The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-01-20 00:00:00

rch r,l:

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1852

FOREIGN AID SOCIETY

and acceptable present, there is proof unanswerable of its
excellence.—The Post-Magazine Almanac is marvellously
cheap, yet very respectable in its contents and execution.
The reason is, that it is issued at the office of a magazine
exclusively devoted to insurance subjects; and therefore
it is patronised in advertisements, information,l4c., by
almost all the insurance-offices. Its list of these is itself
a valuable document; and the information respecting
them, individually and collectively, is of importance to many
far beyond the sphere of their operations.— Gilbert' s
Clergyman's Almanac ought to be good, costing five
times as much as that last named ; but there is no pro-
portion between the prices and the merits. Of course the
information is of a special character ; but there must be
great slothfulness in the compilation. Under the head of
Grammar Schools in England and Wales, we turn to Li-
verpool, and f►nd one established at an unknown date,
with the Rev. F. Miff as head-master ! There is a good
deal of a similar kind, which would be remedied by an
annual circular.—The Catholic Directory (Dolman) con-
tains an account of the Roman Catholic Church in Great
Britain. There is a frontispiece giving a portrait of Dr.
Walsh, late Vicar-Apostolic of the London District, in
episcopal robes ; an account of its chapels, clergy, schools,
convents, &c., to which we must devote larger space on
some future occasion.—The Wesleyan Almanac, compiled
for the use of the Wesleyan and other branches of the
Methodist family, is neatly got up, and is intended to re-
munerate by an extensive sale.—The Protestant Dissen-

CHESHIRE AND WALES.

4a.
A public meeting of the members and Friends of the It is said that an offer of Mr. Brassey has been accepted
Foreign Aid Society was held on Friday evening last, in to complete the Birkenhead Docks according to Mr.
the Hall of the Collegiate Institution. There was a large Rendel's plan.
A sufficient sum of money has been raised to warrant
tsiiedseobfoa7tsm.
boatmen
15s. each, according to station, to the
ettendance on the occasion. The Rev. H. M'Neile, D.D.,
7otourii
presided, and the Rev. Richard Burgess, Rector of Chel-
sea, attended as a deputation. There were present, the Mr. J. B. Phillips, a ticket collector at the Rhyl station
Revds. J. B. Lowe, S. Minton, H. Hampton, F. Parry, of the Chester and Holyhead Railway, has been killed by
Thebengcrushed between the buffers of a luggage train.
C. W. Lawrence, W. M. Falloon, J. Conor, J. Hirsch, Masonic body of Cheshire have commissioned Mr.
W. W. Wright, J. Cowan, and Messrs. W. Jones, E. J. A. P. Mac Bride, to execute in marble a life size bust.
Jones, J. Cropper, E. Cropper, H. Webster, Major of their Grand Master, the venerated and gallant General
Thorpe, &c. Lord Viscount Combermere.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the
The meeting having been opened with prayer, week ended 11th January, 1852 :—Chester and Holy-
assemblage, Ma introduced the Rev. Mr. Burgess to the head Main Line: Passengers. £B79' 6s. 2d. ; parcels, H.
and, in doing so, said that Mr. Burgess,
after a tour on the Continent had repeated his annual C. and D.. £59 Bs. 4d. ; goods, cattle, &c., £573 ss. 2d.. ;
,
visit to Liverpool, in order to inform them of the pro-
mails, £575.—M01d : Passengers, £3B 18s. 2d. ; parcels,
£1 13s. 5d.; goods, cattle, &c., £125 12s. 3d.—Steam-
would know that the foreign churches are not governed
gross of Protestantism abroad. Most of his hearers boats : Passengers, £l26 19s. 2d. ; parcels, £l3 7s. Od.—
like ours, nor as some persons think they ought to Total, £2,393 9s. Bd.
be. Here we see the Church governed by bishops, as BIRKENHEAD TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.—On Tues-
in the first ages of Christianity; but although that may day evening last, the members of the Birkenhead Total
be preferred as the perfection of a church, yet we are not Abstinence Society held their meeting in the National
at liberty to deny the Christianity of those who think School-room. Mr. John G. -O'Brien, of Birkenhead, a
otherwise. We have among us, however, High Churchmen member of the Society of Friends, occupied the chair ; he
who, because foreign Protestants have no episcopacy, deny contended that the moderate drinking usages of our country
that they have any Christianity, and who in their zeal have were the forerunners of nine-tenths of the vice, crime, and
wretc hednss wety, he ses
not scrupled to assail our venerable Primate, for his truly
m
Christian recognition of our brethren on the Continent. ore partiecularhich infect
soci
ly. Mr. Luke Duff,t working
of Seacombclas e, and
He has mildly replied to their assaults, in which they Mr. J. A. Bennett, from Liverpool, afterwards addressed
attempted to array against him the Bishop of London, the meeting,
by garbling statements which he had made. In that STEAM CRANE AT BIRKENHEAD.—A steam crane, con-
they failed, and he (the Chairman) held in his hand structed by Messrs. Fox and Henderson, the contractors
three sermons of the Bishop of London, which had for the building of the Crystal Palace in Hyde-park, has
recently been reprinted in this town, under the care of recently been placed on the verge of the Birkenhead
Rector Campbell, one of which contained a remarkable Docks, for the loading of vessels with coals from the quay.
passage respecting the Reformed Church on the Conti- The two engines by which it is worked, are of three horse.-
nent. The Prelate there said, that he believed the feel- power each ; and it raises from the railway, hoists over
ing of the Fathers of our own Church to have been that the hold of the collier and empties a truck containing five
foreign Protestants, though without episcopal govern- and a half tons of coals in about three minutes, requiring
ment, constituted a true Church He gathered this not for the operation nothing more than the ordinary superin-
only from their writings, but because it was the opinion tendence.
also of their predecessors. In support of this he cited COAL TRADE, BIRKENHEAD.—The prosperity of this
Bishops Hall and Andrews, and Archbishop Branahall ; trade continues. Mr. Hancock, the agent for the Brvmbo
and the Bishop of London had added, that it becomes us Company, is loading three large ships, viz., the Tara,
to use the same language towards them. He asked which Gossypium, and Amide, carrying upwards of 3,000 tons,
course was most likely to win over the men whom we principally for the service of the Peninsular and Oriental
supposed to he in error ? Such language as that he had Steam Navigation Company ; the Tara alone carries 1,400
quoted, or that of hasty and ill-judging men, who as- tons. The Mangerton, the first government emigration
sorted that they who rejected episcopacy were not Christi- ship for Australia from Birkenhead, also takes a quantity
ans. He would say that they were guilty of no inconsist- of these coals. Although so many thousand tons of these
ency in maintaining their own high standing. and at the coals have been, within the last two years, taken on long
same time acknowledging the brotherhood of the Pres- voyages, yet no single instance of spontaneous combustion
hyterian Church on the Continent. He knew, however, has occurred.
that his own opinions would weigh lightly with those per- GOLDSMID V. THE TRUSTEES OF THE BIRKENHEAD
sons who asserted the contrary; and he had therefore Docxs.—At the Vice-chancellor's Court, on Monday, 1
given the opinions of Bishops and Archbishops ; and Mr. Bacon and Mr. Goldsmid moved, after notice, that the
hoped that if any High Churchmen were present trustees of the Birkenhead Docks might be restrained by
they would join both with their hearts and their subscrip- injunction from applyingiany of their money to the pay-
tions to aid in diffusing the Protestant Faith more widely ment of expenses with reeard to the new bill of which 1
abroad. He then gave some brief particulars, from the notice had been given. Mr. Goldsmid, the plaintiff, and
y of France, in relation to the progress of the others, held bonds given by the trustees, for which the I
red Church there, from which a sublime lesson was docks were security ; and they apprehended that any in-
to be drawn, as it spewed that a priesthood with the terference with the existing plans for those clocks might
secular arm at its disposal began by destroying the reli- possibly endanger their security. No one appearing to
gious liberty of all persons in the State; proceeded to the oppose it, his honour made the order for the injunction as
required to make the Institution truly useful—at least destruction of religion itself, and ended by rendering the prayed.
1,000 or 1,200. It was contemplated. as soon as the State incapable of enjoying liberty at all. (Cheers.) LISCARD NORTHERN SCHOOLS.—From a report issued
funds should warrant the necessary expenditure, to este- One of the conditions of the marriage of Louis XIV— by the treasurer and secretary of this charity, it appears
blish classes, and engage competent masters for the purr Le grand Monarque—with the Infanta of Spain, bound that the schools are progressing satisfactorily. C. K.
poses of education ; and, lie might add, that it had al- him to do his utmost to destroy Protestantism in France; l‘Tainwaring, Esq., has made a free grant of the further
ready been found necessary to enlarge their rooms. The and the king set about the work with cordial good will. quantity of land required, subject only to a nominal rent,
library also had been greatly extended during the last few He then described the horrors of the persecution which so that the school premises have been made double their
months, and now contained upwards of 1000 volumes, was carried on—the imprisonments, deportations, murders, former size. The Rev. John Tobin, incumbent of the
besides the current reviews, magazines, and best periodi- and massacres, which devastated a great part of France,— I district, takes a warm and active interest in the success of
There was another feature to which at- i and continued, with gradually diminishing severity, how- the institution, while the master and mistresses are also
it to be drawn ; the lectures delivered in that ever, down to the reign of Louis XVI ; and when checked,
—boys, 122 ; girls, 96 ; infants, 104 : total 322. The most zealous in their exertions. The present number are
of .' ',est, the ablest, and most learned that was done by the pen of an infidel Voltaire
were given gratuitously to mem- who exposed the murder of the elder Colas, on a false boys' school is even now too full, but this number includes
_ charge of assassination, got up by the priests, because the 35 from Wallasey village. From this extraneous pressure
accused was an active Protestant clergyman. The enor- the committee hope to be relieved by the early reorgan-
rnity of that case aroused the indignation of Voltaire, isation, under the auspices of the rector, of the Wallasey
advantages arid he wrote a Tragedy on the subject, which being endowed school.
s were of the played in Paris, turned the current of the popular sycnpa- A SOLDIER DROWNED.—On Tuesday last the body of
tides, and rendered the persecution which was then John French, a serjeant in the detachment of the Royal
yee,e „eel raging, odious. In the meanwhile the last vestiges 'Welsh Fusileers, now doing duty at the Rock Battery,
_
_ eingdom—the doctrines, position, and of real Christianity bad well nigh been eradicated through- was interred in Wallasey Churchyard, with military
ee or the Romish Church. The object of the men out France, and the horrors of an atheistical revolution honours. Some time ago the deceased received a small
by whom they had been delivered had been not merely to followed, which occupied the minds of this country and remuneration, as salvage, for securing a cask of oil which
pull down the fabric of error, hut to establish the temple of all Europe during the latter part of the last century. he saw floating on the water; and on Saturday last, he
of truth (applausel. He concluded by introducing the That ended in a military despotism, and was succeeded by plunged into the water for the purpose of securing what
Rev. Mr. Tottenhain. a series of revolutions, in which republicanism, empire, was supposed to be another cask, but in the attempt
The Rev. E. TOTTENHAM, in commencing his lecture, monarchy, red-republicanism, and anarchy had success. I failed, and was drowned. The deceased was an expert
thought it necessary to define the meaning of ~ T.- fully striven for mastery, and finally given place to a new swimmer '• he had, however, only been a short time in the
military despotism more grinding than any that had pre- water when he suddenly disappeared, supposed either
ceded it. And nobody now pitied France. Every one from being benumbed with cold (which was most intense
said that she did not know how to enjoy or to use liberty on that day) or seized with cramp. The deceased was
when she got it. Was there ever a more marked retribu- only 31 years of age, and has left a wife and three children.
tion ? The country had gone through all the phases of THE NEW DOCKS AT CARDIFF.—The formation of the
revolution, and the newspapers of that day contained a new docks at Cardiff will he commenced during the course
mock constitution conceded by the petty tyrant who had en- of February. The trustees of the youthful Marquis of
slaved the country. Yet, what could the French do? They Bute have accepted the contract of Messrs. Hemingway
had no religion—no respect for themselves or for one and Pearson, and their contract will alone cause the ex-
another—no confidence in one another's truth ; and men penditure of a quarter of a million of money, if not more.
who could not confide in each other are not fit for liberty. The whole of this will be expended upon the formation of
Much of the mischief of such a state of things arose from the docks, which are to be constructed upon a scale of
the teaching of Rome and of the Jesuit priests, who great magnitude, as well as to be fitted with every neces.
insisted on implicit faith in all their dogmas, till the people nary and convenience for carrying on a most extensive
were disgusted, and would believe nothing ; and he knew trade. The gates will be constrncted spacious enough to
not which was most unreasonable—to believe all that admit vessels and steamers of the largest class. The
Popery presented to its adherents, or to believe none. building of these docks will also involve the extension of
Both implied madness. Nor was it competent to give a railway accommodation thereto, and the erection of ware-
nation freedom by the constitution of a day, or the decree houses, wharves, sheds, stages, &c., so that altogether the
of a council, any more than to inspire men with religion outlay of money will be heavy.
by absurd relations such as the liquefactionof the blood of LISCARD NORTHERN SCHOOLS.—A triennial report,
St. Januarius. True liberty must arise from the character issued by the treasurer and secretary of this excellent
of a people. God had thrown liberty upon us as the charity, is highly satisfactory. C. K. Mainwaring, Esq.,
reward of the fidelity of our forefathers in the maintenance has made a free grant of the further quantity of land
and circulation of His word in its purity—the means by required, subject only to a nominal rent, so that the
which the character of the British nation had been formed. school premises have been made double their former size.
Had they submitted to the dictates of James 11., the people The Rev. John Tobin, incumbent of the district, takes a
might have been in the same condition as France now is ; warm and an active interest in the success of the institu-
but they would rather perish then, and he believed the tion, while the master and mistresses are also most zealous
same feelings actuated them now, than submit to a Popish in their exertions. The present numbers are, boys, 122 ;
despot. The character of the Anglo-Saxon race was such girls, 96 ; infants, 104 ; total, 322. The boys' school is
that they could not submit to be tyrannised over by bigots even now too full, but this number includes above 35
of any religion or name. But God had not left himself from Wallasey village. From this extraneous pressure
without witnesses, even in France, though there they the committee hope to be relieved by the reorganization,
resemble doves in the midst of rooks. The Protestants under the auspices of the rector, of the Wallasey En-
among them wished to maintain their pastors and to edu- dowed School.
cate their children ; hut they were without the means, for BALL AT WALLASEY.—A ball in aid of the funds of
they were surrounded by Popish commissaries of police, the Wallasey Ladies' Charity was held at the Egremont
and by bigoted gendarmerie, and were afraid to move ; Hotel, on Wednesday evening last. Nearly three hundred
therefore it was they cried aloud to us, and asked for ladies and gentlemen were present, comprising the prin-
assistance. (Applause.) He concluded by calling upon cipal families of the neighbourhood, among whom were—
Major Thorpe, the honorary secretary, to read the report Messrs. Miles Barton, D. C. Buchanan, James Buchanan,
for the past year. Thos. Bouch, Wm. Chambres, W. R. Coulborn, E. Coul-
Major THORPE stated that the funds bore a general born, W. Duncan, J. C. Ewart, W. H. Gilliat, G. Grant,
average of about £2,000 per annum. Many persons had J. Halliday, T. Hassell, H. Littledale, G. H. Lawrence,
reduced or withdrawn their subscriptions during the past Rev. Haggitt, W. Mann, J. Naylor, D. Neilson, J. North,
year ; but he was happy to add that new supporters had Dr. Parr, T. Peer, W. Rowson, Commissioner Stevenson,
come forward to fill their places. Other collateral aids J. Stringer, T. W. Sharland, S. F. Symonds, G. Thomp-
had been extended to the society. For the support of son, Henry Winch, Maddock, Peter Wright, &c. Dancing
evangelical schools they had raised the sum of £1,200, commenced at nine o'clock, and was kept up till a late
which was not brought into the annual account, because hour. The refreshments, supplied by Mr. Manafall, were
it had been obtained from other than the ordinary of the choicest kind, among which the seasonable dainties
sources. Other sums had 'also been subscribed to build of a huge boar's head, and a large game pie, both deco-
a school-house in Geneva, in order to bring the children rated with flowers and evergreens, attracted general notice
there taught within the protection of a new law which had and admiration. The music was supplied by Mr. Gribbin's
been passed by Jesuitical influence. The purport of that excellent band.
law was, that schools for Roman Catholic children, and WALLASEY EMBANKMENT.—The Commissioners of
those of the reformed faith, could not be held under the the Wallasey Embankment met at Mr. Bussard's, the
same roof, and consequently the Protestants were com- Leasowe Hotel, on Tuesday last. There were present the
pelled to build a place of their own, or to send their chit- Hon. Sir Edward Cast, J. R. Shawe, Esq., of Arrowe
dren to be taught by the priests. The Major then gave a Hall ; Harold Littledale, Esq., Liscard ; the Mayor of
history of the operations of the society in Liverpool, where Liverpool ; Samuel Holme, Esq., of Liverpool, and John
it had been established for eleven years past, and had col- Davies, Esq., of Mollington. The commissioners in-
lected altogether about £BOO ; though, he must add, the spected the whole of the works, being accompanied by the
amount named was not all that had gone in aid of the Town-clerk of Liverpool and the Corporate Surveyor. It
cause from this town, as some of their friends here, was found that some damage had been done by the high
whose names he was not at liberty to mention, had given tides and recent heavy gales, but the damage was being
very large sums privately—more than double the amount speedily repaired. The embankment was ordered to be
which appeared in the report. He next made a statement lengthened about 600 yards, so as to obviate the danger
as to the necessity of rendering all the assistance in their of any breach being made over the low land contiguous to
power to the Protestants of France, who, under Louis it; and the Surveyor was directed to prepare plans and
specifications for letting the work by tender. Mr. Milne
Napoleon's rule, had been completely subjected to the
dominion of the Jesuits and their supporters, and con-
was appointed collector of rates, in lieu of Mr. Browne,
eluded by exhorting the audience to contribute liberally to and Mr. Tweedie the treasurer, in lieu of Mr. Neilson. It
the funds. was found that many parties were in arrear ; and the
The Rev. RICHARD BURGESS followed with a long and commissioners have expressed their determination to have
interesting narrative of the condition and prospects of the rates collected in future with greater promptitude and
Protestantism in France, whither he had lately been on a regularity.
tour. He spoke of the hostility of the existing govern-
ment there to the promulgation of the reformed faith, and
of the effects of suppressing the liberty of the press, in
preventing tracts and facts relative to the errors of the
Romish Church from being disseminated. He next
pointed out how the President and the priests played into
each others hands for mutual power—the latter procuring
votes from the ignorant peasantry, to serve the purposes
of the former, and he conferring authority, and bestowing
a monopoly of state influence, on them in return. Pro-
testantism, nevertheless, though persecuted, was still
making considerable progress in France, and it had been
said by a politician—a sort of under Secretary of State—
that so disgusted were large numbers of the people with
the conduct of the priests, that half the population would
embrace the reformed faith if the opportunity were
afforded them. To some extent this assertion was borne
out by what had happened. In the south of France,
at the place where the bleeding picture had been cited as
a miracle, and affirmed by the mayor and other officers of
the commune, the whole parish had renounced the creed
which encouraged such imposture, and taken a Protestant
pastor : and in several places in Normandy and other pro-
vinces conversions, were rapidly proceeding, and would be
multiplied tenfold if the means of enlightening the flocks
were not wanting. The speaker created considerable
mirth by relating the history of some alleged relics of the
apostles and saints, which are still shewn in Rome and
elsewhere, and by exposing the fraud of some modern
miracles, which have proved exceedingly profitable to the
priesthood, and concluded by exhorting his hearers, in
the words of the song of Deborah, to " come out to the
help of the Lord against the mighty." (Applause.)
JOHN CROPPER, Esq., next addressed the meeting,
feeling anxious. as he did, that it might not be laid to the
charge of any of them that they had failed to do their
duty in extending the bright spots which were still per-
ceptible in the melancholy condition of France. He
thought that in Liverpool they had done very little, by
giving scarcely £lOO a year for the religious instruction of
the Continent. It was not what they had a right to look
for, and though it might have been blessed by God, who
could make £lOO go farther than they could, they ought
not to rest till they had done much more.
The CHAIRMAN closed the meeting by giving out a
hymn, which was sung by all present, and by pronouncing
the blessing on the assemblage.

ters' Almanac, published by Jobn Cassell, is unques-
tionably the vilest of the lot. Neither from papist nor in-
fidel have we heard or read of language more abusive to
the Church, than in the previous numbers of this publica-
tion. The present seems to be milder, but in the same
spirit. We purpose to advert to the Almanacs again ; for
there is much t 3 be learned from the official statements of
the parties themselves. Those who merely know the
current newspaper reports or platform effusions respecting
the various sections of the community, political and reli-
gious, know little or nothing respecting them. It is our
wish, and it will be our effort, to guide to more correct in-
formation.

LECTURE ON TRADITION,
BY THE REV. E. TOTTENHAM, 8.D., OF BATH

On Thursday evening last, an interesting lecture " on
Tradition" was delivered in the Concert Hall, Lord Nel-

dance was not so large as usual, owing probably to the
extremely unfavourable state of the weather.

JOHN GRANTHAM, Esq., haying been celled to the
chair, explained the objects of the Church of England In-
stitute, under whose auspices this course of lectures had
been established, and proceeded to urge its claims upon
the attention of young men engaged in mercantile and

other purs

ts. He understood that in Liverpool there
were not less than 15,000 young men of the class to which
he had alluded. For their instruction and intellectual
gratification that Institution was especially adapted. The
Society, as yet, had bad but one annual meeting, but the
1,17 f Ohnrfixr hi:, h,,i;„„n_i

a '
say, that, it would appear from the Report of the Commit-
tee that the number of members had considerably in-
creased during the last twelve months. They now
amounted to 400 persons, but a much larger number was

cats of the day

tention ot

ball, by

men of the

at the course con-

„,on was hut 10s. a-year, and t 1
.sted of twelve lectures, he thought it must prove an in-
ducement for many to avail themselves of the
I which the Institution offered. The lecturr
a greatest importance. They hod -

agitated the whole la
workine

generally been of a con-

tion," in relation to its use as a rule of faith , or a standard
by which men may judge of the truth. It was obvious
that all men must have a rule of faith, or they could not
know what to believe, but would be liable to be carried
away with every wind of doctrine. But, with regard to
that rule, there was great difference between Protestants
and the Church of Rome. A theoretical agreement
existed, that the Word of God constituted the rule, and
that that Word was to be found in the Holy Scriptures,
and also that tradition, if it could be authenticated, would
have the same effect as the Word of God. But while

that agreement existed, there was an essential difference
as to what constituted holy scripture. The Church of
Rome added to the Scriptures we receive, the books of tbe
Apocrypha ; and they differ also as to the authority of the
Scriptures; for while the Church of England maintains that
therein is to be found all things necessary to salvation, and
that nothing which cannot be proved therein is required ;
the Romanists say that the Bible is a partial and incom-
plete revelation, and that it requires tradition and the in-
terpretation of the Church to exnlain its mt.:mina H

,•••-•• wa.• I/ 44111 ILO lucannig. LIIS
subject, however, was simply tradition ; and he would ex-
plain the meaning of the word, for without that they
would be liable to get into confusion. Roman Catholics
were in the habit of taking advantage of the several mean-
ings of the word. Tradition was derived from a Greek
word, signifying to deliver or hand down, and that might
be either by writing, or orally. Sometimes, however, it
meant the thing itself which was handed down, as they
mutt frequently have heard of a tradition which had de-

This word had a wide sig-
nification, and its uses were quite as various. The Scrip-
tures themselves were a tradition, or rather a body of
written traditions ; and the Romish Church often quoted
St. Paul's exhortation, to hold fast the traditions which
had been delivered to the Church. The early fathers fre-
quently spoke of the Sacred Writings as traditions ; but it
should be borne in mind that Protestants did not reject
the traditions of the written Word of God. The traditions
of ancient authors also were necessarily referred to for the
opinions and facts of the primitive ages of Christianity. But
that was not the rneanin g attached to the word by the Church
of Rome. We receive their testimony as to the facts
which they state, but not as conveying to us anything
essential to faith which is not to be found in the Scrip-
tures. Where the testimony of early writers could be
obtained as to the opinions and usages then prevailing, it
was a help to the understanding of the written Word of
God ; but it could not be received when it contradicted
the letter or spirit of that Word, or added to it matters
on which the Scriptures themselves were silent. The
sense, however, which the word " Tradition" bears in the
Romish Church is, that it is the unwritten Word of God,
which we are bound to accept. This view the Church of
England rejected. The lecturer then quoted the decrees
of the (Ecumenical Council of Trent, which stated that
the rule of faith was contained in the received books of
Scripture, and in the unwritten Traditions which had
been handed down from Christ himself, by the Apostles,
to the fathers of the Church ; and that the same reverence
was to be paid to the Old Testament, to the New, and to
those Traditions. He then read an extract from the
writings of Cardinal Bellarmine, which asserted that there
was a necessity for an unwritten Word of God, to explain
the written Scriptures ; and went on to shew that a living
Roman Catholic writer, being asked where the Traditions
of the Church are to be found, replied that they were
contained in the decrees of the General Councils, and in
the writings of persons versed in theological antiquities;
adding, that it is possible there still remain some other
Traditions in the works of the fathers, not yet decided
upon by the Church, but preserved therein, so as to be
produced when occasion should require. They would see,
therefore, that Tradition was still unfixed, and left float-
ing as it were. The lecturer next sbewed the liability of
Tradition to be corrupted. The fathers of the Church
offered no unbroken chain of evidence from the time of
the Apostles, and the first General Council (that of Nice)
was held in the fourth century. And the argument of the
Church of Rome, that for the first 2400 years there was
no written Word of God, was not applicable to the case ;
for the ages of Adam and Methuselah alone extended
over nearly 2000 years, during which they might have
transmitted to their posterity the truths they had received
from God without corruption ; while we know that even
in the age of St. John the traditions respecting our Saviour
had already become perverted, for the Evangelist tells us,
in the last chapter of his gospel, that Peter said to Jesus,
concerning the beloved disciple, " Lord, and what shall
this man do ? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he
tarry until I come, what is that to thee ? follow thou me.
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that
that disciple should not die; yet Jesus said not unto him
He shall not die, but If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee ?" The rev. lecturer produced also
a large body of evidence from Roman Catholic authors—
doctors, and bishops, and cardinals themselves—to prove
that the Church of Rome was not unanimous as to what
decrees of councils should be received, or as to what tra-
ditions were perfectly orthodox. One council had occa-
sionally opposed a direct contradiction to the affirmation
of another, and one pope reversed the decision of his
predecessor. Tradition, consequently, could at best be
only an uncertain guide, and ought not to be accepted as
a rule of faith, though even the creed of the Romish
Church had been enlarged solely on the faith of tradition ;
for the Council of Trent had added, in the 16th century,
no less than twelve articles to the Nicene creed, which
contained the doctrines of transubstantiation, the invoca-
tion of saints, and other matters which Protestants wholly
rejected. He concluded by exhorting his hearers to stand
by the Bible, as containing all things necessary to salva-
tion, and as giving all that our Saviour and his inspired
Apostles deemed essential to be borne in the memory of
men. (Applause.)
A vote of thanks was then given to the lecturer, and,
after the announcement of some future lectures by the
chairman, the meeting closed.

scended from preceding ages

Reforr;

A VETERAN STILL IN THE FIELD.—Tne Most: K'ob'e
the Mar.uis of Anglesey, although in his 83rd year, turned
nut on Tuesday and killed 27 head of game with his own
gun. The noble IVlarqui3 was not a little pleased with his
exploit, and with his capital sport.

THE GUN TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, THURSDAY.—The
Board of Ordnance have sent down to this town for ten-
ders for the setting up of 23,000 rifle muskets.
MR. WARBURTON.—We are glad to hear that poor Mr.
Warburton, who was in the steam-ship Amazon, effected
an insurance on his life for £lO,OOO previously to his
departure.
THE STRlKE.—Nothing has occurred likely to lead to a
satisfactory settlement of the dispute pending between the
operative engineers and their employers; on the contrary,
everything leads to an opposite conclusion. It is rumoured
that the Employers' Association have despatched agents to
Belgium, for the purpose of endeavouring to hire skilled
workmen for employment in English shops.— Observer.
MUNICIPAL BOROUGHS.—A Parliamentary paper has
been issued, containing a return of the accounts of bo-
roughs in England and Wales for one year, from the Ist
of September, 1849, to the 31st August, 1850. The re-
ceipts, including balance in hand, for England were
£1,074,963 15s. 41d., and for Wales £21,733 2s. 2,1 d.,
making £1,096,696 17s. 61d. ; while the expenditure for
England was £1,053,523 3s. 04d., and for Wales £19,340
3s. 71d., making £1,072,863 6s. Bd.
FORTIFICATION OF THE COAST.—A battery of 100 guns
of heavy metal is ordered to be constructed at the Nab
Light, off Bembridge, near Spithead, as well as a battery
(temporary) at Lumps, also off Spithead, on the Ports-
mouth shore, and also for 100 heavy guns, with the least
possible delay. A new fort at Browndown, opposite
Ryde, (Isle of Wight,) on the Gosport shore, is in course
of construction by two companies of the Royal Sappers
and Miners, stationed at Fort Moncton, every despatch
being used to complete the works in two months.—Ports-
mouth Times.

FIRES IN LONDON DURING THE PAST YEAR.—The
returns kept by the principal insurance-offices of the
fires which have occurred in the metropolis and suburbs
during the year just closed, exhibit a c'nsiderable in-
crease as compared with former years. In number they
exceed 1,000. Between 400 and 500 dwelling-houses
were for the most part destroyed. Several of the fires
were of great magnitude, consuming property to the
extent of thousands. On the whole, however, they were
not generally of so extensive a character as in past years.
The amount of property insured in London exceeds
£300,000,000.