The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-21 00:00:00

THE SABBATH QUESTION

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.
S ir,—The Church of England has been stigmatised se'
bigoted, intolerant, and uncharitable, in consequence
gee
the active part she has taken, through her recognised
head, in procuring a veto on the Sunday music in gen-
sington Gardens. Now, although, it is probably true that
the politic Premier may not have been solely influenced
th!
by respect for archipiscopal remonstrances, Yet, as
Church bears a large proportion of the blame, it is, 1
ot
think, incumbent upon all her Minister); (who d° 111
sympathise with the sentiments uttered by That elevate t
member supposed to contain their mouth), to p' es
against being included in the general and too just 0031'9:
tion. The example has been set us by several Lend°'
clergymen, and I hope that it will be followed bY hut/.
dreds throughout the country. I believe that a large
number of the clergy find it a painful effort large
reconcile the dictates of supposed conscience with the
natural instincts of a feeling heart, and only en-
couragement to enable them to struggle successfully with
that congenial prejudice which closes their ear to the
claims of the poor. lam sure that a vast number of the
laity would gladly see the Sunday a day of rest and inn °-
cent recreation to the labouring classes; a day on which
the heart might be softened and enlarged by love for those
with whom they join in common and harmless enjoyment
by love to Him, whose goodness is far better seen bY the
simple in,.His works; I have learnt in those bitter de"
nunciations of His wrath, which favourite fulminat°r,g,
delight to dwell. Such topics may console the
" elect,but they are more likely to terrify than attract the

novice.
So much has been already written on the Sunday question
that I will not now go into it farther, Oan to ask, in the
name of common sense, whether it is reasonable to Or
pose that an ordinance of universal obligation,
strutin its requirements as the Christo-Judaic Sabbath, fibmtlA
be left to be discovered by inference alone ? At its ali,!Z%"
institution, at the creation, it is said, God rested, blesses_
and sanctified the seventh day—that seventh day only, Le`
ought we know. There is no command to man to obseri.fe
it at all, and we have no evidence to show that he did
observe it for some 2,400 years after this, nor
00114
more reason to suppose it was intended that he
expects
observe it than there is that the Queen
her subjects to observe every 29th of May, beelles,.!
the next is set apart, and in a sense sanctified, 1:
honour of our rest from war. When God did mend
man to keep a Sabbath, he gave a positive a°.
precise precept. He ordered the Jews to absta.nt
from all work on their Sabbath; but public W"g4l,lPh
is there
formed no part of the ordinance. The Christian Salmi
is, therefore, not identical with the Jewish. We
search the new testament in vain for anything,' but c thes
demnation of Jewish Sabbatical strictness, nor Vias.
Sunday ever kept' by: the `early or mediaeval Chrietlati t
with :that;:ascetic:andf injurious severity, which, firs
introduced by the Puritans, has, in spite of the opinions"
of Luther, Calvin, and other leaders of the Reformation!.
supplanted the sanitary observance of the day, and_forcect
the inhabitants of crowded cities into habits of sottish'
ness and vice. If, after trial, music, green fields ands
fresh breezes be found as necessarily suggestive of beer
and gin as profane conversation, dirty streets, and fOl2l
we shall but remain as we are ; but if, as I
believe
they will, these natural means are found by degrees t°
humanise and elevate the masses, the result will be. a
better and more willing attendance at public svorsho
and that real appreciation of the value of the Sabbath,
which will secure it against robbery. Men will jealousy
guard that which they feel to be a blessing, and Will
gratefully worship Him from whom it conies, and who
inar, for
said, "the Sabbath was made for man, and not

the Sabbath."
Believing that the time is come when all, who hold these
views, should speak out, I am, yours, &c.,

W3l. BANNISTER,
Chaplain of St. James's Cemetery-

BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS

An adjourned meeting of this board was held last
evening, at the board-room, public offices, H
square. Mr. Rae, in the abaence of the chairman'
presided. The other commissioners present !11...re-:
Messrs. Bell, Willoughby, Goulborne, Gough,
son, Aspinall, Broadley and Hind. • ts'
The following is an annual statement of the accoun
of the township, then submitted to the board by
the
chairman, who explained each total,•and compared
with those of last year, from which it appeared that 034
amilto
commenced the year with a balance of £4,046, and COI
eluded with only £2,370. £4,046,
Dr.—To balance on hand 25th April, 1855,
lOs 6d ; Improvement Rate, to cash received on accoudn.
of rate laid June, 1855, and arrears, £6,511 18s
Lighting and Watching Rate, to cash received A(l7
account of rate laid June, 1855, and arrears, X3''° f
2s ld ; Sewerage Rate, to cash received on accouutif
rate laid June, 1855, and arrears, £2,174 18s 6h;
Market Account, to cash received for rents, tolls, wog:
t
ing, &c., £1,445 13s Id ; Slaughter-house Accou, 1,
if
n
cash received for rents, weighing, and pinfold, £217 us
2d ; Rents Account, to cash received for rents, £B7l
16;
9d ; to cash received on account of new streets, x•'''
17s; to cash received on account of house drainagie,
£24 15s ; to cash received for flagging, &c., £261 5s In,:
to cash received for fines in nuisance cases, Scn• 421
6d ; to cash received for service of park police,
to cash received on account for interest on banking
account, .EB9 4s Total, 19,840 l4s sd. •d for
Highways and Scavengers, by cash pal
_el 123
wages, £,3,315 4s 2d; Market Establishmentt
i 3 6s 4d
aid
lls4d ; Slaughter-house Establishment, by nagli r
for superintendent's salary, £152 9s 8d ; Park Estab►19
fluent, by cash paid for labourers' and constables' wage!S
£752 lOs 1l d ; Town Hall Establishment, by cash I°,l,
for secretary's salary, £364 19s 6d ; Treasurer', I;stalf
18s ;
lishment, by cash paid for 'salaries, £572
Surveyor's Estoblishment, by cash paid for salarld
£267 6s 5d • Law Clerk's Establishment, by cash pal
for salary, i 545 ; Law and Parliamentary Charges, lig
cash paid on account of old parliamentary account. ;
£560 7s 40 ; Night Soil Account, by cash Paid
removing, £279 6s • Inspection of Lodging Huns
Account, by cash paid inspector's salary, clothing,n;
£lO3 Os 3d ; Lighting and Watching Account, by 05.
paid for police wages, £3,580 55 Bdi Sewerage Account,
by cash paid for wages, £5OO 17s ;
by cash paid to contractors, £271 3s 4d; Interest due
to Bondholders, by cash paid for interest, less income'
New Streets Account'
tax, £3,852 lOs lld ; Sundries, 17,455 3s lld ;
By Balance in North and South Wales Boik'f.
£2,370 lOs 6d ; Amount of petty cash in Total'
treasurer, £lO ; ditto in hands of surveyor, V.

£l9,B4Gough 0 14s sd. the
Mr. thought there was a large increase in - 0
wages of the scavengers, &c. - and be hoped that son)
steps would be taken, as the board was in debt, t°
decrease the expenditure as far as possible.
Mr. Goulborne moved that the accounts be passed'

Mr. Bradley Kconded the'motion.
Mr. Rae said it was his intention to take some steps i.,11
endeavouring to reduce the expenditure as soon a'
possible after the general election.
The accounts were then declared to be carried.
THE FERRY ACCOUNTS
were then read, and shewed the total ordinary receiPla
from the 25th April, 1855, to the 24th April, 1856, t°
have been £27,075 5s Bd, to which was added from the
sale of steamers and other sources of revenue, £7,459 is 7,—f
giving a gross total of receipts to the amount .",
£34,534 7s. The expenditure, including general repair'
and manufacture of stock, wages, coals, stores, salaries'
rates. taxes, and miscellaneous charges, amounted to
£33,909 Is 3d, leaving a balance in the bank and in the
hands of the treasurer of £625 5s 9d. There was, iikB.;
wise, shown to be a balance to the credit of revels
account of £4BB 17s lld, besides the value of the store
in hand and one set of boilers, giving a total of 41/08ir
:
Mr. Harrison explained the accounts, taking them it
far
by item, observing that the ferry revenue was in a ~_A
more healthy state than it ever had been, and conclude
by moving that the accounts be adopted.
Mr. Bradley seconded the motion.
Mr. Gough reviewed some of the items, observing that
during the last two years, the ferry receipts had been
unparralled, and so had been the expenditure. 11.
thought that the ferry committee were unfit to matiag°
the affairs.
Mr. Bradley thought it NN as very easy to throw dirt.
and some would think that it would be easily brushed.
off. He should like Mr. Gough to prove his assertion
could
Mr. Gough : If I had the ferry boats, I
do so.
The Chairman having complimented the chairrnan °I
the ferry committee, the accounts were adopted. pe
The board then adjourned until the 2nd of
Ju
next.

ROYAL INSTITUTION SCEIOOL.—On Saturday last the
Ellerton University prize, for the best English essay On 3
theological subject, was awarded to Henry Stewart Byrth,
8.A., of Brasenose College, and late Iliff scholar of the
above school.
LIVERPOOL BANKRUPTCY COURT--Yesterday.--(Bef°re
Mr. Commissioner Perry.)—tn-re Thomas Bann.--T"
banrut, a clothier, of Liverpool, passefixed for the certi-
d his last exami.
nation this day, and the 23rd of June was
ficate meeting.