The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-10-06 00:00:00

17/

NW** Nebo.

THE IRISH CHURCH.

,

.)

A Pigee meselsg we. bold at the Guildhall, Doe.
iblamter cm Wegassday evening, In relation to the
diasetablialument and dimedowment of the Irish *bark.
It projeeled am • eounterblast to the moray meeting
held es the previous Thursdity, for the pre...realties of
the Irish establishment. The argument. on the "other
side" of the question were at forth sith conaiderable
power, and we doubt not they will be read with
mach interest. There was a crowded audience,
and mock enthusiasm was manifested, particularly
during the address of the Rev. C. Willieum, aa able
loiterer of the Liberation Society. M. Devenish,
opresided, supported by the Bova J. Rogers,
; S. Ashton, Weymouth • E.
iii;,2r7_, ;s:a, Dorchester ; J. Smith, Sydling ; F. Beilkley,
Bberborne • B. Gray, Blandford ; J. Birk Weymouth ;
W. Lewis, Weymouth; C. Williams, Southempton ;
G. R. Binli, Malden Newton; G. Hinds, Swarms..
The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. F.
Beckley.
The OHLIRJUN, to opening the proeredinge, said the,
were all aware that on the previous Thursday there was
• Lugs meeting in this town consisting of clergymes,
solMmee, sandmen, and yeomen of the county, to
terdially enter their protest 'pima the dimatablish.
went and disendowmant of the Irish (thumb. The
*Mous then expressed had goes forth to the world and
lassmie public property. They had met on the pressat
ocesaioo to express their opinions on the oune subject ;
those opinions would go forth to the world —they would
appear dd. by Ode with those expressed at the former
meeting, and God defend the right—(•Paistmr).
In
conclusion he said the Rev. J. Fox (Dorchester) desired
him to express his intmest in the object of the meeting,
and his wish that God's blessing might attend it.

- -
The Rey. E. MEILEN/LK, Baptist Minister. said his
remarks would not be many, because them were others
to follow, to wbom they a well as himself erished to
Beim, but there were reasons why be should explain
how it wash. stood there, and in seeing this lor him-
self he spoke also for his brother ministers. They were
there not am party men, nor se mere poll ticiane ; yet politioe,
whatever they were, should be directed .upon Christian
Print:44'o'nd politicians onghtt, be actuated by Christien
motives. He sad that that nom might imagine, whet some
said, they were advocates of "Godless government"—
(bear, boo). Yet it was not merely as Christian
politicians they stood them, but ae Moister@ of religion ;
bemuse this was in fact • religious as well es a political
question—it was connected with the advancement of
Bible truth mil the spreading of that Protestant religion
which was dear to their hearts—lapplause). It was
said by some, whom they esteemed and loved, and with
whom se fellow-abourere in the gospel, they heartily
sympathised, that their action was not kind, or generous,
or just—that they were leagued with Roman Catholics
for the destruction of the faithful Protestant church.
This certainly was • serious charge, and it became them
to cousioer it, and ineet it too. They said with regard
to their being there that evening the necessity
was laid upon them (applause). How could
they possibly keep silent ? Some of them were
aware that dissenters in many places— some not
many miles from here—had been asked to sign a petition
ggainst the disestablidament and disendoennent of the
Itish church, by pereons who knew they were in Weed.
mice upon Nonconformist worship; and, they were
told by some, and there were some disseeters who be-
lieved it, that every friend to the Protestant religian,
*bother churchman or dissenter, ought to stand up in
defence of the Irish church as the bulwark against
Popery, end because the consequences will be fearful if
the Inah church is abolished— that the dykes will be
ma and a flood of Popery go over the sista isle and the
shores of England too. If dissenters in Dorchester
were to be silent, their Miens* might be token am sasent
to that assertion. Therefore, they did not hesitate for
a moment to speak out; they only wished to speak tho
truth in love. Far be at from Diem to stir up bitter
feelings, or to sow strife. They loved pesos, but truth
more, or, rather that kind of pram which would allow
• Christian man to speak his mind, and another who
differed from him to do the same, without any breach of
friendship being produced. That warn his idea of
Christian unity—(applause). He answered then that
they did not meek this destruction of the Irish church.
There was a vast difference between destruction and '
dinestablisbment and disendowment—(cheers). Who ,
soutd for a moment 'oppose that he or any one on that
platform wished there should be one Protestaut leas in
Ireland, one Bible less, one house of prayer leas?
Would to God there were many more—that they were
multiplied a thousand fold—(appleuse). They wished
their brethren of the episcopal church God speed: may
God multiply Misr numbers I—(applause). But they
believed that the Irish Church would be more powelful
for good if it were disconnected from the State, and if
It had not those endowments which make it an object
of envy and chalks, to those whom it desires to con-
ciliate and to convert —(oheers). Teerefote, instead of
seeking the destruction of the Irish episcopal church,
they desired its purification ;and its true prosperity
(applause). Ho might say also that they were not
responsible for Catholic or for infidel action on this
question. It was no fault of theirs if those wide as the
poles asunder on religious questions agreed with them
In thinking the establishment and endowment of the
Irish church an injuatico : they did not wonder people
ghoul Iso think, but he considered that arguments and
charges founded on that feat were nofair--(bear, heir).
Bull, was very easy for the upholders of the Irish
church to make that charge against them; yet, what
was seen with regard to themselves? Evaagelicals and
ritualists—persons diametrically opposed in religious
doctrines —agreed in supporting the present status at
the lad) curch—flaughter and cheer.). He did
not hisoie his brother Evangelical ciergymses or
laymen because lie was on the same cocain tn't
and held up his bands in support ot the same rood Its
as ritualists; but, on the mom pneetyue,
that Dorchester Protestant Diseentere were free from
the charge of alliance with Romanists and unbelievers
bemuse they all agreed on the practical point—the die.
establishment and disendownient of the Irish church—
(applause). But, why did they wish the Irish church
to beldisestoblisbed and disendowed? Not bemuse they
bad gooe will to popery. They desired it, first, on the
ground of justice. If they asked him his political Creed
1•• would give it them in half-oedema words, "What-
soever ye would men should do unto you, do ye even so
unto them." That he believed to be sound polities, and
tine who knew from whom lips them words came,
would admit it was sound Coristoinity too—(epplause).
But they did not consider that the anaiuteomos of an
established and endowed church in Ireleind was In
accordanoe either with the fundamental principles of
polities or of religion. They regarded it se unjust,
Suppose we had a Roman Catholic established and
endowed church in England at the present time. Seeing
we ere not under an absolute government like the
Bosnian., could any arguinint drawn from history or
political economy ever pi rem& us it was not •grievance '
and an injustice? and euppose such an establishment
was supportool by the statonieut th•t 300 year. mot
England was Roman Caiholic?—(npplaise and laughter)
—they would say "Away with your argument ! away
with your history ; it is all out of plus : the question for
us is not what creed our ancestors thought beet three, or
her, or five hundred yeses ago; we 11)A•id it as •
grievance and an injustice that we should have a Roman
Catholic church endowed, and that we Mould be obliged
to contribute to its support"—(applame). That would
be the universal verdict of Protestants in 0.017 town in
England—Episcopal, Methodist, ludependent, liapti.t,
and Quaker., and the people of Ilogland would with
one ewes declare they objected to and protested against
the establishment and endowment of the Roman
Catholic ohuroh in England—iappleum). Toes, mrely,
what secs jute* or injustices is one part of the British
dominions was equally so when they coaled St. George's
Channel and reacnod Ireland—(hear, hoar). Therefore,
In the name of justice, they claimed for their follow
subjects in Ireland this disestablshment. Let them not
forget we are • self •govorned people. In the case lie
had supposed the English people would demand of
their representatives in Parliament that they should
vote for the dieestablistunent and disendowinont of the
supposed Roman Cetboliechurch in Ingimol. Wethould
say that as a free people, we would not submit to it,
we would "agitate, aeitate, agitate," till the point was
ciarried—(applause). Wouid they be surprised then if
the Irish Roman Catholics—their fellow subjects—felt
In the same way ?—(bear. hear). Then this was the
question, was England to be governed as • free cosetry
sand Ireland as •cOucinered country ?—)applause). Look
wan at the matter as it concerns the interests of the
Protestant religion. They had regarded it on the
ground of justice, now let them consider it on the point
of expeilleacy no far as the truth is concerned. All
honour be to the faithful ministers of Christ in ehe
Irish church, labouring as they have done and are doing
under mach immense disadvantages. They wished them
sucoess, but believed they would be far more successful
If the prejudice and odium of establishment and endow.
were taken out of their way —(oheers). But then
It wee said it was • missionary church. Was it
sumeeding and had it suomeded in converting Ire-
land to the Protestant faith? The Secretary of the
Baptist Irish mieeion told them that • few months ago
he nolo for 40 miles on a ea with an Irish Roman
Catholic driver, an intelligent mon, and he said to bins
whoa speaking on this subject, "Sir, I believe that if
the Protestine eburch in this coma,/ had not beau
established and endowed, it would have converted
Ireland before this"—(applause). They believed the
esteldoldnent and the endowment of the Irish chloral
um one reason of its failure to convert Ireland to Pro-
Umtata truth, and, therefore, on the grounds of simple
justice \Oa elm of their desire for the prosperity amid
nof...at the Protestant religion and the oonvendou
p • Pla—nut merely their adhesion to one system
innuten ttoir pruteliti4g seediest it—but beciatue they
desired their adhesion to Christ, because they wished
to make them Bible Christians, to have Christ in their
Bemis the hope at glory,
they advocated the removal of
those obstacles by to. dimstalalishatent and diamadow-
noint of the Irishitheralt—(lond applause).
-Irl7.llev. M. S. Aerron. Congregational Minister, of
Weymouth. mid be bed the honour—the high honour
he must esteem il—‘4bning Present et the me ting held
In the Corn Mrohoogo. or this town, lust week. Ho
spoke of the high honour of being prssost because he
found himself in such good company. It not every
day one could meet with nearly ell theminim..clergy
of the county assembled together in one ,
not often 000 could look 011 mob an aristrocstio
assemblsge, end one must esteem it therelom, as one of
the bright days in one's existence, when One is permitted
to takelowever humble • pert—even the part of a homer
and pmtedor in the prommdinp of each • meeting.
Be could not help thinking that stuenpt those who took
the deepest interest in the meeting were Ho holies, a
goodly array of reborn were to be men in the gallery behind
the platform. As he Imlce.l at them it seemed to him
that their beat' were full of the matter, and he only
trusted he lid not add to thepainfol iotensity of feeling
which pervaded their minds, when he, in company with
two or three othen held aphis head in protest against
the meolutioos pawed with such general eetbusiam.
Bat he meld not help asking himself, where is Lord
filmfteeboryh where is Lord Portman? where is Lord
hideee liodoloetti Osborn.? He had been reading
" loiters in the Ilan lately, and in one of
them his lordship portrayed in very •ivid, said, eas
,__
some thought, very dask colours the Present n°ndi'"'' of the English church—for he'eeelaied to devote him-
self chiefly to that topic ; at the same time he said
"There is time to wee the church yet r and one would
have thought, therefore, that on on oseasion like that
last week this redoubtable defender of Use Lagliah
ahura as 'innanliabed "ad hems been pressed to hold
up his kind, if not to utter • few words, cm behalf of

----'.."...milamoulimosam