The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-03-01 00:00:00

DIOCESAN CHURCH BUILDING SOCIETY

The annual meeting of the Diocesan Church Building S -
ciety was held on Tuesday, in the chapel of the Blue Coat Hos-
pital. The meeting, which was very well attended, was
graced by the presence of an unusual number of elegantly
dressed ladies, who took a deep and lively interest in the
proceedings of the day.
The chair was taken by the Lord Bishop of CHESTER,
who, previous to the commencement of the business, called
upon the Rev. Mr. Lawrence to offer up a prayer, and sup-
plicate a blessing on their proceedings ; on the conclusion of
which his Lordship said he felt great pleasure in meeting the
friends of the society, in order that, at their annual meeting,
they might render an account of their stewardship, so that
that they might see that the funds had neither been wantonly
squandered, nor uselessly given away, or in any instance
misapplied. The reason why Liverpool was selected lo
hold their annual meeting, was on account of the unbounded
liberality it had evinced by aiding the society by the liberality
of its subscriptions as well as the example it had set to the
other parts of the Diocese, and he trusted the,time was not far
distant when all classes of society might firld-a seat in the
Rev.
of worship established by our forefathers. The Right
Rev. Prelate then went into a long statement of the efficacy
of the present state of the church, as compared to that of former
periods, when no exertions were made on behalf of its mem-
bers. He need only mention that four or five years ago the
important parish of Colne excited the commiseration and
pity of the friends of the church, and to which his attention
was particularly called. There was then only one church
and one clergyman, and he was happy to say that at this mo-
moment there were three churches and five clergymen, and
a sixth would soon be added. His Lordship might say the
same as regarded Hale. Three years ago there was only one
church ; there was now a second church, which would afford
accommodation for 1000 people, whilst two more clergymen
were added to administer to their spiritual wants • so that he
might say, the church had increased in its strength four-fold.
This was a theme of gratitude as well as congratulation. The
Pastoral Aid Society, and the Curates' Funds Society, had
largely contributed to aid the Diocesan Church Building So-
ciety in its operations, and it was a pleasing circumstance that
the attachment to the church establishment was in no way
diminished ; but, on the contrary, it was steadily and numer-
ically increased—he would mention that during the last year
20 churches had been built which had cost £48,000, to which
several societies had contributed towards their support. This
was a great proof of the attachment of the people to the
church establishment. His Lordship then dwelt on the great
advantages to be derived from the establishment of societies
like the present, and the great good to be effected by them.
He thought it due, therefore, to the persons who contri-
buted so handsomely to their funds, and that through their
means the blessings of pastoral aid, and religious instruction
would be administered to thousands who had hitherto been
deprived of so much consolation, to hold the meeting in their
neighbourhood,' that they might know their labour had not
been in vain. With these few' observations he would no
longer detain them, and the annual report, which no doubt
they were anxious to hear, would now be read :
The Rev. Chancellor RAIKES then proceeded to read the
fourth annual report, from which it appeared that the amount
of subscription during the past year was £lO,OOO, and that
the Society had afforded grants to nineteen churches, which
had been consecrated by the Bishop. Twelve new
churches are nearly finished, and will be . consecrated
during the current year. Deputations are appointed to
to visit the manufacturing towns of Lancashire and Che-
shire, and to request from the wealthy part of the inhabi-
tants subscriptions 0I2• behalf of the society, and represent
to them the great moral good to be achieved by their counte-
nance and co-operation. The report which was very volu-
minous, occupied a considerable time in reading.
The Rev. J. BROOKS, Rector of Liverpool, rose to propose
the first resolution, which was to the effect that the report
now read be printed, and circulated throughout the diocese
at large. The reverend gentleman said he did not feel it
necessary on the present occasion to say much, for he was
sure the information it contained was far too valuable to be
confined to the persons now present, and when put in circu-
lation, he felt certain much good would be effected by its pe-
rusal, and it would be the means of increasing the funds of
the society. With regard to the Town of Liverpool, it was
placed in a different position to other places, for it would
be remembered by his Lordship, that during the last year
they had established a Church Building Society, and for
which £20,000 had already been subscribed. This circum-
stance might make some little difference to the Diocesan
Church Building Society, still he trusted that the interests of
the society would not suffer on this account, and he felt per-
suaded that there were many wealthy inhabitants who would
cheerfully contribute to both, and if it detracted a little from
their purse, it would doubly add to their gratification.
The• Rev. JOHN GLADSTONE felt great pleasure in second-
ing the resolution. He was the representative of one of the
largest parishes in the diocese, and he could assure the meet-
ing
that the greatest benefits had been derived from the so-
ciety. New churches had been opened, congregations in-
creased, and schools erected, which shew there is yet a very
strong attachment by all classes of society to the establish-
ment of the church of England. He was happy also to ob-
serve that the contributions were confined not only to the
wealthy and influential, but the humble and small farmer,
as well as others, had added their mite.
The JAMES HORNBY, Rector of Welling, moved the next
resolution. He observed, that he would confine himself to a
few words, for he felt that a statement of facts was far more
valuable than sentiment. His lordship was aware that, in
the month of May last, in the chapeiry of Ashton, which
extended to a length of seven miles, a new church had been
built, which afforded accommodation to 1100 persons, and
he was most happy to say they had the services of one of the
most efficient and active clergymen that could possibly be
found. He was a truly good minister, and by his activity
and exertions, had formed a Sunday school, in which up-
wards of 1000 children were receiving religious instruc-
tion. The cottages of the poor had been visited, and both
their temporal and spiritual wants administered to, the com-
municants are increasing, and this pleasing picture is in a
parish that was formerly deplorably neglected for lack of re-
ligious instruction. This is only another proof of the inesti-
mable benefit derived from the exertions of the society.
He would mention another instance in the Chapelry of Newton ,
which from its vicinity to the Railway had greatly increased
its population; several manufactories had now establishments
there,—the Vulcan foundry who employed a vast number of
hands, which almost formed a parish of itself. It was now
in contemplation to establish a church and parsonage-
house;-there had been some impediments in the way
which he was happy to say were now removed. This was
one of those places which greatly required pastoral aid—
religious instruction. The rev. gentleman, in an eloquent
speech, dwelt on the necessity of the society continuing Its
exertions, in which he was sure they would liberally be
assisted by the friends of the establishment. The fields, he
said, were already white to the harvest, and he trusted that
the Lord would send forth faithful and true pastors to a
faithful people.
ADAM HODGSON, Esq., in a brief and energetic speech, se-
conded the resolution.

The Rev. R. C. WILSON, Vicar of Preston, next addressed
the meeting. He had been requested to take a part in the
proceedings of the day, and though he felt unequal to the
task, he was extremely grateful for the benefit his parish had
derived from the society. It might be interesting to the
meeting to know the great exertions which the Roman
Catholics were making in the parish over which he had the
honour to preside . Two of their chapels were now being
enlarged; of which a new one was opened a year ago ; four
more were now rising from the ground—they had also opened
a school for all denominations of Christians, capable of ac-
commodating upwards of 1000 children ; the sisters of cha-
rity were also busily engaged in pleading for the cause of the
Roman Catholics. When,therefore,this meeting heard of such
untold zeal which the Roman Church was making, surely it
becomes the duty of all Protestants to arouse themselves,
and come forward and assist the Church of England, in af-
fording religious instruction -to all sorts and conditions of
men, and not to be behind their Roman Catholic brethren
in supporting the cause of their holy and venerable church
establishment. The rev. gentleman then proceeded to read
an advertisement which appeared in one of the Preston
papers of Saturday last, and which was dated as far back as
the 20th of May last, and was from an establishment of
monks, called the brotherhood of St. Bernard, near Lough-
boro',in Leicestershire. It stated that the bearer was a mem-
ber of the order, and was fully authorized to obtain subscrip-
tions in behalf of the Roman Catholic Church. And he
could assure the meeting, that the missionary was extremely
active, He would only mention one instance. He (the
missionary) called upon one of his parishioners, who
was a female, and requested her subscription for the church.
She asked, what church ? He replied, for one in Leicester-
shire. But when she told him it was for a Roman Ca-
tholic Church, the missionary replied—Why you are a
Protestant, and pray for the Catholic Church, and surely
you cannot refuse to support it. Yes, said the re-
joinder, as a Protestant, I pray for the universal Catholic
church ; but I have yet to learn that that means the Roman
Church. About twelve years ago, when assisting in laying
the foundation stone of a new church in his parish, he was
yelled and hissed at, as if he was doing a disgraceful, un-
becoming action ; but he was now happy to say a great
change had taken place, and better feelings towards the
church establishment now prevailed.
CHARLES GROVES, Esq., seconded the resolution.
The Rev. HUGH M'NEILE moved the fourth resolution.
In reference to the fact mentioned by Mr. Wilson, he said,
they had been guilty of a sad neglect, in this opinion. in al-
lowing Romish Disssenters the title of Catholics. (Hear and
cheers.) In order to avoid the appearance of unkindness,
they had degenerated into a softness of tone respecting them,
which had compromised the very title of the Christian church
to which they had belonged. (Cheers.) The system of tam-
pering with the Protestant population had been carried on to
some extent,—and was still carried on, in this town. He had
himself witnessed much of it : and he was happy to say, that
an instrumentality had been organised for counteracting it
among the lower classes. The reverend gentleman then de-
scribed the objects and working of the Protestant Operative
Society, and commented upon a memorial prepared 1?y the
body for presentation to the Town-council, complaining of,
and suggesting a remedy for, the injustice to which their
children had been subjected, by the change- in the manage-
ment of the Corporation Schools. But there were, he ob-
served, other and higher objects to be considered in connexion
with that society. In cordial compliance with their right
reverend chairman's desire, the clergy had been reading the
queen's letter in their churches, and soliciting contributions
in aid of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign
Parts. He had been very much struck with one part of that
letter. Amougst the statements made in behalf of the so-
ciety thus honoured by her Majesty with her royal approba-
tion they found this one : " that the rapid progress of emi-
gration from Great Britain and Ireland into the colonies and
other dependencies of the crown, and the consequent demand
for increased means of religious instruction make it the duty
of the mother country to increase the number of the colonial
clergy." He rejoiced most unfeignedly to find that our most
gracious soveryign had given her commendation to this senti-
ment, " that it was the duty of the mother country,"—this
was the very expression, notwithstanding the signature (J.
Russell)—(a laugh)—" to increase the number of the colonial
clergy." He found on turning to the first page, that this
duty had been for a time, and to a certain extent, performed
by the mother country : a grant was " annually voted by par-
liament for the support of clergymen of the church of Eng-
land in the North American colonies," The next clause
said, that this grant was now discontinued. The Queen
complained that the mother country no longer performed her
duty ; and upon this ground her Majesty appealed, through
the archbishops, bishops, and clergy, to the congregations of
the church of England, to supply the lack of service which
her Majesty's Commons would no longer supply. Hear.)
But who was in fault ? who was it that held the purse-strings
of the Mother Country ? The majority of the House of Com-
mons ; and the majority of the House of Commons was turned
by Irish Papists. (Hear, hear.) That was the fact. The
Pope, who appointed the archbishops and bishops, without
suffering a veto to the British crown,—who had under
those archbishops and bishops a staff of parochial clergy
throughout Ireland,—was the nominator of from thirty to
forty members of the legislature, and in the balance of opinion
in the senate-house of Great Britain, the Pope's tail carried
the majority, opposed the grant, and had driven the Queen
to appeal from her unfaithful Commons to her faithful con-
gregations of the church of England. (Hear and loud ap-
plause.) This was not a mere ingenious argument raised
without a cause, though he did most assuredly think the cause
was undesigned. There were times when the good genius of
a man impelled him to say what was far beyond the crooked
ways into which he had been inveigled by his evil associates.
And he did believe that some such presiding genius had dic-
tated this particular clause in the Queen's speech, and put it
on record before the whole kingdom, and before the whole
world, that her Majesty considers it the duty of the mother
country to supply clergymen for the colonies of Great
Britain. (Hear, hear, and loud applause.) But how was this to
be done ? This made the subject so applicable to that society.
If efficient labourers were to be sent abroad,—and they were

reminded in the demands from all quarters of the world,
that young, inexperienced men would not do they must
have nurseries for training them at home: Andiif they were
to have congregations to which appeals could be made, to
supply what the nation in a collective capacity refused to
supply, they must have more churches such as that society
was engaged in planting through the length and breadth of
the land. (Hear, hear.) There was another point, already
connected in their addresses and their report with the opera-
tions of the society,—he meant the subject of education. He
confessed he thought the question of national education was
in a much more alarming position then than it had been a
little while before. He believed that the enemies of the
Church of England had gained a signal triumph. The
church party had been out-generaled. It was well known
that an apprehension had been raised in the public mind
concerning the education movement projected by the pre-
sent government, and that class of their supporters which
occupied, with reference to the church, what was called in the
French chamber, r extreme gauche. (Cheers and laughter.)
How far ministers, or any of them, had contributed skilfully
to increase the alarm entertained by the church party, it was
not for him to say. Certain it was, that a more masterly
prelude could not have been played. If they could bring a
man to be under the apprehension, for two or three weeks,
that he was going to be hanged, he would hail transportation
as a reprieve. (A laugh.) It had been feared that a great
movement was at hand, which at one fell swoop would have
taken away its Scriptural character from the education of
England. Instead of this, the soft and winning Secretary
for the Home Department appeared, not with a large bag,
whose inaccurate statistical contents might have roused Eng-
land to her point, but with a large letter, not more than
would go gracefully into a fashionable waistcoat-pocket, so
smoothly and sweetly worded as to cause no reclamation
whatever. (Hear, hear.) The scheme had succeeded to a
miracle. The Conservative party in Parliament, instead of
taking alarm, received it as a great relief, and the member
for Oxford congratulated the country that the right hon.
gentleman intended to do so little mischief. (Hear.) Yet
what had he done? He (Mr. M`Neile) held in his hand one
of the parliamentary papers, containing a letter addressed by
Lord John Russell to the Marquis of Lansdowne, and the
Marquis's answer. One of the propositions in the letter was
for the formation of a board " for the consideration of all
matters affecting the education of the people." The board
was to consist of laymen. Now here, on the very first step,
the grand principle was conceded. The management, the
control of the education of the people was to be taken out of
the hands of the bishops and clergy of the national church,
and vested in a board of five laymen ! Was that a subject for
congratulation ? Could they, he would ask, stand by, and
see it done, and say nothing? (Hear, and cheers.) He was
altogether alarmed at the argument that a change of Minis-
ters would bring men upon the board who were friendly to
the church, because it was composed of official men, not se-
lected because of their varying opinions on the subject of
religion, but because of the position they held in her Majesty's
councils. To sit down quietly under such a condition of
things would be to make themselves partakers of what he
could not call anything else than a crime. (Cheers.) Let them
be never so friendly to the church,—nay, were they sure of
always having a board friendly to the church, it would still
be their duty to resist, as far as lay in them, any attempts to
place the management of the education of the country in the
hands of laymen. (Hear.) The education of the country be-
longed of duty—he would not say 9f right—to the clergy of the
national church • and it was their duty, in carrying it forward,
to do all in their power, consistently with principle and
truth, to make it as comprehensive of the population as they
possibly could. They only knew where to stop. Put it into
other hands, and where could the line be drawn ? (Hear.)
Again, the first thing to be done was to have a normal school
for the training of schoolmasters, competent to assume the
management of similar institutions in all parts of the country.
They knew that the schoolmaster made the school ; and if
that board had the making of the schoolmaster, it was a sim-
ple syllogism to say, that the board would have the making
of the schools. More than this was contained in the pro-
posal. The board would consider " whether it would not be
advisable to apply a certain sum of money annually in aid of
the normal schools of the National and of the British and
Foreign School Societies." This was very gentle language,
certainly ; but he confessed it caused him extreme concern
and dismay. Suppose the board should consider it advisable
not to help the National Society—(hear)—and even the ex-
tent of this consideration seemed to be only for some years.
These were serious proposals, however softly worded. The
next point was perhaps even worse. " They would likewise
determine whether their measures would allow them to offer
gratuities to deserving schoolmasters." In the noble lord's
speech a sum of £30,000 had been asked for in the first place
for the board, and he had assumed the cost of the normal
school in London at £5,000. There was an intimation in
that passage of what would be the immediate use of some
portions, at least, of the remaining £25,000. To afford gra-
tuities td deserving schoolmasters. Who would be the judge
of the deserving schoolmasters ? Unquestionably the board;
or persons appointed by them ; and they knew the effect that
gratuities must have if bestowed on one schoolmaster in a
place and not on another. The inquiry would immediately
be made, " What did that man do who got the gratuity ? '
And it was too much to expect from, human nature, that
conduct would not follow such as the board was understood
to consider deserving of a gratuity. (Hear, and applause.)
They ought to have had experience enough of the instalment
system of those who were driving on the present government,
to know that they would not bring forward their scheme all
at once. What they wanted was, to avoid rousing the feeling
of the people of England. The people of England did not
wish to be disturbed. They said, A plague upon your
Irish agitators !" (Hear, hear, and loud laughter.) The
Irish party calculated on the people of England being qui-
escent. They said to themselves, "If we make a general
assault upon them, and rouse them, they will come upon us,
and thunder us out of the country. (A laugh.) We will go
gradually, so that no part of the process will appear worth
while being roused about. We will pick a hair here, and a
hair there ;"—they would remember that the man who began
by pulling a hair at a time was the first to pull the horse's
tail out—(laughter) ;—they would not make such an assault
as would cause John Bull to kick back, but they would go
on by degrees, hair by hair, till they left him shorn of all
the glory of his hinder parts. (Cheers and laughter.) The
arrangement proposed in the letter was to keep four princi-
pal objects in view, the first of which only, namely, religious
instruction, called for any remark. Lord J. Russell ob-
served, that " there was a wide or apparent difference of
opinion" with respect to religious instruction. It was really
a wide difference. They had no common ground to stand
upon with the advocates of what was called general education
without religion, because they differed in their views of the
materials to be .worked upon. The advocates. of general edu-
cation thought the materials in themselves were good. The
clergy, on the other hand, believed that the materials were
so bad that, except they were radically changed, cultivation
of them was like planting a weed in a hot-house. They might
force it more, but what did they force ? The juices of the
weed. There was nothing in additional cultivation to change
the nature of the plant. The nature of the plant must be
changed before cultivation could be an advantage, and there
was nothing that could effect that change but Christianity.
After some further observations the reverend gentleman
concluded by proposing the resolution.
The Rev. J. W. GuNrtrisTa seconded the motion.

The Rev. C. G. T. DRIFFIELD, in proposing the commit-
tee for the ensuing year, spoke of the Unproved state of Pres-
cot with regard to church accommodation.
The motion was seconded by the Rev. JAMES FURNIVAL,
of St. Helen's.

Thanks were then voted to the Bishop, for his conduct in
.he chair, and the meeting separated.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE LIVERPOOL ANTI-CORN LAW PETITION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—If you think these few lines worth inserting in your
paper, I shall be obliged.
The petition got up at Liverpool against the corn laws was
signed (it is stated so) by 25,000 names. To show, Sir, how
many of them were obtained, and how incompetent such
persons were of forming an opinion upon such a subject, is
my wish.
A man was placed in the Goree Piazzas, to get as many
names as possible. During the time I stood by (five minutes),
some dozen persons affixed their names, among whom were
five drunken sailors, three boys, and two or three old men
and women, who had the pen thrust into their hands, but
could not use it.

The same scene took place at the top of Park-lane,, late on
Saturday night, when some hundreds signed their names,
chiefly persons of the lowest description, and who had just
left the gin shops and beer houses in a beastly state of intoxi-
cation.

Can we wonder, Sir, at so many signatures to the petition,
when the originators had recourse to such base and dishonest
practices.—l remain your obedient servant,
S. K.

THE CORN LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

venture to send you a few lines on a subject just
now much discussed, but, as it appears to me, by all most
entirely as a party question, though each party professes
to advance the good of their opponents as well as themselves?
and I think that, as a party question, it can never satisfac-
torily be settled ; that is, if by satisfaction we mean the good
of both parties. No doubt, a great deal of the outcry is raised
by persons glad of any subject which gives them an oppor-
tunity of talking in public : but when we see such meetings
as have lately been held, in all parts of the country, and at-
tended by persons admitted by all to be of the greatest re-
spectability and intelligence, we must cede to them the right
to attention, though we may not admit, to the extent they
claim at least, the truth of their complaints, or the feasibility
of the remedies they propose. Without going through the
details of the case here, we may at once challenge the justice
of the charge made by the manufacturers, viz., that the only
remedy for their present state is the repeal of the corn laws.
They assert this ; but what proof do they bring? They talk
a great deal about the encourageinent given to manufactures
abroad ; but do they expect that all European states are to
remain without any attempt to supply their own wants,
merely for the benefit of the manufacturers of England?
The notion is absurd ; and all the protection to her trade
that England can command, are her natural productions, her
energy, and experience. By the proper management of these
she may still maintain her supremacy. The immediate re-
peal of the corn laws would, no doubt, produce a temporary
relief to the manufacturers, by withdrawing to another, trade,
some of the capital now employed at a very small'rete of
profit but this could be but a momentary relief, and, there-
fore, I think they promise themselves too much when they,
expect so many interests to be sacrificed for their temporary
advantage. I am far from maintaining the perfection bf the
present corn laws •, indeed, I think them very susceptible of
improvement. The fallacy in them appears to me to be the
actual prohibition they give to all trade in corn in ordinary
seasons. Of course, such a season as the past must not be
taken singly as the foundation of any calculations for a gene-
ral rule. A general understanding having been come to as
to what is a remunerating price to the farmer, a duty is fixed
upon at that price, with an ascending and descending scale.
Perhaps that duty is too high, considering the natural pro-
tection the farmer enjoys in the expenses of freight, &c., in
bringing foreign corn to this market ; but let that pass for
the present. This fluctuating scale acts, I say, as a prohibi-
tion in the average of seasons ; for, in spite of all that has
been said of the facility of forcing the averages of price, we
find that it has not been worth while to provide a store, either
here or on the continent, for the supply of this market. The
remedy, then, would appear to be this :—Having decided
what is the remunerating price to the farmer (and it will
scarcely be prudent for them to have the naming of that price),
let the rate of duty vary more gradually ; that is to say, vary
by every shilling per quarter of price up to a certain point,
and, of course, downwards in the same manner. But I
would propose the alteration of the present duty should ex-
tend further on the increase of price than on the decrease.
This simple alteration would render it worth while to hold
foreign corn for home consumption. Nor do I think we need
fear too great an influx from abroad ; for it very rarely hap-
pens that we have a short crop here, without a correspond-
ing deficiency of that on the continent. For the manufac-
turers to suppose that even the entire repeal of the present
laws would be a cure for all they at present suffer, is merely
snatching at a straw. If continental Europe will manufac-
ture, and we have no power to stop them, of course they will
lin a great degree supply themselves with -ordinary things.
But what has become of our long boasted superiority of
working, to say nothing of our natural advantages, if we can-
not still maintain our ground. England must always be her
own best customer ; but that is no reason the main article of
life should be heavily taxed. A moderate duty, if it can be
so arranged as to guard against either scarcity or repletion,
must be best for all parties: As for the comparisons that
have lately been made, as to the prices of articles manufac-

tured here and abroad, there is one grand mistake attending
them all, the mere money price is no criterion of the value
to parties living in each Afferent country. But this is a sub-
ject includingso many others, and I have already trespassed
so much' on your notice, that I will say no more upon it than
that not only the value of money as such, in the two differ,,
ent countries, but also the proportion it bears to other things,
supporting the relative position of the parties using it to those
both above and below them in the scale of life, in the respec-
tive countries, must be considered.—l am, Sir, your most
obedient servant, H.
A_
25th February, 1839. )PA. 10,,cf