The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-07-17 00:00:00

THE LI VERPOOL STANDARD.

'l7-TE

k)JJ4, _k•

TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1855

STREET PREACHING.

--41.---

ONE of the special characteristics of the Christian
mission was stated, b 3 its Divine Fou—nder, 'to The,
that the Gospel was preached to the poor; and, that
she was the " Church of .the Poor," was once one of
the chief glories of the Church of England. This
character she earned by providing, through the
bounty of her richer children, that in every parish in
the land the Gospel machinery should be brought
home to each man's door, and that its ministry to him
should not depend on his ability to pay for it. That
the sacred labourer is worthy of his hire, is certainly
a Christian principle ; but' not that his labours should
be placed on a level with secular employments, and
the pecuniary support of the labourer calculated as a
quid pro quo for the value of his services.
It is impossible to travel through the parishes of
England, without perceiving how strictly, •in theory,
the Church has acted upon this principle ; it is impos-
sible to examine the lavish profuseness of her noble
ecclesiastical foundations, without thankfully acknow-
ledging how well she has fulfilled her Lord's mission

in this particular. The darker side of the picture,
however, remains for us, and for days of " peculiar
Gospel enlightenment." It is equally impossible to

see the parish churches, in their present desolation,
or to walk through the districts of our towns, without
being compelled to admit that the Church of England
no longer in fact possesses this high character.
With regard to many of her finest parish churches,
given to the poor by the pious liberality of our ances-

tors, they have been taken from them, and placed at

the disposal of the richer classes, by the erection of
pews, guarded by doors and numbered as part of
a rented property, belonging, for all uses, to
the -person - rents them. In numberless
cases, where the most liberal endowments have beep
made for the frequent performance of divine ser-
vice, and the maintenance of a sufficient body of
clergy, these endowments have been stolen for the
benefit of a lay impropriator, and barely enough left
for the support of a single minister, the assistance of
one of our charitable societies being necessary to
maintain a second. But these, we may say, were the
crimes of an earlier generation. Let us ask, what we
are doing to extend the blessings of the unpurchased
Gospel through the unprovided districts of our towns ?
Kai, whatever we have done, or whatever we are
doing, this is confessed on all sides, that the Church
has not yet regained her hold upon the poor. Churches
are rising around us, but they are not built for the
poor. Eloquent proclamations of the Gospel ring in
our ears on all sides, but the rich purchase them for
themselves. Each man pays for his religion as for
any other luxury, or, if you will, necessity, of his life.,
A preacher is " liked ;" a Church is built for him
that is, a permanent investment is made for his mainte-
nance ; his admirers appropriate its sittings, and they
think their homage to religion has been paid. They
rush in crowds to hang upon his accents, and think
they must be very earnest followers of the Gospel.
They listen, perhaps, to his denunciations of a corrupt
religion, and flatter themselves that they are cham-
pions for the purity of Christianity. They feed, or,
think they feed, from a plenteous table, and the pri-
vilege of the poor is, that, perchance, they may gather
up some of the crumbs which fall from the entertain-
ment of their betters. It is clear that popular reli-
gion has not yet found out the way of carrying the
Gospel in its integrity to the poor.

" The poor will not come to Church!" Granted.
But this is a strange complaint from you who do not
build churches for the poor. This is a grave inconsis-
tency in your mouths who absolutely refuse to have
churches built for the poor. This is but a vain lip
lamentation from you who interfere with the inten-
tions of earnest men with your miserable disputes and
factious accusations, while the poor perish around you,
and who yourselves do not take up the work which
you prevent others from doing, because you disagree
with them on some point of doctrine or peculiarity of
form.

But we may yet find opportunity to expound our
idea of the causes of this fact which stares us in the
face, viz., that the Church has lost her hold upon the
poor ; and also of the remedies which the case demands.
At present we are pressed with one mode of remedy
which has regained of late the prominence it had lost,
and which has occupied much local attention during
the last few days.

We took occasion, some time since, to allude to the
advisability, in the " present distress," of street preach-
ing, conducted with caution and judgment. And the
philosophy, if we may so employ the term, of street
preaching, we appirhend to be this : that it should be
used only as a preparation to the direct agency of the
Church. We must not have Christianity expounded
at the corners of our streets and in the market place
as a mere school of ethics, or system of doctrines
which each man may adequately realise, and then be
left to himself. Street preaching is a mere endeavour
to startle into inquiry the careless and profligate, to
argue from their experience of some mysterious power
of evil which tyrannises over their inner man, and
crushes every better aspiration to the need in which
they stand of a deliverance, to the importance of
the fact that a Deliverer has come upon earth,
and that if they are willing they may be brought
within the scope of that " Mighty power whereby He
is able to subdue all things unto Himself." If the
example of the Apostles be adduced for street preach-
ing, from the naked fact that they did preach in the
highways and thoroughfares, it must be followed to
s issue. With them Christianity was not merely
the hearing and believing of certain doctrines, but the
induction into a community ; and of those who ac-
cepted their teaching it was recorded that the LORD
added them to the Church, and that they continued
steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship,
and in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers.
v.,,aching, therefore, must not be adopted as a
building churches, and setting up the
substitute
full machinery of the Gospel. It must be used as a
mere check to the everyday course of blind wicked-
ness travelled by the besotted thousands who are
perishing for lack of knowledge. It is not the remedy
for their ills, but it is to inform them of their need of
a remedy, and to induce them to turn aside from the
way of their wickedness to the messenger whom
CHRIST has commissioned on earth to lead their foot-
steps to the cross.
It was with this idea that, in our previous remarks
on the agency of street preaching, we recommended
this mode of its employment, namely, that a district
should be marked out and appropriated to a particular
pastor with his assistants ; and that these clergy
should undertake the public invitation of the people
committed to their charge—that, having built up a
living Church, a school-room or temporary building
having been used in the meanwhile, a material temple
of the Lord should rise in their midst; built for them,
perhaps partially built by them, made theirs, that
they might hereafter enjoy the blessings which they
had learnt amid many difficulties to feel their want of
and to appreciate.
without, therefore, arguing it on the ground of
ecclesiastical order,---which, if there be such a thing as
order, must be at
once decisive against one pastor's
preaching in the parish
of another without that
other's consent,---it will be at once apparent what view
we take of the scheme set on foot by the Rev. Dr.
111`1•Inux, of preaching on the Exchange Flags. If
the object of street preaching be what we have supposed,
that must be a very inadequate mode of conducting
it, by which it is turned into a mere advertised attrac.

tion for novelty-hunters and personal admirers. To
select a respectable area in the middle of the counting-
houses, and business resorts of the merchants and
middle classes, and invite those who may choose for
some motive or other to come, is not carrying the
Gospel to the hovels of the poor. This is not going
'out into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring-
ing in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and
blind ; it is not going. into_ the highwap and hedges,
and compelling them to come in. Dr. 31`NEILE may
say that, without wishing his plan to be followed in
every respect, his intention is merely to make the
Practice of open-air preaching respectable for his less
known brethren. But is the example of so pleasant a
mode of its performance likely to incite them to
the endurance of its harsher and heavier inflictions ?
Will they be induced ; by this display with a flourish of
trumpets, and a flattering audience drawn from all
parts of the town, to plod on in unknown paths,
where no admiring eye can cheer, where notoriety
cannot tickle vanity, and excitement carries with it no
charm ? No. They will strive to escape the disa-
greeables of their duty ; and their work will fail through
a disregard of that great law alike of morals and of
religion, that no permanent good is ever done in this
world but through self-denial and suffering. Really,
if the Rev. Doctor wishes to set an effective example,
he will in future confine himself to his own district ;
and, giving him credit for the best intentions, we do
not think it necessary to say more at present on the
subject.

FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MONDAY MORNING,

TITB past has been a busy and a bustling week in all those
places "where politicians most do congregate." The Clubs
have exhibited an amount of commotion akin to that which
apiarists inform us takes place in a bee-hive, when the ento-
mological republic, having become too hot to hold its members,
is involved in the anarchy of a revolutionary movement which
ends only with thedeath or extrusion of one of the contending
h-oits. The House of Commons has been convulsed in all its
points, the galleries and division lobbies sharing in the agita-
tion ; nay more, the Council Chamber itself has once more
been the scene of those amiable contentions which some
months ago were of such frequent occurrence ; and which
were intimated to the outer world by the mysterious announce-
ment that " Ministers remained in close deliberation for up-
wards of three hours." A declaration which those pretending
to be in the secret interpreted into a confession that Ministers
have been in hot and violent altercation for the time specified,
and that in most cases it conveyed to the Ministerial hangers-on
intelligence of a similarly pleasing character to that communi-
cated to an anxious ship's crew, when, during the night, they
are assailed by the sudden and alarming cry of "breakers a-head."
Every one felt assured of an impending crisis, from the
ominous Parliamentary conclusion of the preceding week,
which was wound up by the melancholy display of -Lord
Join. RUSSELL in his frequently enacted character of the
Double-dealer. Consequent on the discreditable disclosures
made by his Lordship in the House on the evening of Friday
se'nnight, and which, besides the condemnation of friends and
foes in that august assembly, drew down upon his devoted
head the unmitigated indignation of the country, Sir E. B.
LYTTON gave notice on Tuesday night of a motion to the
effect, "That the conduct of the Minister charged with the
negotiations at Vienna, and his continuance in office as a
responsible adviser of the Crown, have shaken the confidence
which the country should place in those to whom the adminis-
tration of public affairs is entrusted." The intimation of a
motion-so pointedly in unison with popular feeling, yet withal
so temperately expressed, and so extensively sympathised in
by the House of Commons, as well as by their constituents,
was the first thing which appears to have created alarm for the
safety of their places in the ministerial mind. To gain time
for a consideration of the defensible points of the position, was•
the first object clutched at—to secure the uncertain support of
waverers—and to enlist the Irish Brigade, or, as they delight
to call themselves,the cohortof "fifty independent votes," was
the next Move, and both of these "dodges" were played of
with a skill and hardihood which could only have been ac-
quired by extensive and frequent practice. The motion is to
decide the important question whether the nation will tolerate
the continuance in office of a minister who entertains, or at
least professes a public and a private opinion, diametrically
opposed to each other on so important a -point as the continu-
ance of war, or the conclusion of peace; and by implication
whether his colleagues, who were cognizant of these discre-
pant views, and continued to act in concert with him, are not
as bad and as untrustworthy as he is. Such a motion is a
matter of no trivial moment. It broadly impugns the honour
of one member, and touches nearly the reputation of all the
cabinet ; and it is brought forward in no petulant spirit ; nor
is it tabled by an, intriguer for place. A motion so pregnant
with consequences is one which no ministry can lie under and
retain any function of utility. So long as the accusations it
implies are unrebutted, the moral influence of the Cabinet is
annihilated ; and, under these circumstances, the course of
action open to a man of spirit, or of a ministry which covetted
power merely that it might serve the country, is to meet and
if possible to disprove the accusations. To such a course of
behaviour the PALMERSTON administration makes no pretence.
Instead of offering facilities for bringing the question to im-
mediate issue, the PREMIER treats the subject with his cus-
tomary levity, and when asked if it would be convenient
to take the discussion on this very important motion on Fri-
day, the day usually set apart for questions of supply, he an-
swered snappishly that Friday was set apart for discussing
" The New Partnerships Bill" and the " Limited Liability
Bill." Two topics peculiarly apposite to the ricketty condition
of the Cabinet, without doubt, but still not of a sufficiently
important nature to take preference of one which, by its moral
influence, paralysed the whole functions of Government at a
juncture of the national affairs when united counsels and com-
bined energies are indispensable to the safety of the State.
The unbecoming facetiousness of the noble PREMIER MS so
pointedly rebuked by Mr. DISRAELI, that for once Lord PAL-
MERSTON was checked " dead up," and with an assumed air
of indifference he agreed to peril the existence of the Adminis-
tration on the issue of the motion this evening. In the mean
time, however, all the manoeuvres of party tactics had been
pressed into the service of the impeached Ministry. Conces—
sions had been made to a deputation of the "Brass Band," by,
which it was hoped to secure their aid in the event of a close-
contest. Other means also were not neglected, and rumours
were industriously circulated by and among the Ministerial
underlines to the effect that, like CURTIUS of old, Lord.
Joan would plunge into the gulf which, unless propitiated
by a sacrifice of that description, would assuredly swallow
up the whole Cabinet. The magnanimity of the proposedsolf-
immolation was praised in his lordship's hearing, amidst strong
expressions of regret for the necessity of the sacrifice. Still
his lordship made no sign. Other hints were thrown out as
to the necessity of providing a Cabinet JONAH, who by-being
thrown overboard might still the raging waters which
threatened to engulf the ministerial barque. But still Lord
Rum gave small show of understanding ; and he who was so
sensitively prompt with his resignation on a recent occasion,
which merely threatened to unship his colleagues, cosid not be
made to budge when another set of colleagues would by his
„c„es„,tion obtain a ulauxcU of rescue from impending ship.
wreck. More desperate expedients were resorted to, expedients
of so disreputable a kind as hardly to meet with. belief. In
reference to the position in which he was placed, the Daily
News says ;—" He was ready to stand the- brunt of the
threatened assault and to abide the consequences. Not so the.
men by whom he had been surrounded. Seared at the sound'
of the rising storm of popular indignation), and solicitous only
for the retention of power—men who six weeks ago were
ready to acquiesce without hesitation in the proposal of com-
promise with Russia suggested by Coant,Buox, have not been
ashamed to join in forcing Lord JonN to tender his resignation
to the head of the government. Through every rank and grade
of the party, efforts have been made to further this design. The
pride of the SECRETARY for the Cowsius having been stung
into making the offer we have mentioned, resort was had to
the respectable and high•spirited device of a round robin
addressed to Lord PALMERSTON, urging him to accept the
resignation. This document was actually hawked about the
precincts and passages of the House of Commons during the
sitting of the House, yesterday (Thursday), and while the
two noble lords continued to occupy their usual seats, side
by side, up= the-Treasury bench. We are unwilling to state
how many names of men calling themselves Whigs are
appended to it ; but, we believe, we may venture to say, that
the rebukes which its authors encountered from the manly
and independent members who refused to act a part fit only
for sailors in a mutiny on shipboard, served to convince them
that their clumsy device is one too shameless even for the
present House of Commons." The reader who cons over the
above, and reflects on some of the recent moves of Lord
Joint himself, will be involuntarily impelled to put the Whig
party in the position of SITYLOCK, and make it, in the language
of that worthy, exclaim to his lordship, " The villany you
teach me I will execute ; and it shall go hard but I will
better the instruction," Whether they made so plain a
declaration or not,. they seem to have acted on the maxim.
They do- not, -however, appear to have perilled their case
entirely on those means of accomplishing their purpose, strong
and disreputable as those means were. The Times says

`1 The members of the government in the House of Commons

not included in the Cabinet, represented by Mr. BouvEnn,

are reported to have informed him (Lord JOHN RUSSELL)
that they were not prepared to vote against Sir BuLvrEc.
LYTTON'S motion." The Times adds, " This removed all
doubt as to the result of the impending division." It left
poor Lord Josn no alternative but to " adjust his mantle ere
he fell," with the best grace he might ; and he resigned. The
preceding delineations of Whig perfidy and meanness are
drawn by " liberal" 'artists, and. froin'their knowledge of the
men, and also of the Jacts referredio, the_picture, however
humiliating and repulsive, is entitled to belief.
Of late Lord.Jourr RUSSELL has become somewhat noto-
rious.for th,e nature,
.the freedom, and the. peculiar fashion of
his explanations. Another scene, it is to be hoped the last one'
yet awaits him as an expository commentator on the sayings
and doings of his quondam colleagues. The eloquent phil-
fipple he delivered on the occasion of dismissing Lord PAL .
MERSTON from the Foreign Secretaryship, which that noble-
man held under his lordship, is too recent to have been for-
gotten, or to require repetition; he may, however, and in all
probability will, indulge in a few supplementary strokes just
to complete the portrait, and as it were bring it down to the
present day. His able performances in the portraiture of the

Earl of ABERDEEN and the Duke of NEWCASTLE will scarcely

require either repetition or retouching to render them crack
specimens of delineative, if not very friendly, art ; but, when
he comes to fill in the portraits of Mr. BOUVERIE and that
honourable gentleman's coadjutors, something racy, as well as
spirited, may be reasonably anticipated. His tour de force,
however, will, in all likelihood, be reserved for finishing the
high-minded devisers of the "round robin," or which the radical
scribe of the Daily News represents most unfairly as " fit
only for sailors in a mutiny on shipboard." No human con-
stitution, however, is equal to the tasks in this line to which
his lordship subjects himself, and even the amateur vigour of
voluntary performances of the kind referred to have a
debilitating effect on the performer; and to this condition
of humanity Lord Jonx RUSSELL forms no exception.
This fact was made painfully manifest on Friday evening,

when he essayed an answer to a question put by Mr.
DISRAELI, on the preceding night, when Lord Jou was not
in the House. It had been currently reported during the day
that the answer would be given, and at six o'clock, when the
sitting commenced, every thing gave indication of an ex-
pected statement of importance. The body of the house was
crowded by members; in the Peers' Gallery there was a con-
siderable gathering of peers, including the Earl of ALBE-
mARLE, Lord Wrifroan, and Lord CAMPBELL; and every
eye was fixed on the spot occupied by the expected orator.
After one disappointment, the audience were so far gratified
by his Lordship addressing himself to the task in hand,—the
expected explanation. The display was anything but a
pleasing or exciting one. He was evidently out of spirits and
out of humour. He spoke in a tone of voice indicative of ex-
treme dejection, and so low as to be scarcely audible. His
speech, which was but a brief one, produced but little' effect,
and was heard very imperfectly. He reiterated his statement
that he considered the Austrian proposals might at the time
have been accepted with advantage. The statement fell upon
listless and incredulous ears; and when he came to the aver-
ment that he thought they could not now be adopted with
propriety—and that consequently he was for a vigorous
prosecution of the war, his declaration was received with
contumelious laughter ; even his own friends of the old Whig
party Smiling scornfully at the attempted double. That very
pure tribe now affect to view what he thought and they ad-
mitted to be strokes of profound cunning, as childish indica-
tions of weakness and deceit which never imposed upon any
one. They profess now to say that by his last false. move
he has rudely destroyed all faith in his capacity as a states-
man ; and what is more, that he has destroyed all confidence
in his sincerity and truthfulness as a man—that lie has corn.
mitted political suicide. So complete a political and moral
prostration has seldom fallen to the lot of any individual who
held a prominent place in the national eye.

In the meantime, the result of Sir E. B. LYTTON'S, motion
is anxiously canvassed in the political circles of all parties.
On the part of the Government out-and-out supporters-, it is
said that, by a skilful application of his carefully-studied tac-
tics,—and now that he has got rid of Lord JOHN, as' a kind
of " Old Man of the Sea," who rode upon and galled the neck
of his administration,—LordPAlMEßSTON will defeat the mo-
tion by a considerable majority. On the other hand, they
maintain that, if hard run on a division, or even if beaten, he
will not resign, but have recourse to a dissolution,- appealing
to- the country on his determination to prosecute the. war
with' vigour and alacrity. Many individuals, however, and
the parties who have probable means of knowing, declare
that the whole Government must go with Lord Jour RE'S--
SELL ; that the country is heartily-sick of one and all of them,
and will admit of no compromise in getting rid of them. A
few,-who profess to know exactly how the matter rests; will
have it that the Conservative party have the game entirely' in
their own hands. These individuals maintain that an. influ-
ential deputation of the Conservative party left Lonibm im-
mediately on its being known that the PALMERSTON Cabinet
had, resolved to eject Lord Jourr, and that that deputation
proceeded directly to Knowsley, to consult with the Earl of
DERBY; who received them most kindly and entered =into
their views with alacrity. A prevalent statement among.the
promulgators of the list-mentioned rumour is to the effect
that a strong 'Conservative Government will be immediately
formed, among the first of whose proceedings will be auappeal
to the constituencies:- Whatever shall come out of' it, the
Whigs- seem disposed to put their house in order, afar as
they are able, and to provide apartments, if possible,. for the
more-necessitous and clamorous of their friends. On Friday
a report obtained confident circulation in Lincoln's-Inn;. that
Chief Justice JERVISi' of the Common-Pleas, will immediately
resign his seat, and be succeeded by Sir A. COCICRVEN? Lord
PaLarzaSTON'S Attorney‘General.

As on similar previous occasions, everything has giTen:pace,
in the public mind, to a consideration of the government
dead-lock. Even the war itself, out of which all the contre-
temps of recent occurrence have direetlyor indirectly sprang,
has for the instant ceased to occupy the chief place in general
attention. Still the morsels of intelligence which come fre-
quently, although in no instance fraught with mush informa-
tion, or made the bearers of very important results,. are never-
theless so far satisfactory that, while detailing no great or
startling achievement, they are destitute of evil tidings, and
are on the whole favourable to our ultimate suceesa. The
attacking works of the English have been pushed, with suc-
cess, considerably nearer the Redan ;. one account- states that
the cemetery so gallantly taken by our troops on.the 18th of
last month, and so unaccountably resigned after having been
held for fourteen hours, was re-occupied by our men on the
following day, and still remais- in our possession. In the
meantime, Prone various sources,information is received repre-
senting the state of the Russian army as very deplorable, and.
their losses, in the way of transmitting reinforcements to the.
Crimea, as gigantic and overwhelming. Our new commander.
in-chief appears to be labouring on, undismayed by difficulties
or opposition, both of which he appears to disregard. The
health of our troops is represented as in all respects satisfac-
tory on the whole, and everything appears,to wear the air of
approaching success. As regards the proceedings of General
PELISSIEMi opinion seems divided in the Crimea and in Paris,
as in some degree in this country. In most respects he is
regarded, as a brilliant and dashing soldier who has no
idea of fear, and . some say too little of consequences=--such
a general, indeed, as, would lead a brave army through
any amount of obstacles and opposition in the field, and as
one in every respect equal to any emergency which can be
aneeamifolly npposaci_by indomit.tia_will. and oveveonae by the
moat uncompromising activity, and the most daring enter-
prise. While such is the prevalent opinion respecting his
general merits and qualifications, military critics, and espe-
cially in France, where they are both numerous and accute,
concur in representing him as impetuous and rash, and as a
man not well fitted for the conduct of such an enterprise as
the reduction of a fortress like Sebastopol. In confirmation
of this theory, they point to numerous instances, in which
they maintain that the successes he has achieved in the
Crimea are not equal to the sacrifices at which they have been
attained ; and, as an irrefragable evidence of the accuracy of
these views, they point with melancholy significance to the
sad tissue of blunders which commenced, accompanied, and
concluded the desperate conflict of the 18th of June. One• of
these gentlemen, in speaking on the subject of Paaissixn's
qualifications, delivers himself as follows :—" The rapidity and
decision of the French Generalissirao's movements are pro-
verbial. ' Take me that battery, though it cost twenty lives,'
he says, and the troops rush to the exploit. The battery is
not taken, but forty lives are sacrificed. Well, then, try it
again at the expense of two hundred.' Four hundred fall !
Still the feat is not accomplished. Let the whole army go to
it—we must have it at any cost.' " Although these strictures
are, probably, over-severe, they are, unquestionably, so
far countenanced by facts ; and men of calm judgment, as
well as the most intrepid bravery, question sharply the tac-
tical wisdom which, commencing an attack with inadequate
means, is compelled to repeat it with quadruple or octuple the
forte. The failure, in the first place, they say, is attended with
a totally useless expenditure of means, and a depressing waste
' of life ; and they maintain that even the ultimate success so
achieved is diminished in value by the loss of prestige which
attended the repulse.
From the Baltic the intelligence received at the end of last
week, though not very decisive, is on the whole more en-
couraging. The destruction of a town in Finland, on the sth
instant, bears testimony to the active exertions of our fleet in
these hyperborean regions ; and the receipt of a despatch from
Admiral DIINDA.S, in which he communicates an account of a
discussion with the Russian authorities relative to the privi-
leges of flags of truce, indicates still more strongly the desire

of our enemies to depart as far as possible from the usages of
civilized war. •

While war and political changes have agitated the great
world, it is pleasing to observe that these Matters have not
entirely absorbed the general attention ; but that, on the con-
trary, elevated rank, breaking through the trammels of con-
ventional etiquette, and combining with humbler talent, has
lent a grace to seasonable benevolence. During the past week
private theatricals, for charitable objects, have occupied an in-
teresting position in the fashionable world. The drama,_ for
the nonce, forsaking the play-house, has been naturalised in
the mansions of the nobility ; and the sock and buskin have
been adjuncts to the furnishings of the drawing-room. On
Tuesday afternoon a private theatrical entertainment was
given at Grosvenor House, the proceeds of which were devoted
to help the suffering poor; and on the evening of the same
day, a dramatic entertainment, attended with the most entire
success, was given at Campden House, under the management
of Mr. CusuLas DICKENS, for the benefit of the Consumption
Hospital. On Friday, the gallery of Bridgewater House was
kindly set apart by the Earl and Countess of ELLESMERE, for
the performance of some dramatic entertainments, the pro-
ceeds to go in aid of the Hospital for Convalescents at Walton-
on-Thames, the funds of which institution have suffered severe
dilapidation through the failure of &MAHAN, PAUL, and .Co.
In each of the three instances the benevolent effort@ were
crowned with gratifying success. The ordinary theatrical
world is wagging pretty much as usual. At the Haymarket,
Miss PAIICIT has made her first appearance before a London
audience in Mr. THEODORE MARTIN'S charming translation
of " King Ren6's Daughter," and has, as might have been ex-
pected, from the genuine beauty of the drama, and the parti-
cular excellence of the lady's acting in it, produced a great
sensation. It is not a little singular that, although Miss
FAIICIT has frequently enacted the chief character in this
piece with distinguished success in the provinces, she should
not, till the other night, have adventured it before the London
critics. At the St. James Theatre, the celebrated tragedienne
Itacnpr, is to appear in several of her leading characters in the
plays of Les Horaces, Phedre, and Andromaque, commencing
on the evening of this day fortnight. On the conclusion of
her engagement, she will proceed to Liverpool, whence she is
to embark for America.

In the publishing world some little stir has been created by
the appearance of "A Vindication of Major-General the Earl
of LDCAN from Lord RAGLAN'S Reflections on his Conduct in
the Action at Balaklava," which has been issued by HATCH-
ARD. In this version of the case some new points in favour
of Lord LtrcA.N have been well put, indeed, clearly esta-
blished ; particularly as it appears Lord RAGLAN changed the
arrangements previously made between Sir COLIN CAMPBELL
and Lord LucAri, whereby the command of the cavalry was
virtually taken out of his lordship's hands. I was glad to
perceive you recently made honourable mention of the Law
Book of the season, Blackstone's Commentaries by WARREN.
By the profession it is looked on as of standard excellence,
and both amateurs and professional-men will find it of inesti-
mable value at the period of a general election,. which most
parties appear to consider imminent. An unusually large
impression of it (3,000) for a law book, has been, thrown off;
and the demand for it continues large and steady. I perceive
the John Bull speaks very favourably of it. The Pori' LAu-
BEA:TB and Mr. FESTIIS BAILEY both announce new poems in
the press,- the of that by the latter to be entitled " The
Mystic." It is described as being very magnificent in its
imagety, and powerful in the postic style of its diction.
Other minstrels of less sonorous lyre are also, it is understood,
hatching•poetic broods, and, before thesere leaf of autumn,has
been shed, it is probable we shall be favoured with a consider-
able lock of APOLLO'S` fledglings.

THE REY, DR. 3P.NEILE, AFL► STREET
PREACHING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Stn,—l want this after:lcon to hear the Re-.- Dr. M'lsTeile
preach, as hebad announced' his intention of doing, on the
area in front of the Exchange; and it occurred to me, on re:
turning, that r would commit Tfew thoughts to paper, for the
chance of your deeming them worthy of insertion in your
journal. I think I may claim to be an impartial witness,
inasmuch as the mooted point of street preaching was one
freely discussed by the clergy of a town with which, I was
'connected before I came to Liverpool; and some of my
brethren and myself had almost resolved upon trying the
experiment before I-left. I- am not about, then, to.eater a
wholesale protest against the practice, which seems-to be
sanctioned, at least, if 'not recommended, in that part;of the
parable of the "great- supper," in which the master of the
house is represented as saying to his servant "Go out into
the streets and lanes of the city, * * into the high ways
and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may
be filled; —and which certainly 111 a: claim i-cry high precedent,
as having been the constant habit of Christ and his Apostles.,
The questions which I wish- to solve are—Lst : How far was
the place; occupied by the Rev. Doctor this day, adapted for
carrying ,out the practice-F-2nd : To what proportion of Ids
auditors was his address likely •to prove-edifying or profitable?.
I own, knowing the strength of lungs and power of elocution
undoubtedly possessed by the Preacher, Lwas not prepared for
the difikulty, which, (in common with myself,) must have been
experienced-by at least two-thirds of the congregated mass who
were really anxious to hear what he had to, say. I gradually
`mike:buy way from the outskirts of the-multitude, to within
twenty yards,- or less, directly in front of, the platform on
which, the- Rev. Doctor was-standing ; and even at that short
distanced could only hear a few isolated words. at intervals in
each sentence. The people- about me, after rain •efforts• to
penetrate the dense phalanx which had acquired -a nearer
position, were restlessly flitting about, cr hl very audible,
murmurs expressing their- inability to bear thus rendering-
that inability still more complete, both to themselves mato
their neighbours. Meanwhile, the confused sounds from.
behind proved that vast numbers were on: the spot, on the-
most aharitabie hypothe6s, from mere curiosity, without any
wish, even, to hear a message from God, through the voice
of Ilia ambassador.

The inferences which I drew were these.: The place is" •too
large—the crowd, in numbers, is too unmanageable—and,., if
the phy*eai powers of Dr. Nl'Neile are-unable to surmount
these obstacles, no one else need attempt.to do so.
Street preaching, if it is to do any good, must have a
local aim. It must not endeavour to draw together masses
from various parts of a large town, in a space calculated to
accommodate a great multitude ; but it: must be practised in
those particular streets, courts, or alleys, in which, without
'obstruction of public thoroughfares, the preacher may have
full evereand over the audience which he has to • address,
arrest their attention, and, by the blessing of the Holy Spirit
reach their hearts. Public advertisements, ..I re.ature to'
think, will not effect this. The street Preacher, I humbly
submit, should, by personal visitation, make known, in the
locality in which he means to preach, his intention of doing
so; and should take all proper means :to prevent its being
known generally. He may reasonably expect to receive a
deferential attention from, those whom he has personally in-
vited; but, I cannot help thinking, where general publicity
has been given, the number of idlers or curioas persons, who,
will congregate together, will altogether thwart the good in,
tentions of thepreacher, and result in evil rather than good.
I say, result in,evil; for a crowd, in itself,unless under bene-
ficial control, iedisposed for mischief. Thievesand adulterers
will, perhaps invariably, mingle with it ; and assuredly a crowd,
the principal part of which cannot possibly come under the
beneficial influence which is supposed to preside over it, will
fail to derive any profit from its concentration, and will
almost certainly give occasion for the commission of much sin.
Hence, I say, if we are to have street preaching,, let us not
aim at a popular demonstration. Let us remember that labour,
diligence, and perseverance, are, ordinarily, as necessary to
insure success in our profession—that of the Christian minis-
try—as in any other ;—that we are not to look for miraculous
agencies in this age, but for a blessing in proportion to the
self-denying exertions which we personally make to secure the
end which we have in view ; and that, while preaching is a
mighty engine for good to those who are really brought under
its influence, this class will consist,—not of those who idly
congregate from motives of curiosity, or worse motives still,—
but of those, 'for the most part, who, either from education,
habit,or personal contact with God's ministers, have been
induced to become hearers of the Word.

I inclose my card for your own information ; but I have a
strong repugnance to controversy, and do not mean to enter

into it.

Should you insert this letter, and should it elicit a reply, I
have no Intention of making a rejoinder. I would only say
with St. Paul, " Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice,
yea and will rejoice."—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Sunday Night, July 15,1855. D. S.

- Tms personal property of the -late Sir Robert Inglis has
been sworn under £40,000.
THE AFRICAN TRAVELLER, Du. BARTH.—Letters from
Malta mention the arrival at the island of Mr. Giovanna
Battista Galuiffi, Her Majesty's Consul at Mourzouk, up to
the date of whose departure from Tripoli (in Barbary) on
the 22d of June, Dr. Barth, hourly looked for, had not yet
arrived from Bouillon, nor had any caravan come in from
the interior by which tidings of him could have been con-
veyed.
ARREST Or A RUSSIAN AGENT AT DOVER.—At Dover, on
Thursday, James Abrahams, a Polish Jew, supposed to be a Rus-
sian agent, was brought up, charged with attempting to induce
soldiers of the Foreign Legion to desert. Evidence was given
by several of the soldiers and sub-officers, that he had proposed
to them to desert, and that he would give them £4 a man, and
find them employment in France. He said he had already
settled with twenty. The prisoner, who pleaded for mercy, on
account of his wife and family: was remanded,