The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-12 00:00:00

Sullivan gives, that you are a person of unsound mind, and
laboitring under delusions. If this was not so I should
make some very strong observations on your infamous
conduct, but it is my clear conviction that you are not a
person of sound mind, and therefore I shall order you to be
placed under restraint.

Defendant: I appeal to the gentlemen of the Press to do
me justice, which you have not done.
The defendant was then removed, and the formal order
made out.

---
THE REV. MR. MACNAUGHT AND THE
ATHANASIAN CREED.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.
SlR,—Your columns may be more appropriately occupied
than with a disquisition on rubrical conformity among
clergymen. I shall therefore trouble you with a few words
only, in reply to " Nota Bene," for the gist of his letter is
a mere question of order in public worship. His assertion,
that Mr. Macnaught's views of Inspiration involve the
rejection of some of the canonical books, is too puerile to
deserve notice ; seeing that, on the theory of the writer
above-mentioned, each of the sacred penmen was, in all his
work, energised and directed by the Holy Spirit. With
greater show of reason, Nota Bene" might ask whether
all clergymen who neglect the public reading of the
Apocrypha may not be charged with a breach of their ordi-
nation y 01913 ; seeing that, in the words of the VI. Article,
" The Church cloth read (these) for example of life and
instruction of manners," and that the calendar prescribes
certain portions of the same for lessons on at least fifty days
in the year.

The simple fact is, that, in many particulars, the conven-
tional usage of the Church has outgrown a literal adherence
to the requirements of the rubric. I need not remind your
church-going readers how some portions of it are systemati-
cally violated by the bishops themselves, especially in the
serious and special service of ordination. Some devout
rubricans, who have endeavoured to enforce the order of the
Prayer Book for previous notice from every intending com-
municant to the officiating clergyman, have been obliged to
give up the matter as impracticable, and to confess, with the
Bishop of London, that in certain respects the law is prac-
tically effete.

The reading of the Athanasian Creed on certain days,
stands on just the same footing as any other rubrical
appointment. Its omission in our Liverpool churches is
not, I believe, a very unusual occurrence; and in some other
parts of the country it is still less remarkable to meet with
clergymen who think that the repetition of the Apostles and
the Nicene, both in the same service, is amply sufficient as a
public declaration of faith. The practice of such clergymen
does not in any way involve a rejection of any' position main-
tained in the Athanasian forttiulary. It is one thing to
assent to this as a scholastic exhibition of Christian doctrine,
and quite another thing to recognise its suitability as a public
expression of the faith of the sincere but unlettered
Christians, whose confidence reposes rather on the simple
words of the Bible, than on the propositional dogmas of
scholastic theology.

May I direct the attention of such of your readers as may
feel an interest in the subject, to the observations of the Rev.
W. D. Connybeare, in his lectures at Bristol College.
(Edition of 1834, p. 269.)
" It is under this practical application, and not with any
metaphysical definitions, that this great doctrine (the
divinity of our Lord) is ever revealed to us in Scripture ;
and, I shall little scruple to add, that had all our public
formularies of faith contented themselves with such an
exhibition, I am fully persugded that many who are
now repelled, and have receded into what I must consider
dangerous error, might still have been retained by us in the
unity of Scriptural faith. While I sincerely profess that I
most conscientiously myself adhere to these formalities,
. . . yet I shall candidly acknowledge my earnest desire
that in the present day some of them were either retained
for the private subscription of those whose professional
education has trained them to a knowledge of the
circumstances under which they were composed, and a
proper appreciation of their language, instead of being
employed as the common symbols of our public congrega-
tions, a large majority of whom must necessarily remain
destitute of the information absolutely requisite for their
proper apprehension."
The decidedly high repute of Mr. C., as a scholar and a
theologian, renders further comment needless from

A SPECTATOR

EXTENSIVE CONFLAGRATION AT
BOLTON.

A little before twelve o'clock on Wednesday night the
inhabitants of Little and Gre it Bolton were seriously
alarmed by the report that the cotton mill of Mr. Joseph
Ainsworth, of Little Bolton, known as the " Wellington
Mills," was on fire. Upon enquiry, it turned out to be too
true. The mill in question is situate in Little Bolton, and
was rather irregularly built, being, from appearance, three
distinct mills, that had been erected and joined together
from time to time. Surrounding it on all sides are the
houses of persons mainly engaged as factory operatives,
between 500 and 600 of whom have been employed in this
mill, and will therefore, in consequence of this awful
calamity, be sadly impoverished for want of work. The
building was seven stories high, including the attic,
and contained five card rooms, and eighteen rooms for
spinning. There were also two engine houses, and all the
other concomitants for carrying on a most extensive cotton
marufacture. A little before twelve o'clock, as.we have
already intimated, an alarm of fire was made, and the inti-
mation rapidly communicated to Mr. Superintendent
Beech, of the Corporation Fire Brigade, at the police
station. On arriving he found that the fire was raging
furiously in the sixth storey room facing Foundry Street.
All the engines were got to work as rapidly as might be,
and great credit is due to the enginemen and pumpers
connected with them, for the praiseworthy efforts they
made. The sixth storey room was that in which the stock
that has been worked is kept, and is stated to have been
full at the time. Upon that burning mass the engines
played from the surrounding ledges; and the hose was
taken into the building, and thence brought to bear upon the
same storey. The flames had obtained too secure a hold, and
being surrounded by oil, cotton, and a variety of infl inimable
articles, it proceeded to march majestically destructive over
the roof of the building, widening its influence, and sweeping
as it went. First the two upper storeys fell in with a
crash, and they in turn communicated to the lower tiers, and
gradually the whole building was brought within the
influence of the devouring element, and successfully defied
all efforts to arrest its progress. During this time the greatest
consternation prevailed among the denizens of the locality.
Houses were being rapidly unfurnished, children and
mothers, half clothed, were wandering homeless in the
streets. About half-past one o'clock the Mayor of Bolton,
Mr. James Knowles, drove down to the ground, and there
remained superintending and giving instructions that pee.
vision shod' i be made for the comfort and convenience of
those poor persons who, for fear of consequences, were coin-
pelled to remove their furniture. The firemen, finding that
the building could not be saved, directed their attentions to
the saving of the surrounding property, and in this they
succeeded, and about five o'clock in the morning the flames
were quelled, partially from the antagonistic influences
brought to bear, and partially from self-exhaustion—the
flames had literally expended themselves on the building.
We are happy to be able to record that no loss of life
occurred; but, unfortunately, one of the firemen, while
directing the hose from the engine-house, fell over the roof
a short distance on to the tier beneath, and very severely
sprained his ancle. We understand that about 12 months
since a very considerable portion of the mill was filled
with new machinery. The damage, however, can only at
present be estimated; and, from what we have been enabled
to gather, £45,000 will be about the value of the property
destroyed. The following offices—but in what proportions
we are not aware—will bear the loss, viz., the Lancashire,
Yorkshire, Atlas, Globe, Phoenix, Sun, Manchester. Leeds
and Yorkshire, and the West of England. The origin of
the fire is at present unknown, but a rigid inquiry will take
place into all the circumstances.

LIVERPOOL MODERN DRUIDS

On Thursday evening, a meeting of the members of this
society (in connection with the funeral fund) was held at the
huse of Host Procter, for the purpose of passing new rules,
&c. The circular convening the meeting was signed by Robt.
Carlisle, president, Robert Robson, vice-president, and
William Hivey, secretary, Shortly after the hour appointed
the president, Mr. Carlisle, took the chair, and said,—All
those who were present were aware for what purpose the
meeting was convened ; but there was another object they
had in view, namely, a report which had appeared in the
Daily Post, and which, by all true members of the district,
was considered as a libel on their officers. To prevent
mistake, he would read the report :
"A general meeting of the members of the above district
took place on Thursday evening, at the house of Host
Trevitt, Travellers' Rest, Scotland-road. The attendance
was numerous, including many influential Members of the
order. D.M. Steele, presided, and D. u.M. Eccleston acted
as vice-chairman. The meeting had been convened for the
purpose of explaining to the members the conduct of the
Liverpool deputies at the A.M.C. at London, in 'Whitsuntide
week.
" Mr. Ellis read the report of the meeting, expressly sent
by the general committee, and entered into a statement of
the conduct of the Liverpool deputies, at the meeting in
London. The business, Mr. Ellis said, went on comfortably
enough up to the time of the paying department, when the
Liverpool deputies refused to pay their twelve months' bill,
or to give any satisfaction for not doing so. All they would
agree to was this—that if the last business on the sheet was
placed first, they would consider whether they would pay or
not. Now, the last business was, where the general com-
mittee was to be held ; but the deputies from the various
districts thought it rather too much to double up the meeting
in that way, more especially when the Liverpool deputies
had not paid their bill. Several questions were asked of the
Liverpool men, and it was put from the chair whether, if
the general committee was not again to be held in
Manchester, or taken to Liverpool, did they intend to pay
their bill. The answer distinctly was that they did not
intend to pay it. The question, whether the deputation
should be allowed to remain in the meeting was then put to
the vote, and it was carried that they should not. It was
Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Mellor who stated that the deputa-
tion did not intend paying, and Mr. Shepherd attempted to
Speak, but could not obtain a hearing. The deputies were
then asked whether they intended to pay the amounts
received by them from the lodges of the Kirkdale and
Everton district; this they refused, and further stated that
they never intended to pay any part of the bill. Mr. Ellis,
in conclusion, said it was the firm determination of the
general committee, not, under any circumstances, to receive
back any of the twelve constituting the Liverpool deputa-
tion ; and whether those lodges, who retained any of those
twelve as members, would be received into the order again,
remained an open question.
"P. C. S. Waite observed that Mr. John Mellor, on the
previous Thursday evening, at a meeting of the late Liver-
pool district, in Great Crosshall-street, asserted that the
deputation to London had decided not to pay the bill pre-
vious to going. Why then incur the expense of £36 to the
district ? By so doing they had been the means of excluding
1,200 of the working classes from the benefits of the order.
" P. A. Balding addressed the meeting at considerable
length. He said they were all aware that the main object
they had in view was the funeral fund, and also that the
cause of the formation of Kirkdale and Everton district
originated in the unwarrantable, dictatious, and combus-
tnioru.snawidayingingawvehicah
dtehteaileLdivsetraptoemolendtisotrficteirlicuadmstaacnteeeds.
that had transpired at a quarterly meeting of the funeral
fund held at Mr. Griffith's, Richmond-street. Mr.
Shepherd and Mr. J. Mellor had formed an inimical
opinion of Mr. Ellis, the chairman of the funeral fund ;
and, acting on that opinion, Mr. Shepherd, although a
trustee, entered the meeting-room at the time bsiness was being transacted, said he was the self-elected chaiurman,
and desired the chairman and vice-chairman to vacate their
chairs, remarking that, if physical force were necessary to
enforce this, they were prepared with it. This threat of
physical force naturally excited the physical feelings of
those on the other side, and the consequence was that
Mr. Ellis and the vice-chairman were retained in their
positions. Mr. Shepherd, finding himself frustrated in the
attempt to eject the chairman, proposed an adjournment of
the meeting, positively refusing to receive any money ten-
dered that evening, although such a proceeding might have
had the effect of throwing several members out of the benefit
of the order. In this, however, Mr. Shepherd and his
colleagues were disappointed. In consequence of this and
previous other conduct, which was objectionable, Mr.
Shepherd was denuded of his office of trustee, and another
elected in his stead. In allusion to £4OO deposited in the
bank, Mr. Balding said, that Mr. Shepherd and his col-
leagues having been expelled the order, and consequently
being now not Druids, they had no claim upon the fund,
which- bona fide belonged to the Kirkdale and Everton dis-
trict, who were solely entitled to it. He did not say this
out of a desire to get bold of the money, but with a view
that some amicable arrangement might be come to, Mr.
Shepherd and those who acted with him having tried every
means to get possession of it, If some such arrangement
were not come to, it would have to be decided by a legal
tribunal.
" Mr. Ellis highly complimented Host Trevitt, who had
found the money to enable the district to meet demands
that were illegally refused by the funeral fund, and also for
the offer made by Mr. Trevitt that the Kirkdale and Ever-
ton district should not be fast for means, so far as £2OO or
£3OO went (applause.) The late expelled members of the
Liverpool district were now in the hands of the law in the
County Court. The Liverpool district and the Kirk dale
and Everton district had no trustees to the late funeral
fund ; but they had something which was far better than
trustees—they had the minute-book (hear, hear). Mr.
Shepherd, at a public meeting held in October, had asserted
that he (Mr. Ellis) with three others, had concreted a scheme
to defraud the members, and take away the funeral fund.
Mr. Shepherd, however, in reference to this, should hear of
something to his advantage, for he (Hr. Ellis) intended to
bring an action against him at the next assizes."
He would only add that, here Mr Ellis alluded to have
got possession of the minute-book, and had refused to give
it up ; and, having possession, he considered that he was
the leading officer of the society, But he (the chairman)
would not detain them any further, as he was quite sure that
the trustees would give every information they could on the
subject. He concluded by calling upon Mr. Shepherd to
move the first resolution.
Mr. Shepherd said that, during the last two years, he had
had so much to do in connection with the funeral fund, that
it was a very easy task for him to go through it from begin-
ing to end. He then argued, that it was the intention of
the Everton and Kirkdale distract to get the funeral fund
into their possession. He had been a trustee of the society
since 1838, and was one of the first who suggested and
established the funeral fund. The fund had been established
here and had prospered. In 1838, the receipts amounted
to £2O 2s 6d, and, notwithstanding cholera, fever, and many
other diseases, had remained solvent, while Odd-Fellows and
other societies had been insolvent; for, in 1841, the receipts
were £ll9 10s 4d. He then, at considerable length, detailed
all the proceedings of the society, at one meeting of which lie
had been expelled as trustee, but had been reinstated by then
unanimous voice of the district. He stated, that the Kirk-
dale and Everton district contained only 170 members, while
the Liverpool district contained upwards of 1,280 ; and he
wishedato know why the lesser body should make the attempt
to take away the funds? After more personal remarks
relative to some members of the Royal Oak Burial Society,
whom he alleged were defaulters to that society, and who
were the individuals now wishing to get the supremacy of
this society, he concluded by moving the following resolu-
tion :—" That it is the opinion of this meeting that we, the
members of the Liverpool district of Modern Druids, being
under the conviction that the characters of the leading
members of the Kirkdale and Everton district have been
shown, through the medium of the public press, to be in
such an unenviable nature, that we have only to be shown
that these men are the same who have been convicted of
practising numerous frauds on another institution, and were
in consequence successfully resisted in their attempts, not
only to obtain possession of the rsponsible offices connected
with the institution, but of the funds also; so that the base
and false fabrications inserted in the Daily Post of the 7th
inst., is merely a vent to their spleen, but quite in character
with the men. Such being the case, we feel that we may
safely venture to leave the discerning public to draw their
own conclusions."

Mr. Ilampson seconded the resolution, which was sup-
ported by Mr. Wilder.
Mr. Makinson rose in the body of the hall to propose an
amendment. He did not agree with the resolution, because
of the extraneous motives which had been introduced into it.
The present meeting was a meeting of Druids, and had,
therefore, nothing whatever to do with the Royal Oak
Society, He did not care about the character of the men
who were engaged in it ' • what he contended for was the
principle, and concluded by saying, that Mr. Shepherd had
been the cause of all the dispute.
Mr. Shepherd replied to the observations of the last
speaker, contending that he hid been one of the designing
men alluded to in the resolution, and now essayed to justify
himself from all the blame that had been heaped upon him.
After some explanations the resolution was unanimously
adopted.
Mr. Irarrison then moved, and Mr. Lewis seconded, the
adoption of the following resolution, which was unanimously
carried :—" That the members of the funeral fund cordially
agree with the steps taken by the trustees who, in protecting
the funds of the institution, have acted in accordance widi
their instructions, am] that the best thanks of the meeting
are due to them for their pr,iiseworthy conduct."
A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Shepherd for the
active steps he had taken in the matter ; and, after he had
suitably returned thanks for the compliment paid him, and
pledged himself to do his utmost in behalf of the working
classes, the meeting separated.