The Trial and Conviction of John Church: The Preacher of the Surrey Tabernacle, Borough Road, at the Surrey Assizes, at Croydon, on Saturday, the 16th of August, 1817, for an Assault With Intent to Commit an Unnatural Crime.Anonymous
Religion
The Trial and Conviction of John Church: The Preacher of the Surrey Tabernacle, Borough Road, at the Surrey Assizes, at Croydon, on Saturday, the 16th of August, 1817, for an Assault With Intent to Commit an Unnatural Crime.
Anonymous
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Sodomy) -- England
We regret, that among the followers of this wretch are to be found many
young men, who not only countenance his cause by their presence, but
advocate it with their talents;—that charity, which covereth a multitude
of sins, leads us to indulge the hope, that hitherto they have acted
conscientiously and from principle—that they have believed their leader
was the object of cruel persecution—that he suffered for righteousness
sake—and under this impression, we pity rather than condemn them; but can
they be of the same opinion now? We request their attentive perusal of
the following pages; we beg of them to notice the evidence produced for
the prosecution, particularly the copy of a letter to Mrs. Hunter, the
original of which was artfully suppressed, and the admission of Church
himself, and then say, whether this _conviction_ does not “_confirm
ancient reports_?” Let them read the contradictory evidence of Thomas,
and the observations made thereon by the learned Judge who tried the
prisoner; let those who were present remember his agitated appearance in
Court, and the manner in which he unwillingly confirmed the evidence of
the prosecutor’s master, and then say on which side the _truth_ appears
to preponderate. If the hearers of Church do not wilfully close their
eyes, and pervert their judgments, they can have but one opinion, viz.
that the verdict of the jury is the verdict of every one who values the
cause of religion, morality, and virtue.
If however, the hearers of this creature still continue to frequent this
“Tabernacle of Iniquity,” every person will naturally believe, that other
motives, and not a desire to be edified by the ministrations of their
_convicted_ pastor, actuate them—they will ever be looked upon with a
suspicious eye, and their character, and every thing that is dear to them
in this life, will be sacrificed for ever, in the opinion of every good
man.
It may be expected that something should be said of the conduct of those
females who have so long patronized this deceiver of their souls. How
can they longer listen to a wretch who must _detest_ them in his heart,
and nothing but his love of gain makes him court their friendship? Can
they now, in the presence of a disgusted public, enter the doors of his
“den of thieves?”—If they can, friends must blush for the inconsistency
of their conduct: most sincerely do we hope that all who respect their
reputation will never approach “the Surrey Tabernacle” until the present
occupier and all his associates have left the place.
Much praise is due to those who have at last brought JOHN CHURCH to
justice: every thing that could be done by bribery and persuasion were
resorted to by his friends; but they found the Prosecutor, in this
respect, invulnerable. The youth has acted nobly; and the praises of the
Public are due to him for his resistance to the wishes of that wretch,
who would have gloried in being the murderer of his peace for ever!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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