The following appeared in the Thornley Parish Magazine in October 1901, it appears to be a sarcastic message from the Vicar!:
HOW NOT TO HELP YOUR CLERGY
- Absent yourself from morning Service.
- Stay at home whenever it rains on Sunday, or is too hot or too cold.
- Never let your clergy know if they have ever done you any good, but take every opportunity to injure them if they have had the courage to rebuke you for your wrong-doing.
- Take a class in the Sunday School, never be punctual, and frequently be absent, and finally, when you find the work hard, leave the School without any notice.
- If a stranger be near you in Church, never hand him a Prayer Book or Hymn Book, and never tell him you are glad to see him at the Church.
- If you are ill, do not send to the clergy, but let them find it out for themselves. They will then probably call by the time you are well enough to go out to work. In the meantime, take every occasion to tell other people that your Clergy are negligent; that they do not seem to know who are sick; that they have not been to see you for centuries; that you are worthy, but you are not allowed to occupy the chief places; that your clergy take more notice of others than of you.
- Always grumble; look as miserable as possible and take every opportunity of making other people miserable.