LETTERS TO THE REV. CHARLES FUSTIAN, AN ANGLO-CATHOLIC. {From Blackwood's Magazine)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 387, 29 December 1849, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE REV. CHARLES FUSTIAN, AN ANGLO-CATHOLIC. {From Blackwood's Magazine)

I.ETTKR FOURTH. I had not sealed up the letter which I inclose to you herewith, my dear Charles, and fortunately, ai it turns out— for I have it now in ray power to tell you the conclusion of your machinations in this parish. Three weeks have elapsed since the expedition to Holy well Tree. My anger, I confess, with Dr. Smiler was so hot that I never called at the parsonage ; and after the first Sunday I did not even go to church.— The communion-table is now surmounted by a gigantic crucifix — a cover of bright velvet, with a goldeu star in the centrr, hsngs down to the ground, while a vaie of flowers stands on the middle of the table, flanked at each side by immense candleiticks, with a candle of two or three pound* weight in each. There is a stone creding table, an eagle on one side of the aide in bronze, and the old rcceis in the porch is cleared out, and a basin placed in it— but whether for the reception of holy water or charitable pence I did not stop to inquire. There is daily service at tea in tke morning. The girls wear a tegular uniform, and call themselves Sisters of the Order of St. Cecilia, and have appointed Swallowlies their father confessor; and once or twice a week, I believe, he or Rowdy, or Mount Huxtable attend* in the vestry, and takes the young ladies, one by one, to a solitary conversation, with the door locked. And the best of the affair is, that Tom Blazer and his two military friendf are as

conitant in their attendance us the rest But, with these exceptions there is not a man to be seen in the church, either on week-days or Sundays ; for lam told that even John Simpkins and Peter Bolt have struck for wages, and won't attend praydrs under half-a-crowu a week. So we hare begun a subscription in the parish for a district chapel ; and in the mean time ws stream off by the hundred either to the church or meeting* houses of the nearest parish. Major M'Turk, I am, ■orry to say, hai had many interviews with the Rev. Mr. Rowdy, and has become almost an infidel, with a leaning, if anything, to the religion of the Buddhiita in India, who fast, he says, fifty times more, and gn through a though a thousand times more painful penancei than either Puseyite or Papist. This morning I was surprised to see Dr. Smiler cominjc up my garden walk, r.i he used to do in the days of our friendship. He looked rather downcast at he drew near the window, where I wai bu*y getting ray fishing-flieg in order, and coughed once or twice, is if to announce bis approach. I pretended not to hear him, and continued absorbed in my lines and feathers ; and instead of coming in at the open door as be has done for the last twenty years, he actually rang the bell, and old Thomas had to bustle on his coat and come out of the back yard to see who was there— and I thought the old man's tone was a little sharp when he anuounced Dr. Smilcr. " How do you do, Dr. Smiler ?" I said very cour • teously ; " have the kindness to be seated."'^ The Doctor sat down. "Are you going to the brook to day," he enquired. " Yes, if the wind holds, I shall try it for an hour or two this evening. I hope Mrs. Smiler is well." " She i» not well," he said. "And Christina— Miis Christina?" I added, correct'" ing rifyself. " Dying," said the Doctor, "Christina dying!" I exclaimed, starting up, and taking the Doctor's hand ; "my dear Smiler. why didn't you tell ui — why didn't you send for us ?" " I was ashamed, and that's the truth," said the Doctor. "Ah, Buddie, you were wiser than I." •'How?— what? Is it that rascal Mount Huxtable?" I inquired. "No doubt of it," replied Smiler. "He has ruined the happiness of my daughter, turned away the hearts of my parishioners, and made me a laughing. stock to the whole county," " Is he not going to marry her, thsn .'—did he not call on you after the pic-nic ?" "No, he didn't call on me ; but he cons-iHed Christina's taste in all things — got her to sup L .ntend this alterations in the church, the candlesticks ard flowers ; he even asked her what style of paper sV liked for drawing-rooms, and the poor girl expected every moment that he would make a formal demand." u It may come yet," I said, endeavouring to cheer him. "It can't, my .dear friend ; I find he is married already." 11 The villain 1" " He was an intimate friend of Charles Fustain," continued the Rector," and by hit advice answered my advertisement for an anti-Trnctarian curate ; by Ilia advice alto he concealed (he fact of his marriage, And, in the course of lets than a month ice what he ha* done." " He denied that he knew Charles Fustian." " I accused him 6f the duplicity this morning, but be cays it was for the good of the flock ; and as he is their shepherd for two years, he has a greater interest in them than I." 4< And how did he explain his speeches to Christina ?'* " General observations," he says; "he wished her opinion on drawing-room papeis, and required her assistance in the interior arrangement of his church." " His church Ir-the puppy ! We shall petition the bishop." " Of no use," aaid the Rector. " You will perceive, my dear Buddie, that the generality of the bench are ■ tither very fond of power and flattered with Puseyite ■ycophancy, or anxious to keep pace with the titled aristocracy, and very fond of ' gentility.' Now, there is no denying that the Tractarinns are more polished men, and ai far as the arts and refinement! go, more cultivated men than the labouring clergy generally, and therefore these two things keep them secure from any authoritative condemnation — their truckling to their spiritual superiors, nnd their standing in aociety. If Mount Huxtable had been n vulgar fellow, though with the energy and holiness of St. Paul — if he h.-d stood up against his diocesan and vindicated his liberty, either of speech of sction, in the slightest degree — we could have hurled him from the parish, probably into gaol, in spite of all the licenses in the world ; but I have no hope in this case." " Then I have," I said, " for, from what you told me of the fellow's hypocrisy, I have no doubt hp waa the very man who was received, as they call it, into the Romish Church by Biihop Cunuingoam, three months since." "It ii surely impossible, my dear Buddie; how could he officiate iv our church after being a professed papist ?" " Easily, my dear Smiler ; it has been very often done, and is frequently done at this moment. Take that account of the ceremony with you, and tax him with it at once." The Doctor folded up the paper, and went on— " But this is not all. How am Ito atone to poor Mrs, Blazer and poor Mrs. Swainlovc. for what haa happened ?" " Why — what has happened to the old ladies ?" "Jones has eloped with Araminta Blazer, and in. the same post-chaise Smith has carried off Tiudorella Swainlove !" " Why, they were ulmost professed unbelievers— at leait not at all Tractarian." "That doesn't matter. They are off, and what we have now to hope for ii — that they will go to Gretna Green. Young Pulser also has kicked Mr. Rowdy into the mill-pond, where he was nearly drowned, for something or oilier he said or did to Piiicilla Pulser at confession ; and, to comp'e'e the catalogue of woes, Mr. Swallowlies has been arrested for theft; for it appears that the calf which Janet Wheedler sold him was not her own, but belonged to farmer Ruff head." What could I lay to comfort the poor old Rector under such a tremendous cloud of calamity ? The solitary glimpse of satisfaction, I confess, which I individually caught from his nanative was, that Araminta had shown the good taste to leave a friend of mine ia the lurch. I will add nothing to this letter, for lam hurrying off to assist the Doctor in comforting his household, and recovering possession of his pariah. — How we succeed in thii, and what stepi we take to regain the confidence and affection of the flock, I shall not fail to inform you. Meanwhile, reflect on all thof; has arisen from your introduction of these foreign mummeries and superstitions into this quiet parish, and "how great effects from little causes spring." s Yours, &c. ' T. Buddlb.

At Barrackpore, Lieutcmnt R. B. Norton, of the 35ih Bengal N.L.1., was tr ed by a court-martial, and conyicted of hating quitted his post without leave vrl»en on duty, and ucveroly reprimanded by Sir C. Napier.