The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

..a~

TESTIMIAL TO THE REV
-i4r.MACNAUGHT, M.A.

JOHN

A meeting of the congregation of St. Chrysostom's church
was held at eight o'clock, last night, in the church schools,
Mill Road, Everton, for the purpose of presenting a 3
address and testimonial to the Rev. John Macnaught, M.A.,
the incumbent. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. F

Eaton ; and among the other gentlemen preset

Messrs. S. Howes, J. M. Braga, W. Unwin, J,
W. Taylor, Johu Mewlen, S. P. Pennell, and J. E
It is unnecessary for us here to allude to the
stances which have led to this demonstration of gc

and esteem on the part of the congregation of S

om's church towards their pastor. Suffice it for us

that the meeting, last night, was most numerous ana
respectable, and that every allusion to Mr. Macnaught,
mention of his name, was received with enthusiastic
applause. The testimonial consists of a handsome library
and writing table, executed in walnut, with carved fronts
to the drawers. The writing desk is flanked at each side
by a raised dado, divided into pigeon holes for papers, nut 2
surmounted by a bronze rail of Gothic design. The
proceedings were opened by prayer, which was offered uP
by the Rev. Mr. Wilkinson.
The Chairman then briefly addressed the meeting, old
after explaining the steps which the committee appointed
by the congregation to carry out their wishes in the matt r
on which they were now assembled had taken, made a few
passing allusions to the trying circumstances in which the
Rev. Mr. Macnaught was lately placed, and, in conclusion,
called on Mr. Unwin, to whom the task of the presentation
was allotted.
Mr. Unwin, on rising in response to the call Of
the Chairman, was very warmly received. He said :
In presenting the Address and Testimonial—Reverend
and Dear Sir,—there are events in a man's life

upon which he looks down from the pinnacle of tr,
with pleasure and pride. With such feelings I expect t
look, from the afternoon of life, on the proceedings of this
evening. I enjoy the privilege to-night of being the.
spokesman for the congregation of St. Chrysostom's, who
come forward at this time with the desire to strengthen
your hands, and bid you not be discouraged in your Work
of an evangelist, though your course lie through opposition
and obliquy. They rather bid you God speel in propogat
ing the truth, reminding you, sir, that the path you now
tread, has been trodden by all who have endeavoured to
break the manacles that have held the human mind in the
bondage of ignorance and superstition, from our glorious
Protestant reformers up to him who, in the poetical language
of that blessed and best of books, ,g trod the wine press
alone." I feel, sir, that lam giving expression, not only
to my own feelings, but also those of this meeting, when
say that it was with great satisfaction that we created this
occasion, in order that we might testify to you our del
sense of the great advantage we enjoy in listening to your
teaching from Sunday to Sunday—a teaching characterised,
not by the dogmatic inculcations of barren creeds, so much
as by the insisting on a continued struggle, by the Divine
aid, for the subjugation of our sinful inclinations, and every
propensity that tends to degrade our common humanits".
Thus endorsing the opinion of one of the highest perslnoge,°,
in this realm, that Christianity is not a creed but a life.
It is the boast of Protestantism that every man may worship
his creator unmolested, " under his own vine and his 00
fig_tree," in the manner most consonant with the dictates
of his conscience. Whilst we insist on our unalienable right
of private judgment, we recognise the corresponding dal,
consequent on the exercise of that liberty—the duty of seeie
that every doctrine we profess is supported by adequate
evidence. That whilst, on the one hand, we demand Serif)
tural authority for all doctrinal teaching we uphold, en
must not, on the other, forget to contend for an intellie'ea
and rational interpretation of it, bearing in mind the
.e
aphorism of the great Apostle to the Gmtiles, that " t";
letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Were el:
own consciousness not enough to convince us of t":
necessity for a rational view of Scripture, we WI
the support at least of one of the most eloquee,,
of the Latin fathers, when he says, t, there etl"
neither be true wisdom without religion, nor true religil
without wisdom; but where wisdom is religious, 11%
religion wise there is truth." And we hardly need the
reminded by the great Luther himself, of the danger of
too great adherence to the letter of Scripture, svr,,"l3
he says " the law of the letter is whatever is written ,vr.,
letters," and again when he says, " the Law of the Spiri',l
what is written with no letters soever." We have
stances in our own days of the baneful influence it,
principle of a servile adherence to the letter of holy ,v 1
We should be remiss, indeed, sir, if we overlooked Flo
claim to our sympathies and gratitude in the great batte,
which you are fighting for us. This is, as has been seats,
where said with much truth and force—the Layman's que_t,
tion. If we, laymen, wish to be wise in our religion,
"4
shall do well to look to the principles that are being rough
I
for in this our day ; and if we appreciate the work rtere,
our Reformers, and desire to hand down to our chilo-a
the fruits of their toils and struggles, we must stani,
by those who are ready to continue the wto
of the Reformation. As was eloquently said freclo
a pulpit, on a recent occasion, 6, we cannot tea
greater honour to the memory of the eaje•egt
martyrs and confessors of our holy religion, than by BO to
as they acted, though not believing ALL they believed ;„la
believe all that they believed, would be more than they vie
ask or we should give." It is with the intention of testifying
to you our appreciation of your ministerial labours am) el
us, that we approach you this evening with this addrelo
respectful affection and esteem, which, in the name Of
congregation worshipping at St. Chrysestom's, 1 n()tif
present you, and at the same time respectfully beg leto
acceptance of the small testimonial which is now in .00,
course of preparation, and which will, on its completlog
be conveyed to your residence. We indulge the hope Pe 0
you may long be spared to use it, and that it may sell:4
the material means to the production of writings that `.-00
have a wide-spread and bete ficial influence on the religt of
world, so that on your memory may fall the blessingeor
generations yet unborn. Accept these then, sir, as a Tat,
of our high approval of your manly and intrepid copu"not
in whit you believe to be the cause of truth ; we d°,,-esr
forget that in running the risk you do, yours is the 'lv
and ours the gain. (Applause.) I beg to read you
address
sert
TO THE REV. JOHN MACNAUGHT, M.A., OXON.,

of ti

OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM'S CHURCH, EVERTON.
Reverend and Dear Sir,—We, the undersigned. "'re?
hers of St. Chrysostom's congregation, beg leave to e)!l',,
our sympathy towards you at the unexpected positit, o'
which you have been placed by the Clerical SouleVottir
this town. The circumstances connected witt's,;orl;
expulsion from this society having been given to the - fir
in the completest form available, we patiently abldetAil
verdict of an impartial and discerning Christian it or
and desire only, with yourself, that the cause of wit" re
justice may ultimately prevail. But so far as the POOl%
ceedings of that society may involve an attempt t 0..., t 0
any stigma upon your character or opinions, we deslit foe;
record our earnest protest against it, and rejoice alto
have, as a Minister of the Church of England, vinal`i3ii
the legitimate result of sound Protestantism, by uPb°,o
the right of free discussion, and the free express 2 tli°
opinions on theological subjects. We further take f the
opportunity of expressing our high appreciation ° die
manner in which your pastoral duties have beenliter
charged, our admiration of your liberal and candid i. 015
pfetation of the Scripture, our thankfulness f9rciple
enlightened and affectionate exposition of the poll,. If
of Christian truth and duty, and our esteem for Yall'oottAl
sonal character. We pray that Almighty God ma's' t
your temporal and spiritual blessings to ahound—tha Del
strength and grace may be imparted to enable pout( Os
this and every other trial with increase of faith, h°,ll-,; t 1,30
charity—and that you may long be spared to jai
work of an evangelist" among us, contributing to theepois'
and joy of an united Christian congregation.—tide 1...09*
reverend and dear sir, YOUR FAITHFUL FAD--
,A
Everton, Bth July, 1866. cen
The Rev. Mr. Macnaught then rose, and was r.e 811,
with a burst of applause, which was agal°'oo4;
again, renewed, When silence was restored, be 1111;0
Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, —l:.°l/.,W1
invited me to meet you in our school-room to 111,,l'stol:0
order that you, as the congregation of St. Chrls'nf
Church, might present, and I, as the incumbent, "gitly
church, might receive, au address and a testimouiP;tiolo6
token of your unshaken confidence, and of your aue:oo "het
sympathy with me. We have met—the presentat'brPii,
taten place—and you, sir, in common with year .„,,o,
churchwarden, have said all that is kind, eoranl""nreeol
and encouraging. Indeed, much more has been e5‘!'!„41,.681
both in the speeches to this meeting, and in the ;to 'Ol
terms of the address, than my conscience allows me !/%0,
I am entitled to. However, you interpret my P desitlf
imperfect achievements into that higher and bett°rforfeltif
which, as a wish and an intention, I honestly and Pl',
.:o. Your charitable interpretati')n, in thu o fore
the will for the deed, is friendly and Christianlike 'to
.00
part : and I trust it will not fail to stimulate me 091°,00'
lively exertiors, in order that I may really aro°oo erotel
larger portion of the good for which you give ad„,
Under the most ordinary circumstances such a oottr"io:3
as has been just delivered in this room, must be a, It 0
much gratification to a minister of the GosPe" este; #l3
pure and most allowable source of enjoyment to h°,ll onoB,
by those who know us. It is a source of streng' ofte;o6
element of success to have gained the approbation
id 4
sympathy sl;"0011:4 for whom we labour. To possess the
denoe of those whom we would persuade, is to b °3l
effected more than half of a conviction. Besidesouoitlo
and unselfish affections of a civilised coraMos t1)01004
awakened and developed by such procedures of a fOio
which we are now engaged. The brotherly re.niorge.tej
tan assembly is not only manifested—it is e' rece.,lo9
deepened by an act like this of yours. The s 00)1;6
gratified by the approval of his fellowmen, and lre be 1301040
to go on rejoicing in his work. The givers %it. co, )0
by the firmer and closer riveting of the links In tajoistertioty
brotherhood with each other, and with their 19.,cePto
a word, by such a deed as this of yours, a e°l3bosed "0 re
bound together in friendly affection, and is dlieb th,flof
a more ready hearing to the messages with 'l', osted„%io9
of God may feel himself, from time to time, ell!srtiot P". 14
under the most ordinary circumstances, a Oh° oilet
must feel delight and gratitude when his flock g