The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-08 00:00:00

(Cheers.) There is another subject presenting itself to my
mind, on which, before I sit down, I would beg to say a few
words. It is one of very painful interest. It is welkknown
that of late some publications have issued from a place which
we ought to look up to as the centre of all that is orthodox
in religion. Publications have issued from individuals—l
will not blame the whole body for the faults of a few—in the
university of Oxford which are more than tainted with Roman
Catholic principles. It is not too much to say that, in not a
few cases, doubt and discredit are thrown upon the sufficiency
of the Scriptures as the exclusive rule of faith and practice for
the Christian—the authority of tradition is exalted beyond its
proper limits—the right of private judgment, which is connect-
ed with the sacred duty of reading the Scriptures, is much un-
dervalued, if not in a great measure set at naught, and the
great doctrine of justification by faith—the key-stone of all
Christianity—is tampered with. This evil we -are surely
bound to look to. I wish to mention this in connexion with
another subject, which is also of much interest. We are at
this time complaining— and we have a right to complain—of
the degree of popish influence which has lately exhibited it-
self in the government. I look upon this as a subject of just
animadversion. Now it is perfectly notorious that in va-
rious instances when members of parliament have vacated
their seats, gentlemen have been chosen to succeed them of
opposite views to the administration. In every case the
support of religion—of Protestantism—has been the princi-
pal reason for the change taking place ; and it might have
been thought that such occurrences would have served as a
check to the popish predilections of the ministers of the
crown. But, notwithstanding this, within a short period
more than one individual of the Roman Catholic persua-
sion has been elevated by the government to situations
of trust and dignity about the court or in the councils
of the nation. Ido not pretend to have access to the se-
crets of men's minds. I shall not boast of penetrating the
secrets of men's bosoms. I know not what are the actu-
ating or influencing motives on which these appointments
are grounded; but I cannot help thinking that if remonstrated
with, ministers could at least have a plausible answer to give.
They might reply to those who offered such remonstrances—
" What is it you fear ?" We might say—" Why we are afraid
that the influence of the high station in which these gen-
tlemen are placed will be used to lower scriptural autho-
rity—to depreciate the scriptures as the rule of faith—to ex-
alt traditionary authority, and to tamper with the cardinal
doctrines of Protestantism." The natural reply would be this—
" Is this any thing more than some of your own accredited
teachers are doing ? Is this any thing more than proceeds
from one of your own seats of learning—only that these gen-
tlemen do it a little more consistently ?" Now I don't say
that wrong in one place can justify wrong in another ; but I
think that they .would at least have a plausible pretext for say-
ing—" Physician heal thyself;" and " Cast first the mote from
out thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to pull
out the beam that is in thy brother's eye." (Great ap-
plause.) I trust the day is not far distant when the advo-
cates of sound protestant principles will do their duty in this
respect, when we shall remonstrate against this state of
things. I feel a degree of hallowed pride that in this diocese
the clergy have a worthy example to follow ; and I will now
suffer the business of the day to proceed, after merely drawing
your attention to the remarks, on this subject, of one who
has every claim to your love, esteem, respect, and venera-
tion, the Lord Bishop of Chester, who, in a charge delivered
by him to the clergy, at his last visitation in 1837, observed—
" Many subjects present themselves, towards which I might
be tempted to direct your thoughts. One more especially
concerns the church at present ; because it is daily assuming
a more serious and alarming aspect, and threatens a revival
of the worst evils of the Romish system. Under the spe-
cious pretence of deference to antiquity, and respect
for primitive models, the foundations of our Protestant
church are undermined by men who dwell under her walls,
and those who sit in the Reformers' seat are traducing the
Reformation. It is again becoming matter of question whe-
ther the Bible is sufficient to make a man wise unto salva-
tion ; the main article of our national confession, justifica-
tion by faith, is both openly and covertly assailed : and the
stewards of the mysteries of God are instructed to reverse
the truths which they have been ordained to dispense, and to
hide under a bushel those doctrines which the apostles were
commanded to preach to every creature."

The CHAIRMAN then called upon the Honorary Secretary
to read the report, which was as follows :