The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-17 00:00:00

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1854.

logical weapons and fair arguments." He challenged 119
to meet him in the slums of the great towns,—we knoll 1
what he means—" nests of ignorance, vice, depravity, an
.crime, whose atmosphere is typhus and ventilation it
cholera." And here it is the purpose of our society to
meet his adherents " with the Word of God," and tr./
which is the strongest—the sword of the Spirit or the
wand of tradition. In this Christian warfare, thus carried,
on, not against Romanis only, but against every form o'
error, with Christian motives and for Christian ends, we
are entitled, I think, to the sympathy of the whole Pro'
testant community. (Cheers.) The reverend rector sat
down amidst loud applause.
Mr. T. B. HORSFALL, M.P., said it gave him thj
greatest pleasure to second the resolution which propos_
the adoption of the report that had just been read. Ur
thought he need not explain, as fully as he might dccthe.
objects of that society, because their rev. rector had alreatli
stated them in full; but amongst the various societies in
question there was none which, in his _humble opinion,
claimed a more cordial support than the Liverpool Scrip'
ture Readers' Society. They had societies for almost:
every object—they had at that moment almost a national
opportunity for Legislative efforts with regard to juvenile
delinquency ; but the Scripture Readers' Society had
marked out a course for itself—(hear, hear) ;—and his
lordship had well said, in a few words, that the object of
that society was to send to the poorer body of men,
amongst the working population of our town, and to read
to them the Word of God. (Hear, hear.) A more simple,
a more safe, a more scriptural course, it was impossible
for them to pursue. (Hear, hear.) Their reverend rector
had alluded to the desirability of not introducing politic*
within the province of this society, and with him he en.
tirely concurred. (Hear, hear.) He was glad, howe er,
that the reverend gentleman had introduced to their
notice the head—at least, so far as this country was con-
cerned—the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Se"
would endeavour to introduce the worthy cardinal in
different character to the notice of this meeting, and the,
might be enabled to view the objects of the society ins
another light, and see that the Scripture Readers' Society
was eminently a Protestant Society. (Applause.) Car-
dinal Wiseman boldly asserted that the views of the'
Roman Catholic Church were antagonistic to Protestantism-
Watch with a jealous eye the progress of Romantsm--
watch with a jealous eye her grasping power. He believed
an attempt would be made in the ensuing session of par-
liament to endow Romanism in another form ; an attempt
would be made to sanction the payment of the Roma,
Catholic chaplains to our gaols and our army ; and unless
the people of England—unless the people of Liverpool—.
spoke out, such a measure would be carried ; but he asked
the meeting, in the presence of his lordship, whether they
were desirous that such a measure should be carried for-
ward 2 (Loud cries of "No.") He then went on to speak
of the temporal and spiritual destitution of the masses,
and concluded, amidst loud applause, by urging the meet-
ing to give their hearty support to the society.
Mr. GLA.ZERROOK moved the second resolution, which
was to, the effect that the meeting, recognising the useful-
ness of the society, pledged itself to give it its support.
The Rev. Mr. BARDSLEY, the secretary of the society,
seconded the motion. He detailed at some length the
interesting proceedings of the society during the past
year, and concluded by calling upon the meeting to give ,
it their continued support. The motion was then put and
carried unanimously.
Mr. PORTER proposed a vote of thanks to the Bishop
for his kindness in taking the chair.
Mr. ANDERSON seconded the motion, which was enthu-
siastically carried, and after his lordship had replied, the
meeting broke up.