The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-01 00:00:00

TRIENNIAL VISITATION OF THE *LORD

BISHOP OF CHESTER

The triennial visitation of the Lord Bishop of Chester
was opened by his lordship, in St. Peter's Church, yes-
terday. There was a large attendance of the town
clergymen. Service was performed, and after the ser-
mon, which was preached by the Rev. John Stewart, of
West Derby, his lordship ascended the reading desk, and
proceeded to deliver his charge. After some introduc-
tory observations upon the change which has been made
in the diocese by attaching that portion of the Carlisle
diocese, which was allowed for some time to remain an
extraneous appendage to that of Chester. to the see for
which it was originally destined, his lordship referred to
the loss which the diocese of Chester had sustained in
the death of two most excellent men, who had been long
and prominently connected with it—the late Chancellor
and the late Archdeacon of Liverpool. These men had
stamped their names and memories on the hearts of
their cotemporaries, and on the permanent history of the
diocese. The late Chancellor had been intimately con-
nected with the administration of the affairs of the
diocese for more than a quarter of a century. He had
been at once the personal friend and the official repre-
sentative of his lordship's reverend predecessor—worthy
to be so by his congeniality of character and unison of
sentiments. He was a man of great ability, of extensive
attainments, and of great knowledge, and an accom-
plished scholar, an eloquent speaker, and a learned theo-
logian. But it was no disparagement to these qualities
to say that the predominant strength of his eharacter con-
sisted in his being a Christian philanthropist, a man of
Christian piety, a man of Christian charity. Whatever
could benefit his fellow creatures, dispel ignorance, miti-
gate suffering, relieve want, assuage sorrow, promote the
social comforts, and elevate the moral condition of man-
kind—above all, whatever could tend to bring men to
the knowledge and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, he
thought ever on these things. These were the things to
which his time, his talent, his fortune, and his heart were
given. He thought on these things, and, by the blessing
of God, he was eminenCy instrumental in carrying these
things into eff,ct, by his liberality, by his in,elligenee,
and by his example. Well were his venerable figure, and
classic countenance, and gentle voice, known throughout
the diocese, and wherever they were known, there, " when
the ear heard it blessed him, and when the eye saw him,
it gave witness to it." The other excellent man to whom
he alluded, occupied a very important situation in the
church for many years as rector, and latterly, as Arch-
deacon of Liverpool. He was singularly adapted for
that position—a man of real and genuine piety, faithful
to the truths of the Gospel, faithful to the principles of
the Church of England. To these were added personal
qualities, which, under God's blessing, contributed
largely to his influence and usefulness. A kind heart, a
liberal hand, a cheerful and even temper, a sound judg-
ment, a well directed activity, an impartial fairness, and
a generous candonr—these qualities inspired general
confidence, even general affection, and procured for him
ready co-operation and permanent success in his
mnnifold efforts, for the social and religious improve-
ment of the population of the great town in which he
ministered for more than half a century, with good will
to all and from all. These men did not pass
away without some enduring memorial of public
respect. In memory of the late Chancellor of the
diocese, an exhibition has been founded for the support
of an assistant in the Training College for Schoolmasters
in Chester, an institution, in the establishment and
management of which, the Chancellor had taken a
prominent and active part. A perpetual annuity had
been founded in connection with the Governesses'
Benevolent Institution, in memory of the late Arch-
deacon—an institution of recent date which he had
been mainly instrumental in establishing. A still more
public work of honour was to be conferred upon his
memory by a statue to be erected in the town, a splendid
mark of honour, and which, perhaps, at first, might
seem splendid rather than useful. But still, he would
venture to say, that he thought such a mark of honour
not entirely without a usefulness of its own. It was,
at least, a conspicuous tribute of public respect to the
integrity, piety, benevolence, and the faithful discharge
of sacred duties. It would meet every eye, preserve
more vividly the remembrance of the character of the
man, and, it might be. give yet greater weight and force
to his example. In alluding to the onerous and delicate
task he had had to discharge in selecting successors to
these offices, where there were so many clergymen well
qualified, his lordship expressed a conviction that the
characters and services of the excellent p ,rsons
who had undertaken to discharge the duties,
would at once indicate and justify the motives
which had guided him in making his choice.
His lordship then proceeded to draw the attention of
the clergy to the claims which the more prominent
societies, which have been established for religious
purposes in connection with the church, have on their
advocacy. He alluded to the withdrawal of the triennial
royal letter from the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel, the Incorporated Church Building Society, and
the National Society, and defended the means now
adopted to supply the loss so sustained by recommenda-
tions from the archbishops to the bishops, and from the
bishops to the clergy, in favour of those and other
societies. There was nothing in them imperative or
compulsory, and while he admitted that the protest to
such a system by so many eminent laymen and clergymen,
for several of whom he entertained feelings of friend-
ship, deserved respect and attention, he should still
declare that to him it did not appear to be objectionable
in itself. The bishops gave the recommendation to the
clergy of their several dioceses, not as a command, for
that would be in excess of their authority, nor as a direct
request, for that might render it inviduous for the clergy
to decline, but simply as a recommendation, leaving it
to their discretion to appeal to the liberality of their
congregations in behalf of such societies. That was the
scope and intention of the circular which he addressed
to the clergy of this diocese last year in behalf of the
Incorporated Church Building Society, and this year in
behalf of the National Society. He then passed on to the
question of national education, and observed that if they
had only to consider the question of education in reference
to the members of their church, difficulties or differences
of opinion would probably not arise. The difficulty arose
when they regarded the question in a larger range of
view, and with reference to the various other religious
denominations into which the people of this country
were divided. It was very easy to form ideal schemes.
For instance, it would seem that the conditions of the
problem might be answered by some such scheme as this
—that the children of all denominations should be
instructed together in all the ordinary rudiments of secu-
lar education, their religious instruction to he otherwise
provided for according to the wishes of their parents. It
was a scheme of which he himself had often thought ;
but however feasible it might seem in theory, lie thought
the public mind was not sufficiently united for carrying
it into practice. What alone seemed, for the present at
least, to be practicable was, that the State should afford
liberal assistance to the church, and the other denomina-
tions, in their endeavours to provide for the education
of the children of the poor within their respective
communions. His Lordship then proceeded to enumerate
the societies and institutions which he thought peculiarly
deserving the advocacy of the clergy, and drew attention
especially to the institution for the orphans of clergymen
of the diocese of Chester and Manchester, at Warrington.
Having alluded further to the claims of this and other
diocesan societies, his Lordship concluded by expressing
his thanks for the efficient manner in which the minis-
terial work of the diocese had been performed. [His
Lordship will address the clergy of the out-districts this
day.]

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES

Sir,—l have this day had the pleasure of viewing the
plans for the above building as exhibited at St. George's
Hall. Without, for one moment, endeavouring to draw
any distinction between the plans themselves, I have
only to beg of you, sir, through your widely circulated
columns to urge upon the council to pause and consider
whether a ditc like Shaw's brow is a suitable spot for
any building of such a Palatial character. Surely some
more eligible spot may yet be found.—Your constant
reader, H. C. B.
Liverpool, Sept. 30, 1856.

THE COLLISION ON THE MERSEY.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—lt is a matter deeply to be deplored that such an
apathy exists somewhere, relative to the safety of the
many valuable lives that cross and re-cross our river daily.
The accident that occurred last night between the Manx
Fairy and the Fanny arose from a ship being allowed to
anchor where no ship should be allowed to do so ; and I
am much afraid that nothing (although every body talks
about it) will ever be done u some accidents, involving
the loss of some of our popular men, occur.
ONE OF THE MANX FAIRY'S PASSENGERS.
•
Liverpool, Sept. 30, 1856.

ALLSOP9B WAX WORK EXRIRITION, TEUTONIC-lIALL
LIME-STREET. LIVERPOOL.—DOVE, THE MURDERER.—The
only correct likeness of this criminal is to be seen at the
above exhibition, and is placed by the side of Palmer. Both
these poisoners are full-length, and are peknowledged by all
to be perfect likenesses. They are surrounded by upwards
of 100 wax figures, large as life ; together with 600 statues,
busts, casts of heads, &c.. &c. ; also a great number of
Stereoscopic and other views. The proprietor begs to state
that the likeness of Dove and Palmer are most positively
the only true ones taken. Palmer was modelled by Mr.
George Ewing, of London, during his trial at the Old
Bailey; and a sketch of Dove was taken by Mr. John
Storey, a York, and afterwards modelled expressly for Mr.
Allsop, by Mr. William Leland, of Liverpool. Open from
ten, a.m., till ten, p.m- Admission, Sixpence. A quadrille
band in attendance. Observe the name of Allsop's Wax-
york on the two lamps over the entrance.'