The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-03-02 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID SOCIETY

On Tuesday morning last, the Ri ttt Rev. Dr. Sumner, the
Lord Bishtip of Chester, preached at St. Nicholas' Church,
according to announcement, a sermon cin behalf of the Church
Pastoral Aid Society. The society hearing this name, has for
its object the employment of candidates for holy orders, and of
such of the laity as are devoutly disposed, in v►sit►ng those per-
sons supposed to neglect their Christian duties, and who, from
the dense population of large towns, are likely to be overlooked
and left in their state of spiritual destitution, unless sought out
by means similar to those employed by the society. In short,
the society professes to afford what its name ►ndicates, religious
aid to those pastors whose flocks Italie increased beyond the
possibility of their being carefully tended; and that that aid
shall be to promote the religious influence of the united church.
The society being most exemplary in its objects, and at the same
time but little knoWn in this town, we have subj oined a report
of the Lord Bishop's excellent sermon in its behalf, in order
that our townsmen may become more acquainted with its
merits. Owing to the exceedingly stormy morning, the church
was very thinly attended. Prayers were read by the Rev.
Rector Campbell.
- - - - - -

His LORDSHIP took for his text the 34th chapter of the
prophet Ezekiel, and the 6th verse. " My sheep wandered
through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, my
flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did
search or seek after them." So it was written. Such was the
state of things in Judea when Ezekiel was commissioned to de-
clare the word of the Lord; notwithstanding the provision
made for that country—that rich and plentiful provision, that
wide as the laud was, so wide should the knowledge of the word
of God extend. That though the people should multiply like
the sand of the sea, the word -of -the Lord should prevail
amongst them all, and his commandments prevail in honour.
Yet far otherwise was the event. The flock is neglected.
" scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did seareli
or seek after them." "Hundreds of years afterwards when it
came on, when all the law and the prophets were to be fulfilled,
the same complaint was made. Thus we read in the 9th of
Matthew that Christ went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel, healing
the every sickness anti every disease among the people; but,
when he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion on'
them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep,
not having a shepherd. Their shepherds had deserted them;;
there-were none to guide them or gather them in His bosom;

they were aged and infirm but there was none to help,; they
were sick and diseased, but there was none to heal. There
were those who had strayed from the fold, but there were none
to search or seek after them, none to feed theist in green
pastures and lead them forth besides the still waters of comfort.
Yea, rather they became meat for all the beasts of the field,
because they were scattered. So when our blessed Lord saw.
the multitude he had compassion on theta=-he was moved
compassion on-them." And how would it be my brethren lithe
same Lord were to pass tit-rough the cities and villages of our
tune? Would he find no reason for compassion? How would
it be if another Ezekiel should hear the word of' the Lord, say-.
ing unto him, " Son of man. prophecy ?" Would he find no
cause to say " they are scattered because there is no shep-
herd?" We are but too well able to answer this question. The
town in Which we are now assembled might furnish the prophet
with but too wide and large a field. The country to which we
belong might furnish innumerable examples, and] the society to
which I direct your attention to-day might accumulate details
from every corner of otir land of sheep 'scattered because they
have no shepherd. In this respect the parallel is but too exact
bet Ween Judea and our own country. The parallel goes no
further, the condition is similar, the cause is widely different.
The people of God in Judea were scattered, because the
shepherds went after their own, pursuits and cared nothing
for those whom it was their office to go in search , of.
Our people are scattered;because there are too many for the
shepherds. The flocks are accumulated, some thirty-fold, some
sixty-feld, and some one hundred-fold, but the pastures remain
the same, the shepherds are not more numerous, and our case
is much as might have been the case in Judea, if, while the
twelve,tribes increased, as they did increase, front the day when
they went into the land of Canaan, the Levites continued the
same, their numbers the same as in the time of -Ezekiel, when
'seised the little brook Kedron. It was not so in Judea, or,Eze-
kiel would not have been commanded to prophesy "Wo against
the shepherds," Such is not the case against the spiritual
shepherdir. It may seem, that the language of the prophet,is
not alone addressed to the spiritual rulers of the land, but it
appears to the. civil governments, for they are shepherds of
Israel. And though numerous are the flocks that demand their
care, and though they are fainting under the labour which it
costs them to bind up that which is broken, yet still the word of
the Lord cantle unto him, and he would prophesy to the civil
rulers; the flock became a prey, and none were sent to search
after them. Brethren, this becomes a matter of grave consider-
ation; there is danger lest we should impute to others blame in
which we share ourselves. Thetas danger lest while we im-
pose on others that duty which we,tonceive is theirs, the duty
itself remains unperformed, lest the flock which is scattered be-
comes scattered more and more,and those that might have been
reclaimed to the fold be lost for ever. What shall we say?
Shall we continue idle, looking on the scattered flock, not look-
ing after them? leaving the civil government to look to those
whom they rule? Unquestionably an obligation lies on those
who govern a country to supply their people wills spiritual in-
struction. We will proceed a step further, and consider the
grounds of this obligation. It is the ditty of every man to pro-
mote the glory of God, and therefore it is the duty of the ruler,
and of him more thau other men, in proportion as he has more
power, more influence. It is the duty of every christian man
to advance the kingdom of the Redeemer, and of the ruler more
than other men, in. proportion as his means are greater. It is
the duty of all to consult the welfare of their fellow men ; the
higher-the interest that is concerned, the more urgent is the
duty. The spiritual interests, the welfare of the never-dying
soul, the thiugs that pertain unto eternity, these are of all inter-
ests the greatest; and therefore it is the duty of the powers that
rule to, promote those interests by all the means they have
Whatever else they do, this, as far
,as in them lies, they must
not leave undone. But here observe why this duty is incumbent
on them. It is incumbent on them as they are tnen, as they are,
christians, as they have an account to render, as those to whom
talents are entrusted—talents of power and authority; they are
bound to use them before God for the welfare of their fellow
creatures; and observe farther, that for the vety'same reasons
the duty is incumbent on ourselves. We may or may not be
equally responsible, we may or may not have equal power, or
equal means committed to our charge; but all have some means,
some power, and all are bound to use the means they have for
the welfare of their neighbours and the honour of their God and
Saviour. It 'is only the ditty of the government, on the same
misagiunishiy)inodf
innogt
opnerofourrmseilnL.t,hiist disuttyheorduntyoto,
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principle, as it is the duty of every private man. Whether it
yndsitvilildurael
man, and still more of every christian man, that no soul shall
perish for lack of knowledge which he has the opportunity of
communicating. A parent is bound to provide for the child to
whom be has given birth—bound to supply its temporal wants
and no less bound to bring it up in the fear and admonition' of
the Lord. But it may be that the parent neglects that duty, and
I find that child wicked and destitute. The parent's obligation
does not absolve me from my obligation as a man and a chris-
tian. lam bound as far as I can to fill up the lack of service
of the parent. And so in the parable we read just now; it
was the duty of the priest to whom the care of the people
was committed to look after the wounded traveller, and it was
the duty of the Levite'also; but they neglected their duty.
Did that absolve the Samaritan from all duty ?. Is he. not
a man and a "neighbour?" and is he not most solemnly
set forth to us as an example—as one who fulfilled that duty,
and as having set us as example that we should " goand do like-
wise." But still further observe that all duty is limited by op-
portunities. Man is judged according to what he hath, and not
according to what he bath not. Now our governments are not
omnipotent; they cannot act except as the law allows; and
with the best intentions in the world to give benefit to the com-
munity, they can scarcely go against the will of the community.
Brethren, iu that community we form a part ; some part then
of the responsibility rests upon ourselves—that responsibility,
to which, as a nation, we have been too long insensible, and to
which as individuals we are only beginning to turn our serious
attention. But thanks be to God we are beginning ; the value
is seen, and the duty is partly attended to, and the first steps
are taken that the prophet may not always have reason to com-
plain " my flock is scattered upon all the face of the earth, and
none did search or seek after them." My brethren, the society
searches and seeks after them which I introduce to your notice,
and for which I ask your assistance. I looked out on the wide
surface of the land, and saw in many a district the shepherds
not idling in the shade while the beasts of the field devoured
the flock—not feeding themselves while the sheep were without
pasture, but saw them sinking under a charge which neither
bodily strength could bear, nor intellectual power sustain. How
could one alone bear the burden of 5 or 10,000 people? "What
are they among so many ?" I need not go far for instances;
there are too many on every side, within the sound of the very
bells which summoned. us to church this day. Take but a
single specimen. In an extensive parish in the East of Lan-,
cashire, containing 8 separate churches, with a population of
71,000 persons, giving to each separite pastor an average
charge of nearly 10,000 souls. This society has made to this'
diocese 29 grants of assistance. Of 27 incumbents who received
the societies aid, each hail a charge of 9000 souls, and the ave-
rage charge of 10 incumbents who last year received qie so-
ciety's aid in different parts of the land, was very much in the
same proportion, 8699 souls. Now in whatever light we con-
template this state of things, it is appalling. Should we con-
template it.as a people to vrhoin God has given no advantages?
And to this land so blessed, so privileged, the very words of the
apostle' may be ,applied when looking at a land of idolaters,
"1-low shall they believe hitn whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear - without a preacher? and how shall they :
react) without they be sent.". Shall we be content 'who have-
caused this inerease—whose capital has created the animal
being, but whose care has not attended to the spiritual being?
Shall -we look at this as the members of an establishment.
Whose characteristic it is that every individual in the land belongs
to his own fold and has a claim upon his own shepherd ? The
Pastoral Aid Society contemplates this state of things in all its
bearings, and with a single eye towards God's glory, and with',
a firm belief that our welfare was connected with his glory. We ,
have no party, to serve but the party of our common Lord and
Master; We have no wish or interest but that the people of God.'
should be multiplied in our land in breathing the spirit of
prayer; and with the, energy of faith in giving themselves to
the work with an industry which could only have been so sup-
ported-, they have, in the course of two short years, supplied the
thus doubling
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and affording
spiritual assistance to above 900,000 of the inhabitants. Allow
me to say here that I think it no disparagement to the so-
ciety that it does pay the salaries of 23 lay assistants. I think
it no disparagement, because I think we must admit the prin-
ciple on which the lay assistant is eugaged if no lay assistant
may receive a salary. no lay assistant may be employed. The
principle which forbids his salary must refuse his aid, if it be
because lie is a lay assistant. 1 say nothing of the expediency
of it; each incumbent must judge of that himself. Many things
are lawful which are not expedient ; but it is for the lawfulness
that I must and will contend. If the clergy in their spiritual
labours are to have no help except from clergy like themselves,
then they or their flocks or both must perish. If none but those
who are set apart for the ministry are to instruct in religion,
what multitudes must ever remain uninstructed ! And how is
that time ever to arrive which the scripture teachesus to expect
when all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest.
But further still, if none but the duly ordained, and those set
apart for the purpose as a separate order may advise or instruct
in spiritual things, how are they to' discharge the duties of their
religion? We desire to imbue them with the spirit; we desire
that they keep themselves unspotted from the world, and glorify
God in all their ways—live for him and die for nim, love their
fellow creatures as Christ himself has loved them. Such is the
subject of our weekly ministrations; but is the spirit to have no
sphere of action ? What can give energy but exercise? And
what spirit can survive the want of all exercise? Is all this
love of God to cramp all their measures? Are they to keep
themselves unspotted from the world by hiding themselves in
the closet or the desert? Are they to live to Christ by hiding
themselves from his kingdom ? Is their concern for their
fellow creatures to be confined to their bodily interests. Bre-
thren discard this; protest against this relict of papal mis-
deeds, when they chose to keep the key of knowledge to them-
selves; and allowed the priest's lips—and the priests only to
speak—that he alone might enjoy the power which always
attaches itself to knowledge.. Still further, great is the