The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-02-24 00:00:00

LORD'S DAY SOCIETY

A numerous meeting of the members and friends of the
Lord's Day Society was held last evening in the Music Hall,
Bold-street, for the purpose of promoting the objects of the
Association, and to hear the statements of the Rev. Mr.
Baylee and Mr. Wilson (brother of the Bishop of Calcutta,)
a deputation from the parent body. Many clergymen and
laymen occupied the platform, amongst whom we observed
the Rev. W. W. Ewbank, the Rev. J. H. Stewart, the Rev.
Robert Davies, the Rev. Henry Hampton, the Rev. Wm.
Maynard, the Rev. W. Butler (of St. Thomas-in-the-Fields),
the Rev. J. R. Connor, the Rev. Wm. Bush, the Rev. J.
Irving; Messrs. Adam Hodgson, J. Mather, Inman, Bout-
flower, Howard, Rounthwaite, Moore, Webster, Pemberton,
&c. &c. On the motion of the Rev. W. W. EWBANX,
Adam Hodgson, Esq. was called to the chair ; and the pro-
ceeding commenced by the supplication of the divine blessing
upon them.

The CHAIRMAN said he was deeply impressed with the
importance of the objects of this society. The precise plans
of the society to accomplish their object, would probably be
detailed by the deputation who had visited Liverpool for that
purpose; and he was glad to see among us gentlemen who
had laboured so long and so zealously in this important
cause; for whatever difference of opinion there might be as
to the precise steps to be taken for the promotion of the
object, there could be none among tim,e who took the
Scriptures for their rule of life, or who had meditated at all
upon the beneficent operation of the Sabbath, as to the im-
portance of the observance of the Lord's Day. The blessed
results of its observance, however, would not relieve us from
the difficulty of putting in effect any precise plans for the
due observance of the Sabbath. There might be decided
objections to legislative enactments upon the subject, but
that circumstance should not lead us to believe that legisla-
tion was neither right nor proper nor necessary ; for already
there had been many cases in which legislation had operated
beneficially. He might be permitted to allude to the effect
which legislation had already had in the view of this town,
in the course of which he should shew that it had been
attended with the most beneficial and valuable results.
tHweelvre o
efer,rcelodektoonththee
Saturdayclosin night till a certain hour
on our public-houses from
on the Sunday. Last summer it fell to his lot to spend some
time in London with our worthy stipendiary magistrate,
whose zeal on this question did him the highest credit, as a
deputation to get introduced in a local bill then before Par-
lisment a clause taken from the metropolitan act with rela-
tion to the closing of public-houses. They were encountered
by much opposition, some of which came from high places
where it might least have been expected ; but in the course
of the discussion many important facts were elicited and
brought forward, illustrative of the excellent effect of the
clause in the metropolitan act. He (the chairman) had him-
self heard the Bishop of London say, in the House of Lords,
"it was impossible to overrate the valuable effects whicji had
followed from the introduction of this clause into the me-
tropolitan act." In obtaining the clause the greatest assist-
ance was received from the Bishop of Salisbury, the Bishop
of Norwich, and Lord Skelmersdale, and eventually they suc-
ceeded. The bill came into operation on the Ist Sept. last,
consequently there had been now six months' experience of
the effects of it. 'Within the first fortnight after it came into
operation, and Mr. Rushton had more than once alluded to
it. there had been a very great diminution in the number of
persons brought before him on the Monday. He (the Chair-
man) had asked Mr. Rushton whether his experience of the
act continued equally satisfactory; and he had consequently
furnished several details, at the close of which, he said, " I
think the enforcing of this salutary provision of the act will
lessen the number of persons taken into custody to the ex-
tent of 4000 persons during the year." It would be recol-
lected, too, that the Recorder of Liverpool, and the Chair-
man of the Quarter Sessions at Kirkdale (the Rev. Jonathan
Brooks), had confirmed the views of Mr. Rushton, and they
had expressed an earnest hope that the clause would speedily
become part of the general law of the land. The magistrate's
of London, the Rector of St. Giles's, and others, had stated
further, that the clause was there gradually producing a total
change in the character of the population for the better.
Here, then, were testimonies which could not be gainsaid in
favour of legislation for the observance of the Lord's Day.
But, after all, the due observance of the Sabbath must mainly
rest upon the tone of religious feeling in the community, a
feeling which he wished to see extended. Feeling, therefore,
as be was sure they all would, that the Sabbath was of divine
appointment and of universal obligation, be thought they
were bound to take every legitimate opportunity for pro-
moting and securing the observation of the Sabbath. (Hear,
hear.)

Mr. WILSON then came forward, and commenced an in-
teresting speech of considerable length by observing, that
some of the clauses in Sir Andrew Agnew's Sabbath Bill,
which, when first suggested, were most opposed and laughed
at, had since been carried by the force of moral feeling. The
Sabbath was of divine institution, and the happiness of man-
kind was bound up in its observance. For instance, Dr.
Farr had proved before the parliamentary committee, that
the usual nightly repose of sleep was not sufficient to reco-
ver health and strength, and that to do so effectually, rest
upon the seventh day was necessary. Many coach proprie-
tors had proved, before the same tribunal, that they were
obliged to give their horses a rest one day in seven ; and
they had found that if they run their vehicles on that day,
they must have extra horses for the purpose. It had been
proved, also, that those families which were in the habit of
observing the Sabbath, and of attending places of worship,
were in general industrious, clean, and orderly ; whilst
Sabbath-breaking families, on the contrary, were at discord,
the children were neglected, and disorder constantly pre-
vailed. Mr. Wilson next chewed the practical effect of
Sabbath desecration upon morals, proving, by the examples
which he adduced, that such parties were necessarily among
the lowest grades of society, and he related instances of the
opposite consequence having been produced. He next refuted
the objection commonly urged to the society, on the ground
that there was a necessity for working on the Sabbath.
What was this but saying that the Creator bad given man
laws which it was for the interest of man that he should
break? Having urged the propriety of the post office sys-
tem being altered, so that the observation of the Sabbath
might be same in the country as in London. Mr. Wilson
concluded by remarking that, although the Sabbath was ap-
pointed for a day of rest, it was not to be a day of idleness :

it was a day on which we must strive, of all others, to follow
the example set by our blessed Lord.

The Rev. Mr. BAYLEE, Secretary to the Parent Society,
next addressed the meeting. It was, in reality, what the
Bishop of London had called it " the poor man's friend ;"
and as a prejudice was supposed to exist against it on that
account, he would mention that it addressed itself to the
rich as well as the poor. The rev. gentleman then, at some
length, gave details of its operation.

Mr:WnsoN here rose, and bore strong testimony to the
beneficial operation of the clause in the metropolitan police
act, for closing public houses on Saturday nights at twelve
till Sunday noon. No greater benefit could be conferred on
the community than to make that clause general.
The Rev. J. H. STEWART offered a few observations in
support of the society; and the doxology having been sung,
the meeting separated. The proceedings lasted about two
hours.

THE " PIOUS" LEAGUERS.
What do these " JEROBOAMS " want,
With all their Calvinistic cant.
With long lank hair, and lantern cheek,
With tongues professing all that's meek
They, who should preach the Bread of Life,
Mixing themselves in worldly strife?
They care not for the price of bread—
They hate the Church—they hate its Head ;
And, if they could but pull it down—
Woe to the. Kingdom, and the Crown! V.