The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-09-18 00:00:00

RELIGION IN FRANCE

A crowded and highly respectable public meeting, at which
a great number of ladies were present, as usual at assemblies
for the furtherance of religion or benevolence iu Liverpool,
was held at the Music Hall, Bold-street, on Wednesday
evening. We noticed upon and in the vicinity of the plat-
form, the Rev. James Haldane Stewart, M.A., the Rev. Ro-
bert Davies, M.A., the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, M.A., the Rev.
F. Bonaventura Gourier, LL.B., the Rev. John Jones, M.A.,
the Rev. John Griffiths, the Rev. R. P. Buddicom, M.A.,
the Rev. Cyrus Morrell, &c. The Rev. H. M'Neile, and
other friends, were greeted with warm applause on entering
the room. The chair was taken soon after seven o'clock by
the Rev. Mr. Stewart, on the motion of Mr. Howard. Some
of the beautiful prayers from the Church of England formula
having been delivered by the Rev. Mr. Davies,
The CHAIRMAN said the object for which the meeting had
assembled was one of a particularly interesting nature—
namely, to assist in building a Protestant place of worship in
Paris, where service should be performed according to the
liturgy and the articles of the Church of England, in order
that, in the French language, French Protestants might have
the opportunity of worshipping God according to the re-
formed religion which we had the happiness to have esta-
blished in this our native land. Briefly referring to the pre-
sent state of religion in France, and to the infidel character
of that country at a former period, he observed, that at one
time the Bible was publicly burned there, the sacraments of
of the Saviour were openly dishonoured, and the goddess of
reason was elevated as the only object'worthy to be worship-
ped by human beings. There was too much reason for re-
gret that at that time many Protestants neglected the faith
in which they had lived and been born, and that many alto-
gether fell away from the religion of their forefathers, and
became Socinians. He was once in a Protestant church at
Lyons, and witnessed great indecorum in that place of wor-
ship: But it had pleased God to raise up a little body of
Christians in Paris, who met for prayer. (Hear.) They
prayed God to assist them in the state of weakness in which
they found themselves—(hear, hear)—and out of that meet-
ing arose the French Bible Society, the Missionary Society,
the Religious Tract Society, the Society for the Reformation
of Morals, and several other associations for the public good.
Still the cause of God was so weak in France, in 1830, that
the whole sum collected for the advancement of religion
through these societies only amounted to 40,000 francs. In
1836, it had increased to 110,000 francs; and at the last
statement, in April of the present year, the collections
reached the sum of 361,452 francs, or about £34,418, that
is to say, more than triple the amount that bad been raised
in the last two years. Now, at this time so evident was
the increased liberality of tbe.Protestants, who remained true
to the faith of their forefathers, and those who bad been re-
covered from their fallen. estate that it was considered de-
sirable, and this sentiment was entertained both by French
protestants and French Roman catholics, that a protestant
place of worship according to the liturgy of the church of
England should be provided in Paris. There was no person
for a season willing to take the office, but a clergyman, who
was in attendance this evening, was at length ordained by
Bishop Luscombe. and took charge of the congregation
there. Here was an answer to the prayer made to the Lord,
and an instance of His special favour towards His church.
Within a few days the people of Liverpool had seen a minis-
ter from the most papal part of Ireland craving their assist-
ance for the erection of a protestant church; in the next
place they had one from Athens, where an altar had bean
erected "To the unknown God," praying for their help to
provide a place for pure worship; and now, another request
of a similar description, but more important than all, was
made to them from the capital of France. When they con-
sidered that Paris was almost the capital of Europe, and that
the French language was generally understood and often
spoken throughout the continent, he was sure they would
feel a deep sympathy with his beloved brother who now cause
before them, and say to him, " We wish you good speed, in
the name of the Lord." (Applause.) After mentioning
that he had seen strong letters of recommendation, from res-
ponsible parties, of the reverend gentleman, he introduced
i Mons. Gourrier to their notice. . .

The Rev. M. GowtRIER stated that it was truly gratifying

him and his reverend friends around him io-have- the

present opportunity of addressing so highly influential and
respectable a meeting as the present. He cordially said he
was a petitioner under very peculiar circrmstances He was
no " alien," though he might be considered a stranger
amongst them. He stood on no vague and undefined pro-
mise. He had a right to address the assembled audience as
a British subject, He bad no disguise on the question. His
parents were French, but they had taken refuge here during
the terrors of the revolution ; so that, while on the other side,
he might be questioned as to his right as an Englishman, he
could here stand in the honest consistency of an Englishman.
I stand here, said the reverend speaker, under the full and
satisfactory belief, under the holy acknowledgment which
has been granted to me in the ordinance of God's providence,
unto the power and promise of which all are.c•alled. It is a
promise unto which I feel myself called for the spread of the
holy gospel.
The Rev. HUGH M‘NRILE then addressed the meeting in
a❑ able and eloquent speech, which we exceedingly regret
our limits prevent us from more than thus briefly not►cing.
At the close of the meeting a collection was made, which
we hope proved profitable to the important object in view.
• The lateness of the hour at which the meeting concluded
prevents our giving more than a sketch of the proceedings,
and doing that justice to the report which would have been
done under other circumstances.

TUE REV. H unit INI`NEILE. —We are requested to
state that the remaining proofs and impressions of the en-
graving of the Rev. Hugh M'Neile's portrait, by Mr. T. C.
Thomson, have arrived, aad are ready for delivery, at No. 8,
Rodney-street. The subscribers who have not received their
copies are requested to send or call for them as soon as con-
venient, as the proprietor cannot remain but a short time in
Liverpool.
THE POLICE COURT.—Yesterday, at the Police-office, no
less than 61 persons were placed before the magistrates,
charged with felony, and 98 with being disorderly; in all,
159 persons in custody since Saturday night.
On Friday morning two boys, who were working among
some manure in a field at the back of Westmoreland-place,
discovered the body of a new-born infant, which had been
buried in the midst of the heap: