The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-07-15 00:00:00

• • --._.. . _ .1 , JULY 15, 183 Q. manner we refuse to hind ourselves to refrain from adding re ligious instruction with our historical lesson, w;iether we direct the attention of out children to the Reformation or to the Revo lution. (Cheers.) If we he givir4.7 instruction iu Astronomy, or in any of the Physical Sciences, iu any of their branches, we refuse to pledge ourselves thit to combine religious instruction and invite the children whilst they count the stars to behold the glory of Ellin who created them—we refuse to deprive ourselves of the book from which we may read to them concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, that t• all things were made by him and without him was nut anything made that was made." (Loud cheering.) Nay, sir, if we be teaching the children Arithmetic, we refuse to tie our hands ant: say we will not em ploy religious iustiuction, and endeavour, from the endless pro gression of numbers, to teach the young mind to endeavour to grasp after the idea of eternity. (Enthusiastic applause.) Sir. if religious instruction be disconnected from all these branches of knowledge, by the exercise of authority, if the stress of every day's instruction be in what is called general information and the one, solitary, pe rmitted hour, " after the school has closed," be alone given to what can then he caught of religious instruction— to sanction such a system is to sanction a hot bed for Atheism— for Atheism. (Lout cheering.) Sir, knowledge without religion is a curse to society instead of a blessing. ( Hear.) This is ac counted for by the fact, in which some of our modern philosophers required to be instructed the fact of the fall of man. "By the tree of transgression he acquired knowledge, the name given to the symbol of his ruin." And while in that state of trans gression, without the sanctifying power of religious principles, to cultivate, the man is cultivating poison—it is to cultivate an evil weed—it is to cultivate an evil character whose powers are turned away front his God—it is to assimilate hint to the devil. Knowledge without religion is to imitate Beelzebub. What Philosopher k nows as m u c h as the devil knows ? and he is the rince of Darkness with all his knowledge. If man were turned - towards his God and all that is good, then to urge him forward is to better his condition, and then teach hint as much as you can teach him; but if he be turned away from what is good to urge hint forward in knowledge is to urge him farther away from God. And, after all, the question does come to this, whether Alan is a fallen creature or not? Our Philosophers of this day Practically deny it; no wonder therefore they want selections from the bible. Let me fortify these statements, then, with the lan guage of a high judicialcharacter—an ornament to the Bench .r Engla n d. It was declared at the last Assizes of the county of Leicester by the presiding judge, "that he certainly never would discourage educating the lower classes of society, but he Would boldly a ffirm, that if the education was not founded on a moral and religious principle, instead of becoming a blessing to the poor, it would, in the end, turn out a curse. To give a sound education to the poor, moral and religious instruction must accompany it—the receiver must be well made known, not only the moral duties he has to perform, hut also the religious ones; and, however a number of conscientious men may talk and ailvocate the one without the other, still be would maintain the design and the effect intended by education would be lost if not adhered to. Education, without religious instruction, could not control the strong passions of the human race, and he had only !Rain to repeat that the various calendars thrOughout the circuit, "ad plainly convinced him, that it would be far better to leave the Poorer classes of the community in ignorance, than to educate them without having for the groundwork our blessed and revealed reli -gicm• Teach men their .religious and moral duties in this world, and he had no hesitation in saying, that crime would not, in the end, pp aear so monstrous as he had witnessed in this circuit." phis was addressed to the grand jury of the county of Leicester "Y Lord Abinger. On this :mint, therefore, of the amount of attention to be paid to religicnis instruction we are irreconcile ably at issue with the system which is proposed to be intro 'luced into Liverpool; and we are here to day to invite you to help us in a system the very reverse, in which we mingle religious i nstruction with every thing. And though we do not put the bible Into the hands of children all day long, we must never, at least, ?a without the power of mingling. the spirit of the bible in the i nstruction of our children, and winding it around the know ledge, as well as the temper and conversation, of all our pupils. Nowthis naturally leads me in the second place to consider the booki which it is proposed especially to introduce into this sys tem. On that subject the resolution of the education committee is this:—" Resolved, that the books of the commissioners of e ducation in Ireland be adopted, and that they have a fair trial Previous to the introduction of any other." I wish you to ob serve that—" previous to the introduction of any other." Now ° l l this subject there are several important considerations. The first, sir . was very properly and happily adverted to by your lelf—the difference between the extracts we use, and these e xtracts. And it was said—l hope the meeting will consider it, the town be instructed, and the nation take notice of it—that these extracts are used as a substitute for the bible, and ours are not, but as stepping stones to it, as a co-adjutor. There is great difference between a co-adjutor, and a substitute. A little boy may be efficient as a co-adjutor to accomplish a man's work, but if you put that boy as substitute, the man is ex cluded. So these extracts may be very useful as co-adjutors 1 . 0 the bible, but if you use them as a substitute, the bible work is excluded. (Loud_ cheering.) Now, sir, this is one of the Points on which some of our fellow townsmen are mistaken, °ad / must take the liberty now to speak freely. (Cheers.) Is the bibl e t h en to b e exc l u d e d f rom t h ese new sc h oo l s ? (L ou d t ries of" no, no.") I think you did not understand the question, You thought the new schools we want to build, now 1 did not mean that I mean the schools the corporation want to have all their own way. Is the bible to be excluded from their schools ? (Reiterated cries of " No, no.") Now, I will tell You what was said about it last Wednesday. Dr. Carson said, Ipoting from the report in the Mercury,) " As a member of the council, and as a member of the education committee, he Ce lt bound to say a few words. It was very generally reported that the Bible lied been excluded from the system of education a dopted in these schools; this he denied; there was no exclu .ll,iou of th e Bibl e f rom the s e schools—it was a f a l se ca l umny Laat had got abroad against the corrimittee to say that it 55 ." Mr. Councillor Rathbone said "it was false." He rh ea did ins the honour to say " I might h av e known it was f a l se." " Gentlemen," said Mr. Rathbone, with great energy, f it it false." Mr. Blackburne said " a plan was proposed, so fated to meet the object in view, inasmuch as the protestant mould not read the Douav version of the Bible, and the catho- L ,e would not read the authorized version." I take it for grant e that you know what is meant by uay version. " Could besaid that the Bible was excluded f r o mfo such schools? If the elildren read these, they were reading the sacred volume in t hose schools, and they were reading it in a way calculated to "e a great deal of good, and quite as much as if the whole Bible mere Put into their hands and they were only allowed to read a s e lection." Now mark that. Could it be said that the Bible i 4 as excluded from the schools seeing that the children had ex tracts of it read! I wish to ask — you sir; Whether the House of Lords have rejected the Irish municipal bill or not? No: they Passed a selection of it. (Immense cheering and clapping of ?ends.) It is very true they did not pass the whole bill, but it equally true they passed a very important part of it. And "ow, sir, I think I may be allowed to indulge in a few remarks °a an imaginary debate; I have given some on a real debate. Will suppose that Mr. Edward Cropper, in a mild tone, pro- Posed a vote of censure against the House of Lords for reject ,"ll4 the Irish municipal bill. Upon which, Dr. Carson said "it 1:; , „' very generally suppesed that there was a rejection of the I,'" , it was a false calumny which had gone abroad against the eve to say they had rejected it." (Great laughter.) Thee e will suppose that Mr. Councillor Rathbone—and I desire him with time I may mention that entleman to-day to mention ot with the utmost good humour ; and kindness (cheers,)—we ti;l.l suppose that he said " it was said that the House of Lords k e y the Irish municipal bill, no such thing, it is false ; the k e w• Hugh M'Neile might have heard— he might have known it ,Was false. ( Roars of laughter and cheers.) Gentlemen, s t if t fofse!" (Tremendous clapping of hands.) Then we too ' suppose Mr. Blackburn saying " a plan was proposed 4 . It admirably calculated to meet the desired object, in et,!attch as the House of Commons would not have the old corporations, and the House of Lords would not construct ti e „wones; therefore, an admirable selection well calculated to wi l l ?‘v exceeding light on the whole system was introduced, in to Leh the House of Commons had their way, because the old harlorations were abolished, and in which the House of Lords their way, for the new corporations were not constructed. s i i i e l eht of laughter and tremendous clapping of hands.) Now, e oct gentlem e n pretend to say, that when the country have got h e a . admirable selections, they have nut got the bill ? Can it r kt : 4 id that the lords have rejected the Irish municipal corpo ao_°tts' bill? (Continued laughter and cheers.) 1 here was Ass honourable councillor, who contended that the bill 1 4_ a science, and that as the elementary parts of all sciences e i.lre taught first, and as this lord's selection contained the tile tne ats, he thought it. highly proper; and it could not by any jj„ a us be said the bill was rejected." (Renewed cheering.) 1142_° Which another councillor said " he was much struck with list argu me nts, arguments, but still plain common sense came to his as tl„,..nee, and he said the bill was rejected." (Loud cheers.) 44 - r e ver, oratory got the getter of common sense, and a large t'"ritv (45 to 61 determined that the House of Lords had . 1 01 elected the Irish municipal bill. (Continued cheering-) k t. ° „uld not forget to say, in reference to the real debate, what r e , wraorsfait put to them. (Cheers.) Mr. Horsfall spoke in a Mol e i ° rds what none of those who spoke after him at consider to ength, thought it worth their while or found it convenient ata;PlY to. It was this—" It must be shown to be unobjection itao,:e all before th e y a ll o wed it to supersede what they did Pu t , to be u no bj ec ti ona bl e , by di s pl acing th e Bibl e f or th e thaC t () P of introducing a selection front it. He apprehended Thi s "is was a point which had not been sufficiently attended to. in th it election, if placed in the schools to supersede the Bible tle toe way now proposed. (General cries of No, no.') aright say No, no,' but if they looked to the resolu eat , 5 Y would find that the Bible was nev e r used till the school Her e dosed, consequently it was not used in th e s c h o ol."—l • lin &we .!lhat this argument of Mr. Horsfall's has not yet been tt ; there was, however, no lack of wit. I wish to be Is th e " d humour whilst speaking on this subject. " Brevity h o „ ,soul of wit." What could be more witty or more brief ler g eoa w b Put an end to the argument by a monosyllable. A dis tehe„ite monosyllable. it is true; however it was short—it was jut--;-it was easily remembered—it was worthy the espe otAreetion of the reporters—it was sure to be circulated. hells,otwithanding all these advantages, I Could not for my lean Part regretting that a man of wit, and wisdom, ;Anil ip th_ n .it—that a man of such unbounded liberality that while, 9t E' u tTnest sincerity of Socinianism, he deems the Church 1 .4 th e gtand an idolatrous worshipper, does, nevertheless, 'Op tk _ Unbounded charity that reigns within his bosom, work tet us... "e Church as if he were himself one of tier idolatrous (greato cheering)—l could not help regretting that that it r n det..... t % se powers of public speaking are evidently of a high at man whose powers of oratory are capable of the ease, t oll % streußtb, totad ra idit of an eagle's flight, should have eseended showthe l y tare—the harmless !pills of the fret -1 Parcu • t„.‘voilid p i ts (Very prolonged and enthusiastic applause.) sity, not hays any one go away with the, I was going p: I and c e impression but I don't like the word— it is goner away with an will . excuse me—(cheers)—let no an erroneous impression—that is abetter word, ci? ol tlot so vehement or so vulgar —( immense cheering)—that I thlitt P is redopthhiato ; na l ild w l i v s -sp o en councillor to "the fretful porcu tlee,ering); what I said!'" guilty of such bad taste (suppressed 11ia.," whose or at o r sowarse h i w s t t h h a t t h l e regretted o t h f a a t n tb a e a t g g i e e n , s ‘lelFt` should have co nd e scend ed to show the bare and harmless sp oke 4 of the fretful porcupine . (Astounding cheers.) I never 11 a Sentence in all my D n e e in a better humour ; — l entertain hat i , 3 , io ßle feeling of dissatisfaction aeainst that honourable 1 '1.4 h `"?r; any more than if he had 'never opened his lips. gist,: l w. sir, with regard to theseijabtotomk.s themselves; in their and in their working, and 'l% lB or more consequence now. Mr . Bla ckburn I come to haw 'Ystem T was proposed originallyy Mr , Secretary said . that, ecretary Stanley, ti k krord Stanley. under flu! ministry of ca ll its • The princil l l e of that system, which he was at the tla e • . h aulinguis ed member. ?tter from Mr. ions which ex °biects, were developed in aver .it ed to the Duke of Leinster. Tljdaisseensl and it was 'hte,s, l° Ireland were looked on with great regret, ' might be l hi" l th e '!„llighly advisable to devise some 'mean s edue t . h . rroupkt,ae children of Protestant and Catholic parent s -a -Y th^„,"' tozether in order that the' dissensions which prevailed "tt linh a ' th_ e ud to , country iniaht be mitiga.ted,_and_ultimately put 4 tkith. ogether. I have no question hut Mr. Blackbu hv e that thiS was an adequate statement of the case. and i"' k• no 111 litPstion hut that that gentleman. with his intellieri ae ! w ish e glad 'receivefurther • t „ . to inforwation on the subject. utform hirn''of certain facts which existed , in Irel an d 'l'd to the perind he begins with w t ben Mr. St snley, how var. 8 lanlev was chief 'secretary: Previons to that period, • • tk bf Iginus societias had been urging forward the good scriptural education with great ea rneetneis and zeal. o rtl the city ;un- still the fore Most of these societies were supported entirely by voluntary contributions, one of them the Kildare-street Society had a 2,,ant from government. Yo❑ will form some idea of the extent which they carried their (Toot! work by the following state meut which has been published by four societies:— Schools. Scholars. Irish Society 642 21,032 Sunday Scliool Society Hibernian Society Kildare Place Society Total 6,091 491.123 I wish to observe on this first, that the schools of the various protestant dissenters are not here entered. The baptist schools have been working very efficiently, and also the presbyterian schools of the synod of Ulster. In all these schools the pupils were indiscriminately protestants and Roman catholics. Take an instance, in the Hiberian Society schools there were 36,911 Roman catholic children. The anti-popish effects of this sys tem of education were felt, and deeply felt by the Romish priests of Ireland. The religious instruction communicated to the children—the questions they asked, and the information they communicated when they returned to their parents, caused such inquiries from those parents and their friends, as the priests were unwilling or unable to satisfy. It evidently became their object to put au end to such a system. But how was this to be done ? To avow their project would have been to defeat it. Too many of them, however, had been educated in the con venient as well as ingenious school of Ignatius Loyola. I shall not be hindered from speaking against that system of papacy. Many of them had drunk in with the poisoned milk of their mother church this fallacy that " the end :sanctifies the means." But what were the means to he adopted to accomplish this end. The end was to resist the progress of the bible in Ireland. That I do not falsely accuse these men when I say their project was to resist the progress of the bible will appear plain when I call to your attention the Pope's letter addressed to the priesthood by Leo the 12th :—" You are aware, venerable brethren, that a cer tain society, commonly called the Bible Society, strolls with ef frontery throughout the world, which, contemning the traditions of the holy fathers, and contrary to the well known decrees of the council of '['rent, labours with all its might, and by every means to translate or rather to pervert the holy bible into the vulgar languages of every nation, from which proceeding it is greatly to be feared, that which is as certain to have happened as to some passages, may also occur with regard to others; to wit, by a perverse interpretation of the gospel, or what is still worse, into the gospels of the devil." lam quoting the language of a Bishop of Rome. "To avert this plague"—he calls the bible a plague, and those who wish to stop this plague are the sons of the devil —" Our predecessors published many ordi nances, and in his latter days, Pius VII, of blessed memory sent two briefs, one to Ignatius, archbishop of Gnesen, the other to Stanislaus archbishop of Mohilow, in which are many proofs accurately and wisely collected from the sacred scrip tures and from tradition to show how noxious this most wicked novelty i is both to faith and morals. W e also, venerable bre thren, n conformity with our apostolic duty, exhort you to turn away your flock by all means from these poisonous pastures." [The rev gentleman here quoted the Latin version of the last sen tence, translating it as he proceeded.] But still it remains to show how thiswas to be accomplished—what means were to be intro duced. The tone of the time was " conciliation," "liberality," "no more exclusiveness," "no more bigotry." Well, sir, it was an expedient worthy the talents of Dr. Doyle, in his best days, to turn the liberal mind into an ally of the intolerant church. This was to be accomplished by means of certain young and sanguine statesmen who were actuated by the purest purposes of benevolence, but who were rashly ready to put a theory into practice without submitting their plans to the test of a better experience or comparing them with the analogy of historical precedents. These statesmen were ready to bring forth every new-fledged theory of their liberal philosophy and let it . pass into the country without knowing its probable results or being able to calculate whether it would prove a bird of para dise or a bird of prey. (Applause.) Such a man in those days was my Lord Stanley; no man was actuated by more noble sen timents. He wes the very man for the priests, because he had the tone which fitted him for the nation. He could persuade the nation if the priests could only persuade him. But how was this to be done ? If they had avowed their intentions Mr. Stanley would have indignantly rejected them. (Cheers.) The knew their work better; they knew how to work a mea sure for the time, and they knew how to take an oath for a time. They proposed a plan which, in its direct bearings, suited the statesman, and, in its indirect consequences, suited themselves. (Hear.) It was done by representing to the high and noble mind of that accomplished young man, but at the time inexperi enced young man—inexperienced in some things, inexperienced in the darkness and deceitfulness that lurks behind the plausl - ility of the church of Rome—it was done by telling him that dissensions existed in Ireland and were looked on with great re gret, and he looked on them with regret, and it was deemed highly desirable to devise some means of education that the children of protestants and catholics might be brought together. The means were to propose a plan that would support the pro jects of the originators of this. The priests knew very well that if the Bible was removed the protestants would be removed, (cheers,) and therefore they proposed this plan of education as a measure to effect that, and Mr. Stanley was taken in the snare. It is no disparagement to say so of him ; if it were I would shrink from the words. It is no disparagement of the judginentof one of my predecessors on this platform, when be told you himself that he was inclined to think well of the scheme when it was first propounded. Many of the established clergy of Ireland were taken in the snare. The established clergy of Ireland are 2,000 in number; of these 86 formed an alliance with the board in the scheme. Instead of wondering there are so many, we should wonder there are so few, and it speaks highly for their penetration and honesty that they rejected it. They were poor and it was rich, and could bbild schools which they could not, yet only 86 out of 2,000 formed a temporary . alliance with it. Of the few that entered into that alliance, it is my happiness to read to you several recantations. To the Editor of the Dublin Record. Cullen, Feb. 6, 1836. SlR,—llaving seen in a late number of your paper my name included among those clergymen of the establishment who are stated to have applied to the National Board of Education for aid in support of schools under that system, as I am most anx ious to disclaim any connexion with that board, I trust you will allow me to state briefly through the same medium the cir cumstances under which I could have been said to make such an application. Several years ago (I believe about the period of the first esta blishment of the board,) I was applied to by a protestant gentleman in my neighbourhood, for my signature to a requisi tion,. in order to place a schoiel under the controul of the board. The school-house had been built, and the master supported fur many years before the proprietor of the estate on which the school is situate, far the education of the children of his tenan try; these children were exclusively Roman Catholic—nor is there up to the present moment a single protestant child in the neighbourhood to attend it. Under these circumstances, and considering it a matter of indifference whether the school was placed under private patronage or that of the board, I then saw no objection to complying with that gentleman's request. It should be recollected, that the board was at that time in its infancy, when an unprejudiced person might be disposed to give it a fair trial, especially where protestants could net be affected by it. But time has since more fully developed the system : and I have no hesitation whatever in saying, that I deeply re gret ever having permitted my name (humble though I be) to have appeared in the document iu question. 1 am, sir, your obedient servant, T. BUCHANAN, Curate. I have a few other letters of the same kind here, but as they all are to the same purpose I need not read them. They show that these gentlemen were deceived, under various circumstances, into forming an alliance with the board in the first instance, but, having seen their error, begged to be withdrawn from the list. The general importance of this will be seen when a boast has been invade in Parliament of the number of the Irish clergy that have joined the board. Now, in connexion with these dis claimers, I wish to set before the meeting a few brief documents illustrative of the working of the system in Ireland. One of them was before the council last Wednesday, but no observa tion was made upon it. "In a school of several hundred girls belonging to the Preservation Convent at Galway, and assisted by the National Board, we found the great gills writing out themes on virginity, priesthood, and martyrdom. The one state was glorious, the other more so, the last, of course, most of all ; but as martyrdom was a species of glory to which it must be very difficult iii( these times to attain, priesthood, no doubt, bore away the palm. Several classes of little girls in the same school had their books open upon a catalogue of saints, male and female, whom they were to call upon in prayer, filling two pages. The children were apparently learning these names by heart; but when I asked if I might be permitted to listen, the nun who had the charge of the class instantly began questioning one of them on a different subject, in so loiv a tone, however, that I heard scarcely anything but the name of Christ, which had no place in the lesson before them, whilst the embarrassed child muttered inaudibly after her teacher's dictation." This was a specimen of the insidious mode of' teaching in those schools, similar to which, it is proposed to establish schools in this town. I grieve to say that the tone which once sounded in England and was resounded by Protestants is altered—l grieve to say, that the instrument is in some degree out of tune, that the strings are relaxed—l grieve to say, that there is not the same response there used to be. If Englishmen had been what too many Englishmen are now, there never would have been that burst of indignation which put out the fires of Smithfield, and which left us the glorious legacy of the Reformation. (Great cheering.) I am desirous of adding one testimony of the working of the system in Ireland. I bold in my hand the letter of a Dissenting Minister on that subject : "In expressing my thoughts upon this subject it may be right to say that I belong to no party in politics, and am no sectarian in religion, lent knowing the power of the Word of God to en lighten the benighted mind, and desiring that all those who are in darkness may be guided by that only sure light to the regions of a glorious immortality, I feel it my duty to direct your atten tion to the evils which result from upholding that system in Ire land. I have come to this conclusion slowly and deliberately. I have been forced to do so in consequence of having observed the baneful effects which it has produced. I have made it my business to visit the schools lately erected in different parts of that country, and from what I know to be fact from personal observation I am compelled to say that if . the system be not at once denounced by yen, it will be continued to the extension of the errors of Romanism, those errors against which your forefathers boldly protested, and which I am aware you consider as detri mental to the eternal interests of immortal souls. Having men tioned what I know of the system to several eminent Dissent ing ministers in different parts of England, who had ignorantly favoured it, they expressed there desire that I should set the public right upon the subject by giving them that information which would undeceive them and open their eyes to the evil of suffering it any longer to exist. In accordance with this desire 1 shall now endeavour to comply. The two fundamental objec tions to the system are these—first, the extracts may be excluded ; and, secondly, all the errors of Popery may be substituted in their stead. These are the published rulesof the board. It is true the board do not say in so many words, exclude the extracts and teach popery—that is, they do not speak in the language of com mand; but if they do not say you must, they say you have full liberty to do so in the schools, which has the same effect as com mand with the priests. Thus then there is one published prin ciple of the board which say's. that the Scripture lessons shall not be read if objected to by the priest s , and another which gives every encouragement to the clergy of the catholic church, to make use of the schoolhouse built by protestant money to educate the rising generation in all the superstitions of their church. These are startling facts: but where are they to be found ? I answer, the first is to be found in the very preface to the book of ex tracts, and the other in the letter of Lord Stanley addressed to the Duke of Leinster, in which he explains the system. I shall quote the words of that letter which now lies before me. " They (the board) will require thatthe schools be kept open for a certain nurnberof hours, on four or five days of the week, at the discretion of the commissioners for moral and literary education only, and that the remaining one or two days in the week be set apart for giving separately, such religious education to the children as may be approved of by the clergy of their respective persuasions." They are permitted to teach all this, and it is proposed to permit and encourage the Roman catholic priests of Liverpool to come into the schools and teach all this. f o permit it is right enough, let them do as they please; but are we to hold out encourage ments to them to this. This dissenting minister goes on to say, "They will al4o pencil and encourage the clergy to give religions instruction to the children Of their respective persua sions, either before or Ether tho ordiY:a ry school booms, on the other day' of the week." Doc! not t!;is published principk •. 4 - • - • • • • 7 tleman who then occupied the . chair. • Ti•e•,:gh placed him nut -exactly in their eomninnion,' hut - close by thei_ side, lie .wisheil - to give utterance to this opinion,,that he for mid • did think the church of England a lawful establiShinent.. ( Loud cheering.) The church of England ought to be preserved and , maintained, and preserved in its inteoty, fo:r it was necessarY for the preservation of the rights and well •I;!ine.' of that great come) tin it Y, and he must heartily desired; a la'. conSisi t ly . prayed that this church' might be preserved ; iu, Ol lieE g ioey, ' (Great cheering.) He wished to respond to an expression or two of 'two or three of the reverend gentlemen who; had sell dressed them in the early part of the meeting, and his opinion was, and he spoke it as an honest man—he spoke it in the.pre- Bence of that dignified assembly, and-he would speak in the pie settee of an itssetnbled world, that he believed the chtirch of Eng- land was indeed the great.break-water against the swelling tide of popery at the present day. (Cheers.) He bogged to thank the • rev. chairman and•the gentlemen around him, and it was his opinion they were deserving of the thanks of that assembly cor dially, heartily, and unanimously offered, not merely becauie they had stepped forward to defend the established church of the country, and 'the schools ; identified with her, but also they had done the noble duty of stepping forward to-preserve their common christianity. (Loud cheers.) The rev, gentleman; . then at some length entered into argoments against the system of education proposed to bp introduced. It went to establish . the old popish dogma, that the laity had no right to read the , scriptures for themselves. The gentlemen who were bringing - about this scheme were bringing shout, a state of: thithts the opposite, he was ready to believe, to what they had intended:- They sought to conciliate a numerous part of the population of the town, but had offended a more numerous part. In order that they might obtain the Roman catholic children at their' schools they had driven all the protestam s from them. (Pro tracted cheering.) It was must injudicions, unkind, ill-timed,. and in itself wicked, and he trusted there were hearts resolved in Liverpool to meet the attackWid to defend the citadel of Pro , • testantism. (Great cheering.) Mr. C. l-lOIIsFALL then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was adopted with three rongds of applause. The Rev. itEcTon Bnoons theTFf came forward and returned thanks for the resolution which had just been passed. If any= thing could enhance the value of the resolution, it would be that it, had been moved by one of the most respectable clergy of the established church of - Beotland, .seconded by an equally respect able minister of the Wesleyan persuasion. (Cheers.) it was a most gratifying and delightful thing to them to see their church supported by such auxiliaries, and he did hope and trust that • peace and perfect peace would ever remain between them. (Cheers.) He had only one word to add with regard to himi self, for he had long been of opinion; that the less a man said _ of himself the better; he had only to say he was obliged to the - meeting for the expression of approbation of the man ner in which he had endeavoured to conduct that meeting,. and he would assure them that to the -very last moment of hit existence it would be a gratification to him to think that it had been his fortunate lot to preside at the first meeting which had - raised its voice ag,ainst stieh a system. The rev. gehtlemsti retired amidst cheers and clapping of hands, which lasted several minutes. • • The meeting continued cheering, and several persons shoUtA " Three cheers for no popery," when Mr. M'Ncile stepped for, ward and deprecated such a proceeding, calling on them to. join him in singing praises to God for his mercies, anti then de- , • part in peace, without giying vent to •feelings calculated to give of f ence to Others. " Praise G o d" was then sung by the whole . assembly, and they 'afterwards immediately separated, A most liberal collection was made at the .doors, which,with the dona- • tions sent in to the chairman, amounted, in the whole to about £3,000., At about half-past four o'clock the meeting broke Up, having .continued four hours and a half, It would be impossible to describe the intense interest which was kept up nearly the u hole of the time. The publication of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD CO- menced this morning at Seven o'C lock. LIVERPOOL ,INFIRMARY REPORT, From the ith to the 14111 July, 1836. DtscnAnGED. ~ In -pat! en ts cured Relieved and at own request .. 14 Out-patients Made Out-patients Irregular Dead ADMITTED. House Visitors—Mr. N. D. Bold and Mr. W. J. Myers. Consulting Surgeon, Mr. Forshaw. Chaplain, the Rev. R. Davies.—House Surgeon, Mr. J. Ashcroft. LOCK HOSPITAL. Admitted...l4 j In the Hospitril 50 I D.sehargell 6 MARRIED—On Tuesday; the sth instant, at st. Mary's Church, Stafford, by the Rev. W. E. Cold well, M.A. rector, Mr. James Bromley, of Stafford, to Charlotte, youngest daugh ter of Charles Browne, Esq. of the same place, but late of the Foley, in Staffordshire. Yesterday, at St. George's church, by the Rev. James North A.M.. George Folliott, Esq.. of Chester, to Dorothea Elizabeth' eldest daughter of the late W. John Moore, Esq., of Dublin; and niece to the Bishop of Cork and Cloyne, and of Win Dixon, jun. Esq., Abercromby-square. Same day, at St. John Baptist's church, Toxteth-park. by, the Rev. James Hassan, Thomas Newton, Esq., late of Buenos Ayres, to Anne Jane; eldest .daughter of flarmood Banner, Eiq. DIED—On Saturday, the 9th instant, aged,37, Mr. Thomas• Guy, of his Majcsty's'Customs,'first son of the late Lieutenant George Guy, of BUry St. Edniund's, in the county of Suffolk, formerly of his Majesty's 2d Garrison Battalion. On Tuesday last, aged 65, Mrs. Emma Voce, relict of the late Mr. Wm. Voce, father, Walton. On Wednesday last, at his resi!lence, Oak Vale, Mr. George • Cunningham, nurseryman, aged 79. The Gold Cup to be run for at the Liverpool Races, next . week, may he seen at. Mr. Samuel's, jeweller, Lord-street. It is manufactured in a very chaste manner. DEAFNESS, &c.—Mr. Downing, Surgeon-aurist, who is now in this town on his way from Edinburgh to Lon-• don, is,eousulted on diseases of the car, at 53, RoaAlov-street, where he may be seen for a short time, between the hours of ten and three o'clock. From the high testimonials which Mr D. has received of his ability in his profession from Sir Astley Cooper, and other distinguished surgeons, and having direct e d : his attention exclusively to this branch of surgery, we have nn doubt those who may require the aid of an experienced aurist, will gladly ernbtace the opportunity now afforded them. "We can bear, our testimony of Mr. Downing's success in treating diseases of the ear, and of high attainments as a Surg eon . ' —London Medical and Surgical Journal. GLASGOW, PAISLEY, AND GREENOCK RiILWAY%—We UD 4 derstandlhat Provost Macile, of Greenock. and other members of this Railway Company, accompanied by Joseph Locke, Esq., the eminent. engineer.a. the Grand Junction Railway, visited this town and district yesterday, with a view of making prepar ations for a regular survey of the line of Railway between Glas gow, Paisley, and Greenock. The company are. proceeding with their pieliminary operations; with the utmost zeal and spirit.—Paisley, July 9, 18736. . • rlemke‘ecapistnbadiv CLOSING THE ATHEN MUM NEWSTIOOM Ca SI7NDAYS.—At the annual meeting of this institution, held on Tuesday, the Rev. J. B. Monk in the chair,—on the motion of Dr. Ralph,' that the newsroom should he closed from half-past ten a.m. to one p.m., and the library until five in the evening, an amend ment was moved by Mr. Crompton, that the law should remain as it now stands, viz., "That the room should he kept wren during divine service ;" when the votes appeared—ter Dr. Ralph's motion, 64; for Mr. Crompton's amendment. 59; ma; jority for closing, 5. Another division took place upon an • amendment moved by Mr. Thom, "'That the room should be closed from a quarter before eleven a.m. to half after twelve p.m:, for which there appeared—for the original motion, 49; for, the original motion, 49; fur the amendment, :37; majority, 12, The Rev. Augustus Campbell, Dr. Jeffreys, M.D., Mr. Thorn. Mr. Eden, and others, took part in the discussion.. , DRESSING Murros.—On Tuesday, at the Police-office, the cook of the Henry Bell steam-packet appeared before the ma. gistrates to complain against the captain for having assaulted him. The cook said, " I was on board the Henry Bell about a fortnight before, on the passage from Worn Point, Newry, t r , ec f n r o o ut m ; ode t fr h cel e all:P h utlti a a' n d of one of the deck passengers, I'll i n n t c ew a aa m esh e boyanoduldyebcdokr%evisnsteoad greatdressed. sps — r m a rage, you,' o a ll u ~ • gsaa. Liverpool, said id . he, the e,, shouldery , whip, w u - h scoundrel, dressed." The captain said, in defence, his the word, ost savage ar e i ad n o manner;reason s a o n n d ,t to please complainyo u r h o that- and siezing a . mY mutton •he talks about was • " l'he shoulder of m u t ton quite raw, and none of the passengers could eat it. I went on deck to ask the fil no ° ti g r g s i , l3 reason of this, and found the cook blind d run k , an d on askin hi m w hy he he• ail sent the dinner down in that way—' I beg• y o ur pardon,' said he, 'it is prope r ly coo k ed. I have cooked for better gentlemen than you.' I ordered him to get down out e the hand ss e n o g of r a s, passengera and he h , a a d n not d i - i d e e re n ad - dresse d able it of that, and go to the galley. ' D — n the galley, and you too ' for a dirty rascal,' said he; on w hi ch, as he says, I seized a. whip shoulder." The captain, in rep l y to Mr. Hall, said his wit nesses toto hint get them to attend. The steward, a witness for the complainant: ' i l;e must b e b oun d b y t h e ev i dence g i ven. ' T he corn . - deposed to the assault, but did not see t h e commencement. He and thought it w as enou g h, and we n t b e l ow . ' Mr. gattillk said cked plaivant had proved the assault, and the captain had brought forward no evidence to disprove it: his own evidence went fir nothing. Under I hese circumstances the magistrates considered the assault proved. He must pay 40s. and costs, and in default be committed for three weeks. --- --- ----- His Grace (His grace ! ! !)" the Duke of Cleveland hal thought it decent to subscribe fifty pounds as his modicum ter Mr. O'Connell's begging box, and to accompany the donation„ moreover, with au epistolary effusion.—Newcastle Journal. Some days ago, the vicar and curate of Miraude, in the Geri, had left the church, when two young girls came in, and placed , themselves on their knees at the confessional, waiting the or.. rival of their pastor, in order to relieve their consciences from the burden of their little peccadilloes. They were observed by a young man, who, aware of the departure of the clergy, re solved to avail himself of the Opportunity of learning what nye fair penitents could have to confess. He hastened into the yes- . try, clothed himself with the sacred garments of the priesthood, and was soon listening to the details of the sins of the damsels. I r . alreadyne a s tnyhr many Unfortunately for him, however, the vicar unexpectedlyl:: turned, and was' astonished and indignant at finding hi"m bu c t ' usurped by a stranger. He gave him no time to . esca h pe stripped him of his sheep's clothing, and thendismissed law. The with threats of the vengeance both of church rt immediately seized the wolf, who had thus stolen operation; etut Europe.io u; andln Chamber of Mises eu Accusation has, itis s trick*ou ; but the complaint, considering it as a mere wild urturtassatian. interests th.e'Britiskublic. ' procureur-general has appealed to the Co NT.—The railway system, Int him gAILROA DS ON THE CONTIINIS, England and America, is now has excited so much interest in ' i dismissed projects on an extended, scale in ghl7 : i c gi t a h r tib r Y t e e p d croo i n nfi t tt o ianb e el : e) e t ct . 'The Inter- and will be shortly .are matured, which it Is proposed to form a line of national Railway, by of Boulogne to Lille Paris, a • lion by way .__ _ , rid Brus sels,biluleegtl g i : r i a n u n i n i c : g e t l a i i t e u s y d p a r c o r T e g e commullica . (Irately work is brought forward. by a union of This English, Drench, with the and Belgian capitalists, and _ . . sanction of the govern ments of the countries through which it will pass. It is obviously; a work of the utmost importance to England, not only as con necting it with Paris and Brussels, but ultimately with the other capitals of Europe. The improvements which are in pro gress in the harbour of Dover and the South Eastern London and Dover Railway, for which an • t has • ac just received the royal assent, will combine to render Dover most important'as an out port. If the journey from London to Paris be reduced, as it is . is that which more mime predicted that it will be, to thirteen or fourtetqi hours, and that to Brussels to eleven or twelve hours, ours, we may readily believe the number of travellers will be prodigiously increased. 'the intercouse with the continent by way of Dover is already great, and has rapidly augmented within the last few years; but when these new facilities shall be given on both side; of the channel; Duvet' will Probably become one of the greateet thoroughfares in the world. TIIE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. give unqualified liberty to the priests to teach. all the errors of their persuasion, to teach the doctrine of the worship of the Virgin Mary, as the mother of God, and ofthe saints and angels, the adoration of the wafer in the mass as God Almighty, and the doctrines of purgatory and penance, the insufficiency of the death of Christ to atone for sin, extreme unction, human merit, and all the other false doctrines of that " persuasion." Now, I think the mere exclusion of the scripture lessons a very light objection indeed in comparision with giving every facility and "encouragement" to teach such errors as these. I do not be lieve in the doganas of the church of Rome. I believe they are soul-destroying errors, therefore I cannot but lift up my feeble voice in urging the christians of England to endeavour to put down this awful evil. It is establishing the Romish church in Ireland by law. It is to all intents and purposes connecting the church of Rome and the state of Britain together. Yes, sir, this is what it is to do; it is to connect the church of Rome and the state of Great Britain together; and are we come to this ? (Loud cries of " No.") But perhaps it will be said it is not to connect the church of Rome and Great Britain together, but only an extract of the church of Rome. (Laughter.) An Irish extract of the church of Rome with the state of Great Britain. No wonder that when a right rev. prelate moved for a return of these schools in the House of Lords, the prime minister refused to let those returns be produced, so that the Bishop of Exeter could not procure them. (Cheers.) No wonder, then, that his Majesty's prime minister refused the returns if that system for which the country is paying, and to the inspection of the returns of which the country has a right. By whomsoever that refusal was dictated, and by whomsoever it was given, 1 shall only say, " that he that death evil hateth the light, ueither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved." (Cheers.). In a late debate, the Earl of Wicklow commented thus :—" He was also surprised, considering the reflections which his right rev. friend had shown their lordships were cast upon the proceedings of the commissioners of the board of education, that all parties in the state had not united in one common call for examination into the working of the system which those commissioners were appointed to carry into execution. He should have thought that all parties would have united in the common cause for inquiry—not only those who thought the construction of this board vicious in itself, but also those friends and supporters of it who declared that it worked well and was highly beneficial. He was surprised that the sup porters of this system of education had not gladly embraced the opportunity afforded them of showing to the country that their statements were correct, and that those of his right rev. friend were quite the reverse. It was quite clear that if the statements of his right rev. friend were well founded, this board ought not to be continued ; whilst it was equally clear that if those statements were destitute of foundation, they ought to meet with a public exposure,' refutation, and denial. (Hear, hear.) His right reverend friend had said, that in direct oppo sition to the regulations of the board itself, altars•had been erected and mass had been practised two hours daily in a great number of its schools—and this, too, if not with the sanction, at least with the knowledge of the board itself. He had read in the travels through Ireland of a very impartial and ingenious man, which, thought not published, were now in print, that on visiting one of the schools of this cociety he had found that the prayers used in it were expounded to the children by a Roman catholic master, and the children were in the habit of singuing themselves with the cross during the time of their examination. When this traveller asked the Roman catholic master this ques tion—" If you had protestant children in your school, would you carry on the same system of instructing the children in these religious tenant ?"—the man answered—"l should feel it my duty to do so; but I should consult Father Williams, the priest of the parish, before I did so." Now, ho asked th e house whether such a national system of education could be sane- , tinned by a British and protestant House of Parliament ?" Now, sir, instead of accomplishing the union of the c hild re n of Roman catholics and protestants, instead of attaining this end, the fact is, in the only country where the system has been tried, the event has been directly the reverse. it has separated those who were previously united, instead of uniting those who had been previously separated. And, sir, it took some time to make this plain in Ireland, but it has taken no time at all, " less than no time," as we say, to do it in Liver pool. (Cheering.) Now, I refer to the contents of these books, some of them are excellent; they could not be extracts from the bible in any sense, without containing many perfect sentiments. But they contain faults also, and these faults are rendered more pernicious by the extended circulation which will be procured for them by their connexion with scriptural extracts. Mr. Blackburn accuses us of searching for faults with such anxiety as could only be exempled by that exhibited by the feline species searching for their prey. We plead guilty to this watchfulness over the integrity of the umnutilated word of God, We do search professed extracts from the scriptures with that intention. And as such we did not expect, but to find many excellencies contained in this book, for excellent they are wherever they do not vary from the scriptures. But we search ed for faults. 'What do the conservatives of your public inter ests in your various banks? Do they expatiate on their paper of the various notes presented to them and on the quality of the printing? No; but having this, they examine for forgery— they "mouse for faults." (Great cheering.) And, sir, you theft, commend h o t h h g e h i r t d h i l e i g d e e n t c e e c t a i a o n d b fidelity y i n d detecting t t h o e t intended . tc° W hern e f searched for faults, and 1 for one, glory in the charge, that we are quick to catch faults in the book that purpcses to quote extracts from the bible. We are instructed in the scriptures for the purpose—we have an instinct to know scripture, and an in stinct that knows the paraphrase of man's words. I will, in exami nation, confine myself to the passages which are already before the public. The first of these passages is the celebrated prophesy in the third chapter of the book of Genesis, it is translated in these extracts: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between her seed and thy seed; it shall crush thy head and thou shall lie in wait for his heel." It shall crush, ipsa she the woman; so divers of the fathers read this place conforma bly with the Latin ; others read it ipsem, namely, the seed. The sense is the same, for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the w oman crushes the serpent's head." M r . Bl ac kb urn said, that Mr. M'Neile said the object of the note was " to sanction and encourage the worship of the Virgin Mary, a practice to which the Roman Catholics were said to be addicted, but he (Mr. Blackburn) contended that its tendency was directly the re verse." When was it ever said? Where was it said? When? Excellent charity ! Excellent love of souls that can deal so tenderly with poison! Oh sir! this is not the purity of Hhn who gave his blood to cleanse us from our sins, and set his face like a flint to arrest the iniquities of men, while his heart bled because of those iniquities. Oh sir! this is not the charity that rejoices in the truth and rejoices not in iniquity ; but this is the charity that rejoices in present peace, in ease ; this is the charity that. cries " let me alone and keep to yourself ; " —this] is the charity that enjoins present carelessness at the expense of everlasting ruin. (Great cheers.) " However, the argument of the matter remains," he said, " the sense is the same". The same thing whether the woman crushes the serpent's head by her son, or whether her seed the Lord Jesus Christ crushes the serpent. 1 pray you to observe Mr. Black burn advances no argument. He merely repeats the sense of the note " the sense is the same". 1 wish it to appear to this meeting that the sense is not the same. Suppose we read in a modern history, " the Corsican conquered Eu rope," and suppose a note, reading Corsica in the feminine, that is the island, as some historians read it: others follow the masculine ; the sense is the same, for it was by the son, Napoleon, that Corsica conquered Europe. (Great cheering.) What is this but to take the crown from the conqueror's brow, and place it on the soil that gave him birth ? And what is " Mary," but the soil that gave the Redeemer birth. But says the honourable council man " it is the same thing", and - forty-five honourable council lors, say it is the same thing, and, therefore, surely in these days of tyrant majorities, it must be the same thing, and we must be content to admit that it is the same thing whether the Son of God, or a poor sinful woman of Nazareth of Gallilee, be our Redeemer. The second passage is from the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, this is the passage which I had not meutioned in the sermon which these honourable councillors did meso much honour to notice, the first of my sermons they have done me the honour to notice, I be lieve. (Hear.) "The first man is of the earth earthly, the second man of the heaven heavenly" instead of, " the second man is the Lord of heaven, as given in the authentic version. He then goes on to refer to a number of Greek manuscripts, none of which he names, (laughter) and be acknowledges en passant that he is not any great Greek scholar; and he winds up by telling us that the commissioners in accordance with the testimony of learned men on the subject, had given the passage as it ought to be translated. Now, 1 will tell Mr. Blackburn the reason why I did not mention this passage in my sermon, and the reason why I have never adduced it as any charge against the board. fn the first number of their extracts the pas sage occurs at page 17, and is translated thus, " The first man is of the earth earthy, and the second man is of Heaven heavenly." This had not escaped my notice, sir, but I happened to be acquainsed with those various Greek manu scripts to which reference has been made; I happened to have read carefully a book which I would strongly recommend to the perusal of biblical critics, I mean " Dr. Magee on the Atone ment"—and after careful examination of the charges brought against Marcion, by Lindsay and Mail, on introducing the Greek word Kurios, 'Lord, in the substance of the text. He gives, in the 221st page of the volume, this candid statement : " The Greek of this text runs thus, o seatfeo; risOisvan ire yii; vioco; I Et:/iEEO; ,i'vOrectuoc I x6;.0; o?Jeavol; . . But, front the vari ation of MSS. Griesbach is induced to think it probable, that the word Kurios is not genuine ; and that 0k: s o- should be followed by 6 ouraneous. The received version, abiding by the Greek, renders the passage, ' The first man is, of the earth, earthy : the second man is the Lord from Heaven.' The vulgate reads ' Primus home de terra, terrenus secuudus home de cal°, ccelestis:' —to which the old version of Wick/'adheres, "Phe firste man of erthe is ertheli. the secunde man of hevene is hevenli." Whether we decide by the Greek or the Latin reading of this text is of little consequence as to the main point. in which they perfectly agree, namely, that the words !x oy;is, express the origin of the first Adam; and the words 1E or3easoi4 express the origin of the second Adam.' " Now, knowing this, sir, I dared not dogmatize about the translation of that verse ; and en my further searching I find in the first number of the extracts of the board on the New Testament, the passage is again intro duced. It is translated thus :—" The first man is of the earth earthy, the second man is of the Lord of Heaven. (Loud and long continued cheering.) The board have translated it so the second time they haVe used it; they have altered it from the manner in which Mr. Blackburn would say it ought to be trans lated. The passage is brought twice before the board; in the first case it is translated one way, in the second case another way. And I feel that there does hang some little obscurity in this p usage which makes any dogmatic continent on it out of place. I am happy to give my approbation of the candour of the board in this case,_ very properly giving both translations where doubt was in the text. 1 scorn to suppress this, because it tells in fivoui of the board. I would not take a journey as far as the " Three Taverns," though I could carry my point all over England. (Cheers.) I will give a lesson in a few words, the nhild Jesus. The sense of those verses were condensed faith fully in a short paragraph, and yet the 11ev. Mr. M•Neile lifted up his eyes and hands in astonishment and exclaimed, Here is a statement that it contains the whole Gospel of St. Like, and these eight verses are omitted !' " Mr. Blackburn says it might be a matter of opinion about the appearance of these eight verses ; 1 do not exactly understand the meaning of this, but the dis-appearance is plain if you open the first volume of the extracts. (Loud cheering.) But he says their meaning was condensed in smaller type, between brackets. Now we protest against this chemical method of condensation. It is remarkable that in this eendeusation some of the important ingredients have been lust, fur there is a considerable and most important part of the ten verses the meaning of which is left entirely out of the condensation. The passage is this, "Ile shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." There is not a hint of this in the condensation ; therefore, we say, they are guilty of a mutilation of the Scrip tures (cheers.) And when compared with that mutilation I read this passage " that it professes to contain the whole of the Gospel of St. Luke", I will employ my friend Mr. Rathhone to tell them what they are guilty of then (loud applause which was repeated.) The fourth and last passage which was alluded to by Mr: Blackburn, is thus stated in the report of his speech, " Great stress was laid on another circumstance. There was a note which said that Christ appeared " first to Peter," and as signed as a reason for His appearing first to Peter that he might " console that Apostle in his deep affliction", for having been tempted, and fallen, and for his denial of our Lord. The circumstance might be capable of a different construction". Capable of a different construction ! " but they were told that the Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene, and that, there fore, it was an error tending to favour the Catholic doctrine of the supremacy of St. Peter to say that Christ appeared first to Peter." Mr. Blackburn says, " they were told he appeared first to Mary. This is the way in which the holy gospel by St. Mark is spoken of—they were told !" This is too serious a matter to be g ot rid of by a mere e b u llition of popular feeling; it is an aw ful thing. " Now," he added, " it was clearly the intention of the translator to say that it was to Peter amongst the Apostles that Christ appeared first: for the Apostles were assembled together, and it was told to them that Lord had appeared to Simon. It was clear that He did appear to Peter first of the Apostles, and it was therefore a perfect trifling and playing with words to say that the object was to represent - the fact, as if Christ had appeared to Peter be fore any other person whatever." Why, we have here a most profound Doctor, who knows not only what men have written, but what they have intended to have written and did not write. • (Cheers.) Undoubtedly, intimacy with the board gives a man great advantage in commenting on theirpublications; but as I do not boast the honour of such intimacy, I must take passages as they are written, and not as they are intended to be written, ' and I find this book says this, "the Lord appeared first to Pe ter;" and St. Mark says, the Lord appeared first to Mary Mag dalen"---I am afraid to finish the sentence, (addressing ,the • Reptlifers.}=gentlemen; von may report what you please. (Tremendous applause, which was thrice repeated.) I have now gone through the four passages which have been brought before the town, in that speech of high commendation, and I will only advert, and that briefly, to another passage which I brought forward the same sermon, and commented on . at some length; but it was not touched on at all on this day week in the council. It is the most important of all, because it was the grand turning point of the Reformation, and what Lu ther called the grand tufning point of a standing or falling church, the doctrine of free justification through the Lord Jesus Christ, without any intermixture of virtue or uprightness in the justified sinner. (Great cheers.) I think it is high time now to come to a conclusion. (Loud cries of " No, no.") The question which has been brought forward this day is not merely a local matter: He would he a very shortsighted ob server of passing events who could be prevailed on to imagine that the proposal to introduce this system into Liverpool is a mere insulated local accident of comparatively insignificant importance. No, it stands connected with the progress of a ge neral movement of the principles which the enemies of our esta blished institutions are earnestly endeavouring to disseminate. However, it by no means follows that the parties who are in strumental to the introduction of it here should be fully aware of the remote consequences that must attend that introduction. I do not, sir, charge the members of the town council, or any of them, with willingly introducing it with ulterior objects. It is highly possible, sir, for men to be made the tools of a supe rior intelligence. (Hear, hear.) There are persons of such narrow views, and of such overweening self importance, that if judiciously managed they can be made to toil in the harness of a task master, while they are left to suppose in charming self-complacency that they are each independently urging on his own chariot. (Cheers.) The master spirit may be of unseen, but of paramount influence, managing the springs of the muni cipal machinery. I have no means of knowing—l am unwilling to suspect the enlightened representative of a neisy section of this respectable borough. Not that I can by possibility after what has passed deny his willingness, but that it would be doing violence to the dictates of our common reason to suspect him of the capacity. But, sir, it will be remembered teat he has lately formed an alliance with the commander in chief of the movement troops, and it is within the bounds of possibility (1 de - sire to speak with caution)—lt is within the bounds of possibility that in the soicety of a great leader this honourable representative may have become acquainted with souse of the re verend patrons of a system that has worked so well amongst the nuns and friars of the "Sweet Isle of the Ocean." It is within the bounds of possibility that their reverences may have inspired the honourable member with a judicious hint to send down to his valued and influential constituents, that it would be very wise to put an end to the exclusiveness of this', scriptural teaching, and introduce a more liberal system, which would give opportunity for reference to the fathers in the notes, and something more. (Great cheering.) But in saying this I am imagining let no facetious Reporter represent me as having stated this as a matter of fact. (Cheers). I wish to leave it on record that I did not repeat it as a matter of fact, but am willing to indulge in imagination a little. But in tracing the connection between the priest and the member, the member and the council the council and the schools—l did but imagine —I did but follow the example of the Prince of Denmark, when indulging his imagination he said, "To what base uses may we come Horatio? Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander till he find it stopping a bung hole." "As this; Alexander died, Alexander was buried; Alexander returneth to dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam whereto he was converted, might they uot stop a Beer barrel ?" (Great cheering.) Imperiou . s,Cmsar,.dead, and turned to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away; 0, that that earth, which kept the world in awe, Should patch a wall to expel the winter's flaw. (Tremendous applause and clapping of hands). I did but imagine, sir, about the Prince of Denmark. He reminds me that guilty characters have been caught at a play; Imagination is a very troublesome commodity- Certain it is, that in a large and comprehensive view the question to be decided is not a local. question. The question is this : is England so in fected with the poison of a liberal philosophy as to become care less and indifferent to revealed truth, to such an extent as tamely to submit to the invasion of this pro-popery system. (Loud cheering, and cries of " no, no.") I say that if this meeting—if this appeal to Liverpool shall have no other good effect, it shall at least do this, for which every respectable member of society ought to thank you; sir, it will at least put the plague-ship into quarantine. (Loud cheers.) Liverpool has been selected us the arena for trying this question, and what is Liverpool's answer? The masters and mistresses answer, "we resign." (Cheers.) The clergy of the established church answered, " we protest," (continued cheering); the laity have rallied round the standard of scriptu ral education, and here, sir, are 5,000 voices, and twice 5,000 hands which are ready to join and say, "No Popery." (The Rev. Gentleman sat down amidst a round of applause, cheering and clapping of hands, which lasted several minutes, after having spoken exactly two hours.) The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was unanimously carried. Mr. SANDS rose to propose the third resolution—" That a committee be formed for the furtherance of this important pur pose, and to solicit subscriptions, and adopt such measures as may be deemed expedient to effect it in the best and speediest way, and that the committee consist of the following gentlemen, with power to add to their number, and that James Aspinall, Esq., who has kindly consented to accept the office, be appoint ed treasurer."—He would say that a more noble object could not occupy the attention of a respectable meeting like the pre sent than the one on which they were Met. He trusted that not only would that meeting respond to the call which was made on them, but the public eenerally. (Hear.) It could not be too deeply impressed on their minds, that the Bible was the best gift of God to man, because it taught us those things we could not otherwise learn. It taught us the saving truths of the gospel. lie would denounce what had occurred at the schools as a diiect interference with the rights and privieges of the rising generation. ( Hear.) They should be guilty of a breach of trust if they withheld any part of the word of God from their children. He concluded with moving the adoption of the resolution. Mr. SAMUEL Hot.sre seconded the motion. He should owe an apology to the meeting for presenting himself before them had he done so unsolicited, and the remarks he might offer might possibly weaken the effect produced by the brilliant elo quence and the thrilling statements of those who had preceded him. But he stood there in a twofold capacity; not merely 'a respondent to the call which had been made upon him, but in some degree as the representative of a large body of his fellow tradesmen, whose opinions were entitled to no small degree of attention. (Cheers.) He could not, if he were su disposed, adopt the language of the orator of the Dublin Corn Exchange, and in the proud display of physical strength 'say, in presump tuous confidence, " We are seven millions;" but he could rejoice in representing a large moral force, and in saying we are 800. (Cheers.) And, from conversations that he had had with many of the humbler classes, who from the nature of their e mployments were unable to sten upon a platform and speak for themselves, he was convinced that he was a respondent to vast numbers of loyal and right-minded operatives, who felt themselves deeply interested in this vital question. (Loud cheering.) The present town council had been elected upon th e plea of liberality. Freedom of thought and freedom of ex pression had always found in the majority of that body their most strenuous ad;ocates; and, standing upon their own ground, an d in the name of the large body to whom he had just alluded, he protested in the most solemn manner against the vote of Wednesday last as an unjust invasion of the rights and privi tecrea of the poor, and as a gross libel upon the moral character of the town of Liverpool. (Loud cheering.) No man or body of men had a right to mutilate the word of God. • If the mutila tion of the human body by the loss of a member rendered that body necessarily imperfect —if the edifice, however splendid, but wanting one stone, was consequently incomplete, how much snore was the blessed word of God rendered imperfect and in complete when garbled extracts were put for the whole! (Ap ,thmse.) But this part of the subject had been so ably handled by his friend, Mr. M'Neile, and those who had preceded him. that he passed on to other topics. He believed that many of the council (of whom he wished to speak in terms of the highest respect) had been deluded into the present system, and were ignorant of its ultimate effects. An unseen power was behind th the scenes by , p believed was popery. (Cheers.) Did he fear popery in the But thatthe wires, and that power he sincerely abst act ? NO. a ttack the Church of E ng l an d o p en l y exer t e d it s b a neful influ ence specious power which did not dare to earantd pulling ing upon the balance of parties, and so made itself influential wh ere, abstractedly, it would have been power less. No, no; they knew well that the Church of England was the grout bulwark of protestantism, and with it the conservator ( of rent civil and religious liberty (of which phrase, by the way, there was much misunderstanding in the present day); and they, knew that, if their attack was open and undisguised, ten thousand noble spirits would rise in its defence, and their insi dious designs would be vanquished. (Loud applause.) But they tried the sapping and mining system, having first marked well her bulwarks and found them invulnerable. It was the fashion in the present liberal age to look upon history as an old almanack ; but he would have the meeting draw lessons of wis dom from historical facts which bare upon the present subject. It was in the recollection of many then living, that when the ,Corsican with his victorious cohorts had overrun Egypt, and was continuing his career throutth Palestine—that interesting • sand once trodden by the feet of the blessed lierleether--a soli- " Ne sutor ultra crepidam." (Loud laughter and applause.) And lest this gentleman should be like wh a t D r . J o hn s on says of one of his friends, having little Greek and les s o f Latin—(great laughter and cheering)--and for the benefit of the less literary part of the audience, I will translate it. Th e lit era l translation is, " l e t no t th e cobbler go beyond his last." (Tremendous cheering and laughter.) But the literal meaning and sound instruction is this, " Leave dis quisitions upon varying Greek writers and correct translations to those who understand the subject, and go and mind your own business." (Tremendous cheering and clapping of hands, which was thrice repeated.) The next passage commented on by the hon. gentleman was, that great stress was laid on the circum- Stance that, in the introduction - of the Lessons of the New Tes tament, there was a statement that such new lesson contained the whole Gospel of St. Luke, when the fact was, that eight verses were omitted. Is it not singular that, even in these smaller matters, the hon. gentleman could not get himself put in correct information. The fact is, that ten verses are omitted. This is the way that things are carried by hearsay, by persons who know nothing at all about them. (great cheering.) Ile says, " Great stress was laid on the circumstance that in the in troduction to the LeSsons from the New Testament there was a statement. that the volume contained the whole Goipel according to St. Luke, and yet eight verses were omitted. The fact was, that eight verses were omitted from the first chapter, tend instead of them there' Was a short condeniation of the substance of them, printed in smaller type, and inclosed in brackets. It Might be a matter of opinion about the appearance of the eight verses, but he thought that any gentleman who read those eight verses at tentively would find that they simpls co'ntained'the annunciation that the Virgin' Mary shooi Ve,6orhe fIY4 6:0110.0 6'• 14011 . . tary fort arrested his progress, and he concentritted all his forces for its destruction. A breach was made in. its walls, and the attack was almost successful; but just then tWo- British frigates appeared iu the offing, manned by gallant hearts, a nd l e d o n by a noble spirit. A body of British seamen with their leader were admitted into the citidel, the garrison we,: strengthened, the enemy were repulsed, and 'the citadel of Acre was saved; and it drew front Napoleon the expression, in allusion to Sir Sidney, " That man made me miss Inv destiny." : Now he wished to observe from this, that, as the British constitution was assaulted by a malignant toe, and that a breach had been ef fi. , cted in her oute irks by the cowardice or cupidity of some of her own soldiers, it was the imperative duty of all men who set a just value upon the civil and religious institutions of time em pire to throw themselves upon the breach—to defend to.the last that important city which holds the bright lamp of pure and unadulterated truth within its walls. (Loud continued cheer ing.) The day was gone by for half measures; there was now need for activity and decision • and it was the duty of the laity to stand boldly forward and aid the clergy, and no longenthrUst them forward unsupported to the embrasure. These were days when the principle of expedie4y was put forwards. Just as a man in the common affairs of life rises to the surface of society by the display of energy and decision, does the straightforward sitnplicity of the English character repudiate such a fraudtilent expression. Show him on the exchange, in the shop or' the counting...house, the man who was conducting his private affairs on the principle of expediency alone, and he for one would not trust that man. (Applause.) There was nothing straightfor ward about it. It carried upon its countenance the imputation of fraud and dishonesty, and was alwa . 3s to be suspected. It did not belong to earth; it could not possibly below? to heaven; and it seemed, therefore, as it it was suspended, like the fabled coffin of the impostor Mahomet, between heaven and earth, and yet belonged to neither. (Cheers.) In /be situation of life which he filled, he thought it his paramount duty to protest against the vote of the council of Wednesday last, careless of the frowns or the ridicule of his dying fellow-men. Was it for man, whose breath is in his nostrils, who is here to-day and gone to-morrow, to decide upon what part and parcel of that word is to be read and taught to the young, and what part is to he rejected of that eternal word which was spoke by Him who is omnipotent, and " is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever ?" (Cheers.) Oh, no. Did he speak strongly upon this subject? About twenty years ago, (continued Mr. Holme,) when I was a mere boy, a highly respected and excellent indivi dual, in company with a venerated clergyman of the established church, Caine to our office when we were engaged in paying our workmen. They wished to establish an auxiliary branch of the Bible Society in our employ; they succeeded in doing so; and the association existed for a considerable period. The clrgy man was the Rev. Mr. Buddicom. (Loud cheers followed the announcement of this name.) After a suitable address from him, the gentleman who accompanied hint expatiated in a feel ing tnanner upon the necessity of every workman not merely supporting bible societies, but of possessing himself the sacred scriptures, which it was his duty t o te a ch to hi s children. was.. struck with.: his words, but still more so by his observing to my father. " You have something more, sir, to do with Your work men than profiting by their sinews." Yes, sir, we - have more to do with our work - men tl,au to profit by their sinews; and I reiterate the observation to every tradesman who is present, that he, in common with myself, may be aware of our responsibility, and think of our workmen as immortal heiuLts- (Loud cheers.) 'But, sir, I forgot to add that the individual to whom I allude, and to whom I have been myself under sante obligations, is now a member of our town council, and, with deep sorrow I mention it, his name is found amongst the ma jority on Wednesday last. (Cries of " Name him;" but Mr. 1 - 1. did not give his name.) How had the fine gold become dint. He felt sure that the system sought to be introduced was an im portation from Ireland, that interesting country which he had traversed from one side to the other, and which he admired Inr the generosity and hospitality of its lively inhabitants. And what had been done with the scriptures in countries like Ire laud, where popery was rampant and possessed unbounded power ? Were the scriptures found there ? No ! he had searched through many booksellers shops in the great towns of Italy, but had never yet been able to discover the Bible on sale in any one of them. On one occasion, when crossing a boun dary in company with a legal friend who had Biackstone's Commentaries in his portmanteau, the officers of the Dog,ana examined them closely, and perceiving the mention of some thing which they could not 'comprehend, being probably like Mr. Blackburn not understanding much Greek, (loud laughter,) they took his friend's books to the cure; he, like the officers, was unable to comprehend them, and transferred them to his bishop, and it cost his friend no little time and money before the unfortunate volumes were again in his own possession. In Spain, in Portugal, were the scriptures circulated? No! nor would they ever be where popery was dominant ; for that dark system could not bear the light of truth to shine upon it, and, wherever a free inculcation of the scriptures was permitted, that absurd system would soon be scattered to the winds. (Loud cheering.) The Bible was a loyal book, and its circulation was sometimes inconvenient to certain persons. In the same sense which taught a man to fear God, the noble-minded apostle who made a full manifestation of his ministry before kings and rulers, as well as in the presence of an infuriated multitude, he, fearing lest there should be any misconception on the point, immediately added, honour the king. And I was much struck the otherday with a passage which will never be, published by the Irish board in any of their extracts, lest the aptness and acuteness of the Irish people should make a misapplication of it. "I will cutoff from Israel, head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head, and the prophet that speaketh lies, he is the TAIL." (Loud cheers.) "For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them shall be destroyed." One word more and he should con clude. It was the duty of all those who now enjoyed the light of God's word to contribute to the treasury now open for the purpose of circulating it fully and freely. If necessary, they ought to shear away their luxuries, and to deny themselves that they might assist the work. Did but the members of the church exercise half the self-denial of the enemies of truth, and show such determination as they showed, there had been no need for a meeting like the present. And he firmly believed that, if ever those enemies succeeded against the establishment, the pro testant trinitarian dissenters would be the next object of attack. (Cheers.) As he had alluded to Ireland he would add, that as long as popery ever raised such a withering influence in that unhappy land, the British legislature might pass as many enactments as they pleased, might fill their statute book with coercive laws, or laws of concession, and it would he all ineffec tual, for if she were not redeemed and disenthralied from the dominion of popery, she would remain—with her magnificent mountains and her fertile valleys, her noble rivers, and her highly-interesting people—dead to civilization, and not fit to be amalgamated to the free institutions of England ; but let her free herself from popery, and let the word of God be circulated freely throughout the laud, and then will Ireland become what he longed to see her, the most brilliant gem that sparkled in the British diadem. (Mr. H. sat down amidst loud cheering.) The CHAIRMAN put the resolution to the meeting, and it was dona tions,clohnagir,liasrtnoofudnotinnag- rea t d he a unanimously adopted. him since After altogether to £2,400. This will be found advertised in another column. he which hacl takenhe The announcement of these subscriptions was received with loud demonstrations of applause. Dr. RALPH then came forwards. Ile said, "A motion has been entrusted to my care by the lay members who have con_ ducted the proceedings of this day, from whom alone such a request could come—a motion which could not so well be com mitted to the hands of a member of the established church of England. I rise to snake that motion with the greatest plea sure ; I feel that it will be responded to by every individual pre sent in this large assembly. As you will be impatient to hea r the motion, I shall at once announce it; it is " that the thanks of this meeting be given to the clergy of this town for having so promptly responded to the call of duty on this occasion, and to our Reverend Chairman for his able conduct in the chair.'s (Chee r s . ) Thes e gentlemen do, iiide e e x d h , i cbdaietnseedii.,vee) tol. of u a thanksoa precious raes the i the o h e s hands of that large community to which we are all connected. It h as been fashionable, of late, to doe -n to atthe u c s— lei tile clergy osenrlyiptthurroeusg ofh the medium of abuses that they, .as well as we, most sadly groundsdl cgepalcy deplore; but h(i( b ci u h t isiao a s n t. c b i L t re h e e an r s millianeninddiauendm agencyis everlasting truth. A legacy of such importan ce as to be re tained in all its integrity—not only for the generation which is now rapidly passing away, bnt for generations to come. If I were to select any from their number, selections, indeed, not being the order of this day, I am sure they would permit me. every one of them, especially to notice that most lion-hearted churchman since the days of Luther, I mean the 11ev. Hugh M'Neile, (loud Applause and clapping of hands,) with whose varied powers, sustained through so long a period, we have all been delighted. That man remains like the rock beaten by the waves, to scorn the scorner. The question which has been submitted to this meeting to-day is a question of principle; bes tween the town council and we who are here present, there is a difference of principle. We are separated from each other far as the poles. One point has not been conceded to, many as have been the points to which reference has been made—l mean the tendency of this system to unsettle the inspiration of the word of God, a point which has been held as settled by all or thodox denominations. Those children are presented with these specimens as fair_ specimens of the word of God. As they advance in years they make a comparison between the two, and find them not to be the same, but, owing to the reverence they have been taught towards the extracts, they come to regard this as the word of inspiration, and not the remainder. It is our desire that they should all appear before them Under the same sanction. It is not for us to say what part of the word twbeeen appealed d a e r e d opyl placed; clrleotdoui t;rsas andse l a v t i e t e s gni.t, i t y . preferable for a man over another. We knoW that a c atholic churchman was converted, under God, by reading a paSsage in the book of Genesis which records merely a number of man"! and of deaths.. He read again and again, " As long as etch , think of his" eternal lived, he also died," and he was lead to , thi eternal interests. I may also mention tbat the different regis ters as of ro ih y ecies of names in the word of God are usually passedover the o t• b Ge , di s which I an ci" in Ireland. Yet ibtse ex tended respecting Jews, and importance; a a n t rhceee of fo b un u ti iitinitgthyeotyfa Christ.a hwereolm the o s t fulfilmentc lo gical reasons why this should be adopted And ought it reason was lest we should was likely to be so soon fulfilled. On (Ch r eers.)l c ir i e t . adlest cotland should e. the But Bibleth , e v aVory taughtof make ourselves parties to forging merely because there is a country where example, under the circumstances in ' (Cheers.) It entwines itself as a in stitution t i d cta o unt i f , ot e n e h l eI i l t ld) idan oppose h poansoeu recollectingr its a thatrihnrtar introduction nltchluetr:e,sevs! into ot which t ( l i h u sli t ia s tn e t Il t lea s ti of town. 'm i t t is embodied in every there is ample provision o education should therefore be all ilsmoetwodtwul a i t t in h eds this wota. :i s , f c .et l_i h e guardian spirit education. And no one l familiar •• department t , without having can be with the literature of Scotland there pins high thoughts and sublime poetry have been taken from the word of God, even from those parts which have been with held. I refer you to the writings of Lord Byron, and of t p h e e al P ed ai t i o sh fo S i ch u o s o t ls o Sir Walter Scott, men not hiendlv to what. is called vital re li g i on , but men whose writings are deeply and strongly impressed with the Old Testament. This scheme of edu cation has been brought here as a reform ; I am sure I can answer for the clergy of the platform, that we love, we admire the name of reform; it is a name ever precious to uq ; precious to the memory of the reformed church of England—precious in the eves of the members of the reformed church of Scotland, and precious in the memory, I trust, of al( orthodox denominations. Peace to thee, ashes of that refor mation. We approach the graves of its martyrs for the cause of Christ with the deepest reverence; but oh England! oh my country !—Land of Cranmer, of Latimer, and of Ridley! oh Scotland! oh my country! land of Withals, of Hamilton, of Knox, and of Melville! Are these the sons of such sires? Ichabod, Ichahod, the glory of this kingdom must be depart ing. The men who ate foremost iu the shout of liberty, aret hindermost in its views of liberty which the scriptures presen (Cheers.) May God in his mercy prevent so tearful an issue.deliclte The Rev. JAMES DIXON should feel it extremely i w n ith a c n to detain them at that late hour of the meeting, y' to y lengthened observations, but he would beg a f he should like to give utterance to one or two opinions which, ly. (Hear.) The have recorded in the presence of that assemu on them for an ex pressionresolution which he rose to second called . . d ' • on their parts respecting the spirit and conduct of opinion of the clergy of the t own, and of the reverend m-