The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-09-26 00:00:00

THE LATE PERVERSION AT LEEDS.

We gave last week an article from the Morning Herald
which copied some statements from a recent sermon,
preached by Dr. Hook, condemnatory of the Rev. J.
Jephson, one of his curates. The following reply, ad-
dressed by Mr. Jephson to the Churchwardens of Leeds,
certainly places the matter in a more favourable light as
regards the writer, but leaves Dr. Hook in rather an un-
enviable position :
" Birmingham, Sept. 15, 1848.
" Gentlemen—l have this day received a sermon pub-
lished by Dr. Hook, with a preface addressed to you, in
which he says, `You will judge, gentlemen, of the sur-
prise which 1 experienced when I received information
last week, that Mr. and Mrs. Jephson had been received
into the Church of Rome, not on their quitting Leeds in
August, 1848, but in the year 1846, before his coming to
Leeds ; even then, while professing himself to be a decided
Anglican, he was actually a member of the apostate
Church of Rome.'

" This statement, from whatever source Dr. Hook re-
ceived it, is simply untrue. Neither I nor my family be-
came Catholics till the 9th of August last, when we had
the happiness of being received into the Church of Bir-
mingham.
" A paragraph did appear in the Church and State Ga-
zette in the year 1846, to the effect that I had acknow-
ledged the supremacy of St. Peter's successor ; this I im-
mediately contradicted, as I had not then gone further
than to be, as Dr. Hook expresses it, unsettled ;' and so
completely was the Bishop of the Diocese satisfied, that I
continued to hold my curacy, and finally resigned it of my
own free will, for the purpose of coming to Leeds, or
some other place where I expected to find the Anglican
system carried out thoroughly. The editors of the Ca-
tholic Directory' probably copied from the Protestant
papers, the accuracy of whose information they had no
reason to doubt, and placed me and my family in their
list of converts without further inquiry.m Tahca, mt'ePaenrsmtihssaut
Superiorum,' in the title page of an almanac,
the Catholic Bishops have examined the accuracy of every
statement enntstincd in it, is really absurd.
" But the fact is, Dr. Hook knew, at the time I be-
came his curate, that I had been unsettled,' as he says
himself; that is, that I had had doubts of the claims of
the Protestant Church, as some persons, very much in.
Dr. Hook's confidence at present, have also had. I, my-
self, after I came to Leeds, and before 1 was licensed to
the curacy, told him and Mrs. Hook that a report that I
and my family had become Catholics had been mentioned
in my presence at a party in Leeds; to which he replied
to the effect that I need not trouble myself about it, for
that he himself bad been held up to reproach in the news-
papers as being a Catholic. Not being satisfied with
this, I told the clerk in orders of it (he being supposed
to be in Dr. Hook's confidence), and offered at the same
time to leave Leeds, that I might not bring suspicion on
Dr. Hook, whose principles I then believed in, and de-
sired to promote. So that what Dr. Hook treats as a
piece of intelligence he received `last week,' with sur-
prise,' he really knew, and acknowledged to be false from
the very beginning of our acquaintance. And Dr. Hook,
in the secret of his heart, at this moment knows it to be
false, though he affects to believe the contrary to save his
party from the reproach of leading men to the Catholic
Church. But he need not flatter himself that his state-
ment will deceive any unprejudiced person ; even one of
his own curates, writing to inform me of the sermon and
preface in question, uses the following expressions—' As
this statement is absolutely incredible by any who, like
myself, have ever been in your friendship, I should feel
obliged! by a line from you empowering me to contradict
it upon your authority.'—l have the honour to be, gentle-
men, your obedient servant, JOHN M. JEPHSON.
" To the Churchwardens of the Parish of Leeds."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

MORRIS THE PEDESTRIAN.-011 Monday last this ce-
lebrated pedestrian walked half a mile, then ran half a
mile, walked backwards half a mile, walked backwards
and forwards half a mile, played a violin half a mile,
played a tamborine half a mile, ran a coach-wheel half a
mile, trundled a hoop half a mile, wheeled a barrow half
a mile, hopped 100 yards, and then picked up 100 stones
placed one yard apart, 50 with his mouth, and 50 with his
hands, and brought each stone to a basket. He com-
pleted this in eight minutes less than an hour.

THE PREVALENT DISEASE OF THE SEASON CURED
BY HOLLOWAY'S Pius.—Persons finding themselves
the least out of order should take ten of these Pills imme-
diately, no matter the hour, as they ' y on the
liver, stomach, and bowels, and i searching and effec-
tual a manner, that bowel c aints are soon stopped,
at the same time they co ct any disorder of the liver or
stomach, thus it is th officers or others from the East
or West Indies de ' e such immense benefit from this
fine medicine, w ch invigorates impaired constitutions,
inducing feeli sof youthfulness and energy. The same
cured the arlipAldborough of a liver and stomach
complaint.

THE POOR NOT SO BAD AS SOME THINK THEM.—
Such was the sort of life which I passed amongst these
poor children and poor people. It is true I saw and heard
some things of which it perhaps would not have been any
disadvantage had I remained ignorant for the time. But
my heart was -never corrupted—never beguiled of its
childish simplicity. Nor did any of these poor people,—
and I will do them the justice to state it, ever by word
or deed, throw in my way an inducement that might lead
to vice. The great mass of the poor and unfortunate are
not, in my opinion, so vicious as by the " well-to-do"
multitude of the world they are supposed to be; and
judging from what I have seen of them, from my child-
hood to the present time, which has not been a little, I
should say they are more entitled to pity than condemna-
tion. Some, we know, are thoroughly vicious and de-
based; but that the main body of them, struggling as
they do, daily and hourly, with want on one hand, and
the allurements to vice on the other, still lean, nay, hold
strongly, by " virtue's side," and cast from them tempta-
tions of which those who judge them severely know
nothing, appears to me a truth so undeniable, that
although my humble testimony may increase its accept-
ance, I cannot expect that it will add to its force.—
Samuel Bamford's " Early Days."
LADIES SHOULD EMIGRATE.—In addition to the emi!
gration of females to be promoted under government or
colonial auspices, it seems to me that a considerable vo-
luntary emigration might be very advantageously carried
on, if some better arrangements were made in Sydney
and Melbourne for receiving those who happen to have
no friends in the colony.—Nothing is more puzzling for
the daughter of a respectable farmer or tradesmen, left an
*phan with one, two, or three hundred pounds, to know
how to dispose of such a capital and her own services in
such a manner as to procure a comfortable and indepen-
dent living. The home-country is overwhelmed with
governesses, dressmakers, and small-ware shopkeepers.
For all these, if in stout health and of sufficiently decided
and courageous disposition, there is a much better open-
ing in the colonies than in Europe. They should place
their small fund in the bank, and if a situation does not
immediately offer, proceed to the small towns of the in-
terior, where among other valuable sources of employ-
ment, husbands are plentiful. The daughters of farmers,
who understand the dairy, could do well for
.theniselves,
and would find this acquirement, and others like it, more
valuable than accomplishments in the Indian market in
the old pagoda-tree-shaking days. When the mail steam
packets to Sydney are established, perhaps more . conside-
rable female consignments will be made.—Lffe Aus..
r alia.

RAILWAY AFFAIRS.

AiMONSTER TRAIN.—One of the trains that went from
Wakefield to Doncaster on Wednesday, the St. Leger--
day, was so large that it required no less than three en-
gines to draw it, and was upwards of half a mile in length.
The hopes of the railway world have received a stimulus
from the announcement of an intended meeting of the
directors of several of the leading lines, who, it is ru-
moured, have met for the purpose of discussing the means
whereby railway property may be raised from its present
ruinously low condition, and the public confidence in its
security restored. . _

RAILWAY IN SOUTH AIISTRALIA.—A meeting of gen.
tlemen connected with South Australia took place on
Wednesday, in London, to hear the result of a corre-
spondence between Lord Grey and a committee consti-.
tuted to promote a railway from the city to the port of
Adelaide, in South Australia. The committee consisted
of Col. Torrens, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Parker,
and Mr. Bovill. Government are quite favourable to the
object.
THE NARROW GATIGE.—On Friday, the new and pow-
erful engine, the " Liverpool," which has the same-
sized driving-wheel, the same sized cylinder, the same
length of stroke, and the same amount of heating surface
that have been given to the most recently-constructed
passenger locomotives upon the broad gauge, made a trip
from Birmingham to London and back. The " Liver-
popl" was, when running with the tender, perfectly steady
at 60 miles an hour.

From official returns it appears that the amount of traffic
for the last week, on 4063 miles of railway, was £229,272,
thus accounted for :—X122,148 for the conveyance of pas-
sengers only, £51,202 for the carriage of goods, and a
remainder of £55,922 for passengers and goods together,
not respectively apportioned; being an increase of £23,191
over the corresponding week of last year, when the mileage
was 3221. The average earnings per mile were £56, whilst
in 1847 they were £64.
The Kendal and Windermere report presented to the
adjourned meeting of the proprietors announced that no
definite arrangement for the lease of the line to the Lan-
caster and Carlisle had been effected. By an issue of
£lO preference shares, the directors are authorized to
raise £50,000 at an interest of 6 per cent. per annum.
The directors intend to memorialize the London and
North-Western to bring their line to Sedgwick or Crook-
lands.

In the report of the directors of the Chester and Holy-
head much stress was laid on the confirmation by parlia-
ment of the powers of the company for their steamboats
across the Irish Channel. The transit had been repeatedly
made in an hour and a half less than the time anticipated.
The chairman stated that when the line was opened they
would have a traffic of £5OOO per week. At present the
returns are about £2207 weekly. The Britannia bridge is
perfectly satisfactory. Payment of the calls in arrear
(X 70,150) is to be immediately enforced. The Mold line,
when completed, is to purchased. The issue of deben-
tures, in lieu of the preference shares not taken up,
amounting to about £15,000, was authorised ; and a divi-
dend was declared of 4s. 14d. per share on the preference
shares.
THE BRITANNIA AND CONWAY BRIDGES.—The report
of Mr. R. Stephenson, presented to the meeting of the
Chester and Holyhead Railway, on Wednesday last, stated
that the construction of the second tube of the Conway
bridge is far advanced, and there is no doubt it will be
ready for removal by the middle of October. The pon-
toons have been strengthened, the capstans re-erected,
and every other arrangement in a forward state for its erec-
tion. About three-fourths of the masonry of the Britan-
nia bridge have been completed ; and, taking the progress
now making as the guide, it is calculated that the first tube
will be ready for lifting to its place in the course of next
March or April. The iron work at the Britannia bridge
has progressed even more rapidly than was expected, and
the four large tubes are jusc, approaching completion. The
whole of the central portion of the tubes is finished, and
the castings at the ends are now being inserted. The
scaffolding for the end tubes on the Anglesea side is com-
plete, and a large proportion of the iron is already punched
for their immediate commencement. The scaffolding ne-
cessary for the tubes on the Carnarvon side will be erected
immediately, to open the line throughout as rapidly as
possible. Every arrangement is being made for floating
the tubes as soon as the masonry is ready. The works
throughout the whole of the line are standing in the most
satisfactory manner. The daily passage of heavy trains
through the Conway tube for four months, together with
a series of careful observations as to the effects produced,
have completely established the correctness of the views
upon which the designs for this and the Britannia were
based. The cost of these structures has very much ex-
ceeded what was originally calculated upon ; on reconsi-
dering, however, the whole subject, Mr. Stephenson is sa-
tisfied that the method which has been adopted is certainly
the most eligible if not the only practicable one.
The Shropshire Union line, it is stated in the report of
the directors, will be opened throughout in the early part
of next spring, and the Shropshire canal has been leased
at a rent of 5 per cent. on the purchase-money.