The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-10 00:00:00

half-past six, and the business of the meeting commenced by

the Rev. WM. HAMILTON supplicating the divine blc

The Rev. CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting as fol-

—Fellow townsmen, fellow christians, fellow protest-

ants—it is with the utmost satisfaction that I meet you upon
another anniversary, and that I find myself in a condition to

give you encouragement by the assurance that your work has
not been in vain. (Hear, hear.) Your visits to the dwel-

lings of our poor brethren, your expostulations with them
upon their neglect of divine worship, your invitations to them
to attend the services of the church, your lending, distribut-

ing and exchanging of tracts, these and other similar exer-

cises of Christian philanthropy have been productive of a
gradual and substantial improvement, and I rejoice to see

you here in vastly increased numbers', and I trust in vastly

increased zeal to persevere in your work and labour and pro-
ceedings of love. We have two valued testimonies of efficient
usefulness :—first the commendation of all the lovers of order,
stability, and permanence in the institutions of our country,
both religious and political; secondly, the reproach and the
abuse of all the infidels, revolutionists, and levellers by whom
we are surrounded.. (Bear, hear.) They call us bigots be-

cause w•e believe in God, and because We cannot treat his

sacred word as a thing to be made subservient to our own po-
litical or personal convenience. They call us corruptionists
because we value the protective wisdom of an hereditary
peerage, and thank God for the protection of the country,
maintained by his providence, i❑ giving and in preserving to
us a House of Lords. (Loud cheers.) They call us despotic,
they call us enemies to the movement—of what they are
pleased to call the improvement of the country, because we
have such a respect for the true dignity of the prerogative of
the crown, we cannot stand tamely by and see that preroga-
tive degraded by an administration whose tenure of office is
not in the confidence of the country, hut the good pleasure
of a popish demagogue. (Loud cheers.) My friends—some
four or five years ago, the movement mania, miscalled re-
form, was at its fever height ; but old England, the patient,
had a good constitution, (Applause and laughter.) The
crisis came : the crisis happily passed ; and symptoms of re.
turning health are manifesting themselves more and more in
every feature, and in every limb of the body politic. (Hear.)
To begin at home,—l have to congratulate you on the result
of our municipal election. (Tremendous applause.) Though
some of the consequences may perhaps he attended with a
louder storm than any you can make,—(laughter)—if we may

„
judge by philosophical appearances, for the Mercury is very
low. (Tremendous cheers.) I was surprised to find scarcely
an allusion to the sth of November in that respectable print.

There was one allusion in a few lines, and I had the honour
to figure in one of those lines. (Cheers.) They say that the
usual sermons for the sth of November were preached yes-
terday in Manchester :

" the usual Gunpowder Plot' sermons were preached
in Manchester, yesterday. The Rev. H. M`Neile, of this
town, occupied Mr. Stowell's pulpit, and delivered a dis-
course two hours long, in which he of course very clearly
demonstrated to the audience that the Catholics were only
watching their opportunity to hatch another gunpowder
plot."
I protest that judging by the principles to which these teach-
ers are pledged, we are bound to say that that little paragraph
contains sound doctrine. I know well, my friends, that the
ready charge against us for all our proceedings—a charge
ready to be repeatei for the proceedings of this evening—is
bigotry, misrepresentation, and calumny. We are perpe-
tually accused of ascribing to Roman Catholics sentiments
which they do not entertain. I want to put you in posses-
sion of who is in the fault, if that be the case. I will endea-
vour to do so by asking you, first of all, what you would
think of any person (a dissenter for instance) who should
bring a charge against a clergyman of the Established Church,
that he held the principles of the 39 articles ? Could you
call him a misrepresenter ? No. If he took some ob-
noxious book, written by one of the members, and charged
all the clergy with holding some of the principles in that
book, that would be a calumny ; but if he took the articles
to which we are sworn and pledged, and charged us with
holdiug the sentiments in those articles, he would not be
misrepresenting us ; he could not be called a calumniator of
us or our church. Suppose he took one of those articles
concerning justification, wherein we are told by our church,
gathering it from the word of God, that justification by faith
is a welcome doctrine, and full of comfort, as is more largely
set forth in the homily on justification ; and suppose that the
dissenter was to say that the clergymen were bound to these
articles and the homily, would it be bigotry and calumny, or
bearing false withess against the clergy of the Established
Church, to say that they were bound to the doctrines con-
tained in that homily ? Now, what do we do ? We take not
an old-fashioned book, not an old chronicle of the middle ages,
which has been laid by on musty shelves. We take the creed
of Pope Pius the Fourth, consisting of 12 articles, which has
' been added to the Nicene creed. Every one of them is as
firmly pledged to that creed as we are to our articles. It is
difficult to know in the present time what will not be denied.
I should not wonder if we have it denied that the priests of
the Romish Church arc sworn to the creed of Pius the
Fourth, though it is notorious that they are pledged in the
same manner that we are pledged to our articles. I wish
to put this in as simple a way as I can, for your conviction,
because I do not want to carry you away by talk. I want
to convince your understandings. You may observe that the
Roman Catholics deny that they are answerable for the doc-
trines we impute to them : but did you ever hear any of them
deny that their priests held the creed of Pope Pius Fourth?
I never saw a denial of that, and if in these days of denial it
has not been denied, I think it may be safely concluded that
they cannot deny it. That point is carried ; they do sub-
scribe to the creed. Now, one of the articles of that creed
ties upon them certain other things that fasten on them cer-
tain councils in the way that our articles fasten on us our
homilies. One of the articles of that creed fastens on them
all that has been declared, decreed, and defined by all the
sacred and general councils, and the holy canons of the
church. It is a tremendous oath to take, for it would re-
quire a whole life-time to read through the books that they
are sworn to. It is no figure of speech,—it would require a
moderate life-time to read with attention so as to understand
all it contains. But these articles particularly bind them to
the council of Trent, for they say, " especially the holy
council of Trent." Now, I ask is it bigotry, is it misrepre-
sentation, is it false witness, to ascribe to the Romish priests
sentiments contained in these canons, in their councils, so
long as they swear to that creed ? (No, no.) They say, yes ;
they say this is misrepresentation, and yet they go on swearing
to the creed. lam very anxious to put you clearly and
fairly in possession of how the matter stands, because they
are constantly saying that we misrepresent them, and 1 want
you to be able to say, when they tell you that in the streets
and houses—l want you to be able to say, when they deny
that charge, why do your priests swear to that creed
still ? They say these are old-fashioned things of the
middle ages. (A voice called out "We do not say so,"
which was followed by cries of " Turn him out.")
If any person objects to what I say, let them alone and leave
them to me. If the person who said that they did not diss
claim this opinion,—if he be a Roman Catholic, let us re-
ceive him in Christian love, and endeavour to bring him to
the truth, and don't raise a shout when he had the honesty
to give utterance to his opinions. (Here the individual again
interrupted the meeting, giving signs at the same time that
he was intoxicated.) It is perfectly obvious, from what we
have now heard, that it is not a conscientious objector we
have to deal with, but one who has so far forgotten his duty
to God, to man, and to himself, as to drink too much ardent
liquor. Be quiet while some who are near him will, as quietly
and calmly as possible, and as becomes those who are sorry
for him, remove him. I proceed with this argument. It is
not misrepresentation to charge on the Roman Catholics of
the present day,—and here I especially mean the priests, be-
cause I do not make the charge indiscriminately on the peo-
ple, for the people are kept in such ignorance that they do
not know what the priests arc about,—but it is no misrepre-
sentation to charge on the priesthood that ,they still hold
these obnoxious sentiments, that they are still bound by the
doctrines laid down in this council. If they be, it is not il-
liberal to say of them that they want but an opportunity to
devise some treason, and execute a scheme of as fearful and,
if possible, more fearful import than the Gunpowder plot.
(Cheers.) Because the principal mandates of this council
are these, that the Bishop of Rome is vicar on earth, that he
is king of kings and lord of lords ; that all sovereigns are sub-
ject to him, and any one who will not submit to him, and at
his bidding eject from his dominions all heretics, is to be put
under the bann of excommunication for a year, and if at the
end of the year he will not submit to the pontiff, his subjects
are declared absolved from their allegiance, and he is to be
deposed from the throne. These were the sentiments level-
led at James the First with the Gunpowder plot, and these
are the principles still sworn to by the Romish priesthood.
Therefore, I say that acting by such principles, they do want
but an opportunity to devise and enact any fearful crime that
would give ascendancy to their vile system all over the world.
And in saying this I do but ascribe to them honest consciences
with their own principles. Ido not ascribe to them hypocri-
sy, I ascribe sincerity. Supposing them sincerely to hold
the principles to which their priests are sworn, they would
really think they were doing God service when they were cut-
ting off heretics by hundreds and thousands, provided they
could thereby place in ascendancy their own church over the
world. Ido not say this is what all Roman catholics would
do ; I do not mean to say that any one would commit) such a
crime against a protestant neighbour,
but I say that the
principles to which their priests are still sworn, involve these
crimes ; that they are held ready for use when opportunity
serves. I say that the Roman system is political ; it is not
merely a false religion, it is a political tyranny ; and when it
can have its own way, it is political despotism. When it
cannot have its own way it is a political conspiracy—conspi-
racy using weapons varying with the fitness of the case. In
Spain popery is a political domination ; in Ireland popery is
a political conspiracy using occasional outbreaks and rebel-
lion ; in England popery is a political conspiracy using also
lies and hypocrisy, speaking soft things, and denying to you
that that they impose penances on their dupes. (Cheers.)
These are the modes in which the system works. I do not
mean to say that it uses every day all the weapons in its ar-
moury ; but I recollect what Archbishop Tillotson says—
" that these principles of intolerance are like Goliahs, kept
behind, but are ready for use when time serves." Look at our
own history. If the Romish system was only a false theology
all that would be required to meet it would be sending teach-
ers of the gospel to meet and repel popery. This won't do,
however ; this is only a part of the system. It is not merely
a false theology, but it is a political conspiracy. What is to
repel the political part of it ? Argument is not sufficient. I
can imagine a case very well of sound theological argument
going on, and the Romish dogmas being refuted over and over
again, and the Romish aspirants after power gaining power
in one place after another, and smiling very complacently at
the political combatants. What cares she though I disprove her
doctrine of transubstantiation? What cares she although I
could prove that purgatory had no foundation in Scripture?
What cares she although I proved the wickedness of her tam-
pering with the consciences and the pockets of the dupes ?
What, although she is shown this again and again, if she
gains political power? At this very moment in England,
what do they care although we show that they have a false
religion, if they still get into the treasury, the cabinet, and
all the places of power, for if they get political power they
know well how to get converts? (Applause.) Yesterday
we were celebrating two great national events, one that took
place in 1605, and the other in 1688. I want to apply what
lam saying to the latter argument. If all that had been in
Romanism had been their false theology, the bishops that
went to the tower rather than submit to the domination of
James 11., would have well answered the false theology of
Rome. This was a useful period, and it was well done in
those days—the false theology of Rome was well refuted.
But what about her political conspiracy? The whole bishops
did their part, the clergy did their part, and the publishers of
tracts did their part; but there was another part to be done,.
and there was a man called over to do it—William of
Orange. (Reiterated cheering.) This leads to our answer
to the liberal scribes of these days. I have a London news-
paper open in my hands, and there is a long article in it in
reprobation of the proceedings in London on the sth Nov.
There is also an attack upon two gentlemen who were at a
meeting in Exeter Hall on the 4th November—the Rev. Dr.
O'Sullivan and the Rev. Hugh Stowell. And not because
there was any one else there, but because I suppose that the
imagination of the writer could not be restrained from taking
a flight across the kingdom and associating with some one
more honest, I am brought forward—as if I had been agi-
tating in Exeter Hall, instead of being quietly at Liverpool—
in a name, too, that I thought had long since gone off in gas
in favour of Lord Lovelace—that woman Jezebel. It is a
very unkind cut for a ministerialist to force the notice of

such a thing on the pllblic: (Applause.) The writer in the

Morning
_Chronicle, in the .exuberance of his liberalit

says Here the reverend gentleman_ read an extr

frOm the newspaper in his hand which advocated freedom of

thought and freedom of speech, and said that differences in

_ .
theological opinions were the only safeguard of such.] Who
are the men, what is the system that would aim to put an end

loin 'of thought and speech

Send that answer to the

Morning Chrc

Popery.")

a-favoured

cheers.) You will be glad to hear that I have b
with a letter containing a report by a legal gentleman, of pr
ceedings in the court yesterday in London, when Mr. Cress-
well moved for a new trial in the matter Hearne v. Stowell.

Cresswell's first objection was on the ground of mis-

direction; that the judge had given a direction to the jut
which his lordship should not have given. Mr. Cresswe
alleged that the instructions given by the judge were wron!
The question whether the inference of tnalic

as proved

ought to have been left to the jury and not decided by the
judge. Lord Denman said that on this point they would see
the judges before they could come to any decision. Mr.
Cresswell then moved On arrest of judgment, on the ground
that the declaration did not alledge the application of any
matter which was necessarily libellous on the plaintiff; it
was merely a general attack on the Church of Rome. The

judge concurred in this view, and immediately granted a rule
on this point. My friend who writes, says to me :—" The
judge granted a rule in arrest of judgment, and as to the ap-
plication on the ground of misdirection by Baron Rolfe, he
must confer with him upon it before he would decide. To
the result of the application on both grounds I think we may
look forward with confidence." I may just add to this that
no one can be more anxious than Mr. Stowell to have the in-
vestigation reopened, that evidence may be adduced to prove
that penance on a large scale is submitted to and is made a
common practice with the Roman Catholics

With regar

to what has been already stated, the denial of these priests of
the imposition of degrading penances has already in the good
providence of God been overruled for a great blessing. I
was favoured with the sight of a letter from a poor man, who
is a Roman Catholic. The letter was addressed to Mr.

Stowell, and the man said that the circumstances of
the trial had made him unhappy, and he had not been
happy in his mind ever since, because penances of the
kind described had been imposed on him. (Hear, hear,
hear.) And then it was declared that there was no authority
for the priests of the Romish church to impose such penal-
ties. This had disturbed the man's mind, and he was not
easy on the subject. He lives in Manchester; and I have
good reason to hope it may issue in the enlightening of the
man's mind altogether. (Applause.) But, my friends, in
my anxiety to set this matter of misrepresentation simply
and fairly before you, and to show you that it is not the in-
dividuals but the principles we charge, and that we must
charge them with those principles so long as they swear to
that creed, I have forgotten, that, instead of occupying your
time I should introduce to your notice the friends who have
consented to move the resolutions. I have only to thank
you. and to request that you will make a good, a Christian,
an English use of the information you receive on these occa-
sions—a Christian and an English use, that you may use
your information not for the elevation of pride over your
neighbours, or for taunting them with the want of what you
enjoy, but with all meekness and loving kindness, for the
purpose of elevating those who have not your advantages.
Do not be angry with any of your Roman Catholic brethren
because they do not immediately enter into your views. If
you had been edecated as they have you would be as stubborn
as they are. They require to be told in kindness, over and
over again, of the principles laid down in the Scriptures, be-
fore they can receive them. You must reap here a little
and there a little, and may God over all grant them repent-
ance to the acknowledgment of his truth. (After calling on
the Secretary to read the report, the rev. gentleman sat down
amidst the most enthusiastic cheering.)
Mr. LEATHERBARROW, the secretary, here read the re-
port. It commenced by returning thanks to Almighty God
for the blessings which had attended the labours of the com-
mittee during the past twelve months, and it showed that
the efforts made to arouse the enthusiasm of the operatives
of Liverpool in favour of the Protestant institutions of the
land, had been signally successful ; in proof of which it
pointed to the interest excited whenever a public meeting
was called in aid of the society, and to the fact, that although
the Music-hall was considered quite large enough for such
purposes formerly, the spacious Amphitheatre was now
found too limited in its dimensions. It next went on to
state- that the influence of this association was not confined
to Liverpool, but that similar combinations, in consequence
of its formation, had sprung up in several districts of the
metropolis, as well as in Manchester, Sheffield, Norwich,
Bristol, Wigan, and other places. It then stated that
monthly meetings of the association continued to be held,
and that they invariably attracted crowded audiences ; that
the branch association in connexion with St. Mark's Church,
formed last year, was working efficiently ; that two addi-
tional branches had been established during the last four
months—one in connexion with St. Simon's Church, and
the other in Toxteth-park—the latter of which bids fair to
rival the parent society in numbers and usefulness; and that
a fourth branch was in contemplation for the Everton and
Kirkdale district, which would speedily be formed. After
referring to the valuable lecture delivered in August last, by
the Rev. T. D. Gregg, on the nature and results of Popery,
it stated that the library alluded to in last year's report had
been established, and promised to be a most valuable auxili-
ary ; but it info! med the meeting that it only contained 230
volumes to supply its readers, many in number, when 1000
at least would be necessary to make this practically useful
branch as efficient as it was intended, and it hoped by a little
exertion this number would be easily procured. It then
stated that the tract committee, numbering between thirty-
five and forty members, Has still in active operation, and
that they visited weekly between 1800 and 2000 families in
the most destitute parts of the town, through whose instru-
mentality many lukewarm churchmen had been induced to
attend public worship with more punctuality, and a stricter
observance of the Sabbath-day was manifested ; hut it added
that their efficiency, as well as that of the library, was
cramped by a want of funds, its last five pounds being now
exhausted. The report concluded with an energetic call on
the operatives to persevere in their praiseworthy exertions,
until all classes of Englishmen expressed their determination
that to a foreign potentate they would never be slaves.
The Rev. BRABAZON ELLIS moved the adoption of the
report. He said—There never was a time, in the annals of
this country, in which popery was more strenuously en-
deavouring to gain an ascendancy, and yet she would not
meet the ministers of the church in fair and upright discus-
sion. Popery was now taken to the arms and caressed in
England—she stalked abroad again, threatening both the
altar and the throne, while the protestant voice was almost
hushed; and while popish intrigue surrounded the councils
of the nation, popish nunneries, and popish colleges were
rising in every corner of this once happy, because protestant,
land. (Great cheering.) He then stated some facts illustra-
tive of popery, which came to his knowledge during a ministry
of ten years in Ireland ; and, in commencing, he said that
Ireland was sunk in ignorance, superstition, poverty, and
oppression. He attributed all this to popery, and was pre-
pared to prove it. Before the National Board of Education
was established, popish schools were very rare. In the year
1836, he was a curate in the diocese of Tuam. Near it was a
station for penance, where he witnessed hundreds walking
on sharp granite stones, until the place was covered with
their blood ; and then he saw the priest pocketting their
money and departing, chuckling at his base merchandize of
souls, which was followed by drinking and dancing. He
then stated that there was falsehood in the conversation of
their priests—falsehood in their press—falsehood in their
pulpits, and falsehood in the jury-box. He then referred to
the extraordinary evidence given by a priest in the late trial
of Hearne v. Stowell, and hoped that on the new trial they
would be able to prove to all England the true character of
popery. (Hear, hear.) He next contrasted the north with
the south and west of Ireland—the north being protestant,
and the other parts popish, and showed that the priests raised
money from the people by swindling devices—namely, by
selling the scapular, the " gospel," (a piece of paper folded
triangularly), which cost from thirteen pence to half-a crown,
and blessing fishermen's boats, in order that their net might
have a good take of fish. In proof that the priests oppress
the people, he said that in the west of Ireland they carried a
large horsewhip, which had a heavy thong, and on the end of
the handle a large piece of lead, or iron, and brass, which
they alternately applied to the backs and skulls of the men
and women. He related an amusing anecdote of an athletic
priest, named " Father Pat," who upon one occasion applied
his leg and arm to one of his parishioners, and sent him spin-
ning across the road, and when the man remonstrated, the
anointed fellow said that " it was the admonition of the
church." He then detailed a speech delivered by Dr.
M'Hale, who told the people to throw scalding water on the
bible readers, and that all the protestants in the world were
the children of the devil. He related two or three other
anecdotes, illustrative of the sanguinary and despotic princi-
ples of the Romish church, and then showed that the govern-
men afforded no protection to the protestant population of
the country from the assaults and aggressions of their infu-
riated opponents. The rev. gentleman on resuming his seat
was much applauded.
Mr. M'LAY, an operative, seconded the first resolution,
which was passed unanimously.
The Rev. FIELDING Oven was received with tremendous
applause. He said, meetings like these may be regarded as
a sort of parade or a field-day of a military detachment pre-
vious to and preparatory for a grand engagement. You
whom I address are the soldiers who fight in the ranks of
this army ; we who occupy this platform are non-commis-
sioned officers, who receive our instructions from the foun-
tain head of authority, while you, sir, (addressing the chair-
man) are the able and experienced commander, (applause,)
to whom we may look for guidance, and by whom we are in-
spired to persevere in this glorious war, while in dutiful subor-
dination to the great head of the church, who is the great
captain of our salvation, and in whose great army we have
been enlisted to fight the good fight. We have been reminded
by the respected operative who has so well, and forcibly, and
piously, which is far better still, addressed you, that this is
a war in which we are engaged. I ask you for what do
we contend ? It is simply for the faith once delivered to the
saints. I ask again, against whom do we contend ? We con-
tend against all who deny or disfigure that faith. We are at
war with anti-christ, in whatever form he appears. Our enemy
is popery, and our antagonist " the man of sin." I was
rejoiced to hear from that same respected individual to whom
I have before alluded ; I was rejoiced to hear him remind us
all that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Our
sword is one which has been tempered in the armoury of
heaven—the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
--Ourehteld is one which has also been given from on high ; it
is his especial gift ; and our helmet is the hope of salvation
for ourselves and for all, be they who they may, who will
hear the truth from our lips. Does any one here ask us why
it is we feel ourselves religiously and conscientiously bound
to wage war against popery. For him we have a ready an-
swer. Let us turn our eyes wherever we may, we see that
the principles of popery have overspread the earth with misery,
wretchedness, and crime. If we go to America we find the
Protestant provinces distinguished from the Popish ones
by intelligence and zeal. If we go into Switzerland,
the least observant readily can discover the Protestant
from the Romish cantons, the former by the superior
cleanliness, and the latter by the filth and wretchedness of
the poor. And if we go to Italy, Spain, or Portugal, where
Popery is to be seen at head quarters, what is the aspect ?
Why, there is the predominance of misery and vice. We
there see the poor people robbed of their time by a multitude
of holidays, whilst the Sabbath is almost systematically neg-
lected. The poor people robbed of their earnings for masses
and absolutions, and their homes invaded by a licentious
priesthood. When we go into that country which is dear to you
and to me, sir,—the country of our birth—what is the aspect
presented there ? You have had a fearful but a faithful
report of it brought forward for you this evening. In
the southern and western districts, where the people
are almost exclusively Roman Catholics, there is turbu-
lence and insubordination ; there is oppression and de-
gradation ; there is misery and wretchedness, which
they seek to uphold ; whilst in the northern provinces,
where the people are in a great proportion Protestant, the
very opposite results are to be seen. In Popish Tipperary
the gaols are crowded, whilst in Protestant Derry I may say,
for I attended the assizes there this very summer, and found
the office of judge and jailor sinecures, there being literally
hardly one prisoner for trial. (Applause.) But it is time
that I should read the resolution ; it is very long and com-
prehensive. It is ;
" That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the tempo-
ral, political, and spiritual prosperity of this nation depends,
under God, upon the revival and maintenance of sound Pro-
testant principles ; that it is a Christian duty, as well as
sound policy, to oppose the spread of popery by every lawful
means, to instruct all classes in their duty to their God,
their sovereign, and their country ; and that, as much power
is placed in the hands f the people, it is essential to our
welfare, both as a chur ea and a nation, that we should have a
sound Protestant democracy, and that Protestant associa-
tions are admirably calculated, with the Divine blessing, to
accomplish these desirable objects."
This resolution tells us, in the first place, that the temporal,

spiritual, and political interests of this nation principally de•
pend, under God, on.the revival and maintenance of sound
Protestant principles. I ask, what are these principles ? It
would take some time to enumerate them in detail; but in
a negative way, at least, they may be summed up into two.
The first is our protest against Popish heresy in doctrine,
as dishonouring to our God ; the second, our protest

nst Popish persecution.
iicious and _ injurious

which are

net practice
man. There,
say, sir, that Popery is a
ature of things it cannot
hear, hear.) In order that Popery
in subjection it must shut out
the light from them, and it must persecute all who seek to

be otherwis

may retain its

introduce the light. You may just' conceive, for example, a
man exhibiting a phantasmagoria. The whole success of the
show depends on the light being removed. Whenever light
is introduced, the illusion vanishes and becomes obvious to
all. Tile priest is the spiritual showman. (Cheers.) He le
amusing his wretched dupes with poor delusions, and ise
afraid of letting in the light—light issuing from the Sun of
Righteousness through the window of revelation ; and when Ws
who would be faithful to our God and to his word seek to plant
this illuminating window in every popish house, we call forth
the persecuting spirit of the man of sin. You have bad evi-
dence sufficient this night to show you the persecuting cha-
racter of popery as it manifests itself just now in Ireland ; and
you will also recollect that that persecuting spirit seems to
have been evoked in Ireland, chiefly through the exertions
that have been made to let in the light of heaven on the dark
and benighted people. Let me now give you one evidence of
ich deeply concerns yourselves,and will come home to
cart. Ido not think that this short extract which
,ut to read has attracted that notice in this country
is deserving of. It is a very fearful evidence of
Within the last month a speech Was
A, at a meeting in Dublin, to his
....eueregating in the Corn Exchange. [Mr.
Ould here read the extract referred to. It was to the effect
that if England were engaged in a war with France, the Irish
would not assist, and that if they attempted to coerce them,
there were 80,000 Irishmen in Manchester, 90,000 in Liver-
pool, and 200,000 in London, would stand up to defend
Irtland.] This is a tolerably broad and intelligent hint that
if England should show any disaffection to the popular move-
ment, Ireland will appeal to her self-expatriated sons to stir
up a little flame in those English towns in which they have
located themselves, and then let Manchester, Liverpool, and
Bristol look to themselves, their docks, their warehouses,
and their lives. But I call on you to join with me in la-
menting the fearful predominance of popery in this country,
forty years ago there were not more than thirty Roman Ca-
tholic chapels, now there were 570, attended by and minis-
tered in by 700 Romish ecclesiastics. Bear this fact in mind ;
hear also in mind the fact that systematic encouragement has
been given to popery of late by endowments of her priests
and bishops in some of our colonies—by the endowment of
Maynooth, which is spreading disaffection among all classes
of Etonian Catholics in Ireland. There is another fact,
y, 4100,000 it is said, has been
,ent from the continent to England to assist the Papists in
their struggle. I ask to whom are we to look—to whom are
we to look for support and encouragement? Is it to men or
any set of men under the sun ? No ; It is to our principles,
oar Bible, and our God. (Tremendous applause.) David
once said in his haste all men are liars. We have been too
long trusting in man. We have too long been depending on
the arm of flesh, while we should have rested on the living
God. We know from history that our country never has
flourished while the principles of Popery have been admitted
to her councils. We have only to look to the reigns of our
Marys, our Charles's, or our James's to prove this, and vie
know, on the other hand, by the history of our Elizabeths and
our Cromwells, that wherever the principles of Scriptural Pre'
testantism have predominated, Ireland has triumphed over
every enemy—has crushed the domestic traitor, as well as the
foreign invader. This resolution speaks of the sound polieY
of opposing Popery by every legal means. I would ask you
what is the distinguishing characteristic of Popery as exhi'
bited in modern times, as well as in all past periods of our
history for the last fifteen hundred years ? Ido firmly he"
lieve, that there could be no more correct mode of speakin,g,
of it than by saying " Speaking lies and hypocrisy." I Will
give you a clear illustration of this if you will lend me your
attention. As it is a fact which came under my own know'
ledge, lam a good authority on the point. About twelve
months ago it was my good fortnne to attend an eduea-
donut meeting in the town of Shrewsbury. The chair
was occupied by a worthy baronet. In the course of teY
address I quoted from a tract published by the Bristol
Protestant Association, entitled " Is there not a cause?
In this tract a great variety of statistical evidence Was
brought forward to show the increase of popery, and the
encouragement given to it. Amongst other circumstances it,
was stated that the East India Company had recently solicited
from the Pope a vicar apostolic and certain Jesuit priests for
the religious teaching of the Roman catholic subjects of the
crown under the East India Company. The article also stated
that letters had been received from the priests after their sr;
rival out. I read this extract from the tract ; when I had
done the hon. member for Shrewsbury, who was in the chair,
and who happened too at that time to be the chairman of the
East India Company immediately rose and said that be felt it
his duty to the meeting, to me, and to that respectable body L!
which he was chairman, to say that there was not one scorn
of truth in the whole statement. He had been twenty-6x.
years a director of the company, and such a thing could not
have taken place without his consent, no application of the
sort had even been made. I thought thisvery extraordinarYl
and I resolved to write to the Bristol operative society to as
certain how it was, and on what authority they had put forth
a statement which had received such a contradiction. I held
in my hand the answer. The secretary of the Bristol Associa-
tion tells ms in this letter he has conferred with the compiler
of that tract, and that he took, as his authority for the state-
ment in question, a work published in France, called the " An-
nals of the Propagation of the Faith," printed under the se;
perintendence of the authorities at Rome. [Mr. Ould here rent
the extract from the work, which was the same effect as which
he had before stated about the priests being sent to the East.]
What are the lawful means of opposing this popery ? The pulpit,
the platform, and the press ; by these all of you have ahead);
heard faithful witnesses for the truth. lam persuaded, th,
when the people of England are well educated in script
able
truths, we shall bear such a testimony, and shall be ehl°
to hold forth such a witness to the Roman Catholic population
as, under the divine blessing, will do more good than has been
accomplished for a century past. Our sermons from t!le
pulpit, testifying to the people the truth as it is in Chris,'
Jesus, contrasted, as that truth should be, with the abominable
errors by which it has been deformed ; our speeches from the
platforms, and tracts and other useful books which have ";
sued from the press, have drawn tears from the eyes of e"
less a person than the Pope himself. I hold in my bait"!
proof of this. It is an encyclical letter of a very late per', so
It is not often we have a letter from his holiness, ancli.
ought to listen to it with attention when we get one. 3".ei
as follows :—[The rev. gentlemen here read the encyclici;
letter of Pope Gregory the Sixteenth, addressed to all th
patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops of the Romish chure""
This document is of too great length to admit of our 10;
serting it in the present crowded state of our columns']The reading of this letter, and the running comments of the.
rev. speaker, excited much amusement, and the remarks
were loudly cheered. Mr. Ould continued :—This resolution
says that we ought to instruct all classes in their duty to
God, their sovereign, and their country. I ask how is thlfi
to be done ? I say it can only be done by means of scriptur':
schools. It is the bounden duty of the state—a Protestam
and Christian state—to establish and support such schoolse;
and if the state will not do so, it is the bounden duty of th
Christian people of the state to do it by their own volunta,l
exertions. (Hear, hear.) I have lately been somewea
alarmed to hear it stated from high authority, that " there may
a
be circumstances in which it may be the duty of a state, as,;
state, to promote by its assistance even the diffusion of re'r,
gious error, received by a large portion of the community:
It is not said that it is the duty of churchmen to do se t
their individual capacity ; but the statement is this, that It
may be the duty of a state, as a stale, to promote by its es;
sistance even the diffusion of religious error, shared by
ee
large portion of the commnnity. I ask you operative frier,'
associated this evening, whether you agree with that?
no.) Is a state to have no conscience? Is a man to WI!,
a conscience in his individual capacity, and when P
becomes a member of' government, is he to lose that COe't
science? Is he to do in his official character what lie ought
not to do in his private character? In the 13th chapter 0"
Romans we are told that the civil magistrate is to be ref
puled by the subjects as " a minister of God ;" and if se. e
ask what are the circumstances under which it ever can be thto
duty of him who is to be regarded as a minister of God, r,
execute his will—to promote the diffusion of religious errle
no matter by whom professed? When a large portion of P,
community entertain religious errors, the duty of a statesman
is said to be to instruct those men in religious errors. 1%19-1
suppose the same doctrine is held with regard to politiee:
error. Suppose revolutionary opinions maintained 11.4
large portion of the people of our country. When yet
chartists exhibited symptoms of insubordination altogertt
inconsistent with tha maintenance of civil government, Ili";
was the conduct of the government? Did they think it 11;
gessary, because they were asserted by a large portion of ;0
people, not to discourage them ? And is error in politics Ipo
injurious and displeasing in the sight of God than rellre t
error ? When men hold the principles of rebellion 302
God, surely, as Christian legislators, they should ‘`2""re,
them of their error. I plead not for coercion or persecs
tion, but that man should be told the error he holds is Millet°
to his soul, and that he be exhorted to flee from the weal, Abe
come. Look at Daniel—how did he act ? Did he thinthe
necessary to have no conscience as a statesman, when, at e
hazard of his life, he was told not to pray to the Lord Je":"ei
vah. Although the den of lions gaped to devour him, Pee fr,um
threw open the windows of his chamber, which looked te;
wards Jerusalem ,and poured forth his prayer, let him oPPeseue
persecute who will. We need have no higher an example for e
legislators in modern times. Why must religious error 002
be taught ? Because, forsooth, that those individuals koldins
this error should be conciliated. Now I ask you, you,
-
testants of Liverpool, if you think popery can be eel,
ciliated. (No, no.) Do you think it ought to be eell(
listed ? (No, no.) Just let me show you an illustratiotle"4
the utter impossibility of conciliating popery. A few wont:,
ago a Dublin popish journal thus speaks :—" England 'ft
serves but little forbearance at our hands. Many battles ;,
fought for her; many brave Irish hearts have bled in her
fence, and what return has she made for all? Oppressi°l3'
insult, and persecution !" Thus you see in vain has NOY;
reooth been endowed ;in vain has-the fatal door of 1829 heed
opened ;in vain has emancipation been conferred. Ireleet
asserts that she has only received oppression and insult.
I pass on to the last clause of the resolution, which saYs 'of
the safety of the church and nation requires the raising uP of
a sound Protestant democracy. This is the great objet e,
the Protestant Association—to raise a sound Protestant og
mocracy. The Protestant Association of Liverpool has Itof
been backward in accomplishing this object. The glory
our country is not iu the battles she has won • it is neefrie,
what her navies have accomplished at the Nile, Trafsig g
ao
and Camperdown, but her glory is in her Protestatztios, •
merely what is called conservative Protestantism, but sen;
tural Protestantism. (Cheers.) I hope that the toueelb'e
appeal for help which has been made this evening will n,Ottbe
made in vain. I shall feel most happy in contributing °pee-
funds of this association, and I do hope that when the ee-
don is made there is not an individual present who has sate'
tioned the sentiments uttered, who will fail to give e"ese
means which God has blessed them with, to enable
feu men to persevere in their labours and to increase
library.
The CHAIRMAN said before putting the resolution'
must give Mr. Ould a lesson. He (Mr. Ould) had jogs
telling them about " an ingenious device" of the PrMr•
about the East India Company, and he would advise Lege
Ould not to say so much about the increase of Cat
chapels. He (the chairman) did not believe half that was 6tilng
and, perhaps some of these days the Catholics would be eugeo.
Mr. 0. as an authority about the increase of their doctintr,
Mr. BRINDLEY seconded the motion proposed by '!of
Ould. He was happy in taking part in the proceedingeed
the evening, and in all meetings having for their object !Lin,
removal of error. He considered that the Papists weal
deavouring at that period to throw dust in the eyes 01 let
people, and it was the duty of all to endeavour to preovc_?,
them. He related some anecdotes illustrative of the cl..ra'
nation of the Irish priesthood, and was loudly applauded' et
The CHAIRMAN then remarked on a statement made
some meeting by a man, who said, that because his wife wed
a Catholic and he a Protestant, Mr. M`Neile had ado.vil,t
him to turn her off. He need not inform the 'needle, 1."
there was not a word of truth in it.
A collection was then made.
wove'
The Rev. MICHAEL CRorry, incumbent of Haze-. we
Cheshire, on rising to move the next resolution, said, that
cannot conceal from ourselves the melancholy truth, „nil
we live in times big with great and portentous events:
and prognostics are multiplying around us, which 3 wu_ot,
not be wise or prudent to overlook or despise. We call_Po
sir, conceal from ourselves the sad reality, that we ertnng
placed in one of those perilous situations by which the PP

every it

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that a large sum of m