The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-17 00:00:00

THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE AND THE

FBZIFCH EXHIBITION.

On Monday was opened the Evangelical Hall
situate outside the Exhibition, on the right hand side as
visitors enter from the Pont &lona. Over the doorway is
an inscription as follows: "Unumoorpus sumus in Christo,"
and beneath, the words " Salle Evangelique." Opposite
the front door is the Temple of Eachicado, erected by the
French scientific expedition as an example of those ancient
temples in Mexico where human imerifioes me held. Up
and down in the crowded hall stalked an Algerian rot-
porteur assiduously distributing tracts and portions of
Scripture, and forming a central object throughout the
afternoon.

The Earl of Shaftesbury, who had boen announced to
take the chair, appeared on a platform erected at one
entrance of the hail at 2 o'clock. His lordship was accom-
panied by General Baron de Chabaud la our, presi-
dent of the Paris committee; the Rev. Dr. Stevens,
Bishop of Pennsylvania ; the Hon. Arthur KIM11114"4
M.P., M. Vellette, pastor of the Lutheran Church in
Paris ' • Pastor Fisch, of the French Free Church ; Pastor
0. Monod, of the French Protestant Church; the Rev,
Edward Stowe, D.D., hon. secretary of the Evangelical
Alliance ; and by the following mamba., of the managing
committee :—General Lee Clarke, Mr. J. Finch, Mr.
Samuel Hanson, Major-General ,Walker, the honorary
president of the International Corresponding Com-
mittee; M. Theodore Verney. Of the French mem-
bers of the general committee there were also pre-
sent M. Alfred Andre, Putors Casaba d'Hombres,
Gcandpierre, Monad, Matter, Mounier, Premier,
De Presume, and Rognon ; and of the English
and American members, the Rev. Dr. Eldridge, the Rev.
Forbes, Mr. J. W. Furs., the Rev. W. Gardener, the
Rev. J. B. Hart, and the Rev. James Davis, one of the
secretaries. Arriving a little late was M. Guixot, who was
warmly welcomed by Lard Shaftesbury and en whose
right band he took his seat. The Countess of Shaftesbury
and Lady Victoria Ashley were also aniong the audience.
i The proceedings were opened by one of the rev. gentlemen
present reading a portion of Scripture in French, and
offering up a prayer for the success of the building and the
dbjects it was intended to accomplish. A hymn was then
sung by the choir of the Lutheran Church of the Redemp-
tion, stationed is a gallery over the entrance, and the Rev.
E. Forbes, of the Protestant Church in the Rue d'Aguessesu,
read another portion of Scripture, uttered en extempore
exhortation, and concluded with the Lord's l'rayer which
was repeated by at least half of those present in the Eng-
dish tongue. The Earl of Shaftesbury then rose and de-
, livered a speech, and was followed by General Baron de
Chabrind la Tour.

t.Tiiiot-,-ZiO was then introduced to the meeting by
the noble chairman as "their highly respected friend,"
sandal cheers made a short address, in which be con-
gratulated the meeting on the pcesession of a Christian
church in which they might meet during their visits to
the Great Exhibition. The assembl tge of nations within
the ground oa which they stood he considered to be the
greatest assemblage of modern dint , and religious liberty
never had met with such a testin any as was then pre-
sented. The friends of religious lib. rty had for three or
four centuries been striving to advance the prin-
ciples they advocated, and one of the greatest proofs of
the results of their efforts was the great meeting he saw
befog* him. The great truths of religion, which dated
frost Adam, would always prevail ; and although Christian
scepticism prevailed in the present day as well as religious
liberty, it was, be thought, impossible that true religion
should perish while such devotion as he then saw mani-
fested was to be found. The Rev. Dr. Steam, offered up
a prayer for the health and happiness of the Emperor awl
Empress of the French, the Prince Imperial, and the
Queen of England, and that the two two countries of
France and England might ever remain closely allied in
the bonds of peace ; and, an announcement having been
made as to the cortices to be held on Sunday next, the
proceedings terminated. A very good collection was made
at the doors.

THB NORTH zurrsair RAILWAY STRIKE.
Yesterday the engine-drivers whose case had
been remanded on Monday came again before the local
justices, and were convicted, under the Master and Ser-
vant Act, of leaving work without notice. Sentence was,
however, ordered to stead over for a month, in the hope
that the dispute might in the meantime be settled.
Mr. Roberta, of Manchester, appealed for the defence,
and took certain technical objections to the proceeding,
which were all oven uled by the magistrates.
Five other warrants against drivers were postponed for
the some period.
On Monday night the men met at the Leeds head-
quarters' when it was anronnced that the.), were willing
to arbitrate under the direction of the central committee
if the President of the Board of Trade would consent to
act as arbitrator ; and, further, they agreed that if the
directors did not consent to these terms the whole of the
drivers throughout the kingdom would he called oat. A
desire is being expressed by the Liverpool and Derby men
that this step should be taken at once.
The managers are getting their traffic restored as rapidly
as they can. Several of the drivers who turned out have
applied to be set on again, but they have been absolutely
refused until after a meeting of the directors on Wednes.
day. As they are at present advised, the managers are
disinclined to have anything more to do with them. All
the engine-drivers on strike at the Tyne Docks have re-
ceived notice to quit their houses in a week. More goods
trains were run yesterday, and there was an Manse in the
quantity of minerals sent to the Tyne Docks and to the
iron works on the Tees.

The funeral of the late Mr. Robert Bell will
take place at Kensal-green Cemetery, to-morrow, at
nooa precise/j.
Tu LoNlioN DRESSMAKING COMPANY.—Min S
Frances Cobbe sends to the Times a pleasant account of
the progress of the London Dressmaking Company. De-
scribing the premises, she writes:—" A good large house.
Nu. 18, Clifford-street, situate in the centre of those
' happy hunting grounds' of fair dames which are boutiled
by Marshal and Snelgrove's on the north, and Howell and
James on the south, with Bond-street and Regentatreet
to the east and west. Fair-wised showrooms on the first
floor, with the usual amount of those poems and vanities
in silk, velvet, and lace, which, thanks to their palfsthers
&MI godmothers, the ladies of Mayfair and Belgravia
have so utterly renounced. 17pstsirs, second-floor, large
plain workrooms, with the brightest possible fires (the
day of my visit was cold), and some 30 girls and young
women distributed about, performing those occult pro.
ceases of hemming, stitching, goring, pinking, fitting,
sloping, and all the rest of it. The young workers looked
as healthy as so many country girls, and were certainly
chattering as cheerfully as so many magpies. The pecu-
liar physiognomy which some experience of overworked
girls has taught me to associate with needlewon.en, the
large bright eye, the thickened skin, a certain degenera-
tion of nose and upper lip, were nowhere to be seen. There
were no tokens of sitting 14 hours a slay at a task
which, from its nature, can give neither play to
the muscles nor thought to the brain, only monotonous
irritation of nerves and ruinous wearing out of eyesight.
The young women in Clifford-street were visibly leading •
life as healthy (perhaps a good deal healthier) than that
of the ladies whose robes they were manufacturing. I was
assured they work after 8 of an evening or before
8.10 of a morning, and that they have an hour and a half
of leisure for the wholesome meals of the day, and, of
course, the Sunday for exercise and rest. In the spare
time so secured, their friends, the directors of the company,
and the cheerful, kindly superintendent, have provided
for thou, at their option, several healthful amusenients—
singing classes, calisthenic lessons, and abundance of pla-
net books. Above the workrooms I PAW the bedrooms
of the girls, clean and airy chambers of reasonable size,
with white curtains dividing each of the four or five
beds, with their dressing tables one from another."

MAUNDY TIICRSDIY.—TO-IMOTTtrit being Holy
Thursday the ancient ceremony of the distribution of the
Queen's Easter bounty to 48 aged men, and a sunder num-
ber of aged women, will take place at the Royal Chapel,
Whitehall. It is an old and interesting ceremony. The
Bishop of Oxfonl, as Lord High Almoner, and the Bab.
Dean to the Chapel Royal, Dr. Jelf, and Mr. Joseph
Hanby, secretary and yeoman of the Royal Alitionry, will
moist in the formalities. As customary, a number of bays
from the parish of St. John the Evangelist and St. Mar-
garet, Westminster, selected for their good conduct ; the
boys and gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, the sergeant-
major of the Yeomen of the Guard, and others. go in pro-
evision from the Almonry, in Scothnd•pird, to the Chapel
Royal, which will be thrown open to the public.