The Foundling; or, The Child of Providence — John Shaqi
The Foundling; or, The Child of ProvidenceChurch, J. (John)
General
The Foundling; or, The Child of Providence
Church, J. (John)
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825; Clergy -- England -- Biography
It would fill no small volume to relate the particulars of the bustle
which took place in the above affair. The zeal, vigilance, activity and
expense which so many put themselves to was really laughable. The above
Doctor and his understrappers were all upon the alert, all the filth,
lies, and rubbish that could be collected together, were brought him;
these he put in order, fled to the printer with, and which were soon
exposed for sale, no doubt for the benefit of the poor (to add to
charity’s fame). This being calculated to disturb the peace, the printer
was bound to keep the peace, by one of the magistrates, which put an end
to the sale of this rubbish. But the Doctor had recourse to another
expedient; he crossed the water to an awful enemy to all spiritual
religion, and furnished him with plenty of the same rubbish for a Sunday
Newspaper. I saw him enter the above shop myself, and I then told many
persons we should have another budget of lies out next Sunday. Nor was I
mistaken. This holy advocate for the suppression of vice, and keeping
the Sabbath holy, now gave plenty of matter for the encouragement of
vice, and the profanation of that day. Public-houses were again well
stored, {91} to read about the infamous J. C.—Jews and Infidels,
professed Christians, and profound Deists. There were “Parthians, Medes
and Elamites, dwellers in Messopotamia, Egyptians and strangers,” all in
a bustle. Some running one way, some another; one post ran to meet
another, as if the city had been taken at both ends. Every one who had a
little hope of interest picked up a stone, wrote a letter to his
Holiness, or ran with some account of some bad action, some love letter I
had written, some bad house I had visited—_though as false as God was
true_. Yet this was credited, and swallowed down wholesale. Vast crowds
assembled round the chapel on Sunday nights, so that the congregation had
to pass through them as the Israelites through the Red Sea; but not a dog
moved his tongue at them. Printing scurrillity was kept on weekly, till
the public got tired of the old story over and over again. Nor were some
of my well-wishers idle; some, in warmth, retaliated; others, more
prudently, wrote mildly, and remonstrated in a scriptural manner with the
Doctor, by word and writing. Some exercised their pens in satire and
poetical effusions. Some of the copies of these I have still by me, and
would present them to you, but they would take up too much room. And
what good did all this do? None, but hurt the rising generation, and
exposed the cause of God to ridicule. On the part of those adversaries
who are zealous for the moral law, as their rule of life, surely they
acted contrary to every law, to the ten commandments, the Judaical law of
Moses, the gospel in every doctrine, and in every precept; the laws of
wisdom, love, and kindness, and the excellent laws of our country. But I
forgive them; and the only apology I can make for them is, that they did
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