nce of a
congregation assembled for public worship--a mode of instruction which
gave a laudable excitement to the children, by means of which they
acquired a firmness of mind, a clear, distinct pronunciation, and an
accuracy in their delivery, which was very gratifying to the hearers,
whilst it gave to the parents and relations an opportunity of observing
their progress by the system of education. Through this medium, also,
many a truth has been taught, many an impression made, where preaching
had not succeeded." "By this time," proceeds the same excellent man,
"the principles and motives of my exertions being made apparent, all the
little prejudices were softened down, if not into approval, at least into
a passive silence, particularly as another clergyman, the Rev. H. Berkin,
was zealously pursuing the same line of conduct on the other side of the
Forest, who began this year (1812) to lecture in the cottages there, as
his next attempt to benefit the parents and children connected with his
school." He says--"Finding that few, by comparison, attended public
worship, I visited them in their cottages to read and explain the Bible;
and I was led to adopt this plan from the particular situation of the
Foresters, destitute of churches or ministers whom they could properly
call their own. In these pastoral visits, made on different evenings in
different places, and in which I have usually spent two hours in reading
and practically explaining the Holy Scriptures, I have sometimes had 200
persons present at one time, and calculate on the whole that 800 at
different times have thus come under instruction. Many instances might
be produced, certainly not less than 20 families, of reformation in both
sexes, which had evinced itself in their desire to possess the Bible and
Common Prayer Book, and by a total change in their moral character."

At the commencement of his career Mr. Berkin was repeatedly remonstrated
with by respectable gentlemen who knew the locality better than himself,
upon his venturing amongst the Foresters alone, assuring him that it was
not safe, since, a very short time before he came to Mitcheldean, two
Wesleyan ministers attempted open-air preaching in the Forest, but were
violently attacked and driven away. He thus proceeds to describe the
circumstances which led to the erection of Holy Trinity Church:--"At one
of the places which I am accustomed to visit, where the heat and crowd
have at times been almo