The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-16 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL
STANDARD.

THE

iS.tberpoot tanbarb>

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1855.

PLACARDS AND PERVERTS.

WE took occasion, some months ago, to condemn
the tone of a placard, bearing reference to the Romish
Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, which ap-
peared at the time upon many of the walls of this
town : and within-the last few days we have seen two
others, emanating from the opposite party, which
seem to us to call for animadversion and remonstrance,
---one on account of its matter, the other on account
of its manner. The first is put forth by a Mr. MAC-
DONALD, and contains a challenge to Protestants
generally to discuss publicly the doctrine of Tran-
substantiation, and the Invocation of Saints and
Angels; and then proceeds to rate pretty roundly
certain parties, who are said to have asserted that
money is Mr. MACDONALD'S object in these discus-
sions. If any have said so, without sufficient founda-
tion for the charge, they are of course to be blamed.

Common charity requires us to give the same credit

for a desire to promote what he believes to be the
truth, to one side as to the other, unless we have
good reason for a contrary course. However, upon
this point we give no opinion ; though upon the face
of the document in question it would certainly appear
that Mr. MACDONALD, while ready to defend the
peculiar tenets of his Church, is not altogether without
—an eye to business : for, not to notice the fact, that a
price is fixed for admission, in order, as it is said, to
defray expenses, it is announced that, at the con-
clusion of the proceedings, subscribers' names will be
received for "the newspaper"---what newspaper does

not appear.
However, upon all this we make no comment.

What we do find fault with, is the bringing such sub-
jects into public discussion at all, as calculated to injure
religion generally. Controversy, alas !is inevitable :
but let us not have it in that form in which it is
likely to produce the maximum of evil, and the mi-
nimum of good. Were the question to be settled a
metaphysical, instead of a religious one, we shotild
regard a public debate as next to useless for the pur-
pose of eliciting the truth, simply because frequently
more depends upon the readiness and fluency of the
speaker, than upon the goodness of his cause; and
when the question happens to be a religious one, and
the worse side is defended by the abler advocate, the
mischief resulting may be incalculable. But, besides
all this, the public discussion of such religious questions
cannot but engender both a captious and an irreverent
temper. He, who is in the habit of hearing this, that,
and the other alternately affirmed and denied ; sup-
ported by one passage of scripture, and opposed by
another ; and scripture itself interpreted in various
ways, according to the preconceptions of those who
appeal to it---treated, in fact, to- use the not very
reverent comparison of Pighius, like " a nose of wax"
---will gradually learn to question the most solemn
and fundamental verities. We can conceive no course
more calculated to lead an unlearned and irreligious
man step by step into downright infidelity. But,
supposing the evil to stop short of this, how can ir-
reverence be avoided ? how can they fail to become
accustomed to irreverence, who are in the habit of
frequenting or taking part in such discussions ?
especially when, as in the case before us, the debate
is not confined to two or more fixed upon beforehand,
but is open to all comers. We do not know how
Romanists feel: but we are quite sure that, if we
believed in Transubstantiation, we should regard it
as a most solemn and sacred subject, and should be
infinitely pained to hear its truth questioned, much
more to hear it treated as in the course of a promiscuous
public debate it almost certainly will be. This, it maybe
said,is more the Romanist's concern than ours. But we
maintain, that the ridicule and irreverence too fre-
quently employed upon such occasions must eventually
injure both parties. In attacking error with such
weapons we bring the truth into perilous contact with
them, to say the least. If error were wholly unlike
truth, the danger might not be so great ; but, religious
error being a perversion of truth, and retaining its
likeness in many points, it is impossible to attack the
former with irreverence, without some danger of the
weapon employed glancing aside, and injuring the
latter. To illustrate our meaning by reference to one
of the subjects proposed for discussion by Mr.
IVIA.cnoNALD : the Romanist understands the words
which our LORD used at the institution of the
Eucharist, in a particular sense. That sense we deny
to be the true one ; and we may, and ought to, defend
our denial reverently and with charity, when necessity
for doing so arises. But surely our feelings of re-
verence at the reception of the Eucharist cannot be
increased, while there is every danger of their being
diminished, by the recollection of the ridicule which
we may have heard poured out against the Romish
interpretation of those words, and which ridicule
must, in a greater or less degree, have become con-
nected in our minds with the words themselves. For
these and similar reasons, we deprecate such public
discussions as the one proposed ; and, while we do not
question Mr. MACDONALD'S sincerity and honesty of
purpose, we cannot but regard him, and all who adopt
similar means for the like ends, pretty much in the
same light as we should regard an English soldier,
who should discharge his Minie at a Russian while
his own commander was standing in the same line
with him. He might hit his enemy, but in such case
would probably hit his friend at the same time : and
just so we think that too many of the attempts made
by controversialists to beat down what they regard as
error, inflict most dangerous wounds upon religion

The other placard, to which we have alluded, is one
announcing a lecture at the (Roman) Catholic insti-
tute, by W. C. lIPLAIIRIN, Esq., late Dean of Moray
and Ross. This we consider to be in very bad taste,
and to convey an altogether gratuitous and uncalled-
for insult to the Church of which Mr. M‘l4A.uani was
some time a minister and member, and by consequence
to the Church of England, which is in communion
with it. By styling himself " late Dean of Moray and
Ross," he proclaims himself to be a seceder from the'
Scottish (Episcopal) to the Romish , Church : and we
have observed a similar anxiety upon the part of other
perverts to make known their antecedents. We repeat,
that we regard this as exceedingly bad taste ; just as
we do the course pursued by many temperance orators,
who seem to take a morbid pleasure in making known
what drunkards they were formerly. Assuming that
Mr. 11PLAT.TRIN's last change was sincere (we believe
that it was not his first), we should have expected_that
he would feel too much sorrow and shame on account
of the many years spent in connexion with what he now
regards as heresy and schism, to permit him thus pub-
licly to blazon it. We cannot account for this ten-
dency, upon the part of our neo-Romanists, to proclaim
what, if they are sincere, they must consider their past
shame. There are many points in their general con-
duct which tend to prove a deterioration of feeling
and. character consequent upon their perversion ; and
this, to our mind, has always appeared to be one of
the most striking.

But why gratuitously insult the Church which they
have left P in which they sometime ministered, and
wherein their earliest and dearest friendships and con-
nexions must have been formed. We know that even
according to the Bomish theory, itself a very rax. one,
our baptisms are valid ; yet they actually go out of
their way to incur the risk of sacrilege, by rebaptising
perverts whom they receive from us. They sacrifice
their own theory-for the sake of insulting the Church.
And, similarly, this sometime Dean of Moray and
Ross ostentatiously parades himself as W. C. M`LA.u-
BIN , Esq., for the mere purpose of calling in question,

what every candid and well-informed Romanist admits,
the validity of our orders. Had his motive been any-
thing less than this, he might have announced him-
self as plain Mr., instead of going out of his way to
assume a title to which in all probability he has just
as little right as he has to that of Pope of Rome.
Petty attacks like this will not injure us, but they
show the animus of the party by whom they are made.
Attacks such as Mr. M`MACDONALD'S may injure us
by injuring religion generally ; and they also show
an animus upon the part of those in authority who
permit them. They are far too astute not to perceive,
that the blow which injures us must injure themselves
also : and bad, indeed, must be the spirit which urges
them to inflict it notwithstanding.

gratified to find that this also is the opinion of the !ALI.-
tants of Liverpool." This explicit and unmistakeable. de-
claration of the royal and gallant soldier was made in the
presence and hearing of the Earl of DEBBY, and the Right
Hon. Mr. WA.LroLE, both looked up to and recognised as
leaders in the Conservative cause, yet neither of them offered
a word in explanation or modification of the views expressed
by the illustrious speaker; yet, both spoke after him. Other.
Conservatives, of weight and authority with the party and with
the country, have likewise spoken out in relation to the only
terms on which peace can be honourably concluded, in phrases
equally strong and unequivocal with those alluded to. Under
such circumstances, who, that is not blinded by party preju-
dices, can for a moment entertain the idea of a coalition
between the Conservatives and those who, affecting to believe
the war a just and necessary one, yet, secretly believing in its
inutility and injustice, pretended to carry it on with spirit and
efficiency, while starving it in reality, and thus practically
playing into the hands of the enemy P The idea of their
adopting the principles advocated by Mr. BRIGHT and his
three followers in the House of Commons is not less ridicu-
lous nor more absurd.

If the mere rumour of monstrous political coalitions have
excited so much stir on all hands, it is not less singular that
a dangerous political combination should have been formed in
our metropolis, having for its objects the assassination of
sovereigns, the subversion of thrones, and the general spread
of devastation and bloodshed, without having caused even the
lightest semblance of disapprobation. Such, however, is the
case. A meeting was, it seems, lately held in John-street,
Fitzroy-square, London, to commemorate the proclamation of
the French Republic of 1792. The proceedings of this meet-
ing are published in a Jersey paper, and from it the public
will learn the name and at least some of the avowed objects
sought to be attained by the meeting and those who consti-
tuted it. Its style is the Commune revolutionaire, and the
Comiti international. This meeting expressed the highest
regard and respect for PIANORI, the vile assassin who recently
attempted to murder the EMPEROR of the French. In honour
of this execrable caitiff, the Commune revolutionaire and
Comite international intends to present its members with
medals. What may be the particular device adopted for the
medal intended to honour the assassin, is not mentioned in the
report ; but some idea may be guessed at as to itsimport from
the fact that the English medalist employed to execute the
order scrupled to do so on account of some weak prejudice he
entertained against the legend the Red men proposed
to inscribe on the exergue, and from the further fact
that in his speech at opening the meeting the
chairman urged his audience to be penetrated with
the maxim that it was their duty, as it would be their
honour—" to kill Emperors and Kings." To break up such a
Comite international as one which counsels and inculcates
the honour and duty of killing Kings and Emperors, ought
not surely to be looked on as too great an interference with
the "liberty of the subject." Assuredly it is a prostitution of
our free laws which permits the metropolis of this great empire
to be converted into a city of refuge for men who employ their
time and exercise their ingenuity in organizing schemes of
wholesale murder, and who rank assassination among the
class of honourable deeds.
Among the intimations within the last few days; prolific
as they have been in intelligence or comments of interest, few
have transcended in general importance thelongunticipated and
popularly talked of condition of the Empress EUGENIE. Her
public position and personal history, combined with her recent
and unexpected elevation to the throne of a great and popu-
lous empire; her congeniality of deportment; and her recent
visit to this country, as well as the marked courtesy and kind-
ness displayed by her to our own beloved Sovereign in Paris,
have conspired to invest her domestic and family relations
with an interest to the British people not usually accorded by
them to the consorts of foreign potentates. The announce-
ment, therefore, recently made in official form, that she
promises an heir to the throne recently achieved by her in-
domitable husband, has created an interest here unusual in
such matters. The important event which, within the next
four mouths, will occur in reference to the future dynasty of
France, is one of no ordinary character. It is one which
may involve consequences of the deepest import to France,
to Europe, and to the world. If the auspicious promise
should eventuate in the birth of a male heir, and the life of
the infant be prolonged to meet the cares of manhood and
of state, an additional link will have been established in
France for the peaceful security of Europe. The son (if son it
should be) of NAPOLEON LIL will have to take his place as
one of the leading characters-of European history under cir-
cumstances of no ordinary nature. Born in all human
probability he will be within the purple chamber of Imperial
turn ju,
destined to a lift of regal splendour and of piifsonal ease. If
the life of his strong-minded and iron-willed father be pre-,
served until the son shall reach the age of manhood, many of
the difficulties of his situation will, doubtless, by that time
have been removed ; but even then, there will still be enough
left to keep him humbly and, it is to be hoped, submissively
dependant on that Providence which has set his remarkable •
father aside as the instrument of great things. In France
many difficulties have yet to be- contended with. Her social.
system, so often and so fiercely shaken within a recent period,.
will still for many years to come, and under even the most
favourable circumstances, present numerous elements .of
contention, and many instruments of strife. To modify and
assuage these is an object of such vital interest to the civilised
world, that all who wish well to their species must feel the
liveliest anxiety in' that event which at an early period of the-
approaching year may crown the hopes of the Imperial House
of France,

The conduct of the war still furnishes abundant food for re-
flection and remark to intelligent men of every rank in life.
The actual value of the allied conquests in the Crimea is even-
to this hour a matter of doubt. In gaining the city and the-
whole southern shore of the creek on which Sebastopol is -
situated, many well-informed parties maintain that we have
scarcely gained half the battle. These parties point signif,
cantly to the fact that the Russians continue masters of the-
strong fortresses-on the north, which in a great degree com—
mand the town —that so far from manifesting any disposition to.
evacuate them, they are busy in strengthening and extending
them—and that as it is, their fire has been sufficient to cause- -
us to abandon a portion of the-captured town. To this it is
answered, and with equal ground of confidence and more of
joy, that the cannonade which.has induced the Allies to aban,
don the Karabalnaia suburb has never been of a formidable
character, and that the place has been abandoned more as- a
matter of convenience, and to avoid unnecessary casualiticsy
than in obedience to the power of the enemy—that the Rus-
sian army is already much straitened for provisions
and stores—that these will become daily more diffi-
cult of access to them—that they acknowledge themselves
to be now menaced on the line of Perekop, and are threatened
on their communications with Simpheropol—that these are 1
the only points whence they derive supplies, or can expect to I
receive reinforcements—that with those positions secured our
armies may rest in security, and allow the winter and ,priva,
tion to work their way in exterminating the Russian forces in
the Crimea. Considerable dissatisfaction has been expressed
here in different quarters, at the paucity of information afforded
in reference to the-operations of both the fleet and the army.
It is, however, now generally understood that the operations
in progress with both these arms of the service are of a stra-
tegic character, and depend much on secresy for their chances
of success, and that consequent on this the Allied commanders..
have resolved to restrict the means of written communication
from the seat of war.

The cold sharp breezes and lengthening nights. of October
are beginning to drive the tourist and sportsmen from the-
heathery-bill, sides and sea-beaten cliffs and coasts, to take
refuge in " The Wen," as COBBETT used to call the leviathan
metropolis. To meet the requirements of those " homeward-
veering" denizens, London is becoming once, more instinct
with life and promise. The extensive publishers have begun
to issue their note of preparation for the coming: winter. Two
new volumes of MACAULAY'S History of England are pro-
mised by. LONGMANS for_December, and the same firm inti-
mates the publication at an early date of Dr. BA.RTH'S Travels
in Africa, and a Narrative of Captain M'Czusx's voyage in
Discovery of the North West Passage. The conclusion of
GROTE'S History of Greece is promised by MURRAY, WhO like-
wise announces a long list of Travels in Palestine and other
quarters, including " A Bird's-eye View of India," by Sir
ERSKINE PERRY. BENTLEY wooes attention to his list of
announcements, which, inter alia, include the finishing vo-
lume of 'Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S Memoirs of CHARLES JAMES
Fox, which, it is probable, his Lordship, being now relieved
from the cares of office, will afford him solace in his " learned
leisure." The theatres are opening wide their portals, and
displaying their manifold attractions to an intelligent and
admiring public. At the Princess's, CHARLES KEAN is said
to be preparing a Greek play, with which he expects to take
the town by surprise.

A TAXISTOCK JuitY.—Twenty pounds appears to be con-
sidered by a Tavistock jury the price of breaking the thigh-
bone of a servant girl, and laming her for life. Jane Hubbis-
ton, a girl of fifteen, was servant to a Mrs. Northey, who not
being pleased with the agility of her domestic, in carrying
some clothes up-stairs to mangle, knocked the girl down and
thrashed her with a cane. The next morning Hubbiston was
in_ such pain that she could not work, and was sent home,
when a medical man declared her thigh broken. An action
for £5O damages, the highest amount attainable in a county
court, was brought by the girl's mother against the master
and mistress. The latter partially denied the facts, declared
the girl was lame when she came to her, and was of a scrofu-
lous habit. The surgeon admitted that the latter might have
made the bone more brittle, but did not believe it accounted
for the lameness. The judge summed up favourably to the
plaintiff, and the jury gave the verdict recorded.

ATTENDANCE AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Siii4—My attention Fx been called to a tabular statement

which appeared in the 14feenry of Sept. 28th, in which the
statistics pf St. John's Church were put down as follows :
official return of Numbers actually Counted.
Seat Room, Avingr
Evening.
attendance. Morning.

2000
, -^
-1, 9°
- 1,007 1,003
Nov on this statement, wilt—
..ii is grossly inaccurate, I beg
to remark—

First : That the seat room is over-estimated by god,

St. John's Church will seat in pews and side seats only
1,100; on forms and stools, by close packing, 400 more;
total 1,500.

Secondly : The numbers attending are under-stated by at
least 200 in the morning, and 500 in the evening.

On Sunday evening, the 7th inst., and Sunday morning, the
14th, the churchwardens and eight respectable members of the
congregation, two at each door, counted the people as they
leisurely left the church. No previous intimation of our
intention to do so was given them. The numbers counted
were, 1,603 in the evening, and 1,204 in the morning. The
evening congregation was about an average—the morning con-
gregation decidedly not so, at least in the gallery. I appeal
to the congregations then present.
I think it right to add that there was no special attraction
to make the congregations larger than usual on the occasions
referred to. I am, it is true, going through a course of lec-
tures on the Articles of the Church on Sunday evenings, the
fourth of which was delivered on the evening of the 7th inst.,
and was, therefore, announced at the previous service, as were
the three lectures which preceded it, and that on Sunday even-
ing last, also. But this is nothing new : it is my usual prac-
tice to have a course of sermons on hand, once on the Sunday :
morning or evening. e. g. I delivered a course of 14 on suc-
cessive Sunday mornings, in the early part of this year, on
" The Divine Philosophy of History," and my present course
will extend over thirty-nine.
Thirdly That whilst the seat room in St. John's is set
down at 2,000, that of St. Paul's, St. Paul's-square, is
given at 1,850 only.

Now, the area of St. Paul's Church is about 2;,500 feet
greater than that of St. John's, and its seat accommodation
proportionally greater. The Act of Parliament under which
it was built enacted that two ministers should be appointed to
it, as "it was built on a spacious and large plan'or design, and
therefore too much for one ;" whilst for the smaller Church of
St. John's only one was provided.
Fourthly : Irrespective of the actual numbers given in the
Mercury, it is notorious that the evening congregation
of St. John's is very much larger than the morning to.
make, as has been done, the evening congregation less.
than the morning, or even only as large, except in cases of
heavy rain, is wholly inaccurate.
Fifthly,: It is not correct to consider the separate services
in a Roman Catholic chapel, as consisting of so many dis-
tinct congregations, but those in the church of the same,
for—

1. It is well known that many Roman Catholics attend two
or three masses at a time—some are obliged to attend all as a
penance.

2. It is a fact that a large proportion of the morning con-
gregation of St. John's do not attend in the evening.
Sixthly : There are often on the Sunday evening in the
winter, 1,700 persons in St. John's Church, every foot of
space being occupied, the children obliged to sit on the
steps of the pulpit and reading=desk, or on the floor of
the church, and many persons obliged to stand, as was
the case last evening—when, had`the numbers been taken,
there could not certainly have been less than 1,600. It
must be borne in mind, that long before a church is
packed in this manner, the heat and vitiated atmos-
phere become intolerable. For several Sunday evenings
past, many persons have been obliged to leave the
church, and many others, seeing the state of the church,
absolutely refuse to enter.

In, conclusion, I have taken this matter on public grounds,
and as-a duty which I owe to the cause of God and His church.
I believe St. John's Church an eminent proof of the excel-
lency of the Church and State connexion; when properly
worked; for through its operation we are able to afford seat
room to 14000 of the poorer people, where they may hear the
gospel of Christ, free of all charge. It is contrary to fact, to
say that the poor do not appreciate free accommodation : they
do, but it must be offered to them as it is in. St. John's
Church—without branding it with the badge of poverty—with-
out forcing painfully upon them the invidious distinction of
caste and class, as is the case in all the proprietary churches
and chapels in-the town. Give the poor the pure• gospel of
Christ, and give it as its great Originator intended it to be—
free of all charges, save what a grateful heart would volun-
tarily bestow in the weekly offertory of the Church, or by
private or national endowment, and the most effectual means
would be taken to accomplish the moral regeneration of the
country.

W. F. TAYLOR, LL.D.,
Incumbent cf, St. John's.

15th Oct., 1855,

We hereby certify that the foregoing statementas to church
accommodation and, attendance at St. John's Church is correct.
GEO. NICKSON, Churchwardens.
T. P. GWATKIN, j

KOSSUTH, ZIAZZINI, AND LEDRU ROLLIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAVDARD;

Srn,—l think you will agree with me that the time has now.
arrived when this-country should no longer harbour andgive
shutter LU ULU tnree aemagogues, Kossuth, mazzun, atm
Ledru Rollin, and a host of conspirators. When they first
sought our shores, in the garb of patriots, we tolerated and in
some measure sympathised with them; but they and their
followers have now thrown off their masks, and shown them-
selves in their true characters. Their object is civil war to the•
knife—blood ! They avow it. They have, within the last few
days, proclaimed it to Europe. They have a free press in the
Island of Jersey, part of the United Kingdom, by, which
means they propagate' their odious, social, and bloody doe-
trines. Is this instice to ourselves? is it justice to-Europe; or
is it justice to the Eniperar of the French ? It is notoso long:
since one of these rascals left these shores and attempted to•
assassinate the Emperor of the French. Are we, let me ask
to wait till another attempt be made, it may be a- fatal ' one,_
before we do a- simple act of justice to our friend '.and ally. ?.•
The London press is.stirring in the matter ; let not the Pro-
vincial•press be behimlhand. Once get up the cry, and,the-
Government will. be' compelled to act as they did' uring the.
late war.—Your obedient servant,
A FRIEND OF THE, FRENCH ALLTANCR
'Change, 15th Oct., 1855.