The Sentence and Affidavit of John Church, the Obelisk Preacher For an Attempt to Commit an Unnatural Crime on Adam Foreman, at Vauxhall. Together With Judge Bayley's Impressive Address to the Prisoner, at Full Length. At the Court of King's Bench, Nov. 24, 1817.

"The Sentence and Affidavit of John Church, the Obelisk Preacher" by Joseph Augustus Dowling is a historical narrative centered around the trial of a preacher in the 1800s. The story follows the case of John Church, who faced charges for attempting to commit an unnatural crime. It gives details about the legal actions, how society reacted, and what it meant when someone in a position of power broke the law. Church presents his side, talking about his clean standing as a family man in an attempt to lessen his wrong acts. Justice Bayley's stern words show the court's strong disapproval and the need for strict punishment. In the end, the preacher's sentence shows how serious his actions were considered, both for the crime itself and for how it shook public trust during a time of very strict rules.