The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-23 00:00:00

IN!OililM.
-.,.

SABBATH DEFENCE.

GREAT MEETING IN ST. GEORGE'S HALL

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Liverpool favoura-
ble to the adoption of measures for the defence of the Sabbath,
was held in St. George's-hall, yesterday. The meeting was
convened by placard and advertisement, and admission was
given by ticket. Peoplo began to pour into the hall more than
an hour before the time appointed for the commencement of
the proceedings, and, at half-past eleven o'clock, the immense
hall was thoroughly crowded. The organ platform was set
apart for the speakers and their friends, and was densely filled.
Indeed, the applications for ?ickets were so numerous that it
became necessary to divide the assemblage, and, accordingly, it
was announced by advertisement, yesterday morning, that a
meeting for the same purpose would be held at the Concert-11,11
at the same hour, where those who could not obtain admission to
St. George's-hall were requested to attend. At twelve o'clock St.
r, • .•

George'

-hall was as thoroughly filled as it could• well be.
those upon the platform were—Revs. S. B. Strtop,
I). T. Barry, T. Dawson, J. Gilmour, 11. J. Garrod. Wm.
Hurt, —.'Vaughan, B. S. Clarke, G. C. Harvard, W. A.
Mocatta, D. Joseph, H. Tensh Hecker, Webb, Dr. Hill-
coat, John Roberts, J. B. Lowe, John Hughes, T. C. Cowan,
A. Knox, D. Anderson, Thomas Sleigh, Josiah Pear,oo, L.
Thomas, D. Price, James Mann, D. J.. Hirsch, J. Gibson, E.
Williams, T. 0. Powell, Walter Smith, R. D. Fowell,
W. T. Newenham, H. Marleu. W. M. Falloon, H. (nettle,
T. Robinson, Thos Jones, J. J. Moss, Dr. Blakeney, F. A.
Power, S. Fenton, R. H. bundle, Dr. Hellmuth, R. Vincent
Sheldon, W. Jones, J. Nicholas, J. Herbert Jones., Joseph
Bardsley, W. Rawson, C. W. Lawrence, H. Carpenter, Job
Kelly, F. M. Harke, C. J. Hamilton, W. Woods, V.
White, H. APINTeile, D.D., S. Minton ; J. 11. Jobr
Charles Inman, William Crossfield, J. K. Rounthwaite,
Cleaver, Josiah Jones, Wm. Jones, David Hodgsoo,
Edward Jones, David Rowland, John Reed, Hugh Donald-
son, George J. Duncan, Joseph Robinson, Edmund Buckley,
Thomas Haigh, Joseph Leather, Wm. Brown, Wm. Jones,
(Fulwood), Samuel Hohne, Owen Williams, Statham, F.
A. Clint, John Eden, William Gregson, J. A. Tobin, James
Montgomery, Herbert Campbell, John Campbell, Anthony
Jones Royston F. Boultbee, T. D. Anderson, Thomas Dent,
"homas Ball, J. B. Williams, J. R. Jeffery, John Crone,
,bert Williams, John Brownbill, William Ackers, John
Win.: Williams, John Atkinson, Thomas Kaye,

Roberts;

The Rev. V. M. White and the Rev. Mr. Hark° acted as
secretariea.

The chair was taken amid loud cheers by Thomas Berry
Horsfall, Esq., M.P.

The Chairman called upon the Rev. M. Birrell to open the
pmeedings with a prayer.

The Rev. M. Birrell accordingly delivered a prayer appro-
priate to the occasion of the meeting.

The Chairman then said—Ladies,:and Gentlemen : Balieving
as I do that the object of the present meeting is one of tho
greatest national importance, I do indeed rejoice to see this
noble building crowded to overflowing. (Careers.) You, no
doubt, are aware of the circumstances in which this meeting
originates. You, no. doubt, are aware, that attempts have been
made, and that attempts will be-made again, to infringe upon,
the national observance of the Sabbath which has hitherto
characterised the people of this country. You, probably,
know that in the late session of parliament• a motion was
brought forward, having for its object the opening -of the
British Museum, and of the National Gallery,. upon Sundays.
lam happy, however, to say, or at least to romind you,
that that motion was rejected by a majority of- -235 to '43.
(Loud cheers.) On that occasion, at least,• I believe that
the Commons of England represented the people of fitij-
land. (Hear, hear, and reuewed cheen.) Encouraged, I her,
in some degree by that decisive measure, Lord Robert
Grosvenor with the best possible intention, but I believe with
mistaken judgment, introduced a bill for the better regulation
of Sunday trading. The whole principle appeared to tne to be
given up, in the title of that bill. (Hear, hear.) The whole
p inciple appeared to me to be given up, of a holy sabbath—and
I felt it my duty, with the greatest personal' respect for Lf.rd
Robert Grosvenor, a man who is most anxious to promote
every thing which is good-4 felt it my duty to vote against
that bill. (Hear, hear.) And although I could not but
deeply deplore the spirit in which it was opposed by many, and
the disturbances which-. were consequent upon it, yet 1 could•
but•rejoice that that bill did not become the lsw of the land.
(Cries of hear, hear.) For we must bear in mind that the
bill went to legalise traffic upon a certain portion of the Lord's
day. (near, hear.) At present the law of the land repudiates
such traffic altogether. (Hear, hear.) Encouraged, I fear, by
by what occurred with reference to Lord Robert Grosvenor°,
bill, Sir Benjamin Hall has taken it upon himself, as Chief
Commissioner of Woods and Forests, to open R. —ens.ngte
Gardens for music performances upon Sundays. Now.
•-Ball may think he has Omni:
as regards woods and forests, as
commissioner, but there is a power above Sir Bcb,
min Hall, and that is the power of public opinion—(Cheers)-1
and a higher power still, which ,ays, "Remember the Sabbath
Day," not a day:of rest only, but "to keep in holy." (Loud
sheers, and cries of hear, hear.) Again, 1 may mention OA
yir John Shelley, encouraged, I fear, by what had .taken
se in regard to Lord Robert Grosver,...,- .he

Lief) twin
power f

,aor'a bill, before
she last session, gave notice that upon an early day
suing ries,ion, be, should bring forward a motion pro'
.ay similar in terms to that which was rejected by so lA.CgO
a majority
Commons--a in the House of Commons--a motion for opening
the British Museum and the National Galleries on SuadaYP'
Now ia the time, then, for the people of England--far tbsi
pt op .0 of Liverpool—to speak out. (Hear, arm cheers.) Awl
I trust that they will let it bo seen that they at least arc or
posed to any such desecration of the Sabbath day. (Cheers.)
I believe that this a question more deeply affecting the work'
ing men than any other class in this kingdom. (Hear, bear)
If we once admit the principle, or expedieucy, of opening, the
British Museum and National Gallery, upon what principle
shall we refuse to allow private places of amusement
to he opened on the Sunday ? (General cries of hear, hear')
And if we give up the principle—if we go merely upon th°
expediency—how can we prevent the working man and Ide
master from agreeing together to work on the Sabbath, merely
substituting a day of work for a day of amusement ? (Hear'
hear.) We have already given up the whole principle iq
permitting lit as a day of amusement, and it is no stretch of the
principle to say that it may be a day of work. (Hear. hear.)
I say then that the working men of England are more deeply
interested in this question than any other class in the coat'
gt, those should
%vuh i,d
°
have (Hear, hear.) I might go Gil to argue varievariousquestions, or various points involved in thisimportant question'
but
be:osteppingthatkin ldllcynooutwitni
oldvfee
rml
tl
ay kth!part,o
tvaoisncmcheo: chairman daannidnot fesret
fhceoirsni
Idimg et
with
e resolutions.
t in
But I shall not sit down without expressing my earnest hope,
that the example set this day by Liverpool may spread through
the length and breadth if the land, and the British legislature
may be made to know that whatever other nations may do, tin?
people of England still love, and are determined to 'reaieol
the Christian Sabbath. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers, amid
which the chairman resumed his seat.) . .
The Rev. Mr. Harke then read a letter from Rev. William.
Pollock, expressing his regret that he was suddenly called
away, and prevented from attending the Meeting, but adding
that, as it would be necessary soon to hold an evening meeting
upon the same subject, he would there be able to come for*
ward, and give the testimony which he had been anxious to
give that day.
The Chairman again rose and said he had been requested to
announce that, in consequence of the great pressure at the
doors, a portion of the meeting had adjOurned 'to the Concert'
ball, where resolutions, similar to those to be proposed here,
would be submitted.
• -
The Rev. Dr. M'Neile, who was received with cheers, thee
rose and said,—Sir ; The resolution entrusted to my advocacy
is itself a speech. It is as follows : " That this meeting
regards the Sabbath as an ordinance essentially divine : It
believes that it was given by God to man, immediately on his
creation, as a day both of religious observance, and of physical "
rest; that, having meantime obtained a distinct recognition, it
was solemnly re-enacted in the publication of the moral law;
that its sanctification was continually pleaded, for, its profenr.
tion continually rebuked, by the voice of the'prophets; that
ii
was redeemed from traditional corruption by Christ himself'
who, being the great founder of the Christian church, did noV
hesitate to proclaim himself 'Lord also of the Sabbath ;'
and
that, accordingly, it wa,„ presently, transferred by the inspired, ,
Apostles to the first day of the week, whence it became, thence'
forth, especially the 'the Lord's-day,' being the day pi bit
Resurrection." Sir, some objectors have been taunting us that
the meeting to-day would not be the meeting of the working
classes, held as it is, at such an hour.' Sir (pointing to the
audience), there is an answer. (Cheers.) Many of the work. •
ing classes are here. (Hear, hear.) And I request these who
have it in their power (addressing the reporters) to record 0°
fact through the whole' world, that a comparatively large
number of working men occupy the hall this morning. Meer.)
Sir, this is a great occasion, a glorious occasion. It is spirit'
stirring to be engaged in a great battle. It is quieting ilnd
assuring to be engaged on the Lord's side. I would rather
sustain a defeat, whilst fighting ou the Lord's side, ihan rt tie
a victory whilst fighting against him. (Hear, hear.) 'All,
the reverses of his faithful servants are temporary, as all
the successes of his adversaries are also temporary. 00
subject is the Lord's day. T.:e branch of the subject selected
for this first resolution is, that the observance of the Lord'"
day rests on essentially divine authority, and, of course'
involves an essentially religious obligation. Other brancbq of the subject, in its bearings on practical questions °1
oar own times, will be discussed by other speakers. J3).,if
this, the first in importance, is justly first in order.
course, in treating it, I go at once to the Scriptures'
(Hear, hear.) I take the Bible, all of it, as the word of the
living God. If any man deny this we have a controversy
with him of a totally different kind ; but our chief opponent
in this question are not avowed infidels. The obligation °
the Sabbath does not appear in anything in external nature'
Neither stare nor planets speak a word of it. Flowers a°
fossils give no intimation of it. We cannot wonder, then;
that the divine nature of the Sabbath, which is denied by th
avowed infidel, leaves him, and those who act with him, at .
„../;
loss what to do on such an occasion as this. Opening my bif I find the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ specifying the day
on which he had some of his moat sublime visions. Ile Wit("
" I was in the spirit on the Lord's day." I then asked
rore
what day was that? And I have no difficulty iu answerifig;
it was the day of the Resurrection of the Lord Jeans,

close o
the en

inunlty