Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-10 00:00:00

claimed not only
even privilege and prerogative, is now being used

they have

protection,

to batter its own foundations, by its very mem-

?.s one of

in the New Testament or in the writings

of the most eminent divines which tells us that,

if we admire a woman possessed Of 'every virtue
we must not marry her unless

or accomplishment

she conforms in every particular to our way of
thinking on religious topics, and enrols herself a

member of the same religious body to which we
bAong ? Yet such is demanded by Quakers of

their young members, ere they enter into matri-
mony. We are not allowed, even in the divine
and holy ordinance of marriage. to exercise the

inherent and Protestant right of private jul

.;went

Thus are we in this and other respects subject to
a rigorous censorship, and, at the constant risk
of being expelled from its ranks, told to marry
those, and those only, who, like ourselves, are
fellow-travellers in a path of delusion and bigo-

try. This, top, takes place in a Society which has
clamoured more loudly than any other for the

rights of conscience, and which, in the matter of
marriage, denies the exercise of that liberty to its
New, here we have Quakerism com-
pletely confounded: its most deadly foes are thoge
of its own household. Very likely the writer of
the above complaint, who is a veritable Quaker,
though one of the younger fry, and the more
modern school, knows but little, if anything, of
" the writings of the most eminent divines," to which
he refers. If he had really had any acquaintance
with those writings, he assuredly would not have
appealed to them for an approval of his ideas as to

members,

Christian marriage,. to y71.42b, in such I..!iiiiciples as
they enunciate, he would find e*en, a sacramental
character given to holy matrimony, that..is utterly '
at variance with all Quaker notions on the subject,
and that does, in - reality, impose a very strong
moral, and...religious restraint upon: all Christian
people in their inatrunonial engag,ements. But if
these " rights of conscience," as they call, their
determination, to do " every man what is right in
his own eyes,i'. and. for which, according' to this
Quaker testimony, the Quakfas themselves
!clamoured'inore loudly than any others," are to
have free course, and to be made generally available,
reStraints-4o say nothing of, prohibitions—of every
kind, must, it is evident, for ever cease and deter-

, .
Neither Quakerism, then, nor any other ism, can
possibly stand against such a carrying out of. its
principles to even their natural and legitimate
consequences as this must in. due time amMint\to.
Even as regards their hitherto distinctive attire,
by which they have doubtless done much to keep
themselves in the separate social poiiiidn'they have
occupied, all rule and regulation is nay', it seems,
to be cast to the winds. " The dress of the
Quaker," says the same native writer we have
quoted above, "may not be so strictly defined as
some other points; yet it must not be supposed
that, even on that subject, he can differ from the
body- with impunity. If he chooses to think for

himself in these matters, and to dress as becomes
a Christian, he runs the risk of lieing exposed. at
one of our large meetings by being made an
exception to the complete answering of what
are called queries, but which might much more
appropriately be called catechisms." Such is .the
spirit that has at length, begun to pervade the
ranks of Quakerism ; and it is one against which
no distinctive Society, whether moral or religious

ill its character, but more especially the latter, can

ever hold. out

But, independently of the operation of such
causes as these, the Quakers, according to a paper
lately real before the Statistical Society, have
been diminishing, at A quick rate, as a Society, for
some time past. " The Society". has existed for
upwards of 200 years, but it has, during the last
forty,- been rapidly decreasing." The subject was
gone into, in 'detail, in the paper we allude to;
and the eonclusio.is to be drawn from it were,
the Society of Friends is fast decreasing by
secession and by deaths ; that the secessions of
males exceed those of females, and that the deaths
of the latter preponderate; that' the operation of

the former cause occasions a larger proportion of
females in the Society than of males, and that

the marriage rate and the ratio of fecundity are
less than in the general population." Add this,
then, to the other, and it becomes very clear that
the Quakers will soon now have to be classed

with " the things that were

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

CLAYTON HALL.--CARTER'S EXHIBITION. --Although
there are many attractions in town, the American exhi-
bition holds its place, and is nightly filled with delighted
audiences. This is not to be wondered at considering the
variety of pleasing and interesting objects presented
beside the wonderful giant and dwarf lady.
FRIENDLr SOCIETIES.—Likiag the whole body of
registered friendly societies in :Eagland and Wales, we'
findthat the total number Of members is about 2,00b,000,,
and the aggregate of funds about £9,000,000. No 'less a
sum than X 1,000,000 per -annurif is expended by the
societies for affording relief in sickness 'alone
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Saturday forenoon, a. boy,
'named Francis Burns, who was a niessenger at Pickford's,
was killed at the Clarence dock. The poor 'little fellow
went behind the wheel of a cart to « scotch " it, whbn the
horse pushed back the vehicle, and the boy was crushed
between the cart and a part of the shed, and so much
injured, that he died'soon after.
DEATH FROM Locx JAw. —On Saturday morning, a
man; named 'Patrick Nolan, who resided at the Dock
Cottages, Birkenhead, died from., the above effects. Ire
was admitted into the hospital on Wednesday list, in
consequence of an injury to the hand some time . ago.
The injury. resulted in his death, as above stated. An
inquest will,be held on the body.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. -On Saturday mornin
named Luke Pape, residing at No. 1 court, Queen-Street,
attempted suicide by. enttiug his throat. He was found
by his son, a little boy, early on. Saturday morning, who
gave the alarm, and Dr. Osborne was called in. He
ordered him to be conveyed to, the Northern Hospital,
where he is at present attended by Dr. Wall, but very
little hopes are entertained of his recover)

a man

Mr. T. MASON JONES'S 011.1110N;.-rjhe first of Mr.
Mason Jones's orations will be delivered, we may remind
our readers, at Hope Hall, to-night, the Rev. Hugh
Stowell Brown presiding-. The sabject of id-night's
oration is "Jonathan Swift," of whose genius and
political character Mr. Imes is, we believe, au earnest

admirer, and whom he deferids, with no ordinary power
and eloquence, against the attacks of recent critics, Mr.

THE LARGEST TIMBER SALE that has tako place for
many years in Liverpool, will be commenced on Wrednes-
. md continued during the two following days, at

being from that date excluded. At Hull, likewise, it
has been resohred to- adopt-'the "central," not only for
all grain, flour; and meal, but-forkeds. also ':iind-Wake.
field and Leeds are expected td concur in ihe &gement.
This is' another step towards the decimallSyStein.,4.
CONCERT HALL.—THIS EVENING—We have ,-
only
to
remind the public, that the concert iu the above hall
this evening, is likely to prove most attractive, from the
rePlitatipa of the artistes, The bill of 44:e is evOilent,
and the performers first-class, and the combination of
home and foreign, talent such as rarely can be met.
full and fashionable house is anticipated.
MR. MAYER'S ,Asncturras,—ln about a month frog
this time Messrs.-Sotheby and Wilkinson will dipose
by. sale, the celebrated collection formed by Mr. Hera',
and now the property of Mr. Mayer, of- Liverpool, 01
Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian; Greek, Etruscan, Roman'
Indian, Peruvian, Mexican, and Chinese antiquities.
' Some idea of the magnitude Of; the itillectioir may be
formed when we state that the sale will occupy nn ess 010
sixteen -days. The catalogue-fornis n goOd-siied octave,.
volume of 213 pages, and is a work that will be sough'
for by artists, archaeologists, and antiquarians in all part'
of the werld,— Literary Gazette'.
- Am.sor's IVAt-,wonKs.L-Tlielarge and respectable
number of persons who visited and admired this splendid,'
extensive and unique exhibition-d-uring.the, past week, P
the best proof of its incietishig' pOPulanty in thet estior
tion of the public generally:, , Everything now in
adinirable order the arrangement is excellent, and the
entire figures so, life-like that one -almos4 comes to the
conclusion of speaking with kings and queens. Theft
the sculpture galleries are replete with fine-works of art;
and the admirers.of music can have their taste gratified
also. On the whole, as au interesting anl'entertainia
exhibition, it is not equalled in Liverpool.
A REPORT for the year from the Salford Museam
Free Liberary'shows steady progress. The collection of
books approaches the twenty •fourth thousand. The
total issues for the year exceed"the previous year by nori
than two thousand 'volumes. ,We note an immvenieD,
in class as well as in number. The, demand 'tor; Nov
has not increaed during the past- two years, while O!
reading ' in Ecclesiastical History' and Theology 11'
-nearly doubled its extent. In the section of Travell
History and Biography, as also in that of icience an
Art, we note a--fall: The gain seems to -be chiefly
the department of Poetry and Periodicals (odd combing'
tion !).

ACCIDENTS. —A man, named George Scott; who reside
at No. 10 court, Birkett-street, was knocked down by 70
omnibus, in Church-street,' on Saturday, when in a staff
of int)xication. He sustained a severe contusign of tm,
body, but more particularly Of his thigh. Francis
a boy twelve years of age, who resided at 21, BlackstoJi
street, was knocked down by a waggon on Satiirdav, ,$
the Trafalgar dock, and run over. He was taken to e
Northern liocpital, where he died soon after his_ arrild'
James Jones, a sailor, belonging to the ship Henry P,'
Perkins, lying in the Coburg dock; was kuockef down
a car at the corner of Oldhall-street and Chapel-stree
and ran over. He received a severe fracture of the ark'

and contuiions of the body.
- CHESS MATCH BY TELEGRAPH BETWEEN TILE r
be'
CHESTER AND LIVERPOOL CLUBS.—AIRAIIOr maim,-1,
tweon these clubs is fixed for Wednesdal next, the 1.0
inst., at five p.m. Upon a former occasion a cansultatid
match was commenced, and after an interestiiirgaele44
seven or eight hours, ended in a draw. It is now: arrailoo
that five games shall be played simultaneously betwete
five of the stronger players of each club, the opponent:lJ
be selected by ballot: One game only will be p. 131.0
between each couple, and the club that scores a, maje,r,.
of the five games will, of courser be the. victor. No 61
of any kind will be played for. A. meeting will be .leo
at the Manchester Chess Club, on Monday (this day,l,s,
select'the champions of the club and arrange the dClai'ite
THE Loss OF TILE MElLoo.—This ship - left t:,
Sandheads, Calcutta, on the:2lst of August last, Witlif
full carooi of seeds and jute, touched at St. -Helena on
10th of November, and up to the 28th of the same inoti
experienced fine weather; On that day at noon fire 1,
discovered in the main hold, which Was suppoted to 11,114,
been caused by spontaneous. combustion, and notwil
is
standing that every exertion was made to extinguish
by the captain, officers, and crew, it soon 'becl,
apparent that the fire had spread so rapidly as to
human control, and that the , ship must be abandonl
and while in the act of clearing away the. boats
gettin them ready, the ship Greyfeather, of New Vrirt;
bound' to San Francisco, with passengers, bore d°
and took the whole of the crew off the burning wreak4l,
THE FOREIGN SCHOOL.—On Friday evening last,
committee and subscribers to the above school-- gaveLif
annnal Christmas treat to the school-children and
parents at the School-room, Stanley -Hall, Riehnioi'd
row. The room was gaily decorated with flowers age
every and a large Christmas Tree stood in ,11e
middle of the room beautifully ornamented, and, Rh
,4
lighted up, it looked ' quite enchanting. There
nearly one hundred sat down to tea, mostly Germ:l%
and when tea Wu 4 over, some very nice and substat,
presents were distributed to the childreii3• -for '';"
procuring of which mach praise is due to the conarili.,l,o
and to the Rev. Mr. Steinthal, who took a very ac,',‘" o
part in the preparation of the treat. Mr. Steinthal
,1
a liamber of German gentlemen were present,
.9110
addressed the children ; and a very happy evening a'
spent by all assembled.

MATRIMONIAL EPISODE IN COUNTRY Lu
pretty little village on the Cheshire side of
the daughter of a respectable

resolved Upon

who had b

brought up under th-67-ery

of tut. ..,quire of the rillgel
.trough ~he forms of matriniotio
with a. swain wilo apparently had paid her but 511,116
'rhe-gOo'd—Squire•aiul his lady, wiirlyiloo
^;al favourite, sent her presellei
and provided the intend

nn through '

esp

decorated the brid€

ony with their present
had .hardli

ionoure.',

Elie ex