On this page
-
Text (2)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
institutions of the day—Mr . Irving . « I observe , " he says , " the same intermingling of pleasure , gain , and religion , in strange confusion , in those excursions amongst the churches for raising money by the abuse of preaching ; when a regular bargain is struck , every meal allowed for , whether partaken at the inn or of hospitality ; travelling expenses by the mile allowed ; with the love of which the age is gone mad . Much more could I say concerning the love of pleasure under the guise of godliness , which hath won the mastery of this self-indulgent and luxurious society called the religious world . "
But if certain charges and certain indications are to be credited , there are worse things yet , at least , among " the friends of sailors , ' * than what we have mentioned . The orator Smith is charged , first , with peculation ; secondly , with deserting his home . As to the charge of peculation ,
though there have been many vagi > e indications , ( which excite , we confess , sus picion in our minds , ) there has been mentioned only one specific instance that Mr . Smith , at trie close of a public meeting , took of the cashkeeper a sovereign . This Mr . S . allows . His explanations are not consistent . At one time , he tells us , he took the money as a loan ; at another as a debt ; and , at another , he seems to claim a right to take such a sum
or more , founded on his alleged gratuitous services . As to the second charge , we quote his own words : t ( i My house in Wellclose Square had become so public , that all sorts of idle tales and reports ( of what character ?) were continually brought to my family , and every evening retailed to me . Sick and disgusted with such things , and finding remonstrance utterly vain , I quietly withdrew from my house to prevent further evil , and continued absent about a week , until , corresponding with my family and the parties concerned , ( in what way concerned ?) I could and did return .
back in peace . '' To say the least , we are not surprised that he who was confessedly unable to rule his own house , should be deemed unfit to preside over " the sailor ' s home . " His chief accuser is Captain Gambier , of whom , and Captain Elliot , Smith himself thus speaks at the commencement of the affray— " two such holy , exemplary , and generous men , I had never met with in any part of the world . " Nor even when his passions were strongly excited , did he venture to accuse Captain Gambier of dishonesty , but talks of his incapacity , his madness , his ignorance of business . This last charge is somewhat curious . Is it grounded on the fact that Captain Gambier disliked " the worldly means 1 before spoken of , and disliked to find the Rev . orator ' s fingers in the plaie at the end of a public meeting ? However , Captain G . has spoken out . He tells the world he deems it his duty to warn them against Smith , lie regrets that he has given him any countenance . He says he lias found him out , and that through two friends who lived in his
neighbourhood . He speaks in the sfrongest and most confident terms of his dishonesty . In consequence of having seen his delusion in regard to Smith , " I did , " he says , my duty by procuring his dismissal from that ofHce , ( Honorary Secretary , ) under the form of a resignation , which he desired should be put in , rather than have a disclosure made . " Another object was to compel him to resign his trusteeship , to which he had got himself
appointed . For this Captain Gambier laboured hard , and at length Smith has been compelled to withdraw from his former connexion , and he has now set up for himself . The affairs of the sailor ' s home have been handed over to the management of Captain Elliot and his friends , who , however , in an advertisement speak thus ominously : " the property of the institution shall be protected as far as possible from depredation , 17 Of course Smith hes not
Untitled Article
Charges against Rev . G . C . Smith . 35
Untitled Article
l ) ' 2
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1830, page 35, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2580/page/35/
-