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,