The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-02-02 00:00:00

ANTI-STATE CHURCH ASSOCIATION.

Oh Tuesday evening a public meeting to explain and
advocate the objects of this association was held in the
Music Hall ; LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, Esq., in the chair.
It had been announced that three gentlemen, Dr. Price,
editor of the Electic Review, Edward Main, Esq., of the
Nonconformist, and the Rev. D, Rhys Stephen, of Man-
chester, would attend as a deputati6n from the Executive
Committee. The room was crowded to excess, and it
soon became evident that a large portion of the audience
were hostile to the object of the meeting, and great up-
roa r and disturbance eventually ensued.
The CHAIRMAN implored the audience to listen calmly
to the facts and arguments that would be produced.
Mr. URQUHART complained, in the first instance, of
the interruptions, and amidst the shouts, cries, &c., it
was some time before he could proceed. He finally
moved, "That this meeting hold that the principle of the
British Anti-State Church Association lies at the basis of
all just views of civil and religious liberty,—namely, that
in regard to religious faith, man is accountable to God
alone; and that the support of religious institutions by
State enactments and provisions, ultimately involving in
their very nature a resort to compulsion, is at variance
with the laws of God, and with the responsibility of man."
Mr. Urquhart spoke to the resolution in figurative and
generally guarded terms, but was listened to with impa-
tience and interrupted by frequent ejaculations.
Mr. SIMMONS begged for free discussion, saying he
would himself move an amendment. (Cheers.)
The Rev. D. Ruts STEPHEN seconded the resolution,
but was less fortunate in securing attention than even Mr.
Urquhart. The uproar continued to increase.
Mr. SIMMONS then spoke, and was listened to with at.:
tention. He said that if the church establishment was an
evil at all, it was a necessary evil, and should be main-
tained, he contended, as long as other religious parties
held they had a right to be supported by the state. He
concluded by proposing an amendment, to the effect that
the Church of England was the most tolerant church in
Christendom, and the only security against the reacting
of the drama of Smithfield.

This having been seconded, the CHAIRMAN put the re-
solution and amendment, and declared the former to be
carried ; but several gentlemen who were present, con-
sider the amendment to have been carried.

Dr. PRICE then proceeded to speak, but was interrupted
at every sentence, and addressed himself almost exclu-
sively to the reporters. He explained the origin of the
Anti-State Church Association. It was formed, he said,
in 1844, in London, at a public meeting attended by seven
hundred persons.
Mr. MIALL spoke on polemics. In the course of his
address he challenged to discussion the Rev. H. M`Neile.
The Cu AIRMAN then declared the meeting closed ; but
the people did not retire, nor the excitement abate. The
gas was lowered ; and after various parties had attempted
to speak from the platform, the Kentish fires were given,
and the meeting finally broke up:
[A correspondent who signs Fair Play" assures us
that, in his opinion, the amendment was carried, and
another correspondent deprecates very justly the shame-
ful insinuation indulged in by one of the speakers, that
the Rev. Hugh M`Neile was the instigator of the oppo-
sition, when it was well known that the reverend gentle-
man was in Ireland, and had been there for some time
previously. He could not, therefore, by any possibility,
have been acquainted with the intended opposition to the
meeting. Indeed, few persons were aware of it, or the
demonstration would have been more -narked and decided.
A third correspondent regrets that any interruption at all
was offered to the speakers, but of course on this point
there will be a diversity of opinion.]