Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-10 00:00:00

CHURCH DEFENCE ASSOCIATION.

On Tuesday last, a meeting both of clergy and laity
who sympathise in the efforts of this Society, was held
in the Clarendon Rooms. The general object was, to
receive a statement from J. M. Knott, Esq., honorary
secretary of the committee of laymen, on the condition
and prospects of the Church-rate question. The chair
was taken by the Venerable the Archdeacon of Liver-
pool.
The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. Knott was untiring and
enthusiastic on the subject of the maintenance of our
ancient parochial system. Me was very sanguine as to
the prospects of the friends of the Church ; and it was
most gratifying to see this feeling in one who was so
intimately acquainted with the facts. It was impossible
hut that the :agitation of the subject should do good.
(Hear.) Investigation had already dissipated some
fallacies; and if the settlement of the question were only
staved off for a little, better irformation would dissipate
still more of them: (Applause.) It might please God
to give to cur rulers a fitter mind ; at all events it was
of infinite importance to hare secured the avowal that
the object really is a separation of Church and State, and
a confisoation of all church property, and not merely
relief from nominal barthens. It is bettor that the
battle take place at our outposts than at the citadel; and
it is of infinite importance to us to diffuse valuable
information. (Hear, hear.)
. The Rev. Dr. Hume introduced Mr. Knott formally
to the meeting. He had been mainly instrumental in
sug,eesting, if not organising, the Committee of Laymen ;
and, subject to the general principles laid down for his
guidance, he was most unwearied in the good cause.
Much depended on his discretion: and he was glad to
be able to say that it was very wisely exercised.
Mr. KetoTr, whose permanent address is at Kenil-
worth, was received with every demonstration of hearty
welemne. He said that on this oeeaeion he would
endeavour to place before those assembled the origin
and progress of Church-rates opposition, and would indi-
cate the course-it was desirable to take at the present crisis
of our history. ' It happened that he had the nneaus of
observing with exactness the origin of the first political
union, formed in Birmingham ostensibly for promoting
parliamentary reform. It was an object-with the council
of that aggating body, to plant itself upon some one of
the local •interests of that town; and the Church-rate
having been a question which annually engaged atten-
tion, and when difference of opinion existed—not as to
whether a rate should be granted for the purposes of the
Church, but for the regulation of the amount necessary—
members of the political union council interposed. By
acting on the mob, and producing the attendance of them,
as those not interested in the money question, they suc-
ceeded, by clamour, in electing a churchwarden avowedly
opposed to Church-rates;! and thus succeeded in 1832 in
obtaining for the first time the absolute refusal of a rate.
Turbulence, of course, induced churchmen to retire from
the contest; and the proper poll of the town was ren-
dered impracticable or too painful to be pusrsued. Poli-
tical unions spread, and, with them, the hostility to
Church-rates. Seeing that the adverse movement to the
Church of England was-political rather than religions in
its origin, . it fell to me to record this fact in a public
pamphletin the year 1837. I had, subsequently, gone
into comparative retirement for years ; but observing,
in 1855, that the question had been so earnestly renewed
in Parliament, it appeared to be my duty, in another
and a shorter pamphlet, to bring to the minds of church-
men,-of legislators and statesmen, the fact, that a great
delusion had been palmed upon the, country; that the
movement against Church-rates was political under a
religious plea; that the numbers interested had been
greatly overstated ; and that, if the Constitution of
the realm was to continue, determined resistance
to those principles should .be .made. The later and
shorter statement of the real objects in view attracted
the attention of men of all sections of the community.
By one of the bishops it was urged that the question
was peculiarly one for laymen to handle. In confor-
mity with this opinion, as well as from the force of the
fact that: the existing arrangements for proMoting
abolition were almost wholly. political, the Committee.
of Laymen was formed in the early part of the Session
of 1856. This body was carefully compoeed of members
of Parliament and other gentlemen, representing the
several phases of church opinion. That organisation,
which I have the honour of representing as honorary
secretary, devoted its first efforts to the exposure of the
sophistries, exaggerations, and ultimate designs of its
opponents,—especially those which had been most
widely• propagated through many years. They also
applied themselves assiduously to the statistics of the
question; by analysing. the Parliamentary returns
of the House of Commons, both those of Lord
Robert Cecil and Sir William Clay. (Hear.)
The Church is an integral part of the constitution
of this country. (Hear.) What guarantee is, there
that if one part be overturned, another may not be so in
like manner. The Crown may be assailed, and royalty,
as before, may be suspended. (Hear, hear.) • Now
Church-rates are the only external payment made in
supporting the Church ; and if it were overthrown, I
for one should not give many years' purchase for the
Crown. Tithes and glebes are the property of the cor-
poration of the clergy ; and by the coronation oath, the
rights and revenues of the Established Church are to be
maintained. Why then, we may ask, do the ministers
of the Crown shrink from their duty to' the. Crown ?
(Applause) The proceedings of our opponents were of
so exaggerated a kind that the question appeared to be
solved by an appeal to numbers. It has become with
some a prevailing opinion, which the Duke of Somerset
has avowed in the House of Lords, and Mr. Hadfield
and others in the House of Commons, that the Church
of this country is in a minority. Mr. Bright declares
that the Church represents only one-third. But all the
i statements- are met with figures. The statistics of
education show that • seventy-eight per cent. of the
children of the country are educated in connection
with the Established Church, and the registration
of marriages shows that eighty-four per cent. take place
in the churches of the land. This view is con-
firmed by Mr. Mann's statistics respeeting the sittings
provided. Supposing that the sects opposed to the
Church- provided an equal number, it must be borne in
mind that several of them act with us, and that perma-
nent concerted action between some of themselves is im-
possible. For example, the Wesleyan Methodists con-
nected with the Conference are our friends—(hear, hear)
—and they repieserit 12 per cent. of the whole popula-
tion. The Baptists• provide 4 per cent. of the sittings;
but, reading the Scriptures as they do, and repudiating
the authority Of the Old Testament in connection with
their-theory of adult baptism, so, by analogy, it is quite
in character to repudiate the principle of an established
church, given there. In opposition to the Established
Church, the Independents, representing 6 per cent. of
the sittings, are their allies; but, on the qt-v2stion. of
• baptism, they are their opponents, and the Baptists re-
fuse to partake of the Holy Communion with the Inde-
pendents. Concerted worship, therefore, is impossible;
nor could they ever supply the place of the Church if
she were dis-established to-morrow. Their efforts,
remind one, therefore, of an ancient fable ;
they will not allow us to provide spiritual things. for
the outcast and the poor, and they could not them-
selves do it by any
_ether organisation. The other
sects, including Roman Catholics, Socinians, Calvinistic
Methodists, &c., prOvide sittings for about
5 per cent. If out of this body of 15 per cent., con-
sisting of -men, women . and- children, we extract the
heads of families, we shall have only one-fifth or 3 per
cent., who can parade the new Objection of conscience.
But even this is'too large, for it is admitted by the
leading dissenters, including Mr. Morley and Dr. Foster,
that the older members of their communities are opposed
to these extreme• views, and that the latter are
favoured chiefly by the younger ones, so that the number
of those leagued against us may be estimated at 2 Ver
cent. of the population. (Hear, hear.) Dr. Hume's
statistics strongly confirm this view ; but as I originally
calculated from Mr. Mann's statement as to thd number
of sittings, it is more convenient for me to follow that'
plan still. The State, in this and other -countries, is
consecrated by the Church ; and when• party and pre-
judice are not in action, the arrangement falls in with
the wishes of all Christian men. Some years .ago, the
King of Tahiti was converted, owing to the residence in,
his dominions of Mr. Nott, a missionary of the. Inde-
pendents. He acknowledged God in all his ways ;
public transactions took place with a solemn recognition
of Christianity ; the , missionary was practically Prime
Minister; and at the coronation of Pomare, he performed
the part of Archbishop of Canterbury. The facts
were mentioned at a Meeting, of the principal Indepen-
dent ministers, at which I was present, when I remarked,
" Why, gentlemen, this looks very like an Established
Church." " Very like it, indeed," said the late excellent
Dr. Wardlaw. Thus, we sometimes approach, in spite
of ourselves, or rather approach the middle line of truth
which both dispensations, ,old and new, indicate—the
shadow and the substance.
_Another fallacy of our
opponents is this. It is industriously represented that
nearly a moiety of all the parishes in England have
;refused Chureherates e but the "Committee of Laymen,"

on analysing the retuenS sent in from about 9,000
parishes, reduce the number to less than 5 per cent.
(Hear, hear.) Some have estates which provide for
church subjects in another way ; some have fallen back
on voluntary rates for -the present, and temporarily till
the state of the law is settled ; and others have restored
rates where they had lapsed. But the simple fact is,
that into 80 per cent. of the parishes of England and
Wales, according to Mr. Walpole's return, Church-rates
actually enter: Since 1830, no Government has attempted
to deal with - the question, since that of which Lord
Althorpe, formed part, if we except Lord Derby's. But
the former would have commuted the payments, and
fixed the whole on the Consolidated Fund ; thus destroy-
ing, in a great degree our parochial system, but pro-
viding a- battle ground annually within the House
of Commons. The evidence given before the Lords'
Committee has lately thrown great light upon the whole
question; Another fallacyhas reference to the number of
places of worship throughout the country. It is affirmed
that the Established Church possesses about 14,000 places
of worship, and the dissenting bodies about 20,000.
Bat what is the character of the latter ? If we compare
them on the ground of capacity, they are equivalent to
about 13,000 of our churches, and probably so many as
a third or a half of them are private houses, schoolrooms,
i old buildings, or barns. From this number must be de-
ducted the chapels of the Conference Wesleyans, which
are, in general, less encumbered. In the towns are many
and good chapels ; hut they scent to migrate from place
to place, deserting the poor, and keeping up with the
richer class of the population. (Hear, hear.) In general
the poor would be deserted, but for the Church ; though
the buildings just adverted to are honourably and use-
fully employed by Dissenters—and we rejoice at it.
(Applause.) • But my argument is, that we cannot
abandon, the good cause of the poor and ignorant, as they
are not at all prepared to take our place. Besides, the
Patriot newspaper, which is an organ of the Independent
body, in Some articles on the health of towns
in 1843, said that a large portion of the nominal
property of Di,seaters is heavily mortgaged. On the
larger chapels the mortgages range from £l,OOO to
£10,000; and in one case to -120,000! We must not
assume that anything will be permanently devoted to
God, which in a few years., or even one year, may be
consecrated to mammon. (Hear, hear.) The Estab-
lished Churches of the land are " consecrated," or
devoted. permanently to Christian objects, and _ others
cannot be compared with them. The Liberation Society
could not pull down any of our fabrics, it is true ; but
Ville same effect wiltdd be produced indirectly by allow-
ing fabrics to go to decay. At a .soiree lately given in
Manchester, the hackneyed objection respecting con-
science was in a great degree abandoned; and a new
plea of "religious equality" was put forth in its place.
On the ground of public usefulness and position, religious
equality is out of the question; but on moral grounds,
and so far as respects toleration, acquirements, and per-
sonal character, they may possess religious equality at
any time. Instances happily occur in which men
among the Dissenting bodies, for learning, piety, and
eloquence, obtain a public position which cannot be
surpassed by any member, of the Established Church.
Honoured names might be mentioned which would
bring this home to every mind ; and no one could
more gladly recognise such facts than Churchmen do,
Another fallacy is prominently put forward by Mr.
Miall, who identifies himself with the Liberation Society,
and is -both -able and earnest in his opposition to us.
He says that the Church of England is •the creature of
the State ; that it is a political institution, not a religious
one ; and that it may be so dealt with. Now, its ea-
dowments were given in conformity with the impression
that it was a duty to make permanent pi-ovision for the
gospel ; and the landed proprietors, acting on the volun-
tary principle, gave freely one-tenth of their respective
incomes to the clergy of England. (Hear.) Tithes and
glebes were the gifts of pious men ; and not only were
estates charged with them, but with Church-rates, the
parishioners being, in point of fact, in the nature of
trustees, only for regulating the amount. If the
,parishioners refused a rate, they were wanting in their
duty, as the owners of property are chargeable through
those who occupy. The condition of our large towns
is an anomaly ancl•a crying evil. Dr. Hume has shown
that, in a population of about four millions, at least one
half are so irreligious as to attend no place of worship
whatever. If efforts are not used promptly, and in the
right direction, a moral volCano will burst forth in our
large towns. Now those who live by the people, in the
haunts of commerce and manufactures, should provide for
their spiritual-as well as their temporal wants. These are
plain, first principles, from which we should not wander.
In these circumstances, the question presses upon us,
What is to be done ? It may be safely answered,
Churchmen must rouse themselves from their apathy,
for the country trusts to them to preserve the privileges
which have been handed' down from their fathers.
(Cheers.) Any reasonable concession, consistent with
the principles of an established. church, would be gladly
made to actual scruples of conscience, where they exist ;
but a compromise having been offered, and indignan4
rejected, we must fall back upon the law, vindicate the
Church in its whole breath, and wait till a more
Christian feeling shows itself in the country.. I
am convinced, from much and intimate acquaintance with
the parishes of England, that many will recover or
restore their Church-rates ; but what is very much
wanted is a definition- of those things which are
necessary. Even front Birmingham, p; etitions have
been presented •durine-l' two sessions, one from the clergy
in 1856, presented by Mr.. Kuntz, originally a warm
opponent of the Fates. They declare that their strictly
professional duties are greatly diminished, by the painful
and frequent solicitations for aid, which are indispensable
at present. The evidence before the Lords, of Dr. Miller,
is very instructive, as also that of the Hon. and Rev.
Mr. Yorke;_ rural_ dean. The latter has raised, by
various efforts, £l,OOO, yet several thoUsands are still
needed to put his church in a thoroughly efficient con-
dition. In 1859, a deputation- of the clergy and
Churchwardena had an interview with the Premier
(Lord Derby) ; and they agree with a former statement,
that even if themselves are not to be: gainers they
appeal on behalf of the rural parishes. The following
is the expression of the petition of 18'56. " Although
the position of the church' in Birthingham. cannot be
rendered worse than it is by the passing into law of the
measure now before your hommrablehottse, having for
its object the total abolition; without equivalent, of the
Church-rate throughout England and Wales, your peti-
tioners deem it their duty to express to your honourable
house, their sense of the danger of making general those -
difficulties under which they themselves labour, difficulties
which are now happily confined, as your petitioners
believe, to a small proportion •only of the parishes of,
England and Wales. A public meeting was called at
Birmingham, and held in the. Town-hall, to complain of
the action which the clergy took in this matter. I have
seen the tithe, when, on the call of placards, twice as
many would have attended as Could have entered the
hall ; but on this occasion, .thanks to the zeal and
Christian earnestness of 'the clergy, it was scarcely one-
third filled. In Manchester, a _rate _was carried by poll
in 1833 and 1834, but in 1835; the churchwardens
were unwilling to enter upon another excitingcontest, though they had the same prospects
of success. They adopted this course partly
from the assurance of Dissenters that they would
subscribe volnntarily towards the necessary amount, and
partly in the belief that beforeemany months the Legis-
lature would make such prov4ion as would render
further appeal unuece-ssary.- Tiverpool, you know,
shows how the rapid growth of. the town has rendered
the parochial provision wholly inadequate. The follow-
ing. quotation shows the. anomalous state of the case :
it is given in one of your own documents :—" It was
made a parish in 1699, when the population was under
5,000 ; it has still only two parish churches,. for a popu-
lation of 258,356. The 29 other churches, all
of them providing more or less for the spiritual
wants of the population, do not benefit from
Church-rates, as at present applied. The number ,of
qualified voters is about 23,000, with at least 35,000
votes; yet in 1854, when a rate was refused, there
were only 1,037 voters, and ;,468 votes for, and 1,574
voters, and 2,880 votes against. Thus, more-than
20,000 voters (possessing nearly 30,000 votes), nearly
all of whom heartily approved of the principle of Church-
rates, never came forward at all ! A rate of one penny
in the pound, amounts. to about £4,000 in the parish ;
and a sum of about £BOO is at present raised by a
voluntary rate. What is required is Reform, not
_Destruction; .and the • great Owns would then be
among the foremost to welcome and apply the system."_
The unfair position in which district churches arc placed
sn(Lord
ainndremfe
duced to join our opponents. The act. knorlv
i those
arnenyeeehtuoicmhomthenerhachveurcbheeesn htiasmsbeatlinenfaelttedstaraonfliyn;_
Blandford's Act will assist materially
near Birmingham,. have become parochial,'t • t. and expending
own rates in their respective d.e ne
them exclusively at home. Parish vestries should en-
the Liberaton Society kends
deavour to prevent
lit.°tom.ere.eteeelistructeone And ,to sb-
difficulties.; for severalthdeisterinectrocafacuhenehenstnsBoa:eftvNy
strangers,
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