The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-11-30 00:00:00

AU RIC

,SSION.

not make our own convictions or preferences the standard
of our Catholicity. It is true, that, for the sake of that
charity which is God's highest commandment to us, we
would consent to the „omission ,of some words, which,
however highly prized, we know, after'alt, to he the words
of fallible men. But for ourselves, and considering only
ourselves, we altogether depiecate the rebellion of our
high Churchmen—egainst the Catholic comprehension,
ruled by the committee of the Privy Council, and the
attempts which they have been increasingly urging forward
ever since to procure by Synodical action some change In
oureeclesiastical constitution. But we make the supposition
in order to point out the inevitable consequences of present
success on the part of those who are driving matters to
extremities. They claim the Prayer Book in certain parts
as authorising, nay, enforcing, on pain of violated lava,
these Romanising, not to say Romish practices. Let theta
make good that claim; let them undeniably prove their
point ; and what have they done ? Have they persuaded
the church, as a body, to adopt the practices in question
Or, have they sealed the doom of the portions of the
Prayer Book in question ? We think that no sane roan,
with both eyes open to the state of this nation, can hesi-
tate to decide that, if the conflict be brought to this issue,
must the nation goback to the metliveval practices, andsuc-
cumb under the clerical domination now advocated by the
Tractarian party ? Or, must the Prayer Book be altered?
An alteration in the Prayer Book is as sure as that the
waters of the Thames or the Mersey will find their vraY
into the sea. Let the nation be convinced that to do
honour to the Prayer Book, and to primitive antiquity at
the same time, the general practice of the Church of
England for the last hundred years is honestly sufficient;
and the Prayer Book may anti will stand. But once con-
vince the nation that, in order to be honest and true to
the Prayer Book, we must go back and adopt certain
ecclesiastical practices of the tenth or twelfth centuries,
and you will have consigned these portions of the Prayer
Book to the tomb of the Capulets, or the kindred page°
of the Missal.
FRANCIS SHAND, Esq., seconded the resolution, which

MEETING* .:AT THE AMPHITHEATRE

We stated last7Tuestley, in our second edition, that a
great meeting or the clergy and laity of Liverpool was
then being held in the spacious Amphitheatre, " for the
purpose of protesting against the practice of auricular con-
fession, recently introduced into the church in the diocese
of Exeter, and elewhere, as inconsistent with the princi-
ples of the Reformation, and unwarranted by the teaching
of the Church of England."
The important events which have subsequently crowded
upon us, have unavoidably compelled us to be more brief
in our report than would otherwise have been the case ;
but the following will be found to contain all the most
prominent points of the proceedings. Every part of the
vast building, pit, boxes, gallery, and stage, were densely
filled. Adam Hodgson, Esq., was in the chair; and
amongst those present were the Revs. Dr. M'Neile, H.
111arlen, Cyrus Morrell, C. P. Hobbs, W. B. Matthias, J.
E. Blakenev, R. Brown, T. D. Barry, W. F. Taylor, J.
R. Conor, W. M. Falloon, W. Rawson, T. C. Cowan, F.
Parry, C. W. Lawrence, J. Macnaught, W. Brewster, J.
Bardsley, A. Knox. Dr. Ilume, W. Pollock, H. Hamp-
ton, T. Robinson, F. Barker. Ellison, G. W. Warr, J.
Hassell' D. Hirsch, T. Moore, T. W. Moeran, J. J.
Buller, W. H. Duck, C. J. Hamilton, W. C. Greene, C.
Wright, S. Fenton, W. R. Jolley, J. Nadin, H. Car-
penter, J. Lester, J. Ireland, F. Power. D. Anderson, S.
Minton, J. P. Jones. B. S. Clarke. H. Hindley, J. J.
Butler, J. Marland, G. Alkar, Woodward, Folkstone,
A. Willink ; Messrs. Adam Hodgson, David Hodgson,
John Eden, C. Bushell, F. Shand, E. Cropper, John
Campbell, W. Tomlinson, Geo. J. Duncan, Wm. Maples,
Chas. Inman. Wm. Jones, Charles Mulvaney, Edward
Cropper, J. K. Rounthwaite, T. D. Anderson, George
Holden, H. Halhead. J. Tyrer, J. Miller, C. Cotesworth,
E. Molyneux, W. Hall, George Duncan, R. C. Crosbie,
J. Browne, William Jones, T. D. Headlam, Jas. Parker,

J. C. Duncan, Sre.
was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business, described the
The Rev. WM. POLLOCK, of St. Mark's, moved the
proceedings which had taken place in the Diocese of Ex-
following resolution :—" That the teaching of the Church
eter, and showed, from the correspondence with the
of England affords no warrant for the practices referred
Archbishop of Canterbury, that there was no legal remedy
to in the first resolution," and proceeded, in a lengthened
for the evil complained of. After an eloquent appeal for
address, to show that our church gives not the slightest
an expression of public opinion against the pollution of
countenance to that Romish importation of the confes-
our wives and daughters, and the threatened outrage upon
sinner against which they were then protesting; but that
our liberties, Mr. Hodgson stated that the Rev. Rector
rather, both by implication and direct statement, she
Campbell, it was hoped, would have occupied the chair,
absolutely repudiates and ignores it. He said the Church
but a letter had been received from him, in which he ex-
of England notoriously provides her clergy with formal
pressed his " reluctance to sit, as it were, in public judo- offices for the fulfilment of every kind of official function•
ment on my brother clergymen, or act as their public
accuser, without being judicially acquainted with all the If lam to celebrate our daily worship—if lam to achnie
minutiae of evidence upon which the accusation is sister the Lord's Supper, or to give notice of its adnsinise
tration—if I am to baptise the child, or the adult, in
grounded. At the same time I sympathise with you
public or in private—if lam to ask the prayers of the
most heartily in your determination to resist every attempt,
congregation for any—if lam to receive the public thanks:
direct or indirect, to introduce the obligation of the con-
givings of others—if lam to marry the betrothed—if I
fessional, and the practice to which it leads in the Church
am to visit the sick—if lam to bury the dead—for all
of Rome, the assumed right of questioning the most se-
roitunteankefomrme:
and that
h owi
these duties the Church, rightly or wrongly, supplies me
cret thoughts of the penitents, and suggesting the con-
with a written form. Now, how is it, if the Church
fession of crimes of the most loathsome and polluting
nature. God forbid that the wives and daughters of
confessor, that she has given me no formal instructions
England should ever be subject to such a system as this. iwnittehndaedwt
whatever i no " confiteor" for the penitent, no absolution
I trust that the husbands and fathers of England will rise
for the priest ; ay, that she has even left me without 3
up in mutiny against it. * * * While, however, I
form of absolution for the occasion, absolution being,
sit if the Church
thus denounce the ordinance of compulsory confession as
confessedly on all hands the great benefit to be attained
enjoined by the Church of Rome, I must not be misun-
by auricular confession ? After some further remarks, he
derstood to disparage the practice of voluntary confession,
continued—lt is said that the Church does unquestionably'
or rather of friendly consultation, as permitted by the
allow of private confession to a minister—and two in'
Church of England, in cases of sickness, or previous to
stances of this are insisted on. One is that which I lia°.a
the reception of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. As
already alluded to in the case of the sick ; the other is le
in bodily sickness you seek the help of your medical ad-
her appointed notice of the intended celebration of the
viser, so in spiritual sickness you seek the help of your habitually, an auricular
Lord's Supper. Now, the first of these instances we
spiritual adviser, rejoicing to receive from his lips the
might, if so disposed, dismiss very briefly. Whatever the
assurance that, if truly penitent, your sins are forgiven
Church may have advised or provided concerning the coo'
on the terms of the Gospel, and your pardon sealed in
fession or absolution of the sick is wholly inapplicable to
heaven." the case of persons in health, for whom she has made n°
The Rev. Dr. M`NEILE moved the first resolution :
such provision, and it gives no warrant whatever for that
" That it is in evidence before this meeting that practices,
which we are this day complaining of,—the setting uP el
irreconcileable with the Reformation, have been intro which
confession as an ordinary means of grace• grid
duced into the Church in the diocese of Exeter—practices
an habitual observance among our people. But, beside
t
strongly
confessional resem f
tbhelingChurch of, if not aßome; andctually identhat, itical wnsteaith, d
thof e
whet are the facts of the case, even as regards the sink
o
meeting with immediate repudiation, they have been themselves ? Why, in the first place, I defy any one to
sanctioned, or at least screened, by the diocesan; and prove that the special confession, advised in particular
cases, is auricular confession, that is, to a priest only
that, in consequence of this, the practices in question are
There is not one word in the rubric to show that the
defended and claimed as in accordance with the teaching
sick man may not be surrounded at the time by hie
of the Church of England." In the course of a long and
family and his friends, an idea which is rather favoured
eloquent speech, which was repeatedly and loudly
than otherwise by the whole structure of the service il
cheered, the Rev. Dr. said :—"against Romanism, and question. which is that of a social service—there is tin
perly so called, I have never hesitated, honestly and
one word to show that the minister demands, in the rig
openly, and earnestly to contend. It is condemned by
our church theologically, and it is injurious in the highest of his office, to receive the sick man's confession ; IT!
degree to the country politically. Every educated Eng- yet, again, that he is to put a single question to him al ';':'
goes along. So far, then, in the confession of the al°'"
lishman, and especially every English clergyman, should
such as it is, there is not even the shadow of a Pre;;
endeavour to keep the people of this country instructed in
cedent for any auricular confession. But secondly, it '',",
the obnoxious principles of the Romish system, antago-
only, as I have said, for special and extraordinar,
nistic as it is to England, essentially so, both in Church
and State. But our present position is different. We cases thatat. any
ipsrovoinsliyon
are here in opposition to members of our own church. I
discharged his ordinary duty by the sick bed, 81"..
have been accused of not denouncing, as it deserves. the
has failed to reach the soul of the sick by the ordina
Tractarian movement in our church. I confess I have
consolations of the Gospel ; it is only when he sees that,
not denounced it. I have been more disposed to weep in whlsenmaade,
ministerany cohialfsessfiirsol
there still remains some secret sorrow which he eane't
secret over the defection of our brethren than to aggra-
comfort, some aching bosom wound which he caon°,.,
vale our differences by public exposure. Much, I think,
soothe or heal ; it is only then at last that he is at libel'',
very much, ought to be borne, before such an appeal es
to say one syllable about confession to the sick n 310;
this is made—before the direful extremity is resorted to
" "
of open exposure and indignant protestation. We have
Here,
long course of spiritual treatment and consolation for says the rubric, after having first prescribe,'
0,,r:
not courted this conflict. We are the assailed, not the
Binary cases, " here shall the sick man be moved to make
assailants.—The very large and very influential body com-
a special confession of sins, if he feel his conscience trey
posed of sincere churchmen of moderate views and habits
bled with any weighty matter." Nor even then does 313;
have been influenced by such considerations, and have
solution follow as a matter of course, but only "if, d
hitherto practised a very praiseworthy forbearance. The
humbly and heartily desire it." Surely all this, proviae. '
comparatively small, but active and energetic body, corn-
as it is, only for the dying, and for them only under eif#
posed of what are called High Churchmen, appear to
cumstances which are of such rare occurrence, that 01
have looked on all such considerations as little better
ministers never meet with them in the whole of the,l
than Infidel compromises ; and have urged on their own
ministry—this " special confession," I say occasion 11,
exclusiveness in a temper and tone which it is difficult to
distnutuich from an excommunicating intolerance. How a`l.4aaa, but not in any "aa aa of neeeeeity a vric"'"4 %
long this state of things might have lasted it is difficult to auricular confession, or as necessarily to be followed e,s
say. But there is a limit to true Christian forbearance. by any form of absolution—this voluntary confession, tS,",;
without questioning on the one hand or penance on '''.
That limit has been overpast. The bounds of a fair
other,—surely all this does not afford the slightest con;
Christian comprehension have been burst. And a place
tenace to those who would make auricular confession the
is claimed amongst us, not only for varying interprets- ordinary rule of the church, both for the whole and l'sig
Lions of the teachings of our church, but for that strong-
sick ; who would bring habitually whole and sick, Yeliio
hold—the strongest of the Roman schism—the auricular
and old, male and female, under the despotic tyranolts'ne
they exclaim, and is
confessional. tit comes
it c
e omeen are
to this ? now rouse
Aredou . W wives at !
polluting drill, and the judicial sentences of the ''''
r
fessional.
and daughters to be cross-examined in private by our Of
The resolution was seconded by the Rev. T. Bate-es
clergymen ? Are they to be assisted by leading ques-
and carried unanimously.
tionings to tell all their evil thoughts and tempers, tioo'
and make known our domestic history as it stands in- T. D. ANDERSON, Esq., moved the third resole tee
" That it is the bounden duty of the members of ~/ie
separably connected with those thoughtsand tempers ? Aro
, opinion as will render the repetition of such prat
morally impossible. an°
we indeed to have the confessional, that climax of imposture, Church of England to give such utterance to PatiYee
where one human being is exalted into the place and pre- t
This was seconded by DAVID HODGSON, Esq"
"
rogative of the sin-pardoning God, and another human 1
being degraded below the level of the most ebject
carried amid loud applause.
slave ?" The Rev. Doctor proceeded at great length to cbAir'
•
bsetoretqhueesLtendrdtoßtirsahnospmoitf athceopdyiooefetshee, ashenciveti
the
The Rev. H. H. HAMPTON moved—" That the rebid
and the fact of the introduction of Auricular Confession,
and its strong resemblance to the Romish Confessional
mlutaition
in all but name, and went on to remark on the third part
Grace the Lord Archbishop of York, together wituptaif
of his resolution as more immediately touching the
that his lordship as diocesian, and his grace as ive";011'
united, earnest, and respectful petition of this 10,e,:opoe
question of Confession in our own Church. " English-
men set a high value upon their reformed church, and
rites, will be pleased to adopt such measures as t°,,"0301
entertained a sincere and respectful affection for their
cafe to us and others such further measures as ii:,„"ie for
spiritual pastors and teachers. In cases of conscience,
with propriety adopt to render it morally impose for
requiring for a right application of the rules of morality a
more detailed acquaintance with the Word of God than a any clergyman of our church so far to forget and t 0 to
te,
introduce among our wives and daughters. what o 0
sake the standard of the Reformation as to attes-we ll'
layman feels himself possessed of, a Christian Englishman
may, and frequently and gladly he does, avail himself of
Englishmen are determined never to endure, that 5,7081.
the friendly counsel of his pastor. Especially with
hold of mediaeval corruption—the auricular confess:l% .110
reference to the state of mind in which it is right to
THomas EDEN, Esq., seconded the motion, whitpartake of the Lord's Supper; if a Christian layman,
carried with rapturous applause.
under any peculiar circumstances, cannot fully satisfy thanicl
The Rev. Dr. M`NEILE then moved a vote of see
himself, so as to be able to obey the parting command-
to the chairman, which was carried by acclamation'
ment of his loving Saviour, with a quiet mind and a full
the CHAIRMAN, in responding, said he had only t° OS
confidence in God's mercy, he will very naturally make
the meeting cordially for the order and attention... Ads
the circumstances known, as far as necessary, to his
which the whole of the proceedings had been cond7th,
clergyman, and ask his judgment as to what the Word
He should take care to forward to the Lord Bishel -siee.:
of God says in such cases. Or if, in extreme sickness and
diocese and to the Archbishop of York the resell oil
probable approach of death, a Christian man should call
to mind any grievous sin against God hitherto unrepented which had been passed by so very important an
nu
of, or any trangression against a fellow-creature un- Amfetreoru a
as
sitting of
f
requited, he may earnestly desire to know, from a mind
dispersed.
better informed than his own, and not weakened by
sickness, what the Word of God says to such a case as ----
his. To this end lie may under such urgent circumstances,
if he be so disposed, inform his minister of the real secret
of his case, and desire to hear from him the formal nearly five hours, the vast assObif
announcement of God' merciful pardon to the penitent. WARRINGTON. of,
So far, well. Every sincere and painstaking pastor APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF CONSTABLE be . o n ri.,°: tr,
rejoices to render his best assistance on such occasions, the appointment of chief constable of the borel Vvss
not as having dominion over the faith of his people, but made by the watch committee •J. S. M`Miellaelt ° 'iller
as being a helper of their joy ; not as cognisant of all lington Salop, being the successful' candidate.
their sins, and giving a judicial pardon, but as consulted were 50' applications for the office. s o(0
fie,. •ret
on some particular point, and giving en enlightenedthe elee-essae
NORTH-WEST WARD.—On Tuesday, .„.r. r 41e.
scriptural judgment. I think, however, I may truly say councillor for the north-west ward, in place oft userre:pcl
that a determination exists among the thousands of the recently elected an alderman, took place in r.ncerirsS
lay members of the Church of England, that private hall. The candidates were Mr. John Tickle, g:Lsciarsigle
confession of their sins to clergymen shall not form any Mr. Jas. Kerfoot, licensed victualler. The eson'ile'rfros;
part of their practice or the practice of their families ; the early part of the day was very spirited, but i'3e antes
that to be questioned and examined by clergymen on the kept the lead and finally beat his opponent by
t, 75.
001‘
subject of their private sins against God is an ordeal to the numbers polled being—Tickle, 107; Kerfe°ting tOf
which they never will submit ; and that to perform
BOARD OF GuARDIANS.—The weekly roecoodesai
special acts of penance at the bidding of clergymen is an
place on Wednesday, at the workhouse, Mr', ot Burt tof
obedience which they never will render. This is
the chairman, presiding. The returns showed 0:0 eoliera
intelligible. Its foundations are immovable. Holy
the week 1491 persons had been relieved, eod t Oa
Scripture, the practice of the primitive church, sound
£77 3s. 6d. ; 137 vagrants had been relieved, d Olio&
reason, honour, independence, purity, the Christian
were 147 inmates in the workhouse ; compare deetel3s#
delicacy which shrinks instinctively from every
temptatation to evil, instead of dwelling upon it, and corresponding period last year, there was a grege oiei•
both in the number of paupers and the cost 01 r bo,
examining it, and defining it, and expressing it in
words—all are in favour of this determination. Is lane© in the treasurer's hands, 1:566 17s. 4d. d pl; oil
there anything against it ?Is any part of the Book of BURGLARY.—At the Sessions-house, on Ale?, °Da'etlol
Common Prayer against it? Yes or no ? (Loud cries of Terry and Wm. Drinkwater (both young ine`;', to e„'"000;
"No, no.") The time is come when this must be fully offenders, Drinkwater having just finished a xis to
investigated, and very decidedly answered. The age of imprisonment, to which he was sentenced at to
erieilt!
carelessness is passed, and practical earnestness is the spring assizes), were charged with burglariou,,/,, tbeisiP
order of our day. Voices are raised, on either side of this the house of Richard Garnett, at Warrington' "001.
question, with a resolution that will not be silenced. instant, and stealing a quantity of wearing aPP;yes. e
Some, with all the zeal of a devotee, are demanding the prisoners were committed to the Liverpool ass' tr
ele ;
auricular confessional as an integral part of the English
Church, and essential in their view to the full development BOILER PLATES.—The largest and heaviest -.-ale",ceil/i;
of Catholic truth and Christian holiness. Others, with ever made in England, or in Europe, were 00,1 ;0
all the fervour of enlightened love towards God and man, week at Messrs. Hood and Cooper's, Wow° of
are repudiating the foul abuse, as disgraceful in itself, and Each plate when finished weighed upsOrds $'
411'0
degrading in its effects—calculated to transform our spiri- 10 cwt. ,yo al", eight
tual Zion into a cage of unclean birds—our houses of A GAMEKEEPER VATC HER SHOT I, ; , tli,d t.-
AND \ dope od";
prayer into dens of thieves. Suppose, now, that it be
—A diabolical outrage wss perpetrated
_orpio f.O
found, on inquiry and close examination, that all that is
of Wednesday last, or early on 1 hursdarysnierele2oo,,:ji
required of Englishmen by the formularies of their church
game preserves of Lord Hawke, of
...NoY,X,'"l‘sittl 0 b;'l,o
is what they have no conscientious objection to, and what, near Doncaster, by which the keeper, J
cifer wit'.' of WO
in point of fact, many of them—under the circumstances, a watcher were shot in a desperate encocolttroissioltr or
tif,
and with reference to the spiritual duty referred to—have
of poachers. The information of the
ern." hol.".0041
been, and are in the habit of doing ; the proof of this will atrocious deed, which was known at ail et";:0 seairt'self
be highly satisfactory. I think this can be proved. I morning, spread consternation throughout
think, as I have said, it will be proved this day in this
place. But on the other side, and to bring matters to a as early as three o'clock :in the mornil;in6g cooc o,lii:
practical issue, suppose the contrary to be proved. Sup- called up Mr. Astwood, the superintcn t
_ssisrsl"...ooN.
pose it made plain and undeniable to the candour of the the division, to obtain his advice a. d'the en.% optc; t!
nation that a few passages in the Book of Common Prayer hood. Lord Hawke arrived. in Doncastielr..,,eool3,l4,lo,ostl;lol
first step taken was to place a watch at _ any 5 050
justify auricular confession, that they have for many, the town, for the purpose of interceartsioos
~
many years been practically neglected; but that now beingduces poP 11 0
persons who might arrive in these
__. to , bf o lit
made prominent, they do warrant a clergyman in privately appears that the poachers had not
cecornoofeee : perrifeo
examining into the private sins against God of individuals, and, at seven o'clock, Astwood,
both male and female, in appointing private penances to
be performed, and in pronouncing judicial absolutions. lordship declared that he was afraid o_eired, '0 03,,e0„
Suppose all this fairly and thoroughly established, so that thither, that the keeper would have eA,',s, sy sals;
no man of unprejudiced mind shall be able to deny' it ;and nee ~e - re,
watcher also. At the time, However, ~,,,, live el
what then ? Are Scripture, and primitive practice, and Hawke, proceeded to the scene ofa. t,11,e efourtorith,efloto#ol
press, our reporter had not returrncad Jr'
zette.-&chsela Prpi)
reason, and honour, and independence, and purity and this frightful outrage.—Doncaste
cd that '-3151.1f 'pl.
delicacy, all to give way and hide their diminished and
Mercury adds—" We are inform iii9,yet
.os ot.,
before the unchangeable infallibility of tile Prayer Book ? keeper, has, in all probability, lostbothwattle Le eo ,P. De ~. 0.1
We make this supposition, not because of any hesitation possibly yet lose his life. The e:e-etweslato_eatio),oc'
or misgiving upon the subject ourselves ;on the contrary, shots in him, although they are not 2elre tig,.r,ii
we are fully persuaded in our own mind that no such Seven poachers and seven watchesc7, while .
charge against our own Church can be established. It is
would 1 affray. All the poachers were arm
"
true,:iudeed, that we, cr at least some among us, "i" the watchers possessed arms.l

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