The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

felt, by the means of these readings, were as sure of going
to heaven as if they were there already. (Applause.)
He then dwelt at some length on the necessity of ac-
companying their exertions with prayer, if they wished
them to be productive of good, and went on to shew that
as the people would not come to hear preaching, it
was necessary the message of the gospel should be car-
ried to them. He alluded to the excellence of the cot-
tage lecture plan, for the establishment of which they
were so much indebted to their excellent diocesan, and
proceeded to declare that the money given to that society
would be laid out with a most scrupulous regard to
Protestant truth. If any minister employed by the
society were found to be doing the contrary, he would
at once be short of the cash. The money would
not be given for Protestant purposes and used for
papistical practices. (Loud cheers.) He then concluded
by combating the objections he bad heard against the so-
ciety, and which he said were actually in its favour ; and
appealed to all present, as they felt the deep responsibility
which would devolve upon them, to contribute liberally.
(Applause.)
The motion was then put, and carried unanimously.
The Rev. HALDANE STEWART moved the next resolu-
tion, and proceeded to express his conviction of the great
importance of this society, which had been, it possible,
increased by the excellent speech of the reverend gentle
man who had just addressed them. As there were two
other reverend gentlemen to follow him, he would not
trespass upon their time longer, but would conclude by
expressing his trust that the society would go on in in-
creasing usefulness.
The Rev. A. P. IRWINE seconded the resolution, and
entered into some remarks upon the vast importance
of this society, which was quietly and inobtrusively ef-
fecting so much good for the souls of men. He then en-
tered into some statistical details from the association's
published report, showing that it provided for 258 pas-
tors, preaching the gospel to upwards of two millions
of souls, the average salary of each pastor being £9B
per annum. In addition to this, it aided the incomes of
between 4 and 500 clergymen, and expended considerable
funds in other works prom sting the spread of the gospel.
We regret that our space will not allow us to follow the
rev. gentleman through these details, and the very inte-
resting matter which he adduced to show theworking of the
society.

The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.

The Rev. T. NoLAN, Honorary Secretary, here said
that there had been 31 services this year in the town and
neighbourhood in behalf of this society. Last year there
bad been received through sermons £239 ; this year the
spin was £657 15s. 6d., derived from sermons preached.
The following is a statement of the respective churches
and amounts:—

s. d, s. d.
Everton Church 40 0 0 St. Mary's, Edge-hill 32 0 0
Christ Church 2B 0 0 St. Jude's 7B 0
A igburth 40 10 0 St. Thomas's, Tox. P.lO 0
St. Ara rew's 58 ;3 0 West Derby 25 4
St. Bride's 6O 2 3 Seaforth
St. Bartholomew's .. 9 7 0 St. Simon's
St. Barnabas' 37 18 3 St. Clement's.... .
St. James's 17 0 0 St. Paul's.. ,
St. John's 27 0 0 Christ's, Waterloo
St. Luke's..
St. Mark's..... 37 0 0 Kirkdale
Total

20 15 0
6 2 4
8 5 6
11 11 0
19 11 0

.i'657 15s. 6d

The reverend gentleman announced that the sermon in
St. Michael's, for the same object, would be preached on
Wednesday (to-morrow) evening, by the Rev. F. Close.
(Applause.) He concluded by stating that a collection
would then be made, and that while it was proceeding a
hymn would be sung, which was accordingly done.
The Rev. F. BARKER said he had been requested to
move the last resolution, which he read. It was to the
effect, that the meeting concurred more and more in the
soundness
ceeded;th othe a
tf
the
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principlesfeufpool n whitoch
God tfhoer society
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hitherto, and prayed that it might promote His honour
and glory. He fully agreed in the sentiments conveyed
by the motion, and as the operations of the society had
• already been explained by the previous speakers, he
should simply advance one thing, which be thought ought
to be strongly impressed upon the meeting—which it had
not been by those who had preceded him—and that was,
that to Liverpool yet belonged the reproach of having re-
ceived from the funds of the society rather than granted
' towards them. While we had been receivers, our returns
had been discreditably inadequate. A good deal had been
said about allowing the Botanic Garden to fall into decay.
He had heard a gentleman say that it was disgraceful to
the town that such a delightful place of recreation should
I be given up, and that it could only endure for a few more
years, as the land must be broken up for building. This
was called very discreditable. The Church of England
' Schools, too, it was equally discreditable to leave in such
I a state. It was certainly discreditable that those who
shouted so lustily for the Bible at elections, did not sup-
port those schools, where it was taught, and that one of
them bad consequently to be given up. It was remark-
able, and highly discreditable that when the Society began
their grants, the town withheld that support which was
in gratitude due to its exertions and liberality. The
Society had given them £lOOO, and they returned only
OHe was glad, however, to observe that this year
the reproach that had attached to the town appeared
likelyt6e e
oito be removed. (Cheers.) He then alluded to
Mr. M'Neile's proposition to raise £5OO by promises, to
be realized in the event of the whole being thus promised.
They now wanted only £250 of that amount; and were
• there not twenty persons present who had not yet sub-
' scribed? Were there not twenty ladies who would un-
dertake to raise it? Or twenty young persons who
would come forward for that purpose. He trusted they
would not lose the £5OO from any backwardness, for he
was sure it could be raised. He concluded by saying
' that he gloried in the society ; that it was the brightest
star in the firmament of Protestantism; that it had
brought thousands upon thousands from darkness to the
light of redeeming truth, and that he hoped and prayed it
would, in the language of the resolution, yet promote the
honour and glory of God. (Applause.)
Tee Rev. Canon M`NEILE here rose, and good hit-
rnouredly said he was going to confess. (Laughter.)
He concurred with the last speaker in all he had stated,
saving as regareed the last item mentioned. For the de-
ficiency of that item, it was not the town, but himself,
who was to blame. (Hear and laughter.) The fact was,
he had gone from home, and had not had an opportunity
of applying for the difference ; but he believed it only
wanted a little exertion similar to that he had exercised in
the onset, to raise the sum stated, or even, he believed,
twice the amount. (Cheers.)
The Rev. F. CLOSE was received with loud applause
upon rising to second the resolution. He said he ap-
peared before them an illused man. (Laughter.) His
next observation was lost, but he was understood to al-
lude to some of the observations of the Rev. H. M'Neile,
as he proceeded to say that his venerable friend, the Rev.
Mr. Stewart, had beautifully disposed of all about the
lions and mice. He (the Rev. Mr. C.) did not treat the
Rev. H. M'Neilc as he had treated him. He told him
before he came to the meeting that he was the lion, and
supposing the ratio ad absurdern to be true, the lion did
not get up ill five minutes before nine o'clock. He there•
fore considered himself in that respect an illused man •,
and again, instead of being a lion he was only one•third
or a lion, two others had divided the spoil with him.
(Laughter and applause.) His last trouble was, that he
never could speak unless there was a collection after.
It was like wasting his breath on the desert air, if there
was no money after. (Continued laughter.) But
the secretary had done all he could to ease his mind,
and promised him that there should be boxes held at the
door—(laughter)—that if he should succeed in putting
on the screw so as to make them feel they had not done
enough, they could give double as they went out, and that
gave him courage to speak. Those who had preceded
him had efficiently done the part they came there to per-
form. Most important was the information given by Mr.
Villiers, and he hoped it would never be forgotten. He
rejoiced at the few observations he had made at the be-
ginning of his speech, touching the mawkish sensibility
on the subject of their great enemy, Rome, when, it they
spoke out, and called things by their right names, they
were called harsh and uncharitable. Those who objected
to their calling Rome Babylon, did not scruple to speak
of others in language as harsh. Say a word about Rome,
and they say she is venerable and must not be touched,
although she has devoured souls, swallowed up souls, and
imprisoned souls, and was the vilest supe:sti'ion that
ever Satan supported. His reverend brother, Mr. Ir-
wine, had spoken of the great labours of this society,
and also of the labours of the rissenters. He (Mr. C.)
wou'd also hear testimony to that in another part of the
country, which had been left in total destitiri ,n hut for
their Di,sentir g brethren. He was not of the opinion of
1 those who w ould rather leave men to the doctrines of
nature than have them ins• ructed by Dissenters. It had
been his duty to travel to the Land's End, iir Cornwall,
where he visted the mines, and he met with a most intel-
ligent and cultivated people—no drunkenness, nor any-
thing of that kind. Phis was effected principally by the
Calvanistic Methodists. Until they went down, the
Cornish miners were known as Cornish wreckers. He
had also visited the interesting island of Pwlend, where
he found an old man standing and working on the ledge
of a rock. He spoke to the old men, and said —" Tnis is a
dangerous occupation." The old man said "Yes, but wedo
not mind it much." " Have you not many accid-ants ?"
" Yes; last week I hid as fine a son as ever lived crushed
to d.ath ; but thanks be to God he was a pious tnan ; for
I would sooner follow all of my children to the grave
with the hope of immortality than they should lead a life
of immorality and sin " (Applause.) Alluding to the
statement made by Mr. Barker as to the deficiency in the
subscription, be said that although there was likely to be
a change this year, they must recollect that they had I
back debts to pay ; they must look hack, and their secre-
tary would tell them how mane years they had been re-
ceiving more than they had been giving. They must redeem
themselves, and place themselves on a respectable footing.
As inhabitants of this town, they ought to place them-
selves on a respectable footing with all, but especially
wi.h the Church Pastoral Aid Society. (Applause.)
The rev. gentleman then read the resolution, which, he
said, at five minutes to nine lie was called upon to speak
to, although he was told the meeting must be concluded
by nine. lie could not say that this motion had just
been put into his hand, without being aware what
he was to speak upon, for his friend, the Secretary, wrote
to tell him the substance of his resollition—that it would
refer to the crisis of our church. Now, what crisis did 1
he mean? How was he to know what was the great crisis I
of our church and country? It was a formidable posi-
tion to take up, and yet, allew him to say, he expressed
" ' •• "

crisis. they sere, in church, in sure. in poli-
n things reliving, end things

tics, in things social,

where it would lead them to; or wi►, re the great
civil, politic-1, and =rpiritual interests of this most
excited county, might be driven, until they settled down

into a more cool and permanent condition. He should
cohfi.ie his observations to the church alone, and bid the
state and country adieu. There were a great many cheer-
jAg CirCUT.StSLICCS...vibAt 123eCtin WDS a cheering them,.

stance; and he was also assured of this fact, and believed
he was correct in saying, that he did not think, since the
days of the Reformation, there were so many of the clergy
of the Church of England preaching the wire, unadulter-
ated gospel. (Applause.) Never were there greater
exertions made by the church and country to meet
the appalling evils of which they had heard. Yet admit-
ting this to be true, and looking around, he could not sup-
press his fears that they were in a state of imminent
peril ; and if he were asked to what he more especially
alluded than to anything else, he at once, in one concen-
trated name, told them it was Popery. (Loud cheers.)
He knew that infidelity was at work too. He agreed with
Mr. M'Neile that infidelity would stoop to take the as-
sistance of superstition, and that also superstition would
condescend to take the help of infidelity. Although these
things appeared to be antipodes, or, as the chemists would
say, bore a lateral antipathy to each other, yet there was
a most dear and near affinity between them ; they pro-
duced and reproduced each other. A beloved brother of
his said, the natural production of Popery was a corrupt
Protestantism : corrupt and degraded Protestantism
was the carcase on which the corrupt worm of
Popery bred, and the only wonder was thst Rome had
not taken possession of the land. (Applause.) If the
Propaganda had exerted themselves, he did not see why
they should not have taken possession of the stagnant
waters of which they had heard much. Blessed be God
they had not done so ; and the time was not by when
they could be prevented from doing it. Alluding
to the spread of popery, he said it went on its way silent-
ly, secretly, steadily—in ten thousand unsuspected forms
it insinuated itself into the bosom of the social circle. Was
he drawing an exaggerated picture ? Had they not heard
of the daughters and children of pious clergymen being
stolen from them by the priests of Rome ? He read ex-
tracts from Mons. Richelieu, in which were held up a
fearful picture of the most appalling licentiousness and
wickedness of the Rocnish Church. The present crisis
had three characteristics, defection, treachery, and left
behind in the church the spawn of a superstitious princi-
ple. Ile dwelt at some length on these heads, and de-
nounced surplices, chanting, intoning, and other portions
of the church ordinances which he said were Puseyistic
and savoured of popery. He then argued that the Church
Pastoral Aid Society was the must efficient agency
that could be devised for meeting those various evils :
it created living churches, and then the people soon found
tabernacles in which to worship. He concluded by men-
tioning one other proof of its efficiency, which was, that
they could not take up a Tractaria❑ newspaper, from the
English Churchman downwards, in which they would not
find the Church Pastoral Aid Society abused. This was
a great proof of its worth : their pride and glory was that
it was as much loved by its friends as it was hated by its
The rev. gentleman resumed his seat amidst