Horfield, near Bristol, October 18, 1826.
My very dear Friend,
HAD not circumstances of various kinds interfered, you would ere this
have seen me at Wherwell; but, as I had no control over these, and kept
expecting that in a few more days I should be able to write to you
definitely, I hope you will not too harshly censure me, when I tell you
at length that my projected visit, like too many of my projections, has
come to nothing, and that it will not be in my power to see you before
you leave. But, after all, your removal is not to a distant country, and
many may be the circumstances which the kind Providence of God shall
permit for our future intercourse. You speak, indeed, of a kind of
necessity for conference and consultation at the present juncture. Of
this, however, I am far from being convinced; for I think a stranger
always proceeds best with the least previous acquaintance with the
minutiæ of characters and proceedings. A general idea is quite
necessary; but everything that is circumstantial creates a prejudice
either to the advantage or disadvantage of the parties concerned. The
fresh unbiassed inspection brings us, for the most part, nearest the
truth. Every one with whom I converse, who has any knowledge of you,
joins with me in thankfulness to God that it has pleased Him to direct
your steps to Madeley; most fully does it seem to have been, from
beginning to end, from Him; to Him, therefore, may we ever give the
praise. And may you, my much-endeared friend, be so fully qualified for
your important charge; may the barrel of meal also granted for your dear
people’s supply waste not, nor the cruse of oil fail; or, in other words,
may matter and unction be so abundantly imparted, and so graciously
continued, that the time may never come in which your ministrations may
prove burdensome to yourself, or either uninteresting or unedifying to
your hearers. With kindest regards, I remain,
Yours, ever affectionately,
GEORGE MORTIMER.
* * * * *
Mr. Mortimer’s life has now been brought down to the close of his
services at Madeley, where he had been resident pastor for about ten
years. In taking a review of this period, we find him to have abounded
in the great duties of his office—in works of faith and labours of love.
What with his Sunday duties, his classes, his expositions, his schools,
his pastoral visits, and his manifold acts of charity and kindness to the
poor, in a parish containing very nearly six thousand souls, with his
weakly constitution, and by no means robust health, the wonder is that he
was enabled to carry on so arduous a course for so long a time. Madeley
has been long and highly favoured; it is to be hoped that the people have
both appreciated and improved their privileges. Mr. Mortimer met with
much kindness, encouragement, and acceptance in the diligent pursuit of
his self-denying career in that parish, and the decade of his services
there was no doubt attended with much usefulness, though the extent of it
may never be known until the great day shall reveal it. He met also with
much that was trying and perplexing to him; much to wound his loving
spirit; much to grieve his affectionate heart; much to prove his faith
and try his patience; but he neither flinched from duty, nor swerved from
the line of conduct which became him as a minister of the Established
Church; and, what is more, he treated neither opposition in the spirit of
retaliation, nor opposers in a spirit of harshness or severity. He was
eminently a man of peace, a man of love, a man of placability. The
commencement of his services in the parish was attended with great
difficulties. Considerable irregularities had been practised by his
predecessors; in their steps, in this respect, he was determined not to
tread; and though he felt himself bound to resist all entreaty on this
subject, to the offending of many, yet was it his prayer, his study, his
endeavour to conciliate all. His steady though moderate Churchmanship
was, perhaps, always more or less a ground of offence in a parish which
had long been under the influence of Methodism; but wherever good sense
and piety prevailed his motives were respected, and his conduct
appreciated.
It was on the manifestation of some unhallowed zeal of party spirit that
the following addresses were printed and circulated in his parish, and
which exhibit the very moderate and conciliatory spirit of their truly
Christian author.
ADDRESS OF THE MINISTER OF MADELEY TO SUCH OF THE INHABITANTS OF
COALBROOKDALE AND ITS VICINITY, AS DO NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES MEMBERS OF
THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.
Vicarage, February 21, 1822.
My endeared Parishioners,
IT has lately appeared to me an indispensable duty to visit more
extensively my parish, and to devote myself more fully to other branches
of my ministerial office. In the course of my visits I found a strong
regret expressed by many, that it was not in their power to connect
themselves either with me as their minister, or with the Established
Church as their religious communion: and that this, their inability,
arose principally from the great distance of the parish church from their
respective abodes. This difficulty I have endeavoured partially to
remove by beginning an exposition on alternate Monday evenings: {142} and
I hope soon to be able still further to meet their wishes by assembling
with them every other Sunday morning, on a plan similar to that now
adopted at the Ironbridge school-room on the Sabbath evenings.
I feel a little apprehensive, however, lest these my proceedings should
be considered by some as intentionally interfering with other modes and
places of worship already adopted and attended in your neighbourhood; and
lest my motives should be so far misconstrued, as to be identified with
narrow-minded prejudice, or with intolerant hostility.
It should be remembered, however, that all persons have, and cannot help
having, their preferences; and likewise, that these preferences may be
openly shown by them, and even occasionally employed in influencing
others, without the least hostility towards those who continue in another
persuasion. And I can appeal with the greatest confidence to my own
conduct during nearly seven years’ residence among you, as a proof of
this assertion. For though I have uniformly shown a decided preference
towards the Established Church, yet I am not aware of having discovered,
in a single instance, the least opposition or hostility towards any
individual of another communion, merely as such. Much, indeed, on my
first coming into the parish, was unhappily advanced to the contrary; but
I was determined to take no notice of such remarks, assured that they had
no foundation in myself, and that, when my line of conduct should be
better understood, they would gradually die away, and a different feeling
be eventually adopted. This different feeling has, I am happy to state,
long been cherished by many; and it was from a strong desire that nothing
contrary to it should prevail in consequence of my present ministerial
procedures, that I have been induced to send you this circular address.
Oh, let me then, as your minister, entreat you not to regard me with a
misgiving or suspecting mind; but from the fulness of a loving and a
Christian heart to wish and to supplicate for me abundant success. And
be not hasty in censuring either myself or others for attachment to our
venerable and established forms. Give to us what you feel entitled to
demand for yourselves; I mean the right of preference. And amidst
certain shades of difference, let brotherly love not only continue among
us, but let it abound yet more and more. And with regard to myself, I do
most sincerely pray God that no feeling may be cherished by me, no single
expression uttered, and no conduct whatever pursued, which may, in any
respect, tend to its diminution.
With feelings, then, of unfeigned affection, believe me, my much-endeared
Parishioners,
Your sincerely devoted Friend and Minister,