The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

have read with great interest your article on
" the proposed new church in Liverpool." I participate
very largely in the hopes with which you regard the pro-
ject, and shall rejoice to see the day when an accessible
daily service shall be established in this town. Any one
who has resided in—l will not say a cathedral city, be-
cause, happily, the daily service is not now confined to
cathedrals, and, unhappily, all cathedrals are not, as they
should be, models of church observance to their several
dioceses—but any one who has resided in a place where
the daily service could be resorted to, and who has valued
and used the privilege, must feel that its absence is a
heavy loss. Surely of the thousands who, at this port,
take leave of the land they love, and enter upon the perils
of the deep, there must be many who would be glad that
some portion of their last hours here should be passed
within the house of God, and that the feelings which are
then uppermost should find expression in the prayers and
benedictions of the Church. So, too, of those who return
hither after long absence, or who, after encountering dan-
gers which seemed to exclude all hope, have ultimately
reached in safety " the haven where they would be." What
more natural, in the devout mind, than the wish at once
to return thanks to God for His mercy, by joining in
the services of His temple ; and what more clulhng to
such a feeling, than the denial of the opportunity !
It often happens, moreover, that Liverpool is the first
place to receive, and the last to part with, eminent
members of our own and kindred communions, on holy
mission bound. Archdeacon Sinclair and Mr. Hawkins
lately embarked here on their voyage to visit the Ame-
rican Church. The Bishop of Fredericton, on the day of
his last departure hence to. his diocese, did receive the
Holy Communion at St. Philip's Church ; as did the two
American bishops who visited this country last year, at
St. Peter's. The privilege they desired and enjoyed is one
which many an humble member of the Church has doubt-
less craved : and blessed is the work which aims at pro-
viding it for such as he. Then, as to the home and
resident members of the Church. Consider the number
of clergy and devout laymen who visit Liverpool, or reside
for a while in the neighbourhood, during the summer
months. Is it not a reproach to a town like this, if it can-
not afford them the same spiritual advantages which they
enjoy at home ? Look, also, at that portion of the popu-
lation who are engaged in pursuits which exhaust the
mental energies, disturb the equability of the temper, and
leave no heart for intellectual effort ; but which do beget
an earnest craving for the calming, comforting influence
of Divine worship. lam not picturing an imaginary case.
To speak of one class only—one, however, of which the
description just given is eminently true—l have known
the jaded schoolmaster betake himself habitually to one
or other of the metropolitan cathedrals (St. Paula and
Westminster Abbey) during the precious hours of his half
holiday, there to seek Him who has promised to the weary
" rest for their souls." For such the excitement of preach-
ing would be quite out of place : what they want is the
soothing and the comfort of common prayer.
With you, I do most earnestly hope that nothing may
be done, in connexion with this noble design, to awaken
the strife of controversy. That is an evil which I dread
and deprecate with an intensity I cannot describe. My
business, however, is not with details : I only write to
express my joy at the project which has been formed, and
at the prospect of its accomplishment, trusting that it will
be well and wisely carried forward to a successful issue,
and with all my heart wishing its promoters God speed.
Liverpool, Sept. 1, 1853. LAICUS.