There was a time when it was otherwise. For instance, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, we find the Maldon electors petitioning their representatives on their sufferings from Prelatic parsons. “They are crueller,” so they affirm, “than the ostriches of the wilderness, and more unkind than the dragons.” They ask to be relieved of the teaching of ungodly men such as have been “Popish priests, taylors, fletchers, serving-men, wheelwrights, and many of these alehouse haunters, dicers, quarrellers, whoremongers, and full of gross sins.” Moved by this and similar appeals, the friends of the Puritans in the House of Commons endeavoured to obtain them some relief, but in vain—the Queen and her Bishops were of quite another way of thinking. For taking their part the Maldon M.P. was committed to the Tower. Matters became worse rather than better under James I., and it was not till the Civil War that a Commission was formed by Parliament for the purpose of investigating complaints against the existing ministry; and of that Commission Sir Henry Mildmay, M.P., for Maldon, was one. Essex was full of Puritan divines. One of these was Thomas Horrocks, the rector of Maldon, where, says Calamy, he was “a diligent and powerful preacher twelve years together, and was an instrument for converting many souls.” After his ejectment he continued to preach, and was at length cast into the dungeon of the town, where he lay ten days. A court being held in the town, he was accused of all sorts of crimes, and called by some of the aldermen heretic, schismatic, and traitor; and when he was pleading for himself, one of them rose from the bench and gave him a box on the ear, and beat off his satin cap. At the time of the Revolution Mr. Joseph Billio came to Maldon to gather together under his ministry those whom Mr. Horrocks had prepared for separation. On the site of the present meeting-house, one was erected to hold four hundred persons. When Mr. Billio was succeeded by a minister of Unitarian sentiments, there was a split in the congregation, and a small place of worship was erected elsewhere. In 1778 the congregation returned to their old place of worship. In 1801 a new place of worship was erected on the site of the old one, which had now become insufficient. It is there the present minister, the Rev. H. H. Carlisle, preaches. The place will hold eight hundred hearers, and is well attended. Attached to it is a fine modern lecture-hall and day-schools, which are well filled. I was particularly struck with the bright and happy appearance of the boys and girls being trained there to become men and women. With such training the old joke about Essex calves undoubtedly will lose a good deal of its point and power.