The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-29 00:00:00

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YOUNG MEN'S
ESTABLISHED CHURCH SOCIETY.

A public meeting was held on Friday evening last, in the
Music-hall, Bold-street, for the purpose of establishing a
new association for the support and defence of the National
Church, under the name of the " Liverpool Young Men's
Established Church Society." The room was crowded to
excess ; at a moderate computation not less than 2,000 per:-
sons were present. The auditory consisted principally of
young men, although a number of females and individuals
of mature age were also present. On the platform we ob-
served Cresswell Crresswell, Esq., M.P., the Rev. Hugh
Nl`Neih., the Rev. Dr. Tattershall, the Rev. Dr. Byrth, the
Rev. W. Falloon, the Rev. J. C. Richards, the Rev. F.
Barker, the Rev. H. Carpenter, the Rev. P. Crawford, the
Rev. H. S. Joseph, the Rev. J. C. Hamilton, the Rev. J.
C. Mansfield, Messrs. J. Aspinall, T. T. Glazebrook, S.
Holme; J. E. Gladstone, J. Laughton, &c. &c.
On Mr. Cresswell, Mr. M`Neile, and Mr. Aspinall enter-
ing the room, they were, each saluted with most vehement
cheering. Soon after their appearance the numbers endea-
vouring to obtain access to the room became so great, as to
cause much inconvenience, and it soon became evident that
many hundreds must be deprived of the pleasure of hearing
the proceedings. The pressure continued notwithstanding
that every available situation was occupied, and at a subse-
quent period it produced some interruption.
Mr. SAMUEL HOLME then stepped forward and congra-
tulated the meeting on the appearance of their excellent re-
presentative (hear, hear.) in the enjoyment of health and
spirits, and ready for the next parliamentary campaign. But
previously to his employment there he (Mr. H.) was anxious
he should have some employment here, and therefore he
moved that Cresswell Cresswell, Esq. should take the chair.
(Great cheering.)

1r . Middleton said he had much pleasure in seconding the
motion.

Mr. CRESSWF.LL then took the chair amid great applause.
He said, as the first act, he proposed to open the business by
prayer. The Rev. Mr. Falloon was prepared to offer up a
prayer in behalf of the objects of the meeting.
The Rev. Mr. Falloon offered up an appropriate and im-
pressiveprayer.

.
The lion. CHAIRMAN then rose and addressed the meet-
ing as follows :—lt is now my pleasing task to open to you
the business—the very important business—upon which we
are assembled this evening ; and if I desired any reward for
having taken a journey for the purpose of attending this
meeting beyond that which I desire from the consciousness of
having discharged my duty towards you, I should have found
it in the very ample, nay, in the cordial greeting with which
you received me upon entering this room. (Hear.) But I
trust where the interests of our national church are concerned

I shall need no other reward for any diligence or attention I
can give to the promotion of those interests than the consci-
ousness that I have lent my feeble efforts to their support,
and to resist the attacks too frequently directed against it.
Being aware beforehand that I was to have the honour at
least of being proposed as your chairman this evening, 1 have
considered what would be the proper line for me to take in
the discharging of that duty. I have considered, and I doubt
not that you will go along with me at the conclusion of this
evening's business that I considered rightly, that my proper
and sole duty will be to place before you as simply as I pos-
sibly can, the objects of that association which we are met to
forin, and the means by which its members propose to attain
those objects. No person who has attended at all to the
course of events for the last few years, can have failed to ob-
serve, that attacks from various quarters, by various bodies,
but all equal in the rancour of their hostility, have been
directed against the established church of these realms.
(Hear, hear.) The motives, no doubt, by which these assail-
ants have been actuated have been various. Some bai,e de-
sired to pull down the Protestant church, as by law esta-
blished, in the hope,-1 trust the vain hope,—of establishing
their own as the dominant church in its room. (Hear.)
Others, not aspiring to establish a church of their own as
the national church, have contented themselves with seeking
the destruction of one church for the sake of reducing all to
the same dead level. Others, again, have desired to extin-
guish the light of the Christian church because their own
deeds are evil. (Cheers.) Others, careless about religion,
indifferent altogether as to the hopes which it holds out to
us, and to the fears by which it would divert us from evil,
having only political objects in view (hear, hear), also direct
their efforts against the national church, being persuaded
that it is one of the primest bulwarks of our constitution in
the state (hear) ; and they desire, therefore, to pull down
the one, in order that they may the more easily overturn the
other. (Hear and cheers.) But whilst they have had these
various objects in view, and whilst they have endeavoured to
arrive at these different ends, all have been desirous of at-
taining those ends by the same means, namely, by the des-
truction of our national church. (Hear, hear.) And as the
objects of these parties have been various, so we find that
their means of attack have been various. (Hear.) Some
have endeavoured to deprive the bishops of their seats in the
House of Lords, hoping that if the church should be equally
unrepresented in both houses of the legislature, she would
fall a more easy prey before her enemies. (Hear, hear.) A
vain hope, I trust, is that, gentlemen. (Cheers.) I trust
they will fail in their efforts to deprive the heads of the
church of their share in the legislation of the country. That,
however, will form no part of your proceedings here ;—it ra-
ther belongs to my province, so long as you retain me as one
of your representatives; and so long will I pledge myself to
be found the strenuous, unflinching, and uncompromising
opponent of any such scheme as that to which I have al-
luded, whenever it may be agitated. (Loud cheers.) Some
have attempted to prove the inutility, the worse than inuti-
lity, of a national church, by impugning the doctrines of
Christianity altogether. I will not attempt to make an ob.
servation upon that ; for it is an attempt so far from any pro-
bability of success, that we need scarcely trouble ourselves
about it. Surely no one in these days can attempt to prove
the falsehood of Christianity, without drawing upon himself
the contempt of mankind ! (Cheers.) Others, more insi-
dious, have attempted to establish a system of national edu-
cation, from which religious instruction was to be excluded,
and to form no part of it ; and, gentlemen, it they arc indeed
enemies of our church, no system could he better devised to
attain their end, than that of educating the people in secular
knowledge, and excluding altogether from their minds reli-
gious instruction. (Hear, hear.) Sonic, again, not ventur-
ing to proceed to that length,—l need not say that those who
now govern the land are among the party—(hear, hear, and
loud cheers)—who dare not propose to exclude altogether
religion from the instruction to be given, have yet endeavour -
ed, and persist in their endeavours, to establish a system and
method, which is to deprive the clergy of the established
church of all superintendence and controul. (Hear, hear.)
Others, again, and they are the parties with whom we have
principally to deal this evening, as it is they who have caused
that Association which will be formed, I trust, by large num-
bers before we separate to-night, have endeavoured to invade
the security of the church, to deprive it of its privileges, and
ultimately to overthrow the establishment, by advocating,
what they are pleased to call, " the voluntary system."
(Hear, hear.) They have been wild and visionary enough to
attempt to show that an establishment, supported and en-
dowed by the state, is useless (hear) ; that all religion ought
to be taught by persons dependent for support upon the vo-
luntary contributions of those who require their assistance.
I am informed, and sorry indeed I am to learn it, that for
some time past in this town there has existed an association
of young men who call themselves " The Young Men's Vo-
luntary Church Society," established for the purpose of pro-
pagating their absurd and pernicious doctrines ; and it is in
consequence of the existence of that association and others,
which have sprung up, that the young men in connexion with
the Established Church have come forward in order to res-
cue the town from the stigma which would rest upon it if it
could be supposed that a body should be enrolled for the pur-
pose of assailing the church and none could be found to stand
forward to defend it. (Loud applause.) To their honour,
a body of young men, not personally connected with the
church otherwise than as members, and attached and devoted
members of that church, have come forward and associated
themselves together for the purpose of resisting the malig-
nant efforts of those who are assailing it, and by devoting
their talents, time, and strenuous exertions, to endeavour to
stay the operation of the poison which the other society to
which I have alluded are seeking to infuse into the minds of
the people of this town. (Cheers.) The business then upon
which we are assembled is the formation of such a society
—(cheers.)—and that which you are invited to do upon this
occasion is to listen whilst the principles upon which that
society is about to be founded, are declared ; and whilst the
modes by which they purpose to attain their good end are
explained, in order that you may, if you approve of them—
and I cannot doubt that you will—adopt those principles,
assist in carrying out those measures, and become yourselves
members of that association. (Cheers.) It were an easy,
and it were a pleasing task, to enlarge upon the benefits of
the Established Church, a church essentially the church of
the poor. (Cheers.) It would be easy to expose the absurd-
ities of those who advocate what they call " The Voluntary
System," not remembering that they who have most need of
spiritual instruction are least likely to ask for it—(cheers.)—
but that is a task allotted to others. I should be invading
the province of those who are to move and second the resolu-
tions to be proposed for your adoption this evening were I to
enter upon those topics. And When I seee the names that
are affixed to those resolutions as their proposers and second-
ers, I should deem it the highest possible presumption were
I to endeavour to anticipate the topics they may urge or to
take before hand any part in discussing those matters which
they are so much more able to deal with efficiently and with
benefit to you. (Hear, hear.) It remains only that I should
now introduce the name of the proposer of the first resolu-
tion—a gentleman whose name need only be mentioned—
whose person need only be presented—to call forth all mani-
festations you can give of personal regard and attachment—
I mean the Reverend Hugh M`Neile ; (Immense cheering)
—during which the hon. and learned chairmrn resumed his
seat.

The Rev. HUGH M`NEILE then stood forward, but owing
to the circumstances already mentioned he could not for some
moments be heard. Silence being obtained the rev. gentle-
man spoke as follows :—Mr. Chairman.—We have three

watchwords here. They are no secrets, and, therefore, they
are perfectly legal. They arc not whispered in a corner, but
proclaimed from the platforms of public meetings, which are
multiplying in the north, south, east, and west, so that our
three watchwords are very rapidly becoming national. The
first of them is Scriptural Education, in defence of which
we have fought the good fight here in Liverpool. The se-
cond is Church .Extension—(cheers)—in support of which we
are this evening assembled, and I rejoice to think, under the
patronage of one of yourrepresentatives in the Commons House
of Parliament. Now, sir, there is no occasion for me to
mention our third watchword at this meeting. Everything
is beautiful in its season. Some of my friends here, who
know well what it is, are anxious to hear it, if it were
only just in passing, to bid it welcome. But, sir, one cha-
racter of the steadfast, orderly, and determined Protestant-
ism of your constituents is that they know when and where
to discern time and place, and to be guilty of no needless
breach of Protestant unity. I confine myself, therefore, on
the present occasion, to our second watchword, Church
Extension. (Cheers.) Our desire is to discharge our res-
pective duties, in our respective places, towards contributing
our proper measure of influence to induce the legislature of
our country to extend in England and !retard, the efficiency
of the United Church of England and Ireland, and to extend
in Scotland the efficiency of the Church of Scotland. I am
requested by my young friends, to whose zeal, talent, and
character we are indebted for the present important move-
ment, to propose the following resolution :
" That this meeting, convinced that an established church
is in strict accordance with holy scripture, and that it is
the duty of civil rulers, professing Christianity, to support
and extend the same, do earnestly protest against the attacks
now made upon the Church of England, by those who wish
to see her severed from the state, and consider that her mem-
bers are imperatively called upon to unite for her defence."
(Some interruption followed the reading of the resolution.)
Now, Mr. Chairman, I perceive an unhappy incongruity
existing at this time. The subject before us is not one for
merely loud and popular declamation ; it is one of grave and
serious argument. But I am sorry to observe that from the
physical position of our frinds who have got in, and from
the moral position of our friends who cannot get in, we are
not at all likely to be heard in a grave and quiet argumentation.
I must, however, attempt it, for the subje& demands it.
(loud cheers.) It is our rmitured conviction, not hastily or
unadvisedly adopted, but after patient and dispassionate con-
sideration of what has been ably and zealously written by our
opponents, that it is the first and highest duty of every
government to provide the means of religious instruction for
the entire population over whom they are placed. Our reasons
for maintaining these opinions are various. Those which,
as being of the highest order, and possess the greatest weight
with ourselves, are of such a character as to produce little
ell'ect upon many of our opponents. They must not, however,
on that acount be omitted ; because their consideration is
valuable in strengthening and confirming our friends. We
believe that civil rulers owe a peculiar duty, as rulers, to
Almighty God, the Ruler over all. I said-rulers as rulers ;
and sir it belongs to the very root of this question to classify

duties. There are: duties which belong to men, as men.
These are common to all, and equally binding upon every
man, whatever may be his condition or relation in life. They
apply to him, not because he is a father or a son, not because
he is a master or a servant, a ruler or a subject, but simply,
and absolutely. and universally because he is' a man : such
are the duties of honesty,.and truth, and temperance. This
is the first class of duties.; but it would be to outrage the
simplest dictates of common sense, as well as the plainest
declarations of holy Scripture, to assert that it includes all
our duties. There is a second class of duties, which are not
equally binding upon all men ; but to be distributed among
men, some to one, some to another, according to their re-
lations in life and positions in society. This will be simplified
by an instance. Take tne instance of a servant: he is equally
with his master under the first class of duties, as a u an. It
is his duty, as it is his master's duty, to be honest ; but he is not
equally with his master under the second class of duties. It
is not his duty, as it is his master's, to rule the household, to
provide supplies, and to pay wages. Neither is it his master's
duty, as it is his, to clean plate, or attend at table. Every
station, then, as its peculiar duties, superadded to those general
duties which belong to man as man. Now by every fair con-
sequence of legitimate argument, this applies to civil rulers.
Their duty is not to be confined to the first class which
belongs to them as men ; they have, in addition thereto,
those peculiar and distinguishing duties which belong to them
as rulers. In other words, they have personal and official
duties, and they are responsible to Almighty God for the due
discharge of both. (Applause.) Our next step is to inquire
what particular duty it is, which, under God, belongs, to
rulers, as such ; and the answer, undeniable by all who bow
to the authority of holy Scripture, is that Government is in-
stituted of God "for the punishment of evil doers, and for
the praise of those who do well." It is obvious, therefore,
that in order to be good governors, men ought to know
what is good, and what is evil. If they be uninformed upon
this point; if they he mistaken ; if they be such as the pro-
phet describes, men who call evil good, and good evil, then
they may, perhaps, make and execute laws which shall bring
punishment upon the good, and praise on the evil doers. A
right standard of good and evil is therefore an indispensable
requisite in a good ruler. But where can such a standard be
found ? This should be the first inquiry with every conscien-
tious statesman. No man can be duly qualified to give a
rational opinion, or record a judicious vote, upon any mea-
sure, without having a regulating standard by which to judge
and act. The will of Almighty God, the Creator and Pre-
server of all men, is the only infallible standard. If this be
not made known-to men, they are left adrift without chart,
or compass, or helm. Right and wrong, good and evil, are
terms of varying opinion and convenient accommodation,
rather than of fixed principle. Witness the infamously cruel,
and debasiagly indecent practices, which are consecrated as
right, and good, and religious in all heathen states! If the
will of God be made known unto men, then every statesman is
bound to consult it, for his standard of good and evil. There
he will read, that " a man's life consisteth not of the abun-
dance of the things that he possesseth," and so he will learn
that temporal prosperity is not the chief good. Nay, more,
he will read, that a man who is rich in this world, and poor
towards God, is a fool ; and so be will learn, that to consider
this world chiefly, is evil and not good. This hears at once
upon his duty as a ruler, because, as government is for the
punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do wall,
he will find himself called upon to resist those who would
confine his duty as a ruler to temporal concerns ; I say to re-
sist such as evil, and to encourage as good those who plead
for the paramount importance of training and instruction for
eternity. If rulers, in defiance of all this, will speak, act,
legislate, and govern as if this present world (with its pros-
perities, possessions and enjoyments, and without any train-
ing and instruction for eternity,) were men's chief good ; they
do all they can to pervert the right object of government,
and to mislead the country as to the nature of what is right.
Because it is undeniable that whatever the government of a
country makes its chief aim, it teaches the people of the
country to regard as their chief good. (Cheers.) Further
still, the true and final obligation of a law consists in its con-
formity to the principles of essential justice—that is, to the
will and law of God. The mere will of a man, or body of
men; does not constitute a finally binding authority. No
combination of men can make that right which God forbids,
or that wrong which God commends. No legislature, for exam-
ple, on the face of the earth, by any majority of votes, or even by
unanimity of decision, could make it right to bow down to an
image, or wrong to search the Scriptures. (Cheers.) When
rulers reject the law of God as their standard, they involve
the abrogation of their own true and righteous authority.
The only standard then left to them is the varying judgment
of a majority of men. The foundations of the social edifice
are then endangered, because, in a time of excitement, a ma-
jority of men may be induced to clamour in the name of jus-
tice for what is really unjuit; for what could be irresistibly
shown to be unjust, if the law of God were the acknowledged
standard, but against which, for want of such a standard,
there is no force of argument, no ground of resistance.
Without this high standard of reference, for the inherent and
everlasting righteousness of the laws, legislation cannot re-
tain its strong hold upon the consciences of men. The statute
book and the judicial bench are divested of all sacredness
of respect and finality of controversy ; and their matured
enactments and grave decisions are arraigned with as little
scruple, and crivassed with as reckless a freedom, as the
jejune speculations of any private individual theorist. (Hear,
hear.) Thus there ceases to be real stability in the nation,
because the rulers have ceased to refer their measures and
principles of government to the law of God; and thus we,
devoutly trace in practical operation the invincible and retri-
butive majesty of Him who says, " them that honour me will
I honour, and they who despise me shall be lightlyesteemed."
(Cheers.) Sir, I think myself happy in the opportunity of
arguing this question before so distinguished a civilian as
yourself, and I doubt not you will coincide in the legitimacy
of the conclusion, when I say that it is upon these high prin-
ciples we rest our conviction that the duty, the first and
paramount duty of our rulers, whether considered in the legis-
lature or the executive, is to provide the means of religious
instruction in the revealed will of God, for the entire popula-
tion of the kingdom. But, sir, our cause is so good, that wo
can afford to descend from the eminence of this abstract
principle. and argue the question on tt e more popular ground
of practical utility. Looking, then, practically at the bene-
fit, social and relative, of the nation, considered as a whole,
we allege that the national church is productive of more
benefit than any other, nay, than every other institution in
the land. It contributes more to the peace and safety, the
morality and happiness of the community, than the army,
more than the navy, more than all the courts of law, more
than the magistracy, more than the police. The officers of
human justice restrain the outward enormities of those mem-
bers of the community who are not influenced. who cannot
be reached by the church; but the church preserves the
great bulk of the community from giving the magistracy any I
trouble at all. If the church were extended as it ought to
be by the government, and energetic as it ought to be in itself,
there would be very little occasion for policemen. One true-
hearted clergyman, preaching the gospel of the grace of
God, visiting the sick, and organising the schools, prevents
more crimes than a hundred of the most active poiicernen
in the kingdom. And not only so : the effects produced by
such a clergyman are not confined (as those of the magistrate
are at the best) to the prevention of crime; they extend to
the production of morality, to the communication of hap-
piness, and to the sending forth into society a number, a con-
stantly increasing number, of unpaid peace-makers. (Loud
applause.) 11, then, it be the acknowledged duty of the
government, for the benefit of the nation, to maintain, at
the public expense, an armed force—if it be their duty to
maintain judges and c, urts of law—if it be their duty to
maintain a numerous, organised, and wide-spreading system
of police ; upon what principle shall it be denied, that it is
equally, nay, more imperatively, their duty to maintain and
extend a national scriptural church? (Cheers.) If it be
said, that amongst those who are compelled to pay national
tribute, there are some who are conscientiously opposed to a
national church, and that, consequently, to force them to
contribute to such a church, is to force their conscience,
which is unjustifiable tyranny : we reply, that the scruples
or objections of the subject, whether conscientious or other-
wise, ought not to interfere with the general duty of the go-
vernment. If they do, there can be no such thing as govern-
ment. (Hear.) If it be right to give up a national church, be-
cause some conscientiously object to an establishment, it is
equally right to give up army and navy, because some con.
seientiously object to war. It is no answer to this to say, that
they who think an established church unlawful are many,
while they who think war unlawful are few. The question is,
whether it be right in government to support, by national
funds, an institution which is beneficial to the nation, although
some of the people conscientiously object to it ? and if it be
wrong in a government so to do in one case, it is equally wrong,
though it may not excite so much clamour, to do it in ano-
ther case. If it be wrong—if it be coercion of conscience
—if it be shameful tyranny in the government to compel one
thousand dissenters to pay taxes, a portion of which shall be
devoted to the extension of the national church ; it is equally
wrong—equally coercive of conscience—equally shameful ty-
ranny—and more disgraceful persecution, because committed
against a weaker and more defenceless body, to compel one
single helpless quaker to pay taxes, a portion of which shall
be devoted to the support or enlargement, if need be, of the
national army. (Hear, hear, and much cheering.) Or if
we change our point of view, and instead of considering the
duty of a professedly Christian legislature, we consider .the
hardship of persecuted Christian individuals ; if we imagine
dissenters in the position which they are fond of appropriat-
ing, a position of suffering for conscience sake; if we sup-
pose them the only true Christians in this land, surrounded
by powerful and persecuting heathens ; if we suppose our
sovereign no better, in this point of view, than a pagan
Roman emperor—our clergy no better than the priests of
Jupiter—our collectors of taxes no better than Caesar's pub-
licans—and our dissenting neighbours like the primitive
church in all the simplicity and purity of inevitable vo-
luntaryism, what then ? Why then we remind those dis-
senters of the saying of the Lord Jesus, who not only
commanded his first followers to render to God the things
which are God's, but also to render to Csar, the things
which are Caesar's. We remind them that tribute was
Cwsar's, and that the Apostle said, render to all their dues,
tribute to whom tribute is due. We remind, hem that a large
portion of the tribute so paid was squandered on idolatrous
worship ; but that the great apostle, instead 'of' encouraging
resistance to the pagan-church rate on that account, and in-
dulging in piteous lamentations over violated consciences,
did, with the most simple, unconstrained, and unostentatious
submission to " the powers that be," command the primi-
tive Christians to pay the rate: Supposing then that all
which the most hostile disputer has been able to say or fancy
against the established church were perfectly true, still,• if
dissenting ministers followed the example cf the apostles,
they would say to their people, " tribute to whom tribute is
due ;" pay the rate. (Vehement applause.) But dissenters
often misrepresent, perhaps misunderstand, this payment, as
if it were a demand upon them to support the Church, and
they complain loudly against the injustice of being compelled
to support a Church of which they conscientiously disap-
prove. Sir, we deny that any dissenter is compelled to sup-
port the Church. He is compelled to pay taxes, but this is
a very different thing from supporting the church. True,
the civil ruler, when he receives the taxes, appropriates a
portion of them to the support of the Church, but this is
his act, not the act of the man who pays the tax. This dis-
tinction will be made manifest to all, by considering for a mo-
ment whether the Apostle would have exhorted his Christiait
brethren to support idol worship: on the contrary, an apostoli-
cal exhortation is, " keep yourself from idols." Butwe have
seen that the Apostle did exhort his brethren to pay tribute to
Caesar, although Caesar, when be got it, appropriated a portion
of it to the support of idol worship. That was his act, not the
act of the man who paid the tribute. It would be monstrous
to say that every man who pays taxes to a Government is
responsible for its every act. No ; the subject is responsible
to God for the duty of paying the tribute, and the govern-
ment is responsible to God for the duty of appropriating that
tribute. The government receiving taxes may, in one or
more instances, make an erroneous, unjust, and unjustifiable
appropriation ; but the conscience of the man who pays the
taxes is in no way implicated. His pocket is assailed, in-
deed, but not his conscience. This is a most important dis-
tinction, not for the dissenter only, but for us all. We all
pay taxes, but we in this room are in no wise implicated in
conscience, in what appears to us the guilt, the anti-
English, anti-Christian, suicidal guilt of our government
in the support of Maynooth College ; neither is the dis-
senter implicated in conscience in what appears to him to be
the guilt, the unjust and oppressive guilt, of the Government
in maintaining the Established Church. (Applause.) In
this argument I have been conceding to the dissenter, for ar-
gument sake, the hypothesis that the church is evil. I have
been putting it on a par with Maynooth College. Am; even
so, I have been proving, and proving scripturally, that it is
the duty of the dissenters to pay the tribute. But how much
is our argument strengthened by the fact that the Church is
not evil, but good !—that instead of being mit upon a par with
Maynooth College, she protests against the abominations
taught there, as idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Chris-
tians ! (Load cheers.) Sir, I have aidressed myself to one
branch of this great question, to one clause in the resolution
which I have the honour to move, namely, that it is the duty

of civil rulers professing Christianity to support and extend
the same. I have already trespassed too long on the time al.
lotted for the meeting, and, will now leave the remaining
clauses of the resolution in the hands of my rev. and dis-
tinguished friend who is to succeed him. I' cannot, however,
sit down without expressing my conviction that no language
can convey any adequate representation of the importance of
this subject. The population of the country increases, and-
must and will increase by untold thousands ; the voluntary
contributions of those who feel the value of Christian in-
struction increases, and we trust will increase more and more ;
but still the tremendous exigences of the case remain, and
the duty of a parental government remains, and the respon-
sibility of the nation to Almighty God who has graciously
given us his Holy Word and his Holy Church remains, and
I do heartily thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and
I do heartily congratulate you, my young friends, who are
forming yourselves into a Church Society, and I congratulate
von, sir, and your noble colleague in the representation of
this borough, that Liverpool is standing foward, as becomes
her national station, to press upon the attention of the coun-
try, the legislature, and the government, the high and holy
and urgent duty of maintaining the rights, and extending the
efficiency of the National Church. (The rev. gentleman sat
down amidst the most animated applauk.)
The Rev. Dr. BYRTH rose to'second the resolution, and
was heartily cheered. He said if his rev. friend who had pre-
ceded him found a difficulty in being heard, and was there-
fore obliged to throw himself upon the indulgence of the
meeting, what would .become of bun (Dr. Byrtb) if a more
&an ordinary portion of that indulgence were not extended
to him ? Yet be supposed he was before the meeting, in or-
der that they might hear him ; and be really believed if they
could hear him, there were some things he had to say to
which they would not be sorry at the close to have listened,
(hear, hear, and continued interruption, from the noise of
parties on the stairs endeavouring to obtain admisision.)
A GENTLEMAN, whose name was not stated, said the room
was so crowded, and so many parties were forcing their way
in to the already over-crowded apartment, that he had appre-
hensions of serious danger. He suggested that the proceed.
Ings should be adjourned.
Another GENTLEMAN said if the noise would cease there
need be no apprehension of danger.
The CHAIRMAN was happy to think that there was not at
this moment any pressure calculated to produce danger to
those assembled in the room, but at the same time it was im-
possible to see the numbers whose great anxiety to witness
the proceedings, had congregated them together without an-
ticipating that the pressure must soon become inconvenient,
if not actually dangerous. At the same time it was extremely
desirable that the resolutions which had been prepared—the
resolutions which explained the objects which the members
of the association had in view, and the means by which they
expected
,to carry those objects into effect—should be made
known, and be now adopted by those disposed to'become
members of the association. (Hear, hear.) And although,
together with those who were prepared to address the meet-
ing—rather, he should say with those who came prepared to
listen—he should much regret being deprived of the benefit
of those addresses which were about to be delivered ; still,
rather than any inconvenience or any danger, or any sup-
posed inconvenience and danger should b felt by those in
the assembly, he would willingly forego both the pleasure and
the profit of those addresses. (Cries of " No, no.") What
he should propose to their acquiescence was this, that they
should forego those addresses at present, that they souldhear
the resolutions read to the end that all might understand and
adopt them, and that all who thought fit might join the asso-
ciation, and that another meeting be called at some more
convenient time, and in a more convenient place, where they
could have the benefit of all that good counsel which they
would only postpone and not altogether relinquish. (Hear,
hear.)
Dr. Br ram believed it would be the wisest plan for the
people quietly to depart, and a larger place would soon be
found. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then put the first resolution and it was
carried unanimously. The declaration of the result was an-
nounced amidst loud cheers.

The Rev. HENRY CARPENTER said he had been invited to
move the next resolution, which was as follows:—" That an
association be now formed, to be called the Liverpool
Young Men's Established Church Society,' for delivering
lectures and addresses in favour of the Church Establish-
ment, for disseminating information relatisie thereto, and
adopting other measures for her defence and support ; and that
the following be the declaration and rules of the Society" :
The following copy of the " Rules of the Liverpool Young
Men's Established Church Society" was handed to the
Secretary, Mr. WRATH Am, who read them to the meeting :

DECLARATION

We, the Undersigned, Members of the Established Church
of England and Ireland, feel ourselves constrained to protest
in the most decided manner (both in word and deed) against
the opinions now advocated by the enemies of our National
Establishment—to wit, that the State, as such, has no con-
cern with religion, but should leave it wholly to what is called
the voluntary principle.
We feel surprised and grieved that any of the children
of those who originally left the bosom of the Church, through
matters of form, should so far forget the faith of their fathers
as to coalesce with Infidels and Romanists in the opposition
to our National Establishment—thus declaring, that having
to' choose between the union of Church and State on the one
hand, and absolute irreligion and gross superstition on the
other, they decide in favour of Infidelity and Popery, and
against all national religion.
We consider the Established Church (under God's guidance)
as the grand breakwater against Popery, the impregnable
barrier to Infidelity, and essentially the poor man's best in-
heritance. We believe a Protestant State should not only
recognise the Protestant Religion, but should also support it
and extend its influence ; and as large numbers of our fellow-
countrymen are left without the means of grace (the
ineficiency of the voluntary principle, being thus shown), we
deem it the duty of Government to afford the required aid.
We feel ourselves called upon to protest, in the most
solemn manner, against the attempts now snaking to com-
promise the Protestant principles of our national schools, by
departing from the exclusive use of the authorised version of
the holy scriptures, and the exclusive controul of the minis-
ters of the Established Church. Deeming the word of God
to be the only true standard of faith and duties, we resolve
to contend earnestly against such glaring and dangerous inno-
vations.

For the above purposes, we hereby form onrselves into a
society, to be designated the " Liverpool Young Men's
rstablished Church Society," and we adopt the following
rules for our guidance :

Rule I.—This society shall be composed of all members of
the Established Church of England and Ireland, who shall
sign the above declaration.
2—The society shall be under the controul of a Patron,
two Vice-Patrons, President, twelve Vice-Presidents, Trea-
surer, two Auditors; two Secretaries, and a committee of
fifteen members—the whole to be chosen annually at a gene-
ral meeting.

3—The committee shall meet once in every month, to
receive and impart information relative to the objects of the
society, and to transact the general business of the associa-
tion. All proceedings to commence with prayer.
4—A General Meeting of the society shall be held once a
quarter, at which lectures and addresses Audit be delivered in
furtherance of the, objects of the association.

s—The clergy shall be invited respectfully to enrol their
names as honorary members, and deliver lectures occasionally
-at the quarterly and special meetings.
6—The members shall be invited to transmit to the com-

mittee essays in defence of Church Establishment ; but such
essays shall not be printed, without the sanction of a com-
mittee of clergy, whose decision shall be final.
7--Any gentleman contributing a donation of £.5, or pay-
ing an annual subscription of 20s, shall be considered as
an honorary member of the association.
Mr. WATHAM seconded the resolution, and it was carried
without a single dissentient.
Dr. BYRTH rose to move the next resolution, appointing
the officers of the association.
Mr. WATHAM, at the request of the rev. doctor, read the
list as follows :

PATRON,
LORD SANDON, M.P.
VICE PATRONS,
C. CRESSWELL, Esq., M.P. I J. C. COLQUHOUN, Esq. M.P.

PRESIDENT

R. GLADSTONE, Esq.
VICE PRESIDENTS,

Sir J. Salisbury,
Francis Shand, Esq.,
T. B. Horsfall, Esq.,
C. Bushell, Esq.,
Samuel Holme, Esq.,
J. Rigby, Esq.,

J. Heyworth, Esq.,
J. Howard, Esq.,
G. H. Lawrence, Esq.,
R. Griffith, Esq.
A. Smith, Jun.,
D. Hodgson, Esq.

AUDITORS,
Mr. TgOS. ANDERSON Mr. J. MALLEY.
TREASURER,
Mr. W. W. MOORE.
COMMITTEE.

Mr. W. Rowett, .. Mr. L. Addison, Mr. A. J. Francis,
W. G. Leete, --- H. J. Webster —J.Rounthwaite
W. Tithrington,, J. E. Gladstone —W. Fairclough
J. Mathews, 1 Groom, J. F. Lace,
J. Crisp, I T. R. Goirett, 1 A. Brown, jun.
Dr. BYRTII then said it had been suggested-to him that a
condensed form of the address which he was about to deliver
to that large assembly might be useful, and therefore he once
more stood upon his feet. He would promise the meeting
that he would be exceedingly brief. It was only because he
felt that in the present, day it was a matter of duty and con-
science for every
.man who was really a loyal and attached
member of the Church of England to avow himself, that he
exhibited what might appear to some a most unreasonable
anxiety to express himself upon the present occasion. (Hear,
hear.) He had a reason, too, peculiarly connected with his
own position in the midst of this large community. If he
stood before the meeting in the character of a witness, he
should say there was not one to whom any resolution had
been entrusted this evening whose hands ought to have had it
before his own, for-this reason, that his liberality with regard
to all parts-Of the Christian Church was so well known, that
he was constantly suffering the inconvenience of having it
interpreted into latitudinarianism. And he rejoiced to stand
forth now to say-',' that whilst-he believed the Church of Eng-
land was not the only church, she was the best church, and
therefore he loved her. (Cheers.) He had said there was a
reason, upon the present occasion, why every individual who
believed as he did; with regard to the Church of England,
should avow - his feelings. The time had come when every
one anxioitith defend her should stand forward. (Cheers.)
Wae the Church in danger ? (Cries of " No, no.")—
In- the -liberal and plain sense of the word, he emphatically re-
echoed back that cry. (Cheers.) The church was in no
,
danger. She was onli in circumstances in which danger was
to be apprehended.. Hear, hear.). If there were multitudes
banded- against her, i not only men of no religion were against
her, and they were, and always had been, against her—(and
he measured a man's want of religion by his professions of
hostility to his own beloved church)—he said if not only men
of no religion but of all kinds of religion were leagued against
her, we were not to conceal from attention the additional
fact that there were men of high intellect, of deep thought,
of spiritual piety who questioned the propriety of the esta-
blishment of the Church of England. Therefore, if, for one
moment, we might contemplate circumstances of danger from
the multitude or character of its opponents, we might say the
church was in danger. There had, indeed, a cry gone forth.
The meeting remembered there was a similar one echoed
through the Roman forum with regard to the city which the
inhabitants of Rome meant to destroy—Delenda eat Carthago;
and it was the cry of a vast multitude in this country as to the
church " down with her, down with her even to the ground."
(Hear, hear.) The cry uttered by the citizens of ancient
Rome was prophetic : the metropolis of northern Africa did
fall. But the cry " down with her," uttered by thousands in
the present day,- if it were prophetic, was prophetic not of
the destruction but of the renovation of the Church of Eng-
land. (Cheers.) Like the city of Jerusalem and Zion, with
regard to which it was originally uttered, it should not be
accoMplished, but only call forth the best affections of the
church,- and invest her with a zeal and permanent glory.
(Cbeers..) He considered, and he would redeem his pledge
of being brief, although he might detain them longer, that
there was much wisdom in the formation of this Young Men's
Society. He had often expressed in other places an idea
which he was glad to expres here—namely, that the hope of
the Church of England was in our young men ; (hear, hear,)
and he had often said, what he was glad to find had not only
been said but acted upon by others, namely, that our young
men did not km w what was the ground upon which they
rested as church nen. (Hear.) It was time they should.
(Loud cheers.) The dissenters, whom he honoured—for be
honoured every I ,an who conscientiously followed out what
he believed to be :he dictates of the Hoiy Spirit—knew why
they were dissent .rs or thought they did. We did not. Mul-
titudes of our young men wanted to be instructed in every
kitd of learning %-hich this association was admirably calcu-
lated to afford. It did-appears to him that if we were to seek
for some plan by which we could make the principle of ec-
clesiastical government, better known *among the educated
classes, we shouhi not find more ethcient machinery to carry

on the work, than that which this society would afford.
(Hear, hear) The young men who constituted this society
would allow him to give them a piece of advice. (Hear,
hear.) It was, that they should consider that the establish-
ment of a church did not constitute it a church. (Hear,
hear, no.) It was not the connection of the state that made'
the Church of England what she-was. (Hear, hear.) The
state, as had been admirably shown by his friend, who pre-
ceded him, was in duty bound to support the church. The
most efficient, the most eloquent, and at the same time, the
calmest opponents of church principles had said, if he were
to be a churchman at all, he would be high church. Now,
for the honour of being a high churchman he (Dr. B.) had
no taste, and to any thing to which he had not a right he
made no claim ; but he must say it, appeared to him utterly
impossible to account for the fact that any man believing in
Christianity, and believing it was the duty of our rulers to be
Christians, should for a moment question the propriety of
the state supporting some form of Christianity . He did not
contend for that peculiar form—that was not his place here ;
but it was like an axiom, a self-evident truth, that if a go-
vernment professed to be Christian, it ought to profess some
form of Christianity. (Hear, hear.) Latitudinarian as he
had been represented to be, there was not one upon that plat-
form who could stand forward more boldly, or speak more
loudly, in defence of the episcopal Church of England ; and
he said that government ought to support it because she was
the very best. (Hear.) He should now deal with those who
said that government ought to support no religion at all—a
monstrosity and terror in legislation—downright treason
against the holy dignity of Christian principle—and cowardice
with regard to every thing that belonged to a true disciple of
Christ! (Loud cheers.) Was there one element of influ-
ence, was there one principle of action, was there one power
of making ourselves actually efficient among our fellow-crea-
tures, that they ought not; to bring into exercise, if they be-
lieved the Christian system to be the true system ? (Hear.)
It had been said, and he was very sorry for it, by a very able
and influential man among those whom he honoured, that a
national establishment was a national sin. (Hear.) His
flesh crept whilst he uttered the thought. That the establish-
ment might stand in such a relation to other parts of the
Christian church, as not to be what we should wish, might
be very conceivable. It might actually exist in such a state.
But the abstract idea contended for, that to establish religion
was to commit sin, only showed how far holy and good men
might be led away in the fields of blasphemous error, without
knowing they were breathing a poisonous atmosphere.—
(Hear.) It had been said, when we asked for the proof,
that it was a sin to establish Chritianity, that it was a sin to
bring the name of the Redeemer of sinners before those who
never would have heard of him unless we actually forced the
knowledge upon them, " it is not necessary to produce a
proof from scripture." (Hear, hear.) Now, if it were not
proved there, he (Dr. B.) thought the proof was not to be
found any where else. He had never found in any dissent-
ing book,—and he wished those who heard him to remember
what he said,—one argument that did not recoil upon him
who used it. Till it had been proved that he committed sire
in propagating Christianity, he should continue to do so, and
he would continue the subject of that government only which
would propagate it, because, as he believed sin to be a re-
proach to a nation, so he believed that righteousness exalted
a nation. '(Hear, hear.) He was afraid that he was trespass-
ing on the patience of the meeting. (Cries of " No, no,"
"Go on.") Well, he was about to say that the pressure
which was forced on them by the argument very commonly
used, was one which actually bore on those who employed it.
It had been said, that if it was the duty of a government to
establish and support Christianity, it was the duty of heathen
rulers to establish and support heathenism. A specious so-
phiqn this ! Now, be it remembered, the very persons who
used that argument admitted Christianity to be true, and
therefore he had nothing to do with the case as regarded hea-
thenism. They admitted'Christianity to be true ; and when
you said it was the duty of government to support that which
they acknowledged to be a revelation from heaven, they turn-
ed round, and said, " it is the duty of government to support
that which they believe, and we believe to be false." Not
so, however. Those persons did not see that it was the duty
oeheathen governments to discover the truth ; and in not
endeavouring to ascertain it, they lay under an awful weight
of responsibility to God. It might as well be said that a
man who abused his natural powers in order to produce mis-
chief, was'not responsible. In fact, there was only a heavier
weight lying on those governments, because they had not
found out the truth and supported it. Indeed, there was no
one way in which the case could be contemplated, except to
support a mere argument, in which it was possible for him
to make out that it was not the duty of government to sup-
port and to establish a system of real Christian truth. (Hear,
hear.) He said, to support and establish it. We were con-
tending for very little. He confessed, when he thought upon
the fact, that here, before that vast multitude, they were en-
deavouring to prove that it was the duty of a government to
support and establish Christianity, his spirits seemed to fail
within him, because he was considered to stand there
pleading a bounden duty, for the due performance of which
they would have to answer before the judgment seat of Christ.
In his opinion, it was the duty of government to extend the
cause of Christianity, and to support it ; to find a place of
worship for every neighbourhood, a pastor for every district,
a seat for every individual in the church, and to bring the
truths of Christianity to the lowest individual in the commu-
nity. (Hear, hear.) But instead of taking up this large and
proper view of the case, they were contending for their very
safety. They were asking that the light might not be put
out, instead of demanding that it should be sent forward by
many a hand, and a lamp kindled in every place, till all the
nations of the earth be actually illuminated by the brilliant
rays of evangelical truth, shed forth from the altar and the
sanctuary. (Loud cheers.) It was that for which young
men ought to contend : that was the, noble object to place
before tnem,—not merely the preservation of what they had,
but its extension. (Hear, hear.) Let them look to that;
let them extend the church as established among us, for that
was the very best system. (Cheers.) He contended for that
again. (Renewed applause.) He had no reason, from edu-
cetion or prejudice, to be a churchman ; every reason and
bias went the other way. He was a member of the church
because he believed.it to be the best form in which Christi-
an ty hal ever yet appeared before the world. (Approbation.)
He could not say, as a holy man of old had said, with regard
to the Church of England, that he had been conceived in her
womb, and nursed in her lap ; but he could say, that he
prayed he might die in her bosom. (Cheers.) Now, it ap-
peared to him from circumstances, and from circumstances
only,—for it was a circumstantial case,—that the educated
classes of the community had been left altogether ignorant
of the basis of their churchmanship Protestant faith. It had
been with them a prtjudioe only, though a holy one. They
seemed to have acted as though it had not been worth their
while to examine, because when they did examine, they found
that there was solid ground for their feet to stand upon.
(Hear, hear.) But when they were thus assailed and at-
tacked, let them place themselves in a position to defend
their faith ; let them examine the matter throughout.
(Hear.) Those present were before a man who had exa-
mined, and who declared to them his conscientious belief,
not that the Church of England was perfect, but that she was
the very best form c f Christianity, which the history of the
Redeemer's system presented to their contemplation. Let
them not be satisfied with preserving it, but if it were the best
system, let them extend it. The command of the Redeemer
was expressly to extend it. " Ye," he said, " are thesalt of
the earth"—to preserve it from corruption ; ye are the light
of the world—ye dissipate the moral darkness
.of the earth,
and are the means of diffusing the saving truths of the Gospel,
through all the families of men. I say, continued the rev.
gentleman, if these truths apply to any system, they must
apply to the last system, and therefore to ours. But do not
go away with the notion that it is my belief the Church of
England is, the only church. No. I believe that Presbyte-
rians, Independents, Wesleyans, and others—(a hiss)—l pity
the man that uttered that sound. (Cheers.) Our cause I
should pity too if it required such reptile eloquence as that.
(Renewed cheering.) Hiss if you please, but I have spoken
the truth, and I will speak it again. I say, sir, that I honour
Presbyterians, that I honour Independents, that I honour
Wesleyans, and I will continue to honour them as long as
they honour Christ. (Loud and continued cheering.)
The Rev. Dr. TATTERSH ALL, in seconding the resolution,
spoke nearly as follows : I have more reasons' than one for
promising that I will not detain you with any lengthened re-
marks. One, and a principal reason is, that having come late
into the room I really am not precisely acquainted with the
proceedings that have already taken place, or in what stage
the proceedings of the meeting at this moment are. I am
happy, however, in having the opportunity of coming forward
upon an occasion such as this to express my cordial approba-
tion and approval of the objects for the promotion of which
this meeting is called together. (Cheers.) I may say it
would have been gratifying to my mind if such a thing could
have been predicated as true, that there was no occasion for
the formation of this or any other society in support of the
church establishment. (Hear, hear.) But inasmuch as such
a necessity exists, I rejoice from my soul, and I thank God
from my heart, that He has put it into the hearts of so many
young men in this town to desire to support that which we
have heard described as the very best form, under which
Christianity has ever been presented to the world. (Hear,
hear.) I congratulate this meeting. and the honourable and
learned chairman, upon his presence on an occasion like this
—and I dare venture to express the feelings that that gentle-
man may be assured the confidence felt in him in this town,
will not be diminished by the circumstance of his having pre-
• sided at this meeting. (Loud cheers.) I shall make no re-
marks relating to the general subject before you, except one
with reference to the remarks quoted by the preceding speaker
as having been made by some gentleman, well known, I sup-
pose, who has stated that to establish Christianity by law, is
in itself a sin. (Hear, hear.) We have been often in the
habit of justifying our opinions by recurring to the Old Tes-
tament dispensation to prove that there was nothing wrong
in an Established Church ; for, most surely, the Je.vish
Church was to all intents and purposes the most perfect Es-
tablished Church that can possibly be conceived. (Hear,
hear.) We are told, in reply, that this was under another
dispensation—that we may not quote as authority that which
was under one dispensation, as sufficient to justify that which
is under another dispensation. Upon this subject I may be
allowed to remark that if the establishment of religion by
law be itself a sin, God would not have done it under any dis-
pensation at all. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Having this
opinion respecting the lawfulness of Established Churches,
that they cannot be affected by dispensations at all, I beg to
say I conceive them to be lawful, inasmuch as they are the
best guarantee for the preservation of true religion. (Hear,
hear.) We ought to esteem it the highest privilege we have
next to the Gospel,—that we live in a land where a church is
established, which preaches the truth of God in its perfect
and full integrity. (Hear.) It does not appear to me to be
all essential to look upon the voluntary principle as a thing at
which is, properly speaking, an antagonist princi, le against
the Established Church. By no means. Certainly the vo-
luntary principle would be a poor substitute for the Esta-
blished Church •, hut the church being established, there is
sufficient room for directing the voluntary principle, not only
beyond the boundaries of the church, but within her limits.
(Hear, hear.) And where may we look for an example of
the beneficial operation of the voluntary system nnder the
wings of the Established Church, than in the very town in
which we reside? (Hear, hear,) How many of our own
churches have been raised by the voluntary principle—the
voluntary principle acting under the wings of, and in con-
nection with, the Established Church ! (Cheers.) Let us
therefore beware of looking upon them as antagonist princi-
ples. (Hear, hear.) And I pray God with regard to the in-
stitution this night established, that all those concerned in it
may conduct it under the guidance of his good spirit, and
that the measures they employ may be blessed and sanctified
to his honour. I have great pleasure in seconding the reso-
lution. (Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN put the question that the resolution be
passed, and it was adopted unanimously.
Mr. WHATHAM moved the following resolution :—" That
the cordial thanks of the meeting be given to C. Cresswell,
Esquire, for his kindness in presiding on the occasion."
It was intended he said, that he should have taken some
pert in the proceedings when the arrangements were first
drawn up, but owing to the adverse circumstances in the
early part of the evening, which had also deprived them of
the speeches of many persons more able than himself, lie had
been prevented. However, from a deep conviction that pro-
priety demanded some one to come forward who represented
the wishes, opinions, and intentions of the young men who
had formed this society, he deemed it his duty to accept the
invitation to move the last resolution. This society had ema-
nated entirely from young men. (Hear.) It was intended
to be exclusively conducted by young men; and he thought
the meeting would not have passed over with perfect propri-
ety, if some of the members did not give an account of the
motives which had influenced them and of the manner in
which they intended to carry on the society. Sufficient had
been said by those who had preceded him, upon behalf of the
church, to which he believed every one in the room belonged.
We all knew the utility of that church ; we all knew notwith-
standing the asseverations of her enemies, that that church
was founded upon the sacred scriptures, (Hear,hear.) We all
knew it was the duty of the government to extend and sup-
port the church—that it was the highest duty they hay. to