The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-09 00:00:00

11IER7ING

rFORMISTS.

Last night, a crowded meeting of the dissenters
of the metropolis was held in Freemasons'-hall, to
present Mr. Edward Miall with a testimonial in
recognition of his public services in the cause of
civil and religious freedom. Mr. Shor.ff Cockerell
was in the chair, and there were present on the
platform Mr. John Bright, M.P., Mr. Barnes,
M M.P., Mr. Gilpin, M.P., Mr. P. A. Taylor, M.P.,
Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., Sheriff
Cockerell, Mr. Samuel Morley, Dr. Halley, Dr.
Angus, Rev. J. H. Hinton, Rev. W. Brock, Rev. J.
Burnet, Mr. Duncan M'Laren, of Edinburgh ; Mr.
Charles Robertson, of Liverpool; Mr. H. 0. Wills,
of Bristol ; Mr. Cossham, of Bristol ; and numerous
other ministers and laymen from various parts of
the country.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, ex-
plained that the meeting was held for the sake of
paying homage to a great principle—a principle
embodied in Mr. E. Miall, who, as editor of the
Nonconformist newspaper, had for the last 21 years
advocated the freedom of religion from anything
like state interference—a cause which he had also I
served as member for Rochdale.
Mr. HEATON having explained the origin of the
testimonial, stated that it had, by subscriptions
from all parts of the country, reached the amount
of £5,000.
Mr. S. MORLEY, as a member of the executive
committee, then read to Mr. Miall an address, and
at its conclusion handed to him a banker's pass-
book for £5,000 and a silver tea and coffee service,
on the tray of which there was an inscription indi-
cative of the nature of the gift. The address stated
that 1,500 persons, scattered over every part of the
United Kingdom, lead subscribed to the testimonial,
wishing to express their very high estimate of the
value of the services which Mr. Miall had rendered
to the cause of civil and religions liberty.
Mr. MIALL, in a speech too lengthy to be re-
p )rted in full, returned thanks for the honour con-
ferred upon him. He first returned thanks to the
Deity for every act of his own which tended to
good as the result of his merciful Providence. It
was to that, and to the ability of his colleagues, he
attributed the success of the Nonconformist. He
and they looked forward to seeing the great prin-
ciple which they had advocated brought about by
the revival and expansion of religious life in the
Established Church itself—a religious life which
some good men, and some men whose spiritual cha-
racter was not so much respected, desired to restrict
within the narrow limits of human law. Religion
was in fact everywhere freeing itself from its poli-
tical degradation, as at Rome, at Vienna, at Paris,
and in the colonies, in spite of the efforts of those
who by the iteration of words they could make
facts, and hurled vituperation at the heads of those
who advocated the voluntary movement, but who
could not be so shouted down. For himself he had
become accustomed to read the most atrocious
calumnies on himself, just as he would read any-
thing else in a newspaper, and to deal with them
in the way of business. Reference was made in the
address to his having been one of the Royal Com-
missioners appointed to inquire into national edu-
cation, and he thought he ought rather to be con-
gratulated on that appointment than be thanked
for his services on the commission, for his labours
there had been rendered easy by the patience and
courtesy with which those other commissioners who
did not agree in his views received his exposition of
them. Having again attributed the success of his
labours to a higher power, and personally thanked
those who had been instrumental in getting up so
magnificent a testimonial, Mr. Maill resumed his
seat.

TILE AftiRDER OF -1A- GUIRE.