The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-02 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STAN

Scripture Readers' Society is too much tainted with that
everlasting spirit of controversy to do any great good." Here I
is another,—
" The Town Mission, excellent as that institution is, con-
fessedly falls short (for one thing, the ministers are engaged
chiefly during the day, at hours when working men cannot
be met with at home) ; again, though we know them to be
devout, earnest men, of deep piety, and as such to be re-
verenced
and esteemed, still, as a mission to the masses gene-
rally, it is to be deplored (but cannot be denied) that, so far, .
in that respect, it has failed in the object."
Now, as the Town Mission never contemplated any thing
els- than "a mission to the masses generally, and as its
failure in this respect is pronounced by Mr. Caine as a fact
that " cannot be denied," the commendation of the agents
only makes the condemnation of the society the more com-
plete. Whilst the allusion to Foreign Missions is oqe of those
well-directed strokes of ridicule which prove infinitely more
dangerous than an open attack.
" How easy to excite sympathy for the Hindoo or the In-
dian I Place a black prince upon a platform ; let him address
a meeting and tell his tale of woe : see how soon interest is
awakened—what a display of cambric handkerchiefs ! the
very atmosphere is perfumed with sensibility !"
And then the whole subject is dismissed, without one single
word to counteract the effect of such an allusion upon an
audience already prejudiced against ministers and religion.
In the fourth paragraph, reference is made to the exception
took to the society being called *1 The Working Men's
Branch, Bsc.," on the ground that, as every man was, or
ought to be, a working man, it meant nothing, for none are
permitted to be idle in the vineyard of the Lord. The use
made of my allusion only supplies another example of Mr.
Caine's willingness to twist and misrepresent a statement, if
by so doing he can serve his cause.
Mr. Caine informs us that he is a man more accustomed to
figures than to figures of speech. And yet we have the very
tasteful and somewhat amusing oneof the "jackdaw." True, it
is scarcely what you would have expected from "the Liver-
pool gentleman and merchant ;" but it is, after all, not so
bad, coming from one who "for twenty,five years has been
thrown into constant and close communion," • in many cases
into personal intimacy," with that section of the Woking
classes "who look upon all clergymen as justso many schemers.
and religion as a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence." I
have no doubt Mr. Caine speaks feelingly on this subject. "A
buri:t child dreads the fire." The experience of the last two
or three years is not so easily, forgotten: And it is, doubtless.
in the fulness of his charity that lie is desirous to prevent
me from ever occupying the very unhappy position in which
he himself has been so unfortunate as to be placed. The
prospect of being plucked, and sent back to " my own little
conventicle in Islington," is certainly far from agreeable;
but there will be at least this consolation, that I shall not
have compromised those glorious principles which our
reforming forefathers handed down to us sealed with
their blood. And yet I do feel disposed to ask why, if
1 may appear on the platform with Independents, Bap-
tists, and Methodists, with whom I have ever felt the
greatest pleasure in co-operating I should be condemned for
meeting evangelical ministers of the Church of England in
such a cause as that we were engaged in ; and, still further,
I demand what right has he to come forward as my accuser,
who, in promoting what he holds to be of public benefit, has
more than once taken his place side by side with the Infidel,
the Socinian, the Socialist, and the Papist? The fact is, that
there are extreme and unreasonable men in both parties, and
at one and the same time, and for one and the same act, the
evangelical minister of the E-lablished Church is scowled
upon by the Puseyite high priest as something worse than a
dissenter, because he is willing to co-operate with me as a
brother, whilst I am compelled to hear the heavy displeasure
of a lay dictator in the form of a Particular Baptist, the self-
commissioned advocate of charity and brotherly love, and all
because I dare to look my brother churchman in the face. It
is high time that the independent men of all parties should
quietly inform these respective dictators that they are able to
mind their own business, and they intend to do it. Ido not
understand what Mr. Caine means by the action of "pluck-
ing," nor will I insult the gentlemen alluded to by inquiring.
If it means that they are going to abandon the noble Pro-
testant principles by which they have hitherto been charac-
terised, I will not do them the dishonour to suppose that such
an insinuation needs a reply; hut if they should, then 1 shall
be ready to join issue with them, and most confidently will I
appeal to a Protestant public as to the result. If to associate
with me has become irksome to them, it was not of my seek-
ing at first, and need not be continued one moment longer
than is agreeable; but if they think I can in the very hum-
blest way serve the cause of a common Protestantism, then I
am ready at all times, and at all hazards, to lend a feeble hut
a willingband to unfold, maintain. and propagate the glori-
ous principles of the blessed Reformation.
In 'the sixth paragraph we have these words:—
Convinced that the denunciation of Popery to such men .
can only lead to consequences that would fall upon the heads
of Papists, Mr. White says (and in this he is supported by
Mr. Taylor) that 'every speaker carefully inculcated the
necessity of distinguishing between the sin reprobated and
the man who commits it.' If this be an ex post facto dis-
covery of what ought to have been done. I cannot help think-
ing it is rather too bad to blame me for not seeing what is
not in the repot t of the meeting from which 1 quoted."
This seems about one of the coolest methods of arriving at
a conclusion I have seen. The writer quotes Mr. Taylor's
statement and mine to the effect, that '' every speaker care-
fully inculcated the necessity of distinguishing between the
sin reprobated and the man who commits it;" and then, after
a distinct declaration that the thing was actually done, he pro-
' ceeds to reason upon the ground that it is "merely an ex post
facto diacoveryof what ought to have been done," and adds, "it
isnot in the report of the meeting froinwhichlquoted." Having
already twice given the first sentences of my speech, as reported
in the Standard, it is surely not necessary to give them a third
time, to show that it was " in the report of the meeting." And
how am Ito suppose it possible that any man, professing to
be a gentleman, and a Christian, penned these words with my
speech before his eyes? or if be had not the speech, must I
adopt the equally unpleasant alternative that he used all the
power and influence he could command, to 'fix upon four or
five ministers of the Gospel at a public meeting, and subse-
quently through the press, in the town where their ministra-
tions are practised, the most wicked and execrable conduct,
without even taking the pains to examine whether or no there
was any ground for such dreadful accusation? Which a!terna-
tire am Ito adopt T. Not having Mr. Caine'a depth of charity,
I can adopt neither. I can only leave the facts before an im-
partial public.
He says, in the above extract, "Convinced that the denun-
ciation of Popery to such men, can only lead to consequences
that would fall upon the heads of Papists, Mr. White, arc."
Mr. White is convinced of no such thing. I have in the
matter a duty to perform of simple obedience to my Lord and
Master. In conformity with His revealed word. I expose the
principles of Popery. and tor the same reason I urge love to
the persons of Papists.
But Mr. Caine is convinced of it, or affects to be so. If so,
how can he justify himself before God and man, when, in
addressing the verysame•class of the population, he employed
towards us the very intemperate language he Ad, which
according to his own reasoning could only lead to violence to
our persons ?
The sixth paragraph is so much of a curiosity, that I think
it a pity to touch it. Those acquainted with Mr. Caine's
views and operations and associates, will be the best judge of
its correctness ; it only proves to me how hard it is for a man
to form a correct judgmerd regarding himself. As I never took
part in a political nteetingin my lire, I don't feel much dis-
tressed by being designated "a political parson." I shall not
complain even though he should call me a "disguised
socialist."

—WeOnly other passage in this memorable letter that I shall
notice, is that which pertains to Dr. Baylee. lam not surprised
that the writer defers it to the last, and then passes it over as
quietly us possible. He denies " the ascribing of false mo-
tives," and says " I quoted his own words, and merely added
that thepromotersof that tnovementwere,in my opinion,greatly
mistaken." Had this been the case, the matter would nothave
been revived by me ; but, unfortunately for Mr. Caine, the
following remarks from his speech were already before the
public in black and white :
"It may be all very well, if he,can succeed, to perstride.the
people at their own expense thus to provide berths for young
curates; but if the projector of that scheme ever expected to
reach the hearts and consciences•of working men by any such
instrumentality, he is grievously mistaken. It may do for
widows, and for lone widows, or for washerwomen with tears
in their eyes, but working men are made of sterner stuff than
to be influenced by any such twopenny trifling : they are
not made of such plastic material as to be easily moulded ;
they are neither mud nor clay, that fledgling parsons, like
young swallows, should thus play at nest-making with them."
And stain; hesays:—

" We have aI ium.ant evidence, not only in the large attend-
ance at our meetings, but from volunteered testimony, that
working men would welcome a large Christian effort, if
rightly directed. • But they must be treated like men, and
not like children ; they must be addressed by men who have
hearts to feel fur them—who have sympathies with them—
who have studied them—who know their circumstances, their
privations, their temptations, their trials, and their sorrows;
not by new-made parsons, fresh from college, with bite and
scraps and cusps and snaps of Latin and Greek."
Why should we wonder that men, accustomed to such ad-
dresses, should entertain a contempt for religion and its
ministers? If Mr. Caine has sown the wind, must he not ex-
pect to reap the whirlwind?. But to return to the point. Is
not Dr. Baylee here held forth before these working men as
seeking their money "to provide berths for young curates?"
Is that " ascribing false motives;" or is not? Is the lan-
guage there employed such ;as a Christian naan and a gentle-
man would use of young gentlemen who had gone out into
the highways and lanes of the city that, according to the best
of their knowledge and ability, they might promote the cause
of Christ? Even though they were in error. was this
the way in which to speak of them? Was it suitable
and becoming language to use before those who enter-
tain the ideas we are informed so many of the work-
ing classes do of religion? Who need feel surprised that,
if Mr. Caine "for 25 years and more has been thrown
into constant and close communion with working men ;" and
if this be a fair specimen of his style of address when speak-
ing of the earliest efforts of Christian ministers and men to
spread the Gospel, that we have now to mourn over "scores
and scores who look upon churches and chapels just as so
many shops ; priests, clergymen, and ministers as so many
hirelings ; and the various sects of religion as so many
crafts." I throw back upon himself the question which he
puts to us, and 1 implore it of him, as a man whose "Alerting"
properties at least give him a certain influence, seriously to
consider it. " if working men look upon clergymen -as mere
schemers, and religion as a matter of pounds, shillings, and
pence, are their prejudices likely to be uprooted" by language
and conduct such as his ? _ _ _

Now I have done. I have spoken of myself and referred
only to my ow•n speeches throughout, because in Mr. Caine's
letter I am selected as the object of special attack ; and as I
do not mean again to return to this stiblect, let me give Mr.
Caine one word of advice, if he will receive it from a
" political parson," whom he pronounces to he a " political
pest" and a " social evil." If he wishes to be useful to true
religion and to the cultivation of brotherly love, I wish him
God speed, if he will only do it in the spirit of God's word
but when he preaches charity, let him endeavour to under-
stand its nature and to realise its possession. If a stern
regard for truth compels him to condemn the conduct and
actions of Christian ministers, let him, at least for consis-
tency's sake, adhere to the truth, and leave their motives to
the omniscient God, who alone can penetrate the heart; and
when he laments the hostility of so many of the working
classes to religion and its ministers, let him seriously as be-
fore God consider how far he has been the instrument of
creating it, and whether he himself is wholly free from it.
—I am, kc.,
VERNER M. WHIM.
Liverpool, April 28th, 1854.

MELINCHOLYCATASTROPHE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.
—We have received the following melancholy intelligence
from Turin :—The steamer Ercolano has been lost off Villa-
franca. Among 33 passengers lost were 15 English : —Mr.
Thomas Halsey and family (five), Mr. Knight and family
(five), Mr. Joseph Hayes and family (three), Mr. Charles
Sanson, and Sir Robert Peel's servant. Five were saved—
Mr. Edward Downley, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. George Wil-
kinson, Mr. Edward Knight, and Mr. Charles Boston. A
subsequent despatch adds that Charles Sanson was saved
from the wreck in the ship's boat with three sailors. The
wreck has proved fatal to another member of the House of
Commons, Mr. Thomas; Plumer Halsey, one of the col-
leagues of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton in the representation
of Hertfordshire. On Sunday a telegraphic message was
received from Marseilles by Mr. Halsey's solicitor, corro-
borating the announcement first made known to them by
the public papers—a source from which Lady Peel has
alone been informed of the narrow escape of her son from
a watery grave. Of the lamented gentleman's party there
were drowned five—namely, himself, Mrs. Halsley, an in-
fant son, and two servants. His son and heir, 14 years of
age, is studying at Eton. Mr. Halsley was a nephew of
the Archbishop of Dublin. He was born in 1815, and
married in 1830 the daughter of Colonel Johnstone, of
Helton. The maternal grandfather of the deceased repre-
sented Hertfordshire during the years 1768, 1774, and
1781.
THE PRESTON STRIKE.—The returns supplied from the
various mills of the associated masters show that they have
gained un accession of upwards of 800 hands during the
week ; the total number now at work exceeding 7,700, or
nearly half the number originally locked out and on strike.
In addition to these, a large number of card-room hands
(whose funds are so much reduced that they only receive
Is. per head weekly) have offered themselves for employ-
ment, but it cannot be afforded them Imtli more of the
spinners resume work.