The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL JOURNAL

SlR,—Allow me to make a few remarks on a letter, pub-
lished in " The Liverpool Journal" of Saturday last, on the
subject of education, and bearing the signature of Wm.
Rathbone, who avers that the leading doctrines of the Bible
(or words to that effect, as I quote from memory) should be
taught to the children attending the corporation schools, ir-
respective of any particular creed : this would be very well if
it came from one who himself believed in the fundamental
doctrines of the Bible ; but, I confess, that I am utterly una-
ble to conceive what a Unitarian can have to do in teaching
the doctrines of Christianity, the saving influence of which
he disbelieves, and, consequently, rejects the grand and fun-
damental doctrines of the Bible,: in consequence of his dis-
belief in the divinity of Christ. Yet so it is, for we find Wm.
Rathbone gravely talking about the right and justness of
teaching children the leading doctrines of the Bible, the
essence of which (either Protestant or Catholic) he, as a Uni-
tarian, rejects as spurious. .

Now, sir, the man who thinks that lie can consistently at-
tach any importance to, or lay any stress upon the necessity
or propriety of imparting to children (who are incapable of
judging in such matters) the leading principles of a religion,
the essence of which lie disbelieves, would do well, in my
humble opinion, to read, and apply to his own particular
case, the following language of scripture, which he will find
in the 50th Psalm :—" What hast thou to do to declare my
statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy
mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my
words behind thee. These things hast thou done, and I kept
silence; thou thoughtest that 1 was altogether sue/i a one as
thyself ; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before
thine eyes."
I say how any one can consistently insist on, or wish to
instil, into the minds of children, doctrines which he himself
disbelieves, is a question, the solution of which, I hope, he
will favour us with at his earliest convenience.
As regards the future management of the schools, I think,
notwithstanding the exclusive rule the tories are likely to
follow, the whigs can have little cause to complain, seeing
that during their five years' reign they have done nothing
more than open (as they call it) the two schools under their
controul to the children of Papists ; this simple, yet just act,
having afforded them sufficient matter to boast of and quarrel
over ever since.

Now if they had established, in the above period, half a
dozen schools, in the most benighted and densely populated
parts of the town, they might then have had some just claim
to be styled " the friends of education" ; but their supineness
on this and other important questions clearly proves that
liberality of sentiment is with them only a name and nothing-
more. They fondly, but at the same time falsely, imagined
that municipal reform brought with it lasting power to their
party, and that they should henceforth reign supreme over
their more humble brethren : the result has evinced their

error, nod shewn them that the only way to retain power, is
to treat their fellowmen with that attention and civility which
integrity of character and a free and independent spirit entitle
them to. But independence in a poor man is a very bad thing,
and must be put down by all manner of means—no matter
what harsh treatment, he has received—he is expected to
pocket it all, and keep his independence till an election comes
round, and then he will be exhorted to exert it to the utmost,
and sacrifice his best interest by giving an independent vote
in favour of, and to gratify the selfish ambition of those, who
are utterly unworthy of such a sacrifice. Perhaps some of
your readers may think that this is personal : in reply, I beg
to state that I never had a vote to give, so that I was never
even solicited for one. I simply mention facts that have
come under my own observation, or otherwise, as a liberal-
minded and independent man.
To return : can it be possible that Mr. nathbone intends
sailing into some political haven, by filling his sails with a
wind of expediency? He lately talks a good deal about the
duties of Christians; we had something of it in his address
to the electors of Great George-street wand; and now again
in his letter to Mr. Lawrence. It looks odd.
AN OLD SCHOOLMASTER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL

STANDARD

Sitt,—As you have fought for us and with us so long in
the good cause of truth, and for the promotion of the Word
of God amongst our children, let us, through your valuable
paper, protest against that false charity which pervades the
minds of some of our representatives. They had our assist-
ance, our time, and our labour; and now we see some of
these men doing what we sent them not to do. We protest,
then, that we are deceived in some of them. The great sti-
mulating cause which nerved our exertions at the recent
election, was that, if successful, we should get rid of the
popish-infidel schools, and the clergy of our apostolical
church would be enabled to superintend the teaching of our
children. These were the grounds on which we acted, and
these the views which our representatives professed to hold
on the day of election. Then, we say, gentlemen, be con-
sistent ; and if your sort of charity be now inconsistent with
what you professed when you sought our votes, resign your
trust again into our hands, and we will put in men that will
be consistent. We had no idea that gentlemen put in to act
as our representatives would be so duped as to vote away
our money to our greatest enemies. A meeting will be held
in Toxteth-hall to-morrow evening, when we hope to se our
representatives. _ _

This, Mr. Editor, is the language of hundreds of Protes-
tant voters in the Park, who have done their duty, and are
willing to do so again when required.—Yours, &c.,

To.teth-park,-Dec. 6th, 18:11

R. M. C

-----Aga.-
THE TOWN COUNCIL AND SCRIPTURAL

EDUCATION

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Sru,—l take the liberty of writing a few lines to you on
the proceeding of your municipal body on the education ques-
tion, for I assure you I take a very lively interest in it ; and
I may say, that both in Manchester and throughout the
country, the whole body of Christians that prefer principle
to expediency are closely watching their proceedings. Your
corporation have now the power to set an example to the
British nation. For what, may I ask, has been the curse of
our country for the last eight or ten years but a system of
expediency and vacillation, which amounts to infidelity ?
He that fears God rather than man will at once see his
duty, and will not hesitate to perform it. Now, if your
council will act on the motto of fearing God rather than man,
they will at once come to the conclusion :of teaching the
children what they believe to be the truth, and leave the
teaching of what they believe to be error to others. Let
them act according to the directions of the prophet of old :
" Choose you this day whom you will serve ; if the Lord be
God, follow him ; if Baal, follow him." If the majority
will act on the principles of Messrs. Harbord, Hodgson, and
others, they cannot go wrong. Mr. Harbord said, all his
actions were based on religious principles ; and whenever a
man acted contrary to those principles, lie was deceiving
himself and others also. And Mr. Hodgson said—in reply
to the plausible insinuation of one of the councillors that
they might hit on some plan as an expedient—that there was
no expedient where principle was concerned. It is my tirm
belief, if the principles that are laid down in the two extracts
above be not acted on, the corporation of Liverpool will
again fall into liberalism and infidelity, which God forbid.—
I am yours obediently,

A CONSTANT READER

Manchester, Dec. 4, 1841

TO THE COUNCILLORS OF ABERCROMBY WARD

GENTLEMEN,—As one represented by you, I beg to call
your attention to the following short statement of my views
on the, to me, most important question of the management
of the Corporation Schools.
All power is from God : " the powers'that be are ordained
of God." The individual receiving pos.ver, through the
appointment of His providence, is required to exercise that
power for the furtherance of His will. We have no revela-
tion of His will but in the Bible. It is there written—

" Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not depart from it." Should I, then, be acting
in obedience to this command, if I were to provide facilities
for the training up of children in that which I feel to be
idolatrous, and, consequently, soul-destroying ? It is said,
" Charily requires that I should not turn the Romish chil-
dren, who most need instruction, upon the streets." I re-
ply, " Duties are ours; consequences are God's." Does
He ever snake it necessary that we should act contrary to
the dictates of His word, for the purpose of benefitting our
.

fellow-creatures ? Such charity is not Christian charity,
however specious it may appear to those who do not take
the Bible for their rule: therefore I would entreat those in
authority to repudiate it.
AN ELECTOR OF ABERCROMBY WARD.