The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-07-21 00:00:00

ST. SIMON'S PARISH CHURCH

On Tuesday the foundation-stone of St. Simon's Parish
Church was laid on the site of the old church in Glouces-
ter-street, by the Rev. Rector Brooks. The friends and
subscribers assembled at the Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-
street, about half-past nine o'clock, and formed a proces-
sion, which was headed by several flags and banners. On
reaching the ground, the Hundredth Psalm was sung.
The Rev. Mr. CONNOR, addressing Rector Brooks,
then said that he had been requested to present him with
a silver trowel, and that he did not presume to do so in
his own name, but in that of the committee. By a recent
act of Parliament, he observed, that district had been
severed from the mother church, and when the new
building had been completed and consecrated it would be
a parish church. He felt it a duty he owed to the people
around,first
eof everlasting ofaelrlti
latsopnrgesent the rector with the trowel,
preached
rxhnheieeastmmethehedel
took ndof
oao mkr
eeand having
vcfe
gospel.oe thenpl
gd
interestlSecondly,
ep cocaohnrni s
drhaci ,
on:
dn eh:
the
t "caredgaoh
odfeodSddreti
ftsooSre
district.
ckmt
none.
to
hnaen.T dh
rector Aoomlfs aaetnn
hwyy
these
ofsono
had ef
things ;" but this feeling proved the necessity which
happiness should be fed with
the bread of life ; and those without any hope should
have their sensibilities awakened by a free church and a
the name of the congregation of St. Simon. That con ge
gation was not large. The old building in which
they
"
lately assembled was small, and therefore the smallness
of the congregation. No part of the wealth of Liverpool
joined them ; but, though they were the poor of the flock
in the land, he could testify to their zeal in this good
work, to their attachment to the cause of the gospel, and
to their anxious desire to carry out the glorious Protestant
watchword of church extension. Again he addressed the
rector in the name of the building committee of the new
church. That committee had been formed of some of
the members of the congregation, and also of some of the
trustees in whose bands the old building was placed when
first it was purchased by the Church of England. The
duty of obtaining plans and receiving estimates had
devolved upon the building committee, and they had been
most zealous in the good work, and most anxious to see
it carried out. But he must take higher ground than
this. They had been told that " unless the Lord build
the house their labour is in vain that build it." They
had also been told to " do all things in the name of the
the Lord Jesus ;" and, therefore, in the name of God,
the Father, the great builder—in the name of God, the
Son, the Saviour who loved them and gave himself for
them, the foundation-stone of the church, and the top
stone too, the author and finisher of their faith,—and in
the name of God the Holy Ghost, by whom the stones of
the spiritual temple were finished, he presented the trowel.
He had only to add that the church was to be called by
the name of St. Simon. It was not called after the great
apostle Simon Peter, but after him who was called our
Lord's brother, and of whom it was written that he
preached the gospel in England, and died for it in Persia.
The name Simon signified one who hears and obeys ; and
it was his prayer that the ministers who might officiate in
the new church would hear and obey : first of all, that
they would hear the voice of their God, and be well
instructed in the Scriptures. More than that—that they
would hear and obey the church ; carry out the glorious
doctrines of the Reformation contained in the articles of
the Church of England ; ever offer up their devotions in
wthe
kfehrivtihde
asntedp steps
glowing e laapnogsut
laegse, or
ef
otdi er
el igt uorhgeyd;i
eaol
ewea ytos
the rulers set over them; observing apostolical order ;
and believing, as he believed, that bishops were ordained
of God: He then handed the trowel.

The inscription plate was here inserted, and the mortar
laid on the bed. The inscription set forth that the first
stone of the Parish Church of St. Simon, erected by
voluntary contributions, was laid by the Rev. Rector
Brooks, on the 14th of July. 1846. Then followed the
names of the building committee and minister, and
three passages of Scripture, showing that Christ was the

under the stone contained the last report of St. Simon's
Schools, some of the coins of the realm, a copy of one of
the Liverpool papers, &c.
The Rev. Rector BROOKS, having spread the mortar
and laid the stone, proceeded to address the assem'nly.
He said he could not allow the ceremony to pass over
without assuring them of the great pleasure with which
he had complied with the request of the committee, and
laid the first stone of this new church. As rector of this
large town, it could not but be a source of gratification to
him whenever a work of the kind was brought to the
probability of a completion. When be considered the
vast population of the town, the rapidity with which it
had increased, and the inadequate means which were
ionrresponding m
when he found the first stone of a building laid, the
honour of God and the salvation
atchnuetdsy of
fad not some regard
—yes,
forh e the
couldworship
not
butof Godfeeolwfwgdh ilei
etc within
splendidichtnhnahetasineetet yd,usori tsoaebfhnuwomdi waslii . _ inmgps
liabto gratifiedto-,
object of which was the
of the souls of men. The town had long been celebrated
regard—to thatwhich
. It was, he said, creditablet
distressT forl, e
y alleviateco havinguwt
lhdhe
which
hardly
aitffhr
dehi nriayedni it
not
miseriestcneusi
vom emb aeetrosc
that the number of churches b ilot
throughouttwapdah.'lel:el tdrnehfzveoaeihrafammiotlsiriunnengfcttgehh
treitthhnthlselai temporal
pressure
weendphuope ortrriyeelaeeglsiatfws: of this
man,
IIT
greater than the number erected in any otheryes,
of
late years
u
was connected
United Kingdom ; but still, although much partliad been
done, much remained to be accomplished.He then
.
enlarged upon the necessity ofsetting af wasale
the important work, particularly in four districts of
Liverpool, where . vigorou.sly. about:
there was a population of 32,000. and
not a single building in connection with the Established
Church.
The Rev. Mr. CONNOR then offered up an appropriate
to celebrate the event, was
held at the Concert-hall, and several hundreds sat
down.
prayer ; after which a hymn was sung, and the assemblage
separated.
In the evening a tea party,
down.

misery or
of

'd be ill