The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-13 00:00:00

TTII ESTABLISHED CHURCH AND MB. KELLY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—In looking over one of your numbers a few weeks
ago, my attention was arrested by a paragraph commencing
with the following sentence—" The Hindrances which Civil
Establishments of Christianity present to the Progress qf
Genuine Religion." The paragraph went on to state that this
was the subject of a public lecture delivered on behalf of the
Liverpool Young Men's Voluntary Church Society, in a
Baptist Chapel, Pembroke-place, by Mr. Kelly, a preacher
of the Independent denomination; and it furnished in the se-
quel an epitome of the several arguments adduced by the
lecturer in support of his thesis. I was particularly struck
with one of the arguments, as being one of the most barefaced
attempts to impose upon, and mislead the young men of this
town, that ever came under my notice. My first thought
was to address you immediately on the subject, but upon
further consideration I thought I had better wait until the
lecture itself should be published, in order to afford the lec-
turer the privilege of stating the argument in his own words.
The said lecture is now before me, from which I beg to
transcribe a few passages, marking in the usual way those to
which I beg more particularly to call attention.
" Civil Establishments hinder the progress of religion by
exerting an injurious influence upon Christian character and
duty. . . . . The charge is easily substantiated.
" 1. Civil Establishments render the formation of scrip-
tural churches impossible, &c., &c.
"2. Civil Establishments do practically and in effect re-
lease Christian men from a most important duty—the duty of
propagating the Gospel, &c., &c.
" 3. Anotherpoint, closely connected with the former, and
yet deserving of distinct consideration, is the influence which
Civil Establishments exert in destroying the grace of Chris-
tian liberality..... Liberality, rightly understood, is the re-
sult of a triumph over the worldliness and selfishness of our
nature, and the fruit of consideration and self-denial. It is
thus au element of true nobleness of character. Its exercise
is one grand means of exciting and invigorating those cement-
ing charities which bind the Church of God together. Being
the expression of kindness and sympathy on the part of the
richer churches towards the poorer, it awakens reciprocal
affection in those who receive the benefit, &c., &c.
" Civil establishments destroy this grace. They are intend-
ed to make it unnecessary. Every thing is done, in as
far as the establishment can do it, to render its exercise en-
, perfiuous and uncalled for. Men are systematically taught
to restrain this grace, and to abstain from its cultivation;
and the practical effect is, that men being apt scholars in all
that concurs with the selfishness of their nature, there are
multitudes, who would be understood to be Christians, who
have not the remotest conception that it is any part of their
duty to devote the smallest portion of their property, how-
ever ample it may be, to the cause of God; and they never
do it. There arc many too who are really influenced, we are
bound in charity to believe, by Christian principle, who have
yet been taught the lesson so ei:,?clually, that whatever graces
they may exhibit, seff-denial and liberality in the employ-
ment of their property are NOT amongst them. They do not
refuse absolutely to give, but they look upon it in the light
of charity beyond the fair demands of duty. The injury from
this cause done to Christian character, and to the interests
of religion, are incalculable : it affects in a greater or less de-
gree all classes...
originated extend to unendowed Protestantism, linger there,
and hinder its efficiency!!' To us it is apparent that
establishments have done much to quench the spirit of libe-
rality; and so far as they have succeeded in doing this, they
have injured Christian character, and operated disastrously
on the interests of religion."
These extracts might have been given at greater length,
but I conceive they will be considered sufficiently full to
convey to your readers a correct idea of the charge—the
serious and grave charge—preferred by the lecturer against
established churches in general, but more directly against
the Established Church qf England, which is mentioned by
name in several parts of the lecture.
The most effectual method to render the Established
Church unpopular in the country, is to represent it to the
millions which constitute the humbler classes of society as
destitute of liberality, and consequently one that does little
to relieve their sufferings, and supply their wants. The lec-
turer knew this well, and accordingly made his charge of il-
liberality against the church in terms, though general, yet
sufficiently distinct to convey that impression. But, as he
did not produce any facts in support of the accusation, he
of course expected his audience to take his mere assertion
for proof, and, as the lecture is now published, lie expects
the public to do the same. But this will not satisfy the
accused. We, whose privilege or misfortune it is to be
members of an established church, have a right to demand
proof. We guess the lecturer has none to advance—nay
more, we suspect he knew, at the time he stated that " civil
establishments destroyed the grace of Christian liberality,"
that, so far as the Church of England was concerned, it was
not true, for that ample evidence of the contrary had been
published. However, we shall leave the lecturer to settle
that point with his own conscience, and proceed at once to
disabuse the public mind, and, if they please, the members
of " the Liverpool Young Men's Voluntary Church Associ-
ation," on this important subject.
The subjoined tables will exhibit a comparative view of
the support given by churchmen and dissenters toinstitu-
tions for the good of the poor of all religious denominations,
according to the printed list of subscribers ; and under the
word " dissenters " will be included Wesleyans, Quakers,
and Roman Catholics, in addition to the denominations usu-
ally called dissenters :—_

DURHAM.

Sums subscribed.
Churchmen. Dissenters,

Institutions.