The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-05-07 00:00:00

on to review the events of the siege of Rome, during
which a far more momentous siege was being carried on
against religious error within its walls. 'Menthe churcheU
were emptied, and the convents deserted, Dr. Achilli was
going about from place to place preaching the Gospel to wil-
ling hearers ; and when the city was at length entered by the
French troops, he still persevered in performing his duties,
and at length was cast into prison. The rev. gentleman de-
tailed the efforts made by the religious public, and especially
by the evangelical alliance for his release, which was at length
successfully accomplished. After a few concluding obser-
vations,
Doctor Actium rose to address the meeting, amidst loud
applan e. He spoke in Italian, which was interpreted sen-
tence by sentence, by Hubert Harrison, Esq. He said he
had much pleasure in appearing before that assembly; he had
long wished to meet thetas; they had sympathised with him,
and they were assembled there to do so. He thanked them
for this, and would long remember it. They did not know
each other when he was in prison, but there was still a sympa-
thy between them. They met at the throne of God, and their
prayers went tip to him as incense. They were praying to
Almighty God for his deliverance, and his prayers for them
were offered up at the same time. He had often asked himself.
Should he ever get out of those prisons, and he reflected how
many had been there, and had never again seen the light.
Persons who, for having believed in the Gospel, had been Im-
prisoned in the dungeons of the inquisition, and had never
been released. He recalled to mind the names of two, who for
the same offence were burnt alive; and how could he have ex-
pected to be released ? But one thing consoled him, that the
prayers of his christian brethren were with him. He cast his
eyes over the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles ; and
when he found that the prayers of the church liberated Peter, he
felt assured that the same prayers would release him. Peter
was reserved to be made a spectacle to the poeple ; and of him-
self what would have been the end? Certainly his life would
not have been safe in that prison. He had often been yearned
by his friends of the means that might be adopted to take his
life ; but he was without fear, and believed that the heads of the
Inquisition were more agitated than himself. When lie first
had the happiness of hearing a friendly voice ask him in Eng-
lish of his feelings, his reply was, " I delight in my prison."
The rev. doctor here stated that he should proceed to give an
account of what took place during his imprisonment. He was
at first taken to the prisons of the Inquisition, without knowing
the why or the wherefore. He waited to learn his crime. It
is the custom of the tribunals to inform prisoners of the cause
of their imprisonment; but it was nearly five months before
he was told anything. At last a person appeared before him
professing to be a friend; and this person was the solicitor-
general of the Inquisition and one of his judges. He said "now
I shall know what is my crime ;" but it is difficult to
divine what is the meaning of an Inquisitor. Questions were
put to him and repeated to see if the answer was the same. If
it was not he was declared guilty. In this way they were able
to confound him, and then they declared him guilty. It was
useless to attempt to justify himself--doing so was held to be
proof of guilt. Dr. Achilli's examination was in Latin, and he
was not allowed to answer in Italian. If he did so be was told to
translate it into Latin, and if lie answered in Latin he had to
translate it into Italian. Yet he was tranquil before that
judge, who did not approach him with sterness, but with a smile.
If he smiled the judge looked grave; and if he looked grave the
judge smiled. In this way passed the two examinations. The
first question was, why he had left the Italian Church; the second
why he had left Italy; and the third, after having left Italy
why he had publicly denounced Popery. It would be no use
his describing any more of these examinations. It was a sea
of words. The Inquisitor often made up his mind after a few
questions. For example, to the question why he had left the
Romish Church, his reply was that he could not remain in it
any longer conscientiously. The conclusion he immediately
drew was that he was guilty. Dr. Achilli again reminded
him that he left the church conscientiously. The reply made
was that then he was "conscientiously guilty.' He
thought the judge wanted to accuse him of having printed the
New Testament in Rome, and of having contracted a marriage
there, but these matters were never mentioned. He still
thought that more serious charges would be brought against
him, but he never saw that man again. The next party who
appeared before him was a clergyman. He requested of this
man to know by whom lie was sent. He said from the Pone
himself, who was very good towards him. After six months
that he had been in prison, he sent him a comforter. The
clergyman, who was one of the members of the holy office, in-
formed him that be had come to offer him spiritual consolation.
He asked him was it to prepare for death and the reply was no,
for life. Dr. A. continued to describe the interview between the
theologian and himself, which took place in prison, whither the
former had been ordered to seek him out. After some intro-
ductory conversation, the theologian began to question the Dr.
relative to different books, and, amongst others, to one on the
Reformation in Sweden. Dr. Achilli told him that they (the
Roman Catholics) had collected together a great number of
charges against the Protestants, and hurled insults against
them which they did not descry ‘, and which showed that their
characters were not understood. I believe, said Dr. A., you
have never lived amongst them. (Hear, hear.) I have been
for some time amongst protestants, and have formed my opi-
nion of them from experience. Anti here began a question
between us on the meaning of the word protestant. Ile wanted
to prove this word protestant was an insult to religion, because
religion requires people to be obedient, not protestant.
(Laughter.) I answered there was good reason for the Roman
Catholic Church requiring people to be obedient and not pro-
testant ; the Roman Catholic Church requires sheep that the
Pope may be their shep!ierd; sheep which will yield good milk,
good cheese, and good wool. (Laughter.) No doubt the Pope
would he the shepherd if there were plenty of such sheep as
these, but the misfortune for bins is that for the last three or
four centuries the sheep have turned into men, and after this
great metamorphose the Pope does not find himself in the
same position as formerly. The theologian answered, lie knew
I had renounce l their religion. I answered, you mean your
church, because if your religion is the Christian religion so
also is mine, and in that case it would be one and the same
thing, but religion is not the same thing as the church,
for we have in the Christian religion a great many denomina-
tions; we have a great many churches in Christendom, some
of which are pure, but others have fallen. Oh yes ! he an-
swered, I agree with you there are many churches that have
fallen from the faith of the church, because they have left the
Roman Catholic church ; and here arose a dispute about the
Roman Catholic church and the churches which had sepa-
rated from it, and lie asked me which I called my church. I
said you will find it in the Bible. (Hear, hear.) I will show
it you in the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews, where he speaks
of a general meeting of the universal church whose names are
written in the heavens. Oh yes! he said, that is what the Pro-
testants say; but that is not the church. Besides, what you
say does not refer to the Protestant Church, because there was
no such church in the time of St. Paul. (Laughter.) If that
be the church of St. Paul and St. Peter it is mine; hut where
is the Bishop of that church? I answered he would find him
mentioned in the Epistle of St. Peter as "the shepherd and
bishop of our souls." Oh yes I lie said, that is what the Pro-
testants say. But I said, my dear sir, Ido not pride myself in
calling myself a Protestant, but I pride myself on calling my-
self a Christian, because I am a minister of God, and am sent
to preach this truth. Dr. Achilli then went on to say that his
opponent charged him with a desire to protestantise Italy, but
he rebutted the charge, averring his object to be to make Italy
christian. The former wished to know how they could do
without a Pope, and the Dr. answered that he would not object
to one if be were like the first bishop of Rome, but, notwith-
standing these arguments the Dr. expressed his thanks to his
opponent on the very day on which he was liberated, namely,
theleth of January. He then gave an account of the manner in
which, between two French soldiers, he effected his deliverance
from Rome. After leaving Rome, he went on hoard a French
vessel. He said it was with grief that he left the country of
his birth—the country in which he had opened his eyes to the
true light; and in which he had nourished so many fond
wishes ; and his heart was filled with sorrow for .the fate of
that Church which he had established and for those brethren
which he had left behind him in Rome. But his grief
was very much moderated by reflection on the divine truth
of the immortal gospel which with his brethren he had left be-
hind. His last adieu was a prayer to the Almighty that the
Lord would continue to retain in that country the seed which
had there been sown ; and that time birds of the air, according
to the parable, might not be allowed to pick them up. He had
Heavenly reason to believe that his prayers had not been un-
heard. When the Pope fled from Rome the Bible entered, but
now that the Pope had returned to Rome did they believe that
the B ble would run away? No. But would they both remain
together? No. One would send out the other—the Bible
would make the Pope fly. (Loud cheers, in the midst of which
Dr. A. resumed his seat.)
The Rev. Mr. Ewns NK next addressed the meeting. He said
that his duty was to propose the following resolution ,
" That this meeting cordially congratulates Dr. Achilli on
his escape from the prison of the inquisition at Rome, grate-
fully and devoutly thanking God for the happy deliverance
which his Providence has wrought for him ; and that, being
thus reminded of the inestimable privileges of this favored
country as regards the sacred rights of conscience and the free
circulation of God's word, this meeting desires both to cherish
itself and recommend to others an increased interest in all
Christian endeavours to extend to the Continent the same pri-
vileges, and agrees to commend to the sympathies and prayers
of British Christians the important mission on which Dr.
Achilli has entered amongst his own countrymen—a numerous
Italian population residing. in London."
He had great satisfaction in moving the adoption of this reso-
lution, because the duty so imposed upon him was a Christian
one. To Dr. Achilli their cordial sympathy was due. (Cheers.)
They were met to congratulate one of the gospel martyrs from
prison. The first thing they should do when they find a friend
escaped from prison was to ascertain that he was an honest
man

A VOICE.—He is not an honest man. (Hisses and groans.)
Mr. EWBANK continued to observe that he had taken great
pains to ascertain Dr. Achilli's character, and he now believed
that he was not only an honest but a Christian man. The only
objection that he bad ever beard against him, was on account
of his time in the College of Malta. On that pcint he bad
received a letter from a noble Lord, whose name he was not
permitted to mention ; but he would read the following extraft
from that letter :
" In answei\ to your letter I may safely say that the commit-
tee of the Malta college bad no ground to entertain any evil
opinion of Dr. Achilli's character and conduct."
They should congratulate Dr. Achilli on his escape from the
Inquisition, into which he was thrown for the offence of pro-
mulgating the Holy Gospel. The Inquisition had certainly
improved cf late; for it was an improvement in the Inquisition
to find it gorging up its victims. The rev. gentleman then
entered at considerable length on the principles on which a
controversy on questions of religion should be conducted.
He contended that all discussions of this kind should be con-
ducted on the most pure, mild, and charitable spirit which the
Saviour had taught them. He hoped that Dr. Achilli would
act in that spirit in his mission amongst his countrymen in
London. He prayed that in this spirit his efforts would be
successful. (Loud cheers.)
The Rev. Dr. CiticirroN having seconded the resolution,
it was proposed and carried amidst loud applause.
The Rev. Dr. RAFFLES next rose to propose a vote of thanks
to the Mayor and Mr. Ci upper for their kindness in presiding
on this oCcasion.

The Rev. D. Fs ROITSSON seconded the motion, which was car-
ried unanimously, after which the meeting separated.

etntral fftis'rellany.

It is stated that not fewer than ten thousand trees were
uprooted by the gale of Saturdny se'nnight in Strathspey.
The first power-looms which have been seen in Knares-
borough arrived during the past week.
That disgraceful paper, the Satirist, has ceased to
exist.

The Duke of Portland has made a great reduction to
his tenantry about Mansfield ; in many cases returning
20 per cent.

The Morning Post of Monday contains reports of no
less than seven incendiary fires which occurred during last
week in various parts of the country.
Never, we should think, did the pear trees blossom
more abundantly than they do in the present season ; and
the apple trees, too, give promise that they will soon be
covered with bloom.
A destructive fire broke out on Sunday last on the
premises of Messrs. Caird and Co., Greenock, engineers,
whim consumed property to the amount of upwards of
£35,000.

A beautiful cenotaph is about to be erected at Fullarton,
in Ayrshire, on the property of his Grace the Duke of
Portland, to the memory of the late lamented Lord
George Bentinck.

The election of a Director of the East India Company
took place on Wednesday, when Major Moore was re-
turned. The numbers were—for Major Moore, 1,096 ;
for Mr. Prinsep, 1,026 ; majority, 70.
It is a remarkable circumstance that Mr. Benjamin
Meredith, the superannuated excise officer, upon whom
the murderous assault was committed by the Irishmen,
Sullivan and Murphy, at Purley Wood, near Lydney, is a
cousin to Jane Lewis, the poor aged Welshwoman robbed
and murdered by the same men.