The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-03-29 00:00:00

NEW CHURCH AT AIGBURTH.

On 'Wednesday last the foundation stone of a new chuich
was laid at Aighurth, near this town, in the presenee of the Rev.
A. Campbell, who is vicar of the parish, John -Moss, Esq.. of
Otterspool, and a numerous assemblage of persons from Aig-
burth and the surrounding neighbourhood. The proceedings
were opened by the Rev. A. Campbell, who delivered the fol-
lowing address :—Mr. Moss, I am deputed by the trustees to re-
quest you will lay the foundation • stone of this new church, to
be called the Church of St. Anne, in Aigburth, and I thank
God that he has been pleased to incline your heart to the' exe-
cution of so pious and benevolent a design--praying that He
may be pleased to incline the h•:!arts of the gentlemen of Eng-
land, in all places where a similar want may exist, to co-operate
in following your example, being sure that they cannot better
perform their duty to God than by building churches where his
worship may be solemnized according to the simple ritual and
impressive ceremonies of our national English church—that they
cannot better perform their duty to their neighbour than by
enabling their households and tenants, and the labouring classes
with which they are connected to learn the faith and practice of
the gospel as it is taught by her ordinances ; and, that. they
cannot, better perform their duty to themselves than by devot-
ing the superfluous wealth with which Providence has blessed
them, to the promotion of his honour, and the religious and
moral improyments of their fellow men, thereby laving up for
themselves better than earthly treasures, eternal in the heavens.
We hear, sir, a good deal about the voluntaay principle in the
present day, and this, I think, affords its best and brightest ex-
emplification; presenting for imitation the example of a body
of gentlemen coming forward voluntarily not only to build, but
to endow a churCh—not wishing to retain their clergy in abject
dependance upon the voluntary contributions of their hearers;
but simply requiring (what I think they have a right to
require) the appointment of the minister, .and trusting for the
proper performance of his duties to the discipline of the church,
the corrective force of public opinion, and the influence, I trust.
of higher Motives upon the hearts of those who have dedicated
their lives to the service of the sanctuary. I, on my own part,
can assure you, sir, have most gladly contributed my very small
share to this religious work, by resigning, in perpetuity, under
the sanction of the bishop and with his concurrence, all claim
which I may have, as vicar of Childwall, to the right of presen-
tation, from the conviction that, whenever a church is wanted,
and gentlemen will come forward to build and endow it, they
have an equitrble right now, as they had in the early days of the
English church, to the perpetual patronage of the churches
they are willing to build and endow. Trusting that your example
will be very generally followed, and that it will be blessed' by
the favour and mercy of God, I will no longer detain von from
the performance of your duty, but bring my observations to a
close, with many apologies for having thus the trespassed upon
your attention.
Mr. Moss, after shortly thanking the vicar for his kind at-
tendance, and for the free gift of the patronage of the church, H
deposited two battles in a small excavation made for the purpose
in the foundation stone, one containing newspapers of the day,
and the other coins of the present currency bearing the impres-
sion of his Maje Sty 'King•Wiliiani the Fourth, the whole being
covered by a plate, upon whit% was engraved the following
inscription :
" This church was erected by subscription, on land, given by
Jitu Noss, Esq., of Otterspool, by whom the foundation stone
•
Whitirdrthe. 234 larch, 1f331. ' •'

Trustees,

John Moss, Esq , of Otterspool.
Charles Stewart Parker. Esq.
John Abraham, Tinnie, Esq.
Josias Booker, Esq.
Architects.
John Cunningham and Arthur Hill liolme.
Builder,
William Morrison."

The vicar concluded the ceremony with an appropriate prayer.
We understand that Mr. Campbell has conceded the per-
petual advowson of the . church, • also all fees to which it
might become chargeable to the parish church. The cost of the
building will be front £2,500 to £3,000; and it is intended to
give comfortable accommodation to seven hundred persons. A
number of free seats will be appropriated to the use of the poor,
and others of the sittings will be let at the reasonable rent-
charge of One shilling and upwards per annum. The minister
will have a good house erected near to the church, and his sti-
pend will be derived from the ground rent of the church, and
from the rent of certain pews in it.