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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.

Name: 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.
Author: Anonymous

Anonymous

Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825; Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Sodomy) -- England

O I did think you knew better:
    I did think I had found one in you that I could not find elsewhere;
    but no, the first object presented to you, seen suddenly, gained your
    mind, gained your affections; and I, poor unhappy distressed I, am
    left to deplore your loss.  O for submission, but I am distressed;
    woe is me.  O that I had never, never known you, then I should never
    feel what I do; but I thank you for your company hitherto, I have
    enjoyed it four moths exactly, but this is over for ever; miserable
    as I am, I wish you well for ever, for ever.  I write in the
    bitterness of my soul which I feel.  May you never be cursed with the
    feelings I possess as long as you live.  What a day I have before me;
    I cannot go out of my house till Sunday morning.  How can I conceal
    my grief from my dear wife? how shall I hide it? what shall I say?  I
    am miserable, nor can I surmount the shock at all.  I have no friend
    to pour out my sorrows to now, I wish I had; I am sorry you are so
    easily duped by any to answer their purposes; my paper is full, my
    paper is full, my heart is worse; God help me; Lord God support me!
    what shall I do, dear God!  O Lord! have mercy on me, I must close;
    this comes from your ever loving but distressed

                                                                J. CHURCH.

For some years past, the person just named has been getting a living by
preaching as a Minister of the Gospel in an obscure conventicle close to
the Surrey Theatre.  In the mean time, reports had gone abroad that he
was addicted to certain abominable propensities; and certain gentlemen in
the neighbourhood, not actuated by any jealousy towards a successful
“rival in the vineyard,” but dreading the disgrace and pollution which
Christianity might suffer from the immoral character of any of its
teachers, investigated these rumours; and the facts now related came to
light.  James Cook, who kept the infamous house in Vere Street, was
released from his two years imprisonment in Newgate, on the 21st of
September 1812.  In the course of a few days after, he accidentally met
John Church, and recognized him as the _gay parson_ whom he had formerly
seen at a certain house in the London Road, and at his own house in Vere
Street.  A friendly correspondence then took place between these two old
acquaintances.  About the 13th of October, Cook received a letter from
him.  In this the _Minister of the Gospel_ offers his assistance to the
“Vere Street Culprit,” to enable him to set up another public house, as
the reader will perceive from perusing the letter itself:—

    Dear Sir,

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