A CLERICAL CONTEST IN THE BLACK COUNTRY. lrF there is

one thing capable of disgusting the heartiest

Radical with the principle of popular election, it is a contest for one of those Church-of-England livings — fortu- nately but few—which lie in the gift of the parishioners or ratepayers as a body. The town of Bilston, in Stafford- shire, is just now the scene of such a contest. It lies in the heart of the Black Country, amongst a population perhaps of the roughest that England can show. The Staffordshire collieries are notorious for exhibiting the very worst features connected with the trade. With perhaps a portion of Lancashire, it is the coal district in England where truck and the tyranny of the middle- man—of the " batty " and his "doggie "—are still most rife. It is sufficient to recall the North Staffordshire puddlers' strike of a few years back as evidence of the bitter feelings between masters and men in a slightly higher field of labour, that of the iron-works. The pottery trades, again, though they rise much higher, and are very powerfully organized, would probably hold but a low rank in the general scale of English labour. Immediately about Bilston, however, if we mistake not, it is coal-mining and iron-works which prevail. The town itself, with its surroundings, thrives, grows apace, in its own rough way. And here, after long years of sequestration, the living of St. Leonard's has fallen vacant, endowed chiefly in land, which has more than doubled in value since the last vacancy. The living is consequently worth now between £800 and £900 a year, and forms, in fact, henceforth one of the so- called "prizes of the Church."

"Where the carcase is, there shall the eagles be gathered together." We have before us a batch of handbills connected with the election, which are quite sufficient to show, in the words of a friend residing in the town (and who had been most anxious to secure for it a clergyman of really high attainments and character), that "one could not ask a Christian gentleman to allow himself to be trailed through the mud that is now disturbed." In criticizing these documents, the writer must observe that, except through the papers themselves, he knows nothing whatever of any single one of the candidates, and can therefore lay claim to perfect impartiality.

The first is the least objectionable of any. It is an appeal— perhaps genuine—by "A Working-Man" to the working-men of Bilston, on behalf of the curate in charge. "Is it fair or right," it asks, "that Mr. Ward should be turned out of his home ? He has done his work well for /200 a year, don't let him lose the 1700 for want of your votes." Of course, if Mr. Ward has done his work "well," there is no reason why the true Conservative plea of "let well alone" should not have its due weight. But we shall hear more from Mr. Ward's friends by and by.

The next handbill, the address of the Rev. Charles Lee, M.A., "Vicar of Holy Trinity, Haverstock Hill, and formerly Vicar of St. Mary's, Bilston," is also the least objectionable among the per- sonal addresses of candidates. Whether indeed the Bilston folks will have been greatly touched by Mr. Lee's recollection of their "hearty friendship and kindness," and his profession that he will have " great pleasure in coming to reside once more" amongst them, seeing that on the face of his address it is patent that he left one living in Bilston ten years ago, and only offers to come back when a richer one has fallen vacant, may be a question. But his address, which, it may be observed, declares that, "living at so great a dis- tance from Bilston," he cannot " personally " canvas the electors, however self-complacent, contains not much sell-praise, and at all events no disparagement of others.

The Rev. John P. Wilson, M.A., Vicar of Moxley, addresses the "ladies and gentlemen" of Bilston as a neighbour. He tells them that the times are troubled, but that he means to be very quiet. It is his "earnest hope and assured expectation," if elected, that "by God's help" he will" be continuously able, as heretofore, to live peaceably with all men, and to promote quietly, but not the less effectively, the temporal, moral, and religious welfare of all classes." He "respectfully solicits" (could a greengrocer do it better?) the custom,—no, the "approbation and appointment" of the aforesaid ladies and gentlemen of Bilston "as a clergyman," (could he do so as a layman, under the circumstances?) "as a man of business habits, as a friend of the poor as well as of the rich, as one of large practical experience and of still unflagging energy in every good cause." Perhaps the verse "Let another praise thee and not thyself" has dropped somehow out of the Rev. John P. Wilson's Bible. But his address has an appended N.B. in bold

clarendon type, evidently meant to serve the purpose of a lady's P.S. "I wish it distinctly to be understood that, if elected, I shall reside with my family in Bilston." Hear it, 0 ye butchers, bakers, carpenters, plumbers of the town ! Note the words "with my family," ye schoolmasters and schoolmistresses! are not all the little Wilsonian olive-branches pledged thus to your care beforehand ?

And in truth there appears to have been an explosion of householding enthusiasm on Mr. Wilson's behalf. The next handbill is headed, "Twenty Good Reasons why the Rev. John P.

Wilson should be elected Vicar of Bilston." He is "a man of principle, but at the same time of peace ;" a "true Churchman," and "not a Ritualist ;" he can "both preach from the pulpit, and speak from the platform, in a manner to be understood by all sorts of people, and not to offend the taste of the educated ;" he is "always willing to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,"—the "firmest of friends,"—" neither pompous, nor proud, nor presumptuous,"—"a man of common sense and prudence," has invariably, with correctness and fulness of detail, rendered a public account of all charitable moneys entrusted to his care," (is this so rare a matter in Bilston ?) &c., &c. ; the final reason being "because we firmly believe that no man can be found so foolish and rash as openly to attempt to deny, much less to dis- prove, the truth of one of the foregoing assertions, which we make as Mr. Wilson's friends,"—a somewhat cool assertion of infalli- bility for a perfectly anonymous handbill. "Let every house- holder," it goes on to say, "rally round and support his cause, which we have shown to be most meritorious." Amen, saith this reviewer, if the Christian ministry exists for the sake of house- holders ; if not . . . .

But the Rev. Edwin Creswell Perry, M.A., Vicar of Seighford, quite takes the shine out of his fellow-candidates. Judging from his address, also "to the householders of the township of Bilston," Mr. Lee seems to be the most redoubtable candidate. Mr. Perry goes full tilt at him from his first sentence :—" I think it right to inform you that a most vigorous effort is now being made by the Rev. C. Lee, through or by means of your employers, to secure your votes in the forthcoming election. On 'Change last Wednes- day, at Wolverhampton, he was introduced to many of your masters, and having seen them, of course he cannot see you. . . .

If I know the character of the employers of labour in Bilston, it is not so corrupt, the ironmasters of mushroom growth are not as so many 'rotten eggs,' which, pressed by Mr. Lee, will send up the ill-savour of misrepresentation in favour of his candida- ture. And sure I am that the working-men of Bilston will never consent to be driven as so many sheep by their employers to vote for Mr. Lee." Mr. Perry goes on to charge Mr. Lee with having "abruptly left Bilston ten years ago without just cause," —" voluntarily deprived" Bilston "of the best service of his life,"— with having, before he left Bilston, "offered a most gratuitous insult to the great body of Dissenters." Mr. Perry next falls foul of a Mr. Williamson, who "almost as soon as the late incumbent ceased to breathe" began his canvas, and then retired, in favour, apparently, of Mr. Lee. "Surely Mr. William- son must have known that the character and manner of living of every candidate would be thoroughly scrutinized. Was Mr. Williamson afraid of this scrutiny ? or has he been secretly con- spiring to give one candidate an undue advantage over the others"? And finally, having discharged these innuendoes against Mr.

Williamson, he blows his own trumpet after the following fashion :

"I base my claim to your [sic] election upon the following grounds :-1. Because I am a Protestant and Evangelical clergyman, with no Ritualistic tendencies (Mr. Lee does not give you this assurance). 2. Because by 'learning and behaviour,' and by the experience of the sixteen years past, I am qualified for the position I seek at your hands. 3. Because I spring from an old family in Bilston,—my father, and grandfather, and their ancestors for many years past have been born in Bilston. 4. Because I am 42 years of age (!), and with God's blessing shall be able to do you good service. 5. Because I will not, in so large a parish, aspire to the office of a magistrate, and will not allow my usefulness to be lessened by sitting as a judge over the parishioners ; and finally, if elected, because I hope to spend and be spent in doing the utmost possible good for the people of Bilston. I may mention that, if I am the clergyman of your choice, I shall show my love to the poor of Bilston as my ancestor, the late Humphrey Perry, did, by giving security for the slim of £2,000, the interest of which shall be paid annually for ever to the poor, irrespective of their creed and religions profession."

Of which address we will simply say that, if Mr. Perry could really be taken as a fair specimen of a "Protestant and Evangeli- cal clergyman," one would rather consign the "ladies and gentlemen" of Bilston to the ministrations of an unspiteful, unbribing heathen. Probably Mr. Perry is quite capable of sign- ing the declaration against simony with a light heart, after his offer of 12,000 for the poor as a consideration for his election. The last document of the series, entitled "A Pastoral, by Dr. What's-his-Name," will bring us round to its starting-point, and give the reader a sample of Billiton poetry

Let Lee enchant With pious cant, For 'tie his nature to ; And Wilson raise His own self-praise, Which no one else will do.

Ye Bilston me; Pray never let Such humbugs you deceive, But choose a man Whose word you can Most certainly believe.

. . . . .

If Snepp had stood, His chance was good, For though not made of honey, He would have won

If he had run, AND found a little money.'

Wilson may walk About and talk

His bosh upon the stage,

• His flowing locks And old Hancox Are quite behind the age ; • In point of fact, He cannot act

Half so well as Perry I sic],

Whose curly head Of hair bright red Can't fail to make you merry.

Make up your mind In Ward you'll find The Vicar that we need, A man who'll work

As well as talk,—

For love of God, not greed. You know him well ; He would not sell His conscience for the berth ; Then do your best For Ward, and rest

Assured of sterling worth."

It is almost impossible to joke over an exhibition so disgraceful to all parties concerned. No wonder that, as we are told, "unless some great change comes over the mind of the town, the better portion of its inhabitants have come to the conclusion to stand aloof from the miserable strife."