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of tolls , doubled by most Acts on Sundays , withdrew many pounds from members of poor congregations , they were either compelled to abstain from worship or attend a church , or make pecuniary sacrifices they could not afford , or withdraw from their ministers contributions of which greatly they had need . The decision in the Wiltshire case was
unfavourable , as in all cases where the words used were " going or returning to or frpm any parochial church ' , chapel , or other place 'of religious worship ; " the exemption could not be claimed if the place of worship was without the parish in which the Dissenter dwelt . In cases
at H elfordy Northamptonshire ; Newport Pagnety Bucks ; TVareham , Dorset ; Tenterden , Kent ; IVrentham , Suffolk ; and Brighton , the Committee could , therefore , afford no relief ; but at Weymouth , an opinion was obtained for the Rev . Dr . Cracknell , who had liberally contributed to the Society , that Dissenters were there
exempt , ( although a different opinion had been given by Mr . Sergeant Lens , ) and their right had been allowed . The Committee now , however , watched , at considerable expense and trouble , all renewals of Turnpike Acts , and procured
the re-insertion of words of exemption that would be effectual , and that would restore gradually that state of exemption which , by Episcopal influence , had been intentionally , secretly , injuriously and extensively infringed .
The next of the pecuniary matters affecting the Dissenters , arose from Assessed Taxes . Already they began to reap the harvest of past exertions . It ever afforded him pleasure to eulogize those excellent academical Institutions , in which intelligent , zealous , devout young men were prepared for the arduous
duties of the Christian ministry . Those Institutions he loved , for he was a Dissenter . ( Cheers . ) No person could feel more attachment to the groves and halls sacred to the muses and to learning , for past pleasure and personal improvement ,
than he felt towards those abodes , whence proceeded men humble , but enlightened , unassuming , but well taught , who were to be the future guides and best instructors of Dissenters , and the world . ( Loud cheers . ) Never were they more needed , nor more useful . With those attachments
and convictions-, he reminded them with pleasure of the case of the academy at Idle , in Yorkshire , where the Commissioners seized the books from the library of the Institution for the Window Tax and House Tax of the apartments appropriated to students , and were compelled by the decision of the Judges to refund the levy , < and to abstain from the re-asfiertion of their claim ; ( Hear , hear . )
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Encouraged by that decision , the Com « - mitteei hadj with pleasure , instructed the Rev ; Mr . Buix , the excellent and indefatigable tutor of an academy afc Newport Pagnell , and the Rev . Mr , Fletcher * of
Blackburn , whose talents they knew and admired , to resist similar applications ; and so instructed , they had * resisted similar claims , and convinced the Commissioners that they could hot ^ enforce' their demand . ( Applause . )
Among other pecuniary demunds , he had again to refer to the subject of Poors' Rates , charged on places of religious worship , belonging to Protestant Dissenters . The statement of the law on the subject , he would repeat , because he wished that they , and especially
the-Dissenting Ministers present , should be accurately informed * He believed it was now generally known , and universally regretted , that the trustees of Dissenting places of worship , or any occupiers beneficially interested in the receipt of pewrents from them ,- were liable to the
payment of poors' rates in respect of the balance remaining after a deduction of the necessary expenses . His dissatisfaction with the law did not chiefly arise from the pecuniary payments extorted , although at all times , and especially in the present times , they were afflicting
deductions from the incomes of men , whose recompence on earth was most inadequate , as their labours were above all praise . But his displeasure was- excited by the trouble , expense and uncertainty of redress . Now on an appeal to the Sessions , the question to be decided
was the necessity of the expenses incurred . At those Sessions , Clergymen and High Churchmen officiated a # Magistrates , for only Churchmen could be Justices . These men , unfriendly to Dissent—the systematic and local enemies of the appellants , were to appreciate and
to fix a value upon the quantum of piety , and learning , and integrity , and zeal , and usefulness , possessed by Protestant Dissenting Ministers . ( Hear , hear . ) At York , the Justices had established a maximum of allowance , and affirmed ,, that , because some of the ministers of the Church of England accepted curacies ,
with salaries of £ 30 , £ 40 , or £ 50 , therefore , that any further expenditure on account of ministers , among Protestant Dissenters , must be disallowed . Under such circumstances , the Committee * h ^ d sometimes reluctantly advised their ,
correspondents to abstain from appealing to the Sessions , and to endeavour * . by preliminary measures , to prevent a painful and injurious defeat . ( Appfaicse . ) ; iTo his Mends , the Dissenting Ministers \ yho were present at that meeting , he ^ VlA say , when you receive an intimation o £
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Intelligence . —Protestant Society : Mr . fFilkss Speech . 367
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1820, page 367, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2489/page/43/
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