The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-05-28 00:00:00

AUXILIARY TO THE

SUNDAY -SCHOOL SOCIETY FOR IRELAND.

Yesterday evening, a meeting of this society was held at
the Music Hall, and was most numerously and respectably
attended. At about seven o'clock, the gentlemen who were
to take an active part in the proceedings, appeared in the
room, and were hailed with much approbation.

The Rev. F. Ould was voted to the chair, and opened the
proceedings by a very powerful and fervent prayer, having
particular reference to the object of the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said that the principal object of the pre-
sent meeting was the support of Sunday Schools in Ireland ;
and he was not sorry to say that no lengthened statements
would be required from him, as the report would supply all
the important information required; and he trusted that would
be most gratifying to the meeting. Their cause had been most
warmly supported in Birmingham and Shrewsbury, but he had
the gratification to say, that Liverpoolhad, in its contributions
exceeded its former donations, in the last year by £2OO. He
had the gratification to add, that since he had entered the
room, he had received a donation of £5. (Cheers.) The
object of the society was to afford the fullest information to
the people on scriptural subjects. It was a delightful reflec-
tion that the means they proposed were not carnal, but of a
spiritual nature, and with the aid of their prayers, he
felt they would ultimately triumph. In supporting a scrip-
tural education in Ireland, they were fighting the battle
of England also. The rev. gentleman then alluded in strong
terms to the idolatry of the Romish faith, and he called upon
every male individual present to subscribe their names to the
petition. He next entered into an exposition of the evils of
the present system of education, excluding the pure and un-
adulterated scriptures, now pursued in the Corporation
schools,—dwelling upon the fact, that by that system Catho-
lic, Unitarian, Socinian, or Jewish principles might be, if
unchecked, introduced into Protestant England. He fur-
nished a statistical account of the schools in the several
provinces of Ireland, showing the comparative advantages
in a moral and religious point of view of the scriptural educa-
tion. He enumerated the cases of murder and assassination
in that unhappy country, which could only be accounted for
by the prevalence of popery. He next adverted to the bene-
fits diffused by the Sunday School Society, which had, in tha
last year, distributed a million and a half copies of the
word of God. The Secretary then read the following

REPORT, &c.
The committee of the Liverpool Association Auxiliary to
the Sunday School Society for Ireland, appear before their
friends and subscribers with unmixed feelings of satisfaction,
because in surrendering their trust, they feel they have much
cause for thankfulness to Him whose strength is made per-
fect in man's weakness, and who doeth according to His will
in the armies of he•sven, and amongst the inhabitants of
earth. The education of the people of Ireland in the princi-
ples of the word of God, is acknowledged by all who have
themselves experienced the unspeakable peace and joy which
flow from a saving knowledge of the truth, to be vitally con-
nected with the improvemenr and welfare of that long ne-
glected and still distracted country. Notwithstanding her
many present evils, the spread of scriptural knowledge amongst
her population, gives hope and promise that at no distant
period she will emerge from her ignorance and degradation,
and become a praise amongst the nations of the earth—a king-
dom of our Lord and of his Christ—a people redeemed to
God by Emanuel's blood.
Your committe have now to give an extract from the last
report of the Parent Institution, in order to exhibit the happy
and steady progress which Sunday School instruction con-
tinues to make in Ireland.

Your committee now present the following recapitulation
of the number of schools, scholars, and gratuitous teachers
in connexion with your society, in each Province, on the Ist
January, 1839 :

PROVINCES

No. of
Schools

Province of ULSTER - - - -
LEINSTER - - -
MUNSTER -
CONNAUGHT - -

2045
457
343
161

No. of
No of [Gratuitous
Scholars. Teachers.

167362 16132
33216 I 3077
18378 1958
7694 661

TOTAL
[n connexion Ist January, 1838 -

226650 21828
214164 20885

ncrease from Ist January, 1838, to
Ist January, 1839

12496 943

Your committee feel thankful in being thus enabled to
show a clear increase during the past year, of 31 schools,
12,486 scholars, and 943 teachers.

The total number of schools in connexion with your society,
on the Ist January, 1839, was 3,006, containing 226,650
scholars, and 21,828 teachers. Of the total number of
scholars, 139,102 were reported to be reading in the Bible
and Testament, and 45,944 to be adults above the age of
fifteen. From the returns forwarded to your society, it ap-
pears that about one-half of the scholars are not receiving
instruction in daily schools.
The number of schools assisted during the past, consi-
derably exceeds that of the year preceding. The increase of
Bibles issued during the same period is 1,423, and of Testa-
ments 3,178 ; making a total since the formation of the So-
ciety of 579,286 copies of the word of God. Whilst the
labours of your Society are perseveringly directed to the
establishment of the Protestant population in the principles
of Scriptural truth, it is not less their object to extend the
knowledge of God's Holy word to our Roman Catholic
countrymen ; and notwithstanding the unmitigated hostility
of the clergy of that persuasion to Scriptural Instruction, your
Society continues to receive the most satisfactory testimony,
that there exists a willingness amongst the people, when left
to their own judgment, to obtain a knowledge of divine
truth, both for themselves and their children. To extend
the knowledge of the unmutilated Holy Scriptures amongst
the people of the sister land is the primary object of the
Sunday School Society." Whilst an acquaintance with
mere human learning may elevate man above the untutored
Heathen and fit him for civilised society, but the knowledge
of the Word of God can alone raise him to a level with the
assembly of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven,
and fit him for the society of angels, and the spirits of just men
made perfect through faith in a Saviour's name. The unre-
stricted use of the Bible as it contains the whole council of
God, is the foundation upon which the Sunday Schools of
Ireland have been established; and it is to be deplored, that
any system of education should be proposed for that coun-
try, or any other, which would recognise the expediency of
mutilating or curtailing those Holy Scriptures, which an in-
spired Apostle has declared are able to make wise unto salva-
tion through faith in Christ Jesus. The committee of the
Parent Institution have borne their solemn and faithful tes-
timony to this effect, in reference to the National Board of
Education. Their report states—" Whilst the desire for
perusing the word of God is yearly increasing amongst the
population of this country, it is much to be deplored that any
system of education should be established which imposes re-
strictions upon its free use. This your committee consider
is the tendency of the regulations of the National Board of
Education, and the effect of which, as stated in your 26th
report, is ' to weaken the efforts of those societies, which
have been establishedupon the great principle, that the Bible
should be the basis of National Education.' In former re-
ports of your society the injurious effect of the system sup-
ported by the National Board has been also shown, in the
withdrawal of Scholars, particularly of Roman Catholic
children, from the Sunday Schools." The sum of 4;189 3s. 10d.'
was remitted to Dublin in aid of the general fund during the
past year, after deducting the necessary expences, and leaving
a balance of £B. in the Treasurer's hands, to meet the inci-
dental expences of the current year.
Your committee advert with pleasure to the result of the
first year's operation of the Ladies Branch Auxiliary to the
society in this town. This auxiliary, formed in February last
year, has been enabled through the exertions of the com-
mittee, and a few collections, to remit to the Liverpool Auxi-
liary £56 15s. Bd., in doing which, they would humbly adopt
the language of the Psalmist, in saying, " Not unto us
0 Lord ! not unto us, but unto Thy name be the Praise !"
Taking encouragement from the blessing which has attended
their efforts, and which they would hail as the first fruits of
a richer harvest, they desire to persevere by God's help in
the " Work of faith, and labour of love,', remembering
their Redeemer's injunction to Peter, " Feed my Lambs.'
Anxious that their remittances should bear some propor-
tion to the excellency of the society, they would call upon
such ladies as hold scriptural education to be dear and valu-
able, to join them in coming to " The help of the Lord,
to the help of the Lord against the mighty," by their prayers,
and using their influence with their friends to give cheerfully,
and liberally of their abundance.
In conclusion, and with an entire dependence upon the
spirit of the Most High, your committee would earnestly
invite the co-operation of all who feel sensible of the moral
destitution of Ireland, that ignorance may he chased away
by the diffusion of scriptural knowledge, and that the popu-
lation of that part of our United Kingdom may, through the
instrumentality of a widely extended system of Sunday
school instruction, be led to know Jesus as the way—the
truth, and the life.
The Rev. Mr. BURKE, in an eloquent address, in which
he stated amidst loud cheers, that he had been a Roman
Catholic priest, and had become a Protestant; entered at
considerable length into an exposition of the evils of Popery,
and the advantages of sunday schools under the establishment.
He besought the meeting to support the object they had in
view, Scriptural Education, and to suppress the encroach-
ments of Popery. He noticed the abominations of the con-
fessional, and concluded a powerful appeal, by moving the
adoption of the report.
The Rev. Mr. WCONKEY seconded the resolution, which
was unanimously carried.
The Rev. Dr. COOKE, (of Belfast,) then came forward to
the front of the platform, and was most enthusiastically
cheered. It was some time before the applause subsided,
and when silence was restored, he proceeded to say that it
was very probable, judging from the spirit that had been a
few minutes ago evinced by the meeting, they would not re-
ceive him so kindly as they did, when they became acquainted
with the object he had in view, in thus coming forward to ad-
dress them. A rev. gentleman—a friend of his, had said,
that no person belonging to, or connected with the Sunday
School Society was ever to be found amongst the precursors.
Now, said the Rev. Dr., I am a precursor, I came here to-night
to advocate the establishment of a precursor association, and
what are the objects for which I desire the formation of such
a society ? I wish to establish this society, for the purpose
of rising the light of life, and sending it forth, shining
before the blaze of the meridian sun— I wish by the forma-
tion of such a society to diffuse the light of the gospel over
the length and breadth of the land, and to dissipate the thick
and blighting mists of ignorance and infidelity. In Ireland,
the meaning attached to the word is (pray-curse-her)—in
the Latin, the word means, one who goes before another. It
is in the latter sense that I am an advocate of the formation
of a precursor society—a society whose object is to drive
away the clouds of darkness and of sin before the rays of the
light of noon-tide day. This is the reason why I appear
here to-day as an advocate of the establishment of a precur-
sor society. But I have still another reason, and it is this—
because I know and feel convinced that the knowledge of
God must precede the obedience of God ; for he that does
not possess a knowledge of God, cannot know God through
Jesus Christ crucified. Before we can practise obedience,
we must know God, for faith alone, whether in man or in
devil, is useless and of no avail, unless it is exemplified by
love, and knowledge is the forerunner of that love, by which
alone can it be established. There is another sense also
in which I am the advocate here to-night of the establish-
ment of a precurser society, and it is for the purpose of
showing to you that Protestant decision—Protestant deter-
mination, and resolve, must run before Protestant power,
and Protestant success. The great cause of Protestant weak-
ness, is our inactivity, and indifferency. We have acquired
the habit of lauding the practice of indifference as to the
actions of men—we have learnt to say, let all men walk as
they like, let them pursue such courses as may seem to them
most suitable, and agreeable—we are not accountable, and
the consequence of this conduct is—we now require to have
a Protestant Precursor Society established, on the princi-
ple of evincing and enforcing Protestant decision. The
Bible is the religion of Protestants, and the religion of
Protestants is the love of Jesus Christ, and this is the princi-
ple of Protestantism, and none other does it profess or is it
known by. (Cheers.) As to the first part of what I have
stated, that the Bible is the religion of the Protestants, it is
upon the authority of Chilling-worth I make the statement,
and if this be so, our object is gained, and the Protestant
Precursor Society must be established—if the religion of Pro-
testants be in the Bible, where is the man who dare interfere
with it ? (Cheers.) What would not every Briton say, if
he were accused of disloyalty to his Queen, or hostility to
the sacred principles of the British constitution ? And
who is he who dare interfere with his allegiance to
either? And shall we Englishmen, permit the great
charter of our religion to be interfered with, to be in-
sulted, to be mutilated, to be trampled upon ; and shall we
not make an effort to vindicate the great book of our redemp-
tion from their polluted assaults, and rescue it from their

contaminating hands ! (Loud cheers.) It is, therefore, that
we must establish a Protestant Precursor Society, whose
business it will be to permit no man to interfere with the
right of the Protestant to read the words of the true and
unadultered sacred writings. The bible as I have already said,
is the foundation of the religion of the Church of England, of
the Church of Scotland, and of the other various fair forms
of dissenters, and for any man or set of men to attempt to
lay their hands upon the bible, is neither more nor less than
to attack the Church of England, the Church of Scotland,
and classes of dissenters, who only can subsist so long as
they stand by the bible as the basis of their religious princi-
ples. This precursor society, therefore, must hold it to be
one of its principal and fundamental objects, that no inter-
ference with the bible, in any manner or under any pretext
whatever shall be permitted. Let them not then be led away
by the representations put forth relative to the splendour
of the Church of England, and the simplicity of the church of
gcotland, nor be deluded so far as to believe that Popery was
an extremely mild neighbour, not in the least ambitious, but
perfectly lowly, humble, and by no means inclined to meddle
with what does not belong to her. Oh ! no, she would not
for the world touch Canterbury, nor entertain the slightest
feelings of envy to the Synod of Scotland, nor I am sure
would the Moderator of the Synod of Ulster feel it necessary
to be under the least apprehension—(laughter and cheers)—
nor even any of our brethren, the Protestant dissenters of Eng-
land. All, so far so good ; but I will lay aside all considerations
of man, and cling to those which more immediately appertain to
our future well-being, and I will ask you are you prepared to
allow the Bible, the foundation of your religion, to be inter-
fered with ? It is not as Protestants I make this appeal to
you, but it is an account of the religion of Protestants as
founded in the Bible—as exhibited in the articles of her
several churches, which are at once the bulwarks, the edi-
fices, and towers of her strength, that we should determin-
edly resolve to defend. (Cheers.) My reverend brother
who preceded me has given me rather a hard task to perform
—he has called upon me to take down the beads that were
placed against the wall of a Scottish school. Now I
might be disposed to say to him, as they would most
probably tell him to do in Ireland, " Take them down
yourself." (Laughter.) The reason why I want to do so is,
that the beads, as he calls them, were no beads at all—they
were not Pestalozzis, but mere bits of sticks, used for the
instruction of children in arithmetic. I have here in my hands,
continued the rev. gentleman, a little book—a young book,
which may in course of time become a large book. It is now
what they call in Scotland a ehitterlin, and its name is
" Hypocrisy Unmasked." There are two or three ways of
unmasking hypocrisy, but the most effective way of
doing it, as that which has been adopted in the present
instance, of allowing the hypocrite to unmask himself.
(" Hear, hear," and great laughter.) I have no doubt
the author of the little book is a man who has entered your
town under false colours, or who had as many colours as the
rainbow, any of which he could adopt as expertly as " Punch
and Judy," and change again as his purpose might answer.
He has rapidly and sly (SLEIGH-) ly enough turned his colors,
and has satisfactorily unmasked his hypocrisy to all who will
take the trouble to examine his performance. This indivi-
dual charges the clergy of the town, in their opposition
to the new-fangled system of national education, which
has been proposed, with having been guilty of stating,
contrary as he alleges to the fact, that the bible was not read
at all in the corporation schools of Liverpool. Now the
clergy never asserted any such thing ; it is a mere evasion of
the question to put the controversy on the subject before the
public in such terms. We in Ireland have been taught bet-
ter than you have been on this subject of national education,
and if you wish to learn all the tricks of the trade, I would
recommend you to go to'a place in Marlbro'-street in Dublin,
where the principal establishment is, and there you will see the
whole tricks and manoeuvring to perfection. (Laughter.) I
know them pretty well, for I have accused them of excluding
the Bible from the schools, unless as they said, " at the or-
dinary hours." The commissioners of the national system
were alert in removing the difficulty, and they struck out of
their regulations, as to the time of reading the Bible in the
schools, the words " ordinary hours," thus leaving it op-
tional whether the Bible should be introduced at all, at any tim e
during the day, and considering it quite unimportant whether
if the sacred scriptures were introduced, and it was the author-
ised or interdicted version of them. Thus it is that the author
of " hypocrisy unmasked" sly (Sleigh)ly puts forth his con-
demnation of the clergy of Liverpool for discountenancing
a system of national education, which excludes the word
of God from your schools for even a moment. If this is the
way that the bible is introduced into your schools—if it is
is by such trickery as this, they wish to evade the obloquy
that must attach to them, by a formal exclusion of the word
of God, I know not, but I have a sly (Sleigh) suspicion
that the superintendents of your schools have copied our
Irish plan, (laughter and cheers) according to which, as the
saying is, you might as well look for holy water in an orange
lodge, as to expect to find a Bible in one of the Irish na-
tional schools, (Continued laughter.) I presume, that
during four hours of the day, in obedience to the rules pre-
scribed, there is not a Bible to be found in the schools at all,
but during the remaining time, many Bibles may be intro-
duced, and of various versions, as maybe:suitable to the tastes
andprinciples of the parties. The whole system was a complete
piece of trickery, and imposition. By a logical trick, the
school hours during which the Bible was to be read, were so
described as to be impossible to ascertain what portion, if
any of the day was devoted to that purpose. It was not
only bad logic, which is always the resort of dishonest men,
that was committed for the purpose of effecting this object,
but they were guilty of perpetrating a gross, and injurious
delusion upon the Christian public. I know the system
well—l have been annoyed, I have been goaded by it, I have
been slashed, and kicked by it—for love, in an Irish way, and
I ought to know something about it by this time. They will
permit you to introduce the bible into the schools, with the
exception of four hours during the day, and for the remain-
ing part of the day they might do with the bible what they
thought proper. lam now speaking to Protestants, and I
hope there are also some Roman Catholics here, and if so, I
would ask them were they prepared to allow any man io in-
terfere with their religion ? (No, no, and cheers.) ,I am sure
there is not a protestant heart here that does not respond to,
nor a protestant hand that would not be raised in denial
of such an invasion of our rights, and why ? Because
our religion is the only claim that God has given us upon him
—our religion is Heaven's acceptance on our demands, and
is there any merchant who would allow any person to tear
away the stamp that carries his bill, or the signature that
gives his authority to his letters?—is there any lawyer who
would allow another to destroy the stamp or seal which gives
force and authenticity to the deeds he writes ? No. Shall
we then allow man to interfere with the Bible, that sacred
ledger of our redemption, which has been delivered
by God and received' by man ? (Loud eheering.)—
The rev. doctor then referred to the constitution of the board
of national education in Ireland. It consisted, he said, of a
protestant archbishop, a Roman Catholic archbishop,
a presbyterian prelate, a dissenting archbishop, a soci
than lawyer, and though last, not least, a senior fellow of
Trinity College, Dublin. He condemned the system patron-
sed by them, in his usual eloquent, energetic and sarcastic
manner—he vehemently censured The system, and eluding
the reading of the scriptures for four hours during the day,
and designated it as an act of the grossest dishonesty. He
apologised for trespassing so long on their patience, and as
he felt much fatigued owing to indisposition, he would take
leave to recruit himself for a short time, while the collection
in aid of the Sunday School Society might be proceeded with.
(The plates were then sent round, and a large subscription
was received.)
The Rev. Doctor again rose, and addressed the meeting at
considerable length, and concluded by proposing a resolution,
recommending perseverance in furtherance of the objects of
the society, and appointing officers for the ensuing year.
The Rev. Mr. WHITE had much pleasure in seconding
the resolution ; but he had not much to say, as the Rev. Dr.
Cook had so ably touched on every subject, that he had left
him nothing to add, and would therefore content himself
with merely seconding the resolution ; he would, however,
venture to say thus much, that he supposed, out of the large
number which composed this meeting, there were many of
their friends who were absent, perhaps brothers, sisters, or
cousins. Now he had no doubt that there would be a plate
held at the door when the meeting was about to separate, and,
he hoped they would each put in half a crown for their ab-
sent friends. (Laughter.) The resolution was then put and
carried unanimously.
The Doxology was then sung, and the meeting separated.