The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-30 00:00:00

all church principles, but also that we are supporting
direst. I know not in what way that can be applied: I
believe it to be absolutely necessary that every person
should have the fullest liberty to exercise his own judgment
in that which concerns himself personally. (Loud ap-
plause.) The object of this bill is not to create
dissension between one sect and another, it is not to create
greater differences than already exist between what are
called church principle. and what are called latitudinarian
sentiments; but it is for the very purpose of making per-
sons inquire diligently for themselves, under proper gui-
dance, in order that they may be settled down in those
things which they shall ultimately find best for their owe
satisfaction, and shall find agreeable to the word of God as
they themselves can understand it. I beg, in conclusion,
to request that this meeting will return its most sincere
thanks to Mr. Entwisle fur his valuable suggestions. (Ap-
plause.)
The Rey. Mr. FLETCIIIiR (independent), in seconding
the motion, said—The gentleman who has read the paper
is entitled to the warmest thanks of the meeting fur his
clear, lucid, and, I may almost say, exhaustive observa-
tions, for in one sense the speakers who corns
after him have some right to complain that 1:
has left scarcely anything for them to say. 1
myself am not qualified to occupy the place I do, inasmuch
as I have only very lately come to take, any part, in this
scheme. I saw difficulties about it ; it was encumbered, in
my view, with many objections, and, as a dissenter, I felt
extreme difficulty in coming to any decided conclusion on
the matter. The rev. gentleman who preceded me has
spoken of its being found fault with by some, because it is
not sufficiently "church" in lilt character. Now lam sur-
rounded by those who take the contrary opinion, and think
it is too much of a church measure. (Hear, hear.)
I feel, however, that when the object is of
so mach importance as the education of the community
we must forego minute points of difference to make some
compromise. (Hear, hear.) Finally, I may say that
the whole of the interference of government in this matter,
wd of the compulsory principle, is still an experiment. I
approve of this scheme on another point, that it is meant to
Ibe only local in the first place as au experiment. I hope
that whatever provisions may be made for extending it to
, other localities, we shall first see how it works.
I It is a question which must be settled, awl I hope no one
will attempt to shirk it. It is proper that all should conic
to meet it in a Christian spirit—a spirit of liberality and
kindness, and we what can best be done for the community,
and make an experiment preying to God that he m.y be
pleased to bless it, and make an effectual and religious im-
provement in the morals of the great body of the commu-
nity. (Loud applause.)
Mr. J. Bltol II EIITON, M.P., didhot think it consistent
with his duty as a member of the legislature to offer an
opinion here on the relative merits of this scheme and
that of the National Public School Association ; but
he could not refrain from offering his thanks
to Mr. Entwisle for the very able, argumen-
sentative and lucid paper he had read. lle did out see
how we could continue to make laws to punish the crimes
of the people, when we refused to teach them how to do
right (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was carried with great applause.
The night Rev. CHAIRMAN then addressed the meet-
ing as follows :—I do not know, that shoring the whole of
the experience that I have had among you, I have ever
risen to address a few remarks to a Manchester and Laura.
shire audience, with a greater anxiety, and with a deeper
sense of responsibility than I do on the present occasion. I
feel that I um both personally and officially called upon not
to shrink from endeavouring to dischar-e the duties of the
position in which I am placed—not to I•lirink from giving
some expression of my opinion on this important
and momentous question, although I am at the same
time forbidden to enter into the detail., by the cir
etnnstance that, as a member of the upper house of the
legislature, I may hereafter be called upon to discuss them
in another place • and I should feel it improper, either in
thought or word, to pledge myself to details which I may
afterwards have to consider under altered circumstances,
and with extended inffirmution. At the slime time Ido not
feel at liberty on the present occasion to be silent, the more
so because I recollect a short time after I was promoted to
this disc :se, I hail the privilege and opportunity of con-
versing with a deputation from the body who have pro-
posed a rival scheme to that now submitted to you, when I
heard from ono of the most estimable and ono of the
most excellent of our fellow-townsman, Mr. Baxley—(ap-
plause)—the resents. whirls had induced him to advocate
that scheme. I found on examination subsequently that
he had not merely advocated that scheme on principle, but
he had tried, in the most large and liberal manner, to con-
vey the benefits of education to those empluyesl by hint and
his partner at their mills near Bolton. On that occasion I
expressed my deep und infinite regret that I could not give
in my adherence to that scheme. And it is with no less
pleasure I now say that the plan which has been
submitted this evening to your consideration ap-
pears to me entirely to do away with the deep
and fatal objection which I have to the other.
(Loud applause.) It is from 110 speculative consideration,
it is front years of anxious experience and observat'on ; it is
from no self-formed view of this present case,—it is from a
training under one of the greatest, as he was one of the
best men who ever lent his mind and attention to educe
time, the good and lamented Arnold—(loud eheers)—that I
have gone—not to the surmise, not to the opinion, not to
the conviction, butte the knowledge that education without
religion is u nullity and an unreality. (Loud applause.)
Were there no other reason for supporting the present
sela me than that it provides for general religious
education along with secular instruction,— that it
professes not merely to give the di-jointed mem-
bers of knowledge, but to concentrate them in one
great whole; nut to furnish merely the various chambers
of the mind, but to send forth a man fit to be the heir of
immortality—these considerations, and these alone, would
make me own the present scheme as far better than any
which, as I um aware of, has ever been submitted to us.
But while I like this, gentlemen, there is another feature
in the present scheme which holds it no less valuable in nay
eyes, anti that is the fact that it provides the largest and most
extended religious toleration. (Applause.) Nor let any one
fear, whet. a member of the chore li of England, in this room,
that in expressing this opinion and advocating these views
I feel 1 am is the slightest degree periiling that church
in all its purity and all its integrity. (Hear, hear.) So
deeply am I convinced of the truth of her doctrines, so re-
spectiully and reverentially do I view all her formularies,
that I not only never would consent to omit them in any
education wluch I had to direct myself, but I would never
desecrate them by forcing theta on those who could not re-
ceive them with a just uppreeiutiou of their excellence.
(Great cheering.) I thank you, I fully thank you,
for the manner is%Nei rut have Teoivt'll 9191 rmark,
(renewed cheering), for in this I hove been misuoderstood,
mind misrepresented; but while I say to our own
people and those of our own faith I never could forego the
teaching in all its fulness what we believe to lin true, 1
never will be a party to forcing it upon others. (Applause.)
But gentlemen, I speak here again practically--forgive me
if I speak of hat in which myself have borne no small
share, but I cannot help reminding you of the fact, that
when I was called front the situation which I held at Bir-
mingham to preside here, I was at the head of an establish-
ment which educated between 309 or 400 when I went to
it in 1835, and which when I left it was educating fully
1,200; and though no doctrine or fotmulary, no truth
of the christian religion, of the religion of the Church of
England I pledge myself was omitted in the teaching
them I dare not conceal the fact, for it was not I that did
m OPENING OF THE NW C EATIIGLIC CHURCH,
it, but One far mightier than 1, that the morality of these.
Ilseotsionns—The solemn dedication of a new Catholic
schools increased in a way which I cannot hut advert to
church took place at Hartlepool yesterday forenoon, in
without feeling the deepest gratitude, when of that 1,200
the presence of his Eminence Cardinal Wiseman,
four hundred were siioeenters, all the whole time, of twelve
Dr. Ilogarth, bishop of Ilexham ; Dr. Briggs, bishop
different denominations from one church, and of these 400
mossy were the sons of ministers of those denominations, of Beverley ; Dr. Brown, bishop of Shrewsbury ;
Morris, bishop of Troy, and a large number of priests and ministers who, for intelligence, far earnestness, and
from various places in the neighbourhood. The church,
for attachment to the truth, were second to no nien
I have Sever had the good fortune to know.. (Applause.) which is a remarkably neat building, was commenced
When I invite you, then, as Ido most earnestly and sin- in July cf lust year; it is built after the deign
cerely, to take this plan into your deepest and best consider. of Mr. Joseph Ilandsom, architect, has a nave and aisles,
atiou, I tell you that, as fir us regards the educational dc-
with cleristory, ass apsidal chancel, a crypt chapel, a tower
partntent in church seliouls, it will do no injury whatever and spire, with a grand peal of eight bells; an organ, 23
to the church, fur I have tried it, and found it in nowise stained glass windows, the chancel-roof decorated,
wanting. But it does more. It pre-mitts the church as the stations of the Possious in guartrefoil panels on time
freely offering to all as she does in her buildings for woe- walls, a stone high altar, an altar of the Virgin Mary at
ship, her gates, her
.gifts, her instruction, and those who the end of the north aisle, an altar of St. Joseph in the
feel that there is really no rejecting that instrue- crypt, an cm/restd and enamelled tabernacle, stone
Lion must recollect that she lays on those who sedilia font and pulpit, new lamp and candlesticks,
reject it the consequence of that error, and rich carpet to the sanctuary, and is, in most respects,
must further recollect also that while she pr,. complete in the appurtenances of a catholic church.
sents herself in the guise I would wish her to do in church The Bishop of Ilexham sung high mass, and the choir ap-
schools, she is really taking the place of a national church, (ointments were—Kyrie, Gloria and Sanctus ; Haydn, MUSS
in freely offering instruction to all, yet at the same time No. 2; Credo, ditto Nu. 1 ; Agnus I)ei, Rev. W. Knight;
forcing those parts of it which they are unwilling to receive 0 Jesu Pastor, What, r ; Deus tibi laws et honor, Mozart.
un none. But this scheme does more it takes a school of Amongst the priests present, end who took part in the sere-
the dissenter, it takes the already existing schools, or those may, were the Revs. Messrs. Fletcher, Slater, Keasky,
hereafter to be erected and willing to place themselves in Thompson, Kearney, Meynell, Watson, Foran Brown,
union with it, and gives them the means of educating Thompson, Lowe, Lomax, Lomas Smith, Gibson, Witt-
such as are willing to give to those schools, attracted by son, Currie, Markland, Rich, Brown, James Platt, Dun-
that which if the only real standard of educational suceseas,ffio denial°, Markland Consett, Day, Bridge, Swale, Single-
ameunt, and value, and quality of the instruction given in I ton, Rogerson, Walsh, O'Donnell, !McCartney, Platt, Be
them. If it secures its rights to the church, it secures them wick, Flint, liamrson, M'Phillips, Ileptonstall, Rigby,
no less to the dissenter from the church; hut it asks the I Smith, It. Smith, Roggen, Hodgson, Crane, Suffield, Gib-
dissenter, as it asks the church also, to be tolerant to those bons, Buechel!, 8:c. Cardinal Wiseman then delivered an
who may differ from Lira in faith. Gentlemen, I have' address, taking as his text the 4th verse of the 89th Psalm,
said I rose to address you with anxiety, and I did so be-" A thousand years in thy sight, 0 God ! is but as treater-
cause I cannot be silent as to the opportunity which is now day." Hie arguments tended to show that the catholic faith
before you, as to the great and glorious gift which is held had remained the same since the days of Bede; that the
forth to you in this new plan, which has been so admirably catholic church had progressed even through trial* and per-
setsecutions, and would continue to progress. The service
forth by my friend Mr. Entwisle. We aro told,
and every day's and hour's experience too fatally confirms , concluded about half-past one, and shortlynfterwards a large
it, how great is the want of education. I grant it, but' company dined in a commodious marquee,st a short distance
from the church. The Bishop of Ilexhiun preoided, sup-
I will not use those common but too true arguments
in support of it. I will not tell you it is cheaper to pay, the ported by Cardinal Wiseman, the Bishops of Beverley, Troy,
schoolmaster than the gaoler ; I will not tell that South Shrewsbury, etc.
Lancashire has of late acquired a fearful pre-eminence as If
,aARIA ANSONIA RAlLwAY.—Traffie from Aug.
regards crime; I will nut ask you to go with me to the 8 to Aug. 14, 1831.—Miles open, 21-2391. ; 1830, miles
cells of the New Bailey, or the prison-ship, or the penal open, 11-1311.
settlement ; nor ask you to go into the streets and see the
nightly waaderer, plunged into such an abyss of degrade- MINING IN DEN3I.IIIK.—WC read in a letter from
thin and wretchedness that she dare not hope for salvation, Copenhagen of the 20th It having been stated that the
starvation and misery being the inevitable consequences of chain of mountains which runs across the whole extent of
any change in her uuhappy condition. I will Greenland is composed of formations similar to those of the I
not call upon you, except to reflect upon the Oural mountains, and thin consequenily there is reason to
bitter experience of those who have lost the sup tone that it contains minis set the lin (Sous metals, M.
opportunity of education, until their only school was Go defroi Lund, member of the (Moodier of Commerce of
in the gaol, which only served to show how much they had Copenhagen, and Sir Walter Trevelyan, an English mi-
fallen. But I ask you to consider what is due to your- aerologist, well known for his geologic-el explorations in the
selves. You are men who are Christians. Some of you Ferret Islands, have sent to Greenland a commission of
are fathers and husbands, all of you are members of society, Danish, English, and Norweis!an mineralogists charged to
sharers of a common hope ; and though we niay differ in make soundings in the mountains of that country and in
opinion, yet I trust we all believe and remember that we the surrounding land, in order to ascertain whether any in-
may meet again in a hereafter. Look at the situation of dicatioo of the precious metals exist. This committee, ac-
the
children of the lower classes ; look at those who are compsnied by 60 expolenced Swedish and English miners
crowding our streets wherever we come. Are they left Copenhagen on Monday I. st in a vessel for the port of
not; every one of them, heirs of klunatalitYi slum s Gotlthabb, in the south of Greenland."

born like yourselves, with the same hope as pur-
-1 selves ? Have you sought to give them the bene-
fit of a scheme like this? The alternative now is between
this scheme, secular education, or nothing. (Hear, hear.)
I warn you, that if you don't embrace a comprehensive,
tolerant scheme like this, whose details I don't speak of, for
I feel that there are some which might be mended, but in
whose ruling principles I entirely and heartily concur—
capplause.)—what must be your next step? Can you hope
for anything on a wider basis than this ? Will you leave
all to voluntary exertion, fur a few short years perhaps to
flourish, and then fade away and becotne nothing ; or will you
hope that parliamentary influence will devise some scheme ?
IWhat is parliamentary interference in these days but the
expression of the views of the nation, and those views you
are called upon to-uight to pronounce, and in terms not to
be mistaken. Will you agree that 'secular education alone
shall be given ? Are the parents of our island so well in-
structed,—is their desire send eagerness to give religious
instruction to their children so very marked? Car you be-
; lieve that one-fiftieth part of tilos, children will ever re-
ceive tell 'ions instruction, or will not rather be left at
best perhaps to the mere casual temporary excitement of
religious feeling ? If you don't embrace one of these two
schemes, I would ask any gentleman hero present, what
dues ae believe must be tho inevitable consequence ?
pHear, hear.) Why, lie will do nothing ; and what then ?
What has been the gradual tendency of the lust few years ?
The extension of the power of the great body of the peo-
ple. What is the inevitable tendency of the prosperity
with which it has pleased l'rovidenee to bless this great and
favoured nation ? The increase of wealth till the suffrage
will become accessible to almost any one. I say it is not
wrong to he so, but will you have am unedu-
cated or an educated set of voters? Will you have a
House of Commons elected by an intelligent and instructed
population, or by au ignorant one ? Are you prepared to
trust yourselves to the voice of the proverbially unstable
multitude, which meaning often well, most excellently well,
and not often morally to he quarrelled with, is yet conti-
nually showing, in the history of almost every revolution
from the world's creation till now, how dangerous it is to
excite popular passions, without putting them under the
control of reason, instructed and cultivated. cUreat cheer-
ing.) There is another point, however an this great
scheme, which appears to me to be peculiarly deserving
of consiateration. I advert to it with the greater
pleasure, because in many points of view the hill
is similar to that proposed by the National Public
School Association. It has been very well put by one of
the gentlemen who preceded me (Mr. Fletcher), that in-
stead of providing schools and giving money to the masters,
it gives the money to the parent, who sends his child with
it to Khoo', there to claim instruction. My reason for ad-
miring that is, that while I have noticed wills great satis-
faction the proceedings of the committee of l'rivy Council
—and may I be allowed to digress for a moment to say
that, being no ill-informed spectator of what that
committee has done, I don't know one single measure
that it has taken, which I can say I entirely disapprove of
from the first unto this moment; I may also say I think it
a duty on this occasion, aware as I um that one gentleman
formerly connected with the committee, and now a mem-
ber of this association, has been most active and energetic
iu the cause of education—to say that while we are in-
debted to the labours of Mr. Entwisle, wo are almost
as deeply indebted to Sir J. Kaye Slnattleworth. (Ap-
plause.) While lam advised that ninth good has been
done by the introduction of the system of training
teachers, still a great deal was wanting to rajas the
standard of education. And I remember shortly utter I
came to Manchester, a remark beina made to me connected.
with the subject by the Very Hey. he Dean of Manchester,
which appeared to me to deserve attention and investiga-
tion. I complained of the small numbers I found in the
schools. I was told that it was caused by the people taking
very little interest in the schools. It was obvious
that this required investigation, as wo have reason
to be aware that, however much inspection or re• li
ports might be allowed to tend to improve the in-
struction in schools, nothing tends so much to overcome
the indifference which parents may feel to send their
children to school, as to ensure that they receive their
money's worth. (Hear, hear.) I repeat once again, that I
consider the measure a moat important one. If I may be
allowed, in the most earnest manner, as having carefully
watched its origin and progress, and examined into its
details, I would commend it to your consideration, because
I believe it is one of the most sacred duties which ever
were imposed upon you. I am fuily conviimed that
if pan lightly reject this measure you will be rejecting
an unquestionable good ; sod I urn bully convinced
that it becomes now the duty of every one whom I address,
as it shall be also mine, caretully again to examine and in-
spect it, to seek by every possible means to promote its dis-
cussion, and being reasonably understood; and lastly, re-
spectfully, but firmly, to press it upon the corsideration
and adoption of the legislature. And happy, gentlemen,
should I be were it the only act I were permitted the privi-
lege of performing among you, in the discharge of my duty;
happy should I be could 1 futil the pledge I now fully
and freely make, as the comlusion of these hasty
awl imperfect observations; happy should I be if I could
fulfil the pledge I now make, that what you entrust to me
in the department with which it is my province more parti-
cularly to deal, shall be most earnestly, watchfully, prayer-
fully, and attentively.emusidered, and shall be most actively,
so far as Ood shall give me strength, and zealously sup-
ported. (The right rev. prelatt concluded his speech amidst
great cheering.)
The Rev. 111;011 STOWELL spoke warmly in favour
of the plan. lie would like to see tho advocates of
the national public sellout plan joining this assoeia-
lion. lie denied their assertion, that this was a scheme
for teaching their own dogma.. Whet he would say to the
seculars was, " Yours is a negative conscience, ours is a
positive conscience: now the infringement of a negative l
conscience is no hardship, but the infringement of re posi-
tive conscience is." It would be a noble thing to see them
getting rid of this negative conscientiousness and joining
the present as.sociation; and lie could truly say he would'
then fight as heartily with them as ever he did against !
them, and it would be a glorious day for Manchester and
Salford, fur they would have solved the grand problem, and
success must attend their object. (Applause.)
11ev. GEOIME OSBORN (Wesleyan minister), gave
in his hearty adhesion to this scheme, because'!
he believed it a very practical one. There was as little of what was purely theoretical about it as could well I
be conceived, whilst the scheme to which; it was opposed
(the national public school plan) was totally impracticable.
Mr. OLIVER. HEYWOOD (of the firm of Sir Benjamin
Heywood, and Co., bankers), expressed his high approval
of the plan.
The Rev. Canon CLIFTON tail it had been well
St serve:: one is kre.ii prine;p:es u. itus bill,
land its chief recommendation was, that it takes
, full advantage of the instruments of education al-
ready in existence, and sought to enlarge and im-
prove them. Now ho thought it a further recommen-
dation that whilst it came to the aid of voluntaryism it still
left full scope for voluntary effort.
Mr. l'emat, Mayor of Manchester, was now called to
the chair (the Right Bev. the Lord Bishop of Manchester
having retired), and Mr. Brandt (Judge of the County
Court) moved, and Mr. Agnew (Mayor of Salford) seconded
a vote of thanks to his lordship 'Or his services in the chair.
The motion was carried with loud cheers, and the assem-
bly separated.