The Sentence and Affidavit of John Church, the Obelisk Preacher: For an Attempt to Commit an Unnatural Crime on Adam Foreman, at Vauxhall. Together With Judge Bayley's Impressive Address to the Prisoner, at Full Length. At the Court of King's Bench, Nov. 24, 1817.Dowling, Joseph Augustus
History
The Sentence and Affidavit of John Church, the Obelisk Preacher: For an Attempt to Commit an Unnatural Crime on Adam Foreman, at Vauxhall. Together With Judge Bayley's Impressive Address to the Prisoner, at Full Length. At the Court of King's Bench, Nov. 24, 1817.
Dowling, Joseph Augustus
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Sodomy) -- England
During the passing of this sentence, as well as through the whole
proceeding, the defendant was completely unmoved, though his lordship
seemed deeply affected by the enormity of his crime. He was conducted
out of Court in custody of the Marshal of the Marshalsea, for the
present, amidst the groans and hisses of indignation that burst forth
from the immense crowd.
* * * * *
The following is a perfect copy of Church’s letter to Mrs. Hunter,
adverted to by Mr. MARRYATT in his address to the Bench:
_Oct._ 6, 1816.
“DEAR MRS. HUNTER—My heart is already too much affected. Your letter
only added affliction to my bonds; but I forbear. I would hare
called on you this morning, but I was too low in mind to speak to any
friend but Jesus. There I am truly comfortable. Pardon me. But I
make no remarks on what you have been told. I must bear it. Though
I am able to contradict three things, I would rather not. Mr. and
Mrs. Patrick have always dealt kindly to me. I am only grieved that
dear Mrs. P. whom I really love, that she should try to injure me in
the estimation of those who are real friends to my dear children.
The thought affects me. Why hurt my poor family? But I am too much
depressed to enlarge. I shall never forget their kindness. God will
reward them, as he has many who have dealt well to me. But he will
resent cruelty in those who have and are still trying to degrade me.
Mrs. P. will live to see it. Dear Mrs. Hunter, I am grieved at
heart. I cannot relieve your mind. I am truly sorry to lose you as
an hearer because your soul has been blessed, and you know both the
plague of the heart and the value of Jesus. May he be increasingly
precious to you!—in his person, love and grace. Farewell, my dear
kind friend. The Lord Jesus will reward you for your love to me and
kindness to mine. God is not unrighteous to forget your work of
faith and labour of love. With many tears I write this. May we meet
in glory, when no enemy shall distress my mind, nor sin, nor death
shall part us more. I need not remind my dear friend that I am a
child of peculiar Providence: and that Heart of Eternal Love, and
that Arm of Invincible Power, has protected me—has called me to
himself—and for every act of straying, will correct me with his own
hand; but will resent every other hand sooner or later.
“This you will live to see. Adieu, dear friend: accept the starting
tear, and the best wishes of an heart sincere.
“Your’s truly,
“Till we shall meet above.”
* * * * *
A VERBATIM EDITION,
(_Containing Seventy Pages of closely-printed Letter Press_,)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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