The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-14 00:00:00

COEGREGATIONAL UNION BREAKFAST.

The meetings of this annual assembly were
brought to a close on Saturday morning by a public
breakfast given at Surrey Chapel school-rooms, by in-
vitation of the chairman, the Rev. Newman Hall, LLB.,
and hie friends. There were present the Right Hon. Lord
Ebury, the Dean of Westminster, Sir Francis Crossley,
Bart. M.P., Messrs. Thomas Chambers, M.P., Harvey
Lewis, M.P., C. M. Norwood, M.P., G. Leeman, M.P., and
T. Barnes, M.P., the Rector of Christchurch, Blackfriara,
the President of the Wesleyan Conference, Rev. Thomas
Alexander, of the Presbyterian church ' • Rev. Dr. Thomp-
son, of New York, and the Rev. Sella Martin, delegates
of the congregational churches of America, Rev. W. Ellis,
from Madagascar, Rev. Dr. Mullen., from India, Rev. R.
Sewell, Londonderry, L. Kossuth, son of the Hungarian
patriot, Hon. A. McArthur, Mr. Samuel Morley, Mr. W.
R. Spicer, Mr. H. Wills, Mr. C. Jupe, Professor
Ho pus, Revs. J. Stoughton, H. Alen, T. James,
E. White, R. Ashton, Dr. Massie, and upwards of two
hundred others, pastors and delegates of the con-
gregational churches of England and Wales. Among
those who were unavoidably detained, and who had signi-
fied their wish to be present, were the American Minister
(Hon. F. Adams), the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Hon. A.
Kinnaird, 31. P., Sir Fowell Buxton, Bart., M.P. Mr. E.
Baines, M.P., Mr. A. H. Layard, BL P., Mr. John Bright,
31. P., Mr. J. Cheetham, M.P.' Mr. Charles Gilpin, M.P.,,
Professor Fawcett, M.P., Mr. George Hadfield, M.P., Mr.
J. R. Mills, M.P., Mr. W. S. Allen, M.P., Mr. Edward
3liall, Dr. Angus, Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, &c.
The room was decorated with banners flags, mottoes,
flowers and evergreens. After breakfast the chair-
man ;aid that the meetings for butaness and
the exposition of the distinctive principles of
the congregationalist' had closed, and the pre-
sent meeting was simply for the manifestation of good
fellowship with representatives of other religious bodies.
He testified to the loyal attachment of nonconformists to
the Queen, for whom earnest prayers were offered every
Sunday in all their churches. Nonconformists, what-
ever their views on reform, upheld the constitution and
their hereditary legislators. He gave as a sentiment, "The
Queen," coupling with it the House of Peers and the name
of Lord Ebury. The company then rose, and sang the
" National Anthem " with great enthusiasm, after which
Lord Ebury expressed his great pleasure in being present,
and said that among his first utterances in the House
of Lords was this—that the Queen and constitution had
no better friends than amongst dissenter. He expressed his
personal regard for the chairman, his satisfaction at this en-
deavour to promote union, and his own desire still further to
advance in that direction. The Chairman, having referred
in high terms to the House of Commons, Sir F. Crossley
and other members severally addressed the assembly.
in the course of his remarks, Mr. Barnes said that the
chairman was neither churchman nor dissenter, alluding
to the use by his congregation of the Liturgy : on which
the Chairman, amidst applause, interposed, •• Certainly,
we belong to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church."
The Chairman then said that while congregationalist"
niade no secret of their views on ecclesiastical question,
and altogether disapproved of the connection between
Church and State, they disclaimed the unfair inference
that they were opposed to any church as such which
might happen to bo so connected. It was the principle
they condemned, and they would equally condemn it if
proposed to be applied to their own body. He wished
to be understood that the representatives of other
churches present that morning in no degree compromised
their own distinctive views. They knew how to hold and
how to utter conscientious and strong convictions, and yet
most heartily respect those who differed. Turning towards
the Dean of Westminster, he said that however dif-
ferences, ecclesiastical and theological, might exist,
dissenters knew how to honour learning and genius,
and how to respect character and efforts honestly
put forth for the glory of God and the good of men.
The name of the Dean elicited loud cheers, and the
company rose to welcome him. The Dean then said
that, as associated with one of the most venerable institu-
tions of the church of England, and because he decidedly
approved of the principle of an establishment, he had
pleasure in meeting so many fellow Christians of different
opinions, regarding them, as he did, as nonconforming
members of the national church. (Loud cheers.) He said
that all were engaged in the same great work, that the
church could reach thoee classes of society which might
not otherwise be influenced ; and also that dissenters had
a mission which churchmen could not so well accomplish.
Short addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. Shaw,
president of the Wesleyan Conference, who stated that
while the body he represented were semi-episcopal, yet
between them and congregationaliats there was the greatest
sympathy on vital doctrines. Dr. Thompson referred to
the esteem with which the chairman was regarded in
America, both for his religious publications and for the
speeches and lectures which had rendered the name of
Surrey Chapel dear throughout the United States, as it
was in that building that at the very first outbreak of
their struggle, and at its darkest hour, when the Tram,
difficulty threatened, and throughout the war, sentiments
had been uttered to encourage the hearts of those
who were strugging for union and emancipation.
Mr. Samuel Morley, who was received with great
enthusiasm, all rising, said that though be had lost his
seat in parliament he was glad he had nut lost their cola-
deuce nor hie own honour. He urged with great force on
the attention of all dissenters these two suggestion', that
in advocating distinctive views there should be the avoid-
ance of all asperity and imputation of unworthy motives
toward, those who differ ; and that they should try
to show the excellence of their principles by the supe-
rior results of them, looking rather to their own weak
points in order to amend them than to the defects
in other bodies. Revs. E. White, Sella Martin,
and others briefly responded to the mention of their
names. The introduction of L Koasuth was the signal
for a spontaneous and most enthusiastic ovation. Refer-
ring to the member for Chester, who had been expected,
the Chairman said that to him the company would have
manifested the admiration they felt for the great states-
man of the day, not only for his brilliant genius, univer-
sal learning, and unrivalled oratory, but chiefly for his
broad sympathies and earnest endeavours to do right.
Dissenters well knew how he differed from them on eccle-
siastical questions ; and, therefore, it was not from any
leaning of his towards themselves that they respected him;
but for his openness to conviction, for his not being so
mean as to be unable to change an opinion if he
saw sufficient reason for it, and for his impartial
endeavours to do equal justice to all parties in the State,
more than which dissenters never sought. These senti-
ments were received with the most cordial cheers. Lord
Ebury proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Newman Hall; and
a vote of thanks to the officers of Surrey Chapel for the
entertainment was acknowledged by Joseph Moreland,
Esq. Most of the company then adjourned to the church,
where a service of song was performed, a number of
hymns being sung in chorus, and some sacred solos beauti-
fully rendered by Mrs. flacon (Miss Poole), who kindly
gave her services for the occasion—Mrs. Francis ably pre-
siding at the organ.

MR. CHARLES II AN BURY TRACY, M.P., AND
HIM CONSTITUENTS. —A considerable amount of dissatis-
faction having been expressed in the Montgomeryshire
boroughs at the course pursued by their member, the lion.
C. H. Tracy, on the late division on the reform question
in the House of Commons, when he recorded his vote in
favour of Lord Groevenor's amendment, the hon. gentle-
man has given his reasons for the.step in a letter of some
length, addressed to the chairman of the local liberal com-
mittee. He roost emphatically denies that his vote was
given " against any reduction of the franchise." lie voted
against the government measure "because he believed
honestly and conscientiously that any piecemeal legis- I
lation on the subject would do more harm than
good; that it would render corrupt boroughs still
more corrupt; that it would increase every existing
anomaly ; that it would give rise to endless
agues-
tion, and that it would unsettle everything and settle
nothing." After defending himself from the charges of
. violating his pledges given on the hustings, and of acting
I inconsistently with his former votes on the question, when
it was introduced by Mr. Baines and Mr. Locke King, the
I hon. gentleman goes on to say, " Painful as it was to record
my vote in antagonism with many of those with whom
' I have hitherto acted, I feel myself fully justified in the
course I have pursued by the fact that the government have
since thought fit to accede to the demands of those
I who then differed from them, and have consented to com-
' bine their measures in a more comprehensive echeme. No
better proof could have been given of my having acted
in no spirit of faction, and with no indifference to the
liberal cause." Mr. Tracy concluded, by saying—" Such
being the altered state of the question, and believing, as I
do, that the question of reform could never be better
settled than now, it only remains for me to saythat I in-
tend giving my cordial and hearty support to the measure
in its altered shape reserving to myself the right of helping
to make such alterations in committee as are likely to
render it permanent and satisfactory to the country at
large."
THE CHOLERA IN LIVERPOOL AND BIRKENHEAD.
—The reports from the emigration depot at Birkenhead
up to Saturday afternoon were, that but one additional
death (that of a child) had occurred ; that of the five
emigrants who were seized with choleraic symptoms three
were progressing favourably ; and that only two additional
cases of slight seizure had occurred. The medical
attendants state that the amount of general sickness
(exclusive of cholera) amongst the emigrants is not above
the average experienced when so large a number are sta-
tioned at the depot under ordinary circumstances. The
oases on board the Jessie Munn in the river are more
numerous and serious in their character ; but every effort
is being made by the medical men and the nurses to combat
the disease, and to administer to the comfort of the
&filleted. One man (a Dane) bas been removed from the
Birkenhead depot to the Liverpool workhouse. According
to the last accounts he was suffering from cholera in a
dangerous form. On Saturday morning a woman died of
cholera at the workhouse. _

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