The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-25 00:00:00

PHYSICIAN-DRUGGISTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST.4.VDARD.
SI perceive in your paper of Friday last two letters,
in reply to mine which appeared in the Standard of Tuesday,
the 17th instant. One is signed " Anti-cant," and the other
" A Friend to the Apothecaries' Company."
The first is so truly ridiculous that I cannot seriously make
any comments on it; but the other renders a few remarks
necessary on my part. This gentleman, who professes to be
a friend to the Apothecaries' Company, does not contradict
what I assert with respect to the apothecary-physicians send-
ing their patients to the Hall, with a view to their own ad-
vantage, but attempts to palliate such conduct by denying
my position, that the druggists are a respectable body, or
have compounded prescriptions to the satisfaction of the pub-
lic, and makes that the reason why the physicians have gone
into the drug trade themselves. So, then, the case is come
to this,—they could not trust the druggists to sell drugs, so
they opened a shop of their own. What a wretched subter-
fuge is this ! To attempt to disguise their mercenary motives
by throwing obloquy on a respectable body of men, and pre-
tending that their sole design was to benefit the public! It
is bad enough that they descend from their station, and op-
pose the druggist in his business : but when they endeavour
to fix a stain on his character as a tradesman, it is an aggra-
vation of injury which no one can justly defend. What!
are the druggists not respectable? Will any man cast his
eyes around Liverpool, and say that the members of that
trade are not respectable? But so says the friend. And
cannot druggists judge of the quality of drugs ; but must we
go to the physician for his opinion ? What have we come to
at last ! So then respectability is only to be found in an
Apothecaries' Company, whose members profess one hundred
different crafts and callings, and the physician, who actually
is ignorant of the names of many drugs when he sees them,
is the most competent person to give an opinion as to their
quality. A physician graduates at the University, attends
lectures on anatomy and the practice of medicine, and finally
takes his diploma as M.D.; during all this time, he seldom
if ever sees the drugs as imported, and yet he is the man we
should look to for knowing a good article ! The druggist who
has served five years apprenticeship to his trade, and who,
perhaps, has been in business thirty years, in the constant
habit of purchasing and vending drugs, and who has on his
books the names of hundreds of respectable people, who have
dealt with him for years, and who have always been satisfied,
cannot be trusted to make up medicine. Good heaven ! what
absurdity!
Allow me to remark that integrity and a high principle of
honour are quite as likely to be found amongst chemists and
druggists, as in physicians, merchants, brokers, grocers, or
any other kind of speculators in apothecary companies'
shares; and their knowledge of medicine is quite as much
to be relied on as that of such an endless variety of persons ;
they themselves confess this, for they employ druggists in all
the practical departments of their business, much as they
condemn them. Your correspondent mentions certain mal-
practices which have been proved against druggists; they
must have been committed by the lowest members of the
trade; there will be some in every trade who act dishonestly,
but why should the physicians try to cast a stigma on the
whole body for the peccadilloes of a few ? If you carry out
this principle, what trade or profession would escape con-
demnation ! Suppose we were to collect anecdotes of quack-
ery, and publish them as arguments against the respectable
portion of the medical profession, would not that be manifest
injustice, and would not that man be despised who should
attempt to compromise the whole fraternity for the evil doings
of a small section of it?

This is the last time I shall trouble you on this subject:
I know that when a man holds a number of shares in a joint-
stock company, he will exert himself to advance its pros-
perity, and therefore it is no use for me to attempt to dissuade
the physician from using his professional influence for the
advantage of the Apothecaries Hall, while he has an inte-
rest in the profits of the concern; at the same time, I con-
sider that 1 have done my duty in cautioning the public
against being made their tools, and hope that if I cannot
prevent, I may at least in some measure restrain them from
doing that which must degrade them in the estimation of the
world.—Yours, &c.
A PHYSICIAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
Dec. 22, 1838.

INVITATION TO UNITED PRAYER, FOR THE
OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
ON TUESDAY, IST OF JANUARY, 1839, BEING THE FIRST
DAY OF THE NEW YEAR.

DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD,—It IS with feelings of
unfeigned thankfulness to the Giver of all good, that I call
your attention to a THIRD GENERAL CONCERT FOR PRAYER,
for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to be held on the FIRST
DAY of the ensuing year, TUESDAY, JAN. Ist, 1839.

For the two past years a similar invitation has been given,
and by the divine blessing has been accepted by many, very
many devoted followers of our Saviour, in different parts of
the United Kingdom of England, Scotland and Ireland, and
on the Continent of Europe.

The purpose of this union is, to bring the true members of
the mystical body of Christ into the devout posture of sup-
pliants before the throne of grace; that whilst assembling in
different places, and presenting their prayers according to
their accustomed mode of worship, they may " with one
mind and one heart" entreat our Heavenly Father, for the
sake of his dear son, to vouchsafe an abunt.ant grant of the
Holy Spirit in his quickening, enlightening, enlivening,
strengthening, consoling, purifying, and sanctifying opera-
tions—such a grant as may at the same time quicken the
dead in sin, enlighten the ignorant, enliven the lukewarm,
strengthen the weak and feeble-minded, comfort the afflicted,
and purify and sanctify the whule body of Christ. If any
should enquire, wherefore are the true followers of Christ so
earnest for such a union, I would very respectfully refer them
for more detailed proofs to the two previous invitations and
to a small pamphlet intituled " Thoughts on the importance
of Special Prayer for the general outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, of which above 80,000 copies have been printed and
circulated, and would at present briefly submit some reasons
which manifest the importance of commencing the now ap-
proaching year in this prayerful spirit.
First, then, consider the GRANDEUR OF THE OBJECT which
this union in prayer has in view.

It is to hasten forward the glorious purpose of the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, " to gather together in one
all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and in earth:
even in Him" so gather together the children of Adam, that,
instead of those strifes and divisions and heart-burnings
which now, alas ! painfully subsist even among sincere Chris-
tians, there may be " peace on earth, good will to man, and
glory to God in the highest."
The family of man may be, as originally formed by God, a
family of love ; a family is which His image may be so
clearly manifested that all his creatures may know theca
during their stay on earth, as " sons and daughters of
the Most High ;" still further a family so made meet " for
the inheritance of the saints in light," that when " the Lord
of glory" shall come to raise the bodies of the departed saints,
and to " fashion our vile bodies like to his glorious body,"
they may stand before the throne and with one voice unite
with the " innumerable company of angels" in hallelujahs
to God and to the Lamb: and this with bosoms filled with
holy love, with eyes sparkling with purest joy, and with lips
tuned to the most harmonious melody : a melody which shall
never cease, but through the countless ages of eternity still
be continued in sweeter and louder notes as fresh manifesta-
tions of the divine glory shall impart still increasing delight
to their souls.

This is the grand object of this general concert for prayer,
on the first day of the new year. Surely, it is one which
will find a response in ever christian heart. To be instru-
mental to place one redeemed sinner before the throne, or to
add one note to the hallelujahs of the saints, would give joy
to an angel; how much more to be privileged to hasten tor-
ward the day, when the whole victorious company of the re-
deemed "shall sing the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb."
Beloved friends, anticipate the day, and with the fervor of
the disciple whom Jesus loved, " Even so, come Lord Jesus "
Another reason which makes it particularly important that
the ensuing year should be commenced in this prayerful
spirit is, that the ASPECT OF THE TIMES ESPECIALLY CALLS
FOR SUCH AN ONION.

Those who examine the past dealings of God with man will
perceive that all preceding dispensations have terminated
first with a season of mercy, then of judgment, then these
judgments followed by still greater mercy. It was thus pre-
vious to, at, and after the deluge; the destruction of the Ca-
naanitish nations; the first captivity of Judah in Babylon;
and the present dispersion of God's ancient people. At each
of these seasons the Lord was pleased to adopt this course.
Thus we behold mercy in sending Noah a preacher of right-
eousness, to warn the antediluvians; judgment in destroying
the old world by water, followed by still greater mercy in the
call of Abraham, and in the promise that in him and in his
seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. The
other periods referred to will, if examined, manifest a similar
course of events.

Whoever attentively regards the present aspect of the
times will say, that we are now under a dispensation of pe-
culiar mercy, but there are, alas ! notes of warning of coming
judgments, reminding us that the dispensation of the "times
of the Gentiles" is thus to terminate before a still brighter
dispensation will commence.
The peculiar mercy of God at the present season, is thus
made visible; that at the very time when the French revolu-
tion seemed to threaten the abolition of all that was sacred,
God, in his infinite mercy, awakened the sleeping Protestant
church, and in a marvellous manner defeated the designs of
his enemies, and advanced the cause of true religion.
It is impossible for any candid enquirer not to perceive
that such has been the course of things during the last fifty
years.
But bow does Christendom stand at this moment ? Whilst
" many run to and fro and knowledge is increasing," we
might almost say that there is a gathering together for the
battle. For they who are enemies of God no longer disguise
themselves; they openly make known their purpose. There
are public meetings of infidels, who blush not to declare
that they consider the Bible a mere fable. There is a central
society for education openly formed for imparting earthly
knowledge to the rising generation without any concern for
" the truth as it is in Jesus." There is also that increase of
power in the Church of Rome in this kingdom, the bulwark
of Protestantism, that brings to mind her proud boast as
given by St. John—" I sit as a queen, and am no widow, and
shall see no sorrow"—forgetful that it is declared "her plagues
come in one day, death and mourning and famine, and she
shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God
who judgeth her." For whilst in the year 1793, in the whole
of Great Britain there were only thirty Roman Catholic
chapels, now there are above hundred. And as if to prepare
the way for her vainly expected triumphs, in this year her
advocates in Ireland have formed, as it is termed, a " Pre-
cursor Society." Some of her most influential members have
also commenced in England " the Catholic Institute"—a
society which has for its object, as its promoters declare, to
defend the purity and truth of the Roman Catholic doctrines,
and circulate useful information on those subjects, and for
this purpose to organize local committees and to solicit and
avail themselves of individuals in different parts of Great
Britain and the colonies, so that its influence may extend to
every parish in the kingdom, as well as to every colony.
Thus systematically is the cause of our Lord assailed, and
thus systematically is preparation making for the advance-
ment of that idolatrous church, of which the Lord has said,
" Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of
her sins,.and that ye receive pot of her plagues."
Witb tbic increased and syitornatio activity of Infidels and
pruvokin: the jurlpiriPs of ther MoliAtv,

year, alas ! has witnessed a peculiarly awful contempt of the
Divine Authority, in the fearful increase in the public profa-
nation of the Sabbath. This had commenced before, but it
remained for the year 1838, when " the Precursor Society"
and " the Catholic Institute" were formed, for great public
railway companies, whose capitals amount to many millions of
money, openly to defile the land, by running their trains at
all hours of the Lord's-day, from the Metropolis of the Em-
pire to Manchester and Liverpool.
When we read, that it was their adding to their idolatrous
worship, the pollution of the Sabbaths of God, which caused
the Lord to say of the children of Judah. " I will pour out
my fury upon them," who is there but must fear that the ac-
cumulated guilt of infidelity, of false worship, and of Sab-
bath profanation, not to mention other national sins or the
state of Christendom generally, must so offend the great and
glorious God as to hasten on the day of his wrath ? Who,
then, is to avert the danger, or who is to stand between the
living and the dead? They who have " his mark on their
foreheads, and who sigh and cry for the abominations that
are in the land"—lt is their earnest prayers for the outpour-
ing of the Spirit that must stay the plague—for it is " when
the enemy comes in like a flood that THE SPIRIT OF THE
Loan shall lift up a standard against him."
Does not, then, the aspect of the times, presenting special
mercies, but giving note of coming judgments, form a very
weighty reason for the true followers of the Lord com-
mencing the ensuing year in a prayerful spirit ?
Nor can I omit in this place to mention that which seems
particularly connected with the aspect of the time—the oc-
currences of this year regarding God's ancient people the
Jews. How many independent events concurring together
seem to give promise that " the time to favour Zion, yea,
that the set time is come." Whilst the eyes of the principal
states of Europe are, from the rapid declension of the Turk-
ish Empire, and the sudden rise of the Pasha of Egypt, turned
towards the Holy Land; and whilst the newly-opened
passage to India by steam-vessels places Palestine before
the merchants of Europe and the East; Jerusalem is
brought to the remembrance of Christians by this peculiarly
interesting event—that the services of the Church of England
in the Hebrew tongue are now daily performed in Mount
Zion, by a regularly ordained clergyman, in the mission
house, previously to the building of a church, for which the
ground has been actually purchased on Mount Zion, and this
under our highest temporal and spiritual authorities—Her
Majesty having, for the first time, appointed a resident Vice
Consul to the Holy Land, and the Archbishop of Canter-
bury and the Bishop of London having ordained the mission-
ary to Jerusalem. Thus an opportunity is afforded to the
children of Judah to assemble in the Holy City in a pure
Protestant church, under the protection of the Sovereign
of the British Isles. This, also, at a time when a re-
remarkable spirit of enquiry on religion generally, subsists
among the Jews, and when the number of those who have
lately been baptized is so great, that elder Jews often say,
" We shall die as Jews, but if the present exertions continue
to be made, in twenty or thirty years there will be no more
Jews to be found."

Surely these concurrent events form powerful accessory
motives for Christians with united energy offering up the
prayer that the Holy Spirit has indited, " Come from the
four winds, 0 breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they
may live and stand up a great army," that " the receiving of
the Jews may be as life from the dead to the Gentiles."
The third and last I eason which I would offer for commenc-
ing the ensuing year in this prayerful spirit is, THE SPECIAL
BLESSINGS WHICH HAVE FOLLOWED THE TWO PREVIOUS
CONCERTS FOR PRAYER HELD IN 1837 and 1838.

It is difficult, or, rather, impossible to trace the connection
between prayer and events, which, in the providence of God,
afterwards happen: but if any judgment may be formed from
the many scriptural promises made to united prayer, and from
the great effects which have followed, when believing prayer
was offered, and from the devout manner in which these con-
certs for prayer were held by great number of the Lord's
people, and the blessings which have been since granted to the
church of Christ, if these are proper and sufficient grounds on
which to rest, it will be difficult to find seasons in which greater
encouragement to such an union has been given. Let any
person acquainted with the general movements of the church
of Christ, or of particular Christian churches, or with religi-
ous societies, say, if there has not been a very rapid advance
within these past two years. How many new churches have
been built. How many societies have been formed for build-
ing others How many faithful labourers has the Lord sent
forth into his vineyard. How great has been the increase in
the funds, and with what renewed zeal has some of the most
important of these societies been carried forward.
In Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States of
America, thus it has been, and in Protestant France the re-
ligious institutions have more than tripled in their funds during
the past two years.
The bounds of this invitation will not admit of detail, but
as far as my information extends, I can, with the greatest
truth affirm, that I know not any one year in which there has
appeared so much spiritual life, and so much active zeal and
diligence in the Lord's cause as in the present.
Let these reasons, my beloved Christian friends, for com-
mencing the ensuing year in a prayerful spirit, sink deeply
into your hearts. Contemplate the grandeur of the object
which this concert for prayer has in view, the aspect of the
times calling for such a concert, and the success that has at-
tended past devotional seasons, and surely you will feel it to
be a high and blessed privilege thus to commence the year.
To begin it, as might be said in the best society, or in union
with those in every part of the earth who are waiting for the
coming of the Lord, or for that blessed day, when " the king-
doms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord
and his Crist."

The following suggestions are respectfully offered to assist
those who are desirous of uniting in this general concert for
prayer. _ _ _

Ist. Let Christians follow the example of our blessed Lord
(Mark i. 05), who the morning after the Sabbath, rose up a
great while before day for secret prayer. Let them thus se-
cure the blessing of him, who says, " pray to thy Father
which is in secret, and thy Father which soeth in secret shall
reward thee opedy."
2nd. Let them call upon the Lord in their families, for
his Spirit to be poured upon themselves and their households,
their neighbours, their country, the ministers of the Lord,
the Churches of Christ, the remnant of scattered Judah and
outcast Israel, and upon the Gentile world.
3rd. Let the ministers of the Lord afterwards privately
meet their brethren of their own communion, in earnest
prayer for themselves, their flocks, the whole body of Christ,
and the world at large; and then specially consult together
upon the most effectual means for hastening the coming of
the Lord's kingoorn, and particularly for the continuance of
such a general concert for prayer, that the year may proceed
according to this devout commencement.

4th. Where circumstances will admit of a morning ser-
vice, let the congregation be assembled, and in addition to
the appointed prayers and a suitable sermon, let all who are
devoutly disposed partake together of the supper of the
Lord ; or
sth. As may be more convenient, let the vrbole'congrega-
tion meet in the evening for public worship, and let an ap-
propriate discourse be preached.
May the Lord accompany these means of grace, or such
others as may ba adopted, with his abundant blessing. Oh !
may it indet d be a season of special refreshment from the
presence of the Lord.
Let this be the prayer of all who read this paper, and as the
new year is now approaching, it would be a great kindness
if those who approve the object, and have influence over the
press, would republish and circulate this invitation, which
any one, into whose hands it may fall, has full permission to
du.
Peace be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sin-
cerity.
Thus prays their affectionate brother and servant in the
Lord, JAMES HALDANE STEWART.
St. Bride's, Liverpool.