The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

r UNSTAMPED
PRICE, WITH SUPPLEMENT STAMPED.... ..... 41-D

TOAD RT ER
VEISS.
JOHN WH ITNE Y,
for many years connected with the Albion Newspaper Office,
intimates to his numerous Friends and the Public, that he now
receives ADVERTISEMENTS for the
MANCHESTER GUARDIAN (Daily) Newspaper,
THE LONDON TIMES
THE LONDON GAGETTE, Twice a Week,
And all the LONDON and PROVINCIAL NEWSPAPERS,
All Orders attended to with punctuality and despatch.

• OFFICE, 8, CHAPEL-STREET,
(Near;y opposite the Sessions•house.)

3ErfACAtiOll.

I4IVERPOOL MECHAIIICS' INSTITUTION
SCHOOLS ARE NOW OPEN.
Prospectuses and information may be obtained at the Institu-
tion, Mount-street. ASTRUP CARISS, Secretary.

2

THE

3Liberpaol tanbarb,

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1855.

THE LITURGICAL REVISION SOCIETY.

OF the papers to which we alluded last week, the
first to which we shall now refer is that containing
the official " Declaration of Principles and Objects."
The one main object of the Society is, indeed, suffi-
ciently declared by the title it assumes, viz., the re-
vision of the Liturgy; meaning, we suppose, not the
Liturgy so called, but the Book of Common Prayer,
of which it forms a part. This, we say, appears to be
the, main object of the Society ; but, as we shall en-
deavour to shew before we have done, they would
have to alter the Articles as well as the Prayer Book,
in order to make the former harmonise with their re-
vised edition of the latter. Meanwhile, let us examine
the details of principles and objects which we have
before us.

The first principle maintained by the Society is that
which is expressed in the title and opening clauses of
the Sixth Article : "Of the sufficiency of the holy
SCriptures for salvation." Such is the title of the
article ; while the portion of it quoted by the Society
is as follows : " Holy Scripture containeth all things
necessary to salvation ; so that whatsoever is not read
therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be re-
quired of any man that it should be believed as an
article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary
to salvation." Now, we yield to no one in our main-
tenance of the principle herein laid down ; but, for the
life of us, we cannot see how the Society is assisted by
it. As regards their object, it seems to us to be simply
nihil ad rem. It is comparatively easy to decide
what is, and what is not, read in Scripture; or, at
least it would be if men were contented to believe that
Scripture means what it says, instead of, which is too
generally the practice, twisting and spiritualising the
plainest declarations whenever they happen not to
harmonise with their own preconceived opinions. This,
we say, is comparatively easy : but the article not only
speaks of things which may be read in Scripture, but
also of things which may be proved by Scripture ;
and, even supposing for the sake of agument, that to
decide what is read in Scripture is a task altogether
free from difficulty, no one would maintain that to
decide what may be proved thereby is a task equally
easy. And yet, manifestly, things which may be so
proved stand upon the same footing as those which
are, in so many words, explicitly declared ; and de-
mand our belief upon the same authority,---that of
ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF. All this is too
self-evident to require proof. But it is only in theory
that it is easy to decide what is actually read in
Scripture, for in practice we find that passages, ap-
parently of the greatest simplicity, are drawn differ-
ent ways, not only by different sects, but frequently
by different individual members of the same sect :
and when things are to be proved, not by explicit
declarations, but by inference, argument, and the like,
it is to be expected, even prior to experience, that
there will be vast differences of opinion, caused not only
by prior prejudices and foregone conclusions, but, to
a very great extent, by differences of intellectual '
power. All this, we are aware, may appear to some at
the first glance to be calculated to convey the impression
that--the Scriptures are useless. Not so, however.
They are, indeed, too frequently rendered all but use-
less by the way in which they are used, or rather
abused, but they need not be so ; and would not be
so, if that rule were observed which the Church of
England has herself laid down, viz., that Scripture
be interpreted now as it was by the ancient Fathers
and Doctors,---a rule perfectly consistent with that
which- is declared in the twentieth article, viz., that
" The Church hath authority in controversies of
Faith." That there is a right of private judgment,
we do not deny ; but it is a gross abuse of private
judgment when each man claims to take the Bible,
and interpret it for himself; for any number of men
thus acting, and all arriving at different conclusions,
the probability is that all are wrong, the certainty
that all but one must be so.

From what has been said our readers will perceive
why we assert this sixth article to be nihil ad rem,
as regards the objects of the Society. It is not
because we undervalue the Scriptures, but because
the perversity of men force from them diverse and
uncertain sounds. The only remedy for this evil is
" to ask for the old paths," to believe as the old
Fathers believed, to interpret Scripture as they
interpreted it ; and the adoption of this plan would
keep us just as far from Rome as Geneva. But for
the Society to have proclaimed this principle would
have been to proclaim their own occupation gone, for
it is the very principle upon which the Book of Com-
mon Prayer was originally framed, and, most indis-
putably, the principle upon which, in 1662, it was last
revised ; and all the changes, slight as they were,
which were made at that time, were in the direction
of the first book of EDWARD VI., as compared with the
second. The first book, we know, was compiled
upon the principle above enunciated, the principle
of adhering to primitive antiquity ; whereas in the
second alterations were made at the suggestion of
those who, like too many in the present day, would
rather trust to their own opinions, than to the
consentient judgment of the universal and undivided
Church. The mischief then done was afterwards at
different times repaired, and so the primitive character
orour Prayer Book in all material points restored.
For example, in 1662, the word PRIEST was ordered
to be restored in several places. With regard to the
precise force of this word we say nothing, we only
know that its use is primitive ; yet, the obliteration
of this word is one of the changes now called for by
the Society : and this is one of the changes which
would call for a change in the articles ; for one of
them not only speaks " of the marriage of Priests,"
but the word used in the Latin, of which the English
copy is a translation, is one which compels us to
understand the English word in a sacerdotal and not
in a presbyterial sense. And, after all, how vain
such change would be, is shown by an examination of
the Scottish. Communion office, in which the word
Priest is never used. The officiating minister is
throughout spoken of as a Presbyter, and yet his.
sacerdotal character is far more unmistakeably dove-
_
loped than in the English 0-Mee.

In the second clause of the paper under con-
sideration the Society declare that, " they are firmly
persuaded that great advantages arise to a (sic)
Christian Church from the possession and use of an
authorised Liturgy, by help of which, in the public
service of Almighty God, all things' may be done
decently and in order.' " Very good, as far as it
goes ; but we believe that a very much greater
advantage than this arises from the use of the
Book of Common Prayer. It is that, the people,
accustomed from childhood to its language, are
thereby rescued from wandering very far either to
the right or left from the path of orthodoxy. The
whole book thus, only in a minor degree, acts the
same part as the Creeds : and we need not say,
that to alter it to any noticeable extent, would be
in all probability to destroy its usefulness in this
respect, at least to the present generation. The Society
having, as above, declared their approval of what may
be called the Liturgical principle, patronisingly
declare their belief " that the Book of Common Prayer
is generally sound in its doctrinal, and edifying in its
devotional portions. ' Now, we are quite aware that
this word generally, as opposed to partimiariy,
signi-
fies universally, and is so used in the Catechism. Take
it in this sense, and we have no fault to find with
the 'above profession : but we shall hardly be accused
"of want of charity, all things considered, if we take it
in its popular sense, and regard the whole sentence as

a plain declaration on the part of as authors, that there
are unsound and unedifying portions to be found in
the Book of Common Prayer. We call, then,
,upon
those of the Clergy who have joined the Society, p:o-
-fessing to believe that the book is sound, only in some
places liable to be misunderstood, to repudiate this
declaration and the Society from which it emanates ;
while we equally call upon all who, agreeing with the
declaration, are yet eating the bread of the Church, at
least to betake themselves to Lay-Communion. Great
has been the outcry at different times against indi-
viduals who have been supposed to have continued in
the enjoyment of their status and incomes as Incum-
bents, for periods longer or shorter, aftey they had
made up their minds to the belief of Romish doctrines.
We do not pretend to account for such conduct, in our
opinion altogether immoral and indefensible ; nor are
we acquainted with the excuses which those who have
pursued it may have framed for the quieting of their
own conscience : but between the case of these men,
and. those who deprave the Book of Common Prayer
while they retain their benefices, we can see no real
difference. However different their religious princi-
ples may be, principle of conduct is the same in
each. Nor will it avail the latter to declare their con-
viction, that they are right in their views of doctrine :
that is but their private opinion, and the apostate to
Rome has at least an equal right to his opinion.
The third and last principle enunciated by the So-
ciety is contained in the first clause of the preface to
the Book of Common Prayer, which they quote as
follows :—" It hath been the wisdom of the Church of
England, ever since the first compiling of her public
Liturgy, to kpep the mean between the two extremes,
of too much stiffness in refusing, and of too much
easiness in admitting any variation from it." We
fear that the individual who is answerable for making
this extract, must submit to the charge of dishonesty,
or of very gross carelessness ; for if our readers will
refer to the preface in question, they will see, from
what immediately follows, that its author never con-
templated any alterations affecting doctrine, such as
the Society seeks, but only of particular forms, rites,
and ceremonies, which are " things in their own na-
ture indifferent, and alterable, and so acknowledged."
The Society will hardly attempt to maintain, that
doctrine is a thing indifferent and alterable. Besides
which it should be borne in mind, that the Church
has already shown the most resolute stiffness in re-
fusing the sort of alterations which the Society now
demands. Not only has she done this in ages past,
but by anticipation in the present Convocation, which,
while considering the propriety of new services for
certain purposes and occasions, has affirmed the prin-
ciple that the Book, as we now have it, is to remain
untouched. The alteration which the Society advo-
cates we shall notice upon a futtire occasion.

FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MONDAY MORNING.

A DREARY and profitless Parliamentary Session was brought
to a pointless close by the dull formality of a Royal commis-
sion on Tuesday last. The speech from the throne was re-
markable for the rambling tedium of its language, in which
little intelligence and scarcely more hope were conveyed to the
ears of a bewildered people. During the last few sittings
some show of business was transacted by HER MAJESTY'S
faithful Commons, but it consisted of little more than a show,
and for a considerable period antecedent to the session's close
it was a difficult matter to obtain the attendance of as many
members as entitled the house to assume even the semblance
of business. The formality of prorogation itself had been
nearly spoiled by the paucity of members in the house, and,
if any mischievous or factious individual had directed Mr.
SPEAKER'S attention to the subject, it is more than surmised
that that respectable functionary must have found that there
was " no house" to follow him to the " bar of their lordships"
to hear HER MAJESTY'S gracious speech read in mumbling
tones by the Loan CHANCELLOR. Just immediately before
the foot-fall of " Black Rod" could be heard in the lobby of
the Commons, Sir Du LACY EVANS seized the fleeting oppor-
tunity to lecture Ministers on the inadequacy of their prepa-
rations for a vigorous prosecution of the war, and referred
with some bitterness to the small amount of our forces in the
Crimea, as compared with the number of soldiers under arms
during the last two or three years of the great French war.
He also animadverted in strong terms upon the misfortune of
not having had a division in the Commons on some vital point,
to show to Europe and the world the miserable- minority in
this country who are bent upon obtaining peace at any price.
He also passed a deserved eulogy on the organisation of our
foreign contingents. He praised the formation of an Ita-
lian brigade, suggested the raising of an Irish guard, and
insisted on the necessity and policy of arming a Polish
brigade. In answering the observations of Sir DE LACY
Evens, Lord PALMERSTON admitted the force of many
of the gallant General's observations, and assured him
that his suggestions should have the best attention of
the government. He also pointed out the fact, unpleasant
though it proved to be in the statement of Mr. SIDNEY
HERBERT, that at the commencement of the last great war,
as in the present, we were not successful in our efforts, nor
very well supplied with troops ; but that we improved in
both these respects as the tide of war rolled on, insinuating
rather than boldly stating that such was and would remain
the course of events in the present instance. An intimation
which, if it has any practical value, mean& that, after we have
been victims for a year of two to our own bungling and
inefficient arrangements, we will become more formidable foes
than our antagonists find us in our present condition. Having
delivered himself of this statesman-like announcement, and
intimated that he had already given se many assurances that
he and his colleagues were bent on a vigorous prosecution of
the war, it could not be necessary to repeat them ; it
would be found however, he said, that a promise of the kind,
alluded to was included in the speech, from the Throne. The:
members of the lower chamber of our legislature Urn pro,
ceeded to the House of Lords, where the ceremonial of the.
prorogation was completed.
The session just' closed has been one in which the deficiency
of legislation has been but one of the minor evils. It has
been singularly provocative of observation and regret, inethe
tiresome though unintentional efforts by which the characters
of public men have been severely damaged, and in the course
of which the house itself has lost much of the national con-
fidence. It has been marked by a series of practical contra-
dictions upon vital points of policy. The Legislature, seized
with a panic zeal for the expression of public opinion, severely
and seriously censured and drove from office an executive in
which it had lost confidence, and yet refused to adopt the con-
clusions of its own committee on the subject. To this dis-
creditable proceeding was added the spasmodic attempts of
Lord PALMERSTON to snatch at popularity, which he threw
from him with an equally energetic levity and unconcern.
To dispassionate observers it is a matter for deep regret that.
Parliament should have been tolerant of such conduct. Those
Ministers through whose imbecility the nation " drifted into
war," it is true, were driven from power, but little or no prac-
tical benefit was derived from that event. The acknowledged
abuses of our military administration have as yet received but
little if any amendment. Favouritism still reigns supreme.
Even the war department, concerning a reform in which so
much was said, is still under the control of divided functions,
the parties wielding which do not work in harmony together.
In the face of these indisputable facts, and in defiance of the ab-
sence of legislative enactments of importance, the speech which
Ministers have advised their Sovereign to close the session with
reads very liken satire on themselveswhen they speak of the atten-
tion given by Parliament to " many measures of great public
utility." On reading such a compliment one is naturally
induced to glance over the record of these " many measures."
The history of the eight months' incubation presents a some-
what beggarly amount. They are found to consist of the
" Metropolitan Local Management Bill," the " Newspaper
Stamp Duty Bill"—an enactment already admittedly a failure
as regards its pretended object, that of diffusing useful know-
ledge among the people—the " Limited Liability Bill"
whose passage through Parliament was managed in such a
way as to be a disgrace to a deliberative assembly ; it was
delayed in its early stages, and afterwards forced through the
Legislature by dint of threats, and in the face of declarations
that time had not been allowed for considering its provisions ;
and many of its details are admittedly so imperfect that great
doubts are entertained by those who pushed it forward
whether even the intended principle sought to be established
by the bill has not been lost in the hot haste with which it
was pushed through its latter stages—the "Friendly Societies'
Amendment Bill," and the " Bills providing Constitutions for
our Australian Colonies"—the latter so singularly concocted
as to avoid all allusion to the colonies as integral portions of
the British Empire. Such is the imposing catalogue of the
" many measures of great public utility" upon which Minis-
ters hug themselves, and congratulate Parliament on " the
zeal and assiduity with which they have applied themselves to
the discharge of their public duties during a long and
laborious session !" The legislative labours of the long

session appear to form a very small portion of the pioeeedings,
which have consisted, to a great extent, of revilings and accu-
sations, no inconsiderable portion of the time being consumed
in most unprofitable bickerings.
The session, however, is gone, garnished with the obsolete
fiction which affects to dismiss Noble Lords and Honourable
Members to their respective counties, there to exercise influ-
ences not less important than the discharge of their Par-
liamentary duties. No one is deceived in this, as everybody
is aware that those legislators who has not already gone
would be immediately off to the hill-sides, or to the sea-coast,
to the continent, or, in short, anywhere except the places in-
dicated in the Royal Speech. Ministers are now masters of
the situation for war or peace during the next six months, and
public anxiety on the subject is not much abated by the
promises of Lord PALMERSTON, nor the credit he has be-
spoken for himself and colleagues.
While the knell of the Parliamentary session was being
rung in the Ministerial ears, intelligence of great matters
was being transmitted for their special edification and de-
light. On the evening of Tuesday a telegraphic message from
Admiral RUNDAS was delivered at the Admiralty ; and the
same day a similar message was communicated to the
MINISTER of MARINE in Paris. This message communicated
the welcome intelligence, that, on the morning of the oth
instant, the mortar and gun-boats belonging to the allied
fleets had attacked SWEABORG, bombarding the place with
the most complete success. The magazines and storehouses
of the arsenal were destroyed by a conflagration, which lasted
for forty-five hours. Nearly all the principal buildings on
Vargo, and many on Svarto, have been completely destroyed.
Minute accounts of the details have not as yet reached
the metropolis, but are hourly expected, and great joy
has been manifested by all classes. On Friday, Lord PANMURE
received a telegraphic communication, intimating that the
Russians, to the number of from 50,000 to 60,000, under com-
mand of General LIPRANDI, had attacked and been defeated
by the French and Sardinians, aided by some of the British
cavalry. The attack was made on Thursday morning, on the
position occupied by the allies in the Tchernaya. For. .some
days previous rumours had reached the French to the effect
that the Russians meditated ass attack on that position, which
they began at daybreak. The action was sharp and sanguinary ;
but ended in the complete repulse-of the enemy, with a loss of
4,000 or 5,000 men in killed and wounded, and in the battle
400 Russians were taken prisoners. The loss on the part of
the allies had not been ascertained at the time the accounts
left; but it was stated to be much less than that of the Russ
sians. The brief despatch from General PELISSIER speaks in
very laudatory terms of the bravery exhibited by the English
cavalry and the Sardinians. A despatch from General Snap-
SON, dated the 16th, states the intention of the besiegers to
open fire from the English and French batteries,- at dawn on
the following morning. These tidings have diffused very
generally expressed satisfaction, and the prevailing observa-
tion is, " How gloriously these good news inaugurate the ap-
pearance of HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA in Paris !" The
attack on the allies at the Tchernaya is looked on by military
authorities as tantamount to a confession on the part of
LIPRANDI of the straitened circumstances by which the army
in Sebastopol is beset. Such an operation, if attended with
even a trifling amount of success, must have proved a great
advantage to the Russians, as it might have been the means
of aiding the garrison in the way of procuring supplies of food
now said to be exceedingly scarce in the fortress, and its moral
effect must have been to sustain and even elevate the severely
tried courage of the besieged. In the desperate attempt to
snatch these advantages, the attack was made, and as we
see has failed ; what immediate' effect this result may
have upon the operations of the siege, it is not very
easy even to conjecture ; but that it must ultimately tell
greatly in favour of the allies is a matter which does not ad-
mit of doubt. To these advantages-must also be added other
important though not such brilliant achievements in the sea
of dtzeff, recently obtained by Commander OSBORNE, who
has destroyed great quantities of corn, forage, and fish, all
intended for the sustenance of the Russian army in the
Crimea ;- the condition of which army must be-daily becoming
more perilous and distressing. These repeated and signal
successes-must have the effect of wearing out'the spirit and
greatly impairing the resources of Russia, which thus pressed
on distant points cannot fail to appreciate the prowess and
the might of those antagonists she has-so-wantonly provoked
and aroused.

One subject occupies general and almost exclusive attention
in every social circle of the English metropolis, and is ac-
corded an equally important share of interest in that of
France.. This event is the long-promised visit of HER
MAJE&TY and Prince ALBERT, to the Emperor of the Purnell.
At seven o'clock on Friday evening, HEE I%alEsrr, and
Prince ALBERT together with the Prince of< WALES and the
Princess ROYAL, embarked: in the Victoria and. Albert royal
steam yacht, and started at day-break. on Saturday morning
for Boulogne, where the Royal visitors- arrived at half-past
one o'clock, the same afternoon, and were received by. their.
Imperial host with every demonstration of affection and regard.
The preparations for the reception of HER MAJESTY have been
of the most gorgeous and tasteful order; and while court
pageantry and Imperial and Royal display have been lavishly
bestowed in honour of the. auspicious and unprecedented
event probably no portion of the ceremonial has equalled
in interest and effect the general enthusiasm of all clas-
ses of Parisians. The city is literally crammed full of visi-
tors, and the influx of strangers has been such as to have sug-
gested the production of a new farce entitled "Paris too• Li-
ttle," the farcical positions in which fail infinitely short of the
reality everywhere witnessed throughout the city. The hotel
and lodging-house keepers have become so. thoroughly tired of
answering, in the negative, questions as to accommodation of
every sort for travellers or partial sojourners, that, forgetting
their national and customary politeness,. they can hardly be
induced to give any answer at all to the thousands whom they
are constrained to refuse admittance to, and in all directions
"the cry is still they come." The English Sovereign is, it is
understood, to remain the guest of the FR.ENCE EMPEROR, or
rather, as the reception bears out, of the French nation, till
the afternoon of this day week, when. the Royal pageantry
will change to the popular and exciting spectacle of " For
England, ho !"

Politicians of every order and inclination build largely in
the speculative line as to the probable results of this inter-
change of state eivilitieo. For its own brief period of exist-
ence, it casts all else into the shade. General politicsrthe war,
notwithstanding its .recently stirring and gratifying events,
have yielded to> the enthusiasm of the time, and even, in sight-
loving Paris the universal exhibition itself has "paled its
ineffectual fires' before the more glowing glories of the Royal
visit. Some few of the croakers-on both sides of the channel
regard the proceedings with undefined suspicions ; bat the
general anticipation is that of unmixed advantage to all parties
from the more closely-knitted alliance of constitutional Eng-
land with Imperial France. United as these two great coun-
tries now are, in favour of European freedom, main opposition
to the advancing dominancy of Asiatic tyranny, bright
prospects.= opened for the-future, and that future is happily
heralded. by those soul-stirring successes which by sea and
land have within these few days attended the allied arms.
For the first time within, the range of historical record, a
friendly visit has been paid by a British sovereign to a French,
potentate in the capitol of France, and, that visit has been
heralded and accompanied by events and circumstances the
most gratifying and happily suggestive.
While rejoicing and pageantry form the staple topic of ge-
neral conversation, other themes occasionally obtrude them-
selves on public attention. One- of, these took place in St.
Martin's Hall on Wednesday last, when a meeting was held
to deliberate (?) on the momentous_question of "peace or war."
On this occasion a very limited number of the parties present
contrived to make a very warlike demonstration in, favour of
peace. The Chairman, a Mr. HAXILTON, tolerably known to
the oratocracy of Southwark, kindled the fire in his opening
speech, which, judging from, its effects upon the audience, was
plentifully mingled with explosives. The next speaker was
Mr. BRONTERRE 0133.1 EN, who, in trying to distribute the
oil of his eloquence over the agitated waters, seemed only to
add fuel to flame, and the general excitement ,created by him
and his predecessor found expressive outlet in a wild tunsul-
tuary uproar. The two succeeding speakers showed more con-
ciliatory tact, and were rewarded by shouts of laughter and
derisive cheers. Stimulated by their success, a score of
speechmakers made simultaneous efforts to be heard, and were
rewarded by a tornado of hisses and abuse. At last, a resolu-
tion condemnatory of war in general, and of the present war
in particular, was proposed and seconded, and by some means
perceived and declared by the chairman to be carried, but not
before a valiant champion of " peace at any price" had nearly
superinduced a personal collision by shaking his fist violently
n the face of one speaker who did not so vehemently advocate
the peaceful doctrines of his opponent. After great noise and
fearful altercation, the meeting separated, having given con-
vincing evidence of the value of freedom of speech, and no
trifling indication of the wisdom of popular deliberation.
Events less stirring, though more suggestive, force
themselves on observation from distant points. From a
resolution adopted a day or two ago by the Town Council of
Edinburgh, it appears that failing health has compelled Pro.
fessor Amon 'to resign his chair in the University of that
city. The chair of the " Practice of Physic" in the University
of Edinburgh has been held by Dr. W. P. Mason. since 1842
he having previously held the Professorship of the "Theory of
Physic, and Clinical Medicine" in the same university since
1821, having thus laboured in the discharge of his arduous
professional duties for the long period of thirty-five years.
Professor ALISON is the elder brother of Sir ARCHIBALD
ALISON, Baronet, the celebrated historian of Europe. During
a long period of active professional life, Dr. Ausor was

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.