The Infamous Life of John Church, the St. George's Fields Preacher: From His Infancy Up to His Trial and Conviction, With His Confession, Sent in a Letter to the Rev. Mr. L--, Two Days After His Attack on Adam Foreman, at Vauxhall, With Clerical Remarks by the Same Gentleman; to Which Is Added, His Love Epistles to E**** B****. Together With Various Other Letters, Particularly One to Cook, of Vere-Street Notoriety.Anonymous
Religion
The Infamous Life of John Church, the St. George's Fields Preacher: From His Infancy Up to His Trial and Conviction, With His Confession, Sent in a Letter to the Rev. Mr. L--, Two Days After His Attack on Adam Foreman, at Vauxhall, With Clerical Remarks by the Same Gentleman; to Which Is Added, His Love Epistles to E**** B****. Together With Various Other Letters, Particularly One to Cook, of Vere-Street Notoriety.
Anonymous
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825; Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Sodomy) -- England
It is
proper to observe here that some of these wretches assume the names of
women, and that they are absolutely married together, as will be shown
presently, from Church’s having been the parson who performed the
blasphemous mock ceremony of joining them in the ties of “_Holy
Matrimony_.” He now settled himself at Chapel Court, in the Borough,
when his old friend Garrett, publicly charged him with a wicked and
diabolical offence, as the law says, “not to be named amongst
Christians,” and he was obliged to run away from this accusation. By
some fortuitous event he at length got possession of the Obelisk Chapel,
where he began to deliver his doctrines to those who were foolish and
ignorant enough to attend to his fulsome and incoherent exclamations.
Several young men, whose names are known to the writer, who were
accustomed to hear him, were obliged to leave him in consequence of his
having used them in a manner too indecent to be mentioned or hinted at.
E. B. a respectable tradesman, residing in the Borough of Southwark, has
informed the writer of the present article, that this parson, or rather
this monster, when be was about to preach, would frequently say—“Well, I
am going to tip ’em a gammoning story; my old women would believe the
moon to be made of green cheese if I was to tell them so; and I must tell
them something.” The writer has also been informed, from credible
authority, that Church was a constant attendant in Vere-street, and that
the gang of miscreants who met at the public-house there, some of whom
stood in the pillory about seven or eight years ago, had nominated him to
be their _Chaplain_, and that he officiated in that capacity. By virtue
of his functions in this situation, he was often employed in joining
these monsters in the “indissoluble tie of matrimony!!!” They were
absolutely wedded together. One evening, when Church visited this
infamous place of resort, one of the gang observed, “Here’s Parson
Church. Aye, Parson, how d’ye do? Have you come to see our
Chapel?”—Church replied, “Yes, and to preach too.”
In addition to the above account is the following, communicated by the
before-mentioned E. B. who happened, unfortunately, to be an attendant at
Church’s meeting house, when the latter took notice of and formed an
acquaintance with him, commencing as usual with pious exhortations, and
then followed up by distrusting freedoms. Mr. B. however, struck with
horror at such conduct, abandoned the place, when he received two letters
from Church, of which the following are copies:—
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account