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to the trustees that the binding of the Church Service with the Psalms, separately from the Old and New Testament, would be an improvement, by rendering the books more portable and commodious"; but it was resolved at the next meeting that as this would raise the cost from 7s. to 8s. 6d. there should be no alteration.

Much attention was devoted by the trustees to the improvement and re-letting of the Bible Lands and the investment of the funds arising from increased rents. The total amount accumulated in 1800 was £6,000, which was afterwards still further increased. The most active and influential members of the Trust for some years were Thomas Harley, Michael Newton, and John Robinson. The list of persons to whom the Bibles were to be sent and the form of the Letter of Instructions to distributors were usually submitted to Mr. Robinson when he was not present. Whilst displaying much interest in the Charity, he seems to have considered that it might be administered according to the will of the trustees without much regard to the will of the Founder. With reference to some request which he had made, it was resolved at one of the meetings (1799) "that Mr. Robinson's request be complied with out of respect to him, but the trustees wish not in future to deviate from my Lord Wharton's instructions." A writer in a monthly periodical a few years later was not illinformed when he stated, "the late John Robinson, Esq., of Sion Hill, Essex, M.P. for Harwich, lately procured the Book of Common Prayer to be given with the Bibles to the children." *

John Robinson (1727-1802) was a native of Appleby, Westmorland, where he practised as a solicitor. He was afterwards a student of Gray's Inn; married a daughter of Nathaniel Crowe, a planter in Barbadoes, obtaining with her an ample fortune; was the principal agent of Sir James Lowther (Earl of Lonsdale), M.P. for Westmorland, and subsequently for Harwich, and a Monthly Magazine" for June, 1803, p. 419.

Tory supporter of Lord North, by whom he was made Secretary of the Treasury. He is described as "a little, thick-set, handsome fellow." While in office he was the chief medium of communication between the Ministry and its supporters. Those whom he seduced from the Opposition were known as "Robinson's rats"; and Sheridan, when attacking bribery and its authors, retorted, in reference to shouts of "Name! Name!" by looking fixedly at Robinson on the Treasury Bench and exclaiming, "Yes, I could name him as soon as I could say Jack Robinson." In 1778 he purchased Wyke Manor at Syon Hill, Isleworth, and in 1787 Pitt made him Surveyor of Woods and Forests. He died of apoplexy at Harwich, December 23rd, 1802, and was buried at Isleworth.* To him the change in the administration of the Trust above mentioned must be largely attributed.

CLERGYMEN ALONE DISTRIBUTORS, 1793.

"The Catechism and other books mentioned by Lord Wharton are not such as it would have been proper to ask a conforming clergyman to distribute."-JOSEPH HUNTER, F.S.A.

The alteration of the books sent out with the Bibles was followed by a change of the persons to whom they were sent. A list of the distributors is not now obtainable; but there are numerous indications of this alteration and the direction which it took. In 1793 it was ordered that eighty Bibles should be sent to Halifax and thirty to Knaresborough; and the Earl of Kinnoul was requested to write to Dr. Coulthurst, the vicar of Halifax, and to the Rev. Andrew Cheap, vicar of Knaresborough, about distributing them; but no more Bibles than ten were to be sent to Wooburn. The Bibles for Healaugh and Catterton were (1796) to be distributed by Archdeacon Robert Markham, of "Boulton Persey"; and at Appleby, where James Parkin had recently died, by William Wilkin, Esq. It "Dictionary of National Biography."

was, however, ordered in 1797 that "the Bibles for Ravenstonedale should be sent to Mr. Richard Hewetson" (a Nonconformist). It is also recorded that in 1800 certain distributors of the Bibles had made no return,

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In the following year it was resolved to discontinue sending Bibles to certain places not mentioned in Lord Wharton's Instructions.

A much more complete alteration took place, chiefly through the zeal of Hugh Powell, who, after the resignation of the Secretary, Edward Bangham, in 1801, undertook the work of Secretary and Treasurer of the Charity, and continued to perform it for twenty years. He was Treasurer of Bartholomew Hospital, and latterly lived in a house forming part of that institution, in which the meetings of the trustees were often held. At a trustees' meeting at the Earl of Kinnoul's, Upper Harley Street, May 30th, 1802, when the Earl, Mr. Newton, and Mr. Powell were present, it was resolved:

"That Mr. Treasurer, in the name of the Trustees, do transmit to the Rev. Dr. Drake a list of the present distributors of the Bibles at the different places in the county of Bucks, and desire that if any of them are improper he will be pleased to recommend others in their room."

It has been often stated that the distribution of the Bibles "fell into the hands of the clergy of the Established Church," as if it took place by accident, and not of deliberate purpose. But the letter of Mr. Powell and the reply which he received so clearly manifest this purpose that they are here given in full:

"No. 5, Charter House Square, April 9th, 1803.

Sir, The Trustees of Lord Wharton's Charity for the distribution of Bibles being very desirous to entrust that duty to proper persons, and wishing, moreover, to promote the principles of the Established

* John Anthony, a leading member of "The Old Meeting" at Beaconsfield.

Church, submit to your consideration the annexed list of present distributors within the county of Bucks, and having the highest opinion of your discernment and of your inclination to preserve the credit of this excellent Charity, earnestly request you will do them the favour to add your remarks against each name. And if any of them appear to you improper, that you will be pleased to substitute in their room such others as you conceive to be more eligible.—I am, sir, your obedient servant,

HUGH POWELL, Treasurer and a Trustee.

Aylesbury, Rev. John Harris.
High Wyc., Mr. John Carter.
Waddesdon and Winchendon,
Rev. Mr. Terry.

Wendover (Vacant).
Winslow, Mr. Jas. Burnham.

Chesham, Mr. Hy. Rumsey.
Great Marlow, Mr. Jos. Wright.
Beaconsfield,

Mr. John Anthony (deceased).
Wooburn, Rev. Mr. English."

(Reply)

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"Amersham, April 11th, 1803.

Sir, I was favoured with your obliging letter yesterday, and cannot but feel myself highly flattered by the good opinion of me by yourself and the rest of the Trustees. I should humbly conceive that the clergy of the respective places would be, generally speaking, the proper persons to distribute the Bibles. Indeed, I ventured to hint the same thing upon a similar application from Mr. [Thomas] Harley in 1787. Many of the parishes are situated so wide from this place that I am wholly unacquainted with the present distributors. Your obedient servant, J. DRAKE."

At the next meeting, held at the Earl of Kinnoul's, May 30th, 1803, Mr. Newton and Mr. Powell alone being present, it was resolved :

"That they shall be so sent for the future particularly to the different places within the county of Bucks, and that Mr. Treasurer be desired to direct the same accordingly, unless he shall see sufficient reason to the contrary. That the ten Bibles for Bilton be directed to the rector or resident clergyman."

What was done in Bucks appears to have been done in the Northern counties. Referring especially to Yorkshire, an anonymous writer in the "Monthly Magazine" for June, 1803, stated that "about the time of the late controversy respecting the Test Act [1787-1790], this charitable bequest was taken from the Dissenters, and sent to ministers of the Establishment who happened to reside in those towns that are mentioned by Lord

Wharton, and they have received it ever since." None others were henceforth regarded as "proper persons to receive and distribute the Bibles.

"Upon the change of administration of the Wharton Trust, towards the close of the 18th century, the 100 Books for York City were most probably sent to the Dean of York, and he, being a member of the York Sunday School Committee, entrusted the distribution to the Committee, who continued to be the sole distributors in York until and including the year 1867, whenthrough neglect to furnish the trustees with lists of recipients—the books were, upon the advice of Dean Duncombe, sent to such of the York Incumbents as applied for them."*

SERMONS ONLY BY CLERGYMEN, 1801.

"The purport, design, and scope of every such sermon to be to discover and prove to the people the truth, usefulness, sufficiency, and excellency of the Holy Scriptures, and the people's right to have them fully in their own language; and also their duty to read, study, and search the Scriptures, and take them for their only unerring rule of faith, worship, and manners; and that there be conceived prayers by the minister who shall preach such sermon, before and after every such sermon, amongst other things proper for the said occasion."-INSTRUCTIONS.

The Instructions of Lord Wharton were well known to the trustees, and an extract from them, so far as accorded with the manifest purpose before referred to, was printed and sent to the distributors. Special attention was directed to the preaching of sermons as provided therein. At a meeting held at the Earl of Kinnoul's, June 17th, 1801, when the Earl, Mr. Robinson (this was his last attendance), Mr. Newton, and Mr. Powell were present, it was resolved:

"That where the sermon is to be preached according to the Instructions the clergyman be requested to preach accordingly, and

"Lord Wharton's Bible Charity: a brief statement of the administration of the Charity, with special reference to the City of York," by John Howard.

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