The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-09 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL YOUNG MEN'S ESTABLISHED

CHURCH SOCIETY.

The half-yearly general meeting of the members of thi•
useful and praiseworthy society was held in the Music-hall,
Bold-street, on Friday evening. There was a numerous and
highly-respectable auditory.
On the motion of Mr. RowETT, seconded by Mr. MAT-
THEWS. 'l', I3.llorsfall, Esq., was called to the chair.
The Rev. Mr. TAMES having supplicated the divine bless-
ing on the Trocedings,
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said, that however long he
mighthe disposed to occupy the attention of the meeting, he
felt that he could not state the objects of the meeting more
clearly than they had been defined in the excellent address
which was issued by-the committee in October last, wherein
it was stated that the grand object was to disseminate
amongst our young men information upon the principles of
national establishments for religion. and thus make them
intelligent defenders of, as well as devoted believers in, the
faith they profess to hold. He was convinced that the more
this information was disseminated, and' the more the princi-
ples of our church were known, the greater would be the
number of its defenders; and he felt assured that many who
were now amongst its most inveterate enemies would thus
become, as some had already done, its warmest and most
devoted supporters. When he said this, he alluded not to
those lay members of dissenting congregations who could
pass -unobserved from the chapel to the church ; but be spoke
of those dissenting ministers, some of whom had already
joined, and Others- were in course of joining, our national
church. (Cheers.) And be believed that he was at liberty
to state the fact, that during the past year no less than four-
teen or sixteen—he was not certain which—dissenting minis- '
ters had applied to our own excellent bishop for episcopal
ordination. (Much applause.) He felt that, in a meeting
like the present, consisting chiefly of the members and friends
of the Young Men's Established Church Society, it were
needless for him to dwell either on the propriety or the
principles of the national establishment; but, as a general
principle, it was desirable at all times, when endeavouring
to get others to co-operate with them in any undertaking,
to show them the advantages to he attained ; and he thought
that it would not be a difficult matter, at any time, for the
members of that society to point- out to others the advan-
tages of a national establishment, the first of which, that
he would allude. to, was the union that existed between
church and state. (Hear, hear.) And in looking at this
question, they ought to look *at it in a double point
of view. They must look. at it as churchmen; they must
look at it as patriots; and while they might not acqui-
esce in the extravagant statements of the benefits said to be
derived from the state by the church, yet, as patriots, they
must acknowledge the great benefits which were derived by-
the state from the church. It carried out the great object of
the union, as had been admirably and clearly stated by.an
eminent statesman, which was not to make the church poli-
tical, but to make the state religious. (Cheers.) Another
advantage which he thought existed in our national establish-,
went, was that the church compelled her ministers to hold
fast the form of sound words ; and although the most unfaith-
ful minister, or the most designing man, might by possibility
find his way into the church, yet they.had their beautiful
. .

liturgy by which to test his conduct anti his preaching. An-
other advantage of our national church was, that her mem-
bers united in prayer, Sabbath after Sabbath, for our Queen,
our country, and our church, thus keeping alive the princi-
ples of loyalty, of patriotism, and of churchmanism. (Cheers.)
And althoUgh it might be an easy matter to enlarge on this
subject, he should only mention one circumstance, to show
the desirableneas of keeping these feelings alive. It was a
fact: already publicly stated, that in the recent insurrection
in Canada, there was not found among the prisoners, or
among those known to the rebels, a single member of the
national church. (Cheers.) It was not, however, sufficient
to be satisfied with knowing and making known the auvan-
tages of the established Church of England ; but he trusted
that it would ever be the object of that society to make.
known, as opportunity offered, the destitution of many of the
poorer members of the church, in different parts of the coun-
try. On a former occasion, in that room, he took the op-
portunity of pointing out the want of church accommodation
and pastoral superintendence in that partof South Wales where
the recent Chartist disturbances took place, and although such
statements might be out of the province of the chairman of that
meeting, he begged for its indulgence while he referred for a
moment to that part.of North \Vales where the Chartist dis-
turbances took place, in order to substantiate the opinion he
then expressed, and in which he had been more and more

confirmed, that the insurrection and insubordination arose
in a great degree from the want of church accommodation
and pastoral superintendence. In the two parishes of North
Wales where the Chartist disturbances took place, Llanidloes
and Newtown, there was a great want of church accommo-
dation and pastoral superintendence. In the former, a pa-
rish 12 or 13 miles in length, by four or five in breadth, and
containing a population of about 5000 souls, there was but
one clergyman, and one church capable of holding but 500
persons, with but 30 free sittings. (Hear, hear.) In the
parish of Newtown, with a population of 9000 souls, there
was also but one church capable of containing 500 persons;
and although it was in contemplation to erect another in that
parish, yet in neither one nor the other. parish was there a
national school. (Hear, hear.) If they wished to come
nearer home, and ascertain the state of things, it was only
necessary to refer to the statistical documents which had
been issued, showing the state of the population in this county.
It was said that in the 130 years antecedent to the last census,
which was taken in 1831, the increase of p'opulation in England,
including the agricultural districts, had been at the rate of
135 per cent. ; in the mining and manufacturing districts,
the increase had been 300 per cent. ; and in Lancashire, our
county, 800 per cent. Now, with such an increase of popu-
lation as this, he should like to know what they had all done,
voluntaries and churchmen, in providing for the spiritual
wants of the people; and it ought to he borne in mind that
since then (1831) the population had increased one million
and a half. How could they be surprised at insurrectionary
movements, or anything else, taking place in any part of the
country, while such a state of things as this existed ? It was
not his intention, however, to dwell any farther on this sub-
ject. (The speaker sat down amidst loud applause.)
The Rev. WILLIAM FALLOON move the first resolution.
In the absence of those who were better qualified to advocate
the cause in hand, he had consented willingly, as regarded
his holy office in the establishment, but unwillingly as re-
garded himself individually, to take part in the proceedings
of the evening. So low, as he found it written in his Bible,.
" Quit you like men anti be strong ;" so long as he found it
written upon the pages of inspiration as a commission for
those who stood upon the walls of Zion, to " cry aloud and

•
spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my
people their transgression ;" so long as he found it written in
the New Testament, " Whosoever shall be aslciu»ed of me
and my word in this sinful and adulterous generation, of him
also will I be ashamed when 1 come with my father in great
glory ;", so long as he found these words in the pages of his
Bible, so long must he consider indifference to be desertion
from the banners of, Christ. (Hear.) It was upon these
grounds and these alone that he had consented to speak to
the first resolution, which was " that this meeting, loving the
Church of England because of her scriptural character and,
the national pledge which she offers of our adherence to
christianity, and considering she has been, under God, the'
means of securing to England the unexampled prosperity en-,
joyed by her for the last three hundred years, cannot but feel
surprise (the rev. gentleman read regret) and sorrow at the
incessant efforts of her enemies to injure her." Ile gladly
responded to the sentiments of this resolution. It contained
several facts—first, that it was a scriptural church, founded
upon the word of God alone, being so founded it must be a
national blessing, and being so established upon the basis of
the scriptures, it could put forward no other pledge but a
pledge of security to the nation. Now, the pledgeour church
offered was a pledge of national adherence to christianity.
The next fact was that a church so founded, offerin,e, such a
pledge must, by maintaining tlia doctrines upon which she
was based, by maintaining the glorious gospel of the grace of
God,—that church, so maintained and established in any
country, must secure prosperity to that country. Therefore,
in the words of the resolution, we acknowledged our belief
that, under God, the Church of England had been the means
of securing the prosperity enjoyed by this country for the
last three hundred years. Feeling, then, our hearts embued
with love to our glorious establishment, loving her not for the
sake of the loaves and fishes, but because she bad the princi-
ples of eternal truth enlivened and preached within her walls,
we could not but feel regret and sorrow at the incessant• ef-
forts made by her enemies to injure her. To give a brief
sketch of the history of the church. We found that, imme-
diately after man had apostatised, a witness for truth sprung
up in the person of Abel, and the character of Abel was the
character of the church from that moment to the present. It
was by faith that he was enabled to offer up a more accepta-
ble sacrifice than Cain,. Abel, in his experience, exhibited

a feature which had characterized the church to this

moment. Ile was persecuted • and condemned; he was
murdered by Cain the apostate, thereby embodying in
his own person the Christian character of the church,
and in his experience and final end, the circumstances
of an apostate church, which was always unscriptu-
ral. A church that stood fast upon its principles and to the.
gospel must always be persecuted. (Hear.) From that
moment the principles of truth were carried forward by indi-
viduals, each individual being a link in the chain ; they spread
it into families. There were witnesses for God even in those
times, and so the worship of God spread on from family to
family, till the family which had it most eminently within
them were made bond slaves in Egypt; in the metropolis of
idolatry. There a great number apostasized, but there were
a few witnesses for Jehovah among them ; and after enduring
slavery for live hundred years they cried to God; he heard
their cry, and sent help to rescue them. He sent them help
by Moses; and after bearing with them through the wilder-
ness, and with their ingratitude, he at last brought the seed
of Jacob into the possession of the promised land. There
they flourished ; the heathen were driven out ; the worship of
God became the established religion ;. and so long as the
worship of the true God was maintained, so long prosperity
rested with that nation. Herein we saw the Old Testament.
instructing us, and upon this ground we stood now in de-
fence of an Established Church. Whilst David was their
king the might have vied with any nation in the world,
though at first they were but a handful, because they main-
tained their. allegiance to God, and because they worshipped
only the true God. But woe unto apostacy! David was
gathered to his fathers, Solomon, his son, reigned in his
stead. For a time he stood fast, but strange women were
brought in ; they were • idolatrous women, and brought
idolatry into the. palace : the king became infected with
idolatry, the nation caught the infection from the king ;
idolotry was maintained, temples were built to idols, -the
worship of the true God declined, and from that moment
away went the nation's blessing. God gave them up to their
enemies ; the nations around came and carried them into
captivity. Thus the nation became captive and enslaved
when idolatry came in. (Hear, hear.) This history.was in-
structive to us. Paul said. " what is written iforetimc is for
our instruction," and these things were written that we
might read and understand. (Hear, hear.) When that
people were itiafliiction they began to seek their God again;
they sig.heil for the days of their fathers. for the glorious
times of liberty, for the glorious temple wherein they had
worshipped the God of their fathers ; they felt the thraldom
of a degrading superstition ; their sighs ascended to God ;
the Lord heard them, and lie put it into the heart of an
earthly monarch that Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and free-
doom given to the Israelites to return to their own land.
They returned; the temple service was renewed; but after a
short time hypocrisy in worship succeeded. There was
nothing hut the outward form of worship ; nothing but the
coldheartedness of discipline. The spirit of love was not
there. Here and there were some few witnesses for God, but
in general there was nothing but coldness mid heartlessness.
till at last the time for the change of dispensation came,
and then the truth was to go forward in brightness and glory.,
It was amidst this universal darkness that the star of
Bethlehem arose. The meeting knew how he and the apos-
tles were insulted and despised; they had the whole Jewish.
priesthood against them ; they had the rulers of the nation
as their enemies ; in the latter days the whole Roman power
leagued itself against them, and
the neighbouring nations,
Roman forgetting their differences, joined with the. power
against them, so that the whole world was opposed to this
little band, who were anxious to maintain the truth. On
they went. They protested against the errors of the day ;
they broke through the craft of hypocrisy ; they maintained
that the light had gone out, and that they had come to re-
kindle it. They were, in consequence, brought before kings
and rulers ; they bore imprisonments and inflictions without
number, yet on they went maintaining their opinions, con-
sistently protesting against the errors of the day. They
preached the Gospel, and the word of God prevailed. Now,
although it began with such a small beginning, yet the power
of truth overspread the country ; there were many faithful
witnesses for the truth ; and after the lapse of four hundred
centuries paganism was banished, and christianity once again
appeared dominant in our land. But, as usual, after all these
revivals, there succeeded a tabu, christianity became languid
and seemed to die away. There were a few witnesses for
truth here and there ; gross darkness seemed to enshroud