The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-09-08 00:00:00

THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

The last meeting of this body took place on Monday
last in Exeter-hall. As at the previous meetings, the
speakers belonged chiefly to dissenting bodies, and ex-
pressed a fervent desire for Christian union. The general
basis of the Alliance will be found explained in the three
following resolutions, proposed as " topics" at the con-
ference" meetings :-
1. " That this conference, composed of professing
Christians of many different denominations, all exercising
the right of private judgment, and, through common in-
firmity, differing among themselves in the views they
severally entertain on some points, both of Christian doc-
trine and ecclesiastical polity, and gathered together from
many and remote parts of the world for the purpose of
promoting Christian union, rejoice in making their unani-
mous avowal of the glorious truth, that the Church of the
living God, while it admits of growth, is one church, never
having lost, and being incapable of losing, its essential
unity. Not, therefore, to create that unity, but to confess
it, is the design of their assembling together. One in
reality, they desire also, as far as they may be able to
attain it, to be visibly one; and thus, both to realize in
themselves, and to exhibit to others, that a living and
everlasting union binds all true believers together in the
fellowship of the Church of Christ, ' which is His body,
the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."

2. "That, therefore, the members of this conference
are deeply convinced of the desirableness of forming a con-
federation, on the basis of great evangelical principles held
in common by them, which may afford opportunity to the
members of the Church of Christ of cultivating brotherly
love, enjoying Christian intercourse, and promoting such
other objects as they may hereafter agree to prosecute to-
gether ; and they hereby proceed to form such a confede-
ration, under the name of the Evangelical Alliance.'
3. " That the parties composing the Alliance shall be
such persons only as hold and maintain what are usually
understood to be evangelical views in regard to the mat-
ters of doctrine understated, viz. :—l. The divine inspira-
tion, authority, and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures.
2. The right and duty of private judgment in the inter-
pretation of the Holy Scriptures. 3. The unity of the
godhead, and the trinity of persons therein. 4. The utter
depravity of human nature in consequence of the fall. 5.
The incarnation of the Son of God, his work of atonement
for sinners of mankind, and his mediatorial intercession
and reign. 6. The justification of the sinner by faith
alone. 7. The work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion
and sanctification of the sinner. 8. The immortality of
the soul, the resurrection of the body, the judgment of
the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with the eternal
blessedness of the righteous, and the eternal punishment
of the wicked. 9. The divine institution of the Christian
ministry, and the obligation and perpetuity of the ordi-
nances of baptism and the Lord's supper.—lt is, however,
distinctly declared, first, that this brief summary is not to
be regarded, in any formal or ecclesiastical sense, as a
creed or confession, nor the adoption of it as involving an
assumption of the right authoritatively to define the limits
of Christian brotherhood, but simply as an indication of
the class of persons whom it is desirable to embrace with-
in the Alliance ; second, that the selection of certain ten-
ets, with the omission of others, is not to be held as im-
plying that the former constitute the whole body of im-
portant truth, or that the latter are unimportant."
Other resolutions more expressly define the objects of
the Alliance, and limit its sphere of action. The first
Sabbath in January, each year, is to be observed by the
members of the Alliance throughout the world, as a
season for prayer in concert. For the organisation of the
Alliance, the following resolutions have been adopted :
"(1.) That whereas brethren from the continents of
Europe and America, as well as in this country, are
unable, without consultation with their countrymen, to
settle all the arrangements for their respective countries,
it is expedient to defer the final and complete arrange-
ment of the details of the Evangelical Alliance, of which
the foundation has now been laid, till another general
conference.

"(2.) That the Alliance consist of all such members of
this conference, and members and corresponding mem-
bers of the divisions of the provisional committee, as shall
adhere to the principles and objects of the Alliance. Per-
sons may be admitted to membership of the Alliance by
consent of all the district organisations, or by a vote of a
general conference, and to membership of any district or-
ganisation by such mode as each district organisation
may determine.
" (3.) That the members of the Alliance be recom-
mended to form district organizations in such manner as
shall be most in accordance with the peculiar circum-
stances of each district. Provided, however, first, that
neither the Alliance, nor the respective district organiza-
tions, shall be held responsible for the proceedings of any
district organization; secondly, that no member of any
district organization shall, as such, be a member of the
Alliance ; and, thirdly, that, whenever a district organiza-
tion shall be formed, the members of the Alliance within
that district shall act colleetirely in its formation. That,
in tirtherance of the ahoy- plan, it he recommended, for
the present, that a district organization be formed in each
of the following districts, viz.:—
" The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

" The United States of America.
" France, Belgium, and French Switzerland.
" The North of Germany.
" The South of Germany, and German Switzerland
"British North America.
" The West Indies.

" And that additional district organizations be from
time to time recognised as such by the concurrence of
any three previously existing branches.
" (4.) That an official correspondence be maintained
between the several district organizations, and that re-
ports of their proceedings be interchanged, with a view to
co-operation and encouragement in their common object.
" (5.) That a general conference be held at such time
and place, and consist of such members of the Alliance,
as, by correspondence between the district organizations,
and under the guidance of Divine Providence, shall here-
after be determined by their unanimous concurrence.
Provided, first, that any member of the Alliance who was
entitled to attend this conference, and shall retain his
membership, shall be entitled to attend the next also
and, secondly, that all questions relating to the convening
of it shall be determined by such members only of the
district organizations as shall also be members of the Al-
liance. A conference of any two or more of the district
organizations may be held by mutual agreement." _
_ _

A great number of foreign ministers-have attended the
conference, and it may be mentioned as a curious fact
that the meeting was addressed on Monday by the Rev.
Mr. Rentals, of Erfurt, who presided over the monastery
in which Martin Luther was converted.

EXTRAORDINARY FACULTIES.-CLAIRVOY-

ANCE OUTDONE.

On Tuesday we were present at a select conversazione
at the residence of Mr. Franklin, surgeon, Long Millgate,
which was held for the purpose of testing the accuracy of
certain statements made respecting a stranger who has re-
cently arrived in this town. The gentleman to whom we
refer is Rabbi Professor Dannemarck, of Hungary, who
claims the possession of certain extraordinary powers of
memory and sight, as well as the gift of divination.
There were four persons present at the conversazione,
besides the professor, and tbree of them understood the
Hebrew language, which is that in which the stranger
performs his wonders. The professor, who appears in his
native costume, seems to be about forty-five years of age,
and has a remarkably quick, penetrating eye, to which
circumstance :some people attribute some of the uncom-
mon faculties with which he is endowed. How this may
be we know not, and to us at present it is wholly imma-

terial.
\Ve will now proceed to detail a few of the perform-
ances of the professor. He was shewn a private letter,
which it was impossible he could have seen before, and
on merely glancing at the first page, stated that it con-
tained 34 lines. The lines were carefully counted by the
gentlemen present, and it was found that the number
mentioned by the professor was precisely the number the
page contained. Another letter was shown him, when
the. same process was gone through, and with the same
result. A Hebrew volume, not the professor's, but Mr.
Franklin's, was then produced. The book was opened
by one of the party, and the number of the page given to
the professor. The book was then opened at another
place, at an interval probably of 100 leaves from the part
first opened. The number of the page at the second
opening the professor was not informed of, nor could be
see what it was. One of the gentlemen present then put
his right forefinger upon a point in one of the pages at the
first opening, and the professor stated that he should
name the word immediatety under The finger at the cor-
responding point in one of the pages at the second
opening. in this experiment he completely succeeded.
A Hebrew and English lexicon, belonging to Mr.
Franklin, and which Professor Dannemarck could
not have seen before, was then handed to him. The book
was opened at pages 230 and 231 by one of the party, in

Sept. 8, 1846.

such a way that the professor could not see what were
their contents. Three different points were chosen by
the gentleman present, one at the top of 230, one at the
bottom of the same page, and one on the fifth line of page
231, and the professor undertook to say what were the
words which would be found at these several points. In
this he again completely succeeded. He then took the
same book, which was partly opened in such a manner by
one of the gentleman that there was no possibility of the
professor's seeing what was the number of the page at the
opening. The gentleman then thrust his finger in at the
opening, and the professor named the two words at the
extremity of the organ. This he repeated. One of the
party put his finger upon the binding, outside of the book,
and the professor stated that he could name two words,
opposite to the finger in a portion of the book which wag
partly opened, but the contents of which, as far as those
present could judge, it was impossible the professor
could have seen. The point in the book referred to
was examined, and it was found that the words there
were those which had been named by the professor. A
Hebrew and Latin Concordance to the Bible was next
introduced. One of the party fixed upon a page, with
the number of which the professor was made acquainted,
although he could not see the page itself ; he then put his
finger upon the outside of the book, the professor en-
gaging to name the word immediately opposite to it in the
page at which the volume was opened. In this he was;
entirely successful. A piece of paper was put into a book,.
at a place at which it was opened by one of the party, and
which was known to the professor, and the latter men-
tinned some of the words that were found under the
paper. A penknife was introduced in a similar manner,.
and with the same results. A Dutch edition of the
busily prayer book, which we were informed he never
could have seen before, was next brought forward. The
volume was half.opened, one of the party thrust his hand
into the opening, the contents of which could not be seen
by the professor, and yet he named words on both pages
opposite to the hand.

A number of experiments of a similar character were
gone through, but we have not space for further detail.
The professor says he cannot account for the possession
of the faculties, the nature of which we have endeavoured
to explain, in any other way than that he has received
them as an extraordinary gift. He exacts great reverence
and respect from all around him, and considers himself
the living wonder of the age. He has received the ap-
plause of several sovereigns, and wears a splendid ring
which was presented to him by the late Pope. Amongst
his testimonials and papers appear the names of several
distinguished statesmen and others on the continent. We
believe that on Monday evening next the professor will
display his uncommon powers in the Hebrew School, St.
Mary's-street, when the public will be admitted. We
should have mentioned above, that the professor insists
upon all parties standing in his presence.—Manchester
Courier.