The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-04-20 00:00:00

rank the Archbi. imp of Dublin, denom;nating him—in
contradis!inction from the genuine Archbishop in the
Papal acceptation--" the Protestant Archbishop of Du!)-
lin.- Nai', the contumacy of the man is such, that he
does not scruple to inform her Majesty's Government
that

" ft is to him a matter of indifference, what may he the opini-
ons of a body composed of a majority of the rankest enemies of
his faith, as long as he speaks the recorded sentiments of the
bishops and the Pope. Whilst I can put," says he, " what I
have written in juxta-position with the resolutions of the one,
and the rescripts of the other, I can well afford to be put under
the political ban of any government commissioners, who on the
conyi of a Protestant Lord Lieutenant alone, proceed to make
fundamental changes in the religious portionkif a code of educa-
tion."

Such are the liege subjects which Popery affords and
Maynooth furnishes.

CHURCH EXTENSION IN SCOTLAND.

On Monday last the deputation from the committee of the
General Msemldy of the Church of Scotland for Church exten-

sion, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Aiton, Dr. Anderson. Rev.
Mr. Murray, and Rev. Mr. Christisou, was met by a num-
ber of highly-respectable and influential gentlemen, in the Cla-
rendon-rooms, to organise a committee to whom should be en-
trusted the arrangements for a public meeting, to he held on
the return of the deputation from London, when the claims of
the Scottish peasantry, now destitute of the divine ordinances
of religion, will be brought fully before the inhabitants of Li-
verpool.
CRAWFORD LoGarr, Esq. was called to the chair, and briefly
opened the business of the meeting. He said the liberality of
the inhabitants of Liverpool, during the late winter, had been
great, but the object of the deputation's visit to this town was of
so important a nature, that they could not hesitate again to ap-
peal for assistance to supply the religious destitution of which
the deputation would give the meeting interesting details. The
plan proposed for its removal had had the sanction of a long ex-
perience—►t was a tried system—and would, no doubt, meet the
approval of that meeting.
The Rev. Dr. RaLI'H then introduced the deputation to the

meeting, and
Dr. AtTON, of Dolphinton, one of the deputies, rose to ad-
dress the meeting, but said he would not detain them long.
They had come, he said, on behalf of the Church of Scotland,
the very mention of which, he was sure, from what he had seen
since their arrival in this town, would secure for them a favour-
able hearing and gratifying response. At first he had felt
great diffidence on entering upon this mission, but his diffidence
hail given way to confident hope that they should not only be
well received, but that they should carry back with them some
proofs of the well-known liberality of Liverpool. He was aware
that large sums bad been subscribed in this town for the desti-
tute Highlanders; but he was sure they should not he disap-
pointed who came, not for meat that perisheth, but for the bread
• of life for perishing souls in that land, where there were tens,
fifties, yea hundreds of thousands destitute of spiritual and pas-
toral superintendence. The dissenters had done much, but
there was a field beyond the power of dissenters to cultivate.
They ('he deputation ) had no desire to circumscribe the useful-
ness of dissenters, for if it were so they might justly be charged
with having undertaken an unchristian mission—hut they were
there to obtain further aids for preaching to the poor the un-
searchable riches of Christ. ( Rear, hear.) Many of those who
would thus be brought under the preaching of the gospel might
go to the dissenters, and, therefore, this mission would be found
to he promotive of their interests--certainly not opposed to
them, inasmuch as it would be the means of extending the
Redeemer's kingdom in the land. ( Hear and applause.)
Large sums had been raised in Scotland, and from ISO to 200
churches had been or were about to be erected, and were in the
course of erection; and of those completed many were occupied
by devout congregations. That might be attributed to human
agency; but he thought he did not say too much when be said
the agency was divine, and that they were but the humble in-
struinents. This was the first appeal of the Church of Scotland
to the Church of England in this country ; and when he looked
to the Scotch residents in this part of the kingdom—to their
industry, moral habits, and respectability, he could not but feel
that there was something due to the admirable system of educa-
tion pursued in Scotland. He believed Scotchmen were re-
spected, not only here, but throughout the world; and were he
to point out one thing more than another that tended to give
them such business habits and intelligence, he should point to
the strict moral and religious education they received in their
youth, in which habits and religious feelings were inculcated
that followed them through life. As they should have opportu-
nities of going into detail on another occasion, he would not
then further occupy their time, especially as his friend Dr. An-
derson would follow him; but, in conclusion, he would express

the gratification he had in meeting and addressing the respecta-
ble gentleman present on so interesting a subject.
Dr. ANottasoN, of Newburgh, another of the deputies, rose
end said he did not think it then necessary to detain the meet-
ing at any great length, but he would just state, that in the
course of their visit to this town he had met with something

that might militate against their mission. He had been told
that their object was to make inroads on the dissenters—to put
. .

down their chapels—and occupy themselves the room which dis-
senters occupied in their own country ; but, said the rev. gen-
tleman emphatically, " we have no such object," for he gladly
admitted that his countrymen were under great obligations to
the dissenters for much of their instruction in their religious

duties. They had been again told that they were forming a po-
litical mission; but they had no such object either. Their ob-
ject was not recently designed, fur in 1828 a committee was ap-
pointed to procure church extension ; it was re-established on a
more permanent form in 1831; and that was the only object of
the deputation's mission to this country. It was gratifying too
to find that it was not confined to any one party. but was parti-
cipated in by distinguished men of various parties in Scotland,
who took a warm interest in the cause which they came there
to advocate. They did not wish to aggrandise their church at
the expense of the dissenters ; but they stood on the ground of
their common Christianity, and sought to bring a knowledge of
the truth to those who had not hitherto had the means of ac-
quiring it. They had had it proved to them, under a commis-
sion now traversing their country, that Edinburgh had from
45,000 to 50,000, and Glasgow upwards of 66.000 inhabitants
who had no means of hearing the word of God, however willing
—in other words, that if the sittings in their places of worship
were fully occupied, there were 150,000 still remaining that
would not be able to obtain an entrance into the temple of the
living God. The church of Scotland had long been awake to
the importance of the cause in which they were then employed
—it had been discussed in the presbyteries and brought before
government, and a commission had been sent iu consequence to
inquire, and they found that there were from 40 to 50 churches
endowed, hut inaccessible—chapels built and sustained by the
people themselves, who had not access to their parish churches
—but after all there was the grave and important fact that the
spiritual destitution was most alarming. It was proved by a
committee consisting of gentlemen of the Chula of England,
of the Church of Scotland, and of the secession church, that if
their churches and chapels were filled, about one-fourth part of
the 'inhabitants would be as much shut omit of the temple of
Jehovah as if they were residents in the wilderness. He was
sure the inhabitants of this country would not allow the depu-
tation to return without something to aid them in their object;
he did not ask for much, but as they were people of a united
kingdmss living under one government, aml believing in one
common Christianity—blessings in which they must wish that
others should participate—he confidently appealed to English-
men. and knew he should not appeal in vain.
After these remarks it was moved and seconded that a com-
mittee be appointed of gentlemen present, with power to add to
their number, to make the necessary arrangements for a pub-
lic appeal to the inhabitants of this town ; that Mr. Grant be
the treasurer, and Mr. Parker the secretary, who in the dis-
charge of his duties will be assisted by the Rev. Dr. Ralph and
the Rev. John Park. (See advertisement.)
The Rev. JOHN MURRAY, of Abbott's Hall (another of the
deputies) then rose to address the meeting, anti said he should
confine himself to a few statistical details, which he quoted from
an address published by the general committee. As that ad-
dress contains a statement of facts startling and important, we
think the better plan is to give it to our readers entire. It is as
follows
The Committee on Church Extension was first appointed
in 1828, but it was not till 1R34 that the General Assembly esta-
blished it in a permanent form, on the model of the Committee
for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; since that time
it has been in efficient operation, having it as the one and truly
Christian object of its institution, to provide the means of reli-
gious instruction and pastoral superintendence for the many
thousands of our fellow-countrymen who are destitute of that
invaluable blessing. The following statements will enable the
reader to form some conception of the grounds upon which the
church has proceeded in instituting such a committee, and iu
making the consequent appeals to the Christian liberality of the
peo"ple of Scotland.
The simple fact that, while, during the last 250 years, the
population of Scotland had increased from one million to nearly
two millions and a half, scarcely any increase had taken place
in the number of its parishes, was of itself sufficient to lead any
mind to the conviction that the present provision for the reli-
gious instruction apd pastoral superintendence of the people
must be very inadequate. But during the last three or four
years, a multitude of actual surveys have been taken, and accu-
rate investigations made, into the religious condition of the peo-
ple, and especially of the poorer classes, which have completely
established the fact, and done much towards determining the
amount of the ecclesiastical destitution at present existing iu
Scotland, and which it is the desire of the General Assembly as
speedily and as effectually as possible to remedy. Much infor-
mation on this subject will be found in the two valuable reports
of the religious instruction commissioners, which are now be-
fore the public.
" In the first of these reports, which relates exclusively to the
presbytery of Edinburgh, the commissioners have stated respect-
ing this city, that 'the number of persons capable of attending,
who habitually absent themselves from public worship, cannot
be less than from 40,000 to 50,0(X), according to the age at which
children may he supposed capable of attending church.' '
neglect of public worship.' it is added, appears by the evidence
Is he almost entirely confined to the poorer classes, and chiefly
to the very lowest.'
"Again, in their second report, the same commission state
respecting what they call the United District of the Royalty,
Barony, and Gorbals of Glasgow, ' that a very large number of
persons, upwards of 60,000, exclusive of children under ten
years of age, are not in the habit of attending public worship.'
"In both these cases the commissioners take into considera-
tion church attendance of every kind, and at any place, in the
establishment, and among dis,enters, at regular churches, and
at mere preaching stations. It is obvious, therefore, that every
expedient is adopted to swell the number of church-attendees,
and the destitution which is thus brought out, must be any thing
else than over-stated.
"in the reports of the royal commissioners, it appears that
in the two cities of Edinburgh aria Glasgow alone, there are
not less than about 116.000 persons, upwards of ten years of age,
living in the continual and habitual neglect of the ordinances of
meligion habitually absenting themselves from the House of
God. If to this number we add only 34,000 for children under
the age specified—a number not too great, we have the specta-
cle of a gross population of 150,000 in these two cities alone,
living altogether apart from the means of grace, without God
anti without bore in the world.
"This fact, when thus simply shoed, appears to be startling
enough, but a few further observations may place it in a more
striking point of view. By the census of 1831, it appears that
the entire postulation of each of the large and populous counties
of Ayr, Perth, Fife, and Forfar, did not amount to that number.
Now, what would be felt and said, were it possible to point to
any one of these large anti important districts of the country,
anti to say with truth, that it did not contain a single Christian
congregation—not even a single Christian man? but that the
darkness of deep and degrading heathenism brooded over all its
families? Yet destitution, literally to this extent, exists at
this moment, in the two cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow
alone. Again, what would be thought, could we say of the
three southern counties of Dumfries, Roxburgh, and Berwick,
that they formed one scene of spiritual desolation—not one sin-
gle inhabitant t 4 that laisse district of country either seeking or
professing to seek after God ? Yet theme are so many immortal
beings, in this condition, in Edinburgh and Glasgow alone,
as very nearly equal the whole pepulation of these three coun-
tries. Once more, could we form to ourselves a conception of
the state of things resulting from a universal heathenism pre-
vailing over the whole six conterminous counties of_Berwick,

Roxburgh. Iladdington, Peebles, Selkirk, and Linlithgow; it
would riot exceed what by the report of her lll:tjesty's commie-
stoners is shown actually to exist at the itionieut in the two
principal towns of Scotland alone.
" It shook not be fun„ open tim'et it is ainang the poorest of
the land, and those, therefore, who are least ;e tie to do any
thing for themselves to ameliorate their ecclesiastical condition.
that this destitution chiefly ptevatls. This destitution, ins.,
is of so deep and distressing a kind that it were in vain to at-
tempt, in such a paper like the present, an adequate delinea-
tion of it. None, indeed, but those who hive had personal in-
tercourse with the inhabitants of such districts, can have a right
conception of the degraded state in which hundreds are living
around us, or feel sufficiently the necessity that there is fir the
must efficacious means we can command being adopted, and all
the resources of christian benevolence within our reach being
called into operation. in order to effectuate a change for the
better. The documents, however, which have been referred to,
contain not only a general account of the destitution prevailing
in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but evidence of a very instructive
nature respecting the destitution of various isolated districts,
In one district of St. Cuthbert's parish, for example, contain-
ing 511 families, or 2219 individuals, there were found to be
only 283 sittings held of right in all places of worship whatever
—indicating a miserable deficiency in so large a district, in the
habit of church attendance. The whole of the Tron Church
parish, Edinburgh, is represented as containing 692 families, or
2,629 persons, but they have only 331 sittings among them, or
one for every eight inhabitants. Some smeller districts are
even more striking. One district in St. Cuthttert'e parish of
289 inhabitants has 13 sittings, or 1 for every 22 persons;
another of 248 has 8, or one for every 31 ; another of 210 has 10,
or I for every 21 ; another in Old Greyfriars' parish a 3(13 has
12, or 1 for 25 ; another in New Greyfriars' of 266 has 10. or 1
fur every 26. A multitude of detached districts besides these
are referred to, in which the rate of seatholding to the whole
population is as lin 7, 1 in 8, lin 1-1, lin 18, &c. The state of
things is similar, or even worse, in Glasgow.
" With reference to the destitution prevailing in Glasgow,
and the efforts which have been made to remedy it, we may
quote the following striking paragraph from a late report of the
Glasgow Church Building Society, After mentioning that in
Glasgow and suburbs there are no fewer than 85,105 persons
capable of attending church, who have not a sitting in any place
of worship, established or dissenting, of any denomination what-
ever,'—aud that 'there are not fewer than 18,004 families, no
member of which has a sitting in any place of worship whatever,'
—the report proceeds to say,—' The Glasgow Church Building
Society commenced their operations in the beginning of the year
1831, and though the three years which have elapsed since that
period down to the close of the year 1836 has been a period of
signal beneficence and of unusual exertion for increasing the
church accommodation of our city, yet it is a striking and no
less deeply affecting fact, that, with the combined efforts of our
society and the dissenters of all denominations, we have not
been able to provide church accommodation for one-half of the
increase of the population :ince our society commenced their la-
bours in 1831. From the Ist of January, 1831, to the 24 of
January, 1837, it is supposed that the population of Glasgow
and suburbs have increased 24.000 souls. For these 14,400
sittings would have beet required, and yet the whole additional
churches which have been opeued during that period, connected
both with the establishment and dissenters, contain only 6562
sittings, leaving a deficiency of church accomtnodation for the
niece increase of the population, of no fewer than,7B3B sittings.
'chits, though 6562 of the increase of the population have, dining
that period, been provided for, 7838 of that increase have been
left unprovided for, and this with the efforts of the establishment
and dissenters combined. And thus, great as was the spiritual
destitution of our city before we commenced our labours, the
close of every year finds it greater than before.
"But it is nut in Edinburgh and Glasgow alone that grievous
destitution is found to prevail. In all our large towns, and in
many of our country parishes, the most strenuous exertions are
called for in behalf of perishing thousands of our fellow-country-
men. In only five parisbes in Dundee, statistical inquiries
lately instituted, terminated in the appalling result of 36,624 of
a population, and 15,918 of these, above seven years of age, and
capable of attending divine ordinances, without a right of ac-
cummodation in any place of worship whatever. Similar state-
ments may be made respecting Paisley, Aberdeen, Falkirk,
Dunfermline, anti all our large towns. In the parish of Dun-
donald, until lately, there was a population of 5837, with ono
church only, containing 627 sittings. The total population of
Uig, in the presbytery of Lewis, is 3011, all of them members
a the established church, and the church, which is the only
place of worship in the parish, contains 900 sittings. The parish
of Lochs, which is 35 miles long and 18 broad, intersected by
mountains, morasses, rivers, and arms or the sea, has a popula-
tion of 3388, and the only place of worship is the parish church,
capable of containing 700 sitters. The civil parish of Loch-
broom is about 36 miles long by 20 broad, and contains a popu-
lation of 5206. Of these, 2400 are included in the quoad sacra
parish attached to the parliamentary church of Ullapool, which
accommodates 600 sitters, but upwards of 1000 of the inhabitants
of this quoad mere parish are 12 miles from Ullapool. At Fort
William, there is a population of 1600 separated from the parish
church by an arm of the sea, and the river Lochy; for these,
steps are being taken to provide a new church. Until the new II
church was erected Lybster in Caithness, the inhabitants of
that village, amounting to 1500, and had no other church to go
to but the parish church, or that of the mission of Bruan, both
at the distance of from four to five miles; and while the parish
of Latheron coutained 65(X) inhabitants, the church and the
mission-house together furnished accommodation only to 1320.
In Glenelg there is the village of Amisdale with 900 people, and
at the distance of 12 or 14 miles from the parish church. In the
parish attached to the parltainentary church of Poolewe there
is a district called 'tie Leigh, containing a population of 150(1
souls, and these are from 6 to 12 miles distant from the parish
church, without a place of worship of any description whatever.
These are but a few of the specimens of that fearful destitution
which exists at this moment in every quarter of the land.
It will now be apparent to every one is ho will attend to the
above statements, that there is a loud and urgent call for chris-
tian liberality and christian exertion, its "order to bring the les-
sons of the gospel to bear on such heathenized masses of our
country's population, and that the General Assembly is rutty
justified in making so earnestan appeal to the country in behalf
of the great cause of church extension. A wide field of mis-
sionary enterprise is spread around us. We can turn to the
50,000 retinue', accountable, anti inniaortal beings in Edinburgh,
and the 66,000 in Glasgow, who are living in the utter neglect
of even the commonest duties and services of religion ; and to
the thousands and tens of thousands similarly circumstanced in
nearly all the counties of Scotland besides, and are there pre-
sented with the spectacle of large and numerous tracts of spi-
ritual desolation, urgently demanding the efforts of Christian
philanthropy to redeem them—a work, which nothing but the
strenuous anti sustained exertions of many years will be ade-
quate to accomplish. But just because this field of missionary
enterprise is so accessible, does there appear to be the stronger
reason for its being undertaken. .Moreover, if the precept, to
Go and preach the gospel to every creature," establishes a re-
lation between the Christian and his fellow-men even in the
remotest corner of the world, that relationship appears to be all
the stronger, anti the obligation to obey the precept all the more
solemn and impel:ll6re, when it concerns our very neighbours
aud fellow-countrymen, those who speak the same language,
who live under the seine laws, and who, perhaps, in their in-
fancy, were baptised in the same name with ourselves.
"The only remedy which the General Assembly believe, under
the blessing of God, is fitted to remove the wide-spread evil
above explained, is the efficient operation of the parochial sys-
em. They wish to see these vast moral wildernesses broken up,
and divided into districts small enough to he each cultivated by
the labour of one minister; they would erect a church easily
accessible to all the district attached to it as a parish ; and they
would have either no seat-rents at all, or seat-rents low enough
to he adapted to the circumstances of the poorest families in the
neighbourhood. They believe that were this machinery carried
into vigorous operation throughout the land, and every little dis-
trict its own clergyman, who faithfully and diligently carried
the lessons of the gospel from house to house, its own eiders and
other ecclesiastical office bearers, to co-operate with the mini•
ster in the great work of improving the condition of the people
of their charge, its own schools and teachers for the moral and
religious, as well as intellectual training of the young, and were
the out-pouring of the Spirit of God to accompany such efforts
in the cause of truth,—they believe that were this the case, the
must remarkable effects would be produced in an inconceivably
shoat period, on the temporal well-being and religious character
of the general population. What is now a desolation would be-
come as a field which the Lord bad blessed.
"'rite labours of the Church Extension Committee have hi-
therto been so far blessed, that in a space of less than four years
steps have been taken for the erection of no less than 180 new
churches. Of these, about 100 have already been opened for
public worship, and nearly that number have fixed and perma-
nent labourers. In all these, the most complete and remarkable
success has attended the experiment of opening the new church,
and the most beneficial effects have been produced on the neigh-
bouring population. A single instance of failure is not known
to the committee.
"The mere fact, that in so short a time 100 new churches have
been opened, and 100 new congregations formed, is striking, but,
the more it is considered, it will be felt to be the more impres-
sive. That. we may more sensibly feel the power of such an an-
nouncement, let us conceive how we would be affected, and
what we would say, were we informed that 100 missionaries had
set sail to some distant part of the world, to Christianize the hea-
then in India, or the interesting islands of the South Seas.
Would not the mere statement arrest the attention, warm the
heart, and call forth the prayers and blessings of every Christian
soul? Bet suppose that, in addition to this, it were possible to
report that each of these devoted missionaries had gathered
around him a numerous and attentive congregation, that 100
iiew churches had actually been erected, and that from sabbath
to sabbath the voice of psalms, and the accents of prayer, and
the faithful ministrations of God's word and sacraments were to
be heard and witnessed in many a populous town, and many a
sequestered valley*here vice and ungodliness and spiritual
darkness prevailed before, is there a Christian man in this coun-
try whose heart would not but u within him, as in imagination he
contemplated the refreshing spectacle, and who would not rejoice
in the proof thus afforded, that the spirit was yet powerful as ever,
and that God had not left himself without a witness? But all
this has actually been done. Otis hundred missionaries have
already been sent to time heathen at home ; and this with uni-
versal and most encouraging success. A signal blessing has ac-
companied the efforts of the church extension committee. They
have not laboured in vain. Where all the efforts put forth in the
church extension cause to terminate in the salvation of but one
soul—the country would be richly repaid for all the money and
all the labour which have been expended in this way. But is
there not every reason fur forming a much higher estimate, and
that the opening of these new churches will be instrumental in
awakening multitudes, and ripening them for heaven--multitudes
who in eternity will associate their earliest impressions respect-
ing heavenly things with these new churches, and bless the in-
strumentality by which the work of their preparation for the
eternal world was effected?
" Every contribution, therefore, to the church extension
scheme, is really helping on the work of preparing soule for
eternal glory. But it need not he forgotten at the same time,
that every such contributor is also taking one of the best steps
to secure the temporal happiness of his fellow-countrymen.
Wherever true religion is maintained, there also will peace,
and contentment, and comfort, be found prevailing; and they
are the best benefactors of their brethren, not only in eternity,
but also iu time, who would teach them the fear of God and the
keeping of his commandments. Every new church that is
erected, is a new centre from which the most benign influence
is radiated forth upon the surrounding, populiftion,---is the open-
ing of a new spring in the desert. We read of the effects pro-
duced by a continued flow of a stream of water in the sultry
climates of the east. All round may be a barren and dreary
waste, but the neighbourhood of the spring itself, and the banks
of the stream that issues from it, is a region of beauty, and
verdure, and fertility. Now what is a church with a faithful
minister, but a spring of living water,—a fountain-head of the
stream of life; and let these be but sufficiently multiplied, and
let the healing waters circulate among all the families of the
land, and we may expect to see the wilderness and the solitary
Place become glad,. and the desert rejoicing and blossoming as
the rose.
" The Church Extension Committee have peculiar claims at
present upon the attention of the country. Their funds have,
in consequence of grants to the above-mentioned new churches,
been for some time completely exhausted, and upward of thirty
new places of worship are waiting for the usual assistance from
the central fund, which, in consequence, has claims upon it, at
the present moment, to no less an amount than £811H). It is
evident that unless the friends of the church in this city and
throughout the country ecutribute with even more than their

ordinary liberality to the Assembly's Fund for Church Exten-
this great work, so full of promise fur the glory of God,
and the best interests ti: our fellow.countryinen mast he checked
and discouraged. But the committer: confidently believe that
this appeal will not be made in vain. If C. e apostle has said,
that that man is not actuated by love to God, who can see his
brother in want of merely bodily necessaries, and fail to re-
lieve him, inuch more may the saying be repeated, with respect
to insensibility to the claims of the tens of tens of thousandsof
our fellow-countrymen who are perishing around us for lack of
knowledge.'!
Dr. A iToN, one of the deputies, then explained that their
scheme embraced not only church accommodation, but the
erection of schools by the side of the churches, which had been
found so valuable to the Scottish peasantry.
A vote of I iiatiks was then given to the chairman for his con-
duct in the chair, and the meeting was dissolved.