Anonymous

“ He became acquainted with one Garnet, of notorious memory, who procured him the situation of a preacher at Banbury. It was at this place that he first became obnoxious. But before we proceed further, it may be necessary to inquire by what authority such a man as Church presumed to take upon himself the functions of a minister of the gospel. A man so profligate—so notoriously criminal—come forth to instruct others in religion. ”

“ The house would be frequently more like a playhouse (I might say a bawdy house) than a minister’s house, were a set of young people would come and behave more indecently than ought to be mentioned. Even one Sunday morning they made such an uproar as that they broke one of the windows, after that they would go with him to his chapel, and, after that, he would give the sacrament to such disorderly people, let their characters be ever so loose. ”

“ I wish I had the honour of being loved by you as much and in as great a degree as I do you. Sometimes the painful thought of a separation overpowers me; many are now trying at it; but, last night, I told the persons that called on me that, let them insinuate what they would, I would never sacrifice my dear Ned to the shrine of any other friend on earth; and that them you did not like, him should have none of my company at all. I find, dear Ned, many are using all their power to part us ”

“ Satan and all his spirits never sleeps; the power of life and death is only in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devils are allowed to harass the people of God day and night,—no wonder they perplex those they can’t destroy. People are mostly liable to fall, in their first love, into awful heresies and temptation. ”

“ People may be laughed at for being fools, but, you may depend upon it, the more God will like them. All that believe not will certainly be damned. The duties of christianity are not to be preached to an ungodly world. John Church is very much spoken of, but they had much better speak of Jesus. The people of the established church feel no spiritual joy. ”

“ It seems, the practice among Dissenters is, that when any man feels a strong desire to become a preacher, he communicates the same to several ministers, who make a strict inquiry into his qualifications as to piety, learning, morals, &c. and if they find these established on satisfactory evidence, they then confer on the candidate a sort of ordination, without which he can have no authority to officiate as a minister of the Gospel. It is evident he must have played the hypocrite in a masterly style, as he did receive an ordination at Banbury, in Oxfordshire. ”

“ A fac simile of the letter has been published, in Church’s own hand-writing, offering Cook assistance to set up another house, as may be perceived:—
“Dear Sir,
“Lest I should not have time to call or converse with you, as I shall not be alone to Day, I thought it But right to Drop you a Line. I wish you all the success you can desire in getting a house fit for the business in the public line; and, as you had a great many acquaintances, they ought not to fail you; if every one acted right, according to there ability, I am sure you would soon accomplish it. ”

“ At Colchester he turned the whole congregation against their minister. The mode of healing the consciences of profligate men was practised by the Romish Church before the Reformation, and when it flourished in its rankest state of corruption—when indulgences for sins to be committed, and pardons for sins past, were openly sold for money. The manner in which the Obelisk Preacher conducts the affairs of his chapel bears some resemblance to this practice. He has filled his pockets, it appears, from the money which he has raised by inflaming the passions, and exciting hopes and fears ”

“ The shirt or dress of a man is much shorter than that of a woman, and, therefore, he must have seen whether it was a shirt or a p. 9shift. It was the shirt of a man witness is sure. Did not see his face at all; his (Church’s) back was towards witness. When he was gone, witness got up and put on his small clothes and shoes, and went into the pottery to get the man to come up to the house; told Thomas West of it. Witness was here asked by Lord Ellenborough whether West was in the pottery?—and answered, he was; it was the Thomas West that was in the pottery before witness went to bed. ”

“ 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 ”

“ If every one that is saved should be as bright as the sun, what a place heaven must be, where there will be so many millions! Angels beckon me away, and Christ bids me come. The sight of Christ, you may depend on’t, will be worth suffering for. ”

“ The bread of life is not to be given away to dogs. I am not going to turn auctioneer, but I am going to inform you, that, next Lord day, I am going to publish a book, proving that God, the Son, and the Spirit, are all one great God. ”

“ The boy, Foreman, has been with him ever since he has been in the pottery business, between five and six years. He only slept in witness’s house occasionally; that is, whenever he (witness) leaves town; and then he has the key of the pottery, there being no other male in the house. Witness was absent from home on the 25th of September last. The boy on that occasion was to steep in his (witness’s) house. The bed that had been put up for him was a chair-bed in the front parlour; a temporary bed for a nurse occasionally. Witness knows the Defendant, John Church. ”

“ Let us for ever endeavour to turn every thing, whether good or bad, into good. I do not care who hears me, whether God or man, friends or foes, devils or angels, or any thing else; and let them call me an Antinomian again if they please. There must be spiritual life in the soul. ”

“ Bolland.—Witness did not search the house for thieves because he knew who the persons was. The reason of his searching the house was because he wished to be quite right before he made the accusation against Mr. Church. Witness and West found there was no other man in the house but Mr. Church. There was not any door or window open at which any other man could have come in. The light from the Terrace struck through the fan-light or window over the door. It gives a pretty fair light to the hall, it shews a little light up the stairs. ”

“ Did not at any other time see him, and hear him say any thing about this transaction. Nothing more passed at this meeting than what witness has told. Witness afterwards recollected, and asked pardon: he met Patrick in June last, coming over Waterloo-bridge. Did not at first know him; and he spoke to witness, and he said, “My name is Patrick.” Witness said, “Mr. Patrick, why what are you doing with Mr. Church?” “Why,” says witness, “I hear you have brought something else against him: what is that?”
Lord Ellenborough.—There is no contradiction of Mr. Patrick in this. ”

“ Mr. Johnston informed Church’s attorney that it was Mr. Webster’s intention to indict, or bring an action against him for an assault and false imprisonment.
On that very evening (incredible as it may appear) this very man held to bail for trial on the most horrid charges, given on oath, had the impudence to go into his chapel and preach to a crowded audience.
On the 6th of June, 1813, the Grand Jury for the county of Middlesex found a bill of indictment against John Church, for his attempt, some years ago, on a lad, named Webster. ”

“ According to them, it is one of the essential and distinctive characters of the elect that they cannot do any thing displeasing to God, or prohibited by law.” It may easily be inferred from such doctrine as the above, the dreadful crime men may be induced to commit, without the horrors of conscience or fear of punishment. From his retreat in the country, it seems, he was called to use his influence in town, by a man of his own disgraceful kind, designated Kitty Cambric; and well known at the Swan, in Vere-street. ”

“ There are not any other circumstances from which he, witness, collected that it was a man. The hand did not continue upon witness’s person after he awaked at all. The hand was withdrawn then. He said that he was witness’s mistress. By the height of the person he saw, witness could ascertain p. 12whether it was or was not the height of his mistress, or any of the female part of the house; Mr. Church was a great deal bigger than any body there; witness does not think he is quite six foot; he is a tallish stout man. ”

“ Every citizen is a free-born. Many have wondered how I could go through so much trouble. There have been a great many that have wished to see me—I can inform them, I had much rather they had wished to see Christ. ”

“ With respect to the p. 27young man searching the house, his Lordship said it shewed a precaution which was highly creditable to the boy, who had also given a good reason for not going into the Defendant’s room, namely, that it must have disturbed and alarmed his mistress at that unseasonable hour of the night, and that as to the alleged delay, this seemed to have arisen from the interference of the Defendant’s friends; but, although a considerable time elapsed before the prosecutor went to a magistrate, it was clear that he made instant complaint to West, and to his master. ”

“ They are not able to be at any expense; but if the gentlemen wish to prosecute, and to pay Clark’s expenses up to London, &c. he will have no objection to come when you please to send. I need only say I wish you to inform the gentlemen, and give me a line.
I am, dear Sir, your’s, &c.
C. Wire.”
In addition to the above testimonies, a very long narrative of atrocities committed by John Church; while he resided at Banbury, has been written by a minister at that place; but the facts are too disgusting and shocking to be published. ”

“ Webster having appeared again before the magistrates, disclosed, in the course of the examination, the fact of Church having, some years since, made an attempt p. 36of an abominable nature, on the person of his younger brother, the magistrate, struck with horror, immediately stopt all proceedings against Mr. Webster, and desired his brother to be brought forward. The office was cleared of all persons, except the parties immediately concerned; the brother’s deposition was taken, and a warrant was issued for Church to appear there the next day. ”

“ Mr. Johnston, a young gentleman of the law, who attended for Mr. Webster, replied, that it was not the time for them to discuss what was likely to be the verdict of a jury;—that he had recommended Mr. Webster to prefer an indictment against Church, and Mr. Webster had come to that resolution; and whatever might be the result of the trial, the evidence relating to the conduct of Church would be of that disgusting nature as to stamp his name with eternal infamy and disgrace. Church’s attorney observed that it was a conspiracy amongst another sect to ruin Mr. Church’s character. This Mr. ”

“ It appears, he commenced his pretended religious career, by taking upon himself the office of a teacher of a sunday school, at that time established in Tottenham Court-road. Thinking that preaching was a more lucrative employment than that in which he was engaged, this hypocritical wretch, together p. 29with two other young men, who were also candidates for the gown, hired a garret in Compton-street, Soho, in order to acquire the method of addressing a congregation with confidence. ”

“ 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 p. ”