The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-13 00:00:00

THE. VOLUNTARY SYSTEM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST.4IVDARD.

you have the goodness to permit the following
observations to.appear in your highly-respectable paper ?
I have again been led to consider the voluntary question,
by reading a pamphlet lately published, being the lectures,
or speeches, of four of the leaders amongst the voluntaries,
delivered at a late meeting at the Music-hall, in this town.
The lecturers were—Mr. Blackburn, Rev. J. Kelly, Rev. J.
Burnett, and Rev. Mr. M`Kerrow. What appears to me—
and I think must appear to every reader of this pamphlet—
as a most extraordinary and unaccountable circumstance, is,
that although the question is one that can only be settled by
the Scriptures, yet, in any one of these lectures, there is not
a single reference or appeal to Scripture, to support or prove
any of their allegations. The fact is simply this—that not
one lecturer-on the side of the voluntaries has ever stated or
fairly met the question. They invariably set up a phantom
of their owd brain. They describe an established religion as
possessed of the very worst principles, as coercing the con-
science, and robbing the people • and on this fancied religion,
or rather establishment, they will lecture for hours, and most
triumphantly beat it down. Now the matter in dispute is
altogether to he determined by the Word of God, and it de-
pends on two simple points : first, whether unbelievers are
or are not under the Obligation of obeying all the precepts
and ordinances which are binding on believers ; secondly,
whether or not it is the duty of rulers, as such, to apply any
of the property of the state to the support of the Gospel
miniStry. And now I call on voluntaries to come forward
and meet these points fairly—not by theorising, but by what
-is contained in the Scriptures ; and that they may not come
unprepared with their Scripture Proofs; I now tell them and
the public, that I am prepared to shew, from both Scripture
and the nature of the Case, that every unbeliever' who has
had an opportunity of reading the Scriptures, or hearing the
Gospel, is bound to perform every duty which a believer is
bound to perform ; and, on the other point, to prove that
there' is a New Testament law which makes it-imperative on
every ruler to appropriate a portion of the state property for
the support of a Gospel ministry. Any communioation on
the subject, published in any of the Liverpool newspapers,
shall be attended to.
The following arc &Pies of letters whichl sent the associ-
a'iOn by a private hand - •
To 'pm LIVERPOOL YOUNG KILN'S VOLUNTARY CHURCH
ASSOCIATION.
My Yomig,friends,—l am quite satisfied that the object of
your• societY.,is, the extension and glory of the Mediator's
kingdom in the world, and that you sincerely believe that
the voluntary system is calculated, rather than any other, to
accomplish this object ; and I can with truth say, that my
object in advocating church establishments, or insisting that
.the duty of all, both rulers and ruled, to use their influence
and property in the support of the Gospel or true religiion,
is the same. Now Ido thank that both you and I are 'called
on to give, with meekness and Christian affection, a reason
for our faith or belief on this subject; that, by examining and
comparing our different views, truth may be elicited. And
perhaps the best method of doing this might be by a private
correspondence by letters. You must be fully aware that
the subject is not of that nature that it is immaterial whether
your or my views of it are held; on the contrary, error in
faith or judgment, on this subject, must lead to many gross
errors iu practice. It therefore becomes us to examine most
carefully the reasons which induce us to hold our present
views, and also Candidly to examine each other's reasons. I
shall now state the principal reasons which have caused me
to adopt my views : and first, I• find that when God esta-
blished, or, if you will. appointed a public church, he made
it imperative on the rulers of the state to set apart certain
property of the state for the support of the ministers of the
church ; and by looking to Nehemiah xiii. 10, 11, I find that
it was the duty of the rulers to enforce the payment of the
•.ministers. Thus the support of the church devolved on the
rulers or government. And when I turn to the 9th chapter
of Ist Corinthians, I find Paul, or rather the Spirit by Paul,
teaching, as clearly as language can express, that the law
given to the Jews on this subject was intended equally for
the Christian dispensation,
.and of course is still binding on
Christians. Another reason for my belief in. the principle I
am advocating is, that every rational creature created by
God is bound to devote himself and all he possesses to the
glory of God and the promotion of his cause in the world.
Indeed, it was for this very end he was created. I could
state many unanswerable objections to the voluntary system;
• but I shall not say more until I hear your reasons for the
views yott hold. But in what you communicate on the sub-
' ject, keep always in view the principle contended for by your
opponents. It is simply this—that it is the duty of all rulers,
as rulers, to establish and support the Gospel or the true
religion ONLY ; and that the support of any other is highly
erroneous and criminal. I think it right to mention this,
because, in all the lectures I have seen, the question is not
fairly stated or met. The whole force of their reasoning is
directed against the establishment of false religion, or per-
haps sometimes against the improper conduct of some per-
sons in establishments. Surely reasoning against such has
nothing to do with, nor in any way can it affect, the princi-
ple. It will be very satisfactory if you will have the good-
ness to point out in the Scriptures such passages as shew it
to be improper in any government to support the ministers
of the Gospel, or in any individual to do so.
Liverpool, Aug. ith, 1839. A. AITREERY.

My young Friends,—l wrote y'ou ith current, and should
not now again address you were it not that I fear you might
think that any answer not official, or given in the name of
the society, would not be a suitable one ; and no doubt such
an answer would be, ost desirable : but, as perhaps such an
answer could not be easily obtained, au answer from any in-
dividual of the association will be agreeable. You will please
keep in mind that what I request is a statement of the pas-
sages of Scripture which induce the belief that the voluntary
system is founded on the Word of God.
Aug. 29th, 1839. A. MT.

Gentlemen,—l wrote you 7th and 29th ult. requesting you
would refer me to the passages of Scripture which induce you
to believe that the principles of the voluntary system are
founded on the word of God, to which you have given me no
answer. Now, I would just appeal to yourselves whether it
be not a most extraordinary case. Here are a number of
young men associated for the avowed purpose of defending
and extending certain principles—principles which, if not
founded on the word of God, are pregnant with innumerable
evil consequences ; and yet not one of these young men can
produce a single passage from Scripture to prove, or in any
way support, those principles. Your silence surely warrants
me in drawing this conclusion. A. •I%l' C.
September, 1839.

Gentlemen,—l again address you, in the hope of inducing
-Ton t ri ou s 1 y examine the principles of the voluntary aye-
tem, for the support and extension of which your society has
been formed. 1 would chiefly wish to impress on your minds
the consequences which must inevitably result, should your
principles be acted on. First,—many hundreds of gospel
ministers, now labouring zealously in the vineyard of the
Lord, must cease their labour, and leave destitute of the
gospel the districts in which they are now labouring. Another
consequence would be, the preventing governments from
doing their imperative duty—the supporting of the ministers
of the gospel ; and, what is still worse, teaching unbelievers
that it is not their duty to give any support to gospel minis-
ters, or to the cause of God in the world. The same principle
which would exonerate them from this duty, would exone-
rate them from all obligation to obey any precept of the law
of God, whether called moral or religious. I might enume-
rate many other evil consequences which must take place, but
the above, I trust, will show you that, if your principles are
not founded on the word of God, you are awfully engaged in
opposing precepts clearly taught in that word, and must
incur the guilt of the consequences advocated. And now, to
show that Scripture precepts are decidedly against your prin.
.ciples I need only refer you to my first letter on the subject,
and shall only say, that no sophistry can ever overturn what
the Holy Spirit, by Paul, teaches in the ninth chapter of
Corinthians, viz., that the law given to the Jews, relative to
the support of gospel ministers, was binding on Christians.
Paul says, " The law." If the law had been abrogated,
there would then have been no law on the subject. But he
goes further, and quotes from the Jewish law, and says, " It
was for our sakes this law was written." How voluntaries
are able to reconcile their principles with this most plain
testimony of the word of God, I can by no means compre-
hend. Another principle held by voluntaries is, that rulers,
as such, should in no way interfere in religious matters; and,
of course, that infidels are as eligible to rule, or may make as
good rulers, as the most sincere christians. How very dif-
ferent the spirit by David speaks in 2d Samuel xxiii. 3. "He
that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."
As relates to unbelievers not being under the obligation of
performing christian and moral duties, what ought surely to
settle that matter, is what is recorded in the twenty-fifth
chapter of Matthew, from 41st verse to the end, where the
cause of the condemnation of the wicked is stated to be, their
not having performed christian or moral duties. Why will
not voluntaries leave off theorising, and come at once to the
Scriptures ? I can see no other reason than that their prin-
ciples will not bear the light of truth. And now, gentlemen;
permit me to suggest, whether it be not your bounden duty,
as much as is in your power, to banish from your minds all
prejudice, and all preconceived ideas on the subject, and
candidly examine the word of God ; and if in that word you
cannot find what will support your principles, immediately to
desist from your endeavours to propagate them, lest haply ye
be found fighting against God ;_ but if, on the contrary, you
find in the Scriptures what you deem sufficient proof of your
principles, please have the goodness to refer me to those
passages which you conceive prove your principles correct,
and agreeing with the word of God. Again I earnestly
solicit an answer.
12th October, 1839. A. M`C.

I have yet received no answer.
And now the public will have an opportunity of judging
whether or not voluWarics are willing to have their principles
tested by the word of God. One word to the young men
who have associated for the purpose of opposing the voluntary
principles My young friends, will you permit a word of
advice from one who has thought a good deal on the subject.
In all your discussions with voluntaries, keep them close to
the Scriptures—do not follow them in their vain speculations,
of what they think right or fitting." "To the law and to
the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them."
Liverpool, 7th December, 1839.

ALEX. M'CREERY.

The subscribers to Lloyd's intend presentinga silver medal
to Capt. Quayle, of the Mona's Isle, for his exertions in
saving the crew of the ship Nancy, wrecked in Douglas bay
inthe month of July last.—Manx Liberal.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPEDITION.—The London Times of
Wednesday•last, contains the charge of Chief Justice Tindal
on opening the commission for the trial of the chartists in
South Wales, which charge was only delivered on the pre-
vious day at Monmouth. The reporter's dispatch left that
place at four o'clock on Tuesday, and appeared in the Times
the following morning at seven o clock, and reached Liverpool
aboutfive o'clock in the evening. This is one of the most
remarkable instances of dispatch on record.

BURN V. CARVALIIO.—JUDGMENT.—The Lord Chan-
cellor gave judgment on' Saturday in this case, which was
au appeal from the decision of the Vice-Chancellor, declaring
that in equity a letter sent by a tradesman named Fortunato,
who carried on business in Liverpool, to his agent at Bahia,
desiring him to hand over to a third person what goods of his
he, had in his possession for the purpose of securing the pay-
ment of certain bills in the possession of the plaintiff,
amounted to an equitable assignment of the property, not-
withstanding that letter did not arrive at its destination till
after the bankruptcy of the party sending it, thereby exclud-
ing the claim of the bankrupt's assignees to the possession of
the property. His lordship was of opinion that the judgment
of the Vice-Chancellor was correct, and ordered the appeal to
I be dismissed with costs.

DISCOLNTING EXTRAORDINARY.--A day or two ago, a
bill for £240,000, twelve months' date, was discounted in
Kanchester at, we believe, 81 per cent per annum ; the amount
of the discount was £20,000. In this city a gentleman called
upon a bank of issue with a one-pound note, and was re-
quested to call again ! We pledge ourselves to the authen-
ticity of these extraordinary facts—Dublin Post. [We have
made inquiry, and are informed, that, as regards the alleged
discount of a bill for £240,000, there is not a word of truth
in it.—Ed. Manchester Guardian.]
The Portsmouth and Gosport floating bridge, which had
been looked for some days past, was towed into harbour this
day at noon, from Bristol, by the Sir Francis Drake, steam-
, vessel, and will immediately be fitted for use. It is admira-
bly constructed for the purpose in was designed for; and the
advantages accruing from it, not only to foot and carriage
passengers from all parts of the neighbouring counties; but
to the inhabitants generally of Portsmouth and Gosport, will
no doubt Wu be experieneed.—HairipsAire relegraiih.