The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-05 00:00:00

THE DUKE OP NEWCASTLE ON TEE
AMERICAN WAR.

At the conclusion of a review of the Robin
Hood Rifles, on Thursday last, the Duke of Nswessrix
. . . .

presented the prizes to the winners in the late rifle existed
at Nottingham. In the course of his remarks his Grace
said :—Recollect the example you have seen among our
cousins on the other side of the Atlantic. You have heard
of what occurred at the most imortant battle which has
hitherto taken place in that country. 1 deeply regret that
that civil war should have commenced. I deeply regret
that it is being continued, but do not for one moment be-
lieve that that people are one whit less brave than your-
selves. They have sprung from the same stock ; they would
fight as well as Englishmen ; but it is because they have
not that experience, that they had not that da, and
that they had not those practical officers, that that disaster
took place at Bull Run which has been so much
commented upon. Now, I say that that ought to be an
example to the volunteers of this country. You ought to
take a lesson from that, and remember that, unless you
persevere in drill, unless your officers practice tbemselvesi
and endeavour to attain the same perfection as officers of
the regular army, a disaster of the same kind, a sudden
panic, might happen to the volunteersof this country as well
as in America. Having touched upon that subject, I will
ocly say one word in reference to it, via, that I know that
every man in this town has only too good reason, apart from
the affection which he beam to his countrymen saves the
Atlantic—for still we must so call them—l say he has too
good reason, independently of this consideration, I. regret
that civil war ; and I am certain you will all join with me
in the earnest hope that farther shedding of blood may be
spared, sad that, before the lapse of any long time, that cala-
mitous war may be brought toe ekes. (Cheers.)
Three cheers were then give, for the Queen, the Duke of
Newcastle, and Lieut..Coloisal Wright, the commanding
officer of the Robin Hoods, after which the preesedims
were brought to a close.

APOTENCARINIe HALL. —At s Ooon of Exa-
miners, held on Thursday, the 3rd Irk., Mama Jobs Babb,
of Cheltenham, and Thomee Gambier, el Oaatarbary, ware
admitted Licentiates of the Society id Apothecaries, and
Yr. Charles Augustus Prater. of Thomas-street, Woolwich,
parsed the GM examination.

[TWOPENCE

RESIGNATION OF THE REVEREND J.
MACNAUGHT, OF ST. CHRYSOSTUM'S,
LIVERPOOL.

TO TIM ZDITOS OF TIN WILEBB.
8111,—As a paragraph from the Liverpool Mercury
of the Ist inst., respecting the resignation of the
incumbency of St. Chrysostore's, Everton, by the
Rev. John Idaenaught, has been copied into several
newspapers, and is not altogether correct, I have to
request that you will do me the favour to insert at
your earliest Convenience the accompanying circular,
issued by that gentleman to his congreption.
I am, Arc., FRANCIS J. EATON,
Senior Churchwarden of St. Chrysostom, Everton.
Liverpool, Oct. 4.

TV TEX CEIIICIWAILDIEX AND CONOZIOATIOI OF ET.
CHXYBO4'OII.B CHUHCH, DI Evartrox, LIVZIPOOL.
Everton, Liverpool, Sept. 30.
My dear Frieda,—The connexion which his existed be..
tweak us for sear nice years or more amen tor and me I
write these line.. At the same time that I deliver this let-
ter to the churchwarden I shall hand them back the half-
year's seat•rents which were r usual paid to me in ad-
vance three weeks Mace. Than pew•rents will, I make no
doubt, be returned to the pew•beider.. Its that se
however, they shall be repaid by me to the wardens; and
I shall then send ha my reaspatiem to the Bishop if Ches-
ter sad to the trustees for t►e prikonage of St. Chums-
tora's church.

In taking this step some weeds et explanation and fare-
well are due to yon, my friends ; east I have thought it bet-
ter to give them in a letter rather than in a sermon. My
resolution has been arrived at isaddesily, but the delibara-
tine which led to it was protracted over many months. As
soon as I had arrived as a distermiestioa upon the subject
I felt that I must at once act, fee that to prepare you by
any notice for the separation whisk wee imminent must
necessarily tend to these two amoagst other consequences:
—First, each assembling in St. Chrysoetom's church after
the notice would have been one of 'Abdul and useless ex-
citement ; and secondly, men would have been justified is
saying that I had felt myself unfit for the ministry of this
English church, and had therefore as right again to use ifs
pulpit.

_
You are aware that my opinions have undergone a- peat
change since I entered on the incumbency, nine years ago.
and a still greater change since my coming among you as a.
newly-ordained curate, in May, 1819.
This change has been gradual, and he, in all its phases,
been honestly avowed. As soon as I have been fully per-
suaded in my own mind that some formerly cherished dogma
was erroneous, I have candidly taught you what appeared
to me as God's truth. I have concealed nothing which
was in my own mind a distinct and recognised conviction.
Opposition has often been raised against my preaching
sad publication,. Sympathy has, at least as often, been
shown for the freedom with which I spoke and wrote.
Under the influences of that apprentice and that sympathy
it has not always been easy to separate myself from suck
excitement as might lead to my rashly resigning the
ministry on the one hand, or to my improperly retaining
that ministry on the other hand. Now, however, for some
months past, I have enjoyed an almost anbroken quietness.
My mind has been able to reflect, and there h►ve bees few
disturbing causes. All his been prosperous is our chorale
and its various modes of activity, and I have been able,
with comparative pesos, to consider my position and duty.
There have been many inducements for me to remain as
I was. The social position of a clergyman, the enjoyment
of a moderate but salEcieut income from the church, the
wishes of dear friends, the evident opportunities for
manifold usefulness, the flattering attention of a large
congregation in a full church, the generally im-
proved and improving condition of schools and choir and
district, the desire to •indicate freedom of speech and
thought foe the ministry of England's church—these have
been mighty, though far from being the sole, inducements
to remain and minister among you.

In alliance with these motive there has been the dread
of changing one's profession, the risk of losing valued friend-
ths fear of doing positive lumn, if any should
suppose that oneabandoried Religion orehrist in abandoning
the position of an English clergymen.
These and such like considerations have so far kept me at
my post, though I have sometimes found it difficult to
reconcile the changes of my opinions with the unchanging
formularies of ancient centuries. T n Quite lately I have
accepted all the Prayer Book in some scriptural sense. Now
I find myself unable longer to express my " unfeigned as-
sent and consent to all and everything contained in the Book
of Common Prayer ;" and therefore it is time for me to
retire from a position which demands such " assent and
consent" from its occupants.

Let me not be misunderstood. I have as firm a bold—
nay, a far firmer hold than ever—upon the great Christian
principles of love to God and love to man. Reflection has
strengthened—as, I trust, it has also purified—my Christian
hopes of a future life and its discernment between good and
evil. These are not matters of doubt or disbelief with me.
I could still continue to preach on t►ese subjects honestly,
and you will, perhaps, kindly think, not unprofitably or un-
acceptably, as I have done before. It might not be Decal.
nary to allude to the points in which my opinions fail to
harmonise with the dogmas of the church. Suppression of
a few truths now recognised by me would, doubtless, allow
me legally and safely to retain my pulpit as long as I chose
and God permitted. All this I know full well ; but I also
know that with many of the Prayer Book's teachings, for
example on the clergyman's supposed power to remit or re-
tain sins as expressed in the Ordination Service, on the sub•
jectotContessionucontained in the Service for the Visitation
of the Sick, on the doctrine of " Regeneration," as treated
of in the Baptismal Services, on the Athanasian Creed, on
vicarious punishment—with the teaching, I say, of the
English Prayer Book on these and other points, I can no
longer express " unfeigned went and consent," if these
words and the Church formularies are to bear any natural
and grammatical signification. Under these circumstances,
wh►t am I to do? I know no other communion which is
as tolerant as the church of England, or whose ministers
are as free as hers. Hence I do not use my way to enter
any other church or its ministry. One thing only is clear,
that my duty as a conscientious Christian Englishman is to
resign my ministry and its emoluments and its dignity.
This I must do if l am to retain my eelf•respcct.

What is to fellow I know not. God's Providence will
lead me if I yield myself to His guidance. Igo to seek a
livelihood in any calling of simple industry that may open
to me. Other men will preach in my pulpit. Other men
will bear rule in my 'cholla and in my district. You and I
will probably be preached to and prayed with in manners
widely different from those to which we have been emus-
towed. For my part, I shall take my place among the lay.
men of Englaud's established church. There I trust we
shall all still worship happily.
Whatever changes may betide, let na ever be found
fighting on the side of truth, freedom, progress, Christ, and
God.

My friends, I find it hard to lay the Lud word ; but it
must be.

I trust this letter will stir up no or unkindness.
I purposely forbear from alluding in it to topics which
ought be unnecessarily painful to any one. I coat no blame
on those clergymen who can conscientiously retain their
offices. I have no reproach for those who have differed
from me, and who have, no doubt, held their views as
honestly as I have held mine. This letter is the briefest
explanation I can offer of my reasons for ceasing to minister
amongst you, my friends of the congregation.
I thank you all for your kindness. I thank you for your
forbearance with my faults. I thank you for your co-ope-
ration in my poor efforts to do good. I thank especially
my excellent churchwardeas and all the office-bearers of St.
ebrysostords establishment.
bid " God speed " to those who shall succeed me in the
incumbency of the church. I hope there will be as little
change as possible in the congregation and in the valued
'tall of officers connected with it. I ask your kind wishes
for me and mine in the unknown future of this void on
which we are about to enter. In the name of God and of
his Christ I bid you all a sincere and meet affectionate fate.
well.—Yogis ever faithfully, _ _ _

JOHN MACIAUGET.

CHTSTAL PALLCL ONI SHILLING DAT.
FiIIDAY, Our. 4.—Admietions os payment, 1,731 ; ditto
by Nessus Oasts, 670 ; tatsl visitors, 2,401.

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