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

CHURCH. EXTENSION IN SCOTLAND.

On Monday last the deputation from the committee of the
General Assembly of the Church cif Scotland for Church exten-
. sion, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Afton, Dr. Anderson. Rev.
Mr. Murray, and Rev. Mr. Christisou; was met by a num-
ber of highly-respectable and intiuentialgendemee, in tne Cla-
rendon-rooms, to organise a cominittee to whom should be et],
trusted the arrangements for a public meeting, to. be held on
tire 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.
CRAWFOR D LOGAN; 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 thii town was of
so important a nature, that they could not hesitate again to ap-
peal for assistance to supply' the religions destitution of which
the.deputatien wonid give the meeting interesting details. The
plan proposed for its removal bad had the sanction of a long ex-
perience— it was a tried system—and would, no doubt, Meet the
• approval of that meeting. •
The Rev: Dr. RALPH then introduced the deputation to the
meeting, and
Dr. Atroe, of Dalphinton, 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
had given way to confiderit hope that they should not only be
• well received; tint that they should carry back with them seine
proofs of the well-known liberality of Liverpool. He wasaware
that large sums had 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 perished], 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 'pewee of dissenters to teltivate.
. 'l'hev ('he deputation) had an desire to circumscribe the useful-
' ness of dissenters, for ifit were so they might justly be charged
with having undertaken an unchristian mission—but they were
there to . obtain further aids for preaching to' the poor the uri
searchable riches of Christ. ( Hear, 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 be promotive of their interests--certainly not opposed to
•them, inasmuch as it would be the insane of extending the
Redeemer's kingdom in the land. ( Hear and applause.)
Large stuns had been raised in Scotland, and from 180 to 200
churches had been or were about' to he erected, and were iii the
course of erection; and of these completed many were occup'.ed
by devout congregations. That might be attributed to human
agency; but he thought he did not say top Much when he said
'the agency was divine, and that they were but the- humble in-
struments. 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 pot but feel
that there was something due tithe admirable system of educa-
tion pursued in Scotland. He believed Scotchinen were re-
speQted, not only here, but theoughoet 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 religion! ethication they received in their
youth, in; which habits and religious feelings were inculcated
that followed them through life. As they should have cippertu
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; 'be,' in conclusion, he 'would expreis
the gratification he had in meeting and addressing the respecta-
ble gentleman present on 'so interesting a subject.
.• Dr..ANDEesort, of Newburgh; andther u7f the deputies, rose
and said he did' not think it 'then nece4sary 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 themselvegthe 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 religions
duties. They had been agairt'told that they were fanning a po-
!ideal mission; hut they had no such object either.' Their ob-
ject was not recently designed, for in 1828 a committee was ap-
pointed to procure church extension it was re-established' on a
more permanent form in'lB3l; and that was the rely objeet of
the deputation's mission to this country. It was gratifying too
to find that it was not confined to any nue party, but was parti-
cipated in by distinguished men of vatious 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 soughtle bring a knowledge of
the truth to those who had not hitherto 'had the' means of ae-
.quiring it. They had had it proved to them; under a commiS-
sion new traversing their country, that Edinburgh had from
45,000 to 50,000, and Glasgow upwards of 66.000 inhabitants
who had no means of Bearing 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 Seothitid had long been awake to
the itnpertance 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 in consequence to
inquire. and they found that there were from 40 to 50 churches ,!
endowed, bid inacceSsiblechapels built and sustained by the
people themselves, who hair not access to theii parish churches
—but after all there wits the 'grave and-important faCt that the
spiFitual destitution was mos't alairMing. It was-- proved by a
committee consisting of getitleinen rif the Church of Enl.-tiand,
of the Church of Scotland, and of the secessioe church, that if
their churches and chapels were-filled about dne-fourth•part of
the 'inhabitants would be as much Sbut out of the temple of
Jehovah as if they were residents in the 'Wilderness. Ile was
sure the inhabitants of this conntry would net allow the depu:
laden to return without something to aid them in" their obi ;
he did not ask for much, bet as they were people of a
kine-rdom- living under ononegovernment, and believing in one
cotirmou Christianity—tee„si„,, in which they must wish that
others shetild 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 coui-
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 he
the treasurer,' and Mr. Parker the secretary, oho in the die,
charge of his duties will lie assisted by the Rev. Dr. Ralph and
the Rev. John Park. (See advertisement.)
Rev. JcKN MURIss y, of Abbott's Hall (another of the
deputies) then rose to address the meeting, and 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 coutains a statement of facts startling 'and important, we
think the better-plan.ie to give it to our readers entire. 'lt is as

' • "The Committee on Church Extension was first appointed
in 1828, but it was not till 1834 that the General Assembly esta-
blished it in a permanent form; on the model of the Committee
for Propagating the Gospel •in Fore'ign' Parts; since that time
it has heen in efficient operation, having it as the one and truly
Christian object of its institution, to piocide 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 in
making the consoquent appeals to the Christian liberality of the
people 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 and pastoral superintendence of the people
must be very inadequate. But during the last three orlotir
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 in
Scotland, and which it is the desire of the Genera! Assembly as
speedily and as effectually aspossible to remedy.. Much infor-
mation on this subject will be found in the two valuable repOrts
of the religious instruction cdthinissioners, 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
ink; this city, that 'the number of persons capable of attending;
who habitually absent thethSelyes from public..wOrship, cannot
be less than from 40,0(X) to 59,0(X), according to the age. ut which
children may be supposed capable orattetiding.chuirch.' This
neglect of public yirci-olip.' it is added, appears'by the evidenr:e
to he almost entirelyeolifined'to the poorer elas-ses,'and chiefly
to the very 'lowest.' • '

"Again, in their second report, the same commission state
respecting what they call the United District of ROyalty.
Barony, and Garbols ,•f 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 Intel Considera-
tion church attendance of every kind, and at ans place, in the
estallishment, and among dissenters,' at regular chtirches; and
at mere preaching stations. It it' obvious, therefore, that every
expedient is adopted to swell the unmoor of church-attendelS,
and the destitution which is thus brought nut;inust be and. thing
else than over-stated."

".111 the reports or the royal commissioners, it appears that
in-the two cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow alone, there are
not less than about 116,000 persons, upwards of ten years of age;
living in•the continual alli/rah/mai neglect of the ordinances-of
religion— habitually absenting, themselves. from the House of
God.. If to this number we add only 3-I,oou forehildren under
the age specified—a 'number not too great, we have the specta-
cle of, a gross population of. 150,000 in these two ei.ties
living altogether apart from the means of grace, wnlinut7God
and without ho• e in the world.

This fact,,when thus simply stated, appears to be startling
epougb,:but a:few further observations may, place it in a more
striking point olview. By the cen,surOf 1831, it appears that
the entire population 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 possibleto point to
any one of these large and important districts of the country,
and to say with fruth,_ that it did not contain a sing Christian
eongregation —not even 'a, single Cdnistian 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, Roxbury)), and Berwick,
that they formed one scene of spiritual desolation--not one sin-
gle inhabitant of that large district of coontiy either seeking or
professing to seek after God ? Yet these are so many immortal
beings, in this condition, in Edinburgh and GliQgow alone,
as very nearly equal the whole population 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, Haddington, -Peebles, Selkirk, and .Linlithgow.; it
would not .e;teeedswhat by. thaseport-oflier majesty's commis-
sinners is shown actually to exist at this tuonienr in the two
,principal towns of,Seetlatol •-
ojr, should not be ;forgotten that it is among the poorest of
the !sod, and loose, therefore, who are least able to de any
thin, ter themselves to ametiorate thelr ecclesiastical condition,
that this destitution chiefly prevails. This destitution, also,
is of, _soaleeisandalistressing a kind that it wece•ie vain to at-
tempt, in Such a paper like the
.present,.an adequate delinea-
tion of it. Nene, indeed, hut those who have had personal
in-
tercourse with the inhabitants of such districts, can have a right
conception of the degraded state in which hundreds are living
Aruund als, or feet sufficiently the necessity that there, is for the
moatefficacious 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
contain.not only a general. account of the destitution prevailing
in Edinburgh and Glasgow, biltevidence of a very instructive
nature respecting the destitution or various isolated .districts,
In one district of St. Cuthbert's
.parish,- for example, contain-
ing 511 families, or 2219 individuals, there were Ohm& 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 Trott Church
parish„Edioburgh, is represented as containing 692 families, or
2,629 persons, but they have only :331 sittings among them-, or
:one for, every eight. inhabitants.,. Sonic smaller . districts are
eveq_more striking, One oistrict in -St. Cuthbert's parish of
289 inhabitants has 13 sittings, or 1 for :every. 22 .persons;
another of 248 has 8,.0r one for every 31 ; another of 210 has I();
or.l for every 21 ; .another in Old Greyfriars' ,parish 4303 hai
12, or 1 fur 25; another- in NewGreyfriars' of 266 has•lo, or. I
for every 26. A. multitude. of detached districts besides these
are referred, to, in which the ;rate. of seatholding to the whole
.population isas,l in 7, 1 in 8, 1 in 14, 1 in 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 -fate report of the
Glasgow Church:Building Society, After mentioning that in
Glas,sow,.arid. auburbs.there are .no fewerthao.Bs,los persons
capable of atteodingchurch,.whohave,not asitting in any place
of worship, established ordissentiog, ofany denomination,what-
ever,'-and that 'there are not fewer than 18,004 families, no
:member of which has a sitting in any place of worship whatever,'
-111,e report proceeds to say,—`.The Glasgow Church Building
Streiety commenced their operations in the beginning of the year
183-1, .and though the three years which have. elapsed since that
period down to the close of the year 1836. has 'been a period of
•
beueficence and of unusual exertion for increasing the
,church
,accommodation of our city,, yet it is a striking: and no
fess"deeplyaffeeting rapt, that,. with the combined efforts of our
society .rtnd. the dissenters of all denominations, we have not,
heen able to provide church aecorninottation for one-half of the
increase of the population ionce our society commenced their la-
bours in 1531 F-rotu the Ist of January,. 1834, to the 2d ,of
January, 1837, it is supposed that the population of. Glasgow
and .suburbs have increased 21,000 souls. For these 14,400
sittings would have been required, and Vet the whole additional
churches which have been opened during that period, Ponnected
both with the estaldishment and dissenters, contain only 6562
sittings, leaving a deficiency of ehurch accommodation for the
.ntere increase of the population,. of no fewer than 7838 sittioes
Thus, theater_ 6562 orah.e increase Mille population-have, (hiring
Ihat.period, been provided for, 7838 orthat increase have been
left tinprevided for, and this u ith tneefforts of the establishment
and,dissenters cern:bitted. And thus, great as was the spiritual
destitution of our city before we commenced opt labours, the
close of every year finds it greater than before.
"But it is-not in Edinburgh and Glasgow alone that grievous
destitution is found to prevail. In all-our large:towns, and in
many of our-coutortparish.es, the most strenuous exertions are
•
called for in.behalf of perisloug thousands of our fellow-cOuntry-
•men. In only five parishes in Dundee, statistical inquiries
lately instituted, terminated in the appalling result of 36 624 of
.a population, and 15,918 ofthese, above seven years of age, and
capable of. attending. divine ordinances, without a right of ac-
couttnodation in any place of worship whatever. Similarstate-
ments may •be -matte respecting Paisley, Aberdeen, Falkirk,
Duinteradine, and all our large towns. In the parish of Dun-
,donald, until lately, there. was -a population of 5867, with ono
- church only, containing 627 sittings: Tne total population of
Uig, in the presbytery of Lewis, is 3041, all of them members
id' the established church, and the church, which is the only
.place of worship in the parish, contains 900 sittingiit. The parish
of Lochs, which is 35 miles long and 18 broad, intersected by
mouutains, morasses, rivers, and arms of the sea, has a:populis-
t tints 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-
, 'tuition of 5206. Of these, 2400. are included in the vioad sacra.
pariah attached:to the parliamentary church of Ullapoel,' which
accommodates .600 sitters, but unwards 4,1000 of the inhabitants
of this. quoad sac,: parish are 12 miles from Ullapool. At Fort
William, there is a population of 1600 separated from the 'parish
.church by au arm of. the .sea and the river Lochy; for these, '
steps are. being taken to provide a new church. Until the-hew
•Church..was erected Lyhster in Caithness, the inhabitants of
that village, amounting to 1500, and had no other Church to go
to but the parish ehuich, or that of the mission of Bruan, both
,at the distance of from four to five miles; and while the parish
of-Latheron .contained 6500 inhabitants, the church -and'abe
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
varishiattached to, the parliamentary church of Puolewe there
is A district called the . Leigh, containing a population of 1500
souls, and these, are from titto 12• miles• distant front the' parish'
church, without a place:of worship of any description whatever..
;These ts:e• but a few of the specimens. of that fearful destitution
which exists at ibis moment in every quarter of the land.
It.will.nolibbe apparent to every one who will attend to the
above statenielfts, that there is a loud and urgent call for chris-
Oen- liberality and christian exertion, in 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 fully
justified in making so earnest an 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 rational, accountable, and immortal 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.;tletnanding the efforts of Christian
philanthropy to redeem them—a work, which nothing but the
strenuous and *sustained, exertions of many years will be ade-
quate to :accemplish, Buy just because this field of missionary
enterprise is so accessible, does there appear to be the stronger
season for its being undertaken. Moreover, if the precept, or
Ga- 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 he all
the stronger, and the obligation to obey the precept all the more
solemn and imperative, when it concerns our very neighbours
and fellow-countrymen, those who speak the atone language,
wholive :under the same 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. blesSlitt: 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 mural wilderneSses brokeifhp,
and divided into districts small enough to be 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 be adapted to the circumstances of the poorest families-in the
neighbourhood. They believe that were this Machinery cart ied
into vigorous operation throughout theaand, anti every little dis-
trict its own clergyman, who faithfully and diligently' carried
the lessons of the gospel front house to house, its own elders and
other ecclesiastical office hearers, to co-operate with the mini-
ster iin the great work of improving the condition of the people
of their charge, its own schools and teachers for the mural and
religious, as well as intellectual training of the young, and were
the outspouring, of the Spirit of God to accomp:aly such efforts
in the cause of truth,—they believe that were this the case, the
most remarkable effects would be produced in an inconceivably
shout 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 had blessed.
. ''The 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 fur
public worship, and nearly I nat number have fixed and permit-
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 cf 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 con gregationsformed, is striking, but
the more it is considered, it will be felt to be the snore impres-
sive. That we may more sensibly feel the power of such an an-
, n,uncement,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 ? But 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 ICO
to.w churches had actually been erected, and that, from sabbath
to sabbath the voice. of psalms, , and the accents of prayer, anti
theaithful ministrations of God's word.and sacraments more to
be—heard. and witnessed in many a populous town, and many a
sequestered valley, where vice and ungodliness and 'spiritual
darkness prevai ed before, is there a Christian man in this court-
try Whoseiteart would. nut burn within him, as in imagination lie
contemplated the refreshing spectacle, and who would not rejoice
in the proof thus afforded, that the spirit was yet powerful a s ever,
and. that God had not left himself without a witness? But all
this has actually been done. One hundred missionaries have
already been sent to the heathen at home; and this with uni-
versal and most encouraging suec.ss. A signal blessing-has at-
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. whichlave been expended in this way. But is
there not eyery.reason for forming a much higher estimate, and
that- Ihe opening of. these new.ch urches will be instrumental in
awakening multitudes, andripening them for heaven—multitudes
wini in eternity will associate their earliest impressions respect-
ing heayeniy things with these new churches, and bless the in-
strumentality by which the work of their preparation for the
eternal world was effected?
wort:
.forgotten()l preparing
threinsgam soeuls time,fi)r
".Every contribution,. therefore, to the church extension
scheme, is really helping, on the
eternal glory. , But it need cot be
that every such contributor is also taking one of the best. steps
to -secure the temporal happiness .of his fellow-countrymen.
Whereyer 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,
hot also in time, who would teach then► 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 population,Lis theOPen-
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 thestream 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 exhaust-d, 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 £BOOO. It is
evident that-unless the friends of the church in this city and
throughout the country contribute with even more than their