silent and subdued are they when confronted with those who understand their own rights, and are determined on their vindication. When first the committal of Mr. Lowndes came to be questioned, the establishment took a high tone-their conduct was not to be animadverted on-all that they did was to be regarded as sacred--the lustre of their high name was not to be sullied by the disgrace of a prosecution. (A laugh.) They subscribed largely to escape the threatened danger. They, forsooth, would not allow Mr. Marshall to be prosecuted. But a short time sufficed to moderate their haughty tone; they very soon applied to know on what terms we were willing to let Mr. Marshall off. (Hear, hear.) What would induce us to forego the triumph which then awaited our cause. There never was an occasion that would have proved more tempting to an overweening or vindictive spirit. There never was a time when, if we desired a triumph, we could have obtained it in a more signal and decisive manner. But such was not our aim; (Cheers ;) for we wished to set our enemies a living example of that tolerant spirit which was to them unknown. You may, perhaps, think that we erred on the side of lenity, and betrayed too much kindness and indulgence to those who had dealt out towards us a full measure of harshness and severity; but we were determined not to imitate their evil example, and therefore to release them on terms which you perhaps will consider too mild; viz. That Mr. Marshall should apologise-that the apology should be in writing-that it should be advertised in the county papers--that he should pay the expences incurred by the county attorney--and also present Fifty Pounds to the injured men. (Loud Cheers.) I trust that with this you will be satisfied. (Applause.)

The apology is inserted in our March number, p. 166.

There is one other circumstance to which I must now advert, for it is of considerable importance. It must be mentioned, and yet I cannot allude to it without a strong feeling of regret that the established church should have so disgraced itself. Some clergymen have affected to doubt whether those who have not been baptized were entitled to be married in their parish churches. Of this a remarkable case occurred at Langain, in the diocese of St. David's. In that parish, David Davids was to be married to Mary Jenkins ;--she belonged to the Society of Baptists. At the time appointed for the celebration of the marriage the resident clergyman was from home, and the Rev. Daniel Rowlands, for the time, filled his place, and that person, though the banns had been previously published by the resident clergyman, thought proper to intimate that he would refuse to perform a ceremony to which the individual for whom he acted would bave made no objection. The father of the young woman, understanding that some difficulty existed on account of his daughter having been brought up as a Baptist, waited on the clergyman for the purpose of ascertaining his intentions. Having arrived at that gentleman's house, he happened only to sce his wife; who, holding a lofty tone upon the occasion, gave it as her opinion that certainly her husband would withhold marriage to Dissenters at his church, and so the father came away.

In Wales a very ancient custom still prevails, one of which is spoken of by Tacitus as existing among the Germans of his day; it is the assemblage at every wedding of all the inhabitants of the surrounding country. This is called a “bidding,” and forms a remarkable contrast to the retired and secret way in which marriages are generally solemnized amongst the upper ranks in this country. From an ancient paper which I have seen, the neighbours are bidden to the wedding, to partake of bread, butter, and cheese, and are at the same time requested to bring with them their current offerings. (Laughter.) On the occasion of the intended wedding of David Davids and Mary Jenkins, about two hundred of their neighbours were assembled to sympathize in their emotions on the happy occasion! They were collected to enjoy the festive scene: all was gladness and delight; the population of that rural district came winding down the mountains' side; the old looked back with fond recollections to the days of their youth, and the young enjoyed the anticipated delights of their own nuptials yet to be, and, as Thomson says, "the maids exchanged pleasant glances." (Loud laughter.) The mother of the young bride, with matronly exultation, arrayed herself on the happy occasion, in the formal brocade that her grandmother had

worn years before, when she herself was a blooming bride; the old father displayed bis garments of antiquated fashion, and bis silver buckles of still more ancient date. (Laughter and cheers.) All was festivity and glee; every countenance looked bright with pleasure, and every heart beat high with happiness! and all would have continued joyous; hope would have been confirmed, and anticipation realized, were it not for a clergyman of the Established Church! This clergyman had been previously heard to say to one of his neighbours, "Come to church today, and we shall have some fun!" In conformity with his intention to create fun, as he was pleased to term it, he, instead of being in the usual place, was to be seen in the large pew beneath the pulpit. When the wedding party came to the church, it was intimated to him that the young couple came to be married, and he, addressing the intended bride, said, “ Mary Jenkins, have you been baptized?" And receiving an answer in the negative, he replied, "Then I shall not marry you."Not marry me!" rejoined the disappointed girl, with consternation. (Loud peals of laughter.) Oh, she looked around her, and she struggled with the sigh that sprung from her heart, but still that sigh would utter,Not marry me, Sir!" Her natural feelings struggled strongly against her conscientious scruples. The most strict would have hesitated in such a case. The clergyman repeated that he would not marry her unless she were baptized. "You are no Christian," said he, you had better be baptized.' She was a woman, but still her principle of religious faith was strong, and contended stoutly for ascendancy. (Cheers.) She struggled long, at length she said she would consent to be baptized if she could be immersed. (Loud laughter.) Oh, there is not sufficient water for that," said the clergyman, that cannot be !" The old father could endure this mockery no longer he came forward and indignantly interfered. (Cheers.) I think I see the old Welsh patriarch, the blood boiling in his veins. (Cheers.) "No, Sir, I will not, I cannot endure this--your purpose is to dissolve my religion, and I will not submit to it--she shall not be baptized." The clergyman then repeated his determination not to marry the parties. They left the church, their friends followed them to bring them back, the clergyman was entreated to return--the young girl hesitated; I am sure you will not condemn the struggle between inclination and duty. Again within the church, the question was repeated" Now will you be baptized?" She still hesitated, and the clerk was directed to bring the water. But at length firmly she refused. (Loud cheers.) Yes! she determined that she would rather return and be no bride, than consent to the

,,

66

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sacrifice of Christian principle, or to depart from the ordinances of that faith in which she had been educated. (Loud cheers.) Is it not a wretched state of society which vests so much power in the hands of an individual? The party as sembled to do honour to the festive occasion, heavily returned to their homes in gloom and disappointment. I imagine that they reflected upon the penalties attached to departing from the Established Church, and probably determined in their minds that they would not be Dissenters! When the detail of this outrage upon re ligious feeling was communicated to me, I wrote immediately a polite letter to the clergyman in question. At first he hesitated, and then I wrote more peremptorily; he then replied to me, but it was from the episcopal palace of St. David's that he addressed the letter. (Hear, hear.) replied in language of determined refusal and defiance! For a long month the nuptials of this couple were delayed, and a long month it was! (Loud laughter.) Nor were they celebrated at all, until the return of the resident clergyman of the parish. Then they were married; and though we shall never see them, let us join in the wish that they may indeed be very happy! (Loud cheers.) Now the remedy for the wrong done to the feelings of this unoffending pair, and their friends, is by a proceeding in the Ecclesiastical Courts-proceeding, forsooth, against a clergyman, in a court where the judges are clergymen the Bishop's Court, of the diocese of St. David's, where those who sanctioned the outrage would be called on to decide on its enormity-called on to pronounce their own condemnation. Though perfectly aware of the strong-hold in which he was thus entrenched by the Ecclesiastical law, he was not content with being on his defence; he thought the best way to insure perfect impunity would consist in becoming himself the assailant, and not wait for any reprisal from those whom he had so deeply injured. Accordingly he has instituted a suit against the old man, the father of Mary Jenkins, for brawling in the church, when he entreated that his child might not be compelled to deviate from the religious principles of her fathers. (Loud hisses.) Now this brawling carries with it very heavy penalties; and the party convicted of it is liable to excommunication. In this way, it seems, the determination of the clergyman was to overwhelm this poor old man with costs, by bringing him before a court where none but clergymen are to judge a case where a clergyman is the complainant. We, however, by the advice of our excel lent friend, Dr. LUSHINGTON, have been enabled to remove the case to the metropolis, where it is to be hoped that a more impartial hearing will be obtained; and 1 am determined, yes, determined, that no

effort shall be spared to procure ample justice, and completely to vindicate the oppressed. (Continued cheers.)

To many other subjects our attention has been drawn during the past year; amongst others, to an application to Parliament, to concede to Unitarian Dissenters the right of being married in their own chapels.

The British Critic" has thought proper to say, I am the author. The statement is incorrect--neither with the bill or with petitions for its enactment have I interfered-but I am still very desirous for its success. By this measure there would be licensed, for the purpose of matrimony, three chapels in the metropolis; two in five or six of the largest towns, and one in those of smaller size. It will also be required, that these shall be twelve months registered before marriages can be celebrated in them; that an inscription shall be on the outside, stating that they have been so registered, and the minister shall obtain a regular certificate of the

same.

The marriages may be performed either by license, or after banns published. If by the former mode, the license is to be obtained from the officers of the Established Church--if by the latter mode, the banns are to be published in church, and all fees are likewise to go to the Establishment. They, therefore, have reserved to themselves every portion of the profits and the power, with the exception of what relates to the mere act of celebrating the marriage itself. This bill, I hope, will pass; at the same time that I wish, as you do, that marriage should rather be regarded as a civil contract, than as a sacred ceremony. However, it is perfectly laudable and natural, that after a civil marriage has been performed, people should begin to wish about them the pious members of their congregation, that their pastor may breathe over them a prayer to heaven, that religion may sanction, and God may ratify the compact into which they have just entered. (Loud applause.)

ROMAN CATHOLICS, in this country, labour under considerable disabilities, as regards their marriages; and the British

Critic" has thought proper to denounce the same "meddling attorney," (laughter,) of the name of Wilks, for interfering in this matter, with a view to place them in a better situation. This I consider no discredit; here at least my sectarian feelings could not have influenced me. (Cheers.) The poor Irish who come here, think that marriage is one of the sacraments of their church; and that, in the eye of heaven, their state of life cannot be blameless, unless it have the benediction of their priest. And why should not such a marriage have the validity of law? One of the consequences of refusing that validity is, that the workhouses of this country are filled with inultitudes of children,

who, being in the eye of the law illegitimate, find a settlement in the parish were they were born, and cannot be sent to Ireland. I have interfered in this matter, and I will continue to interfere still further, confident that in this assem-bly, however we may differ upon other points, the all-pervading sentiment of religious liberty glows in every breast, and beats in every heart! (Cheers.)

As to the REGISTRY of BAPTISMS, some doubt still unhappily exists, and it is the opinion of Mr. Justice Bayley, a judge not less eminent for his integrity than for his legal skill, that the registry of a baptism is no registry of birth. (Hear, hear.) The registers of Dissenters certainly never can be received in the same way with parochial churches; the one is a record universally recognised in the courts, but the entry in the registry, in Williams's registry, possesses no such force. Dissenters ought to know the real situation in which they stand; and apprised of their peril, I trust they will join in an attempt to procure security. (Cheers.)

There is another point on which it is absolutely requisite that we should be incessant in our solicitations, I mean the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts; (loud cheering;) resolutions, however, on this subject, perfectly in unison with my sentiments, will be laid before you; and it is therefore the less necessary that I should now enlarge upon this subject. We are told by the " Quarterly Review”. that many of the laws of which we complain, are obsolete, and are rendered inoperative by the effect of the annual Indemnity Act, but I maintain that, notwithstanding that Act, these laws do oppress us most severely, and an instance shall be given.- Mr. MUNN is a respectable solicitor at Tenterden, in Kent, and is much and deservedly esteemed by the corporation of that town, and who, on the death of his partner, was offered the situa tion held by him in that corporation; yet here the laws to which I have alluded, prejudically interfered, and deprived him of an honourable and lucrative office, otherwise within his reach. (Hear, hear.) The design of the corporation in his favour, was completely frustrated. The annual Indemnity Act furnished no remedy; if previous to any election notice was given that the candidate was a Protestant Dissenter, had not within the year received the sacrament according to the ritual of the Established Church, every vote given in his favour was nullified; and hence the honest expectations of every man are frustrated, who loves his conscience and his God better than pelf! Here then is oae flagrant instance at the least, where the wishes of the corporation, and the hopes of an honest man, were entirely set at nought; and an individual was elected, who otherwise could not possibly have