The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-04 00:00:00

established institutions are effected, I solemnly declare I will
not subscribe one penny to any charitable institution for the
promiscuous relief of the poor : and if every churchman does
the same, the subscription to the Infirmary, Dispensazy, and
Blind School, will, I think, look rather small. Such, however,
is the blessed state of harmony to which we shall be reduced
by the enlightened policy of modern times.
Depend upon it, Sir, a war, not of reform, but of extermina-
tion, is commenced against the church. The D'estructives are
unanimous in attack, the Conservatives must unite in its
defence, or its destiny is sealed. Mr. Ewart will disenthrall it
from the incumbrance of its property and its connection
with the state : Mr. Thornely will permit its ministers to hold
plates for their stipends at their church doors.
Let the friends of the monarchy, however, feel assured that
the same hand which drags the Bishop from Parliament,
will drag the King from his throne : they both hold their seats
by the same constitutional law. Ihe Church and the
Monarchy are indissolubly united. They are lovely in their
lives, and in their deaths they will not long be divided.—
Yours; &c. ANGLICANUS.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND THE

DISSENTERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIB LIVERPOOL STeINDARD.

The Church of Ener,land is the firmest bulwark of Evangelica
Cbristianity.--WiLnanroacn.

Sta,—Two all-important political problems are about to be
solved, namely, whether the Church, as by law established,
shall continue; and, secondly, whether a king. and an aristo-
cracy are to remain elements of, our constitution. That this
crisis has arrived no one can deny, who has watched with any
care the under-current of reform. To convince the most unob-
servant, it will suffice to notice one remarkable feature of the
times in which we live. In general political views, in thirst af-
ter change, in impatience of a monarchical government, the
Papist tnalcontents (I speak not of the Howards, the Petres,
ana,the Killeens,) identify themselves with the Unitarians, their
extreme opposites in religious faith. So that the destruction of
the existing institutions in Church and State is an holocaust,
round which these essentially-differing tribes can assemble in
fanatic transport. But if there bo one fundamental question of
stiate-policy reconcilable alike to the bigotry of the Papist and
the religious indifference of the Socinia,n, it behoves all other
sects of Dissenters, all those with whom religion is something
more than a name, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the In-
dependents, and the Quakers, to pause ere it is too late, and to
ask themselves, whether they can really have any interests in
common with Papacy and Socinianism of a degree equal in im-
portance to the maintenance of perfect religious toleration.
But that toleration the Church of England fully allows, " hold-
ing the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace" towards all who
believe the fundamental doctrines of Christianity; whereas Pa-
pacy was once intolerant, and occasional glimpses into the in-
terior of the prisons of Spain and Portugal, warrant the belief
that with the possession of power, Papacy is essentially arbi-
trary. Such, however, would probably not be the consequence
of the supremacy of Socinianism (if such a thing were possible)
as the Socinians do not, as a sect, aim at religious domination;
each member, however, atones for this by his own self-conceit,
and his ineffable contempt of those who differ from him. Un-
der the baleful sway of such an ascendancy, its cold heartless
philosophical negations, Christianity would only faintly glim-
mer; it would not, as now, cheer and gladden man in his pil-
grimage : it would reduce society to a tone similar to that
which prevailed in France when Reason had her altar and her
worshippers. _ _ _

It is probable, that other sects, as they are no longer under
civil disabilities, seek exemption from tithes or church dues, or
burn with impatience for the emancipation of the negro. Sup-
posing' for the sake of argument, that their wishes ought, in jus-
tice to he conceded, yet, even for these causes, the fabric of civil
society, and the permanence of religious toleration ought not
to be endangered. Besides, the Conservatives themselves are
as anxious for the equitable adjustment of these questions as
the Dissenters can be ; these points, therefore, cannot warrant
the meditated crusade against the Church of England.
What then is the duty of the Methodists, the Presbyterians,
the Independents, and the Quakers ? Surely, to separate them-
selves from the schemes of the Papist and Unitarian coal-con-
tents, and not to pass under their yoke. Upon the Methodists, who,
as'a batty, are of communion with the Church of England, that
Church has, a fair title to rely in her hour of peril. Nor will
she rely in vain ; with them there can be no halting between
the two extremes of subserviency to Papacy and Socinianism
on the orie hand, and of generous support to a kindred cum-
munion on the other.

I might here greatly enlarge upon the comparative merits of
'monarchy and democracy; but having a strong desire that those
reformers who are balancing between these two forms of govern-
ment should retain a prepossession for their own, I think I cannot
do better than quote the words of Sir James Mackintosh, who,
though no lukewarm reformer, yet felt no yearnings after de-
mocracy. In his defence of Peltier for a libel upon Bonaparte,
he that; records his mature opinions :
. "I own, that after much reflection, lam not able to conceive
an error more gross than that of those who believe in the possi-
bility of erecting a republic in any of the old monarchical coun-
tries of Europe, who
.believe, that in such countries an elective
supreme magistracy can produce anything but a succession of
stern tyrannies and bloody civil wars. It is a supposition which
is belied by all experience, and which betrays the greatest i,7-
norance of the first principles of the constitution of society. It
is an error which has a false appearance of superiority over vul-
gar prejudice; ii is, theretere, too apt to he attended with the
most criminal rashness and presumption, and too easy to be in-
flamed into the most immoral and anti-social fanaticism.—
Yours, &c.,

A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

THE CLERGY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST.IIVDARD.
Sts,—The secularity of its clergy is a demerit which its ene-
mies urge against the Established Church. The enemies of
the Established Church, comprise the Popish, the Sectarian,
and the infidel factions. These, although they differ from each
other, as regards their theological creed; although each would
feel abhorrence at the idea of association with the others, are
all, however, equally entitled to the merit of the present dis-
tinction. They unite in the desire of accomplishing a common
object, upon which each has set its heart with ardour and zeal—
' the destruction of the established religion; a system better cal-
' culated than any other which has been conceived, for imparting
the influence of the Christian faith.
The recent proceedings of the Sectarian ministers, show with
what propriety the charge of interfering in matters beyond
their province can be made from that quarter,—with what can-.
sistency they can lay hold of that demerit, and use it as a means
for decrying the Established clergy. These proceedings prove,
if proof were wanting, that when the temptation presents itself,
and 'an object may be gained, they are ready enough to meddle
with secular matters, and capable of practices as unbecoming
their station, as those which they affect do deprecate in their
cotemporaries of the establishment.
• 'A "'minister of religion forsakes the conduct which becomes
him, when he permits his affections to be drawn to objects
which are incompatible with the sacred duties of his office :
when. he interferes with what appertains to the secular busi-
nesS of society, and the affairs of politics,—when, instead of
employing the influence he has acquired, by the exercise of his
functions, to promote the religious and moral welfare of the
community, he not only uses it to advance purposes foreign to
his calling, but perverts it to aid the objects of political faction.
The late proceedings of the Sectarian ministers merit ani-
madversion, and are calculated to give offence to every one
who entertains a respect for religion, and for the character of a
Christian minister.
The proceedings referred to arc the meetings lately held in
different parts of the kingdom, and the resolutions entered into,
by these individuals, in their official character, as ministers of
religion, for the purpose of adopting measures, and using
means, to influence the ensuing elections, in favour of candi-
dates, who will engage to promote iu Parliament the particular
views, which they (the Sectarians) entertain on certain public
questions; and to defeat, by all the means usually practised on
such occasions, candidates who will not be so dishonest and
servile, as to give pledges they do not mean to redeem, nor re-
linquishl their own views to adopt those dictated to them.
Thus, these worthies, who are fond of dwelling on the mul-
tiplied demerits of the clergy of the Establishment, am c not
ashamed to announce,,publiciy, their purpose of employing the
influence they possess, as ministers of religion, to promote the
interests of political faction.
This unbecoming interference in the elections, on the part
of the Sectarian ministers, is highly reprehensible, not only as
it affects the cause' of religion, by employing its influence to
aid the purposes of faction, but as it regards the political rights
of thaC portion of the constituency, who are under the influence
of Sectarian principles and discipline. These, so far as the
interference of their clergy is permitted to operate, are, vir-
tually, restrained from making an independent use of their
right of voting. It is true, that the chastisements of another
world are not held up to the iMagination as the consequence of
disobedience, but terrors equally effectual are brought into ope-
ration, as auxiliary to faction; for, should a Sectarian exercise
his own discretion, and support a denounced candidate, he