The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-02-07 00:00:00

Pitt identified the cash-box and the documents

remainedhis property;
deficient. The prisoner was remanded
the £B9 in gold and silver being
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days.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]
PETITION AGAINST THE FIRE DUTY.

The following is the substance of the petition to the House
of Commons, from the members of the Unity Fire Insurance
Association and others interested in the repeal of the duty on
fire insurance :
" The petition of the policy holders and other members of
the Unit) Fire Insurance Association, and of the undersigned
persons, who are desirous of extending the benefits of fire in-
surance to all classes of her Majesty's subjects,
" Humbly showeth—That your petitioners believe it to be
an acknowledged principle of your honourable house, that it
is the duty of the legislature to encourage, as far as legislation
can do so, habits of prudence and foresight in every member
of the community, and especially in the middle and industrial
classes.
" That, in conformity with this wise and parental principle,
your honourable house did, by the 3rd and 4th William IV,
cap. 23, most justly exempt from duty all insurance from loss
or damage by fire on all agricultural produce, farming stock
(live or dead), and implements of husbandry; as also, by
other acts, all hospitals, infirmaries, asylums, and workhouses.
" In conformity with the same great principle, your hon.
house did, by the 7th Victoria, cap. 21, materially reduce the
duty upon marine insurance, and in the last session of par-
liament did grant a large reduction in the stamp duty upon
policies of life assurance, as well as an exemption from in-
come tax of the moneys devoted by individuals to life assur-
ance purposes.
"That, while these exemptions are accepted as a great and
wise boon, they bring into still stronger contrast the far
heavier burden of a duty on insurance of the remaining pro-
perty of the country from fire.
"That, besides a uniform stamp duty of Is. upon every fire
policy, however small the amount insured may be, there is
also a separate and constant annual duty of 3e. per cent. upon
the sum insured.
" That, in all commonly hazardous insurances, the pre-
mium charged by the offices amounts to only is. 6d. per cent.
per annum, so that the 3s. annual duty is double, or 200 per
cent. upon the premium.
"That, to artisans and others of the great industrial
classes, the whole of whose property consists of their furni-
ture and the tools of their trade, the fiscal charges (amount-
ing to 266 per cent. per annum upon the premium of a policy
for .1100) operates as a complete bar against insurance.
"That, so severe is this tax upon prudence and foresight
felt to be by the community at large, that the proportion of
property insured from fire in the United Kingdom scarcely,
if at all, exceeds one-third of the ascertained amount of pro-
perty insurable.
"That, in marine insurance, by the salutary act passed in
her present Majesty's reign (7th Victoria, cap. 21), the rate
of duty was reduced to 3d. per cent. so long as the rate of
premium does not exceed 10s. per cent., while in fire insur-
ance, on the contrary, it is still kept up at 3s. per cent.,
although the rate of premium be but Is. 6d. per cent. Thus,
on marine insurance the duty is but 3cl. per cent. upon the
premium, while in fire insurance the duty alone is 200
.per
cent. upon the premium, besides the Is. tax upon the policy.
"That your petitioners, while they hail with gratitude the
justice and the wisdom of those boons to the agricultural and
shipping interests, further pray your honourable house to
take into your favourable consideration the justice and ex-
pediency of affording a similar exemption to all other pro-
perty and implements of industry, whether tools of handi-
craft or any other machinery.
" Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the uniform
stamp duty upon all fire policies may be reduced from is to ld.
"That the amount of duty now chargeable upon all fire
policies may be repealed,;, or that it may be reduced to 6d.
per cent. ; or that such other modification may be made in
the duty now levied on fire insurance risks as your honour-
able house may, in its wisdom see fit."
The (I:vectors beg to announce to the shareholders, insurers,
and t4e.Public, that the petition embodying the above views
t.loBiow lying for signature at the chief office, 40, Pall •-mall,
ndon ; at the V nity branch offices (Mr. John Smith's,),
ommerce-court, 11,. Lord-atreet, and other places in Itiver7
pool the 11113=1;011.11 Wades thrOII4IIQUI the

ST. JOHN'S; CHURCH AID

ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL REPORT.

THE second annual report of the St. John's Church Aid
Association has just been published, and from that interest-
ing document we learn with much satisfaction that the
affairs of the association continue prosperous. The total
amount collected in St. John's during. the past year was
£541 10s. 61-d. A very large sum indeed; when the fact
of its being almost entirely a free and•poorman't church
is taken into account. The report, which is full of very
interesting details, is prefaced by an admirable address
from the Rev. W. F. Taylor, MA., the greatly esteemed
and highly talented incumbent of St. John's; from that
address we make the following extracts, and recommend
their attentive perusal:—
" The year 1853 has rolled by with all its-cares, interests,
and anxieties, the year 1854 has been commenced, with all
its hopes and fears, let me hope that it finds you growing
in grace and in the knowledge of 'our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. The review of the-year -winch: is past is cal-
culated to cheer and encourage for -the future-. God has
given us many mercies ; how often have we been per-
mitted to meet together in that church of hallowed asso-
ciations—St. John's ! how often- have we there joined
together in the blessed exercise of prayer and praise, when
the sacred edifice has indeed resounded with the loud
hallelujahs ascending from the hearts as-well as the lips of
its crowded assemblies ! how often have we been permitted
to unite together in serious consideration on the sublime
topics of salvation by faith in a crucified Redeemer—rege-
neration by the powerful agency of the. Holy Spirit—the
matchless grace, the glorious person and wondrous offices
of Christ ! How often have we knelt together at the table
of the Lord and received the sacred symbols of His body
and blood whilst feeding on Him in our hearts by faith
with thanksgiving! These are- mercies of no ordinary
character ; let me ask, have they produced in our hearts
their legitimate effects ? Have-they produced a more com-
plete conformity to the moral image—the spiritual like-
ness of our glorious Redeemer-? Have they brought you
nearer to the fountain of all happiness—the well of living
waters—Christ ? Is your faith increased, your love in-
flamed, your hope brightened? Are you becoming more
and more alive to the absorbing interests of eternity ?
more zealous to make known to all around ' the unsearch-
able riches of Christ ?' Are you more holy, more self-
denying, and more anxious for the honour of God ?
" It is no small encouragement to me, my brethren, to
find that the good work is prospering amongst us—our
congregations still keep up their ancient character, our
Tuesday evening assemblies particularly rejoice my heart.
It is truly cheering and animating to see so many come
together after their daily toil and labour from the shop,
the factory, the warehouse, to spend an hour in meditating
on the word of life. The great advantage of attending
regularly on a weekly exposition of some consecutive por-
tions of Holy Writ, I would affectionately urge upon all.
The word of God is a mine of spiritual wealth; its most
precious treasures are only brought to light by laborious
application. True, there are many choice jewels lying
even upon the surface, but still there are gems of match-
less brilliancy and great intrinsic value concealed from the
observation of the careless ; let then the shaft be sunk
deep enough and the mine thoroughly worked, and the
most laborious exertions will be amply rewarded by the
precious ores and heavenly treasures with which it
abounds, more costly than `the Gold of Ophir or the
Topaz of Ethiopia.' I am glad, therefore, to find this
service appreciated by you, and I desire to look upon it as
a sign of your growth in grace.
"In other respects, too, I feel encouraged, viz.,—in the
ready response I experience from you to every appeal,
whether in behalf of our own congregational or other
Christian institutions. Let me urge you to give during
the present year with increased liberality, remember whose
is the silver and the gold,—it is God that giveth us power
to get wealth, let us give to Him of His own.
I would take this opportunity of repeating what I
have more than once stated from the pulpit : that we
would do well to set apart one-tenth part of our income
for the cause of God. I believe we would not lose any-
thing by it, if in a spirit of faith and confidence in God
we did so ; the Lord would bless us in our basket and in
our store a hundred fold. ' Honour the Lord with thy
substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase,
so ,shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses
burst out with new wine.' Certainly in every such case
he would `increase the fruits of our righteousness, and
make all grace abound towards us.'
" Be diligent, beloved, in attending on Divine ordi-
nances, public worship, and the Holy Sacrament; above
all, in private prayer and the reading of the Holy
Scriptures.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air;
His watchword in the hour of death,
He enters Heaven with prayer.

"A prayerless Christian is a contradiction. No man
who neglects private prayer can be right in the sight
of God. .

" The word is the food of the soul ; desire it as new-
born babes, that ye may grow thereby. Thus only can
you grow up into Him in all things who is the head, even
Christ, and be preserved from being tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine.
"Let family prayer be established in every home,—rear
the altar in the midst of the domestic circle,—gather your
children around you morning and evening and invoke the
Divine blessing upon them and upon yourself.
" I would not conclude without one word to the careless,
alas ! there are such in every congregation—awake from
your indifference—put not away from you the considera-
tion of eternal things, escape is impossible if you neglect
so great salvation. Oh ! while life is yet spared flee to
Christ for grace and mercy, lest this year you be cut down
as a cumberer of the ground. The door of mercy is still
open. Jesus yet waits to be gracious ; His blood is still
all powerful to cleanse from all sin ; His righteousness all
sufficient to cover your nakedness ; His spirit to renew
your soul after His own blessed image. Flee, then, from
the wrath to come.
" Finally, beloved in the Lord, see that you adorn the
doctrine of God your Saviour in all things; give diligence
to make your calling and election sure ; manifest your
interest in God's everlasting love by the holiness and con-
sistency of your lives, so shall an entrance be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of the
Redeemer."