1865-1866.]

LETTER FROM REV. JOSEPH HARGROVE. 231

evidence of his admiration for, and sympathy with, good work, by whomsoever done. One example of this was the parish of Gedling, near Nottingham, of which Canon (now Lord) Forester became rector in 1867. He was an old friend of my father (the late Rev. Charles Hargrove), and he took an early opportunity of introducing him to Mr. Morley, and from that time he was always ready to help, with counsel, with money, or by his presence, in the various good works which Canon Forester was constantly setting on foot. The parish had been much neglected in former years, but instead of lamenting or reproaching the sloth and indifference of former generations, he looked rather at the duty of the hour. Writing to me on June 6, 1872, in reply to some complaint as to the difficulty of the work (I was then curate of Gedling), he says: 'Don't be discouraged, but fight on valiantly. The difficulty to which you refer is the result of the neglect of years-neglect of employers, clergymen, ministers, and Christians of all classes. When the rectory or vicarage is ready for you (wherever that may be), you will be all the fitter for the future conflict, owing to the present discipline, with all its pressure and disappointment.' The first necessary work was building a large school, to which he subscribed liberally; not long after this, it was seen to be very important to make the parish church more comfortable and suitable for Divine service, and I was deputed to mention this to him. I well remember the smile and pretended remonstrance: You don't expect an old Dissenter like me to help to restore churches!' But his cheque soon came, and many more followed for other good works.

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The fact was, that he had intense sympathy with 'the people' (a feeling which, indeed, he once told me, when I was speaking of ordination, he considered to be the true motive which should influence a man in entering the ministry), and when he saw any one, like Canon Forester, earnestly anxious to alleviate the condition of the poor, he was ready to help heartily, without staying to inquire too particularly into their methods, or expecting exact conformity with his own views. His sympathy was quickly roused, whenever he fancied there was wrong done of any kind, but it was also deep and lasting. He was, indeed, often apt to speak and act upon impulse, which laid him open to imposture, though it imparted a delightful freshness to his conversation, in bright contrast to some who are constant recipients of appeals for help, and seen to be always on their guard. I remember an amusing instance of this, which took place in my own rooms at Cambridge. We were discussing some religious or ecclesiastical question, when he took up a Prayer Book, and finding it open at the

25th Article, he began reading at the top of the page: Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance when, throwing down the book, he exclaimed: 'Why, Hargrove, what have you got to do with penance? And where do you find five sacraments in the Bible?' 'Read on a few words more, if you please,' I replied; and so he did: 'Those five commonly called sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for sacraments of the Gospel,' when he again laid down the book, and joined in a hearty laugh at the hasty judgment which he had been about to pass upon the doctrine of the Church of England. This story was characteristic of him in more ways than one, for he always enjoyed a joke, and cared little whether the laugh was for or against himself and his friends. He could see the humorous side of questions on which he felt and spoke seriously, and was never averse to relieving weighty discussion by listening to a good story, or giving or receiving a thrust pointed with wit.

Mr. Morley's humour exhibited itself in as great a variety of ways and on as unexpected occasions as would have satisfied the quaint old writer, Barrow, who says: "Sometimes it lieth in pat allusions to a well-known story, or in seasonable application of a trivial saying, or in forging an apposite tale; sometimes it playeth in words and phrases, taking advantage from the ambiguity of their sense, or the affinity of their sound; sometimes it is wrapped in a dress of humorous expression; sometimes it lurketh under an odd similitude; sometimes it is lodged in a sly question, in a smart answer, in a quirkish reason, in a shrewd imitation, in cunningly diverting, or cleverly retorting, an objection; sometimes it is couched in a bold scheme of speech, in a startling metaphor, in a plausible reconciling of contradictions, or in acute nonsense; and often it consisteth in one knows

1865-1866.]

HUMOUR.

233

not what, and springeth up one can hardly tell how."

An example of Mr. Morley's humour may be given here, although it relates to a later period. One of his sons having begun to drive four horses, Mr. Morley cut out of a newspaper an advertisement, and sent it in a letter as a playful remonstrance. The advertisement ran :

COACHING. WANTED, a gentleman with a thousand at command for extension in a well-appointed, old-established four-horse COACHING BUSINESS in a healthy seaside town. Money secured in stock, &c. A good chance for a gentleman wishing to learn how to drive. Address

The letter accompanying the above advertisement was as follows:

HALL PLACE, TONBRIDGE.

DEAR You will, I am sure, believe in my sincere desire for your success in any undertaking on which, in the exercise of a sound judgment, you may be disposed to enter. Without pronouncing a judgment on the venture to which the enclosed advertisement refers, it has an attraction to certain minds, and certainly has an educational aspect which may be of value, and I have therefore thought it well to send it for your perusal, sincerely hoping that you may make a wise decision in reference to it.

Your loving father,

S. MORLEY.

t

CHAPTER XIV.

1864-1868.

Correspondence with Lord Shaftesbury-Mr. Spurgeon-The Formularies of the Church of England-The Free Church of Scotland-Letter from Dr. Guthrie-Bunhill Fields Burial Ground-The Education Question-The Morning Star and the Daily News-A Narrow Escape-Allegiance to Mr. Gladstone-Railway Companies and Nonconformists-Mr. Ernest JonesCapital and Labour-Letter to the Pall Mall Gazette.

WITHIN the years 1864 and 1866, there was considerable correspondence between Mr. Morley and the Earl of Shaftesbury upon a variety of subjects. These two men stood in the forefront of all the religious and philanthropic movements of their times, and while each, politically, was the representative of a totally distinct set of issues from the other, the two were working together with mutual cordiality and esteem towards one common end-the welfare of man. What Lord Shaftesbury was among the Evangelicals of the Church of England, Mr. Morley was among all the Evangelical Churches of the Nonconformists. Neither of them, however, was sectarian, and there were innumerable occasions when they worked together for the common good, without any reference to Church or Dissent. Each had profound respect for the other, and each was zealous to help the other in every good word and work.

1864-1868.] LORD SHAFTESBURY AND MR. SPURGEON. 235

Both Samuel Morley and Lord Shaftesbury were friends and admirers of Mr. Spurgeon, and both watched his widening sphere of influence with eagerness. Mr. Spurgeon had from his childhood known the merchant philanthropist, and loved him all through his life. When Mr. Spurgeon was a boy of ten, he competed for a prize to be given by Mr. Morley for the best essay "On Popery." He was not successful in the competition, but his essay was so good that Mr. Morley awarded him an "extra" prize of £3—a little fortune in the estimation of the boy.

Mr. Spurgeon's Protestantism came out strongly at the age of ten, but more strongly still, when, as a young man, he was sailing on the high tide of popularity.

In those days, before experience had ripened his judgment and mellowed his views, he was apt sometimes to deal hard blows at the Church of England. One attack of special violence called forth the following protest from Lord Shaftesbury :—

Lord Shaftesbury to Mr. Samuel Morley.

STRESA, LAGO MAGGIORE, Sept. 16, 1864. MY DEAR MR. MORLEY,-Is there no hope of staying-I do not say of reconciling-this sad controversy raised by Mr. Spurgeon?

I have been endeavouring, during a good part of my life, to bring on a friendly feeling and a spirit of co-operation between Nonconformists and the Established Church. But this unhappy outbreak will undo a large part of what has been done, and introduce bitterness and antagonism.

For myself, I dislike the Popish doctrine as much as Mr. Spurgeon does, but I deny that it is taught by our Church. The one or two ambiguous expressions of the Prayer Book are explained by the other