PERVERSION OF A CLERGYMAN.
THE Advertisements that are sent to some of our contemporaries, must be altered by them. Here, for instance, is a notification, extracted from the Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury, by which unprincipled journal it has evidently been corrupted in the grossest manner:—
THE REVEREND RALPH WILLIAM TOLLEMACHE having obtained the exclusive right of Shooting, Sporting, &c., over the whole of the Manor of Clipsham (except Addah Wood), and Lands belonging to J. M. Paget, Esquire, in the Lordship of Pickworth, in the county of Rutland, hopes that all qualified Persons will refrain from trespassing upon the said Lands; as also upon Lands in the Lordship of South Witham, over which he has the right of Shooting, &c., including Lands belonging to the Blue Bull Farm in the Parish of Castle Bytham and the Hamlet of Lobthorpe, in the county of Lincoln; and in the Parish of Thistleton, in the county of Rutland; also on the Blue Point Farm in the Parish of Wymondham, in the county of Leicester.
All Poachers, &c., will be proceeded against with the utmost rigour of the law; and Mr. Tollemache hereby gives notice, that he will pay to any Person who will give such information as will lead to the conviction of any Person or Persons, for any breach whatsoever of the Game Laws upon any of the aforementioned Lands, the sum of Ten Shillings upon each such conviction.
South Witham, August 22, 1853.
In the above announcement should be made the following corrections:—For "Shooting, Sporting, &c.," read "Preaching, Praying, &c.;" for "Manor," read "Parish;" for "Persons," read "Parsons;" for "County of Lincoln," read "Diocess of Lincoln," &c. &c.
For "All Poachers, &c., will be proceeded against with the utmost rigour of the law," read "All Preachers will be proceeded against with the utmost rigour of the Gospel"—by "Poachers," understanding to be meant unauthorised fanatics and disseminators of false doctrine. Understand, also, that the hope expressed by Mr. Tollemache, "that all qualified Parsons will refrain from trespassing," &c., means that he does not wish other clergymen to interfere with his people. Lastly, for "Conviction," read "Conversion;" for "for," "from;" and for "Game," "Divine." This is a quaint way of expressing himself on the part of the Reverend Ralph William Lionel Tollemache; but John Bunyan was quaint; so was John Wesley: so was Rowland Hill—why not Mr. Tollemache?
It is too bad to represent a Minister as addicted to the sports of the Field, when, in fact, he devotes himself to the labours of the Vineyard; as beating stubble and cover with retrievers of the canine species, instead of perambulating the highways and by-ways with Scripture Readers; and in place of converting criminals to rectitude, as converting poachers into criminals.
The spiritual manor of the Reverend Mr. Tollemache includes several districts; but, anxious as he is to do the work of them himself, it is not fair to call him a pluralist. His mild wish that his brethren will refrain from trespassing on his ground, assures us that he has no difficulty in forgiving all his neighbours their trespasses.