CHAPTER XIII.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY CONCLUDED- —PERSECUTION FROM HIS PARISH

DANGER AVERTED

IONERS HIS KIND THOUGHTS TOWARDS THEM-THEIR COMPLAINTS TO THE BISHOP- MR. SIMEON'S REPLY-ELECTION OF CHURCHWARDENS-THE BISHOP'S LETTER TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR MEETING OF THE HEADS-DR. MILNER'S INTERPOSITION PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE PRAYERMEETING OPPOSITION TO THE PLAN-MR. SIMEON'S PATIENT EFFORTS THE OPPOSITION CONTINUED HIS LONG FÖRBEARANCE -DECIDED MEASURES-FINAL ARRANGEMENT MR. SIMEON REVIEW OF THE WHOLE SUBJECT.

1811-1813.

MEMOIR CONCLUDED.

"I MUST here state at large a persecution which arose against me in my Parish, which by some circumstances connected with it, led to the crisis which I have referred to (page 142). Bishop D- had now succeeded to the See of Ely; and in his first Charge he had spoken in no very favourable terms of those who maintain what I believe to be the Gospel of Christ. Aware, from the moment he was appointed, what were his dispositions towards persons of my sentiments, and towards myself in particular, I had used the most prudent means in my power to conciliate him. But the state of his mind being pretty clearly understood, as well from his Charge as from general report, my enemies in the parish thought it a favourable time for them to stir, and to see if they could not raise a persecution against me.

"The precise hour in which my parishioners met together, to carry into effect their malicious designs, is worthy of particular observation. I had been lamenting in my mind that so little good was done in my Parish, and contriving how I might benefit them after my death. I thought that a Sermon which I had very recently printed, on the subject of Christ Crucified, would serve as a brief summary of all that I had preached to them for thirty years; and I wrote a codicil to my will, appointing that an edition of that Sermon should be printed immediately after my decease; and a copy be presented to every family in my Parish as a voice to them from the dead: and it is remarkable, that at the very moment that I was engaged in this office of love, they were, unknown to me, caballing against me in full council, to destroy, if possible, my peace and usefulness through my whole life.

"It may seem strange, that, at the end of thirty years, and of twenty years' peace, I should have any enemies left; but most of the old inhabitants had been removed by death, and some of a peculiarly malignant spirit had recently come into the Parish; and these, joining with a few of the old inhabitants, who are given over, I fear, to a reprobate mind, drew up a number of articles against me, and sent them to the Bishop, (May 1811). The Bishop sent me a copy of them, and required me to send him my answer to them. As they were signed by at least forty persons, he conceived that the complaints deserved his fullest consideration; though if he had known the character of the leaders and instigators of the commotion, he

* Preached, March 17, 1811, before the University, from 1 Cor. ii. 2.

would easily have seen, I think, what attention such complaints deserved, when urged by such persons against a Minister, whose principles and character were well known, and who had spent his whole ministerial life in the service of that parish. It was impossible for me to answer those complaints without bringing forward many facts, which common modesty would have forbidden me ever to mention, just as the accusations of the false teachers compelled the Apostle Paul to declare many things for the vindication of his own character, which nothing but necessity could ever have induced him to disclose. The Bishop thinking that there were some things in my reply which would invalidate its force, sent to me to explain them; and these explanations rendered my answer so much the more triumphant; so that it was evident that the complainants had not a leg to stand upon. This reply of mine he forwarded (which was right enough) to the Parish, for them to communicate their observations upon it; and immediately they exerted themselves to the uttermost to find some flaw in it; but, not being able to do so, they never sent any answer to the Bishop, nor even returned him my reply, which he had intrusted to them; but pretended that they had lost the document, though it contained half a quire of paper.

"It is a curious fact, that the persons who laboured so earnestly to get themselves appointed churchwardens, and whose failure occasioned their petition to the Bishop, renewed their attempt the following year; and as it was a matter of indifference to me who was appointed to that office, I not only desired that nothing might be done to prevent their appointment, but went myself to vote for them. When I

came to the vestry, I saw two different lists, as is usual, and took up that paper which was full of names (concluding, of course, that it contained the votes in favour of my enemies), and was proceeding to add my name to the list, but behold, it was the list of those who voluntarily and unsolicited supported my friends, whilst the other list contained only five names for one of my enemies, and two for the other; these being all the votes they could gain, notwithstanding their canvass; so entirely had they disgusted the whole parish by their treatment of me. If ever God manifested (out of the Scriptures) the benefit of trusting in Him, and committing our ways to Him, I think He did it in this instance; for had my enemies succeeded, I should have been in hot water all my life by means of their wicked opposition; whereas through their extraordinary defeat, I have a prospect of carrying on the Lord's work through the remainder of my days in peace. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless His holy name!

"The Bishop found in this complaint no just occasion against me; but still he wanted to proceed against me, and to put down my evening lectures, which, in my reply, I had vindicated beyond all reasonable exception. He therefore wrote privately to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, and desired him to convene the Heads of Houses, and to enquire, whether they approved of the young men coming to my evening lectures (there being no doubt what answer would be given to an enquiry so made), that so he might put down the lectures, and cast the odium on them. And now, my soul, say whether there be not a God that ruleth in the earth? say whether there be not One who doeth according to His will in the armies of

heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, whose counsel shall stand, and who will do all His will? Yes; I see it on this occasion as clearly, as if I had seen the sun stand still on Gibeon, or the shadow go back on the sun-dial of Ahaz.

evils

"The Heads were convened, ostensibly to consult respecting the restoration of Mr. D., of College, to his degree, of which he had in conformity with a Grace of the Senate been deprived, though there was no blame but that of a mistake to be imputed to him. They were all met; and, without one syllable of the ostensible business being mentioned, the Bishop's letter was produced, and a written answer of disapprobation was produced with it, and they all rose up to sign it. It happened that one Head of a House, a friend of mine, who scarcely ever attends such meetings was there was there, I had almost said, by miracle-and it being the first that he had heard of any such busi ness, as that which was now brought forward, he observed, 'That he really had never heard of any arising from my lectures, nor saw any harm in the young men attending them; that he had always heard of the extreme care which I had invariably taken to prevent evil; and that, though he did not wish to keep others from signing the paper, he could not sign it himself. He thought that the Bishop had written to make enquiries of them, and that it was proper them to make enquiries, before they returned their answer; at least he felt it incumbent on him to do so." The propriety of these observations struck the whole company; and they agreed to meet again the week following to give the result of their enquiries, and they parted without adverting for a moment to the professed occasion for which the meeting had been

for