XTbe (Bolfismitbs' Xibrar^. 
 
THE (’llOUCH 1IEit OWN ENEMY. 
 
 TO THE EDITOR OF THE 1STELLTGENCER. 
 
 Rvcricy Parsonage, .lime 24, 1834. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 I lie rofj:iisiii*.»:i to which \ on have lately alluded, for 
 a public Hireling of the Clergy of this Archdeaconry, was pre¬ 
 sented to the Venerable Robert .Markham, the Archdeacon, at 
 Doncaster, on .Monday, the Kith instant, lrv the V'i< :ir of Slief- 
 lield. It contained upwards of oiv hundred and ten names from 
 the principal towns in the Riding an 1 from York. These had 
 been obtained in a veiy short time, and most of the ( 'lergy signed 
 it eagerly. It had seventeen signatures from the parish of Leeds. 
 A copy of it was sent to the Archdeacon, o:i the second day of 
 its existence, that he might know what was in contemplation. 
 
 Rut at Doncaster an Address to the King, thanking his Majesty 
 for his late declarations of attachment to the Church, was pro¬ 
 duced, and presented to the Clergy for signature, as being pre¬ 
 ferable to holding an .d ichidiaconel meeting. This Address was 
 also presented for signature at the visitations at Wakefield, I.eeds, 
 and Halifax, and many of the original vequisilionists were thus 
 conveiitki) ! The result is thus stated by the Venerable Arch¬ 
 deacon in a circular letter which the presiding Clergymen of the 
 chief parishes have received. As the originator of the requisi¬ 
 tion, I have also been honoured by the receipt of a copy :— 
 
 “ Rev. Sin, 
 
 “ I have to request that you will respectfully inform those 
 “ who have signed a requisition to me, to call an early meeting 
 “ of the Clergy of my Arehdraconrv, that in mv progress through 
 “ the West Riding, 1 find it to be the almost general feeling of 
 “ the Clergy, assembled at the visitations, that ‘ it is not advisa- 
 “ ble to call a meeting of the Clergy at present." 1 have also 
 “had letters to the same effect from several of the Clergv whom 
 “ 1 did not see. Under these circumstances 1 beg vou will say 
 “that 1 think it my duty to be guided by the wishes of the ma¬ 
 jority on this occasion. 
 
 “ Relieve me to be, &c &c. 
 
 “RURERT MARKHAM. 
 
 “To the Rev. G. S. Hull.” 
 
 I felt it my duty publicly to state the result of this application, 
 and now beg your indulgence for a few remarks upon it, and 
 upon some objections which I have heard to the public ineetinc. 
 
 I regret that so nianv of my brethren have been induced vir¬ 
 tually to recall their expressed wislt for a primitive and constitu¬ 
 tional meeting of lire clergy at this crisis. I think it would have 
 done much good, and prevented some evil. The plea, that the 
 session of Parliament is nearly closed is not a good one. 
 There was time enough for our petitions to have been 
 presented. Another plea, that the Irish Church Commission 
 should first give its report, is, in mv view, weak; for the 
 Whigs constantly semi commissions to amuse us upon the 
 
2 
 
 surface, whilst they are diligently working underground'. 
 In 1832, after waiting a long season for some of the veteran 
 CleTgy to move, I got up a requisition which was signed 
 by upwards of sixty Clergyman in the West Riding, for a 
 public meeting to d'liberate u:>on petitioning for the restriction 
 of Pluralties, the re-valuation of all Ecclesiastical Ik n fie.es, 
 and the adoption of a system similar in principle to that of 
 Queen Jlnne's B >unty, by which, through the graduated contri¬ 
 butions, or taxing of richer Benefices, the poorer might be aug¬ 
 mented. To this requisition the Archdeacon felt it is duty to 
 withhold his acquiescence, on the ground that tic ought to 
 wait and see what the forthcoming measures on su.h subjects 
 would be. 
 
 We have ‘ waited,’ the measures are come out with a wit¬ 
 ness, and now the Clergy almost generally think “ it is not ad¬ 
 visable to call a meeting of the Clergy at present!/" If any 
 one should be so bold as to get up another requisition after this, 
 let him not be surprised if it be said “ it is now too late !” 
 If it teas “too soon,” it is still “too soon,” and, erelong, 
 IT WILL BE “TOO LATE !” 
 
 Meanwhile we are told that Dean ry petitions and district peti¬ 
 tions and addresses have been sent. This is true; but our old Con¬ 
 stitutional meeting has never been held. And is not the too 
 soon and the too late excuse just as applicable to what are called 
 hole and corner petitions and addresses, as to those which are 
 adopted, after due discussion, by the assembled body ? Let my 
 “ hesitating" brethren answer this. 
 
 But it is again objected, “ that the Clergy should not shew too 
 much anxiety about then temporalities.” Herein I agree, and 
 if the principle of a sacred indifference to “ temporalities" 
 were in due operation we should have no Pluralists. Admit¬ 
 ting that there are a few cases in which Pluralism is at present jus¬ 
 tifiable, I assert that the majority, the very great majority, are in¬ 
 defensible, and many of them amount to nothing less than a down¬ 
 right robbery of God and of the poor. 
 
 But as to the plea now before us, that to hold an Archidia- 
 conal Meeting would argue too great concern about our tempo¬ 
 ralities. I rather incline to turn the question lound, and to ask, 
 “ Do not many of the Clergy feel this question of temporalities 
 “ to be too interesting to thenv-clv-s to run any risque of its being 
 “ mooted and discussed at a public meeting ?” The one case is, 
 I think, full as likely as the other. 
 
 Besides, if we are upright, and const ions of integrity in hold¬ 
 ing what we do possess of ecclesiastical temporal, ti s, why should 
 we blush to protest against those who would Despoil the Poor of 
 their national interest in the Church property, or the diligent 
 Clerical Labouicroi his appointed maintenance. It appears to 
 me to be verv false delicacy thus to stand hack ul.cn the spoiler 
 is upon us and when our enemies have written upon iheir burner 
 “Down with her! down with her, oven to the i round.” 
 
 If, indeed, ar.y Clergyman is receiving “hire" for which 
 another “ labours,” and making church preferment the mere 
 source of ease and luxury, then I can account Ibv a wish to 
 avoid discussion. And if any one i« fi.und who “ snufi'eth up” the 
 distant-scent of patronage and preferment, and fears the disap- 
 
3 
 
 pointraent of his aim, I can account for his backwardness; of 
 if there be among us some heedless and “hireling” shepherds, I 
 can account for their opposition; but 1 confess I am quite at a loss 
 to divine how.it is, that so many of the hundred and ten whose 
 autography to the requisition I hold, and many of whom I know 
 are not chargeable with sordid principles such as have been sup¬ 
 posed, should so cheerfully sign a requisition one day, and start 
 aside like a broken bow the next. 
 
 Our friends often cry out, “ why do not the clergy meet and 
 declare themselves ?” Our enemies say, that we are either afraid 
 to do our duty, or else anxious to perpetuate abuses. Why de 
 we not, then, shew an honest iront to both parlies, and tell the 
 world that we agree with our veteran and amiable Metropolitan, 
 in an earnest desire to have all abuses removed by friendly hands, 
 and-that we are at the same time determined to maintain the right 
 to the last? (Referring to the speech of the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury in the [louse of Lords.) 
 
 My Brethren who have dissuaded a public meeting, have, 
 very probably, reasons perfectly satisfactory to themselves for 
 their conduct. I have no wish to censure them for maintaining 
 their opinions ; many of them, I feel, are my superiors in every 
 respect, but they can neither think nor act for me, nor I for 
 them. If they are charitable, they will allow me the enjoyment 
 and the expression of my own opinion. Some of them who are 
 fervent and laborious pastors have probably very religious objec¬ 
 tions to a public meeting. Still I must think they err in judg¬ 
 ment. “ Who is on the Lord’s side ? Who ?” These are no 
 times to abide in the sheepfolds to hear the bleating of the flocks. 
 
 1 may ) erhaps be allowed to observe here, that an exten¬ 
 sive intercourse with the working people of this Riding, and 
 of other densely populated parts of the manufacturing dis¬ 
 tricts, has atlbrd d me an opportunity of satisfying myself that 
 they are not unfriendly to the Established Church, but the 
 c ntrary : and I feel assure 1 that if / alpahle abuses were remov¬ 
 ed, the great numerical strength of this kingdom- would stand 
 firm by the Church of England. I have often heard them freely 
 declare their sentiments: generally, I believe, the Established 
 Church lias their good wishes, if not their preference, but they 
 have often expressed their honest disgust “that those who do the 
 work do not get the wages.” 
 
 The Clergy little know their real position, or they would not 
 act thus. I dare not now hope that they will attend to any thing 
 from the Curate of P.yerley, but I shall feel, at all events, that I 
 have done what I could to place the Clergy in a fair and honest 
 and bold position before their friends and foes. If ihe Church 
 of England falls, it must and will be i;y her own 
 HAND. 
 
 Our good Ship is in a storm. Her cargo is shifted too much 
 to one sale. Justice to the proprietors, and prudence to the 
 crow, demand that :t should be rijhted. Of the Ship’s final 
 safety, I hare no doubt. The principles of the Church of 
 England cannot sin!-.—but the storm ‘gathers strength, and ere 
 long, rather than the Ship should be lost by the blind selfishness 
 of the merchants, the (Jreat Pilot will order her merchandize, if 
 not its monopolists, to be thrown overboard. 
 
A 
 
 Satisfied tor the present with having attempted to do my duty, 
 t thank you for your indulgence, and remain, 
 
 Dear Sir, yours, truly, 
 
 G. S. BULL. 
 
 P.S. 1 did not sign the Address to the King, because I am 
 too dull to reconcile the expressed determination to save the 
 Church, with the continued patronage of the Whig spoilers, and 
 the contemporaneous issue of the Irish sponge Commission. 
 
 05* This Letter having been misrepresented in some quar¬ 
 ters, and frequently called for in others, is now reprinted. 
 
 I think the day will come, if it is not already arrived, when 
 many of the Clergy who were induced to withdraw their signa¬ 
 tures from the Requisition for an Honest Public Meeting to de¬ 
 clare against all Ecclesiastical abuses, will think t':ey were 
 not well advised. 
 
 I may be told, that a “ Commission ” is now in existence to 
 remove abuses. I wish this mag be its result. 
 
 I am jealous of these “Commissions.” Every thing is now put 
 into Commission. It is not a Constitutional system. 
 
 Let there Be a proper Council of the Church to 
 
 BeMEDY ABUSES. 
 
 The Moravian Episcopal Church has its “ Synod.” 
 
 The Established Church in Scotland has its “General Assembly” 
 and its Provincial Councils. 
 
 The Church of England has a mere shadow of a “ Convoca¬ 
 tion"—which our Enemies laugh at as a farce. 
 
 Let the Church honestly and promptly restore herself to 
 primitive rectitude. Let her call upon the People of England 
 and the Parliament of England to support her in so doing. 
 
 Let her be just and she need not fear—Let her Ministers 
 stand by the Industrious portion of Society—the plundered Poor 
 and the depressed Labourers of this Country—then she may 
 smile at all her Foes for GOD will take her Part. 
 
 But to suppose that the Church of England can stand whilst 
 her patronage is abused as it is, and her duty neglected, (how¬ 
 ever great the recent increase ol her faithful Pastors), is to sup¬ 
 pose an impossibility. Pluralities and Si on-residence must be 
 abolished, or the Church of England must fall . 
 
 It is in vain to amuse ourselves by censuring the unchristian 
 and rancourous spirit of our implacable Enemies among the 
 Political Dissenters. It is in vain to lament over those Pious 
 Dissenters Who are carried away with their “ Party.” 
 
 There can be no doubt but they would have as great reason to 
 regret the success of their own projects as Churchmen themselves; 
 and that they would afterwards cry “ Woe” to the day when 
 they assisted to overturn the Established Church. 
 
 fn spite of all this, the Church ns she is, cannnot stand. 
 She must be cleansed, and that promptly, from her 
 real abuses, or she must fall and none can save 
 her. Let her be made the Poor Man’s Church, and then the 
 God of the Poor will bless us. 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHN STANFIELD, HERALD OFFICE, WAKEFIELD.