The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-29 00:00:00

those principles are in accordance with the revealed will
of God."

Some subjects, he said, spoke for themselves. Their very
titles proclaimed their importance and their worth. The
basis of the resolution in his hand was that principle con-
stituted character, and, therefore, in order effectually to
advocate the interests of the Reformation, .and make the
members of the Church of Rome join their ranks, because
honest and consistent Protestants; they must act upon
this rule of principle constituting character By charac-
ter, he meant those natural qualities which glorified
God, dignified man, and purified society. (Hear, hear.)
Character was not talent. A man might have all the
wisdom of Newton, the logic of Bacon, the metaphysics
of Locke, and yet be destitute of character. The philoso-
phers of Greece and Rome knew as much as they could
know without the Bible, and yet they were destitute of
those cardinal principles which constituted sound charac-
ter. The philosophers of France, at the end of the last
century, the leaders of the revolution, were, many of
them, great and energetic men, but were destitute of
those principles which constituted true men in the sight
of God. Character was not station. Some of the highest
geniuses had been dug out of the roughest quarry.
(Cheers.) Rough hands, unshaven faces, thick arms and
legs, and stalwart constitutions, had contained the gentlest
and noblest, and purest of spirit. (Cheers.) Charac-
ter was neither talent, station, nor reputation. The most
ignorant Hottentot, or civilized European, whether king
or subject, master or servant, who made the Bible
his guide, the glory of God his end, the exaltation of true
scriptural principles the summit of his ambition—whe-
ther he lived in a hut or a palace; whether clothed in rags
or in fine linen—that man, in the sight of God and the
universe, had downright, settled, manly character. (Loud
applause.) By principles they meant, not opinions, but
those great motives which resulted in settled action ; and
according to the character of these principles would be the
nature of the action. With these sentiments in view the
resolution in his band had been framed. Now, the object
of the Reformation Society was to circulate the religious
principles of that Reformation, which unquestionably was
the greatest event that had taken place since the day of
Pentecost. It was a mighty upheaviug of mind ; a won-
derful shaking among the dry brnes ; the throwing
off that incubus which was eating up the very vitals
of Christianity. One of the great religious prin-
ciples of the Reformation was that the Bible alone
was to determine the essentials of salvation. Tills,
too, was in accordance with the 6th Article of the Church
of England; for, though the members of that Church
might differ—as he did with Mr. WHITE on minor matters
of church government—they yet deemed that everything
necessary to salvation was to be found in the Bible, or
nowhere. (Cheers). Martin Luther, who saw that there
was law in the material creation, so was there law in the
religious economy. He found, however, that the decrees
of Popes and Councils were not sufficient to satisfy his
conscience as a sinner, and he maintained throughout
the integrity and paramount authority of the Bible. It
was this that the Papists did not like. When they said
that Rome was the mistress of the churches, give them
the Bible and ask them to prove it. When they said the
Pope was the head of the Church, bring them to the Law
and the Testimony, and they would fly. An open Bible,
and the plain common sense declaration of God's truth,
they could not stand. Protesants, from the earlieit time
—Abel was the first—Protestants patriarchal, Mo-
saic, prophetic, and Christian, martyrs and refor-
mers kept the Bible in its paramount authority
as the rule of faith and the guide of practice. The supre-
macy of the revealed law of God„ then, was one principlik
which the society was anxious to circulate and maintain
in Liverpool. The poor Romanist, who from birth to
death heard but one voice—" Hear the church"—was kept
without that rule. whereby only he could he saved. There
were many things about which they (the Protestants)
might differ; but there were two things about which no
soundly and religiously constituted minds could differ—
that the Bible was the rule of faith, and that the Bible was
the book for every man ; and whatever' might take place
however powerful might be the aggressions of Popery—
however the nunneries, and chapetries, and monkeries,
might increase ; however frequent might buthe visitations
of the priesthood in this town, they (the Protestants)
would keep their principles intact and pure; would defend
them so long as a drop of blood remained' jnl their bodies,
and would pray from the bottom of their hearts, and
teach their children to lisp,. "From all the' detestable
enormities of the Bishop of Rome; good. Lord deliver us !"
(Loud applause.)
'the Rev. T. ROBINSON, 8.A.. seconded theresolution, and
alluded to the foundation of the Protestant Reformation So-
ciety amid some few storms and amid many prayers. After
remarking that the present gathering must be very cheering
to themissionary Mr. Worrell (whom he, Mr. Robinson, had
recommended to the appointment which lie now held), tie
speaker took a hasty and brief review of thepolitical move-
ments wnich had of late agitated all classes in reference to
the great subject of Protestantism in these realmst His
confidence lie declared to be shaken, and be found by experi-
ence it would not do to look to Govei nment fora:display of
those bold measures which are indispensable for securing our
Protestant institutions. (Cheers.) All were aware of the
brilliant election promises made when courting the support
of the people; but as working men they were all aware that
action speaks louder and with more effect than words. Of
the men who have composed our ministers of the crown, in
connexion with this great struggle, we have found them
equivocal, esasive, dilatory, unprotestant. (Hear, hear) The
proceedings of such men made him tremble for England's
future; and that anxiety was increasediby every day's experi-
ence. It was but lately he read that an order had gone down
to Chatham, providing that the same chapel for the accom-
mouation of the soldiery was to be used on one part of the day
for the services of our ProtestantChnrchrand on the other by
the Popish priest, as a place in which to disseminate the abo-
minations of theltomis;, belief. He knew not what answer
might be sent to such an order by the chaplain at Chatham ;
but, if he had: received an order thus to mix his minirtry
with that of an apostate priest, he- would instantly have-
penned his resignation, and would have been no. party to
so ltlasphemeas a mixture of Christ with Antichrist. (Cheers:).
A feather, it had been said, thrown up shows how the wii.d
blows, and one•circumstance lately struck him as significant.
When our belovea Queen lately visited Ireland (and our
Queen is, withoutany doubt, a true and staunch Protestant)
—(loud cheers)—she was made to reach Ireland on a Monday,
and to leave it ona Saturday. And why was that so ? It was
lest these amiable Papists should be offe'nded by Her Majesty
going to worship God, in connection with those parties who
follow the principles upon which had become
the hero of the. Battle of the Boyne. (Loud and con-
flitted cheers.), We can place no confftlence in men who
could thus counsel temporising on the part of our
Sovereign. An incident he might relate; however,. which
showed that whatever might be the disposition of Minis-
ters, reliance may be placed on the members of the
Commons House of Parliament. At the close of last
session not fewer than fifty members of that House had
pledged themselves to maintain the Protestant oath of supre-
macy entire.• (Loud cheers.) These are the men who should
be countenanced and supported, and towards an augmenta-
tion of whose numbers every Protestant should direct his at-
tention, as the• parties really capable of opposing and coun-
teracting the Pope's brass band. (Great and continued
cheering.) Ere• this time England has had, to fall back on
her middle etaases ; and we now come to you, to the
middle classes,. and the lower classes, Among them
we find few conversions, perversions they. are more properly
called, to Popery. (Cheers.) It is among the upper classes
that such unfortunate movements are to be met with. It is
for you then to be up and be doing, and to show your deter-
mination to. exalt and uphold the tratli as it is in Jesus.
(Cheers.) A gentleman to whom he (the speaker) had lately
to address himself concerning this movement disapproved of
it. The gentleman inquired wat arguments could be adduced
by working men to counteract the operations of Rome. He
forgot that: those men have the happiness to sit under evan-
gelical ministers—(cheers)—that they are accustomed to dis-
cussion among themselves •, and they are thus enabled to
contribute powerful efforts to uproot the unrighteousness of
Popery, (Cheers.) It had been found by many that thought
was very, erratic; that ideas very solemn are rapidly suc-
ceeded by others that are very ludicrous. His thoughts had
on a late.occasion transported him in imagination to London,
the time he thought was the month, of May, and lie to him-
self fancied he was on his way to Exeter-hall to attend a
meeting at the Protestant ssociation. He encountered, he
thought, a crowd, and on ascertaining what was the occasion,
he discovered a large mastiff in the act of shaking and woe-.
Tying a little pet dog. The crowd shouted and used every
exertion to rescue the little sufferer, but without effect.
Presently a little gentleman—a very small man compared
with many of those who were exerting themselves on the•
occasion—pressed gradually forward, and having gained the
front rank, he took a small box. from his pocket, and out of ib
he lifted a small quantity of snuff, which lie placed within
the jaws of the mastiff. The huge cur gave a great
howl and ran away. (Laughter and loud cheers.) The
big dog bounded away, and the little one was left free.
(Cheers.) Let us follow a similar course, and send away the
great beast of Popery from. its attempts to worry and destroy
our poor little Protestantism. You will aid in putting a pinch
of snuff in the jaws of tlie.gseat Papal beast, and effectually
scare away the great Cardinal Wiseman, who of late has
threatened to destroy us. The reverend gentleman resumed
his seat amidst loud and continued cheering.
The Rev. V. M. Wnazn moved the next resolution :

" That this meeting. desires to give its cordial support
to the Liverpool Auxiliary to the British Society for Pro-
moting the Religious Principles of the Reformation, and,
in so doing contemplates not only the general effects that
may result from the society's operations at large, but also
the particular benefit which may be lookers to the
Roman Catholicsresident in the town and neighbourhood."
It was necessary (Mr. White said) to distinguish between
persons and principles. They spoke,'in the present contro-
versy, in reference to principles. They loved the persons of
the Papists, and it was because of this that they endeavoured
to do them good by telling them the truth; but they hated
the principles of Popery—that masterpiece of the devil, who
never produced a system so well calculated to dishonour God
and destroy the souls of men. The facts of the case showed
that in every country where Popery was established perse-
cution and intolerance prevailed; and yet, notwithstanding
this intolerance in principle and practice, she would fain
pass before the world, in free Protestant England, as the
very essence of meekness and patience. Look at the
poor priests here, for instance, who, Dr. Cahill said, would
do nobody any harm— (laughter)—but yet the writings of
their church breathed the most intolerant, fiery, and perse-
cuting spirit. He (the speaker) should endeavour to show
that, in principle, it was utterly impossible for the Church of
Rome to be anything else but intolerant, persecuting, and the
enemy of all that was for man's good, and the comfort of our
soul's hereafter. First, it was utterly impossible for any
nation to be free that was under the government of one who
possessed nothing less than the power of Almighty
.God
Himself, and yet who had all the frailties, defects, and infir-
mities of humanity. What had been the character of the
Popes, they who claimed thus to be gods upon earth? Why,
one Roman Catholic writer told us that there were 150 Popes
who were apostatical and not apostolical; and, a Romish
cardinal, who had written more than any other member
of his church, and was a high authority, described
them as monsters who had crept into the pontifical chair.
(Cheers.) Again, Romanism must be a system of tyranny ;
for no freet.om could could exist where there were no laws to
direct the government of a country. Every government had
laws, even the most arbitrary and despotic. The Church of
England had its laws ; but in the Church of Rome the Pope
was at the head, there was no law but his, and, therefore, the
people must be slaves. They said they did not restrict the
Bible; but they taught that it must be interpreted according
to whatever sense the Church chose, and thus the Pope could
defeat Scripture by the interpretation which lie chose to esta-
blish. In the third place, the Papists could not be anything
else but slaves, in consequence of the hold which the priest-
hood had upon them, through the confessional and other
agencies. He spoke not of the priesthood personally, but
officially, when he declared that it was impossible for a man
who took an absolute oath of allegiance to a foreign prince—
to consider his interests first, and to sacrifice all others to
them—it was absolutely impossible for that man to pay true
and faithful allegiance to the sovereign of this country. Popery
' ever was, and ever must be, intolerant and persecuting,—
the enemy of God and man; the foe of man's best interests,
individually and socially, both for time and eternity. (Cheers.)
The Rev. G. L. IRELAND seconded the motion, remarking
that as Rome was maintained by organisation, so must the
Protestants, by organisation, and by the formation and sup-
port of societies like the present, seek to battle with and sub-
due the foe. He contrasted the superior condition of the Pro-
testant with those of the Roman Catholic countries of Europe,
with a view to show how debasing and enervating was the
system of Popery ; and pointed out, as an illustration of the
same fact, the wretched state of many portions of Liverpool,
particularly the district about St. John's. This Society was
composed of the persons by whom the work of the Reforma-
tion could be most effectually accomplished--if they chose
properly to exert themselves—namely, the working-classes.
at-thanks to
The Rev. W. B. S. MATTIIIAS moved a vote
the chairman.