The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-30 00:00:00

Rev. I

The CHAIRMAN said—Ladies and Gentlemen,—l believe
it is almost unnecessary for me to trespass for a moment
upon your attention by any explanation of the character of
th'e society which you are met this evening to support, hut I
still would wish to be permitted to say, that of all societies
which have a claim upon our support as clergymen, 1 know
of no society which can be put in competition with this. This
society came to the aid of the church just at the moment of

the church's extremity—just at the moment when the expan-
sion of the church was leading to the exhaustion of its powers,
at the moment when the field was opened which the church
seemed bound to occupy but had not the power. This so-
ciety seems to me to have been raised up by the hand of Pro-
eidence to supply that particular degree of strength which the
church does not possess in itself, and by increasing the num-
ber of its laborious servants to enable it to occupy that field
which the providence of God seems to place at its disposal.
The more we consider the purpose of this society, the more
we consider its object and operations, the more we are con-
vinced it must approve itself to the conscience and the reason
of every individual present; for unless a society like this had
been instituted, all other institutions to which we are at-
tached must comparatively have dwindled down fcr the want
of support, and the very circumstance that the failure of the
Church is shown in one part, must have spread languor and
quietness throughout the remotest portions of it. The
society with which I had the .honour of being connected
this morning, the Church Building Society, without this
would have been but a poor and inefficient boon to society at
large ; for what would have been the benefit of supplying
fabrics made of stones and mortar, if the individuals who arc
to form the living church within had not been supplied
through the instrumentality of this society? I always have
regarded this society as a special act of providence towards
the church ; and while I desire to recognise_in it that provi-

deuce which is at once man's extremity and God's opportu-
nity, I also regard it as that special sort of help of which the
church at this time especially stands in need. lam unwill-
ing to trespass on your attention for a moment further, and
therefore I will call upon our secretary at once to read the
report.
The Rev. R. BAIMEIt (in the unavoidable absence of the
Rev. C. Lawrence from indisposition) read the report as
follows :
" The committee of the Liverpool Auxiliary Church Pas-
toral Aid Association address the subscribers again after a
shorter interval than usual, in consequence of the London
committee having requested that its annual meeting might
take place in the spring, and not in the autumn. In com-
plying with this request, the committee have had some diffi-
culties to contend with ; the clergy who kindly permitted
collections in its behalf in the last November preferring to
repeat their appeals later on in the year.*
" They are happy in being able to state an increase in the
funds of 1840 upon the receipts of 1839. In 1839 the associ-
ation remitted £143, this year £2OO, exclusive of incidental
expenses. In the same sear the St. Michael's branch re-
mitted £3B, this year £57 16s. 6d. Yet the disproportion
of such a remittance to the wealth of our town must be still
obvious. Men are not yet awake to the, claims which the
spiritual destitution of their country has upon them : we do
not feel the claims this society peculiarly has upon ourselves•,
we do not, as a community, acknowledge the authority of
Him who has given us power to get wealth.
" Willing to attribute in part this languid support to some
deficiency in themselves, your committee have added to their
numbers, and made arrangements for more systematic ef-
forts ; and now again commend the plan of the society to a
Christian public. Adapting herself to the existing ecelesi-
astical,institutions, intruding upon no spiritual office, re-
specting every parochial division, she multiplies the labourers
in the Lord's vineyard, by providing stipends for curates ;
she renews the energies, by dividing the burthens, of mi-
nisters pressed above measure, above strength; and renders
the excellent machinery of the church capable either of of-
fensive or defensive warfare. If it be asked, What has she
done ?' it is answered, ` 275 incumbents are assisted by her
funds, whose average income amounts to £163, and whose
cure of souls includes upon an average 7,000 persons ; and
half of these incumbents, it must be added, have no parson-
age houses. Thus she ministers to the necessities of more
than two millions of souls.'
" But the peculiar claims which this society has upon the
town must be urged. Grants to the amount of £5OO have
been made to a community capable not merely of supplying
her own but of ministering largely to the destitution of other
districtS. Reports have been kindly furnished to us of the
operation of some of these grants. The Rev. A. M'Conkey
states, that in his district there are about 7000 souls, exclu-
sive of about 1000 Roman Catholics. How feeble would be
the labours of a solitary individual in such a district ! But
through the liberality of this society he has a faithful fellow-
labourer : and thence in All Saints Church, besides the
Sunday services, there are two week-day evening services.
The Rev. J. Connor, whose clerical income is for the most
part drawn from a grant of this society, thus describes St.
Simon's district The population I estimate at 5000; the
exact amount, however, cannot be told. The following is the
return of one street, one of the best in the district-379 adult
residents, 250 children; of the 379 adults 29 attend a place
of worship ' • 31 profess to go occasionally, leaving 319 who
never attend a place of worship at all.'
" Your committee very briefly allude to the attack which

has been made within the . last year upon the plan of acting
which the society has laid down. They have readily re-ex-
amined her foundations, while hearing such apparently grave
assertions of their unsoundness. But they thank God that
she has not been permitted, as they humbly conceive, to lay
down foundations at variance either with gospel truth or
ecclesiastical order, and the regard which her eminent use-
fulness lead them to feel for her, is strengthened by the un-
called for censure with which she has been assailed. They
cannot but observe with satisfaction that the venerated
diocesan continues his distinguished support to the society.
And they must suspect that the asserted irregularity of the
society's demand for satisfaction, as to the qualifications of
those whose stipends she supplies, which had escaped the
eyes of these prelates who are among her vice-presidents, is
no irregularity at all.
" Your committee will venture to ask for a preference for
this society, because of this very feature in her operations.
The greatest curse which can befall a church or a country is
an unsanetified clergy. Then the salt has lost its savour,
and wherewith shall it be salted.' And every precaution
against such an evil, which is consistent with great princi-
ples, is not only permitted but imperative Upon people to
adopt. Such a precaution is found in the plan of this society.
Intrust me with your funds, she says, for the noblest
objects, the maintenance of ministers of God.' By what
means,' it will be answered, shall 1 know that lam aiding
men deserving so high a name, and true to their ordination
vows ?' It is replied, so far as a modestly-pressed scrutiny
and a human judgment can accomplish, none but such men
will we be the means of introducing into the ministry or
supporting in it.' Is it not obvious that, however sacred
the office of a minister, there is nothing in itself to insure the
holiness of him who may exercise it? Is there anything so
mysterious in his office as to furbid the laity's pronouncing
upon its degradation ? Are they forbidden to mark their ap-
probation of those who bear with them the signs of apostles ?
Our forefathers bestowed their wealth on those religious
houses which were marked by the sanctity of their members.
Were they to be blamed ? A lay patron, who shall most
carefully examine the character of him whom he purpose to
present to a benefice. Is he trenching upon episcopal func-
tions ? Why, then, should the 20,000 persons who constitute
this society be exempt from responsibility, or relinquish the
right of such discrimination ?
" But, if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such
custom, neither the churches of God.
" One and all, your committee would desire to answer
those who would provoke them to argument, with the words
of Nehemiah, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot
come down : why should the work cease, and I leave it and
come down to you.' Thousands of our countrymen are
perishing for lack of knowledge ; the love of christianity con-
straining us, we would go forth to their rescue. The popula-
. tion annually increases by many thousands. If that increase
be met by a provision, owing to the awakening of exertion
amongst us, we fear the mass is yet unassailed which has
accumulated through centuries of lethargy. With thankful-
ness we therefore read, in the last publication of the society,
as some of the results of her exertions, that 401 additional
full services on the Lord's Day, 172 on week days, 161 cot-
tage' lectures have been set on. foot within the four years of
her existence. And would animate ourselves, and all who
have tasted that the Lord is gracious, to so contribute to her
funds that she may continue, like some fertilising river, to
diffuse, in an increasing ratio, similar blessings through the
length and breadth of the land.

" * Independent of the churches which, being indebted to the
society, will naturally suffer her cause to be pleaded, four clergy-
men have promised to introduce the subject to their congregations

this year."

The Rev. Dr. BYRTH rose to move the first resolution.
He was assailed with considerable hissing, which lasted for
some moments, ant prevented him from proceeding. He
commenced as follows :—I wait, sir. (Renewed hisses.)
There is no argument, continued the rev. doctor, more con-
clusive than the sound which I have heard, with which my
appearance has been paid. It proves to a demonstration
what each of the individuals who use it had no notion of its
proving. It proves, sir, that if they were to meet one upon
the fair ground of discussion, they would be unable to utter
one syllable—that they could only have recourse to that reptile
eloquence which proves them to be unfit to be members of any
meeting assembled together for a Christian purpose. (Hisses.)
Whatever may be the differences of opinion between me and
the persons who have so degraded themselves as to meet me
with such a sound—(Renewed hisses.) Oh, I can bear it.
(Applause.) I rejoice in it. (Hear.) I believe that it bears
testimony to a truth that will be told even with the voice of
thunder through this large community, That they hear only the
voice of serpents. (Hisses.) Go on, I say. Let it be even
more. But when you have done I will speak to the subject.
I will not speak to the subject before. (Hear, hear, and
some hisses.) If it be the wish of the meeting that I should
sit down, I am prepared to sit down. I have done nothing
to deserve the disapprobation of this meeting. (Cries of
"Oh !" and some hisses.) lam sure, sir, that there is not
a man here who entertains the sentiments which the persons
who utter those disgraceful sounds think and approve, who
entertains them more firmly than I do myself ; but what I
ask is to be heard upon the subj.!et upon which I speak ? Let
men meet me in fair argument. Let not men deal with me
like cowards. (Hisses.) What have I done ? (Hear.)
I know if I were to say " no popery —and no man can say
it more strongly and more from the heart than myself—l
should have great approbation. I hate popery with as cor-
dial a hatred as you—(hear)—and there is no man who has
done more or suffered more than myself to demonstrate that
faithfully. (Hear.) Let me not be attacked in this mise-
rable, unchristian way of assault, oh! altogether unfit for
such a place as this ! (Hear.) I should not have appeared
here it 1 had anticipated that there would have been a large
portion of persons who so far forget the dignity of Christians
as to hiss one because he comes forward to advocate a Chris-
tian cause, taking adantage—a beggarly advantage—of his
appearing upon an occasion like this. Why did they not
fairly meet me? (Hear.) For all anonymous, scurrilous
abuse, be it for once and all said, I hold it in contempt; but
upon this occasion let me be heard—or, if there be another
hiss, I will sit down. (Applause.) I now proceed to the
question. I stand before you in order to move that " the
report which has been read be printed and circulated at the
discretion of the committee." I have no question that the
discretion of that committee is very sound. I shall suggest,
however, that the report be so circulated that it should find
its way into every parish, should make its appeal to every
family. (Hear, hear.) And without referring for one mo-
ment to that which will pass from my mind even as the idle
cloud, rwould ask those persons whose zeal seems to be so
exhuberant, and I rejoice at it, in the favour of the great
cause of Protestantism, to show they are indeed Protestants,
by helping us to send more ministers of the true Protestant
religion into every part of the country. (Cheers.) There
was one portion of the report which' especially struck my at-