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

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

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 gr. CHARLES 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 &murex, PAUL, and Co.
In each of the three instances the benevolent efforts were
crowned with gratifying success. The ordinary theatrical
world is wagging pretty much as usual. At the Haymarket,
Miss FAUCIT has made her first appearance before a London
audience in Mr. TKEODORE MearlN's charming translation
of "King Ildne's Daughter," and has, as might have been ex-
pected, from the genuine beauty of the drama, and the parti-
cular excellence of the ladles 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
RAICICEL is to appear in several of her leading characters in the
plays Of Les Horaces, Phedre, and Ancfromaque, 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 pilblishin world some little stir has-been created by
the appearance of H.A Vindication of Major-General the Earl
of Loons from Lord kAGLAN't3 Reflections on his Conduct in
the Action at Balaklala,,r which has been issued by HATCH-
LED. In This version of the ease some new points• in. favour
of Lord L-leArr have been well put, indeed, clearly esta-
blished; particularly as it appears Lord RAGLAN changed the
arrangements previtaisly madebetween Sir COLIN CA3II'I3ELL
and Lord Luch.v, whereby tile' command of the cavalry Was
virtually taken ont of hiS lordi,lip's hands. I was glad; to
perceive you recently made' honourable mention of the Law
Rook of the season,, Blackstone's. Commentaries by WArtiVrt.•
Hy the profession it is looked; otr as: of standard excellence,
and both amateurs andProfessionaf men will find it of inesti-
magevalue at the period of a' general' election, which most
parties' appear to con.q.der iinminent. An unusually large'
impression of it (3,000) fot'a Ihre book,lias been thrown off,
and the demand for it continues-large andsteady. I perceive
the John' B'nll speaks very favourably of it.- The POET Lex-
RBATk audtMr. FESTUS &lam' both annotffice new poems in
thepress; -6e name of that by the latter to' be. entitled "The
Mystic." It is described as- being very Magnificent in its
imagery, ands powerful in the poetic style' of its diction.
Other minstrels-of less sonorous lyre are also, it is- understood,
hatching,poitie broods, and, befSre the sere leaf .cfnutumn has
been shed, it is probable we shane favoured with'a consider-
able ficiek of APontO's fledglings.

kry...DR.III4NEIZE, AND BEET
FEWACHI2IVG.-

T 3 THE EDITOR' OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIB,--I went this afternoon to hear 'the Rev. -Dr; VNeile
preach, as he had millet-Fixed his intention of doing, off the
area in front of the 'Exchange; and it occurred to me, on re-
turning, that I would commit a few thoughts to paper, for the
chance of 'your deeming- them worthy of insertion in your
journal. think I may-claim to be a*- 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 enter an
wholesale pretest against the practice, which seems to be
sametioned, at least; if not recommended, in that part of the
parable of the " great supper,— in which the master of the
house is reprezented as saying, to his servants "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
befdled,"—and which certainly may claim very high precedent,
as having been thO constant habits of Christ and: his Apostles.
The-questions whieh I wish to solve are-Ist-A:low far was'
the-place, occupied; by the Rev. Doctor this day, adapted for

earry4kg out the practice To what proportion of his

amblers was his address likely to prove edifyingurprofitable?
-I own,. knowing the,strength of Lungs and power of elocution
undoubtedly posses ed by the Preacher, I was nee prepared for
the difficulty, which,.(in common with myself,).must have been
experienced by at least- two-thirdsof the congregated mass who
were .really anxious to hear what he• had to. say.. I gradually
workectray 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
distance' / could onl3t hear a few ischtted words atintervals in
each sentence. The-people about tne, after vain• .efforts to
penetrate the dense phalanx had acquired:. a nearer
position,. were • restlessly flitting _about, or in very audible
murmurs.expressingltheir inability. to hear ; . thus.. rendering
that inability_ still more-complete,. both, .to themselves And to
their neighbours... nwhile, the confused . sounds from
behind proved that vast numbers, were on the:spot, on the
most charitable hypothesis, frora, mere curiasityi.without any
wish, even, to hear a message from. God, .througlt the voice
of mss, ambassador.

The inferences which I drew were these ::The, place is too
large—the crowd, innumbers, is, too unmanageable—and, if
the pAysical power's of Dr. M`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
iecaL ahn, 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 command 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 venture to'
think, will net 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 propemeans to prevent its being
known generally. He may reasonably expect to receive a
deferential attention from those wham he has personally in-
vited; but, I cannot help thinking, where general publicity
has been given, the number, of- idlers or curious persons, who
will congregate togetherovill altogether thwart the good in-
tentions of the preacher, and result in evil rather than good.,
I sanresult in evil; for a crowd, in Use(); unless under bene-
ficial' control, is disposed-for mischief. Thieves-and 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 eontact 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-16,1866. D. S.

Tn personal property of the late Sir Robert Inglis has
been sworn under £40,000.
THE AFRICAN TRAVELLER, Dn. 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 Boutnou, nor had any caravan come in from
the interior by which tidings of him could have been con-
veyed.

ARREST OP 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-ofiScers, 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,