Plain Statement of Facts... DUKE UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY A Plain Statement of Facts, connected with the Prosecution of the Rev. Thomas Hill, Methodist Preacher... on a charge of writing an anonymous letter...... Newcastle-upon-Tyne, J.Marshall, 1823. A PLAIN STATEMENT FACTS, Connected with THE PROSECUTION OF THE REV. THOMAS HILL, METHODIST PREACHER, At the Assizes, held in Newcastle, 9th. Aug. 1822, ON A CHARGE OF WRITING AN ANONYMOUS LETTER, DEFAMING THE CHARACTER OF Miss JANE BELL, of North Shields. 2200938035 089seee— ; Addressed to the Metuopist Preacuers, assembled in Conference, at Sheffield, in July, 1823. —-c0n0000000ece— ‘© He who steals my purse steals trash ; *°Tis something—nothing— © *Twas mine, tis his, and has been slave to thousands; ‘*« But he who filches from me my good name, * Robs me of that which not enriches him, ** And makes me poor indeed.” Shakespeare. — =< NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE? PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. MARSHALL, May also be had of Sherwood, Jones, and Co. Paternoster-Row, London, and of the Booksellers in Town and Country. 1823. le kiou pl Reps Anite ae A Le ee aa — — ee ZELe | TA fo rs Be Gofpe 247 oe CLP ZL. fi, cam Gif MEE ae LN ae \ x 3 | rr loge AZ 2APIGE SPRL . be LA Ry hy 2 aw iY, =>. T eee, 74 » ons GEE P THE PREFACE. —- him on the subject.” As also his declaration, pub« cly and privately, that he had done her no harm— d written no ill of her—nor knew any thing against er; yet at that period it is evident, from the dates of is letters, that he had written, and still continued to 62 “ write, the most vile letters that could be penned re- specting Miss B. It might be observed also, his gene- ral habit of slandering all those who’ wished to investi- gate the business, together be his daring declaration to Mr Potter, that “ he (Mr H.) would think it no crime to blow out Mr Little’s brains.” See his eager catchin at an observation, so simply made by Mr Thos. Rod- ham,—writing the certificate himself, and procuring many signatures of persons who had not seen the let- ters. Also the false document attached to it, to which he obtained the signatures of two individuals, Messrs. Robt. Laws and Wm Beal. This document expresse: being “signed on behalf of the circuit ;” whereas, the subject was never mentioned at a quarterly meet- ing, the only place where the members of the circuit are consulted: on the contrary, it has plainly appeared. by the testimony of even those upon the spot, who had a right, certainly, to have been acquainted with such a transaction, that it must have been done in the mos! secret and clandestine manner imaginable, And cer- tainly, however, those two individuals were persuaded by Mr Hill that ‘the persecution was malicious and unjust,” as it must be allowed Mr Hill took extraor- dinary means (as has been shewn) to influence th mind of Mr Beal to believe that he Mr H. was inn cent ; it is also very likely that whatever cause M Beal espouses, his relative, Wm. Beal, will not oppose Ought he not rather, as also the other individual wh signed the certificate, to have ascertained the truth o it before they lent there names to a tissue of palpabl falsehoods ; though it appears they were induced to d so on the condition that the certificate was not to b printed. For this’reason, Mr Hill, when he got i printed, bound his printer, by a promise of secrecy that not one of them were to be seen in Shields or th neighbourhood, nor one to be printed but what wai given to himself; an order which it is believed wa, strictly adhered to. This document, to say the least ofsit, evidently a| bounds with deception, calumny, and lies. Deception| in having the appearance of the sanction of the Quar 63 terly Meeting to print and circulate it; and purporting to be “signed on behalf of the circuit.” Calumny, in charging those that opposed Mr Hill, as being guilty of cruelty, injustice, and malice. Lies, in asserting, “that Mr H. has conducted himself as becomes a Chris- tian and a minister of the gospel ;’’ and “that he is every where well received and respected.”” Now if these two individuals had taken the trouble to read the do- cument they had signed, they must have known that the last clause, particularly, was a great untruth, viz. “that he is every where well received and respected.” They cannot have forgot Mr Hill’s quarrel, at Blyth, with several of the principal members; and that Mr Beal and Mr Little were deputed to go over to meet the leaders, to try to get the unpleasant business set- tled between them ;—that several of the leaders, from Blyth, came to the quarterly meeting following, and the unpleasantness that took place there in consequence of the said quarrel ;—that Mr Hill made an apology to Mr Heppell, for his conduct towards him. They cannot have forgot that Mr Potter was deputed, after- wards, to go to Blyth, three different times, and other friends along with him, on the same business: and that the quarrel, between Mr H. and them, continued till ultimately the chapel doors were shut against him, and till he left the circuit. These were not a few som litary members, but included six leaders out of seven, Besides, this very document itself shews that the quar- rel with Mr H. and several of the friends at Shields had taken place. And surely they need not be remind- ed of the many unpleasant leaders’ meetings at Shields, with Mr H. respecting the suspicion of his conduct to Miss B. to shew that he was not “every where well received and respected.” It is well known that many individwals in North Shields, in consequenee of his con- duct in this affair, discontinued their attendance on his ministry. Another corroborative fact, when at a public meeting, at South Shields, he began something in the form of prayer, in whieh he made reference to this bue siness, various most respectable members of the soci« ety immediately retired eg The most astons 64 ishing thing respecting this document is, that Mr H: got it printed, and sent to Hull, London, Preston, and Bolton in Lancashire, and, no doubt, to many other places ; but took good care not to let one be seen at Shields or the neighbourhood, where almost every person would have known it to be false ; and not one of them was ever got possession of by Miss B. till many months after they were printed. They also affirm, ‘that every thing has been done to destroy our socie- ties.” This is utterly false, and not a single fact can be adduced in support of the assertion. There are many other circumstances in this statement equally striking, which need not again be adverted to. One thing, however, is worthy of remark,—Mr Hill’s constant and, for a length of time, successful endeavour to prevent the contents of his letters to Mr Sissison a- gainst Miss Bell being brought to light. But now that they have been seen, what is the opinion of every one that has read them, or indeed only what has been re- peated out of them? Are they or the anonymous letters worse? The anonymous writer informed Mr S. that ‘“he was engaged in an affair whicht would prove his ruin, except Providence prevented it ;” but did not ex- plain in what manner his “ ruén” would be certain. — Mr H. is a minister of the Gospel, in appearance sent by ‘“‘ Providence,” to “ warn” those that are in “danger,” to undeceive the “cruelly deceived,” and assist them to break off bad connexions. He therefore informs Mr 8. that she with whom he was on the eve of being united to was “a liar, a mischievous person, a calumniator, a - whining hypocrite,” who, with her family, are “ danger= ous and disreputable persons, full of drunkenness, scan- dal, and calumny.” The anonymous writer says, “ May God help you !” Mr H. assures him, he has heard upwards of twenty persons say, “‘ God help the man that hasher !” The anonymous writer mentions the “ dreadful pit;’ the “« desperate step,” and the surprise that “a Methodist should join himself to infamy and poverty.” Mr H. in- forms him, that they with whom he is about to be uni- ted are “ buried in debt.” Surely, therefore, the “ step would be “ desperate,” and the “ pit dreadful.” 65 The anonymous writer urges him to “fy,” to “ fly from the danger that awaits him, to bury himself in a prison, rather than take a a—;” but leaves him to infer what he pleases. Mr H. informs him, should he marry her he “ cannot live with her.” Surely then, to “fly,” to fly and take refuge in a “ prison,” yea, to “ bury him- self” in one, would be more desirable. The anonymous writer uses the ambiguous word “infamy.” In whatever sense it was intended or re- eeived of Miss B. does not Mr H. on common occasions, use the word “ infamy ?”—For instance, in his letter _to Mr Heppell. _ If Mr H. thought it characteristic of a “ whining _ hypocrite” to be heard pray so long as ‘‘ half an hour,” it was as ill-applied to her, as that she prayed like an angel, or vituperated any one. It is well known she had not that time, at once, to devote to such exercises, from relative duties, since Mr H. became acquainted with the family ; which, it must be observed, was not ‘ten nionths before the anonymous letters were written ; ‘and not five months before that period, he shewed every mark of respect for them, until the evident change in his conduct towards Mr Bell. Only six weeks before | the anonymous letters were written, he expressed, in the letter to Mr B. before mentioned, his respect for ‘his sisters. The anonymous writer was in great haste when he wrote his letters. Did Mr H. stop one post (if one) | after receiving Mr Sissison’s first letter, designed for | Mrs Hill, before he answered it? The anonymous | writer had to send his letters to the care of two “ Me- | thodist Preachers” for want of an address. Had Mr H. | Mr Sissison’s address at the time the anonymous let- | "ters were written ? What can be thought of Mr Hill | ‘altering his usual stile of writing after the anonymous | -letters were written? | It 1s proper to observe, that though the name of Mr | Ward, of Durham, has been much used on this occa- sion, by and through Mr Hill, it is known that Miss | Bell, from her knowledge of that gentleman’s chris- | tian character, never believed that he was acquainted | with the facts of the case. 66 TO THE METHODIST PREACHERS... ASSEMBLED IN CONFERENCE AT SHEFFIELD. GENTLEMEN, . THE “ Puain Statement or Facts,” now laid before you, is a case of no common importance. In that case you behold a virtuous and respectable female become the victim of malevolent persecution,» and plunged into the deepest. suffering and. affliction—her peace of mind destroyed—her prospect of happiness blasted—her property wasted—and every thing dear to her character wickedly. and wantonly maligned.— And of all this affliction and suffering, you have aview of the cause—you behold it in the persom of one» of your own Ministers !—You see a man, professing to teach others the principles and practice of the gospel, trampling on them himself, in the most’ scandalous manner,—You see this man, who should have known that evil-speaking is a crime, endeavouring (alas! too successfully) to ruin the character of an innocent woman, by the most false. and, cowardly slander’ that vindictive malignity could. invent. . The case now submitted to you, is one that demands your solemn investigation—it isan appeal to you from - the voice of justice. Justice is due to, injured innocences- it is likewise due to convicted guilt--and it is equally due to your own character. If this womans innocent of the vile slanders that have been cast upon her, ought she not to receive the marks of your protection? If this man is guilty of the offence he is charged. with, .ought 5 67 ou not to punish him; and, as a religious body, yhose proceedings are in the view of the world, would ou not, by your connivance at his crime, become iden- ified with the slanderer himself, if you suffered him to scape with impunity? But from a body of such high espectability as the Methodist Conference there is no- hing to apprehend ; they have a higher regard for their wn character, and the honour of their discipline, han to suffer, without punishment, any of their ninisters to slander or injure the people committed o their charge. This case demands, from you, no-= hing but an impartial examination. If, after such Nn examination, you find the statement it contains o be false, then treat it in the manner such impo« itions deserve—dismiss it with contempt and indig- ation; but if you find that the facts it details are ounded in truth, then, as the imperative obligation of ‘our duty, take the scales of justice into your hand, ind weigh the accused and the accuser together ; and let he religious body to which they belong, and the world t large, see them in their relative and positive situa- ions. Let the calumniated member of the church be gain exhibited in the spotless robe of her unsuspected nnocence ; and Jet her calumniating minister be also xhibited, with the stigma of a convicted slanderer! te who, like Cain, would murder the character of his ister, ought, like Cain, to bear the mark of his crime, hat all men may know him. The case, therefore, of Miss JANE BELL is commit- ed to you, with perfect confidence in the equity of four judgment. You will deal with it according to its nerits— your decision, founded as it must be, m justice, will be, to her, some small consolation; but no conso- ation that man can afford will be commensurate with he injuries she has sustained. The sighs and tears of y wounded heart—the manifold sorrows of afflicted in- xocence, must seek for effectual consolation, where lone it is to be found—in Gon. FINTS. J. 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