Part 5
It is averred, that his wife, upon hearing the infamy of his conduct took to drinking, to avoid reflection, which soon occasioned her death. But, within the last three months since, he has been charged with the above detestable offence, in order (we presume under the mask of hypocrisy,) to rescue, in some degree, his character from the public odium with which it had been marked, he has been induced to marry a respectable woman, who kept a seminary for young ladies at Hammersmith. The verdict of “Guilty” had been scarcely pronounced, when the relatives of the children, with the greatest promptitude possible, took them all away from the said school.
Some time previous to the commission of the offence for which Church has been at last convicted he made an attempt, in the open street, on the person of a poor Frenchman, who had him conveyed to the watchhouse, where a long examination took place, but the proof not being very conclusive, the affair was hushed up.
Since his conviction, Church has resided at the house of _a friend_, where _his followers_ are admitted to see him on producing a card signed by himself, on which are inscribed certain texts of scripture. Will this wretch never cease blaspheming the holy scriptures by his appropriation of them!
It may not be improper to state one of the tricks made use of to threw the prosecutor off his guard. A limb of the law, it appears, of the _Jewish_ persuasion, _gratuitously_ offered to conduct the prosecution for the young man; but upon a refusal being given him, on account of Mr. HARMER being selected for that purpose, it was ultimately discovered that this _philanthropic_ Israelite had been exerting himself towards exculpating Church, with all the ingenuity he was master of in his defence, from the heinous offence alleged against him. The “laws delay” was resorted to, but only to put off the trial till the next assizes, but the expenses materially increased, as a means of deterring the prosecutor from proceeding. It is, however, lamentable to observe, that the charges in bringing such a wretch to justice, should amount to eighty or ninety pounds!
From the acknowledgement of this monster himself, the profits of this _precious_ recepticle produced him from £1000 to £1200 annually.
At length, this precious hypocrite, who has so long set all decency at defiance, by public preaching, notwithstanding his diabolical well known propensities, has been found guilty of the crime he has so long (and so numerously) been charged with. Much as it might be wished that such a monster, under the disguise of that sacred habit, which at all times is entitled to reverence, should be consigned with his crimes to oblivion. But such suppression would be doing a serious injury to public morals. Delicacy at all times ought to be a paramount consideration, but there are cases in which a great deal more injury both to morals and liberty may arise from the suppression than the exposure of indecencies. This we apprehend to be one of that sort, and great care has been taken to avoid entering into any disgusting particulars. It is due to the community at large that such a dangerous character should be exposed to society, and it is equally important to that sacred body, who can only rise or fall in public estimation from their good conduct.
He will be brought up the first day of next term to receive judgement in the Court of King’s Bench. Mr. Gurney we understand, although he so ably and eloquently defended the guilty monster, Church, undertook his cause with the greatest reluctance.
APPENDIX.
Since the publication of our third edition, we have received the following curious epistle, in _print_, from the Rev. J. L. Garrett, whose name is mentioned by us, p. 29 and p. 31. This letter, we understand, has been very industriously circulated amongst his friends and acquaintance. Although we cannot comply with the reverend gentleman’s request, to erase his name from our pages, as it does not appear that we have stated any thing materially incorrect, we will do him the justice to print his vindication of himself, a mode of proceeding which we think will serve the reverend gentleman’s interests more than any other, our work having so unprecedented a sale, that it must carry it into every channel necessary for the Reverend Professor of Natural Philosophy’s vindication, of whose _reformation_ we are truly happy to hear.
THE REV. J. L. GARRETT’S VINDICATION.
_Letter addressed by the Rev._ J. L. GARRETT, _Professor of Natural Philosophy_, _&c. to the Publisher of a Six-penny Pamphlet_, _intituled_, “_The Life and Trial of_ Mr. JOHN CHURCH.”
DEAR SIR,
As bigotry, superstition, and misguided zeal, those dreadful sources of violence, wasting, and destruction, which once too often actuated both my tongue and pen, have now, through divine Grace, for several years, ceased to form any trait in my deportment; you will, I trust, allow me the humble claim, of having that erased from your pamphlet, which a better use of my reason has so evidently erased from my conduct.
Rest assured, I most sincerely wish success to every laudable effort you can exert to suppress vice, but particularly vices so extremity disgraceful to human nature—but have the goodness, Sir, to understand that I never, in my life, was what your pamphlet calls me, a friend or acquaintance of the person you allude to, nor _never_ had any thing _to do with him_, but what was _forced on me_ by _his own insinuations_, which principally were carried on with some of my people in Lant-street while I was out of town.
I also remark that I had no hand in getting him into Banbury; and can only say, would to God that those things which drove him out had been followed by sincere repentance, then I think I should have been one of the first to have administered the consolation of the gospel; but as things are, I shall leave the detection and suppression of vice in abler hands than my own, with this prayer, that “That truly wretched man, may yet be brought with sincere repentance to the feet of Jesus, obtain mercy, and, under the influence and operation of the holy spirit, gain the completest mastery over a nature so awfully depraved, and thus prove that nothing is too hard for God.”
While I remain,
Your’s respectfully, J. L. GARRETT.
Philosophical Museum, Mile End, Aug. 28th, 1817.
P.S. Since I sent my note to the press, my friends have manifested some objections to the gentleness of my remonstrances, under circumstances so truly aggravating, as that of having my name at all mentioned in the details of such a filthy concern; and as I have occasionally the instruction of noblemen’s sons, of the first respectability, I must, under every consideration, insist on its being immediately withdrawn.—But, if humanity should dispose you to dispense with my name, in this instance, without further trouble, it shall certainly be at your service, whenever you feel disposed seriously to argue the possibility of one bigot in a hundred being brought to the right use of his reason.
You will, I trust, excuse the shortness of this address, as my own paralytic debility, accompanied with a death in my family, which has not yet advanced to interment, forbids me to say more.
_To Mr. J. Fairburn_, _Publisher_, _&c._
CHURCH BURNT IN EFFIGY!
We are informed by a most respectable follower of and believer in, John Church, one who gave evidence on his trial in his favour, and whose name we will, if required, give up to satisfy the most credulous of its authenticity, that on Monday evening last, after a visit to his residence, adjoining the Tabernacle, in the Borough-road, he returned to Rock-House, Hammersmith, which he had no sooner entered than the mob, having gained a knowledge of his being there, attacked with mud, filth, and other missile annoyances, and presently broke all the windows, expressing their indignation at Church’s most abominable atrocities; meanwhile, by groans, hisses, and all sorts of execrations, they having previously drest up an effigy of him, in a black silk gown, with a painted _Church_ placed on each side, that the most dull might be informed whom it was meant to represent, paraded with it all through the village, when they finally burnt it to typify those _Gomorrah fires_, which, in the absence of a timely and sincere repentance, we are taught to believe will be the lot of the original in that place where fire is never quenched. Of this repentance we are sorry to observe no signs at present, but we trust the forth-coming punishment (most probably _solitary confinement_) will give him leisure to reflect on his atrocities and awaken him to a due sense of their enormities: truly happy shall we be to hear that the retribution of an earthly judge has shewn him the greater danger in which he stands with regard to his heavenly one.
AN EPISTLE
_From the_ DEVIL _to his Friend mid Follower_ JOHN CHURCH.
OH, say not, JOHN CHURCH, I’ve left you _in the lurch_, When _your life in my service you’ve past_; Though _I seem to forsake_, My dear John, do not _quake_, I’ll be sure to _stick to you at last_.
You know that _Old Nick_ Still is sure those to _trick_, Who think they _as deep are as he_; And _he_, still, John, it proves, _Chaseneth_ those he best loves, And _he loves none so dearly as thee_.
Besides, John, I thought If I let you be caught _In your tricks here on earth_, ’twould be well; For ’twould serve for a taste Of the joys you must haste To enjoy with me, Johnny, in h—.
And then, John, your _preaching_, And _spiritual teaching_, Had almost grown _too great a joke_; To those who knew you, And they were not a few, Who still laugh’d as on gospel you spoke.
True, you still rail’d at me, John, _sans ceremonie_, And no one thought me your sworn brother; Like rouges in-grain true, Who their tricks to pursue, Still behind their backs backbite each other.
_Like me you wear black_, My dear John, on your back, Then, hasten, dear John, to come down; Guilt’s ne’er look’d on so well, My dear Johnny, in h—, As when _clad in a minister’s gown_.
_We are hypocrites both_, To deceive nothing loth, In short we’re just form’d for each other; Then _come Johnny_, _do_, _Or I must come for you_,— Oh, come to Old Nick, your dear brother.
You shall be treated well, Dearest Johnny, in h—, You on _sulphur and brimstone_ shall feast; We’ll with _fires keep you warm_, And do all things to charm; As befits so illustrious a guest.
In h—, John, you’ll meet Many friends from _Vere-Street_, Which quite cosey and handy will be; For their _chaplain_ in h— You may be, John, as well As on earth you us’d one time, be.
True, John, scripture you quote, Like a parrot, by rote, So too many other men do; And then ’tis well known Almost to every one, I, the devil, can quote scripture too.
Thy locks all so lank, And thy chops all so blank, And thy hoarse nasal twangings to boot; Finely humm’d all the folks; But adieu to such jokes, For, like me, you’ve now shewn _cloven foot_.
THE END.
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ADVERTISEMENT.
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_This Day it published_, _Price only Sixpence_, FAIRBURN’S EDITION OF THE _UNPRECEDENTED_ TRIAL BETWEEN MARK BROWNE, Esq. PLAINTIFF, AND MARTIN JOSEPH BLAKE, Esq. DEFENDANT, FOR Adultery; INCLUDING MR. PHILLIPS’s ELOQUENT SPEECH FOR THE PLAINTIFF At Full Length;
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THE LOVE-SICK LAWYER; being the Trial between Mr. GOODALL (Admiral of Hayti), Plaintiff, and Mr. FLETCHER (Attorney at Law), Defendant, for CRIMINAL CONVERSATION with the Plaintiff’s Wife; containing the curious Love-Letters at full length. Tried at the Court of King’s Bench, Westminster, before Lord Ellenborough and a Special Jury, on Monday, July 19th, 1813, when a Verdict was given for the Plaintiff—Damages, _Five Thousand Pounds_! _Price Sixpence_.
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FAIRBURN’S
ANSWER
TO
JOHN CHURCH’S PAMPHLET AGAINST HIM
ENTITLED
“_AN APPEAL_ TO THE CANDID READER.”
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“Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee.”
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PUBLISHED BY J. FAIRBURN, 2 BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL.
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Marchant, Printer, Ingram-Court, Fenchurch-Street.