A PARSON IN LOVE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 975, 5 September 1868, Page 4

A PARSON IN LOVE.

The following extraordinary story is told by the Sydney correspondent of the Yass Coivrier : — " With us in Sydney news is dull, but notso withour Parramattafrieuds, who have been enlivened by the gossip arising out of the vagaries or the parson doing duty at All Saint's Parish Church. Like our English friend, the Rev. C. H. Crauford, of Oldswinford Church, Ashford, the Parramatta clergyman, has, to the great astonishment of his relations, friends, and parishioners, engaged to marry a young person not sixteen years of age, the daughter of a publican living in the town. When asked concerning the pledge, he manfully acknowledged its truthfulness, and said he was sure his choice would not be acceptable to the parish, and he would arrange to leave. The bishop was communicated with, and arrangements made for his successor. But for what follows, I should certainly not have thought of saying much about the worthy parson ; but last Sunday evening, when preaching his farewell sermon — said to be at the instigation of one of the gaol officials and a well known widow residing in Parramatta — he took occasion to deliver a most vulgar and abusive discourse upon respectability for turning its back upon him, several of the leading families having left the church since the denouement of the interesting affair. Like his prototype at Oldswinford, he made an attempt to preach rather than live down the gossip occasioned. It is stated that his friends already referred to, gave the Parramatta parson instructions to * give it them (the respectable people) hot and strong,' and from the sample I append of his discourse, you will see that he followed his instructions. Of the young girl herself no one has an unkind word to say, but as I proceed I think it will be clear that the young tiling is likely rather to deserve our sympathy and pity. Her age and want of proper training to take the lead in pai'ochial matters disqualified her, it was thought, from advancing the already languishing energies of the parish— sadly neglected of late by the pressing calls of courtship and matrimony. The following is the elegant diction of the clergyman referred to. I give it you word for word, and it is a choice specimen of an evening sermon from the pulpit of a church : — 'Respectability, indeed; I hate the name, and pray that I may never be considered respectable. Respectability won't allow you to use the knife for the fork, yet it receives with open arms the well-dressed and jewelled monger, swindler, and seducer ; and often rewards him by making him a member of Parliament or an alderman. Respectability would not allow a man to rob a henroost, but it sanctioned his robbing his ci'editors of thousands. I shall be satisfied to die without being respectable, if one individual can be found to sit on my tombstone and say, ' Here are the remains of a man who reclaimed one soul from sin,' which I hope to do by rearing up a fair-haired son.'" The whole church was convulsed with laughter, and his future wife was present during this very delicate public allusion."