Untitled - Electric Scotland

1834-41] CURACY OF BALDON 59
Toot Baldon, into the hands of the Willoughby family.
In 1836 the Rev. Hugh Willoughby, Vicar of both the
Baldons, was resident abroad in ill-health, and the two
parishes
were left untended. A few months after his
Ordination, Tait volunteered, to the amazement of his
friends, to undertake the vacant curacy. It was not an
attractive or enviable charge. The straggling cottages
were occupied by agricultural labourers and a few small
farmers. The two churches were in extremely bad repair,
and there was neither salary nor vicarage-house available.
But Tait was bent upon the task, and, with the warm
approbation of the Bishop, he was duly licensed to the
curacy on August 3Oth, 1836. He was at that time strong
and active, but March Baldon is full five miles from
Balliol, and he soon found that with his increasing tutorial
work the efficient charge of the two parishes was more
than he could compass single-handed. Accordingly he
turned for help to his trusted friend and counsellor, Mr.
Oakeley, who replied as follows :-
" MY
"LONDON, Nov. 26t/i, 1836.
DEAR TAIT, I am sorry to find by your letter that
you have any doubts of being able to go on with your curacy.
To offer you the sort of help which you say you will not allow
me to offer you, is the utmost I can at present do, I mean
that of assistance to any extent, short of a positive undertaking
of the curacy in conjunction with you. ... I will say more when
we meet. Do not by any means think of giving up the curacy,
or entering into any other arrangement till I see you. If you
find the curacy with the tutorship too much for your health you
must undoubtedly give up the former; the latter is a very
sufficient
responsibility.
- ... -Ever yours affectionately,
"FREDERICK OAKELEY."
Failing to obtain Mr. Oakeley s co-operation, he
succeeded after a time in enlisting the aid of two friends,
both senior to himself Mr. Johnson, Tutor of Queen s,