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the insertion of tke chapel ift the rate immediately demand a copy of the rate , for if an appeal should not be made to the next Quarter Sessions , after the making of the rate * all future proceedings m respect of such rate , would be una vailing . For such Copy of the rate , only
6 d . cotild be charged for every three hundred words . ( Hear . } When that copy was obtained , the first measure which should be adopted , would be to invite the assistance of some friend conversant vrkh the parochial property . See , said Mr . Wilks , whether any property be omitted ; look for the glebe ; see if any
pews which may be let in the Church be rated ; ( hear , hear , and laughter ;) see whether the parsonage-house be rated ; ( hears ) see whether the property of the churchwardens and overseers be rated ; see if any be inadequately assessed ; and if any such omissions be discovered , an appeal might with propriety be commenced , and would be successfully
prosecuted ; and he generally found that those who had been the first to do the Wrong , had been among the first to retire from the contest . ( Applause , ) It was a fortunate principle in our nature , that the very same money-getting , pitiful , contemptible spirit , which would stimulate to evil " , repelled us from that evil which we meditated , when it would re-act upon ourselves . And he had never known a
case , when that spirit of investigation had acted with vigour and promptitude , in which it had not been crowned with success . ( Applause . ) It had , indeed , been said , that the
burden was but light . Such was not the case , for to many congregations , in villages and small towns , tottering beneath a weight already scarce sustainable , another atom made them sink ; the poors ' rates had increased to an extent which
was most alarming ; " its appetite grew ravenous with what it fed upon . " ( Applause . ) , During the past year , the Committee had received a letter from a gentleman at York , who was actively concerned for a Dissentirig Chapel in that city , which he would take the liberty to read . He
so read it , because it supplied to him a practical illustration of the forcfe of principle , and of the influence o £ . attadhment to religious truth . ( Wear , hear . ) That letter stated , th&fc the poors rates amounted to between £ 2 . Ma * and £ 3 , per quarter , although the debt on the cfi&pfcl amounted tor £ 1500 , and the receipts were far short of the expenditure That gentleman was one of the trustees of the chapel , and with the just and hottest ; indignation of a man of feeling , he had ariked , " wad that the beneficial inters , the profitable occupancy which
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, . " ( A - , their wise opponents-bad said the trustees , of chapels possessed in them ? p ~ t plause . ) \ During the past year , applications had \ been received from Rev . Mr . Manning , - of Exetery and from the Rev . Mr .
Alexander , of Norwich . At Moberley , near Knutsfordy in Cheshire , where the salary of a minister from a small congregation , amounted to not more than £ 10 a-year , a vestry had been called , and it had been determined , that the Httle meetingrhouse should be rated . To the Committee the minister applied , but as Cheshire was a
county distinguished for high-church politics , they advised the excellent man from ^ hazardous expenditure . To the advice he had assented , he admitted that Cheshire might be considered as the aristocracy of English aristocracy , and that , though 4 t would make some diminution in his income , yet to that diminution he would submit . ( Cheers . )
They had heard of the case of the Rev . Rowland Hill , and of the reiterated attempts which had been made to assess Surrey Chapel , and of his ultimate sue * cess . He , indeed , then wore the laurel of triumph-T-not the laurel stained with blood—but such a laurel as he , though a
minister of the gospel of peace , could have no objection to wear upon his brow ( Applause *) The case of Mr . Slatterie , of Chatham , was also important . He had resisted to that hour every demand for payment which had been made , and in such resistance he was determined to
persevere . There was also a case of Rev . Mr . Giles , a Baptist minister at Chatham , which had been submitted to the Committee . The circumstances of that case were peculiar . Mr . Giles received a regular salary from the congregation , and as he knew that intellect was not
assessable , that professional emoluments and salaries were not rateable , he had advised resistance , and he understood the attempt had not been renewed * ( Ap ~ platise . ) From Lincoln an application had been received by a gentleman on behalf of a
JVesleian Methodist Chapel in that ancient city . The Committee hesitated to interfere , not from any disrespect to that body of Dissenters , but because amongst that denomination a society was established for tlie defence of their peculiar rights ; but from that gentleman the advice requested had not been withheld .
Again would he repeat , that a firm and wise resistance would generally be Attended with success . ( Applause . ) Nor could he better illustrate this truth than bj ? a case at Malton , There It hiid been determined , that property a £ that description should be rated . But how did the people eict ? They understood $ iat the
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3 @ 8 lntelligence .-+ Protestmt Secietyt Mr * Wilktfs Speech .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1820, page 368, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2489/page/44/
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