The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-23 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL NEWS

At a congregation on Wednesday last at Cambridge, the
following degrees were conferred :—Honorary Masters of
Arts: The Hon. George Francis Stewart Elliot, Trinity
college, son of the Earl of Minto ; the Hon. Walter William
Brabazon Ponsomby, Trinity college, son of Viscount Dun-
cannon.—Bachelors of Arts: George John Boudier, King's
college ; William Bryce Watson, Trinity college ; John Au-
gustus Tulk, Trinity college ; Richard Snow Mortimer
Buckingham, Trinity college; Ferdinand Ernest Tower, St.
John's college; Charles Alsager Tryon, St. John's college;
George Stallard, St. John's college ; John James Hall, Cor.
pus Christi college ; Thomas Whitehouse, Sidney Sussex
college.—And at Oxford a congregation was held, when the
following were conferred :—Masters of Arts: H. M. Rich-
ards, Christ Church ; W. Lempriere, Christ Church ; Rey.
Marshall, Worcester college; Rev. Rudall, Pembroke
college; Rev. E. C. Holt, Brasenose college; T. Jones,
Magdalen hall ; H. E. Adair, St. John's college ; A. A.
Barker, Magdalen college ; Rev. R. St. John Sheriff, Wad-
ham college.—Bachelors of Arts : H. Dawson, Baliol college;
J. D. Gray, Baliol college ; F. Byron Baliol college ; J. Li avf -
ke r , Baliol college ; H. G. Hoskins, Baliol college ; W. B.
Lott, Baliol college ; Hon. H. Irby, Trinity college ; W.
Paxton, Trinity college ; J. Hussey, Exeter college ; J. D.
Grenside, Exeter college; W. Wodehouse, Exeter college ;
J. Williams, Queen's college ; Lord H. Loftus, Oriel college,
Grand Compounder ; A. R. Pain, Pembroke college ; H. E.
Havergal, New college ; G. Houghton, Lincoln college ; T.
Wilson, Brasenose college; C. B. Jackson, Brasenose col-
lege; F. G. Tipping, Brasenose college ; J. J. T. S. Cocks,
Brasenose college ; J. Randolph, Brasenose college ; R.
White, Brasenose college ; J. B. Taunton, All Souls college;
F. Leigh, Magdalen hall ; F. A. Weekes, Wadham college ;
H. Watson, Wadham college.

The Venerable Archdeacon Law has presented £lOOO to-
wards rebuilding the north aisle of Weston-supermare
Church, near Bath.

CONVERT FRO][ JUDAISM.—On Sunday, the 7th instant,
Mr. J. M. Joseph (brother to the Rev. H. S. Joseph, of
Liverpool) was baptised at St. James's Church, in this city,
agreeably to the injunction of the Special Commissary of the
Diocese.—Bath Chronicle.

A commission of " preliminary" investigation, which sat
six hours, was opened yesterday in the Chapter-room of
Bristol Cathedral, to enquire whether there were grounds for
carrying into the Episcopal Court a complant of breach of
church discipline, in the marriage of Wm. Redgers and Char-
lotte Durban in Redcliff Church on 29th January last. The
proceedings were instituted ex officio by Venerable Arch-
deacon Thorp, who conducted his case in person, and arose
out of the following circumstances. The two persons, pro-
perly parishioners of Nailsea, were married, as above stated ;
the female is the sister of the deceased wife of Wm. Redgers ;
and it was contended that the Rev. Dr. Irvine (curate of St.
Mary Redcliff) had sufficient notice both of consanguinity and
of their not being of the parish. Citations were therefore
served on the Rev. M. R. Whish, vicar, and on Dr. Irvine,
curate of the parish, to meet this proceeding. The vicar
handed a protest, declaring his preferments to be in the di-
ocese of Bath and Wells.

ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE A CLERGYMAN.-A diaboli-
cal attempt to assassinate the Rev. Thomas Page, the offici-
ating minister of Christ Church, in the immediate vicinity
of Virginia Water, close to Windsor Great Park, was made
a few nights ago, between eleven and twelve o'clock. The
rev. gentleman and his wife were retiring to rest, and at the
moment Mr. Page (whose shadow was thrown upon the win-
dow) had approached the dressing-table at the window of his
bedroom, to extinguish the light, a loaded musket was dis-
charged at him from the garden, and, from the sound, evi-
dently at but a short distance from the house. Upon exa-
mining the window, a large slug, upwards of an inch in
length, was discovered to have been lodged in the wood-
work which di%ided the two sashes of the window, and in
the precise direction of the spot where the rev. gentleman
was standing. Indeed, had it not been for the fortunate and
providential circumstance of the slug lodging in the double
portion of the frames of the window, the aim of the villain
would, most unquestionably, have taken effect. A portion
of the glass was broken, and the shattered fragments knocked
inwards upon the dressing-table beneath.

HINTS TO CLERGYMEN' GODFATHERS, &C.—The Rev.
Mr. Stowell, in his speech on the Education Bill, at Man-
chester, mentions the following startling fncts :—" In one
year out of 360 young persons committed to the New Bailey
Prison under 17 years of age, 72 could not say the Lord's
Prayer ; 39 could say the Lord's Prayer and nothing more ;
21 could say the Lord's Prayer and the Creed ; 3 could say
the Lord's Prayer, the Creed and the Ten Commandments ;
none could say their duty to God and their neighbour ; none
could say the whole of the Church Catechism. Of the whole
number, 117 belonged to the church; 243 to different de-
nominations of dissenters, which was as two to one in com-
parison to the church." Would this state of society be such
were the following directions of the church duly observed :
"The curate of every parish shall diligently, upon Sundays
and holy days, after the second session at evening prayer,
openly in the church instruct so many children of his parish
sent unto him as he shall think convenient in some part of
this Catechism. And all fathers, mothers, masters, and
dames, shall cause their children, servants, and apprentices
who have not learned their Catechism to come to the church
at the time appointed, and obediently to hear and be ordered
by the curate until such time as they have learned all that is
here appointed for them to learn."

NEW CHURCH AT PENZANCE,—We have recently had
presented to us a specimen of what the Cambridge Camben
Society are intended to produce, recently given at the open-
ing of zi new chapel at Penzance. There was " the approach
to the chancel by three bold and well executed granite steps."
Then a rail, "or rather screen ;" and within the rail three
more steps. The❑ the reredos, and seven sedelia and the
credence and piscina. Then, "on the first altar-step are
two elegant candelabra, five feet and a half high ;" con-
taining candles of wax, "fourjeet and a hat high :" making
ten feel in all. Then, "the service is read from a lectern,
which is situated on the upper chancel-step." " The Lita-
ny is said from a faldstool placed on the second chancel-step,
and looking towards the altar," The lessons are read from
" a brass eagle, which stands on the pavement of the choir."
We have then a description of how no fewer than nine cler.
gymen contrived to divide the service among them ; the
whole "effect" of which is said, again and again, to have
been " impressive," and " most impressive ;" but of which,
it is abundantly obvious, the chief peculiarity must have
been, the distracting and dazzling effect of the whole glitter
and parade, and perpetual changing of the dramatis personce,
inevitably making quiet and abstracted devotion almost im-
possible. Three of these clergymen, we are sorry to say,
were members of the Church Missionary Society. There is,
however, another part of the system which demands atten-
tion. It is this : divers parts of the service are to be " said"
or " chanted" within the chancel, and looking towards the
alter; i. C., at the distant part of the church, and with the
minister's face turned from the people. Thus he is no lon-
ger, as now, one with the people, and leading their prayers;
but he is the mediating priest and intercessor, who is gone
into the holy of holies, there to offer up prayer for them.—
[One of the clergymen who preached two of the sermons at
this church on its opening was the Rev. Robert Aitken ! who
a year or two since obtained in this town considerable noto-
riety, and who, a short time prior to his removal from hence,
officiated in St. John the Evangelists Church, Hope-street,
in this town.] —Ed. L. S.

EFFICIENCY OF THE PASTORAL AID SOCIETY.--I do
not think dissent from the church a small evil. 1 have too
many opportunities of knowing the evils that arise from it to
take such a course. But my object is to set forth what the
clergy and the country should do with respect to the dissent
which does exist. Should they not rather seek to take away
the causes of Dissent than to oppose the effects arising from
those causes? Should they not rather undermine the fortress
than seek to take it by storm ? Is it not wiser, instead of
going to the very middle of the current and trying to stop it,
to dry up its sources ? Dissent had its rise in the peculiar
circumstances of the country and the population, and was
increased thereby ; but if the clergy wish to oppose that
which too often certainly opposes them with a vehemence,
of which we have seen within the last week more examples
than we could desire to expect, they must do it according to
the principles of one who spoke when be was not a Noncon-
formist, of what he thought would be the best preventive
against Nonconformity—" Outdo, outpreach , ontpray them."
For if we were to ask the leading Dissenters of the land, who
like Dissent even for its own sake—for some do this, I fear—
what they would most dread, the opposition of argument, or
calumny, or reproach, or the opposition of pious men labour-
ing in districts where Dissent prevails, I think we need have
very little doubt of what would be the answer. Suppose we
gave them their choice of having 100 octavo volumes on
church principles launched against them, or 100 little pamph-
lets against the evil of schism, or 100 pious, faithful curates,
who would do the work of the church in the spirit of the
church, which would they prefer ? I think they would reply,
" Print your octavos, circulate your pamphlets, but don't
send forth your curates. Establish another Star-chamber,
if you please, for that will promote our cause, but don't
establish your Church Pastoral-Aid Society." Ido not say
anything, then, in the way of apology for Dissent, but en-
deavour to account for a state of things which otherwise it
would be difficult to explain, how that with her excellent
Liturgy, which is admired and approved even by those who
do not join in it,—with her scriptural Articles, which are
acknowledged to be so by many who do not subscribe to
them,—and with her clergy, now scattered through the land,
men of education, self-devotion, and self-denial,—there
should be so much dissent from the church. Indeed, it
would be a phenomenon not to be accounted for, except on
the grounds I have stated. The Liturgy of our Church is
nothing to those who do not bear it ; and the most pious
clergyman is of no value to those who live four or five miles
from him, and see him, perhaps, but once or twice a-year.
I consider, then, that this Society has the greatest claims,
both upon the church and the country at large, because its
principles cannot be promoted without the principles of the
church being promoted ; and because it is first in discovering
where our wants and difficulties are, and in pointing out and
providing the remedy.—Speech of the Bishop of Chester.

HER MAJISTYs BIRTH-DAY.---A paragraph has appeared
in some of the papers, stating " that to all appearance the
natal day of our gracious Sovereign is likely to pass off
' very languidly' in the metropolis, and that there will not be
any drawing-room on that day, as is customary." We are
authorized to state that a day will soon be named for the ce-
lebration f
birth-day, as well as for the draw-
ing-room, which followed by the usual official dinners
her :Majesty'sihe
There is every reason to believe, that although some appre-
hensions have existed respecting the prospects of the Lon-
don season, those apprehensions are without foundation.
It is expected that the christening of the infant Princess and
the marriage of the Princess Augusta of Cambridge are
incidents sufficient to afford opportunity for more than the
ordinary proportion of iragnitiPent entertainments during
00 own; gocl (r tho pobiiity to dloplay their loyalty la
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POW

THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

THE DISRUPTION

The general assembly of the Church of Scotland met at ,
Edinburgh on Thursday. From the all-engrossing interest
felt in the proceedings in which it was to be engaged, the
number of strangers who repaired to Edinburgh on the oc-
casion was unpreoedentedly great.
The Most Noble the Marquis of Bute, whom her Majesty
the Queen bad appointed to represent her royal person and
authority in the assembly, arrived in Edinburgh on Satur-
day afternoon, and attended Divine service in the High
Church on Sunday. On Wednesday afternoon the Lord
Provost and magistrates, according to ancient custom, waited
on his Grace the Lord High Commissioner, to present to
him the keys of the city. They subsequently had the
honour of dining with his grace.
On Thursday morning, his Grace the Lord High Com-
missioner held his first levee in the Throne-room at Holy-
rood. It was unusually thronged, being attended by nearly
seven hundred persons.
After the levee his grace went in procession along the
Regent-road, Waterloo-place, the North-bridge, and the
High-street, to the High Church, which he reached about
one o'clock. The moderator of the last general assembly,
Dr. Welsh, preached from the Epistle of St. Paul to the
Romans, chap. xiv., verse sth, " Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind."
The streets through which the procession passed were
densely crowded, and were lined by the 6th Dragoon
• Guards and the 66th Foot. The multitude in Hanover-street
i and George-street was very great. Such was the eagerness
. of some, especially the female part of the community, to be
in time to witness the catastrophe, that ladies were seen
winding their way with baskets of provisions towards St.
Andrew's Church, so early as five o clock in the morning.
By seven many had taken their seats, and by nine the stran-

gejrs' gallery was nearly filled, a considerable number being
adherents or friends of the Secession party.

Divine service having been concluded at half-past two
o'clock, his Grace proceeded in his state carriage up the
High-street, down the Mound, to St. Andrew's Church, to
open the Assembly. The members of Assembly began to
take their seats soon after twelve o'clock, by which time the
gallery was completely crowded. Dr. Candlish, on entering
the house, was received with loud applause from the gallery,
and similar demonstrations were made on the entrance of
Mr. Campbell, of Monzie, Mr. Maitland Makgill Crichton,
Mr. Dunlop, Sheriff Monteith, Dr. Cunningham, Dr. Chal-
mers, and Dr. Gordon.
At a quarter to three the Moderator, Dr. Welsh, took the
chair. His Grace the Commissioner arrived about two mi-
nutes after, and ascended the throne.
The first step in the procedure of the venerable body is to
make up the roll of its members ; but before this task could
be entered upon, Dr. Welsh, the Moderator of the last As-
sembly, rose and gave in a protest, signed by about 120 mi-
nisters and ;0 elders, commissioners to the Assembly, de-
claring that the present was not a free and lawful Assembly
of the Church of Scotland, and that the subscribers could
not, after the recent decisions of the civil courts, and the
sanction of these decisions by the Sovereign and the parlia-
ment, conscientiously continue to be members of that church
as by law established. This protest having been read, the
subscribers withdrew from the Assembly. The effect of
their movement on the audience was striking : a loud cheer
burst from the gallery, which, however, was suddenly hushed,
and the whole audience stood gazing intently on the scene
below, very many of them in tears. When Dr. Welsh, Dr.
Chalmers, and Dr. Gordon made their appearance outside,
they were received with a tremendous burst of applause from
the masses assembled in George-street, which was continued
and reiterated with the most extraordinary enthusiasm as
they went along. All the windows and staircases were filled
with ladies ; nay, every available space; the very housetops,
were covered with groups of spectators ; and the universal
waving of hats and handkerchiefs from all quarters, mingled
with the shouts below, had a very imposing effect. The
whole body formed into a line of procession, four abreast,
and proceeded, by North Hanover-street, Dundas-street,
Pitt-street, &c., to the Hall at Tanfield, Canonmills, pre-
ceded, accompanied, and:followed by immense multitudes of
people ; a large number of windows along the line being, as
in George-street, filled with ladies waving their handker-
chiefs. When they reached Tanfield, they were greeted with
a loud and continued burst of cheering from the multitudes
which had assembled to receive them ; and, on entering the
Hall, the part of it assigned to the pulic was found filled to
overflowing with a large and most respectable company.
Those parts of the Hal devoted to ministers and elders were
soon also filled ; and, when the business commenced, the
sight of the immense mass of people congregated (upwards
of 3,000 persons) had a most magnificent effect.
A chairman, pro tempore, was then elected, and the roll of
the Assembly having been made up, the Very Rev. Principal
Macfarlan was, on the motion of Dr. Cook, seconded by the
Earl of Selkirk, elected Moderator. Her Majesty's com-
mission, nominating the Marquis of Bute to represent her
Royal person and authority in the Assembly, was then read,
and his Lordship presented the Queen's letter. This docu-
ment expressed her Majesty's sense of her solemn engage-
' ment to maintain inviolate the Presbyterian Church of Scot-
land in all its rights and privileges ; it exhorted the members
to unity and obedience; reminded them that the veto act
had not been rescinded, though it had been pronounced by
the courts of law to be illegal ; declared her Majesty's readi-
ness to give her assent to any measure which the legislature
might pass, securing to the people, in the settlement of
ministers, the full privilege of objection, and to the church
judicatories the exclusive right of judgment ; expressed her
Majesty's persuasion that the decision of the civil courts re-
garding the ministers of quoad sacra parishes would be
implicitly obeyed by the Assembly, until it should be consi-
dered by the legislature ; and, finally, commended the mem-
bers to the guidance of Divine Providence, and implored the
blessing of God on their deliberations.
On the motion of Lord Belhaven it was agreed to delay
the appointment of a committee to answer her Majesty's
letter until the next day. The Procurator for the Church
then moved that the objections which had been lodged to the
commissions of members should be remitted to a special
committee; and this motion having been agreed to, after one
or two members had expressed their sentiments as to the
position of the church, the house adjourned until Friday.
FRIDAY.

The Assembly met at twelve o'clock, but excepting the
appointment of several committees, the sederunt was occu-
pied in devotional exercises.

THE CONVOCATIONISTS' MEETING.

The subscribers of the protest against the freedom and le-
gality of the Assembly, on leaving the court, repaired as we
have said to a large hall at Cannonmills. On the motion of
Dr. Welsh, Dr. Chalmers was chosen Moderator.
Dr. Chalmers. on taking the chair, gave out for singing the
43d psalm from the 3d verse; after which he engaged in
prayer.

The Moderator said—Rev. Fathers and Brethren, it has
been proposed that the business of this Assembly should
commence with an address, which I shall make as brief as
possible, from him whom you have invested with the impor-
tant station I now hold. The time of controversy is now to
be followed up by a busy season of doing more than of saying.
Ist. It is clear that anterior to our connexion with the state,
the church had a government of her own right, and within
her proper sphere had certain inherent liberties which, save
by persecution, could not be violated. 2d. When the church
entered into connexion with the state, she gave up no part of
her liberty. (Cries of "Hear.") That was her inalienable
birthright, which, save by an act of treachery to her great
Head in heaven, she could not part with. She gave her ser-
vices, but not her liberties—(cheers)—they were not hers to
give, it being not only her privilege but her bounden duty to
hold them fast. 3d. Our ancestors in the church were true
to that principle; they did not give up their christian liber-
ties when they entered into connection with the state. For
their maintenance they endured the controversies and perse-
cutions of a whole century, handing them down entire from
one generation to another, and so kept them alive, even in
the worst of times, till they were finally secured, so far as
could be done by human conventions and the faith of treaties,
at the Revolution Settlement, when what the church deemed
her rights were ratified by the state as her constitutional li-
berties. 4th. The free and separate government in things
ecclesiastical, which was guaranteed to the church, sub-
sisted without violation on the part of the civil courts
for another century and a half, nor did the church suf-
fer any inroad or molestation at their hands, and no one
ever dreamed of the invasions which have been recently
witnessed, as being in the smallest degree likely, or even
possible. sth. The first breach effected in the ratified
jurisdiction of the church, was founded on an interpre-
tation of an Act of Queen Anne, passed in 1712, anent
the restoration of patronage, but which interposition the dis-
covery was elicited for the first time, to all the parties in this
controversy, that there existed a compatibility between this
statute of Queen Anne and a prior enactment, at the time of
the Revolution Settlement; and which, although never re-
ferred to by any of the law lords in the House of Peers,
during the Auchterarder case, had been appealed to in the
Bill of Rights, forming the charter of the constitutional
liberties of the Church of Scotland. 6th. In these circum-
stances, the church appealed to parliament on the ground of
her hitherto unviolated constitutional law, and pointed out
the discrepancy now evolved, for the first time. between an
act of the legislature and that settlement which was guaranteed
at the revolution, and still further guaranteed at the union.

7th, and lastly. That application having been rejected by the
legislature having declined to remedy the evil, the church is
constrained to make a higher appeal—from her constitution,

now disregarded and invaded, to her conscience, which tells
her that, as an ecclesiastical body, she ought not to be sub-
ject to the civil power in things spiritual; and we have,
therefore, been compelled, though with the greatest re•.
luctance and sorrow, to quit the advantages of a British
establishment, in the hope in God that we shall be allowed
to prosecute our labours in peace on the grounds of a British
toleration. (Cheers.) These are the principles which have
led to the movement of this day, and have brought us to-
gether on this occasion. Rather than compromise the
authority of Christ over his own church, you have forfeited
the countenance of men in power—men who have this world's
authority on their side ;—beware of compromising another of
your doctrines and articles of faith, even the authority of
Christ over the nations and governments of the earth, and
the truth that it is the duty of these governments to uphold
his religion in the worid. (Loud cries of " Bear, hear.")
This may be called a less principle than the other, and in it-
self of inferior consequences to the well being of Christ's
Church on earth, but let us not forget what is said in Scrip.

ture of those who shall break even the least of these
commandments. The men opposed to us on this second, or
as some might be disposed to call it, secondary principle,
may be men with whom we differ, and with whom we may
agree to differ—they may be fit coadjutors with us in evange-
lizing the land; brethren with whom we may hold sweet and
profitable counsel on the weighty matters of the law, having
one faith, one Lord, and one baptism. But we should not,
even for their friendship, violate the entireness of our prin
ciples, or make compromise of the very least of them. To
render myself more plain, let me be more particular. The vo-
luntaries mistake us if they claim us as voluntaries. (Cries
of hear, hear.) We hold it the duty of a government to give
the maintenance of a gospel ministry, and that they are
bound to acquit themselves as the proprietors of the Church,
and not as its corruptors and tyrants. (Cheers.) We pray
that the day may arise when the Church kings will be nursing
fathers and queen's nursing mothers. Though we quit the
establishment, we go out on the establishment principle—
we quit a vitiated establishment, but could rejoice in return-
ing to a pure one. (Loud cheers.) To express it precisely,
we are the advocates of a national recognition and support of
religion, and we are not voluntaries. (Hear, hear.) Again,
if we thus openly proclaim our differences with the men who,
not wanting in honesty under the guise of principle, refuse to

. .
acknowledge this doctrine, still more resolutely must we
disclaim all fellowship with the men who lift a menacing
front against the powers that be, who desire the overthrow of
all government, and all the restraints of social order. Dr.
Chalmers dwelt on this point at some length, concluding this
part of his address saying—" If we are willing to inscribe on
the flag of our Church ' We are no voluntaries,' then on the
other side we shall inscribe, in letters still more legible to be
seen and read of Amen, 'We are no anarchists.' " He then
alluded in a few words to their position as regarded the es.
tablishment, counselling temper, and mildness, and prayers
that they might be forgiven, for they knew not what they did.
A clerk having been elected, Dr. Candlish moved that all
who had signed the protest should be ipso facto members of
the new Assembly, and that they should associate with them,
both in voting and consulting, all ministers of the church who
should declare their adherence to the protest, and one adher-
ing elder from each Kirk Session. On the motion of Dr.
,11`Farlan, of Greenock, a committee was appointed to con-
sider the proper course for effecting a separation from the
establishment ; and another committee, on the motion of
Dr, N'h,"ellare, was nomioated to prepare an address to her
Majesty, 49414 (gh Os gowns]; 911 wbis4l:l IiIOT had gaga,
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