The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-01-28 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID SOCIETY

The fifth anniversary of the Liverpool branch of the

Church Pastoral Aid Society commenced, on Sunday last,
by the preaching of sermons in a number of churches on
behalf of the most important objects which it is intended
to accomplish. The churches, and the amount collected
at each, will be found named in another column.
The annual meeting of the friends and subscribers to
the local institution was held at eleven o'clock yesterday
in the Lecture Hall of the Collegiate Institution. We
regret to say that the boisterous and unpleasant state of
the weather prevented the attendance from being so
numerous as on former occasions; but, notwithstanding
this untoward occurrence, there was a considerable num-
ber of ladies present, and many gentlemen, warm sup-
porters of the institution.
We observed the following clergy and lay gentlemen pre-
sent :—The Lord Bishop of the Diocese, the Rev. Chan-
cellor Raikes, the Rev. Messrs. J. H. Stewart, J. Jones,
R. Davies, H. M'Neile, C. W. Lawrence, T. Nolan, A.
P. Irwine, Auriol, rector of St. Dunstan's, London,
Hampton, Dover, D. Stewart, W. W. Ewbank, F. Ould,
Cowan, W. Rawson, H. Carpenter, J. Cordeaux, Bout-
flower, W. Falloon, W. Butler, B. Marshall, Chawner,
Anderson, T. Lowe, of Oldham, Connor, Wolfenden,
Litler, Hughes, Hunt, Adam Hodgson, Esq., John Eden,
Esq., J. Howard, Esq., and J. Rigby, Esq.

The Lord Bishop of CHESTER, who took the chair,
(after prayer had been offered up by the Rev. C. W. Law-
rence) opened the proceedings by addressing the meeting
as follows :—I need not say, my Christian friends, we are
met together with the hope of promoting the interests of
the Pastoral Aid Society. It is not necessary for me to
occupy your time by stating now what the objects of the
Pastoral Aid Society are; and I am sure you will not im-
pose so great a difficulty upon your chairman as to require
from him any fresh arguments why the Pastoral Aid So-
ciety should be supported by all the friends of our church
and of religion, because, though it woul I not at all be diffi-
cult to ficd arguments, it would certainly be difficult to
find fresh arguments. (Hear.) Even with regard to
any subject, it is difficult to prove that which is self-
evident ; and I cannot but think that the need, as well
as the usefulness, of a society like this must be self-
evident to every one who considers the nature of our
church, and comnares its circumstances with the circum-
stances of our population. (Hear.) In one respect the
society has a feature of interest which I will just lay be-
fore you. It shews the vital powers of the church her-
self to set herself right in difficulty and in trial. No one
who considers the state of our church in connection with
the increased population of the last forty years, can hesi-
tate to say that she found herself in a case of difficulty
and trial, in many instances, from five to even ten thou-
sand persons, assigned to the charge of a single clergyman,
expecting from that clergyman what it is impossible to
give, and the clergyman himself feeling he was bound to
do that which he was unable to perform. These are cir-
cumstances of trial and difficulty well known to my bre-
thren here, and too much experienced by those who have
been nominally committed to that charge. It is, in fact,
something like that state of the bodily constitution which
occurs when the circulation, which ought to be rightly
divided and carried through every part, through some de.
feet in the system fails in a particular part, and that part
does not receive the nourishment it is needful to receive.
We know what is the consequence in bodily circumstances.
The part so neglected, and so losing its proper nourish-
ment, does not remain a mere inactive mass ; but it be-
comes an active source of evil, and unless some remedy be
applied to it, will, in the end, lead to a dissolution of the
body. Here is a case that should be compared with the
case of the church, which, as it has been observed, expects
that every individual from the cradle to the grave should
be watched over by the clergyman to whom his district is
entrusted. But, unfortunately, he very often proceeds
from the cradle to the grave without the possibility, I
might almost say, and certainly without the probability
of even knowing the clergyman to whom he is assigned.
(Hear.) And though it might he wrong, and would be
wrong, to aver that alltbe dissent and non-conformity with
our church, which we find throughout the land, arises
from this circumstance singly, still there is no one who
does know the circumstances of our church, especially in
populous towns and districts, who will not say a great
pressure has arisen fom this cause—from the incompati-
bility of the charge with the power of the clergyman.
What the end would be if this took place in the earthly
frame we well know ; and what considerable danger must
threaten to the church itself, if a large portion of that
whch ought to receive its nourishment, its sustenance,
and assistance from them, were deprived of that which it
ought to look to from them, I had rather leave for your
c.:nsideration than suggest for my own. All, however, rnust
know that the ecclesiastical frame would be in somewhat
the same danger as the bodily frame might have been un-
der the circumstances I have described. (Hear.) Then
I would say that the Pastoral Aid Society comes as a sort
of vis mediecariz ecclesice in the very circumstances
where it was required. (Hear.) Persons from a distance
perceive this state of things and see to what it must lead,
by the education which they have received, by the faith
which they profess, and by the love towards the church
which they have derived from Him who is the head of
that church ; and desiring, therefore, to advance
his kingdom upon earth, in order that his king-
dom may be enlarged in heaven, they send the assist-
ance which is in their power to those districts
where the pressure of population is greatest, and where
the clergy feel themselves most incapable of the charge
entrusted to them, (Hear.) By this means, what is
wanted in one part is made up by the superfluity f
another. And this exchange is in accordance with what
we find to have been the practice of the church in all
ages, and to have been part of its very constitution. You
will observe there has been always an inherent power in
our church, as it were, to supply the wants of every par-
ticular district. We ,find it so at the very first origin of
our church ; we find it so when those that were deprived
of their goods and their means of livelihood, and therefore
were in distress, and must have actually perished, de-
rived their support from the richer portions of the clergy,
who came in as a sort of vis inedica biz. upon the oc anion
and they were readily supplied though they were poor in
possessions, and their goods sent as to a common stock.
Nay, some time afterwards we have a history somewhat of
the same -kind, where particular portions of the Christian
church were in especial want, as we read when Judea was
afflicted with famine, from Macedonia and from other
parts of the then Christianized world the vis dica-
Irix .came in, and sustenance was sent to the la-
bouring- and distressed brethren in Judea, by the
hands of Barnabas and Paul. Even the apostles
themselves had a difficulty of the same kind to .contend
against, and it was likewise met, not indeed by pecuniary
means, but by the active assistance of those who laboured
withthem ;or the Gospel. The apostles themselves could
not have been sufficient for all that was needed, and
therefore we find Paul continual y alluding to those who
helped him in his labours—continually sending his best
wishes and prayers for those who had laboured with him
in the Gospel, such es Aquila and Priscilla, and a multi-
tude of others, without whom he himself would have felt
that his powers were insufficient for the emergency. In
the same manner, I should say, we now call upon one
part of the Christian community in England to support
another part of the Christian community, the wants of
which are most seriously felt. This society bas responded
to the.call ; and those good men, who were its earliest
friends, are to be considered among the best friends of
the church, for not only have they laboured themselves,
but they have produced the society which has assembled
us together. They have shown what the difficulty was,
and what the church has a right to demand. We have,
therefore, not only this society, but we have another
society for the same object ; and 1 cannot help thinking
that the -example which this society set has bad a great
deal to do in recommending and bringing forward that
most important measure of the last session—l mean the
measure for increasing the number of our churches and
clergymen, sending them into districts, and supporting
them for a while, till a church shall be ready and schools
built : so that every person should have an opportunity
of seeing what the church can do, and will do, if she get
the opportunity. (Cheers.) Certainly, it exemplifies, in
the happiest way, that expression of the apostle, where he
speaks of the whole body "fitly joined and compacted
together by that which every joint supplieth, making
increase to edlying of the body in love ;" and thtzs ful-
filling the great purpose for which our Lord established
his church on earth. (Hear.)
The Rev. Taos. NOLAN then read the report, which
did not contain any particulars as to the operations of the
Society during the past sear in this loca ity, bat appealed
for support to the Society as " the devoted handmaiden to our
beloved Church, strictly observing her order on the one hand,
while wisely and discreetly, as far as benevolence enables her,
•slio rroceeds to supply her lack of service on the other, She
acts in no rivalship to any other Society, her aim being to dig
about the parent stem (the Established Church), that it may
bring forth much fruit, to the glory of God and the good of men,
at home and abroad." If, owing to the instrumentality of the
Pastoral Aid Society, under the blessing of God, congregations
have been gathered and faithful ministers located, a portion of
the harvest thus raised must redound under God to the benefit
of °titer s9cieties, so that on these grounds the Committee are ,
bold to ask an increased and continued support to the Church
Pastoral Aid Society. The Committee allude specially to the
indirect advantages accruing from the operations of the Society,
deeming it superfluous to enter into the state of spiritual desti-
tution amongst the masses of our population that first summoned
the Society into existence, but which still demands continued
and renewed efforts inasmach as the evil spreads more rapidly
than the remedy can be supplied, even were no deficies of past
years to be made good. The principle of the Society is scriptu-
ral unity of "the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak, and
not to please themselves, ;" and where true Church principles
flourish, and Churchmen are endowed with the riches of the
world, it is expected that they should contribute to the wants of
their poorer brethren in remote and less favoured districts. But
aow stands Liverpool in this respect? Actually receiving nearly
double the amount of what she contributes to them- The Com-
mittee have been willing to believe that this exception to the
general character and conduct of Liverpooi might be owing to
mismanagement somewhere, and hence the change in the time
for holding the anniversary.

The Rev. C. W. LAWRENCE read the accounts, which
showed a slight increase in the receipts. In the course of
the accounts, he particularly mentioned that the collection
in St. Simon's Church had amounted to £5O 2s. 2d.
Every one who knew the district of St. Sim n's must be
pleased with this result, and it spoke much for the labours
of the minister. He would seize this occasion to make a
very pleasant announcement. He expected Lord Sandon,
who was in Liverpool last week, would have been present,
but he had been called away to London ; but before going
his lordship put his name down as a subscriber for ten
guineas. His lordship had expressed the strongest sym-
pathy for the success of the society.
The Rev. JOHN JONES, incumbent of St Andrew's,
moved the fiat resolution to the effect that the report
should be received and circulated, end also appointing
tbo tieilal Wert; fin the planing ye;r. Tne rev. gentler

man, in the course of his observations, said there was
something very touching in the consideration of there be-
ing so many tens of thousands in this country in absolute
want of spiritual assistance, comfort, and instruction ;
and in this respect he knew no society which could be
placed on a level with this in point of demand upon us as
churchmen. The society, had, however, undergone what
Paul underwent—it had gone through evil report and good
report, on which point Mr. Joaes referred, at length, to
some late events in the society's history. He described
how careful the clerical committee were in the selection
of individuals to be placed upon the list of grants; re-
marking that if it were not for such care the subscribers
would not place so much hearty confidence in the
management of the institutions. By the care which was
taken, he contended, that the society, so far from com-
promising its church character, actually exemplified the
spirit of the Church of England, for if there was one
thing rather another which characterised the constitution
of the Church of England, it was the care which was pro-
perly taken as to the admission of persons into holy or-
ders. The care which the church took was immense.
But notwithstanding all its care, unworthy men would
sometimes get into the Church. One unworthy man got
among the twelve apostles. There was no human means
of excluding unworthy men. Thins society acted precisely
upon the same principle; all possible pains were taken to
exclude every man from the suppore of the society who
was not worthy of it : therefore, so far from what was
considered an abjection to the society, being one, it was
one of its strongest recommendations. It did not pretend
to say who the Bishops should ordain ; it did not interfere
with episcopol authority ; it had only to do with men
already ordained, and surely when it contributed to the
support of individuals, it had a right to say whether they
came up to its standard. We in this town were witnesses
of its advantages. How many districts were there in this
town thas would be almost destitute of pistoral care but
for the aid of this society ! He called attention to the
statement in the report, that Liverpool received yearly
from the society double the money that she sent to it. It
ought not to be so in this large and wealthy town. We re-
ceived nearly £l,OOO fromthesociety, yet sent but about one
half back in return ! He hoped that in another year there
would be a different statement to make. (Hear.) His
own church had done something, and he hoped it would
do more herral er ; but he was most pleased with the
statement respecting St. Simon's Church—a statement
that ought to be a stimulus to every church in the town
to "go and do likewise." If every church did what it
ought to do, Liverpool would send up to the society in
London £2OOO a-year. (Hear.) Mr. Jones concluded
an impressive speech by urging that the condition of the
manufacturing population in many parts of the diocese
required the assistance of this society, and formed a very
striking feature, which called for its especial support.
The Rev. A. P. IRVINE, local secretary for Lanca-
shire, seconded the resolution in an animated speech, in
the course of which he introduced several facts to show
the benefit done by the society by means of its lay agents.
—Tr,e resolution was carried.

The Rev. EDWARD AURIOL, rector of St. Dunstan's,
London, (one of the deputation,) moved the second reso-
lution, which expressed pain at the decrease in the
Society's receipts, and pledged the meeiing to fresh efforts
to carry out the great pastoral principle that every sheep
should have a fold and every fold a shepherd. After some
introductory observations, the rev. gentleman said he
might be permitted to bring forward some arguments,
founded upon statistical facts, relating to the operation of
the Society. He would, then, introduce a few general
statistics, as spewing how great was the extent of spiritual
destitution still existing, and consequently how great was
the necessity still for the existence of the Pastoral Aid
Society, to help, at least, to remove it. In the first place
he would look to the matropolis. A year or two ago, the
Bishop of London, in a letter addressed to his clergy,
called upon them to have collections in their churches for
the purpose of assisting him in building additional churches
in Londo i, and his lordship brought forward this state-
ment, that omitting all the parishes in London containing
a population under 7,000, he found there was a population
of 1,380,000. For these 1,380,000 there was church room
afforded by means of all the churches in the metropolis for
only 101,000, or one-tenth of the inhabitants. In several
parishes contiguous to St. Paul's Cathedral, the popula-
tion amounted to 191,230, for whom there were just 12
churches, that was to say, one church for every 16,000
persons. Here, he thought was sufficient proof of the
spiritualdestitution of the inhabitants of the metropolis of
our own city. He would now take a view of the grants in
operation to perform in connexion with the socfety. In
the list for last year there were eleven grants to parishes
containing upwards of 20,000 inhabitants in each ; and 51
grants to ;parishes where the population varied between
10,000 and 20,000. Another parish in connexion with the
society, to be borne in mind was, the inadequacy of the
stipends of the clergy engaged in the work of the misistry
in these parishes. Their average income was £172 a year ;
and when we considered the claims upon them be consi-
dered, there was strong necessity for the work which the
Pastoral Aid Society was doing. He found, too, that
there were 21 clergymen assisted by the society, whose
clerical income was under £lOO a year; and 52 whose
clerical income was between £l5O and £lOO. (Hear.)
He found that 306 grants had been made in the present
year; and the amount which the society had expended in
grants, since its commencement, was no less than
£585,000. These facts, the rev. gentleman urged, were
most important arguments in favour of the society ; and
he narrated instances of the good thereby effected. One
of these cases was from Derbyshire, where a church hav-
ing been endowed with £4O a year—an inadequate sum
for the maintenance of a minister—the society bad in-
creased it to £9O; a minister was then appointed, and
schools were built for 600 children. The Church Com-
missioners had since endowed the church, and the society
had been released in this particular parish, which, except
the society had come forward in the first instance, would
have been spiritually destitute. Another case was in a
manufacturing town. The popu:ation amounted to 10,000,
and the income of the benefice was £l3O per ann. Before
the church was built, four years ago, the people were in a
state of entire spiritual destitution. There was not even a
school of any description within the parish. But now,
through the means of the minister, and aided by the so-
ciety, there was an infant's school built, a day school for
155 boys and 95 girls, and a Sabbath school for 550 chil-
dren. After observing upon these benefits, the rev. gen-
tleman referred to the encouragement given by tie so-
ciety to lay agency, remarking, that at one of its early
meetings be had the pleasure of hearing the Bishop of
Chester defend its use upon scriptutal grounds At that
time its int: odustion excited some prejudice; mcny per-
sons had their doubts concerning it; but now lie congra-
tulated the society upon the disappearance of all those
prejudices and doubts. In fact it was the adherence to
these two leading principles of the society, encouragement
of lay agency, and inquiry into the character of the minis-
ters engaged on its grants, that had enabled it to triumph
over all difficulties. For this there was great cause to be
thankful. He would now allude to another fact of im-
portance in connection with the operations of the society,
namely, that it had been the means of calling into opera-
tion, exclusively, muny sums which had been contributed
directly for the same purpose which the society itself had
in view. In addition to the income of the society directly
applied to the purpose of providing ministers for destitute
places. There was no less a sum than £3,000 a year se-
cured to this same object, by means of sums from differ-
ent places, given for the purpose of helping the grants.
On this subject the reverend gentleman read a letter from
the incumbent of a large manufacturing town, from which
it appeared he had received a grant trom the society of
£lOO a year for five years, but during that period the
sum of £1,270 had been expended in building a school,
and endowing the church ; and during the year 1813, the
donations and collections for the society amounted to
£ll6. One church in Liverpool received £lOO, and sent
back £ll6 a free contribution. Again, 50 new grants
had been granted this year; and the sums of money
granted to these new places amounted to £2 815 in
affording stipends to additional curates. One reason
why the society's income had fallen off during last
year was, perhaps, an impression that the Church
Pastoral Aid Society had done its work, in consequence
of the legislature having taken up the question by the
late act of Sir Robert Peel. No one ought to speak with
so much gratitude and satisfaction of the act of Sir R.
Peel as the friends of the Pastoral Aid Society, because ,
Sir R. Peel had, by it, come forward to do the work
which, from the commencement, the supporters of the
Pastoral Aid Society had declared to be their work. The
legislature had thereby acted npon the very principle
adopted from the beginning by the society. So far from
the circumstance of this act having come into operation
rendering the Church Pastoral Aid Society unnecessary,
he contended it was not at all likely to be relieved by the
act. Only 13 places assisted by the society were helped
by means of the act. Many populous parishes, when
they came to be divided, had still left a charge of 10,000
or 12,000 souls; and, besides, new districts had been
formed, containing a population of 5,000 or 6,000. The
new grants, too, during the past year, were to parishes as
populous and as destitute as any of those to which grants
had been previously made. He would only notice that,
among many others, this year additional grants bad been
made to six churches in Manchester, two in Birmingham,
two in Oldham, one in Macclesfield, one in Bradford, and
so on. So that, after all that Sir R. Peel's act had done,
there was just as much need of this society as before.—
The rev. gentlemen then proceeded to address an earnest
and eloquent appeal to the auditory on behalf of the so-
ciety.

The Rev. THOMAS LONE (also a member of the depu-
tation) seconded the resolution in a speech of consider-
able interest and effect, in which he referred to two places
in his own neighbourhood, from which he showed the
great need there is of the exertions of the Pastoral Aid
Society in the manufacturing districts. The first case was
in his own parish. Six years ago, when he first became
acquainted with the place, it contained 63,000 people, and
the church accommodation was only 5,700 sitting., of
which no more than 1,200 were free. These would pro-
vide for 17,100 people, leaving 45,900 people without the
means of worshipping God according to their faith. A
reply was made to this statement when it was published,
that the church had been asleep. Roused by this, he had
a calculation made, from which he ascertained that there
were 39,000 Churchmen and 13,000 Dissenters from Ro-
man Catholics to Socialists included, and 11,000 aho pro-
fessed boldly and openly to be of no religion whatever.
In going still deeper, he had given to him three tables,
two of them from clergymen, who had visited the houses,
and the other from the lay assistant of the Pastoral Aid
Society. The first table stated that of 200 houses visited
54 was found to have no Bible at all; the number of
children was 557 ; 73 only received daily instruction, and
341 received Sabbath instruction. The other table, which
was from another part of the parish, was taken elan by the
clergyman of the district. There were stated to have been
283 families visited, 90 of whom were without a B:ble ;
163 professed to be Church people ; 92 were brourlt up
as Protestant Dissenters ; 14 professed to be Roma!' Ca-
tholics ; 3 to be Socialists, and 11 nothing at all. In theEe
families theta were 882 children, 198 of whom a'tended
daily sclicols. and 383 attended no schools at al. The
othrr trkle yr! mgrs fearful ip its results, and it showed

a greater need for church exertion. Out of 250 families
visited there were 34 without a Bible; 784 people lived in
these houses professing to be Churchmen ; 475 to be Dis-
senters, and 169 nothing at all. Out of the Church fami-
lies there were 237 receivir,g Sabbath and daily instruc-
tion ; and from other parts of the table it appeared the dis-
senters were educating the children of church people. Why:
Why becanse there was a laxity upon the part of the
church people with regard to their own principles, which
dissenters never shewed with regard to theirs. On this
point, the rev. gentleman urged. forcibly, the utility of
the society ; and he then proceeded to describe the present
state of the parish compared with its condition six years
ago. The contrast was most flattering, and it was attri-
buted to the instrumentality of the society. Referring to
the second case, the rev. gentleman narrated the history
of a parish in Derbyshire, which parish being in a desti..
tut(' condition, bad been furnished with all the means for
the spiritual improvement of its inhabitants. The rev.
speaker mentioned a variety of other topics at considerable
length on behalf of the society, and he concluded by se-
coraling the resolution, which was carried.
'1 he Rev. CHANCELLOR RAIKES moved the next reso-
lution, which impressed upon the meeting the necessity of
prayer for the success of the society. The venerable
Chancellor delivered an able speech in support of the reso--
lution, but most of his remarks were inaudible to the re-
porters.

The Rev. HUGE! Nl`Neien, in seconding the resolu-
tion, remarked that it invited attention to the duty of
prayer. Prayer, atter ail, was vv:!at we must look to for
success, not only in the labours of the society, but in the
performance of the duties to which we ourselves were
now called. We might admit the force of the reasoning
set before us during the course of the meeting; we might
have been struck by the arguments advanced to show the
indirect benefits arising from the labours of such an in-.
stitution as this, and from all the other institutions of a
similar kitid and character, whether they laboured at home
or abroad ; we might have been struck with the statistical
accounts laid before the meeting, especially those from
the metropolis, so pointedly urged by one of the prece-
ding speakers; we might have been still more touched
with the history of a district in this county by an eye-
witness, in terms not likely to be forgotten, and with the
touching manifestation of feeling arising out of those
scenes, which bore with it the internal evidence of an
eye-witness, the spectator who had a heart as well as an
eye for the occurrences going on around him ;—all this
might have made its due impression upon the under-
standing. eWe might have felt also the touching duty of
the last allusion set before us, of the measure of our re-
sponse of liberality in this good cause; but, after all, the
world wes powerful, and it was no light matter in man to
overcome the world. The attractions of the world re-
gained their strength ; and, when impressions which
seemed for a moment to disentangle us from those at-
tractions, and give Christian principle the pract
tory, so that we were upon the point of entering intents
secret resolve to dedicate a portion or our property in such
a cause as this—when these impressions had been just
formed, and we were in the act of making a secret vow,
or what was tantamount to a vow, there came the secret
re-evil again, tie reviving thought of the necessities of a
family, the exigencies of our own peculiar wants, the de-
mand of some temporal pressure noon us, and the vow
was checked, the resolution broke down, all the effect of
the demonstration that had been addressed to our under-
standing proved in vain to carry the man's heart, and,
with the heart, his love. (Hear.) Fur, however rheto-
ricians might call man a reasonable animal, or believe
themselves that was really the most characteristic appel-
lation, if they meant by this he was an anima guided by
hip teason in the practice] measures he adopted in life, it
was a flattering falsehood, and not the truth of the case.
(Hear.) Reason did not stand at the helm in the human
vessel. The man might reason well and act ill; he might
know the best and pursue the worst; he might argue ex-
tremely well, and point out with the pen or tongue of
eloquence, in the morning, all the mischiefs of intem-
i.e;•ance, and after dinner sink into the very evil that he
had so forcibly exhibited in the morning; lie might argue
argue like an angel against covetousness, and be himself
a slave to the love of money. (Hear.) It was the heart
that carried the man, and what carried the heart? It
was at the point of prayer that victory was gained ; in the
secret strivings of the soul with God—" whether in the
body or out of the body I cannot tell "—in those earnest
strivings within, that the victory was gained, resolutions
really strengthened, and resolves, or vows without the
formality of vows, pr;neiples, became apparent to the
world, the Christian triurelled, and a man honoured
God not with his sill:el-linens surplus, but with his sub-
star ce. ( Hear.)
The resolution was carried

After a few remarks from the Bishop, all the resolu-
tions having been carried. the meeting adjourned till seven
o'clock, at the Music-hall.

ADJOURNED MEETING,

The adjourned meeting was held in the Music Hall,
last night, at seven o'clock. The attendance was consi-
derably larger than at the morning meeting, the room
being almost filled. Thomas B Horsfall, Esq., presided,
and interesting spec ekes by the chairman, the Rev. C. B.
Tavier, the Rev. Mr. Aur 01, the Rev. Hugh M`Neile,
the Rev. A Irvine, and the Rev. Thomas No!a-t. It was
mentioned by Mr. Nolan t tl e change in tle time for
holding the anniversary r ices hid been attended by an
improvement, to sfune extmt, in the funds. On Sunday
there were no less thin 24 sermons preacqed in Liverpool
on Fehalf of the Society, the collections at which amounted
(one had not been sent in) to 1320. In addition, there
w ere eight sermons to be prcacl:e I at corivenient times in
the course of the year, the colleci nts at which would go
to swell the income. Mr. 111'N, i e had given a donation
to tle society of £s,—(cheers)—, n i du-ing, the met ng,
Mr. S. Woods, jun. had become as annual subscriber of
two guineas, and the Rev. Charles .Tones, of Waterloo, an
annual subscriber of one guinea. T-e meeting terminated
at nine o'clock. The public br.: k 'est will take place at
eight o'clock this morning (Tut slay), at the Adelphi
Betel, when the Rev. John Jones will preside. A large
attendance is expected.
The following are the collections at. the several churches
where st ralons were prcach^d oa behalf of the society on
Sunday last :
St. Jude's
St. John's
Trinity Church..........,
Christ Church
St. Barn bis.
St. Silas
S•. Mark's..
St. JohJ's
St. Bartholomew's .. • •
St. Bride's..
St. Michael's
West DeJby not returned,
St. Thomas's (Park)
Edge-hill
St. John the Evangelist, no collection.
St. Luke's 8 10 0
St. Paul's

£5B 3 6
16 15 104
8 14 0
21 0 0'
20 0 O-
lt 3' 0'
25 13 0
24 0 0
7 1 0
28 0 0
7 0 0

305 11 1
Collected at morning meeting 10 0 0

£315 11 14
To this is to be added the collections last night.

GRAND EVENING AND MORNING CONCERTS

AT THE MUSIC HALL

On Friday evening, the first of these splendid musical
feasts took place at the Music Hall, in Bold-street, which
was literally crammed with a most respectable and fash-
ionable audience. The principal performers were Miss
Dolley, Miss E. Birch, Miss Whitnall, Miss Keale, and
Messrs. Thalberg, Calkin, and John Parry. The first
piece selected was a trio, (W. Horsley's, " When shall
we three meet again ?") which was beautifully sung by
Miss Whitnall, Miss Dailey, and Mr. Calkin. This was
followed by Miss Delley's singing of Rossini's celebrated
cavalini, " Una voc poco fa," which elicited warm ap-
plause ; after which Thalberg gave, in his own inimitable
style, his New Grand Fantasia on Auber's Massaniello.
"The Grecian Daughter," by J. P. Knight, was next
sung by Miss E. Birch, a very sweet singer, who gave it
with great taste and feelieg. John Parry gave one of his
Extravaganzas ; alter which, BiAlop's fine duett, " And
canst thou, mother," was beautifully sung by Miss E.
Birch and Miss Dailey, followed by Bellini's " 0 divine
Agnese," and "The Blind Man's Guide," very beauti-
fully sung by Miss Whitnall. The gem of the evening's
performance came next,—The Grand Duet, from Norma,
on two pianotortea, by Mr. Thalberg and Miss Keele,
whom the great Profes,or had expressly selected to play
this duet with him, a compliment of which that young
lady may justly be proud. We may state, that on this
occasion Mr. Thalberg afforded Miss Keele the very
doubtful advantage, although unquestionably an Loaour,
of playing upon Erard's new patent grand pianoforte,—a
fine instrument, although naturally, from its newness,
not so pliant in fingering as one that has been a little
used,—himself taking Mis Keele's own pianoforte.
The beautiful exceutian and precision of both perform-
ers could not be tao much admired, and a preference
to either, it would be a folly for us to attempt to
give. We shall only say that it drew down the most
enthusiastic applause. The most admired songs in the
second part of the evening's concert were—" I feel that
thou art changed," which was beautifully sung by Miss
E. Birch, and the " Forest glade," by the same young
lady. These, with Thalberg's fantasia on " MOs6 in
Egitto," were the attractive features of part 2d of Friday
evening's concert. The second entertainment took place
on Saturday morning, and was like that of the preceding •
evening, attended by a crowded audience. The mostad-
mired performances, the duet (Miss Whitnall nod Mr.
J. Reeves) " Mira la Biana Luna," the canzonet (Miss
E. Birch) " He smiles, then sings again," which was de—
lightfully sung, John Parry's " Bluebeard," and an
amusing hit at the rages of tl,e day, which he sebstituted•
for an encore, and the duet from Norma, by Miss Keale•
and Thalherg, repeated by desire, in place of an etude-
from a grand sonata by the latter. The audience was
even more enthusiastic than on the preceding evening.
In the second part of the concert, the best received pieces
were, a quartet " the early beam of morning," by
Miss E. Birch, Miss Dolby, Mr Calkin, and Mr. John
Parry ; " Maiden, I a ill ot'er deceive thee." finely ung
a chaste and beautiful effort ; and Thalherg 'a
fantasia en
s was
not remember any buyerMo
sJ .zltt‘elivaes ;
rr"hCi oTfillabretirtg, by Miss
ff:;;.mßa.inrcche.,
Vricleh'}‘,Na.eeedg,lven more riequivocal
Two national airs, " Cares e'er the straatn Charlie," and
" Terence's tarea-ell," were plc: singly sung by Miss
con-
certs Dolby.
in
Liverpool
r it,hoeo
sa-
tisfaction than these, or been more creditable to all the
pa engaged.

At the an,,ual me: ting of the Atoi-Cora- Law League,
on Wednesday, Mr. Bright said that body had expended,.
thn last three rriorths upwards of .£200,000 in
unrcha.ing frephol is in Ncttft Chuhire, South Lulea—
shife, Lod West itrkshire.