The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-17 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the friends and supporters of
this society was held last evening, in the lecture-hall of
the Collegiate Institution, which was crowded to excess
with a most respectable audience.
A few minutes after six o'clock, the worshipful Henry
Raikes, Chancellor of the Diocese, accompanied by a
number of influential gentlemen, entered the hall, and
was received with loud cheers. Having taken the chair,
he called upon the Rev. Thomas Nolan, who opened the
proceedings with an impressive and appropriate prayer.
The Worshipful CHAIRMAN then proceeded to ad-
dress the meeting, but in consequence of the position in
which the reporters were placed, not one half of what
was said could be heard by them. We understood him
to say. before he proceeded to call upon the Secretary to
read the report of the operations of the society during
the past year, he felt it due to himself to explain the cir-
cumstances which led to his appearance in that position
that evening. There were many reasons why it was
most gratifying to see a layman in the chair ; but
in consequence of Mr. Horsfall being prevented from
attending, it afforded him an opportunity of showing his
adherence to, and approbation of, the cause. (Cheers.)
At the same time he felt, upon these occasions, in that
society, the chair could never be so properly filled as by a
layman ; for it was formed by laymen for the benefit of the
clergy, and the good of the church at large. He, therefore,
rej-sined at seeing the chair filled by a layman, in order
that the clergy might have an opportunity of testifying to
them the warm feelings of gratitude by which they were
actuated for the assistance and support of their lay bre-
thren. (Applause ) But he might take the liberty of
saying that, when deprived of the assistance of a layman
to occupy the chair, they could hardly find amongst its
members a warmer friend to the society than the humble
individual who then addressed them. (Cheers.) He was
therefore willing, upon the present occasion, as he had
always hitherto done when an opportunity presented
itself, to bear his testimony to the usefulness of the so-
ciety. Had it not been for, the operations of this society,
the church, in this diocese at least, in its endeavours to
supply the spiritual wants of the population, must have
met with such an amount of inefficiency and difficulty as
almost to overwhelm it. (Hear.) Through the agency
of the Pastoral Aid Society they bad met the difficulty in
part, and let the society only be supported as it ()ugh, to
be, and there was hardly any thing it would not be able
to accomplish. In truth, he trusted he spoke to those
who felt the value of its operation—in fact, their com-
mon interests were concerned in its success—laity and
clergy were bound up in one common cause; the clergy
were but labourers in their master's service—they were
but agents for the good of the laity, and just in propor-
tion as they both acted together would success attend
their efforts. (Loud cheers.) Before he sat down he
hoped they would allow him to observe, that whilst the
present aspect of affairs presented much cause for
apprehension, and much fear for future consequences,
he wished to impress upon all the importance of the so-
ciety. It pleased the Almighty disposer of events to
work by means, and whenever God had an object to pro-
mote—whenever there was an end to be accomplished—
means were to be used, and such means as were most likely
to accomplish the end in view. Thus, when the increase of
the population had almost b;d defiance to the efforts of the
Church to meet it, the wondrous but simple machinery of
this society was set to work, a few individuals met, the plan
was formed, and when he looked at its operation he could
not refrain from concluding that God had blessed the
means, and that it was the purpose of God, by means of
it, to enlarge the usefulness of the church, and to show
how wonderfully it was adapted to meet the wants of
the population. He loved the society not merely for the
good it had done in what was to be expected from it, but
in a higher sphere of action, as a sort of pledge from God
that he would still make the Established Church a bless-
in.' to the land, a security for the happiness and welfare
of' the people. (Loud cheers.) The Worshipful Chair-
man concluded by calling on one of the clerical secreta-
ries to read the report.
The Rev. C. W. LAWRENCE then read the report, of
which the following is the substance :
. . .

The committee expressed their thankfulness to God that
the funds collected in this town would fa I only a few pounds
short of the returns of the preceding year, a donation in
1844 having swelled the returns of that year to an extent which
they feared would not be realized this tear. They were labour-
ing not only to increase the number of ministers, but to main-
tain those already employed in necessitous cures. There were
parishes containing thousand, and tens of thousands of souls,
which, if they satisfy the eye of a benevolent man when he com-
pares the shepherds with the dimensions of the fold, only do so
while the hand of the society supplies the means of subsistence,
and should that hand withdraw its aid, the nice proportions are
gone, the lights will fail in the prospect, and the darkness of
death rest upon the moral landscape. The committee adhere
to the principle and plan of the society. It was at this conjunc-
ture of the church that men were wanted to enter upon the
fields white for harvest. The society has been the means of
sending, not only the ordained minister of God into the vine
yard, but the lay agent; and it was her privilege to contend for
the employment of humble but devoted men, who, simply, but
under the orders of the incumbent, might warn the unruly, com-
fort the afflicted, arid instruct the ignorant, and it is now her
privilege to see a society instituted for the same sp,citic purpose,
sending forth similar men into the streets of the metropolis,
under the high sanction of the Diocesan. As much depen ed
on the character of a minister, the society were careful whom
she employed, and sent such only as gave guarantee to walk in
the steps and preach the Gospel of the Lord. If the open Bible
be the privilege of the Protestant—if the power to understand
its contents be recognised in the laity of the church—if there be
a wholesome result, as we should expect, in attending to the
Lord's command to the people, "Take heed what ye hear,"—
then was that procedure of the society as scriptural as it was
wholesome, by which the spiritually enlightened ear and eye of
the laity of the church are brought to bear upon the character
of those ministrations which they are instrumental in providing
for their fellow countrymen, and transmitting to their children.
There are few better preservatives from the leprosy of popery
than the just resentments of the people at large, when directed
into such channels as that society presented, which, true to the
church of which she is the scion, esteems a protest against error
an essential feature of an h nest allegiance and of truth. The
committee rejoiced that the Bish p of Oxford, the son of Wm.
Wilberforce. had cordially expressed his approbation of the so-
ciety. In Liv, rpool the society supported ten curates and two
Scripture readers. One incumbent says " Our Scripture reader
had not been long at work before the effect was visible in the
seats which are assigned ,o the poor. He is now engaged in
visiting others who yet feel a reluctance, or who are kept back
by want clothing. The filthy courts, the wretched habita-
tions, in which a large mass of the population lives, the un-
wholesome atmosphere they breathe, the sickness and distress
which abound, lender his labours as difficult as self denying.
Yet good is doing, and the clergyman discovers that the lay
agent has a much easier access to the poor than he can possibly
have—that they are mere communicative with him than him-
self—and that through his instrumentality he learns more of
their actual condition, their wants, their knowl dge. and their
ignorance, than he ever knew by personal visitation " On the
subject of third services in churches, your c mmittee think it
would be well if such more frequently occurred, as the wants of
many might thus be supplied who cannot attend the other ser-
v ces. In St. Simon's the grant received was 1100, and the
amount returned 150. In Edgehill, the grant 150, the amount
returned 185, so that in, the latter case there was a gain. At-
tention is next called to a plan of increasing the parent socie-
ty's funds, which had this year fallen short by nearly 11000 as
compared with the previous year. It had been proposed by the
Rev. H. M'Neile (whom the committee highly compliment), to
raise 1500, by obtaining promises from individuals of donations
to the amount of such a sum ; such promises not to be called
upon till the sum promised amounted to the sum proposed. A
sum of £270 had been promised, and it remained f,,r the friends
of the society to complete theepromises in behalf of the object.
The report concludes by an earnest scriptural appeal, and a
prayer that it may be effectual to the setting forth of the glory
of God, and tl,e increase of His kingdom.

THE Rev. Canon M'NEILE then rose to move the
first resolution, and was received with loud and continued
cheers. When they had subsided, he commenced by ob-
serving, that whilst the Chairman was speaking, a multi-
tude of thoughts crowded into his mind on the subject of
the Pastoral Aid Society as an auxiliary to our church.
Its name sufficiently expressed its objects. It is an aux-
iliary to our Established Church in one of its most im-
portant functions,—the supply of competent and efficient
pastors. Our church requires such help, because the po-
pulation to whomit is a debtor for scriptural instruction,
and pastoral superintendence, has largely overgrown her
original and stated resources. They were aware, none
more so, that vast multitudes in our large towns, and in
our manufacturing and mining districts, are in a condition
utterly deplorable in a land called Christian—they have
not the opportunity, if they had the will, of receiving
Christian instruction ; they are as sheep scattered abroad
without a shepherd. He was thinking that the skeleton
frame-work of a national church was still scattered over
the land, whilst the principle of a national church is vir-
tually repudiated in much that concerns the spiritual wants
of the people, and thrown upon the voluntary principle.
It was, however, a good thing to have the frame-work,
because every new church, school, or pastor which was
established came immediately within the range of that
frame-work. But it was,. deplorable to see a number of
vacant spots on that frame-work, the more so because
they were not altogether empty. There was something in
those places congenial to the condition of man. There were
men in this country, as in all countries, anxious to upset
the present state of things in order to better their own con-
dition. Such persons were not scrupulous about the means
they would use. Weapons which they themselves despised,
if successful, were used without scruple. Hence it was
that infidelity was wielding superstition with great effect,
whilst she was looking with contempt and scorn upon the
ignorance that could b.: acted upon by such instrumen-
tality. (Hear, hear.) The society, then, in whose behalf
they had met, was an auxiliary to the church in sending to
the people the only efficient remedy. There was, and
could be, no .efficient remedy but in the gospel of the
grace of God, and as it had pleased him to adopt human
instrumentality for the spread of his truth, therefore they
might truly say, there- could be no remedy but in the
adequate multiplication of competent pastors. This
was the only remedy which could reach the real
state of mans' disease, in our most thickly populated
districts. Nay, more, in carrying out the sacred medicine
of the Gospel to the bed-sides of the sick and dying poor,
the Church Pastoral Aid. Society was a proved and tried
friend. (Loud applause.) It was simply on these grounds
they presented it to them for their support. (Continued
applause.) He was thinking on these things when he found
that he had undertaken a very difficult task, and that was to
move the adoption of the report without making a speech.
The rev. gentleman then read the resolution as follows :
" That the report now received be adopted, printed, and
circulated, under the direction of the committee; and
that the following gentlemen comprise the committee for
the ensuing year." He looked to the other side of the
paper but found no names. (Laughter.) He looked to
his reverend brother, the secretary, and found he
had no names. He was so satisfied they were so
well acquainted with the society that they would re-
collect the names of those who formed the committee
for the past year, and therefore he had kit the list at
home. (Laughter.) They would, perhaps, naturally
ask why he came under such a very ticklish engagement.
He would tell them. He was lately at Cheltenham for
this very society, and at Cheltenham they made him the
erost—(cheers)— and therefore be made a very long
speech. It would not become him to say it was a good
one, but the people of Cheltenham seemed to think so.
(Applause.) Now the Cheltenham lion had come to Li-
verpool. (Loud and continued cheers.) And he was
content on the present occasion to be a much smaller
that
animal, he would be the mouse that nibbled the ecord,

loosed the net, that freed the lion. (Tremendous laugh-
ter and cheers.) Before he sat down he wished to tell
them that this noble animal would not only address them
that evening, and in giving that notice he desired them to
forget all that was amusing in what had passed, whilst he
told them soberly and solemnly that the Rev, F. Close
would on Wednesday evening preach in St. Michael's
Church. (The reverend gentleman resumed his seat
amid loud cheers.)
The Hon and Rev W. MONTAOUE Vieerarts, Rector
of St. George's, Bloomsbury, one of the deputation,
seconded the resolution. After a few words of introduc-
tion relative to the foregoing speeches, and that part of
the claims of the society respecting which he had ven-
tured to speak in his sermon on the preceding day, and
which were very indistinctly beard at the inconvenient
corner where the reporters were placed, the reverend
gentleman said, that in addressing a Liverpool audience
he was well aware that he was addressing a people inti-
mately acquainted with figures, and to whose minds it would
be easy, by their assistance, to convey a clear and distinct
idea of a few important and startling facts bearing upon the
claims of the Pastoral Aid Society, upon their esteem
and support. There were few persons, he would venture
to say, who knew better than the rev. gentleman who had
just sat down, how to combine the amusing with the solid,
and never transgressing propriety ;—(applause)—and he
believed there were few towns which possessed more
eloquent preachers, or more churches in which the
Gospel was preached ; and they would agree with him
that it was a solemn subject to speak of such immense
numbers of their fellow-creatures who were in an uncon-
verted state, without God or hope of salvation, and without
any knowledge of the blessed Saviour; and having, then,
to speak on those points, he entreated their kind conside-
ration that night. (Applause.) The course of events
now was different to what it was some years ago.
He was not going to re-echo what had been called an old
woman's tale, namely, that there were no times like the
old times, or even that the old times were better than the
present ones; but he must allude to a difference in the
present times with regard to its tr, atment of popery,
which favoured in some degree the progress of the fatal
superstitions of that religion. In t mes gone past it was
considered fair and right to speak of things by their right
names, and if they found anything worthy of censure, no
man was blamed for speaking in truthful terms of it.
But now, by a kind of bastard philanthropy, their mouths
were closed. It, in speaking of Rome and her abominations,
any allusion was made to Sodom or Babylon. it was stig-
matised as unkind or uncharitable; but he had not learnt
to be more charitable than the word of God. (Applause.)
He desired to speak the truth, but he would do it in love.
Let them look on the manner in which the question of
Maynoceh was received last session, as an exemplification
of this fact; and the Protestants, both laymen and clergy,
ought to unite to truthful men, who would proclaim the
Gospel as it was in Jesus, to the winning of souls from
that system which bad destroyed so many souls. (Cheers.)
With this carelessness of speech there was combined an-
other fact; and that was the increased exertions making
by the Papists at the present time. He had no doubt
there was as much increased exertion made by them in
Liverpool as he perceived in his own neighbourhood.
He could scarcely stir abroad without meeting, two by
two, their sisters of charity, or of mercy, or nuns, or
whatever they were, with their baskets on their arms,
visiting the sick, ministering to their temporal wants,
and never failing to excite their superstitious fears and
feelings ; and he could not but help feeling some re-
spect for their zeal and earnestness. This was only to be
met by more zeal among themselves, and he looked to
the Pastoral Aid Society, in sending out godly men, to
feed the people with the true milk of the word ; and those
who had to spare of this world's goods should take better
care of the bodily wants and comforts of the poor.
(Applause.) In order to show the great usefulness of this
society, he would now go to another point, which had been
alluded to before, namely, the great increase of the popu-
lation. With that increase there had been some ad-
ditional means—how much he would shortly tell—but he
believed it was totally inadequate to the population. All
that had been done during the last five years had not even
met the increase of the people during that period. He
would first mention a few facts with regard to London.
Some would perhaps think it very unnecessary for him
to come to Liverpool to speak of London ; but if they re-
collected themselves, they would find few families which,
indirectly or directly, were not connected with London, or
which had not sent some poor youth into that great Ba-
bylon, or, perhaps, they themselves were in the habit of
visiting it. It therefore became a matter of great import-
ance to see what amount of spiritual instruction there was
provided for those youths or for themselves. Take Lon-
don as it is marked out by parliamentary enactment, a
district of eight miles around St. Pauls, and, in 1841.
its population was two millions, or rather more. This
more than doubled the amount of population in 1801,
and showed an increase since that period of 30,000 a year.
Let them mark that fact, that there was added to the po-
pulation of London every year, a number equalling the
whole population of the city of York. Let them take
all the cathedral towns in England and Wales, where
the churches were pretty thick and the clergy pretty
numerous, and their whole population amounted but
to 678,943 ; this would perhaps give them a very great
idea of a population of two milllions. If they added to
the episcopal cities all the country towns in the kingdom,
and add to them the populations of Liverpool, Manches-
ter, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield„ they would
then only have a population of 1,100,000 ; not much
more than half that of London. Having given them some
idea of the vastness of London, he would %bow them how
it was provided with spiritual accommodation. The
whole amount of accommodation in 1843, taking churches
and dissenting chapels, was but sufficient for 601,418.
so that of five-eights of the whole population which might
be reckoned as able to attend a place of worship, more
than one-half could not, for want of room, if they would.
It was a well-known fact that every Sunday morning and
evening, a number of persons larger than the population
of the chief towns and cities of the kingdom, wilfully
absented themselves from any place of worship. If
London was compared with New Zealand, it would
be found to be mostly inferior to it. in godliness and
religion. After some further statistics, showing the
spiritual destitution of London, a destitution which in
Westminster alone, it would take 45 churches, each capa-
ble of containing 1000 persons to supply, he described
the state of the manufacturing and mining districts,
which were in a similar dreadful condition. In South
Durham there had been an immense increase of late in
the coal trade, and new towns were continually springing
up, with populations varying from 1,000 to 5,000, entirely
destitute of churches, schools, and religious instruction
of any kind. In South \Vales not one in 50 of the adults
could read. In Bradford and Leeds, although the parents
expressed themselves anxious that their children should
be taught to read, they would not consent to deprive
themselves of a small portion of their earnings to give
them time to be taught. In Lancashire and Cheshire, it
was stated by Mr. Kennedy, few of the colliers attended
divine worship, and in general cared nothing whatever
about religion, being ignorant as beasts of the state of
their souls; that the children never attended school or
a place of worship, nor could read or write. One clever
lad, about eleven years old, stated that he had heard of
hell down in the pit; that he had never heard of Jesus
Christ; that he had heard of God in the pit, when the
name was employed in imprecations to send the souls of
others to hell. (Great sensation.) In order to show that
something might be done even with a class of people so
much in ignorance, he read a statement of the condition
of the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire, a few years
aeo, from which it appeared that the miners led a clanish
and solitary life, that they were violent and debauched,
and the terror of the surrounding neighbourhood ; that
their Sabbaths were spent in several games or vicious ir-
reaularities ; that there were neither churches nor chapels
except on the outskirts, and schools were unknown. Now
the gospel of Jesus Christ had been carried there,
and so great a change had been effected, that the colliers
were exemplary in every moral and religious die y. The
task of reformation had been undertaken b the Dissen-
ters, whose perseverance had at length been rewarded by
a total change in the character of the people. The Dis-
senters had worked zealously, and raised the means to
build an immense number of chapels. These means had
been drawn from the pockets of the persons not usually
the most liberal people—from the small shopkeepers,
whose power in general circulated ; and lastly, from.the
working classes themselves, by the adoption of a plan
which could quickly realise the £3OO promised to be
raised by their friend, Mr. M`Neile. The plan was by
penny subscriptions. (Applause.) They had thus seen what
the Dis4enters had done, and he trusted the Establishment
had in it the desire to do as much or more ; that they
would take the lesson, and remember the words of Him
who said "Go thou and do likewise." (Applause.) He
must be excused for giving them one or two more of these
statistical facts ; he felt that they spoke more to the pur-
pose than if be gave them words of his own. Of the two
millions of inhabitants in London, a far greater number
than they would expect had no homes. they lived for
the most part out of doors, and at night they took up
their abode at a lodging-house, where they generally
paid about 3d. per night for part of a bed. in many,
many cases, there would be perhaps six in a bed. The
poor man, by this means, saved a great portion of the
expense of separate lodeings, which generally cost
at the lowest, about 4s. 611. per week. Thousands and
tens of thousands had no homes, except their lodging-
houses. In a report published some years ago, on the
best means of establishing a constabulary force in Eng-
land and Wales, these lodging-houses were spoken of as
the greatest obstacles to the morality of the people. They
were filled with the dregs of society and professed thieves
and beggars, and were perfect hotbeds of vice for the poor
children taken to them by their parents. He described a
room in one of these lodging houses, a place 18 feet by 10
feet, pith beds of straw arranged on each side as thick as
possible, in fact, the floor was like one great bed ; and in
that space the night before, the person from whom he hail
the description, visited it,:there were twenty-seven adult
males and fem., lesohirty-one children, and twodogs sleping
in it. In the top room of the same house were six beds,and in
these 32. human beings slept ; the windows in these places

were sebum opened, and the pesti'en
atmosphere which pervaded these dreadful places actually
compelled the visitors to retreat, and often produced vo.
miting It might be asked what could be done with such
a class of human beings as this; the.: were too bad for the
Pastoral Aid Society to reach; but he replied they were
not too bad, that they had been reached. There were a
number of laymen at work at the present time visiting
these noisome abodes, and reading the et,rnal Gospel of
God to the miserable inmates; and many bad profited by
the word read. He. WAS quite sure, in that town, cele-
br wed for its ministers; for its number of eloquent
men who preached the Gospel fpdtlifully—(applaase)....,
it would be unnecessary for him to dwell on the power
which might ,ccompany a sinele sentence of the Word of
God ; to define how far it would go, or when it would
blossom and bring forth fruit. He would, however, sta'e
that during the last year there had been held in these
lodging-houses 132 meetings for the exposttiou of the
Scriptures, at which 1600 persons bad been present; and
he was happy to say be knew of some P:llW3t who, he

felt, by the means of these readings, were as sure of going
to heaven as if they were there already. (Applause.)
He then dwelt at some length on the necessity of ac-
companying their exertions with prayer, if they wished
them to be productive of good, and went on to shew that
as the people would not come to hear preaching, it
was necessary the message of the gospel should be car-
ried to them. He alluded to the excellence of the cot-
tage lecture plan, for the establishment of which they
were so much indebted to their excellent diocesan, and
proceeded to declare that the money given to that society
would be laid out. with a most scrupulous regard to
Protestant truth. If any minister employed by the
society were found to be doing the contrary, he would
at once be short of the cash. The money would
not be given for Protestant purposes and used for
papistical practices. (Loud cheers.) He then concluded
by combating the objections he had heard against the so-
ciety, and which he said were actually in its favour; and
appealed to all present, as they felt the deep responsibility
which would devolve upon them, to contribute liberally.
(Applause.)
The motion was then put, and carried unanimously.
The Rev. HALDANE STEWART moved the next resolu-
tion, and proceeded to express his conviction of the great
importance of this society, which had been, it possible,
increased by the excellent speech of the reverend gentle
man who had just addressed them. As there were two
other reverend gentlemen to follow him, he would not
trespass upon their time longer, but would conclude by
expressing his trust that the society would go on in in-
creasing usefulness.
The Rev. A. P. IstwusE seconded the resolution, and
entered into some remarks upon the vast importance
of this society, which was quietly and inobtrusively ef-
fecting so much good for the souls of men. He then en-
tered into some statistical details from the association's
published report, showing that it provided for 258 pas-
tors, preaching the gospel to upwards of two millions
of souls, the average salary of each pastor being £9B
per annum. In addition to this, it aided the incomes of
between 4 and 500 clergymen, and expended considerable
funds in other works prom.ning the spread of the gospel.
We regret that our space will not allow us to follow the
rev. gentleman through these details, and the very inte-
resting matter which he adduced to show theworking of the
society.

Thir CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was carried
unanimously. _

T►ie Rev. T. NoLAN, Honorary Secretary, here said
that there had been 31 services this year in the town and
neighbourhood in behalf of this society. Last year there
had been received through sermons £239 ; this year the
s m was £657 15s. 6d., derived from sermons preached.
The following is a statement of the respective churches
and amounts:—

Everton Church...
Christ Church
Aigburth
t. Ari( rew's
St. Bride's
St. Bartholomew's
St. Barnabas'
St. James's
St. John's
St. Luke's .
St. Mark's....

s. d. .43 5. d.
.an u 0 St. Mary's, Edge-hill 32 0 0
.28 0 0 St. Jude's 7B 0 0
,40 10 0 St. Thomas's, Tox. P.lO 0
.58 :3 0 West Derby 2O 4 a
.6a 2 3 Seaforth 32 17 6
g 7 0 St. Simon's l2 3 5
.37 18 3 St. Clement's.... 20 15 0
.37 0 0 St. Paul's
.27 0 0 Christ's. Waterloo
.10 15 0 St. Silas'
.37 0 0 Kirkdale

e 657 15s. 6d

The reverend gentleman announced that the sermon in
St. Michael's, for the same object, would be preached on
Wednesday (to-morrow) evening, by the Rev. F. Close.
(Applause.) He concluded by stating that a collection
would then be made, and that while it was proceeding a
hymn would be sung, which was accordingly done.
The Rev. F. BARKER said he had been requested to
effect,move tthheatlathste rmeseoeltuintigono, woorhuicrirtedhemroerad. eandltmwoarsetion the
effect, that the meeting concurred more and more in the
theritssuccess
society -
pgl eras teuruolnt to whichG God fo
hitherto, and prayed that it might promote His honour
soundnessepro-
ceeded o
thatf thete grin
felty e
and glory. He fully agreed in the sentiments conveyed
by the motion, and as the operations of the society had
already been explained by the previous speakers, he
should simply advance one thing, which he thought ought
to be strongly impressed upon the meeting—which it had
not been by those who had preceded him—and that was,
that to Liverpool yet belonged the reproach of having re-
ceived from the funds of the society rather than granted
towards them. While we had been receivers, our returns
bad been discreditably inadequate. A good deal had been
said about allowing the Botanic Garden to fall into decay.
He had heard a gentleman say that it was disgraceful to
the town that such a delightful place of recreation should
be given up, and that it could only endure for a few more
years, as the land must be broken up for building. This
was called very discreditable. The Church of England
Schools, too, it was equally discreditable to leave in such
a state. It was certainly discreditable that those who
shouted so lustily for the Bible at elections, did not sup-
port those schools, where it was taught, and• that one of
them had consequently to be given up. It was remark-
able, and highly discreditable that when the Society began
their grants, the town withheld that support which was
in gratitude due to :ts exertions and liberality. The
Society had given them £lOOO, and they returned only
£6OO. He was glad, however, to observe that this year
the reproach that bad attached to the town appeared
likely to be removed. (Cheers.) He then alluded to
Mr. M`Neile's proposition to raise £5OO by promises, to
be realized in the event of the whole being thus promised.
They now wanted only £250 of that amount; and were
there not twenty persons present who had not yet sub-
scribed ? Were there not twenty ladies who would un-
dertake to raise it) Oe twenty young persons who
would come forward for that purpose. He trusted they
would not lose the £5OO from any backwardness, for he
was sure it could be raised. He concluded by saying
that he gloried in the society ; that it was the brightest
star in the firmament of Protestantism; that it had
brought thousands upon thousands from darkness to the
light of redeeming truth, and that he hoped and prayed it
would, in the language of the resolution, yet promote the
hono.ir and glory of God. (Applause.)
Tne Rev. Canon Wielaieg here rose, and good hu-
mouredly said he was going to confess. (Laughter.)
He concurred with the lastspeaker in all he had stated.
saving as regarJed the last item mentioned. For the de-
ficiency of that item, it was not the town, but himself,
who was to blame. (Hear and laughter.) The fact was,
he had gone from home, and had not had an opportunity
of applying for the difference ; but he believed it only
wanted a little exertion similar to that he had exercised in
the onset, to raise the sum stated, or even, he believed,
twice the amount. (Cheers.)
The Rev. F. CLOSE was received with loud applause
upon rising to second the resolution. He said he ap-
peared before them an illused man. (Laughter.) His
next observation was lost, but he was understood to al-
luoe to some of the observations of the Rev. H. M'Neile,
as he proceeded to say that his vener.tble friend, the Rev.
Mr. Stewart, had beautifully disposed of all about the
lions and mice. He (the tlev. Mr. C.) did not treat the
Rev. H. M`Neile as he had treated him. He told him
before he came to the meeting that he was the lion, and
supposing the ratio ad absurdem to be true, the lion did
not get up ill five minutes before nine o'clock. He there-
fore considered himself in that respect an illused man ;
and again, instead of being a lion he was only one-third
or a lion, two others had divided the spoil with him.
(Laughter and applause.) His last trouble was, that he
never could speak unless there was a collection after.
It was like wasting his breath on the desert air, if there
was no money after. (Continued laughter.) But
the secretary had done all he could to ease his mind,
and promised him that there should be boxes held at the
door—(laughter)—that if he should succeed in putting
on the screw so as to make them feel they had not done
enough, they could give double as they went out, and that
gave him courage to speak. Those who had preceded
him had efficiently done the part they came there to per-
form. Most important was the information given by Mr.
Villiers, and he hoped it would never be forgotten. He
rejoiced at the few observations he had made at the be-
ginning or his speech, touching the mawkish sensibility
on the subject of their great enemy, Rome, when, if they
spoke out, and called things by their right names, they
were called harsh and uncharitable. Those who objected
to their calling Rome Babylon, did not scruple to speak
of others in language as harsh. Say a word about Rome,
and they say she is venerable and must not be touched,
although she has devoured souls, swallowed up souls, and
imprisoned souls, and was the vilest supe.sti•ioti that
ever Satan supported. His reverend brother, Mr. Ir-
wine, had spoken of the great labours of this society,
and also of the labours of the Lissenters. lie (Mr. C.)
waled also bear testimony to that in another part of the
country, which had been left in total destituti.in i.ut for
their Dissenting brethren. He was not of the opinion of
those who would rather leave men to the doctrines of
nature than have them ins•ructed by Dissenters. It had
been his duty to travel to the Land's End, in Cornwall,
where he visted the mines, and he met with a most intel-
ligent and cultivated people—no drunkenness, nor any-
thing of that kind. Phis was effected principally by the
Calvanistic Methodists. Until they went down, the
Cornish miners were known as Cornish tat eckers. He
had also visited the interesting island of Putt; nd, where
he found au old man standing and work Eng on the ledge
ola rock. He spoke to the old man, and said—" This is a
dangerous occupation." The old man said "Yes, bla wedo
not wind it much." " Have you not many aceid tits ?"
" Yes; last week I hid as flue a son as ever lived crushed
to d. ath ; but thanks be to God he was a pious man ; for
I would sooner follow all of rnv children to the grave
with the hope of imitiortality than they should lead a life
of immorality and sin (Applause.) Alluding to the
statement made by Mr. Barker as to the deficiency in the
subscription, he said that although there was likely to be
a change this year, they must recollect that they had
back debts to pay ; they must look hack, and their secre-
tary would tell them how mans years they had been re-
•iving trim etl they had'

ce. _Jan ..o been giving. aey must redeem
themselves, and place thems«-Ives on a respectable footing.
As inhabitants of this town, they ought to place them-
selves on a respectable footing with all, but espechlly
with the Church Pastoral Aid Society. (Applause.)
The rev. gentleman then read the resolution, which, he
said, at five minutes to nine he was called upon to speak

to, although he was told the meeting must be concluded
by nine. He could not say that this motion had just
been put into his hand, without being aware what
he was to speak upon, for his friend, the Secretary, wrote
to tell him the substance of his resolution—that it wou4l
refer to the crisis of our chard). Now, what crisis did
he mean? How was he to know what was the great crisis
of our church and country? It was a formidable posi-
tion to take up, and yet, allow him to say, he expressed
his belief that these words were most true, 'and, if not
arrived at a crisis, they were, in cliurch,in state, in poli-
tics, is things sycial,. in things relig,ous, and things
divine, in the transition state, and God alone knew

civil, political, and spiritual inttresta of this most
excited count, y, might be driven, until they settled down
into amore cool and permanent condinion. He should
contioe his observations to the church alone, and bid the
state and country adieu. There were a great many chili-.
ing circumitimetm-that meeting was a cheering circuut.

stance; and he was also assured of this fact, and believed
he was correct in saying, that he did not think, since the
days of the Reformation, there were so many of the clergy
of the Church of England preaching the pu e, unadulter-
ated gospel. (Applause.) Never were there greater
exertions made by the church and country to meet
the appalling evils of which they had heard. Yet admit-
ting this to be.true, and looking around, be could not sup-
press his fears that they were in a state of imminent
peril ; and if he were asked to what he more especially
alluded than to anything else, he at once, in one concen-
trated name, told them it was Popery. (Loud cheers.)
He knew that infidelity was at work too. He agreed with
Mr. M'Neile that infidelity would stoop to take the as-
sistance of superstition, and that also superstition would
condescend to take the help of infidelity. Although these
things appeared to be antipodes, or, as the chemists would
say, bore a lateral antipathy to each other, yet there was
a most dear and near affinity between them ; they pro-
duced and reproduced each other. A beloved brother of
his said, the natural production of Popery was a corrupt
Protestantism : corrupt and degraded Protestantism
was the carcase on which the corrupt worm of
Popery bred, and the only wonder was that Rome had
not taken possession of the land. (Applause.) If the
Propaganda had exerted themselves, he did not see why
they should not have taken possession of the stagnant
waters of which they had heard much. Blessed be God
they had not done so ; and the time was not by when
they could be prevented from doing it. Alluding
to the spread of popery, he said it went on its way silent-
ly, secretly, steadily—in ten thousand unsuspected forms
it insinuated itself into the bosom of the social circle. Was
he drawing an exaggerated pie ure ? Had they not heard
of the daughters and children of pious clergymen being
stolen from them by the priests of Rome? He read ex-
tracts from Mon:. Richelieu, in which were held up a
fearful pictur of the most appalling licentiousness and
wickedness of the Romish Church. The present ctisis
had three characteristics, defection, treachery, and left
behind in the church the spawn of a superstitious princi-
ple. He dwelt at some length on these heads, and de-

flounced surplices, chanting, intoning, and other portions
of the church ordinances which he said were Puseyistic
and savoured of popery. He then argued that the Church
Pastoral Aid Society was the most efficTent agency
that could be devised for meetintz those various evils :
it created living churches, and then the people soon found
tabernacles in which to worship. He concluded by men-
tioning one other proof of its efficiency, which was, that
they could not take up a Tractarian newspaper, from the
Engtist Churchman downwards, in which they would not
find the Church Pastoral Ail Society abused. This was
a great proof of its worth : their pride and glory was that
it was as much loved by its friends as it was hated by its
enemies. The rev. gentleman resumed his seat amidst
great applause.
The resolution was carried unanimously.

After a vote of thanks to the chairman, and the singing
of the Doxology, the meeting separated at a quarter past
ten o'clock.

SPEECH OF SIR HOWARD DOUGLAS IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS ON FRIDAY.

Sir H DOUGLAS said it was his intention, in the few
observations he should address to the house, to state the
reason that had induced him to vote against the measure
proposed by the government for withdrawing protection
from British agriculture. He had on several occasions
expressly avowed these opinions, and had uniformly
voted against the motions brought forward for the repeal
of the corn lays, more particularly for that wbich had
been recently proposed for the abolition of the import
duties. He had given the great question of the corn
laws his calm and deliberate consideration, and whatever
might be the change in circumstances, or whatever
change might be in others, his opinions had undergone
no change whatever. Far from being shaken by any of
the arguments he had heard in the course of the present
debate, his opinions were, if possible, strengthened in
favour of continued protection to British industry. He
should, with the permission of the house, review the
effects of the corn laws and their result upon tht, general
interests of the country, and more particularly as regarded
their colonial interests, with which he was in some mea-
sure acquainted, and which he regretted to say were not
represented and but little unders'ood in that house.
I (Hear.) He should first offer a few observations upon
[ the figures of the right hon. baronet at the head of the
government, and he would remark that the period taken
by the right hon. baronet was far too short on which to
found so extensive and sweeping a change in the panes, of
the country. It was quite true that the exports of Bri.
tish and Irish produce which in 1844 amounted to only
£47,300,000, had risen in 1845 to 58,581,000 ; but it
should be borne in mind that from 1839 there had been
a decrease every year up to 1844, and although there
was an apparent increase of 11 millions in the two years,
yet the difference between the period when the decrease
began to take place and 1845 was only three millions.
He was ready to admit that the repeal of prohibitory
duties had been productive of beneficial effect ; and when
he had first appeared at Liverpool he had expressed very
fully his sentiments on the subject of protection, and had
advocated a relax,tion of that system according to the
altered circumstances of the country, as being calculated
to promote the general interests of the country. But the
measures they were then called upon to adopt were, that
without waiting for the full development of the results,
and because the experiment of the relaxation of certain
duties had been found satisfactory, therefore they were
t throw overboard altogether the principle of protection.
(Hear.) Now he maintained that without the recogni-
tion of that principle of protection it would he impossible
to protect the interests of the artisans of this country from
that severe depression which resulted where employment
was not steady and permanent. It appeared they were
now about to rush into that state of things in which the
British artisan was to he brought into competition with
the protected industry of foreign countries ; they not
only exposed him to the competition of capital at home,
but to the protected industry of other countries abroad ;
and no one, he thought, could deny that that would he
highly injurious to the operative classes of this county.
He would not enter into a dis:ussion with regard to the
relative prices of tood and labour, because much of that,
he thought. depended upon the state of the labour mar-
ket ; but he would maintain that unprotected labour was
incapable of competing with capital. He was firmly of
opinion that much distress and suffering to the working
classes would be the result of carrying into effect the
measures of the government. He did not think that
they would be able to displace the gobds of other coun-
tries in the foreign markets, nor did he think that it
would be found in practice that a large importation of
foreign corn had any natural connection with the pros-
perity of the country. In 1840, 1841, and 1842, the
importation of corn had reached its maximum, the quan-
tity imported varying from two to three mill, us of quar-
ters ; but England was by no means in a prosperous state
in those years ; and it would be found that, in the long
run, the best customers of England would be found in
the home market. ( Hear, hear.) The right hon. bart.
proposed to introduce measures founded upon the prin-
ciples of perfect free trade ; no doubt in the abstract free
trade might be found advantageous, but be had not
found that foreign countries were disposed to carry out
the principle to the same extent. They had not been
met by the United States, by France, or by G rmany, in
a corresponding spirit ; and lie ventured to assert that all
the Presidents of the United States, from Washington
down to Polk, had never abandoned the principle of pro-
tection to the great interes:s of the country. Polk had
distinctly stated that he would never abandon that prin-
ciple ; they had established the system of a revenue duty,
and that could be called nothing but a protecting duty,
because it was imposed for the purpose of obtaining the
largest possible amount of revenue. He maintained that
they could not combat with rival tariffs without subject-
ing British labour to gr '•.t depression. The hon. and
gallant member then pro,,, 'd to quote an extract from
Adam Smith's work. for ti,r, purpose of justifying the
imposition of duties upon h reign produce for the en-
eauragement of domestic irelo-try. The noble lord the
member for the west ridir,;.t of Yorkshire ( Lord :Mr-
peth) had well observed that :here was a great necessity
for providing for an increased and increasing population ;
but it was a new proposition to him to contend that the
way to increase production was to diminish prices.
(Hear, hear.) There was a species of free trade which he
should wish to Fee fully introduced among themselves—
he alluded to that which might exist'between this country
and their colonies, and between the colonies themselves.
He had voted for the Canada Corn Bill with very great
pleasure ; be freely admitted that Great Britain might

sstely admit Canadian corn duty
with Great dissatisfaction and surprise the hon. member
tor Montrose (Mr. flume) rise in his place the oV,cr night
to express great solicitude for the colonies, whi!e at the

Corn Bill was a compact entered into bet,een two le-
gislative bodies. (Hear, hear ) This legislature, as well
a the CanacUan legislature, were parties loth t compact,
which they were both bound to preserve. He Lad no he-
sitation in telling the house that from th- moment this

measure passed into a law, which was to carry c ut the to-
tal aholition of protection, ih-yr would not be only extin-
guishing the Canada Corn liiil, but they would he extin-

The colonial system was one of protection, which they
were pledged to ciltry out (hear. h?ar). If this prinein!e
be once given up, he told the, hat though their ships
might guard their coasts, and their troops garrison the in-

terior of the country, the question lb! n would come home
to them with full force—of what use ,•‘-e their colonies ?
In that moment Great Britain would c to be the chief
of that imperial league. He had often heard Mr. H us-
kisson quoted in this house as an out-and-out free-trader.
Noting could he further from the fact. When he was in

America he had carried on a correspondence will Mr.
Huskisson, in which that eminent sta,esruan had strongly
advocated free trade, as far as their colonies were.c.m-

tenauce to the principle being extended further (hear).
If free trade were extei.ded so as to amount to the aboli-
tion of all protective duties; what was to become of the
sugars? There would be an end of all hope of extending
the cultivation of sugar in the East lodie,. How had we
treated that cc.untry in other respects? We had super-
seded the cotton manufacture by our mechanical power ;
we, therefore, ought to show favour to the raw material.
The hon. and gallon' member again referred to the opi-
nions of 111 r. Huskisson, and trusted that the expecta-
tions and intentions of his right to rt. friend—honestly
ar.d faithfully devoted; as he knew they were, to the best
of his judgment, to promote the welfare of his country
mtg t be realised to the fullest extent. He sincerely
hoped that his own opinions with respect to the working
of this great measure might turn cut to be erroneous:
At in esetit he was convinced that the British labour4
would not be raised, that the social condition of th'e
people of this covntry would not he ameliorated, and

that agrieni ure would be se,iouEly injured
consequently._ our rnanufgctures. commerce

vigation wniiid equally safer. Above all, that these great
pillars of the state would be in danger. Although in surne
respects he gave a reluctant and painful vote, yet upon the
vaigle and at the same time be most willingly, confidently,

conscientiously, and consistently, voted against this peri—
lous, and, as it appeared to him, unnecessary experiment
—an experiment from which there was no retreat—(bear,
hear);—a movement from which there was no receding;
an experiment which, if successful, could scarcely add to
the prqiperity, welfare, honour, and glory of this country,
but any failure in which must prove the ruin of the em-
pire. (Hear, hear.)