- really a most troublesome character," was **one of the
worthiest men breathmg, the most active, the most luimble, and at the same time very httle acquainted with the world." Grose, though lavish in assigning convicts to others for agricultural puiijosee, withheld them from Jolmson, and otherwise marked his hostilit}- to him, Grose fixed six o'clock in the morning as the time for Divine service, and Johnson quaintl}^ complained that though for various reasons the order did not meet with his ideas, he *' strictly attended to it." The soldiers understood the relations between their commanding officer and the chaplain. " One morning" (Johnson wTote to the Secretary of State), "as I M^as going through the service, I %vas interrupted first by the improper conduct of two soldiers, and soon after by the beat of a drum, when instantly the corps took up their arms, got into their ranks, and marched away. I had been barely three-quarters of an hour in the whole service, and was then about the middle of my discourse," The deserted preacher *' consulted the canons of the Church, and could find no excuse for the treatment he received. Grose, however, asserted that, '*was it not in pity to a large family, I should represent the disorderly behaviour of the Eev- Mr. Jolmson." The aggrieved chaplain told Dundas that he only required to be "supported as a clergyman and treated as a gentleman," and was willing to resign his "appointment and be ready to appear before any person, and at any time, to answer for" his conduct.^ The difficulties of the chaplain's position would have been great even if the civil and military authorities had aided him loyally. Few men could hope for success if those authorities should l>e arrayed agahist him. Wilber- force could perhaps have found none more suited for the w^ork than Samuel ilarsden. Not originally trained for
- • That lie did not exaggeiate his difficulties waa shown by a. tlcB|>atch
from Governor Jiimter in 179S. **Tiie clergy were allowed to be iriHulttjd in the Btreeta without receiving any kinti of redress, and rendered incapable of performing their sacred office on the Sabbath Day, from the number of drunken soldtera aod convicts surrounding the outside of the place of public worahip^ and often engaged in card-playing an<l riot."
