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    Cerney also demanded a particular notice . The Home Missionary who laboured there had for a length of time been subjected to the most cruel persecutions , and these persecutions instigated by persons who should have known better—who should hare been actuated by better feelings , and swayed by better sentiments—by persons who should have known , that while they placed a torch in vulgar hands to conflagrate , those they might be desirous of removing would one day or other employ it against themselves . These disturbances were not confined to the lower or more vulgar classes — the higher orders encouraged these disgraceful proceedings—these very

    orders who should encourage the diffusion of knowledge—a strict observance of the law—a becoming respect to the religious scruples of the . conscientious ; these higher orders instigated those disgraceful occurrences . Every petty vexation had been used towards the worthy Missionary of South Cerney ; his saddlegirths were cut in the night time , when returning from administering consolation to one of his flock , whose way to heaven he was no doubt facilitating . In the

    night time that worthy man was assailed and beaten . The shades of night covered the guilty offenders , and for the time they escaped the punishment they deserved . However , in January last , an interruption occurred , and six persons were taken to Cirencester , and bound over to the Gloucester Sessions , to answer for their outrageous conduct . He was almost ashamed to say it , but the fact was so , that every means was there taken to defeat the ends of justice . Six

    clergymen were on the bench , and every species of intermeddling was practised ; the Grand Jury were had access to ; in short , every obstruction took place to prevent justice being done . The advocate , however , who was employed , performed well his duty . It is the business of every man to uphold the independence of the English bar , for every effort made to weaken or destroy the self-possession of the advocate was a vital blow at the

    neht and protection of the law , as all his Majesty ' s other subjects ; that the Dissenters , though not endowed , were recognised ; that the choral symphonies of Gloucester Cathedral , or its clergy , were to he no more protected than the humbler village people , who were met together , and who loved with humble voices to -celebrate Zion ' s songs . (

    Aphest interests of our country . The case came on at tlie Gloucester Sessions , despite the obstacles to prevent it , and the advocate there declared , that the Dissenters were equally entitled to the be-

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    plause . ) The Church did not consist of the ** — - long drawn aisle and fretted vault - "

    It was not the gilded roof or gothic architecture , admirable as the lover of art must ever consider them to be ; the Clturch was the place , however unpretending , where the faithful assembled to worship the common God and Father of all ! The rioters were convicted ; the magistrates wished some liberality to be extended towards them , for they found

    out that the penalty of forty pounds given by the Act against persons disturbing public worship must be . considered as only one penalty . An application was made to us , and while we would not allow the braggart to awe us into silence ,

    we shewed that the Dissenters could listen to the language of courtesy , and while having a giant ' s strength , that we were not disposed to use it like a giant . An apology was written—we accepted it ; the guilty entered into recognizances to keep the peace , and he hoped the result would be , that these persons and all others would perceive , that the Dissenting clergymen were the ministers of

    peace—men who sought not to punish but to benefit and bless their fellowcreatures . ( Hear , hear , }—The subject of out-door preaching was also referred to the Society , and he owned it was one which he did not approach with much satisfaction . He did not like to limit the

    right of public worship , out with the facilities which now existed for so laudable au object , he thought it was not needful to excite opposition or spread the flame of discord ; the object of the Dissenters being to proceed in their course without producing clamour or giving the shadow of offence . The meeting must be already aware of the transaction which occurred

    at Islington , where a tent was put up , in which public worship was performed , and much good had been done . There a constable appeared , with orders from the local magistrates to disperse the assembly ; neither had a right to do so , and the worthy clergyman ( Mr . Dunn )

    persevered in the work of good . At Colchester a person was apprehended for preaching in the public streets ; a bill was preferred against him , but the Grand Jury , to their credit , did not find it . — Next in the order of grievances notified

    to this Society , were the refusals to bury , a refusal more particularly applying to their friends of the Baptist denomination . By law , ail persons baptised in the , name of the Trinity , were entitled to sepulture ; but the . conscientious scruples of the Baptists not allowing them to tmve their

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    Intelligence . —PrbteHantSocitey ; Mr * tfilks * * Speech . 439

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1824, page 439, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2526/page/55/