The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-03-05 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE REV. EDWD. BICKERSTETH

It was our melancholy duty, last week, to record the death
of an aged and valued minister of our beloved church, (the
Rev. T. S. Grimshaw,) and weregret to announceto• day the
demise of an equally estimable reverend gentleman, whose
praise is in all the churches—the Rev. Edward Bicker-
steth, M.A., for twenty years rector of Watton, Hert-
fordshire. On Thursday last this faithful servant of God
was summoned to his rest, after an illness (congestion of
the brain) of about a month, which, from the first, but
too plainly denoted its fatal issue, and that his work (as
he himself repeatedly expressed) was done. Mr. Bicker-
steth's loss will be deeply lamented by a very wide circle
of Christian friends, and to his bereaved widow and chil-
dren it will be irreparable. The late Mr. Bickersteth was
born on the 19th of March, 1785, and had consequently
nearly attained his 64th year. His original destination
was the profession of the law, to which he was articled
iu the office of Messrs. Blendsdale and Holm, of London,
solicitors. He subsequently established himself in Nor-
wich as an attorney, and having married the eldest
daughter of the late Thomas Bignold, Esq., he
resided there until the year 1815, when an over-
whelming desire to enter the ministry induced him
to apply to Bishop Bathurst for ordination. Mr. Bicker-
steth had, at this time, published his " Help to the Study
of the Scriptures," and some other useful works on divi-
nity.

His admission to the Church was cordially acceded to
by the bishop; and he preached his first sermon at the
parish Church of St. Gregory, in Norwich, in the month
of December in that year. The Church Missionary
Society immediately sought his aid as assistant secretary,
and he removed from Norwich to the society's house
in London ; and also at the same time became assist-
ant minister to an Episcopal Chapel in Spitalfields.
He continued in these parts till the year 1830, when Abel
Smith, Esq.. of Watton, in Hertfordshire, presented him
to the valuable living of Watton ; in which large parish he
laboured with great zeal, fulfilling all the duties of a
faithful and devoted minister of his Lord and Master
Jesus Christ.

The rev. gentleman was brother to Robert Bickersteth,
Esq., the eminent surgeon of this town, to the Rev. John
Bickersteth, another devoted clergyman, and to Lord
Langdale, the present Master of the Rolls, who was ele-
vated to that high position after a successful career of
many years at the bar. It is a rare circumstance to find
four brothers attain so distinguished an eminence in their
respective professions.
Most of our readers having had frequent op.3ortunities
of hearing the rev. gentleman, will remember his persua-
sive and scriptural appeals for the various religious socie-
ties connected with the Church, for which he laboured to
almost his dying day, with singular assiduity and zeal.
The committees of the Church Missionary Society, the
Jews' Society, the Pastoral Aid Society, the Irish Society,
and indeed every association calculated to advance the
spiritual condition of his fellow beings at home or abroad
have sustained a loss which it will be difficult to repair.

It is scarcely necessary to say that the rev. gentleman,
during his last illness, viewed his approaching demise with
peace. Truly '• he was ready to depart, and fin►sh his
course with joy." On his medical adviser announcing to
him that there was no hope—" Yes," he replied, " there
is every reason to hope;" adding other expressions indi-
cative of his consciousness of the approaching change,
and of his preparation for it.
Mr. Bickersteth was a very voluminous writer, having
published about twenty volumes on various subjects con-
nected with divinity, and all of a highly practical tendency.
One or two of these works are out of print, another has
reached a sixteenth edition, and a third a nineteenth.
We may mention that nine of the volumes are on the
means of grace, four on the Prophecies, and the remainder
on general and practical divinity. Besides these, he
recently published, under the title of " The Watton
Tracts," fifteen addresses to the Christian public. The
names of his more elaborate treatises we need not parti-
cularise, as no one ought to be unacquainted with them.
In the Christian Guardian for the present month there
is an affecting sketch of the life of the Rev. T. S. Grim-
shaw, and we believe that this was an affectionate trinute
from the pen of his reverend friend, the subject of our
present imperfect notice, and, if we are rightly informed
was the last production of his gifted mind. Another of
his late works was completed in concert with another
Christian veteran—the Rev. J. Haldane Stewart. It is
entitled" An Address and Sermons delivered on the occa-
sion of a Meeting of Two Clerical Associations at Wes-
ton super-Mare, on July 10 and 11, 1849." Since
then, his work on the Baptismal Services has be en pub-
lished.

Mr. Bickersteth leaves an only son, the Rev. Edward
Henry Bickersteth, curate of Banningham. (married to
his cousin, Rosa, the daughter of Samuel Bignold, Esq.,
of Surrey-street), and five daughters, the eldest of whom
is married to the Rev. T. R. Birks, rector of Kelshall,
Herts.

COTTON CROP,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

• SIR,—In the Economist of last Saturday week is a
statement of the probable import, consumption, and stock
of cotton for this year. It would require some pages to
discuss his estimates fully, but for the, moment I would
just advert to one point, in which I think he is in error.
He gives the consumption at 27,000 bales per week, which,
although I do not admit, I will assume for the sake of
argument. The import of American he takes at 1,050,000,
having professedly deducted what he thinks a fair allow-
ance for the export of American cotton from Liverpool to
the continent. He then gives 400,000 bales as the import
from Brazil, East Indian, and Egyptian, being nearly the
same imports as last year ; but he omits to deduct the
export, and which last year was 104,000. This is clearly
an error ; he gives the full import the same as last year,
but he does not give the full import of American, because
he has deducted the export from that class of cotton.
Then why not observe the same principle in the calcula-
tion throughout the whole of the table ? It is certainly
an error and makes this difference, that it would convert
his increase of 50,000 bales on the Ist of January next
into a decrease of 50,000.
As for his estimate of 2,400,000, a writer may certainly
assume any amount he chooses, but it is 150,000 to
200,000 bales beyond the general tenor of the advices by
last steamer ; and his only ground is by a comparison of
the average arrivals during the last fourteen years, which
he himself allows is a dubious criterion, and a comparison
also with the arrivals up to the same time last year, which
he also allows is a very uncertain criterion. Z.

ROLLS' COURT-SATURDAY,

DIIMVILL V. THE BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE, AND CHE-

SHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY

Mr. Roupell, for the defendants, supported the demur-
rer filed in answer to the p`aintiff's bill, praying for an
indemnity from the directors to protect a certain class of
shareholders—£3l shareboldtrS—A which the plaintiff is
one, from calls rendered necessary, as it was alleged, in
consequence of the directors having had occasion to bor-
row a large sum of money—X3oo,ooo—to carry out the
object of the company's bill of incorporation—an outlay
which the plaintiff alleged to be illegal. To this demand
of the plaintiff for himself and other shareholders simi-
larly situated the railway company's directors demurred
on the ground of want of proper parties, and, also, for
want of equity.
Mr. Turner, for the plaintiff, quoted the decision of the
Court in favour of a bill of a similar character, in a re-
cently-decided case, " Bailey v. the Birkenhead, Lanca-
shire, and Cheshire Railway Company."

The Master of the Rollsoverraed.the demurrer,

Our talented townsman, Mr. Macbride, the sculptor,
is, we understand, engaged upon a fine historical group
from British history, to be executed in marble, for the
great industrial exhibition to be held next year in Hyde
Park.

EXHIBITION AT MR. J. R: ISAAC'S OF ORIGINAL
PAINTINGS BY H. BARRAND, ESQ.—Many of our readers
no doubt have admired a set of engravings after this
artist,—" We praise thee, oh ! God!" and " Lord have
mercy upon us !" The originals of these, with the third
of the set—" Gloria Patri"—are for a few days on view at
Mr. J. R. Isaac's establishment in Castle-street, and will
well repay any of the lovers of painting who may choose
to inspect them, whether as works of art merely, or
as fine creations of the painter's mind. The group
"We praise thee, oh! God," consists of three young
choristers, engaged in the solemn service of our Church,
in the richly carved nave of one of our noble Cathedrals.
The centre figure is full of fine devotional expression;
and the more juvenile one upon his left is a touching
pourtrayal of innocence and beauty. The painting, as
such merely, is of a most finished character. The second
of the set, " Lord have mercy upon us," consists of
three female Choristers, painted with, if possible, equally
felicitous expression and feeling. The petite figure and
countenance in the centre of the groupe is particularly
beautiful. Tile third, " Gloria Patri," gives us an in-
creased number of figures, and a greater variety of charac-
ter and feature, It is finely conceived and painted ; but
scarcely impresses so much as it more simple companion
pictures. The engravings from these are executed in the
first style of art, and would adorn the walls of any lover
of the beautiful creations of the painter's genius.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—The monthly meeting of
this important though only recently-formed body, was
held yesterday. The President said that the Vice-Presi-
dent and himself had had interviews with the Inspector-
General of the Post-office, who intimated that the posts
office authorities were anxious to consult the wishes of the
inhabitants of Liverpool in selecting the situation for the
new post-office, and would gladly receive the suggestions
emanating from the Chairman of the Committee. It was
proposed to the Inspector on behalf of the chamber that
government should advertise for tenders of good situa-
tions for a scite within a limited distance from the
Exchange. A petition en the subject of the postal commu-
nication between England and France, pointing out the
advantage of the route to Paris via Boulogne, was read
and signed by the President on the part of the Chamber.
A report of the committee appointed to consider the provi-
sions of the proposed mercantile marine bill was consi-
dered, as was a lettter addressed to Mr. Labonchero on
the subject, which was approved. In the latter the forma-
tion of local boards in all the large seaports of the
kingdom, with full power to carry out the purposes
of the bill ; and also the postponement of the bill
until next session, with a view to its embracing a
digest of all the laws referring to merchant sea-
men, were particularly insisted on. It was agreed also
that this committee should continue to watch the progress
of the legislature on the subject, and to co-operate, as
far as expedient, with the Reformers Association. On
the motion of Mr. C. Robertson, a committee was ap-
pointed to consider a report upon the state of the Postal
Commissioners of Liverpool On the motion of Mr. Heath,
a committee was. appointed to consider the best mode of
carrying out the object of the Chamber, referred to in
the last clause of its constitution under the head of
bottlemegit of Coaanwolsd Questions and Disputes.

LITERARY NOTICE.

The Ladies' Companion, at Home and Abroad. By Mrs
J. W. Loudon. London : Bradbury and Evans.

UNDER the above title a very interesting periodical has
lately issued from the press. It is a work, as its name in-
dicates, likely to be very useful, as well as instructive, to
young ladies, containing well-written chapters on the
chemistry of every-day life, botany, horticulture, and
cookery, with some very interesting tales of fiction, con-
veying good moral teaching. We regret much, however,
to observe that over this work, (like too many others,)
published under the sanction of a name so high as Mrs.
Loudon's, there is the blight, unhappily too general over
our periodical literature. Jesuitical influence, or Roma-
nising teaching, appears to have crept in even here. We
observe in one number of the work an engraving repre-
senting John Baptist holding a huge cross before a lamb ;
in another, the betrothal of St. Catherine to our Lord,
with a portion of the legend (and a reference to the lives
of the saints for the remainder); and in another, " the
Virgin and Child ;" also, in some of the tales, characters
are selected who are Romanists. The introduction of
these things being quite inconsistent with the character
and avowed intention of the wok, can only be accounted
for from jesuitical influence—a part o' their
_plot to capti-
. .

vate the minds of young English people with the Romish
superstition. We cannot think, however, that Mrs. Lou-
don would lend the prestige of her name in any way to
further their nefarious devices ; and we notice the work
purposely, in the hope that some kind friend may be in-
duced to point out this blot upon it—one which, if allowed
to remain, will much contract its circulation, and mar its
usefulness.

GOD'S MEANING IN NATURE

(From Fraser's Magazine.)

All around us was the dense blank blackness of the
night, except where now and then some lonely gleam
through the southern clouds shewed the huge cliff tops on
our right. It was all most unearthly, dream-like, a strange
phantasmagoria, like some scenes from The Ancient Ma-
riner—all the world shut out, silent, invisible, and we
floating along there alone, like a fairy ship creeping
through Chaos and the unknown Limbo. Was it an evil
thought that rose within us as we said to Claude,—

"Is not this too like life ? Our only light the sparkles
that rise up round us at every step, and die behind us ;
and all around, and all before, t

ie great

able eternities ? A few souls brought together as it were
by chance, for a short friendship and mutual dependance
in this little ship of earth, so soon to land her passengers
and break up the company for ever ?"
He laughed.

" There is a devil's meaning to everything in nature;
and a God's meaning too. Your friends, the zoologists,
have surely taught you better than that. As I read Na-
ture's parable to night, I find nothing in it but hope.
What if there be darkness, the sun will rise to-morrow.
What if there seem a chaos, the great organic world is
still living, and growing, and feeding. unseen by us, all
the black night through ; and even the phosphoric atom
there below is a sign that even in the darkest night there
is still the power of light, ready to flash out, wherever and
however it is stirred. Does the age seem to you dark ?
Do you, too, feel as I do at times, the awful sadness of
that text,—" The time shall come when ye shall desire to
see one of the days of the Lord and shall not see it ?"
Then remember that

The night is never so long
But at last it ringeth for matin song.

And even as it is around us here, so it is in the world of
men • the night is peopled not only with phantoms, and
wizards, and spirits of evil, but under its shadow all opi-
nions, systems, social energies, are taking rest, and grow-
ing, and feeding, unknown to themselves, that they may
awake into a new life, and intermarry, and beget children
nobler than themselves, when " the day-spring from on
high comes down." Even now, see ! the dawn is gilding
the highest souls, as it is those Exmoor peaks afar ' • and we
are in the night, only because we crawl below. What if
we be unconscious of all the living energies which are
fermenting round us now ? Have not you shewn me in
this last week every moorland pool, every drop of the
summer sea, alive with beautiful organisations, multiply-
ing as fast as the thoughts of man ? Is not every leaf
breathing still, every sap-vein drinking still, though we
may not see them ? " Even so is the kingdom of God,
like seed sown on the ground, and men rise, and lie down
and sleep, and it groweth up they know not how." Must
I quote your own verses against you ? Must T appeal
from Philip drunk to Philip sober ? Listen to what you
said to me only last week, and be ashamed of yourself:—
The day of the Lord is at hand, at hand
Its storms roll up to the sky ;
A nation sleeps starving on heaps of gold;
All dreamers toss and sigh ' •
The night is darkest before the dawn—
When the pain is sorest, the child is born—
_ .

And the day of the Lo.rd is at hand

Gather you, gather you, angels of God,
Freedom, and mercy, and truth.
Come! for the earth is grown coward and old
Come down and renew us her youth !
Wisdom, self sacrifice, daring and love,
Haste to the battle-field, stoop from above,
To the day of the Lord at hand.

Gather you, gather you, hounds of hell,
Famine, aid plague, and war.
Idleness, bigotry, cant, and misrule,
Gather, and fall in the snare!
Hirelings and mammonites, pedants and knaves
Crawl to the battle-field, sneak to your graves,
In the day of the Lord at hand.

Who would sit down and sigh for a lost age of gold,
While the Lord of all ages is here?
True hearts will leap up at the trumpet of God,
And those who can suffer, can dare.
Each old age of gold was an iron age too,
And the meekest of saints may find stern work to do,
In the day of the Lord at hand.

The emigrant ship Constance has just made the passage
from Plymouth to Adelaide in 70 days, the average period
being 110 days.

A telegraphic despatch from Berlin of the Ist inst., in
the Miner Zeitung, states (as a rumour) that the armis-
tice between Prussia and Denmark has been prolonged.
A dispatch from Berlin expresses conciliatory dispo-
sitions on the pert of Prussia regarding Neufchatel, but
which are somewhat neutralised by the active suggestions
of Austria and Russia not to allow any breach in the
treaties of Vienna.

On Sunday night a fire broke out on the premises of
Mrs. Solomons, a furrier, at Little Falcon-court, Lon.
don, by which the building was destroyed. Mrs. Solo-
mons was so much burnt that she died soon after.

NARROW ESCAPE.—As Mrs. Chatterton, wife of the
gallant member for Cork, was driving on Monday in
Hyde Park, one of the brougham horses suddenly com-
menced kicking in a very violent manner, and quickly de-
molished the dashing board and driving seat, and hurled
both servants to the ground. Luckily, the coachman re-
tained his reins, and the lady (who behaved with the
greatest presence of mind) was happily extricated from
her perilous situation without any injury.
By the force of attraction, or something :else equally
inscrutable, two ships in a calm, and equally affected by
the currents, will always approximate, more or less.
WILLIAM lll.—William was an ambitious prince. It
is puerile to believe that, up to the moment of appeal sent
to him from London in 1688, he had been insensible to
the desire of mounting the throne of England, or ignorant
of the schemes which had long been laid of raising him to
it. William followed the progress of these schemes step
by step : though he took no part in the means, he did not
reject the end, and, without directly encouraging. he pro-
tected its authors. His ambition was ennobled by the
greatness and justness of the cause to which it was at-
tached—the cause of religious liberty and the balance of
power in Europe. Never did a man make a vast political
design more exclusively the thought aid purpose of his
life than William did. The work which he accomplished
on the field or in the cabinet was his passion ; his own
aggrandizement was but the means to that end. What-
ever were his views on the crown of England, he never
attempted to realize them by violence and disorder. To
his well-regulated and lofty mind the inherent vice and
degrading consequences of such means were obvious and
revolting. But when the career was opened to him by
England herself, he did not suffer himself to be deterred
from enterring on it by the scruples of a private man ; he
wished his cause to prevail, and he wished to reap the
honour of the triumph. Rare and glorious mixture of
worldly ability and Christian faith, of personal ambition
and devotion to public ends !—Guizot.
AN EASTERN STORY,---" The grandfather of Ben
Abou, the present Governor of Riff, when Caid of Tan-
gier, made a great feast at the marriage of his daughter.
One of his friends, Caid Mahomed Widden, observed a
poor man in mean attire in the court, and ordered him
out ; and he not obeying, pushed him so that he fell.
That same night the keeper of an oven (there are no sel-
lers of bread, every one makes his own bread at home
and sends it to the oven) had barred his door and retired
to rest, when some one knocked at the door. He asked,
Who is there ?' and was answered, ` The guest of God,'
which means a beggar. ' You are welcome,' he said, and
got up and unfastened the door; and having nothing but
some remnants of the koscuossou from his supper, and
the piece of mat upon which he lay, he warmed the kos-
coussou in the oven, and after bringing water to wash his
guest's hands, he set it before him ; he then conducted
him to the mat, and himself lay down on the bare ground.
In the morning when he awoke, he found the door un-
barred, and the poor man gone ; so he said to himself,
He had business and did not wish to disturb me, or he
went away modestly, being ashamed of his poverty.' On
taking up the mat, he found under it two dubloons ; so
he was afraid, and put the money by, and determined not
to touch it, lest it had been forgotten, or lest the poor
man had stolen it, and put it there to ruin him. Some
time after an order came from Fez for Mahomed Wid-
den and the baker to repair thithei. They were both
conducted to the place before the palace, to await the
Sultan's coming forth. When he appeared they were
called before him, and, addressing the first, he asked him
if he recollected the feast at the marriage of the daughter
of the Caid of Tangier, and a poor man whom he had
pushed with his left hand, and kicked with his right foot.
Then Caid Mahomed knew whom he had treated, and
trembled. The sultan said, ' The arm that struck me,
and the leg that kicked me, are mine : cut them off.'
The baker now said to himself, If he has taken the leg
and the arm off the caid, be will surely take my head,'
so he fell down upon the earth, and implored the sultan
to have mercy upon him. The sultan said to him—' My
son, fear not; you were poor, and took in the beggar
when be was thrust forth from the feast of the rich. Ile
has eaten your bread, and slept on your mat. Now ask
whatever you please ; it shall be yours.' The caid re-
turned to Tangier maimed and a beggar, and his grand-
wbaaskelatelyThet returned ns edi
keeper, the sultan's host.' " Urquhart' s Pillars of Her-
riding
inatgtohne
agate
fine
mf theu lmule.
Sicilian
richly
clothed, consul
and possessed of the wealth of the other ; and the people
mkt,
used to say as he passed by—' There goes the oven.

COMMERCIAL AND MONETARY REPORT.

Monday Night.
Politically speaking we have had rather an unquiet
week, the accounts from the continent from day to clay
bringing something disastrous—either which had occurred
or might occur; but we are glad to be able to state that
the accounts, whether from Switzerland, Turin, or the
Piraeus, where an Austrian man-of-war was said to have
attacked an English man-of-war, are all greatly exagger-
ated, or without any foundation. On the other hand—
with regard to produce—we have had an exceedingly quiet
week, but prices have been well supported. The con-
sumers hold light stoci.cs of nearly 'very article, and have
purchased only for it wants.
_This fiature

has been most palvathy mai,ites►, hi the article of cotton,
where spinners are taking from day to day only their 20,
10, and even 5 bales. Since Friday there has 1

n more

inquiry for sugar and saltpetr
have been sold at full rates, for the. lower d____
Benares under 40s. ; and 500 bags of the latter a
rates. Jute has also been more inquired for,
bales have changed hands at rather higher prices.
The decline in the Share-market noticed in our last-
caused by sales chiefly speculatir
reduced div

1000 bags of the former
ions of
xtreme
d 1000

id Nort

....stern—
continued until about Wednesday evening, when London
stock was done at 101 (ex dividend) and the quarters at
8/9 discount. Since then prices have been gradually be-
coming firmer and slowly advancing. Sales by the public
(never very great) have altogethr ceased, and a fair
amount of buying orders are in the course of execution.
Several meetings have been held during the week, in all
of which we think can be traced the germ of better days
for shareholders. An examination of the traffic returns
gives good hope that, with ordinary economy and pru-
dence, and a better understanding between shareholders
and directors, a reasonable return on the outlay may be
expected. e do not notice any particular feature in any
of the meetings excepting, perhaps, a little of the old spi-