The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-14 00:00:00

THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

The twenty-ninth autumnal meeting of the Congrega-
tional Union was commenced on Monday at Leeds, the
opening sermon being preached by the Rev. Thomas
Binney. The first of the daily session was held yesterday.
The Rev. Dr. Raleigh gave the introductory address. He
alluded at the opening to the bloodless revolution which
was now going on in consequence of the passage of the
Reform Bill. He told his hearers that they had always
been on the side of civil and religious liberty, and they
regarded the use of the franchise by those who had a right
to it as part of that liberty, and the more widely they
could extend the rule the more free and safe as a
people would they be. The present situation of
affairs, he continued, even apart from the great
religious question, shewed how impossible it was to
separate politics from religion. He then spoke upon the
Irish Church question, and. contended for equality of all
before the law in Ireland. The real difficulty of the Irish
question lay in England. If there were in England no
Established Church, or if the Church established here
contained nearly the whole population, or if that moiety
which constituted the Establishment were anything like
unanimous or harmonious, or less than entirely opposed
to each other in sects and parties ; or if those sects
and parties could suspend their animosities in order
to do this one great act of justice for the nation's sake tc
Ireland, the Irish Church would more easily pass away.
It would be a great injustice to Dissenters to suppose that
they were waiting to achieve a victory. In their opinion
the good men of the Church were not going to fall, but
were going to rise. Then they, and we, the rev. doctor
said, may understand each other a little better, and come
nearer to each other in love and labour for years to come.
The Rev. Joseph Beasley, of Blackheath, read a paper
on " The Terms and Design of Church Membership."
" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ" was the terms, but
then in some places there had been a modification of the
tedious series of steps which used to be preliminary, and
which was very inquisitive as to the antecedents of the
applicant for admission to the Lord's table. His notion of
what the terms of the admission should be was, that each
person should be left to pronounce on his own attach-
ment to Christianity ; that each applicant should
be received on the ground of deliberate, intelligent,
and expressed desire, when sincerity of such desire
was sustained by pure and moral conduct, and that the
mode of admission should not be such as would intimidate
the nervous of any sex in any condition of life. The
Rev. A. Clarke, of Stockport, moved, " That, convinced
of the importance of the subject by the paper now read on
Church membership, a full and candid expression on the
various points raised th,,reby is now invited, and we hope
it may tend to a satisfactory conclusion, and prove of
great advantage to our churches in the admission of
members."

alfß. BERN AL OSBORNE ON POLITICAL

AFFAIRS.

Mr. Bernal Osborne, who has been ill for some time, is so
far recovered, that be was able to address the electors of
Nottingham on Monday. After some remarks on his re-
lations locally, and some personal explanations, the hon.
gentleman took up the question of Reform, repeating once
again the story of how the Tories turned their backs on their
principles and pledges, being educated to do so by the Premier.
Ire claimed the Household Suffrage Bill for Joe Hume, whose
disciple he (Mr. Osborne) was. As to the Bribery Bill he had
supported it throughout, and he rejoiced at its passage.
Tho public expenditure "had increased, was increasing, and
ought to be diminished." "Taxation," said the right hon.
gentleman, "has jumped up to seventy-two millions per
year. It is awful, 'awful.' And that is exclusive of about
six millions for the Abyssinian expedition. As to the vote
for that Abyssinian expedition, I do not care for telling you,
I was opposed to that vote, and, although it has been suc-
cessful, it was a very questionable thing to inflict taxation on
the people of this country for a Quixotic expedition. Ido
not say that I do not glory in the man who led that
expedition. The expedition was commanded by an officer
of the educated service. Lord Napier of Magdala was a
distinguished artillery officer. Napoleon said that he gained
half his victories, not by the musket, but by the spade. Lord
Napier made 400 miles of road, and through these roads they
advanced and then took the tremendous position of Magdala.
lam rejoiced at the success of the expedition. I honour
Lord Napier of Magdala. I only regret that he was not
made a life peer instead of a hereditary one ; for I think the
time for the creation of life peerages is come." Passing to
the question of flogging in the army, Mr. Osborne congratu-
lated his hearers on its abolition. His first notion when he
entered Parliament was to abolish flogging, and—if they did
not again return to it--that would be his last vote. Church
rates, too, were abolished, and if they only returned the
right man to Parliament the rate-paying clause would
go in the way of all flesh. For these reforms
be claimed credit to the Liberal party. The sub-
ject of trades' unions next engaged attention. Ile was the
friend of the working man, and as such was very anxious
to reconcile the differences between masters and men. He
bad himself introduced the subject of arbitration to the
House of Commons. Trades' unions were embodied for
useful and laudable objects. Nothing could le more just
then that men should combine for theprotection of their wages,
and for ben, fit in sickness; and if they so combine he would
give them protection for their funds. Then as to education
its importance could not be over estimated. Scotland through
education had made her sons known throughout the world
for sharpness. The country was flourishing in every way.
Prussia, too, by education had risen in the electorate of
Brandedburg to the high place she now occupied. In
Prussia there were two millions and a half of scholars;
there were 120 high schools, and the seven universities,
which is open to anybody. The country had in consequence
of this—and not of the needle-gun—risen to her present
position. But how different were things in England.
Positively nothing was done except by the dissenters until
1839. Then again it was the Liberal party under Lord
Russell that took the initiative and proposed a vote of
£30,000 for education. Since then some progress had been
made and the vote reached £BO,OOO, but the universities
were closed to all who could not gulp the 39 articles. Not-
withstanding all the efforts made, Mr. Coleridge's bill was
dropped et the end of the session. But if this country is
to hold its position the whole educational system
must be revised. At the same time he was not
in favour of compulsory education. He did not
think the people were prepared for a "conscription educa-
tion," but lie would supplant voluntary efforts by Parlia-
mentary grants. Passing on to the Irish Church, Mr.
Osborne gave it as his opinion that the state of things in
Ireland was brought about by ignorance in this country.
He then went on to reiterate the old arguments in favour of
disestablishment and disendowment. Returning to the
subject of the representation of the borough, ho refused to
withdraw or go to the ballot —the poll was the place to
try candidates. He would not make impossible pledges.
If he could not sit as an independent member he would not
sit at all. In answer to questions afterwards put he de-
clared that ho would support household suffrage in the
counties, the ballot, and an alteration of the game laws. As
to the Sunday closing of public-houses ho would like to see
the bill before pledging himself.

THE REV. W. C. TEMPLER AND THE BISHOP
or SALISBURY.—The Rev. W. C. Templer, whose rude
conduct towards the Bishop of Salisbury made so much
stir lately, in explaining his conduct, says that he offered
to give certificates to any who wished to be confirmed, but
none applied. " While Ido protest," he says, "in public
and in private against the doctrines `enunciated in the
charge of the Bishop of Salisbury,' I have never stated
that I ' would not suffer my own children to be con-
firmed by his lordship '—only that I would not know-
ingly expose them to the peril of his teaching at any
time, and especially at a most critical point in their soul's
history. It is not true that the rector's intentional
absence rendered it impossible for any candidate to obtain
a ticket.'"

SYNOD OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.—
This synod was opened in the Mount Pleasant Chapel,
Liverpool, on Monday evening. The sermon was preached
by the Rev. Dr. Craig, D.D., retiring Moderator. The
Rev. James Towers, the Moderator elect, delivered the
opening address. He alluded to the growing opinion in
favour of freeing religion from State control, and stated
that he did not anticipate any weakness to the cause of
Protestantism from such freedom. He also alluded to
the proposed union of Presbyterian Churches. On
Tuesday the Synod sat at eleven o'clock. The Rev.
Mr. Bell, of Newcastle, read a report on a model
deed for Church property. He believed it would commend
itself to all the Churches. A discussion, founded on several
papers which were read, then ensued on the state of reli-
gion throughout the country, and the importance of an
increased ramification of lay agencies under judicious
control. In the evening a meeting was held for the expo-
sition of principles, at which several papers were read.
A WELCOME APPARITION.—One day last weez
a Birmingham paper, acting upon incorrect intelligence,
informed its readers that Mr. Welby Pugin, the eminent
Roman Catholic architect, was lying dangerously ill at
Malvern, and shortly afterwards it was reported to the
inmates of the convent at Stone, near Stafford, that Mr.
Pugin was no more. The convent bell was accordingly
ordered to be tolled, and whilst this tribute to the memory
of their late friend was being paid by the inmates a
gentleman knocked at the convent gate, inquired for the
Rev. Father D—, and sent in his card. , The joy and
astonishment of the rev. father may be conceived when he
read the inscription, " Mr.iWelby Pugin," and the amaze-
ment of the latter on hearing, in reply to his question,
"For whom is the bell Lolling ?" that it was for himself,
may also be realised by the dullest imagination. The
reports of Mr. Pugin's illness and death were eoual).
without foundation'.