The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

THE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTION.-MIDSUM-
MER DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.

On Thursday, the annual distribution of prizes to the
pupils who have distinguished themselves in the several
departments, took place at the Collegiate Institution.
The general examination, we understand, had been of
the most satisfactory character; and the boys in connex-
ion with this institution gave their annual concert on
Tuesday evening, in the presence of about 1500 auditors.
The singing was characterised by precision and good taste,
the selections being from Mozart, Balfe, Weber, Novello,
and other celebrated composers.

The distribution on Thursday at noon took place in the
large lecture-hall, which presented a most animated sight,
being crowded to excess with the parents and friends of
the pupils. The lord bishop, who has often presided on
these occasions, was this time unable to be present; and,
in his absence, the ehair was taken by the Rev. Rector
Campbell. Amongst the gentlemen on the platform we
observed the Rev. Dr. M'Neile, the Rev. Messrs. Pol-
lock, Hampton, Higgins, Martin, James, and Vernon ;
John Holmes, Esq., the ex-mayor, Mr. Adam Hodgson,
Mr. Councillor Nicholson, (St. Anne's,) Mr. J. G.
Morris, &c. &c. A hymn having been sung,
The Rev. CHAIRMAN rose, and delivered a lengthened
introductory oration. He stated that he felt a continually
increasing interest in the institution ; and then, referring
to the subject of education generally, showed the im-
portance of its being combined with religious instruction.
He continued :—" We hear much about useful knowledge
in the present day, and I am not in the least inclined to
disparage it when we are agreed what useful knowledge is.
I repudiate, with perfect sincerity, in language as forcible
as it would become me to use, the groundless accusation
that the clergy are hostile or indifferent to the diffusion
of useful knowledgein all its branches, and the advancement
ofliteraturein every degree. (Hear, hear.) Far from wishing
to check the pursuit of knowledge, we say, in the words
of Bacon, that ' a man cannot read too far, or be too well
studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's
works, divinity or philosophy ; but rather that men should
endeavour an endless progress in both, only that they ap-
ply both to charity and not to boasting—to use, and not
to ostentation.' (Cheers.) Whatever the danger of in-
tellectual cultivation, unsanctified by religion, may be,
that is not the chief danger to which the young man is
exposed. It is not the intricate path of science, but the
flowery path of voluptuousness, that the serpent of evil
lies. It is not in the pursuit of literature, but of sensual
pleasure, that the young man is likely to be led away.
Still, however, we maintain that no knowledge can be
perfectly useful that merely fits an immortal being for
time, and does not also fit him for eternity. The heathen
philosopher maintained that self-knowledge was the most
useful knowledge : Know thyself,' was his maxim. The
Christian philosopher goes farther than this. One of the
most practically-scientific men this country ever produced
—one who may be said to have loved science too well, be-
cause he sacrificed health in the pursuit of it—one who
devoted the science of chemistry to the most useful pur-
poses for the welfare of his fellow-men—the late Sir Hum-
phrey Davy, speaks as follows I envy no quality of
mind or intellect in others not genius, power, or fancy
itself ; but if I could choose what would be most delight-
ful, and, I believe, most useful to me, I should urefer a
-firm religious belief to every other blessing ; for it makes
life a discipline of goodness, creates new hcpes when all
earthly hopes vanish—awakens life even in death, and
from corruption and decay calls up beauty and divinity-
-makes an instrument of torture and of shame the ladder
of ascent to Paradise, and, far above all combinations of
earthly hope, calls up the security of everlasting joys,
where the sensualist and the sceptic view only annihilation
and despair.' Let us not, therefore, be blamed, if, in the
work of education we wish to form the hopes of eternity
to the uses of time, and, declining to concede to the de-
mands of indifference under the name of liberality, are
unwilling to teach morality without religion, or religion
without a creed. (Applause.) 'Let us not be blamed, if
we cannot exalt the science of mechanism above the
science of salvation, and teach a man that it is more useful
for him to make a steam-engine than to save his own soul.
(Hear, hear.) I would teach him to do both ; and Ido
not see why the clergy may not have their share in the
work." (Applause.) The rev. chairman concluded with
a beautiful peroration.

The Rev. J. S. HowsoN, the principal, then addressed
a few words to the meeting, -showing that three of the
exhibitioners sent from the school had received honours
in the Universities of both Oxford and Cambridge. The
Egerton scholarship had been awarded to Rigby ; but as
he preferred to remain another -year in the institution,
the exhibition had been transferred to Lindsay (applause).
The CHAIRMAN delivered, accompanied in each in-
stance by appropriate remarks, the following prizes to the
pupils
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