| Description | (Topics discussed includes the need for a law for preventing bribery and expenses at elections; the discipline in and doctrines of the Church of England; the role of Evangelical churchmen in the Church with specific references to ‘Seceders [sic] from Mr Eyre’s church’ in Reading and the founding of St Mary’s Castle Street, Reading. The letters also refer to health and family news, including the birth of William Wilberforce’s daughter.)
Transcript of letters: The ‘Reading Affair’
Transcriber’s notes:
[] denote expansions of abbreviations used by Wilberforce and other clarifications of the text;
Punctuation has been standardised as has, to a lesser extent, capitalisation;
1.Letter from William Wilberforce to John Simeon, 21 August 1799
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Broomfield Aug[ust] 21 99
My dear Simeon
I am really grieved at the idea of having treated you unkindly. I can however assure you that nothing has been farther from my intention. I could go into a long detail of the causes which have concurred in producing my obstinate silence, but I will only say that one of them is my having had 2 or 3 attacks of a feverish kind, which tho’ not very severe, have yet been sufficient to shake my weakly frame, and so sadly to throw me back in the
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discharge of all Business, that I have at my side a box full of unanswered letters. In selecting yours therefore to be first replied to, I may assume some credit. But, to speak the truth, I only am solicitous that you should do me justice by believing me always actuated towards you and Mrs S and all yours with the emotions of real friendship. As for your question concerning Mrs W (as I cannot conceive that the domestic occurrences [sic] of a person of so much consequence can fail to attract the public attention they so well deserve), I can ascribe it only to your affect[ing] to be plunged in an impenetrable retirement while buried in your Lodge
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at Mapledurham, that you were unacquainted with the tidings of Mrs W. having brought me a Daughter on the very day of the month on which the year before our son made his appearance. Both mother & child I thank God have uniformly done well. Indeed I can never be sufficiently thankful for all the many instances I experience of the Bounty of providence & of all these, my thanks are peculiarly due for my domestic comforts, the best blessings this world can afford, next to that “peace & joy in believing”, which can impart to them also a new delight by enlarging & extending the sphere
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of their action & the prospect of their continuance. – But I must remember my box full of letters & hasten to business. On the point however of the new Chapel, I can say no more than I did in town. Henry has been absent above a month, by the sea side, with all his family – they are all doing well – I adhere doubtless to the assurance I gave you of my willingness to accept the honourable, because confidential, trust your Reading friends propose to confer on me & my co-adjutors, on the conditions I stated to you. Next let me ask you how much money is wanted & how much ought Henry & I each of us to subscribe. I had thought of £100; having many urgent calls, some of them of a similar kind, which would render that sum more convenient to me than a greater. But tell me frankly your
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sentiments on this Head & also let me beg you to look over the Deed or Instrument, whatever it may be, by which the trust will be created or completed; for it would be very awkward for us to have to object to it and yet unless you, or someone on whom you can depend for the necessary accuracy & indeed Knowledge does see to it, there may be some incorrectness or ambiguity in an instrument out of the common line. And the main point should be perfectly secured in order to justify us churchmen from encouraging Schismatics. I told the Bishop of Lincoln myself what I had consented to & another mitred Head. No Reply was given but I thought I could observe no very cordial approbation. I assumed to myself however great merit on the Ground of having taken the only mode of possibly recovering to the Church a large congregation of persons cordially attached to its doctrines. I have your former instrument by me. What shall I do with it? How long do you stay in the country? Our plan is, after paying perhaps one visit to a friend
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in Kent, to repair to Bath, from the waters of which place I have uniformly derived Benefit
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Delivery address John Simeon Esq
Mapledurham near Reading
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But I don’t employ any thoughts on distant plans. Much do I envy you, (yet I hope I am grateful for the multiplied mercies of an indulgent Providence) your Retirement by Old Father Thames’ side. Here we cannot be quiet, and tho’ the grand advantage of the place is the opportunity it gives of selecting one’s company, yet I am sometimes tempted to exclaim with my favourite Cowper “O for a Lodge in some vast Wilderness” &c [from Cowper’s poem The Task, book 2]. But it is well that there should be always something to remind us that this is not our Rest. May we ever bear in mind that we are Strangers & Pilgrims. I had much to say to you on public matters [including]
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on Reading affairs. But I must lay down my pen. I have been interrupted again & again & am now [forced] to break off. How does Mr Eyre go on? How the Congregation? How Mr Speaker? Do open a little. Rely on my secrecy. Accept Mrs W’s & my own kindest [remembrances] & [affectionate] wishes & believe me [ever] most truly yours, W Wilberforce
2. Letter from William Wilberforce to John Simeon, 12 November 1799
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Near Bath Nov[embe]r 12th 99
My dear Simeon
How are you & Mrs S. & all yours? Both Mrs W. & I take that interest in the wellbeing of all of you that we like from time to time to receive a certificate of it. I thank God, I the chief invalid have profited from my Bath visit especially since [we] migrated to a little retirement a mile out of the City, where we enjoy quiet which in Bath itself is unattainable. The rest of us are all pretty well. Our little boy tho[ugh] not muscular, is very lively & the first beamings of intellectual light [? ] what Dr Johnson might term the void of intellectual vacanc[y]
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are so entertaining to me that Mama complains her little girl who is a much finer child, quoad animal, is shamefully neglected. But it is not to give an account of ourselves, nor to enquire after you, that I principally take up my pen, having just now less leisure than inclination for discussion, but to inform you that I have had occasion lately to mention your name. Mr Sturges of Reading, when at Bath last winter lent me 2 sermons in order to prove to me that he preached the Gospel & that therefore the Seceders from Mr Eyre’s Church might find with him what they wanted. This however was not the only motive for he also threw out his wish to exchange his Reading living for some prebendary
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or other preferment & I imagine he thought that by satisfying me that he preached the Gospel, as he also expressed it, entirely agreed with my book, he should conciliate me & induce me to assist him in the execution of this plan. A few days ago he wrote to me a 2nd time, desiring me to return the Sermons & again expressing all he had before said of his preaching the Gospel & agreeing with my book. But he also mentioned that he had heard a report very injurious to my character as a staunch friend to the Church of England, viz, that I had promised the Reading people to assist them in getting an Act of Parliament for consecrating the Chapel. I had however [he] the less believed it because having mentioned it to the Speaker
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He (Speaker) had said he was persuaded it could not be true because knowing his connection with Reading, I sho’d, from the friendly terms on which we are together, have mentioned it to him whereas I had never said to him one word about the matter – you see at once the very unpleasant circumstances in which this must have placed me with the Speaker, for whom I have really a sincere regard, & to whom I frankly confess I look with more hope & comfort in many points of view, as a public man, than to any other person. Persons who pass for being more religious than your generality, are always suspected of manoeuvres, of tricks &c &c, & they often become liable to this suspicion from that greater guard they think it right to keep over themselves by
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their making many of the minor concerns of life, matters of principle wherein mankind in general think[s] that there is no Right or Wrong. This sometimes gives to Religious characters an artificial constrain’d air, which is very disagreeable to “the million”. – On a little Reflection, it seemed to me the best course I could take to write to the Speaker a full account of all that had really passed between us; with the motives & principles on which we both acted and endeavoring [sic] to enforce on him the extreme importance of keeping any Body of men in the Church while there, on account of the great, the almost moral, probability that if once they sho’d have seceded they would never return; unless by some [such] means as we proposed their return should be provided for, or rather their entire secession be prevented – accordingly a day or two ago I did write to the Spkr fully. I thought I might as well tell you this, that if he sho’d mention the matter to you, you might be prepared to talk with him – I adhere to the
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opinion which I am pretty sure I talked to you about, that it would be eminently for the security & interest of the Church to enact a general law for facilitating the building of new Churches & Chapels on proper conditions, & I wish you would be turning in your mind what those conditions had best be. One appears to me the parties being compell’d to give security for expending a certain considerable sum in the undertaking. Thinking coolly on political topics, I am also most strongly impressed with a sense of the extreme importance of getting some law pass’d for preventing bribery & expence at Elections; In proportion as the wealth of the country flows into the chests of merchants & bankers & hoc genus omne, this becomes more & more important for reasons which I am sure will occur to you – Personal & moral influence must be supported by Law against that of the purse – We sincerely hope Mrs S or rather Master S has had no more alarms from her old complaint. Public affairs wear a gloomy aspect – Could I but see a moral improvement how would th[is] brighten my universal horizon – let us my dear friend try to do all the good & prevent
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all the evil we can & above all daily be growing in all those qualif[ications] which may render us more meet to be
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partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light. I must break off. Yours ever aff[ectionately], WW
3. Letter from William Wilberforce to John Simeon, 7 January 1800
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Near Bath Jan 7th 1800
My dear Simeon
The matter grows worse & worse & I will no longer be the slave of that foul fiend Procrastination, which if it has made me appear unkind to you, has at least in an equal degree, been really unjust to myself – the truth is however, that this same tyrant has attacked me at an advantage, by being able to throw in from time to time the suggestion that “as I could say nothing definite or satisfactory, I might as well remain silent altogether” – But why nothing definite or satisfactory? To answer this Quere I must resume the narrative contained in my last letter – I left off
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you will remember having written to the Speaker & not having received his Reply – shortly after, a letter came from him, not as I rather expected of the objurgatory sort, but as kind & friendly as I could desire; only deprecating any hasty act that might be beyond recall, until I should have heard what he had to [urge] the measure – When his letter came Venn was with me & I conferred on the subject with him fully & confidentially – about the same time also arrived your Packet; which I confess completed the confusion – For certainly I must think with Henry Thornton that though He & I & others like us might give the strongest & to unprejudiced men, the most manifest Proof of our Zeal for the Establish-
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ment by accepting the office of Trustees for securing the Readmission of the Seceded Congregation into the fold, & then appointing their Pastor, yet to do more than this, to take the Superintendence of them during their Secession, would be to bring our attachment to the Church into Suspicion with all who were not so firmly convinced of the steadfastness of that attachment as to stand against a presumptive agreement to the contrary; to say nothing (which however I feel to be important) of the incompetency of myself, for one, to execute the office of selector of an officiating minister for them whilst they remain seceders; from my unacquaintedness with that Class of men & my having no measure by which to estimate them. Besides
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I would hold myself forth as approving of the Secession, on which I am far from having made up my mind. [Sure] I am, that I think it ought to have been a measure slowly resorted to, & in the last extremity. But I did not intend to say so much on this part of the meeting but to tell you shortly the painful state of my mind on the other. I can do it the more clearly, because our sentiments, I know, agree almost entirely, if not quite so on the whole subject of the present state of Religion in this Country. You agree with me that the true way to promote its interests, is to multiply & to amend the Evangelical ministers of the Church of England.
There is unhappily a Prejudice against this most respectable body of men (arising partly from the indiscretions & faults of some of their imprudent mem-
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bers) which prejudice has spread thro’ the Bench of Bishops almost to a man, thro’ many of high rank and amiable character & I knew it has too much place in the mind of Mr Pitt & I fear of the Speaker also. Now it was my strenuous endeavour last winter to rectify Mr Pitt’s judgement in this particular – and for this purpose I desired to bring the matter to the proof; I offer’d to name to him a considerable number of Clergy of this description & maintained that if he would institute an Inquiry into their character he would find them eminent in all that could recommend the Parish Priest, tho’ perhaps they might labour under the vague and general charge of Enthusiasm.
Sorry however am I to say, that the Indiscretions & the noisy but empty professions
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of too many who attract more notice than the simple humble & unobtrusive Religionists (I speak here of Flocks more than of their Pastors) have afforded but too much ground on which the enemies of Evangelical Religion may plant their Batteries; And I know that it has been for some time in contemplation to abridge the perfect liberty of conscience hitherto enjoyed among us. But no more of this for the present – except for the purpose of leading me to my former conclusion – strive to conciliate the minds of men in power to the Evangelical Clergy; I mean to such of them as are really unobjectionable; to your rational learned regular divines who are cordially attached to the doctrine & discipline of the Church of England. From various causes I consider myself as very
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favourably circumstanced for fighting this battle or rather for winning my way by Sap rather than by Storm, for so it is that we can only make our Way. But if I were once suspected to be but a false Brother of the Church, if my zeal for it were ever brought into question, I should cease to be capable of rendering any services in the way before alluded to. Therefore my duty manifestly is, to avoid whatever (not being matter of absolute & clear obligation) might, even by Perversion or Misconstruction, be turn’d into an argument to prove me too well affected to the dissenters or too closely connected with them. Now you know as well as I, the influence which the Speaker has with Mr Pitt, & tho’ the former did not open to me much on the subject
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of the Reading affair, I fear he conceives the Seceders to have been very disaffected to the Church &c &c. Now if by coming forward in this Reading affair (wherein many others could almost if not quite do as well as myself) I should hereafter appear to have incapacitated myself for the discharge of the most important duties of the performance of the most valuable services which I might otherwise have rendere’d, I should doubtless look back upon my conduct with deep regret. Our Influence, no less than our time & our money is a talent committed to our Stewardship, for our expenditure of which we are responsible, & we must be very careful on the one hand not to squander as on the other not to bury it or hoard it
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up. I have thus frankly told you my dear Simeon the leading sensations of my mind. I mean to determine nothing positively till I return to London, but as I may possibly be much occupied on first arrival, I have preferr’d opening to you before my arrival. Ponder the matter in your mind, as I am sure you will, with a serious consideration of the great interests that are at stake. I shall be glad to meet with you & talk with you after you have thoroughly revolved the question. I have not said what however is the fact, that I have felt the most serious uneasiness, at even the Idea of reconsidering after having told you I would consent (I speak of the Trusteeship limited as was first understood) but I think besides
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that friendship which would almost in any case prevent our taking offence the one ab[out] the other; I verily [believe crossed out] think that what finally I think right for me to do, that you will
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Delivery address John Simeon Esq MP
Master in Chancery Red Lion Square
London
[Struck out and readdressed to]
John Simeon Esq MP
Mapledurham Near Reading Berks
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also finally approve; from the coincidence which I believe there is in our Relig[ious] principles & gen[eral] notions on subjects of Eccles[iastical] Bear[ing]. I have left scarce room for saying that both Mrs W. and I think of you & Mrs S & all yours with great cordiality. We are all pretty well I thank God, May He bless & comfort you & so pray
yours very sincerely W. Wilberforce
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I have [economised] in paper habitually forgetting that I was writing to a member of Parliament
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Multos Felices! Or rather (for so a [Chris]tian may speak) may Blessings both here & hereafter be your portion. |