The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-11-23 00:00:00

Liverpool, N

4 ovember 22, 1852
_4,_

THE MEETING AT THE AMPHITHEATRE.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD

SIR,—An important meeting is to be held in the Amphi-
theatre to-morrow (Tuesday), to protest against the prac-
tice of auricular confession in the Church of England, as
exhibited in the case of Mr. Prynne, at Plymouth. The
promoters of this meeting are justly of opinion that Mr.
Prynne's delinquencies, and the Bishop of Exeter's com-
plicity, call for public exposure and reprobation. But I
want to know why the business of the day should be
restricted to this single item of the catalogue of evils
under which the Church of England is now languishing.
The public do not make this arbitrary and indefensible
distinction, and they will not feel the force of the logic,
nor admit the wisdom or candour of the policy which did.

. .
Are not priestly absolution and baptisinal regeneration
to be found in the prayer-book ? These ate not scriptural
but Popish doctrines.
One of our bishops expels Mr. Bennett for unsound-
ness, hut another of equal authority in our church receives
him, without any public recantation of his errors. Is not
the confidence of the laity fearfully convulsed by this
alarming inconsistency ? Is the public mind satisfied
with the incomes of the bishops, or the general distribu-
tion of ecclesiastical revenues ? It is not, and no sensible
churchman will rice a shilling in augmentation of poor
stipends until these abominable abuses are corrected.

Sir, let the rod of truth and justice strike impartially,
whether the offender be within or without the pale of the
establishment ; and let not the censures of to-morrow
(Tuesday) fall short of any of the flagrant evils I have

enumerated

The fact, however, is, that a revision of the Church of
England, or her ruin, is inevitable. Romish poison must
be purged out, her finances adjusted, and her machinery
repaired. Otherwise the Tractarians will soon be enough
in possession to deserve and provoke the retributive jus-
tice of England.
These convictions are spreading and deepening in the
public mind ; and it is unwise on the part of our leaders
to discourage serious efforts for the removal of all reason-
able causes of dissatisfaction. One of these efforts un-
doubtedly is to speak the whole truth to- rn orrow (Tuesday).
With respect to the proposed convocation, I will only
say that clerical legislation alone on this matter will not
answer, but that it is most desirable that a conference of
laity and clergy should consult for the soundness, peace,
and prosperity of the Church of England. In the interim,
however, let plain-dealing honest churchmen deliver a
bold and uncompromising protest, and make themselves
heard in high places. It is vain and wicked to attempt to
cloak or palliate the faults, falsities and frauds which
thrive within the national establishment. The light and
moral sense of the present day compels sane men to a can-
did and honest course. Filial regard to our invaluable
church demands these repairs, and the immediate extinc-
tiono f those pregn
leaven
germse n
of
a d
of
afrightfulrk season future
has
which the Romish
her bosom. Be not deterred then from your duty. Let
the voice of offended and insulted bible truth rise above
the Babel of selfish, lukewarm, superstitious pretensions
of designing men.
"Magna estveritas, et prevalebit."

Until this manly course is followed, we are in a false, pain-
ful, and dangerous position. I stand self convicted in the
presence of a friendly dissenter, oppressed with shame
and sorrow. The hostile dissenter makes me tremble for
what is to come.—l remain, yours, truly,
Liverpool, Nov. 22, 1852. A CHURCH REFORMER.

TnE EMPIRE.—The appeal to the French
people
forFR FRENCH
vote on the question of restoring the
French Empire, in the person of Louis Napoleon, com-
menced on Sunday morning. The result will not be_known
for a few days.

BANKRUPTCY COURT, YESTERDAY.—Edward Jones,
draper, of Vauxhall-road and Richmond-row, came before
Mr. Commissioner Stevenson for his certificate. He was
supported by Mr. Ewer, and opposed by Mr. Williams.
A second class certificate was granted, after a short sus-
pension, with protection.
TOE " Fox" LINk: OF PACKETS.--Several berths have

Rom Africa, by friends of Archbishop Cullen,
...gaged. in the handsome saloon of the " Fox" line
the
Primate of Ireland, and the Hon. Captain
Stanley Carr, chairman of the Committee of Australian
Colonists, London.
packet-slopof

INTENDED PRESENTATION.—WC understand that it is
the intention of the friends of Mr. Thomas Watson,
schoolmaster, Cazneau - street, the assessor of Scotland
and chairman of the Conservative Committee at
municipal contest, to present him with a'. testi-
'or his character as a man and A

aster, and 1

! in ever

Facity in life

sum is already

subscribed.