The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-12-16 00:00:00

'HE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

will prevent the capital of the nation being withheld
from active enterprise and circulation ? We suspect
not; and that, concurrent with the carrying out of
his policy, he will produce a serious dilapidation of
the national income, and, ultimately, an inability to
meet the claims of the national expenditure, unless
he has resort to some invasion of the pockets of the
people which will bury him and his administration
beneath the weight of public odium and contempt.
We are not expressing a hasty opinion, or one
which we are singular in entertaining. It is one
whose pressure is just now marring the pleasure of
the well-informed and experienced men of his own
party. We have given, in another place, a candid
and impartial statement of the existing feeling in
the leading commercial circles in our own town ;
and we can state that a feeling very similar exists
in the manufacturing districts. The Manchester
Guardian—a Whig organ, and therefore not likely
to be influenced by any wish to damage the new
Government new forming—admits sufficient to
prove our statement, as to the feeling in that town.
Our contemporary says :
" The change in the situation of the country since Wed-
nesday week is so sudden and bewildering, and the ab-
sence of clear and authentic information with respect tc
its precise causes and to the actual condition of parties is
so complete, that, at present, we hardly know whether to
congratulate or to condole with our readers upon it. Cer-
tainly, if the present state of affairs he viewed in comparison
with that which was alleged to exist three or four days
ago, when it was undlrstood that the united conservative
cabinet had resolved to propose large and comprehensive
measures of free-trade, which every body expected to be
carried almost by acclamation, we should not feel much
difficulty in making up our minds on the subject; but we
must look at the change as a whole; and, trying it by the
test to which it, will be generally subjected—namely, its
probable effects in promoting or retarding that great mea-
sure to which public opinion is now universally directed—
we must frankly confess our inability to decide, without
some further knowledge of the facts, whether it is to be
rejoiced at or lamented."

sent me."

And again—
" Never did we witness so thorough an absence of
mere party feeling, as was evinced in the gloom which
prevailed when it became known that ,Sir Robert,
instead of being in a condition to propose that repeal
with the full concurrence of his cabinet, had been com-
pelled to retire from office. Indeed the importance of
the crisis is such as to make all friends of free trade (and
free-trade has no foes in Manchester) tremble, lest, by
some false step, or some unfortunate conjuncture of cir-
cumstances, the cup of promise which recent events had
held out, should be dashed from their lips."
Such expressions of gloomy foreboding. uttered
after it was well known that Lord John Russell
had received from the Crown full liberty to carry
the measure, is significant of the belief entertained
by his own party that Lord John Russell is not the
man successfully to work out the coming experi-
ment.

A momentous question presents itself, uncon-
nected with the commercial and financial policy of
the new ministry, for our serious consideration.
What is to be their policy towards the Established
Church in England and in Ireland, and how far
will the infliction upon it of " heavy blows and
great discouragements" receive the countenance of
Sir Robert Peel and the opposition, which he will
doubtless lead ? Upon this point we are at present
in the dark ; but if we may look back at the past
for our guidance, we are strongly impelled to the
conclusion that the interests of religion and the Es-
tablished Church of the Land are likely to be as
safe. with an open enemy assailing them in front, as
with a professing protector and friend insidiously
sapping their foundations.

We present our readers this day with three plans,
chewing the proposed new docks to be constructed
to the eastward of Wapping, at Mann Island, and
on the Harrington Dock Estate, pointing out their
scite and the property which will be required to be
purchased. By the first it will be seen that
powers are to be taken for purchasing the property
west of a line drawn from a point in Canning-place,
nearly opposite the south-west corner of the Cus-
tom-house, to the end of Kitchen-street, comprising
parts of Ansdell-street, Charlotte-street, Salthouse-
lane, Dorling-street (the whole,) Oxford-street,
Campbell-street, Barter-street (the whole,) Garden-
street, Mason-street, Tabley-street, Sparling-street,
and Crosbie-street. On the west of Wapping,
Ironmonger-lane, Lower Sparling-street, American-
court, Burgess-place, and Boston-street, with the
valuable warehouse property erected on the east side
of King's Dock, are to be taken. This property,
the whole of Wapping, and a large portion of the
property above will he covered with an extensive
dock, in length about 730 feet, and 310 feet broad,
communicating at its southern end with the
Queen's Dock, and running parallel with King's
Dock, into which it also has an entrance near the
south end

At the Custom-house end, Salthouse Dock will
be carried up towards Mersey-street, its proposed
width being 480 feet, and its length 720. Between
these two docks will intervene a third, opposite the
Duke's Dock, extending to Hurst-street, 390 feet
long and 170 wide.
By this dock, for the first time, an opening will
be made from the Duke's Dock into those belong-
ing to the public estate, and a communication also
be secured between the North Docks and the South
Docks, which the Duke's Dock has hitherto di-
vided.
Around these docks is traced a space of 70 feet
wide for quays, sheds, or warehouses, and along the
boundary line from Kitchen-street to the Custom-
house will run a public road, and the proposed rail-
way, branching down, at intervals to the Duke's
Dock, King's Dock, &c.
The second plan shews the dock to be constructed
on the site of the Manchester Dock and Mann
Island; and the third shews the proposed alteration
of Sefton-street to enlarge the quay space of the
Harrington Dock.
Our mercantile readers will, we are sure, view
with pleasure these arrangements making to meet
the rapid growth of the commerce and shipping of
the port. They are designed in a large and liberal
spirit, and are most creditable to the dock com-
mittee and their engineer.

OMI.NPOWt.I.NIP.C.I••
DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF JERUSALEM

The Morning Chronicle of yesterday announces, on the
authority of b letter dated the 30th ultimo, the melan-
choly news of the death of Bishop Alexander, of Jerusa-
lem, who, it appears, died only five hours distant from
Cairo, on the desert. He was accompanied by his lady
and daughter. Colonel Barnett received an express
shortly after his death, with a request to send out and
bring the body to Cairo. An autopsy was held on the
body by Dr. Abbott, and it appears he died of an apop-
lectic fit.

CHRISTIAN UNION.

THE ALLIANCE.

On Sunday rrici fling last the Rev. Hugh M`Neile de-
livered, in St. Jude's Church, a very impressive and ar-
gumentative discourse on the Perfected Unity of the
Church at the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The reverend gentleman selected for his text the 20th
and 21st verses of the 17th John—" Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word ; That they all may be one ; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be
one in us : that the world may believe that thou bast

Vv
--
The sermon was listened to with very great attention
by a crowded congregation, and produced a very marked
impression. We are only echoing a very general wish
when we express a hope that Mr. M'Neile will afford
the public an opportunity of possessing his arguments in
a more permanent form by consenting to their publica-
tion. We can merely give at present the remarks of the
reverend gentleman, of great interest at the present time,
detailing his reasons for declining to join the proposed
Evangelical Alliance. After an animating exposition
of the text, proving that the Saviour's prayer for the
perfected oneness of his Church waits for its fulfilment
until his second advent, the reverend gentleman came to
the subject which has induced us to publish his remarks,
and proceeded as follows :
And now, my dear brethren, you will naturally, and very
reasonably, expect from me some reference to this prO-
posed alliance for Christian union, which is occupying
so much attention. You are aware that I have not joined
in the movement, and, though the subject may wear a
personal aspect, many reasons are conspiring to make me
feel it a duty thus publicly to tell you why.
1. First, then, it is not because I have any leaning
towards Tractarianism. I need scarcely enlarge upon
this. You. know full well the state of my heart and
mind towards Romanism, whether with or without a
mask, and that I have all along looked upon Tractarianism
as Romanism wearing a mask for the deception of un-
wary and unsuspecting English Church • en. You know
that my soul recoils from a system, which, not to enter
again into particulars, would substitute formality of
outward observances for the life and peace arid holy joy
of inward commu❑ion with God. It is not, then,
because of any Tractarian tendencies, that I keep aloof
from the proposed alliance.
2. Neither, secondly, is it because of any repugnance to
dissenters as such. When I say as such, I wish to distin-
guish between dissenters simply as dissenters, and the
course which many of the most prominent of English dis-
senters have of late years adopted.
Dissenters, considered simply as such, are not to be
blamed for their present position. They were born and
brought up in it. They do but occupy the inheritance be-
queathed to them by their fathers. Their forefathers who
first dissented were not exclusively, or, as I think, prin-
cipally in fault. For whatever may be said against them,
and deservedly, for allowing the non-essential things of
dress, and discipline, and forms of worship to induce them
to break off from a church whose fundamental doctrines
and only sacraments they held and acknowledged to be
scriptural : more, in my judgment, and more deservedly,
may be said against the governors of that church who pro-
posed and passed the Act of Uniformity. The true
healing measure on the side of the Church of England,
which, if met by a corresponding movement on the side
of dissenters, would, if any thing could, lead to real
and permanent Christian union in England, would be
the repeal, or, if not the entire repeal, yet, cer-
tainly, a very decided modification of that Act. As
matters stand, however, though I think Dissenters have
sustained great loss in many of the features of the primi-
tive model which belong to the Church of England, still,
I think those among them, who as collective bodies or
churches have retained true apostolical doctrine, and
Christ's ordinances in all things which his commandment
has rendered imperative, have retained everything essen •
tial to .genuine Christianity and individual salvation.
With such views, which are not new to you, my brethren,
it is manifest that it is not by repugnance towards Dis-
senters as such that I am kept aloof from toe proposed
alliance. I may here add, that at various periods of my
life, I have had affectionate intimacy with Christian Dis-
senters. •

3. Tnirdly, my reason for not taking part in the present
movement is not the pitiful vanity which has been im-
puted to me, both ill print and in private letters—namely,
that because I did not originate the movement myself,
and because I could not be a prominent leader in it, there-
fore I peevishly and spitefully hold away from it. You
will admit that those who write and talk thus do not ma,
nifest any very charitable desire themselves to maintain
unity and concord. Where is the fairness or candour of
the man who, in the exercise of his own private judgment,
has seen it right to join the alliance, and then turns round
and ascribes unworthy and unchristian motives to his bro-
ther who, in the exercise of his private judgment, has seen
it right to refuse to join it 1 have, within the last few
days, received several letters of this kind ; written
in high admiration of the alliance, and in vehement bit-
terness against me. lam thankful to add, that I have
received also letters of a very different description, ex-
pressing deep regret, mingled with kind affection, for
those of our brethren who have joined the alliance, and
expressing humble thanks to Almighty God because I
have not joined it. There is this remarkable difference
also between the two sets of letters, that all those in
favour of the alliance are anonymous, and all the others
have names, though total strangers to me. All I feel
disposed to say in answer to the charge now under consi-
deration is, that the testimony of my conscience fully
acquits me of all such childish folly. I would cordially
rejoice to follow the least of my breti..7.' in a path wherein
I could conscientiously and reasonai.l. e'icipate glory to
our common Lord. This is sufficient for myself. But in
the way of conviction for others, I may add what I would
rather not say, although it is quite true, namely, that if I
did join this movement now, I might become as prominent
a leader in it as vanity herself could desire.
But having thus excluded these which are not my reas-
ons, it is time that I should tell you what are my reasons
for not joining in this proposed alliance. In doing so, I
claim for myself the liberty, and from others the courtesy
and good feeling, which I am ready most cordially to give
to those who differ with me in this matter.
I do not join this alliance then, because in my judge-
ment it can do no good ; and because I think it must do,
and is already doing mischief.
Of course you will expect me to assign some grounds
for these opinions. I proceed to do so.
In my judgment the only basis on which true and per-
manent and useful union can rest, is co-operation: and I
think the terms of agreement in the proposed alliance are
such, as to render co-operation absolutely impracticable.
Co-operation is the basis of union. Union is not an
end, but a mean towards an end. The highest of all uni-
ties among creatures, the unity of the true Church of
Christ in its final perfection at the Lord's second coming,
is, as we have seen, not an end to be pursued for its own
sake. but a mean towards an end. The end is the glory
and praise of HIM whose name will occupy every mouth,
and whose beauty will fill every heart of his glorified fa-
mily. Co-operation in giving him praise for ever is the
basis of their everlasting union. And now on earth, all
who have the true object in view, all who are really aim-
ing at the glory of the Lord as their great end, are in God's
sight co-operators, and have essential union, though they
see it not, neither hear it as yet with their natural senses.
In all inferior unions; connected with temporal things, the
same principle holds good. Co-operation is the basis. In
scientific, literary, political, or commercial unions, men
do not unite for the sake of uniting, but for the sake of
accomplishing some object by means of uniting. The
progress of science, the cultivation and extension of lite-
rature, the carrying of some political or commercial pro-
ject—these supply an end ; and so long as men are intent
upon the end, and co-operating for its attainment, they
are united with one another. But when they cease to have
a common end in view, and instead of practically co-ope-
rating, taking their union for granted, they begin to talk
about their terms of union, immediately they begin to dis-
agree and divide. This is the universal experience of the
world ; and it is wiser, more philosophical, and, as I think,
more Christian also, to ant,cip ate what shall be, by ana-
logy from what has been, than to expect miracles before
the time.
In practical illustration, and personal application of
what I have now said, I refer to the Anti-Maynooth
movement in the spring of this year. There was a com-
mon object in view, to prevent if possible, the national
endowment of error, by means of a united and simultan-
eous appeal to the government and legislature of the
country. Towards this end there was co-operation, and
co-operation was the basis of union. In that union I
joined, hoping to accomplish a good end. Some of the
persons who joined however, had other ends in view, and
their want of co-operation in the common end, was
speedily exhibited in their breach of the union.
You will perceive by all this, how indispensable in my
opinion is co-operation. And I have now further to shew
why it is that I think, as I do think, that the terms of
agreement in the proposed alliance are such as to render
co-operation impracticable.
The terms cf the agreement are briefly these, that no
one gives up anything. No individual of any denomina-
tion, joining the alliance, foregoes or compromises in the
slightest degree any one of his private opinions or indi-
vidual convictions. I cannot state this too strongly ;it is
boasted of as the strength and beauty of the alliance, that
there is to be no compromise of anything by any body.
The conscientious member of the Church of England
compromises nothing. He still holds his own views of Epis-
copal church government as existing from the Apostles'
time, of liturgical services for public worship, of the scrip-
tural duty of a government to establish a Christian church
in their country, and endow its ministers, and of other kin-
dred topics. He can acknowledge the Christianity of
men who differ from him on these points ; and he can
meet such men, and speak, and sing, and pray with them,
without giving up any of his own distinctive opinions,
and without giving any pledge that will not at other times
speak, and act upon those distinctive opinions ; even
though it should be in aggressive opposition to what he
thinks erroneous in dissent.
In like manner the conscientious dissenter compromises
nothing. He still holds his own views of church govern-
ment without bishops, of public worship without liturgies,
and of the voluntary system as resting so distinctly on
the authority of the New Testament, that a state church,
as he calls our's, is utterly anti-scriptural. He can indeed
acknowledge the Christianity of men who differ from him
on these points, and he can meet such men, and speak,
and sing, and pray with them, without giving up any of
his own distinctive opinions, and without giving any pledge
that he will not, at other times, speak and act upon those
opinions, even though it should be in aggressive opposi-
tion to what he thinks erroneous in our Church system.
In illustration of this I cite an extract from one of the
speeches delivered at the first meeting in this town. The
speaker said—
" The next consider ation which appears important to me is
this. It is closely connected with the other; and I know you