The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-11-19 00:00:00

• THE BALAAM BALAAM BOX; OR, HOW TO CONDUCT A
NEWSPAPER.

(From the Ulster Times.)
TO THE EDITOR, &C.
SlR—Unless you contract your extraordinary quantity of
advertisements, which now exclude so much more interest-
ing matter, I shall withdraw my humble name as a subscri-
ber to your paper.—&c.
SIR—If you do not insert all the advertisements of the
steamers, particularly Langtry's, which you never do, by
any chance, you need not expect me to take your paper, as
although I prefer your politics, I cannot do without the ad-
vertisements, and therefore have to take the Whig in self-
defence.—&c.
SIR—I really wonder that you do not recollect that you
are the Editor of an Irish paper, and not give us so much
Scotch news and poetry.— &c.
Sin—Many subscribers to your journal complain that you
neglect altogether the interests of the Scottish Church, and,
particularly, pay so little attention to the religious revivals
now going on throughout Scotland. Your predecessor, also,
used to enrich his columns with much sweet Scotch poetry,
which I regret to see altogether discontinued.—&c.
Sin—l hear every one praise your paper, except the ladies,
who prefer the Chronicle, because it contains so many nice
stories, and so much light matter. Could you not manage
to please that important section of the community in this
particular ?—&c.
Sin—l really wonder to see a paper taking up the grave
tone in politics, morals, and religion, which you do, devote
so much valuable space to flimsy stories read by none but
fcolish women and children ; also, Jonathans, and jokes of
that sort, have lately become quite too frequent in your co-
lumns.—&c.
Sin—l wish you would give us a little more commercial
news, also political, and leave the Pope, &c., to pamphlets.
—&c. •
SIR—I think you ought to publish some of the ancient re-
cords which expose the true nature of Popery. People now
a days hear much in general terms about the thing, but they
require to have their memories refreshed upon the facts of
history. Excuse me also for saying that, in my opinion, you
devote too much space to commercial matters. You would
do well to recollect that the greater number of your readers
are of the gentry and rural classes.—&c.
Sin—l am surprised to perceive how readily you admit
correspondence in your columns.—&c.
SIR—I have now addressed to you three several commu-
nications without perceiving them in your columns. The last,
I wrote you, and on which I expended all my energies is, I
presume, not adapted to a newspaper. You will please,
therefore,-to return me the MS., and strike out my name as
a subscriber to your paper.—&c.
Sin—l cannot perceive why you stuff up your paper with
a parcel of trash under the head of " Foreign," which no-
body ever thinks of reading.—&c.
SIR—I do wish you would let us hear what is going on
abroad a little more fully. Your notices on foreign affairs
are quite scanty, and you should remember that people in
the country never see another paper, while your town sub-
scribers, perhaps see the London journals, and do not care
for foreign news in your's.—&c.
SlR—Your paper is going to with religion, I really,
although a staunch Tory, must give it up if I am to be bored
with religion, religion, religion.
DEAR SlR—The Ulster Times is doing well in every way,
and is now what it ought to be—an instrument for the good
of souls. I enclose you an account of a Bible Society meet-
ing, which please insert, &c.
SIR—I think you ought to devote some more of your space
at present to the Wesleyan Centenary meetings. You know
that body is staunch, &c.
SIR—I am sorry to perceive that you are giving in to views
of that ambitious body, the Wesleyan Methodists, whom I
regard as the most crafty and insidious enemies of the
Church.
DEAR SIR—I cannot understand why Conservative jour-
nals should give up so much room to the letters and speeches
of Mr. O'Connell, and all that crew. Surely it is doing harm
to spread their sentiments? Leave them to their own jour-
nals, and give us the sentiments and opinions of our own
sides, &c.
DEAR SlR—Your admirable paper has one fault. You
give us plenty of account of friend:, and I rejoice to see them,
but I am in the dark as to what the enemy is doing, and I
cannot afford to take a Radical or Popish paper. If I would,
&c. &c.

DEAR SlR,—Excuse me for saying it, but I think there is
a great deal too much original matter in your paper • and
also you are too fond of copying the original matter of the
London journals. The readers of a newspaper in the country
want news and amusement. Fashionable movements, mar-
riages in high life, and such like. I think you could improve
your paper by more extracts from the Morning Post, Court
Gazette, Brc.
DEAR SIR,—As I see several English and other papers, I
only take in your's on account of the talent and vigour of
the original articles, which I think ought to be extended in
quantity. Give us also more of the leaders of the London
Times, Herald, and Standard.—&e.
DEAR SIR,—I am sorry to perceive for a few papers that
your valuable and interesting notices under the head of " The
Church," were dwindling down to nothing. Do pray attend
to this department, as a very large body of your subscribers
are interested in these matters.—&e.
S I R—*** Who cares a farthing about the Queen's rides in
the morning, or parties in the evening, or that my Lord This
or That goes here or there. Do give us some " Sporting
Intelligence," and leave out these things, as also those stu-
pid " Church" matters, which can be very well spared, I
assure you.—&c.

DEAR hear but one complaint made of your ines-
timable journal, and that is your perpetual squabblings with
the Whig. Nobody that reads your paper ever sees or cares
about that journal. Do stick to your own course, and keep
never minding the wretched Whig nonsense—&c.
Sin-I really think you show a want of spunk lately in
passing over the savage attacks of the Whig. Although you
may not care about them, people like to see a good stand-up
fight. You will do well to attend to this hint.—&c.
(Much obliged to " People." U. 7'.)
DEAR SIR-4 wonder at your publishing the stupid letters
of that crack-brained egotist, Sharman Crawford. Surely
you might find something better for your readers than such
stuff.

SIR-I was much disappointed (in common with other
people) that you did not publish in full Sharman Crawford's
letters, and the replies given to them by the several writers
in the Dublin journals. There are many things which might
surely have giVen way to a topic so interesting to the rural
community as this discussion. I presume the press of other
matter prevented your attending to this; but I hope you will
publish and review his pamphlet when it appears, &c.
The foregoing is but a sample of our Balam-box, which
contains some considerable quantity of down-right abuse—as
also, abundance of flattery of our " excellent journal"—our
" excellent paper," &c., &c., which it is amusing to look
over after a few months' collection. How difficult it is to
learn that simple lesson of charity,—" Bear and forbear."

of the Hoose o' Lords, and less o' John Gray and your Toon
Council. 1 assure you John and his neebour Malcolm
M'Gavin, I think you call him, is a great druVere.
" Your's,
" To the Editor.

" Greenock, Sept. 1839.
" Sir,—Yoix will make your paper absolutely necessary to
all sorts of merchants and traders were you to afford a
greater space for the daily markets thrOughout the kingdom—
for the very latest prices of Indigo, Saltpetre, Ipecacuanha,
Molasses, Fustic, &c. &c,`, A little more ship news would
also be acceptable, while a passing rub at that most incom-
prehensible vagabond, O'Connell—(you can't call him too
bad)—might season the whole.
" Your's, " AN ADMIRER."
"N. B.—l had a case lately in a court of law, which I
gained, but you take no notice of the matter at all. I think
a corner might be set apart for ' Judicial Proceedings.'
" Glasgow, 2d October, 1839.
" Mr. Editor,—Your journal, generally, is readable, and
a tolerable bargain—but when you were at it I think you
should have made the columns a little longer. It would have
looked better. Your treatment of O'Connell to-day is too
severe—l know one of your Radical readers—an excellent
person—who will stop your paper for it.
" Your's, " AN OLD READER."
" Argyle-street.
" Sir,—Your paper is now without a fault—you have my
best wishes—go on and prosper. " T— W—."

" Mr. Editor,—Stop my paper when the quarter is out.
It is by far too large to read—and I don't choose to pay for
more than I need.—Yours indeed,
" Glasgow, 1839 "

" SAMUEL REID

LECTURE " ON NATIONAL RELIGION," AT
BRADFORD.

(From the Leeds Intelligencer.)
The ReV. T. D. Gregg (known to the world as the victor
of Father Maguire, in a recent controversy at Dublin,) de-
livered a lecture on Monday evening last, to a crowded and
most respectable auditory, at the Exchange Room ; except-
ing only the emissaries of the Roman Catholic Priest, who,
it seems, have been regularly sent for some time past to all
Protestant Religious Meetings, to annoy and disturb.
On the motion of the Rev. Wm. Morgan, seconded by the
Rev. J. Bardsley, the Vicar was called to preside, by the
unanimous and loud acclamations ef the meeting.
Dr. Scoresby, in acceding to the wish of his Parishioners,
expressed his anxiety in every way to, promote their best in-
terests, and certainly the promotion of National Religion
must be to their advantage, and he bespoke an attentive and
orderly hearing for Mr. Gregg, who was then introduced by
the Rev. G. S. Bull, as an old neighbour and tried friend.
He had known him many years, and never found him to turn
his back upon either friend or foe. He was a man of upright
mind, and steadfast purpose, who spoke all his heart, uttered
freely what he believed to be the truth, and dared all the con-
sequences ; and such men the present times required. (Cheers)
The Rev. T. D. GREGG, who was recived by reiterated
rounds of applause, said that the time was come for plain
speaking, and speaking out. As an Irishman, he felt for his
country, and loved it too ; but he entertained an admiration
and affection for England which he could not express. It
was not always so with him. His auditory had no idea of the
calumnies which were constantly and industriously propaga-
ted against England by the Popish' press, and the Popish
priests who were the masters of that press. It was their
practice to represent England as the very plague spot of the
earth, the seat of crime and all abominations. The charac-
ter of the British women had been assailed systematically :
they were represented as generally lewd and wanton.—
O'Connell's slanders on their character were -eritten with a
pen of iron, and would never—could never be forgotten.—
(Tremendous cheers.) He, however, had come to Eng-
land some years ago to be undeceived by his own senses.
He found here, comparatively, the beauty of holiness.—
He found great evils, and great immorality, but he fonnd a
greater proportion of instances than he would venture to say
the world could elsewhere produce of the sanctifying and glo-
rious result of Christian principle. Mr. Gregg here descibed
with powerful effect, the order and comfort of a Christian
cottager ; his enlightened knowledge of his duty and privi-
lege as a Christen, all which he owed to the true Catholic
Church, which held forth to him the Word of Life, and fed
him at the pure source of God's revealed truth. Now, he
would contrast this with the superstition of the Romish epos-
tacy. What would they think of such a story as this, which
was propagated and by many believed in Ireland. An
Irish nobleman, they said, had the devil in his house, and
sent for all the Protestant clergy to read him out in vain ; but
at last, Dr. Doyle, a Romish bishop was sent for, and he, of
course, despatches the fiend in a trice ! Such folly could gain
no credit with a true Reformed Catholic, but in Ireland, ev-
ery figment was swallowed down. And whilst the lies of the
priest were law and gospel both, the sacred and inspired
Word of God was neglected and despised. He was reading
the 51st Psalm to an Irish mountaineer a short time ago, and
asking him what he thought of it ; the poor papist replied
that " he thought no more of it than the grunting of his pig."
But if the priest gave him a blessed iron ring, or the belt of
St. Francis, or the Scapular, or grubbed up a few old bones
for him, he would place his dependence for salvation upon
such lying vanities, and feel himself safe in such abominations.
But he came to England and found a bold and generous peo-
ple, free to speak their minds and assert their rights, and
many of them exhibiting a self-denial and restraint of the
passions which was glorious and admirable. He found a
people self-governed, not awed by police and military like
the serfs of Romanism in Ireland ; but let them mark this,
that if Popish Councils prevailed in the state as they had
done and now did, England would soon become like Ireland
and lose its glory and independence. (Loud cheers.) They
would soon have a gendarmerie government. and every man
would have a spy to watch him. This was the fruit of Popish
domination everywhere—let them look at all Popish coun-
tries and they would see it, and let them be warned in time.
He came to plead for the carrying out of a Church and State
Union—of a real Union. He came to demonstrate its necessity
and benefit. National religion alone could produce national se-
curity, regeneration, and comfort. What then hindered? It was
Popery chiefly that hindered—Popery in high places he meant
—in our Parliament, our Privy Council, and our Palace too.
(A. voice—" She'll marry a Papist.") Mr. Gregg then went
into a plain description of Popery from the Homilies of the
Church, which designated the mass as " a horrible profana-
tion," and described the priests as " Popish wolves," de-
ceiving the people with their "mummish massing." [The
priest's men here commenced a regular system of annoyance,
when they were reminded that the mean* were at hand to
expel them if they persevered in their interruptions.] Mr.
Gregg went on to show the blessings which the prevalence
of national religion would produce. He was aware that per-
sonal religion was essential, and that national religion did
not necessarily include the individual piety of mankind ; bat
it was a great means adapted to a blessed end, and he would
have it carried out after the pattern of Josiah and Hezekiah.
He would have the word and ordinances of God publicly ho-
noured, the observance of the Sabbath enforced, and he
would restore the red-letter days, the holy days, for the reli-
gious advantage of the people, and for their refreshment and
recreation. In Popish countries they carried out the con-
nection of their apostate church with the state, and had great
pageantry and public demonstration. He would, in some
sort, copy their pattern, but not in objectionable matters.
He would have an holy convocation of the people at stated
times, he would summon them by thd trumpet's silver lips,
he would have the military to attend, and let the appointed
minister of each parish ascend the National Pulpit as in days
of yore, and declare to the people the truth of God. And
as to the apostate Church of Rome, he would use no force
but moral force. He would teach the people to despise her
mummish massing, and to despise her altars, and her images.
Aud since the nation had declared in her Homilies that her
mass was "a horrible profanation of the supper of the Lord,"
he would expose it as such, and cause such detestable idola-
spurned. He would as in
andy pretended miracles of
former try
e o
ef
ra
tbi eeasd, en
exposeGo d
theto b.juggles
1
,he Idol Priests. They did not believe their own miracles,
Or they would not (as he proved they did) leave out in En-
glish editions .of the " Lives of her Saints" a great many of
their fables. For instance, in the Italian version, St. Paul's
head is stated, after decapitation, to have made three bounces,
and that at every bounce, a fountain sprang up. Now, in
the English version, the bounces were all left out, and the
fountains too. (Laughter.) So again in the Breviary, St.
Francis is stated after decapitation to have carried his head
under his arm, but this is likewise omitted in his life, in the
version of the lives of the Saints used in these regions.
Was it not clear that they knew these miracles to be false,
or they would glory in them ? Now he would expose all
their jugglery, and he would also protect converts from po-
pery, from the proscriptions of the priests and their slaves,
who hunted them like as a partridge, when they forsook the
Mother of Harlots He knew many instances of cruel and
almost fatal persecutions, and mentioned one, person who at
the present moment was reduced to the utmost destitution.
The priest would hunt bun from service to service by threats
of withdrawing custom, if the obnoxious convert was not dis-
missed. An Englishman, however, would not bear this ty-
ranny. A case had been stated to him by a frieud, upon
whose veracity he relied, of a tea-dealer in Dublin, an Eng-
lishman ; hes had a prosperous run of business. A priest
very soon called to ask a subscription for a Romish school ;
he gave him one ; but another and another succeeded, and
at last he hesitated at being so frequently drawn upon. He
was soon after waited upon by " a dignitary," as lie called
himself, of the Popish church, who assumed a very pom-
pous air, and broadly hinted-that if the tea-dealer refused to
contribute when called upon by the priests, he would soon
be ruined by a combination of that corporation of batchelors,
against him. This sort of threatening the English could not
brook. " Jerry, Jerry," cried the insulted man, " come
and put this man out of my house, body and bones." (Loud
cheers and laughter.) Yes, O'Connell himself might fall
down, as he did, at an election once, before the feet of a
priest, and those who were taught from infancy to cringe
to the man of the " Breeden God," might tremble in his
presence ; but it was a sound Englishman that best knew
ho,W to send such braggarts to the right about. Mr. Gregg
concluded by advising the people of Bradford to demand a
repeal of that breach upon the constitution, the Romish.
Relief Bill—the removal of Papists from parliament, and the
formation of a Protestant Association for this end. It is
impossible iu so small a space to give any idea of the
effect produced by Mr. Gregg's address, which in many
parts exhibited the most stirring and impassioned elo-
quence which perfectly carried the auditors away. There
was also a great readiness of retort about him, peculi-
arly Irish, which, in every instance, turned the laugh
his adversaries who sought incessantly to annoy him.
It appears that Mr. Gregg's method with the Papist is a very
summary one. He maintains that the question of the apos-
lacy of the. Romish Church is the only one worth an hour's
controversy. Let that be established and there will be no
need to lose time in the examination of the figments of popery.
He does not treat them as philosophers whose dogmata are
deserving of examination for a moment. He fixes the broad
brand of apostacy upon the brow of Rome—shews from the
Inspired Word of God, and from the character and deeds of
the Romish Church, that it is the very Antichrist foretold
and foredoomed of God, and declares her Priests to be at
once disqualified for the discussion of Christian truth until
they have obeyed the command, " Come out of her my peo-
ple." He would shew them their errors faithfully and speak
the truth to them in love, but lie refuses to treat with them
as brethren or Christians at all. He complains that a false
courtesy has hitherto been used by true Churchmen towards
the agents of a system which is denounced by the Articles
and Homilies of the Church of England as damnable and
idolatrous. Mr. Gregg may probably be misrepresented as
proposing coercive measures towards the Romanists. Against
such a charge he sufficiently guarded himself by declaring
that he would confine all the acts of a Christian Government,
in putting down Popery, to public and authoritative exposure
of its superstitious and idolatrous tenets, and of its " Cursing
Priests," whose names, when they cursed from their altars
or persecuted the converts from Romanism, he would pub-
licly expose.

Mr. 'Gregg closed his lecture amid rounds of applause.
Thanks were given to him, with only twelve or fourteen dis-
sentients, upon the motion of Mr. Bull, seconded by a Wes-
leyan Preacher, Mr. Wilson.
Mr. GREGG then moved, and a Roman Catholic seconded,
a vote of thanks to the Vicar, who, in acknowledging it, stated
an interesting circumstance which occurred to himself when
in Ireland, which proved to him that the Irish Romanists
did believe that the Priest by his curse could send them to
hell. He called upon his parishioners to rejoice that the
blessed light of divine truth had dispelled such darkness, and
delivered us from such bondage. The Doxology was then
sung, and the meeting dispersed.

I heard of an American, who had two sons, and he de-
clared that they were so clever at barter, that he locked them
both up together in a room, without a cent in their pockets,
and that before they had swapped for an hour, they had each
gained two dollars a piece.

VESSELS ENTERED FOR LOADING.
(SINCE OUR LAST PUBLICATION.)

EAST INDIES, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, &c.
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NEW SOUTH WALES.
Statesman, J Quiller, 345 Port Phillip and Sydney,
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WEST INDIES AND MADEIRA.
Isabel, R Shaw, 352 Antigua, C W & F Shand
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UNITED STATES.
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George Washington, 603 New York,

Swallow, If Frazer,
Eugenie, J. Azibert,
Rival, T Keswick,

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