Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-05 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TOTES, TUESDAY, APRIL 5 1858

; •

CHURCH AID' 'SOCIETY: '1

Yesterday a meeting of laity and clergy -was held in the
Blue-coat school, for the purpose of forming a society, to be
called the ".Liverpool Church Aid Society," the Right Rev.
the Lord Bishop of the diocese occupied the chair. There
was a numerous attendance, and among those present were
Worship the Mayor of Liverpool, Archdeacon Jones.
Recto. Campbell, Dr. M'Neile, Revs. C. Laurence, J.
Stewart, •w*-. Falloon, T. Hecker, H. Carpenter, J. S.
Twist, Dr. 11.vlor' Revs. C. Barton, G. Warr, T. Gardiner,
s.
H. Jones, J. _.l,th,
T. L. Pain ,
F. Harke , A. J. Tomlin ,
T. Cowan,
1--,rlen, J. Lomas, J. Evans, W. Hindley,
Tr
T. Moore, W. 7.-eveson, J. Hassell, H. Stafford,
T. Moeran, D. Bai,, T. 0. Powell, J. S. Howson,
H. Garrod, D. Trougt.u,n, W. Calder, J. Bannerman,
G. French, R. Moore, G. *Watson, J,, Bardsley,
JW. H. Vernon, J. Bewley, W. H. Denny, B. Ry.
croft, T. Lingley, W. Owen, J. Mi'Callon,'H. Postance, L.
Robinson' J. Butler, E. Green, J. Ireland, Dr. Hume, J.
Linton, H. Hartley, Pickles, A. HodgsOn, Esq.,
W. Gregson, Esq., C. Bushell, J. Torr, C. Groves; C.
Grayson, H. Grazebrook, T. D. Anderson, M. W. Collett,
R. Duckworth, P. M. Dove, H. Halhead, J. B. Lloyd, F.
Peek, C. S. Parker, W. Titherington, J, Stewart, I. D.
Ilebson, W. Hall, G. Casey, E. Gibbon, J. W. Cropper,
and N. D. Bold. •

The Right Rev. Chairman said : It is a very.great piti-
fication to me to see so large an assemblage both of the
clergy and of .my lay friends. It is for a very impbriant
object that you are met together=one connected with the
best interests of religion in this great town." ' I do rot
wish, myself, therefore, to occupy your time by any prei-
minary remarks, fisther than to state my own connection
with this movement. Some time ago, my kind friend,
the Rector of Liverpool, communicated with me, and
sent me a copy of the resolutions of the society. I
made an answer to him that, approving very highly 'o!..'
all the objects which was marked out in it, yet I
perceived that many of them were objects for which
there were already societies existing. I pointed out
particularly that its objects were to a great extent the same
as those of the Pastoral Aid Society, and of the 'Additional
Curates Society. I pointed out also that there were parts of
the
.plan similar to that of the Diocesan Church Building
Society, and that there might be other cases of the same
kind. I expressed a desire before making any formal answer
as to concurring in the plan, that there should be a com-
munication made to the officers or leading promoters of the
several societies that had any objects in common with this
now proposed, in order that it might 'be ascertained from
them whether they thought - it would interfere injuri-
ously with the working, the prospects, and the support
of their own societies. To that, in due time, I received
an answer from the rector, that he had, to some extent at
any rate, conferred with those parties, and that 'the general
impression was that it would not interfere disadvantageously,
and that there was no desire to throw any obstacle in its
way. I must say that I rejoiced that that was the answer,
for I should have been very sorry myself to have engaged
in any new plan, the effect of which was merely to draw off
from existing societies the liberal, and, I may say, continually
increasing, support which these societies happily are receiv-
ing—(hear, hear)—but being assured that it was not likely
to interfere with this plan of Christian charity in
other channels, I expressed my very great pleasure
in being able to give my hand, to support in
carrying out the new undertaking, so far as I could by
any means be instrumental in doing so. Since then, a
very kind friend of mine, whom I wish to speak of with
great respect—J don't know . whether he is here to-day
or not—wrote to me a letter, in which there was a friendly
and kind intimation given, that this movement' was
looked upon by some persons as being somewhat hostile
or antagonistic to the additional Curate's Society. I
must say I hope it is not so in the intention of any
of its promoters (hear, hear), and I must say that I hope
it will never be acted upon by them or the public in any
such spirit. (Hear, hear.) I wish to say a word upon one
point, however delicate it may be, and that is to state
my opinion of the claims of the Pastoral Aid Society
and of the additional Curates' Society in connection with
each other. I belong. to both of them. (Hear, hear.) I
cannot see what there is in either of them that a true man
of the church might not reconcile himself to.
There are two of them, let a man take which he has the
predilection for. The great difference is, not in the objects
that they have in view—not in the principles in which they
move, but in the kind of machinery they employ in carrying
out their views. The Additional Curates' Society employs
no other machinery than that which they found in the
Church from the beginning. (Hear, hear.) The Pastoral
Aid Society has introduced a piece of machinery of its
own. But I believe that was done with the most sincere
and honest purpose of maintaining the principles of the
Church intact. (Applause.) I grieve to use such a word
as " party" in our Church. I cannot see why there
should be any " party" in it. (Hear, hear.) It is
not that I have stood aloof since I was bishop from
"party," but for the many years that I have been clergy-
man I novo, belnnged to any party in the Church. (Ap-
plause.) My heart was with them all. (renewed applause.),
and I have been for years a subscriber to all of them.
I have subscribed to the Christian Knowledge So-
ciety, the Bible SocietS-, and many others. (Ap-
plause.) It is out of no narrowness of view that I
use the word "party," but I really don't know
how to express my meaning without introducing it.
The Pastoral Aid Society is looked upon as intended by its
peculiar .rules to carry out the views of one party in our
church. Let me say, then, that if it is to be called a
part:), I do not originate the word. It is at least a' very
large' and a ve efficacious party in our church, God be
thanked (cheers; and I firmly and thoroughly believe,
though not in any way mixed up with it, as a party,
myself, I fully believe in my heart this, that the purpose
of that party is not to lower or let down the rules
and the discipline of our church. (Hear, hear) For if it
was so, I must say, it would be inconsistent with the
solemn engagements that the clergy of the church enter
into at their ordination. (Cheers.) I believe its object to
be a very;, different one. I believe it is simply this—to
make sure that the ministers whose salaries are paid out
of the funds of the Pastoral Aid Society are men who
hold the principles of evangelical truth—those principles
which form the text of the Gospel, those principles u on
which the Reformation was founded—(loud cheers
those principles on which the Church of Englan is
established. (Renewed cheering.) Let me say that the
only point on which, as to its principles, the Additional
Curates' Society differs from the Pastoral Aid Society, is-
in the single point that they do not• themselves employ
that particular additional test and piece of machinery
which constitute the peculiarity of the Pastoral Aid
Society, and on which I am not going to offer any re-
mark. The only point on which they differ from the
Pastoral-aid Society, is in a more scrupulous, perhaps, re-
cognition of the existing forms and rules of the church
within herself, but in other respects, as to its principles,
as faithfully and truly upholding those great principles
of evangelical truth, of which:l spoke as the Pastoral Aid
Society itself can do. (Cheers). I am speaking of the
principles of that society ; it upholds those same great
principles, and on as broad and comprehensive a basis as
that on which the Church of England itself stands, and
will, I hope, through God's blessing, for ever stand.
I wish to say another word about the operation of the
Additional Curates' Society. The applications to that
society for my diocese necessarily pass through my hands,
and I am bound to say I cannot trace any indications of
partiality in the grants which they make to my diocese.
(Cheers.) I will venture to say, speaking of my diocese
generally, there are as many grants made for curates of
that school, if I may so express myself without giving
offence—which the Pastoral Aid Society takes under its
exclusive patronage, as there are of any other class of
curates whatsoever. 1 am glad to think that the gentle-
men present have come here so very united, with a de-
sire to promote the objects for which we are met ; and
if there are any friends of the Additional Curates So-
ciety who have looked on this movement with a less
favourable view than others, I hope they will understand
that what has been said by me has been drawn from me,
not only by a sincere desire to be impartial, but to do justice
to their dealings. I hope it will be a pledge to them, so
far as I am concerned, when I say that nothing would be
further from my heart than to join in anything that is in-
tended in a hostile or antagonistic spirit to the Curates Aid
Society. I wish all these societies God speed (cheers). The
Pastoral Aid Society is a central society in London, with
a most efficacious branch here, and most energetic and
successful promoters and patterns here ; the Additional
Curates Society has, perhaps, struck rather more of a
local complexion with this town ; but this society, for
which we are met, is purely loca. It is to work for
Liverpool itself. And, let me say, when I first came into
this part of the world, from a scene of life very different,
the first impression I ever had in connection with these great
societies in Liverpool was, "oh, that I could see Liverpool
independent of extraneous aid for these things ; and,
instead of sending up to London for help, with all its
own wealth, oh, that it would, at least in matters of
Christian religion, be self-supporting." I did fervently
hope that Liverpool, wealthy, beautiful Liverpool,
would, whatever denominations it contained, promote all
churches, schools, and other things necessary. for the
religious instruction of all (hear, hear). There is no
sound-hearted man but will admit that Liverpool should do
this for herself (hear, hear). On that ground, I hope that
this society will not interfere unfavourably with any that
is in existence, and that it will not take one shilling from
any other of our Christian societies. I trust that we shall
have the countenance and enconragement of all good church-
men (hear, hear).
The Rev. Rector Campbell moved the first resolution.
It was as follows :—" That this meeting desires to express
its solemn conviction, that the spiritual destitution pre-
vailinsin seTexal populous districts of Liverpool, and the

eyil consequences . resulting _therefrom _ (as shown by the
concurrent testimony:of various recent publications), call
imperatively upon tie members of the Church of England
to adopt such measures as may, by the blessing of God,
improve the moral and religious condition of the
population in these districts. "_ (Applause.) He said : —•
As the chief minister of a parish containing a popu-
lation possibly of not less than 280,000 souls, I may be
supposed to have some feeling of anxiety respecting
the moral and religious condition of its people ; and although
I may thank God that I have not an undivided responsibility,
but, to express myself in commercial phrase, have only a
limited liability in this vast concern,—though it is my good
fortune to share it with an active, earnest, and, I hope,
united clergy—united., so far, that is to say, as men can be
or need be expected, in a church which does not claim the
prerogative of an infallible despotism ; though, unhappily,
of the vast number supposed to be committed to our pastoral
care, a great proportion repudiate our interference upon
principle, and of the remainder,. a majority repudiate it
practically, upon no other principle than that of perfect
indifference to all religious obligation, and a total uncon-
cern as to the salvation of their souls. (Hear.) Still, with
all these abatements, responsibility enough remains to
create a feeling of deep and serous concern, and makes them
anxious to solicit the co-operation of those who, though
they might not be alive to their obligation, are not less
really interested in' the work than the clergy themselves.
I &list, therefore, my lord, that I may be permitted to
trespass upon tour time while I endeavour to impress
upon our lay friends the duty of assisting us in estab-
lishing the Church -Aid Society, which we contemplate,
and which we hope, by' God's blessing, may tend to
alleviate the evils which everyone admits, and which
everyone is interested in remedying. It were needless
to enter on the useless task of attempting to prove the-
existence of evil, or dwell on the statistics of crime ; it
is lost labour to exaggerate the vices of the poor, or
quarrel with the rich for neglecting the poor. Neither
is it very profitable or very agreeable to confess the
nealect of former times, or admit or deny the sins of
omission in former years ; an acknowledged evil exists,
and there is no great use in wrangling about its origin.
The publications referred to in the resolution prove that
there is a great mischief to be remedied, and all
who think that the best mode of remedying it will be
by preaching the gospel to the poor will do well to
consider whether it may be worth while, on religious
and social principles, to co-operate with the clergy in
some such attempt as that which we are engaged in pro-
moting to-day (hear, hear). For surely, my lord, it is a
great mistake to suppose, or at least act upon the sup-
position, that we, the clergy, are the only persons responsible
for the duty of spreading the Gospel. The clergy are not
the chnrch, but the clergy and laity combined. The laity, as
the most numerous, being the most important part of it; and
as our, church says every member of it has his peculiar voca-
tion and ministry, in which he may truly and godly serve
unto the edifying of the whole body. We do not, of course,
wish to commit to the laity any more than we give to 'our
princes, the ministry either of God's word on the sacra-
ments ; but we should do very . wrong to encourage the
very common but very erroneous impression, that they are
not a little interested in the propogation of the Gospel, or
concerned in the preaching it to the. poor. (Applause.) The
whole body of Christians are interested in this work ; and,
as has been well argued by a distinguished foreign- noble-
man, with whom in this respect we all agree, the Baron
Bunsen, if we regard this subject properly, and look with a
searching eye into the weakness of the church, we shall
find that the lay people of Christendom have to ascribe to ,
themselves a considerable portion of the blame. " The
clergy," he said, "have for the most part been brought
into their present confined and isolated position by the
love of the people growiug cold" (applause) • and if I
might be permitted to do so, I would even solicit in this
work the sympathy, indeed the co-operation, of those
who do not agree with us in points which we think of vital
importance. Asserting that Christianity is essential to the
perfection of civilisation, I am suite willing to admit, that
a certain amount of civilisation is essential to the effectual
preaching of Christianity, and that to preach it to men sub-
jected to the brutalising influences of crime and vulgar sen-
suality is like casting pearls before swine. I rejoice, there-
fore, and can cordially join with those who are attempting to
promote the advancement of social science, as it is called,
and give help to every endeavour that is made to refine the
tastes and improve the morals of the working classes. (Hear.)
I am refreshed by the sight of Charles Melly's drinking
fountains, and of temperance coffee-houses, and ragged
schools, and free public libraries, and baths, and wash-
houses, and above all, the erection of better family dwell- ,
ings and lodging-houses for unmarried girls and men. But
while I join with the promoters of these benevolent works,
and go with them one mile in the co-operation, I would
fain persuade them to go with me twain ; and while in their
company, I reason with the working men, as Paul did
before Felix, upon temperance and righteousness ; 1 should
very, much rejoice if they' would help me to
1 reason with them also upon judgment to come,
1 and add the awful sanctioning of religion to the terrors
of the temporal law, and te plain, moral obligation
which lies upon the canscience of every man to do justly,
and , love mercy, and walk humbly with his God.
(Applausel) The scheme which we propose, and which
has been most carefully elaborated, appears to me emi-
nently practical, and as little open to objection as any
human scheme can be,---perfection, of course, and all
liability to objection being quite impossible. And, first,
as to the increase of the number of clergy. If, as is
said, and, I think, truly said, no clergyman can super-
intend effectually more than 2,000 people, and if the
borough contains 400,000 people, and we have only that
half of the neople which our hostile critics grudgingly
assign to us, we ought, even then, at that low estimate,
to have 100 clergymen, and our proposed addition of 10 will
leave abundance of work for the other clergy-aid societies
to do. There is very little chance that our proposed society
will monopolise all the work that is to be done ; where the
harvest is so plenteous, the more machines there are in the
field the better ; there is no fear of competition in the work ;
it will not be competition, but co-operation. When St.
John told our Lord that the disciples had forbidden a man
to cast out devils in His name, because he was not one of
their followers, he said, " Fillsid him not; there is no man
which shall do a miracle is my name that can speak lightly
of me. He that is not against us is on our part." There
is no reason why we should attempt to cast out the devils
of uncleanliness and infidelity all exactly in the same
method. Some prefer one mode, some another ; and
variety, instead of provoking jealousy, may serve to
stimulate activity. (Applause.) To those, however, who
may not think the increase of clergy the most important
point, or who may suspect, needlessly, I trust, an
objectionable mode of doing it, there is another part of
the scheme to which I should conceive no possible
objection need be apprehended. It is often cast in our
teeth, as a subject of reproach and sneer, that our
churches are so ill attended, and our worshippers com-
paratively so few ; and I admit that it is sometimes very
discouraging and very much to be deplored; but I cannot
so readily admit that it is all our fault, or that we
are so much to be blamed. We prepare the Gospel
feast, and invite the guests to attend by every means in our
power, but, with our inadequate means, we cannot go out
into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in.
We provide the means of grace, the good and wholesome
food of the gospel, as interpreted by the articles of .our
reformed Protestant church, with the use of a liturgy of
unsurpassed excellence ; and if we cannot always provide
the treasures of heavenly eloquence, or the highly sea-
soned dainties required to stimulate the fastidious appetites
of the present day, the blame, I humbly think, is
perhaps more to be assigned to the people than ourselves.
But there is one stone of stumbling and rock of offence,
there is one manifest obstacle to the general attendance
of the working classes, namely, the want of comfortable seat
room ; and that it is proposed to remove by the purpose of
the society second on the paper, and which is justly called a
prominent feature in its operations, the large increase, viz.,
of free accommodation for the poor, by throwing open pri-
vate pews and making ground floor or gallery free. On
this, perhaps, I need not dwell—on this we shall, I expect,
be cordially unanimous, without a single misgiving. (Hear.)
The next purposes of the society the third and seventh on
the paper—are those in which personally, .I must confess,
I take the deepest interest —the increasing the incomes
of laborious and ill-paid incumbents, and the defraying,
in whole, or in part, the necessary expenses incident to
divine worship in the poorest parts of the town. Being
happily exempt, by the- unmerited goodness of God, from
any personal inconvenience in that -respect, I do not
know by personal experience the amount of suffering
that must be endured by a conscientious clergyman with
a laborious and ill-paid cure in a populous district, but I
do not on that account take less interest in his welfare ;
or rather, on the contrary, I feel that there is no one
more entitled to the sympathy of every Christian man
no one who ought to be more studiously cared for in his
heavenly work, or supported, not grudgingly or of ne-
cessity, but with cheerful bounty fed, not merely with
the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table, but with
such abundant nourishment as may strengthen him for
his labour, and enable him, like Elijah in the wilderness, to
pass with undiminished vigour through the exhausting
trials of his long and toilsome journey. To impress
this more strongly, I would exhibit the picture of a
clergyman's labours in a populous district, drawn from life.
It will become me now, my lord, to bring these obser-
vations to a close, with many apologies, for having tres-
passed at such unusual length upon your time. But I
am so deeply impressed myself with the importance of
this movement, that I am anxious to convey my impres-
sions to our lay friends, and solicit earnestly their willing
co-operation and effectual aid. It is not my purpose to
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abundant liberality to -the temporal -wants of the- pool
I wish to ,secure a similar feeling with regard to their
spiritual wants. (Hear, hear.) I wish to see a systematic
combination .of clergy and laity in spreading the gospel
among the masses of the working people. I don't mean 1
a controversial- gospel, but that mode of preaching it I
which teaches a man that he has a soul to be saved, and
that the means of saving it are those which the gospel
provides ; that judgment in a future state is as sure as
death in this, and that the only means of avoiding .the
penalty of judgment is to trust in the merits of a Saviour
and obey his commands. I wish to impress upon the
minds of the laity that it is not enough to imitate the
Saviour in his works of mercy to the bodies of men, by
healing the sick and causing the deaf to hear and the
blind to see, but we should imitate him also in his mercy
to their souls, by preaching the gospel to them, and
cleansing them 'from the leprosy of sin, encouraged in
this work by the promise of inspiration, that he who
converts a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a
soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. • To
know the act of alms, says an ancient father, is better
than to be crowned by the direction of kings, and yet to
convert one soul is better than to pour out ten thousand
talents into. .the baskets of the poor (applause). Having
this day entered my 74th year—(loud and 'protracted
cheers), I have reason to feel, my lord, that my eleventh
hour has sounded, and that to me, at least, the nig,ht.is
rapidly approaching when no man can work ; but I, would
ask respectfully, is it very different with any one of us ? Are
we not all standing on-the brink,of eternity ?Is there one
of us who can say with the vile .man in the parable, " Soul
thou hast much good laid up for many years, take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry ?" And will it not be well for
all of us, in the midst of the strife and contention of this
striving and contentious world, to work for eternity as well
as time, and, with due regard to the honest and honourable
acquisition of worldly treasure, lay up heavenly treasure
for the life to come. (Applause.)
Mr. Adam Hodgson was called upon to second the reso-
lution. He hoped he would not be misunderstood, as
having but small interest in the objects of the society, if he
would simply content himself by seconding the resolution
which had just been proposed. He earnestly hoped that
the society would meet with generons and active support,
and hoped it would be conducted on enlarged Catholic
principles—principles on which, he thought, every society
seeking general co-operation in a Christian church ought to
be conducted—principles which to him, to be so far apart
from one of a party character as to make party shrivel into
insignificance when brought into the face of the objects
which that society contemplated.
The resolution was put and carried unanimously.
The Von. Archdeacon Jones was called upon to move the
next resolution, which was that, " with a view to the
Scriptural improvement of the people, it is essential that
the parochial system should be extended and invigorated
by the employment of additional clergymen, and by a large
increase of our accommodation for the working classes in
existing churches, so that opportunities of attending on the
public means of grace may be multiplied, and also that the
blessings of the Gospel may be diffused by pastoral visitation
from house to honse." This resolution, he said, was based
upon the spiritual necessities of this large town. Its neces-
sities were great, and increasingly great from year to year
and from month to month. This society was established
for the purpose of supplying, under Divine blessing, the
spiritual wants of the large masses of our dense and ungodly
population. No one could have penetrated through the dark
and dismal alleys and streets, and have listened to what was
going on, especially. on Sunday, without being impressed
with the terrible spiritual destitution of the large masses.
He asked what was the remedy for this ? He had ventured
to read the resolution, believing firmly that it prescribed
the only possible remedy. If the present state of matters
were allowed to go on, they would become worse and worse.
(Hear, hear.) The resolution touched the very root of the
matter. He referred to the three great points of the reso-
lution, and dealt with them separately. He pointed to the
trammels which were upon some of our existing churches
and said that the society would affect a great good if it
could free them from those trammels. These churches, he
said, never were free and never could be free, unless such
an institution as that came forward and set them free.
Many. of the pews belonged to private persons, and not
occupied, the owners having left town or become insolvent,
and they could not claim them ; but, it would be a good
thing if the society could purchase these pews for the
accommodation of the working people.
Mr. Bushell seconded the resolution. He said that duty
' sometimes beckoned where inclination was not much dis-
posed to follow ; but he could truthfully say that in this
case his duty and inclination accorded (applause), because
he felt the urgent necessities, of the case, and because he
felt that these urgent necessities were predisposed to be met
in a most wise and practical manner, as set forward in the
synopsis, which many of them had had put into their hands.
The locality of Lirci pool had been changed within the last
few years. Liverpool, as far as it was represented by wealth
and influence, might be said to have gone out of town.
(Hear, hear.) The districts of the town formerly inhabited
by the wealthy, had ceased to be so, and had now become
places of business, and in some instances residences of the poor.
Merchants had gone to the upper parts of the town and to
the suburbs to reside, and the necessity therefore had arisen
that they should no longer regard districts as districts, a
regard 4 the supply of funds. That would be doing an in-
justice,- as some of the districts were extremely poor, and
others very wealthy. He took a statement from Dr. liume's
pamphlet, which said that in the district of Vauxhall-road,
Within a radious of 500 yards, there was a population of
35,000, and they had, to supply the spiritual wants of this
population, only twelve places of worship ; that was to say,
four churches of the establishment, five dissenting chapels,
and three Roman Catholic chapels. Taking in contrast a
rich district—taking the Philharmonic Hall as the centre—
within the same radius, they had a population of 10,000
persons, and to that they had 30 places of worship,
If this was not making religion a luxury, then
he did not know what was • and more than.
that, their dissenting brethren were following the wealthier
classes. This fact he also got from Dr. Flume's pamphlet.
The dissenters being entirely dependent upon voluntary
contributions, were obliged to take those districts where they
could get money, and consequently the lower districts of
the town had been thrown entirely upon the Church of
England. Thus, while they, had 305,000 people in con-
nection with the Church of England, 105,000 of whom, so
far as could be gathered, were not even nominal members
of the Church, and did not attend public worship. The
time was come to take a great and comprehensive view of
this matter, when the wealthier people must come forward
and meet this gigantic evil. A man must not now say,
"This is not my district, and, therefore, I have nothing to
do with it." What they wanted was an extension of the
parochial system, and this could only be done by supplying
ample funds, which they would collect from those present
and from those outside of equal ability to subscribe. And
he trusted, that when members of the Church of England
discovered that the application of their funds was truly a
practical one, he was persuaded that there would be no
difficulty in raising any sum required. In dealing with men
of business, they must show them the effect which the
cause would have, and the object of the society should be
to show that a practical result was intended to be produced.
.The circular which was put into his hands commended the
matter most heartily to his mind. There was an objec-
tion urged against building churches while the
churches they now had were not filled. There
was a great deal of truth in that ; one would like
to see their present churches filled before they built others.
But this could not always be so, because there might be a
district which was more than supplied, while another was
not properly supplied. To the remarks put forth by the
Archdeacon he most heartily subscribed. There were these
difficulties yet; still, it this society took thematter vigorously
in hand, it would, he did not doubt, find means of
getting rid of them, and such an object as that
should commend that society most heartily to the
consideration of the laity and clergy of this town. The
remuneration of the incumbents should be increased, for
they could not expect a man to carry out his duties with the
same energy, if difficulties were thrown in his way by too
small a salary, He heartily agreed with the scheme for
providing small temporary chapels to be licensed by the
bishop, but he thought some of the districts ought to be
managed with a little more economy than they had been, in
some instances, by other societies. • The cost of building a
church was estimated at £4 or £5 a sitting, while the cost
of building the Free Churches in Scotland, which they all
knew to be very substantial buildings, only cost £1 per
sitting, and there has been cases in Liverpool where
the church cost £lO, £l2, £34, and £44 nor
sitting. No one, he said, on visiting the Continent, but
could be struck with the constant open door of the churches.
(Applause.) He had been struck with the devotional
spirit of some of the people on the Continent, and he did
not see why we should not adopt the same means to bring
about that devotional spirit in a pure worship which was
found in an impure one abroad. (Hear, hear.) If
he had
his way, he would never shut the church from sunrise until
sunset. If they kept an open door, there was many a man
who had never entered a church might, in the first instance,
be induced from curiosity to walk in ; and there was some-
thing in the architecture of the churches of England which
would impress the man's mind with the feeling that he was
truly in the house of God. If the doors of the gin-palaces
were open in the morning to tempt the working man, why
were not the church doors open also that the man might
walk in and offer up his hearty thanksgiving to God ;
Which of them, when abroad, and deprived of their own
minister, had not walked into a Roman Catholic church,
and lifted up his heart to God in praise and prayer
for all his blessings.? He thought there
be little difficulty in having a morning service,
at about half-past six, and also each evening in the
week. Why were their churches not open as well as the
dancing room, theatre, and the gin palace ? (Applause.)