The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-16 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID SOCIETY.

Yesterday evening, the annual meeting of the Liver-
pool Auxiliary to this Society was held at the Music-hall,
and was most numerously attended.
On the motion of the Rev. Mr. EwBANK, Mr. T. B.
HORSFALL was called to the.chair.
The proceedings were opened by an impressive prayer
by the Rev. Mr. NOLAN.
The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by explaining
the nature and objects of the society, and said it was the
confident hope of the committee that the result of the
present anniversary would be to excite a livelier interest
in the cause ; for although Liverpool at present was a re-
cipient to the extent of £9OO a year from the general fund,
she only contributed to the extent of about £4OO.
The Report was then read by the Secretary, the Rev.
Mr. LAWRENCE. It was the fourth report of the society,
and stated that a gratifying increase had taken place in
the funds this year remitted to the parent society. The
amount this year remitted from this town was £403, ex-
clusive of the branches established in Edge-hill and the
district of St. Simon's. The receipts by the parent so-
ciety this year exceeded by several thousands the largest
annual income of the previous years of its existence, The
great societies of the church were receiving increased
contributions. The report next detailed some instances
of the successful labours of several of the clergy in several
districts of the town, who had received small grants, par-
ticularly in the promotion of Christian education amongst
the children. It was hoped that the great good accom-
plished would be met by a corresponding spirit of liberality
by the Christian and benevolent. The specific object of
the society was the Church in this land
The Rev. J. R. CONNOR, in moving the adoption of
the report, entered into a variety of details connected with
the spiritual destitution of the district of 6t. Simon, for
the purpose of showing the necessity as well as the utility
of the society.
Toe Rev. J. P. IRWINE, in seconding the motion, also
entered considerably into detail, and stated that although
the gross increase of the society's income for the past
year amounted nearly to the sum of £5,000, yet that it
was only sufficient to keep it out of debt,, and that larger
subscriptions were anxiously looked for and earnestly
solicited.
The Rev. HUGH STOWELL proposed the second reso-
lution, to the effect that the meeting heard with mixed
feelings of joy and pain of the increase which God had
graciously bestowed on the funds of the society, and the
spiritual destitution resting on the souls of their country-
men, and pledged themselves to carry out the great pas-
toral principle—that every sheep should have a fold, and
every fold a shepherd. The rev. gentleman spoke at
great length, and with his usual eloquence; but we regret
that we are under the necessity of confining our report
within such narrow limits as only enable us to convey a
very meagre outline. He said he valued the society, be-
cause it was a mighty engine for accumulating informa-
tion, morally, physically, and religiously, and conveying
it to the mighty masses of our too-much-neglected labour-
ing population. The records which it circulated had told
on our archbishops, bishops, clergy, ministers of state,
and the legislature itself ; and one of the delightful results
had been, the admirable National Aid Society, which
Sir Robert Peel had the honour of introducing into
parliament. He also valued the society, because it went
the right way to work in endeavouring to meet the mise-
ries and the wretchedness of our neglected poor, by vi-
siting them in their cottages, and frequenting the lanes
and allies of our crowded towns; and he further valued it
because it was calmly, quietly, and unpretendingly a true-
hearted Protestant society. In trimming days like the
present it did one's heartgood to see such "a society taking
its stand upon principles which were older than Rome,
and which bad come down to us from prophets, apostles,
reformers, and martyrs • and he verily believed that our
plain duty was to give the bishops that degree of confi-
dence, to which they were entitled, though they might not
have taken any great steps to denounce Tractarianisrn,
and for the clergy uncompromisingly to preach the gospel
of Christ without reserve, to multiply the machinery of
the society for supplying faithful men, who should be de-
termined to preach, not the sacraments instead of the
sanctifier, not the church instead of the head of the church.
He concluded by calling upon every one to do what he
could, and by assuring them that God would defend the
right. He was most rapturously applauded throughout.
The Rev. F. PARRY briefly seconded the resolution.
The Rev. H. WNEILE proposed the next resolution,
to the effect that the meeting, convinced that no syetem,
however satisfactory to the judgments and consciences
of men, could accomplish spiritual objects without the
blessing of God, would press upon itself the duty of prayer
upon behalf of the labours of the society. He said he
verily believed that there had been a mistake in many of
the representations made with respect to the state of our
population, not as to the facts, but as to the relative con-
ditions of the people now and in former ,times. He be-
lieved that with the exception of a few localities where
population had been inconveniently multiplied—inconve-
niently as regardrd the habits of the poor, their condition
was in no respect worse than it was in days gone by ; and
he was in good hopes that there was a vast increase in the
amount of domestic comfort. The rev. gentleman pro-
ceeded at some length to state his reasons for coming to
this conclusion, one of which was that there had been a
great increase in the preaching of the everlasting gospel
in late years, and that there must be a corresponding in-
crease of fruit. He then made an earnest and affectionate
appeal in favour of the society, urging the rich to contri-
bute of their abundance, and the poor to act as efficient
fellow-labourers in the cause, and sat down amid loud
cheers.

The Rev. Mr. ENV ANK seconded the resolution which.
together with the two former ones, was carried, un.ani-
wcrsly.

Upon the motion of the Rev. Mr. M`Neile, a vote of
thanks was then passed to the chairman, and after the
doxology had been sung the meeting separated.
A liberal collection was made at the doors. The sums
collected in aid of the Society at the several churches on
Sunday amounted to about £l6O.

GLASGOW, PAISLEY, AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.—.A.
general meeting of the noblemen and others of the county
of Renfrew, was held on the 11th instant, Sir W. M.
Napier, Bart., in the chair, when the propriety of pro-
moting the line of railway to ('arlisle, by way of Paisley
and Dumfries, was considered and unanimously approved
of. Resolutions were passed setting forth its advantages
to the commercial and manufacturing communities of the
several towns and counties affected, and particularly Ren-
frewshire.—On the 10th ult., a meeting of the Town-
council of Ayr, through which the same line is proposed
to pass, was held with a similar object. The meeting, by
resolution, " observed with much satisfaction the pro-
spectus of the scheme for connecting the west of Scotland
with England by a railway extending from Glasgow to
Carlisle, by Ayrshire and Dumfries," and resolved to
give it all the aid in their power.
DEATH OF LORD ABINGER.—This distinguished
judge died at Bury St. Edmund's on Sunday week. The
deceased—formerly James, then Sir James Scarlett —was
a doctor of civil law, and a privy councillor, created
Baron Abinger in 1835, brother of the late Sir William
Scarlett, Chief Justice of Jamaica, and father of Lady
Stratheden (Lady Campbell.)—[lt may not be generally
known to our readers that the town of Liverpool has the
honour of having been the first residence of the late Chief
Baron of the Exchequer, whose career is sketched else-
where. James Scarlett, then simply Mr. James Searlett,
the son of a wheelwright in Jamaica, (at that time a very
lucrative trade,) was partially educated in this town, at a
school kept by a Mr. Sykes, in Houghton-street, and
formed here many friendships. For many years. after he
had acquired professional distinction, he was in the habit
of visiting Liverpool, when on circuit, on which occasions
he was the guest of the late Joshua Lace, Esq., of Wool-
ton-hall.—Ed. L. ,S.]

INTENDED OMNIBUS TO HALE.—We doubt not but
many of our readers will rejoice to learn that a handsome
omnibus will he started on the Ist of May, to run between
this town and the delightful village of Hale, via Wootton.
The undertaking originated with a few gentlemen of Hale,
who have their own machines, and who subscribed, with a
view to companionship in their transit, and the increase
of the communication between the two places; and having
no desire to make money by the speculation, but merely
to clear themselves, they have fixed the fare out or hack
at the very low sum of is. 6d. As the road nearly the
whole distance (which is almost 101 miles) is through a
beautiful wooded, and highly cultivated country, we trust
our townsmen and fair townswomen will largely patronize
the spirited proprietors, especially as we know of no
locality in the county within so short a distance that pre-
sents so many attractions to those who take delight in
" woodland green or flowery mead," or in contemplating
the picturesque dwellings and blooming gardens of the in-
dustrious English cottagers—as yet happily uncontami-
nated in that quarter by the baneful smoke from factory
chimneys ; and where the songs of the birds are uninter-
rupted by the din of commerce. We may add that the
village is as usual beautifully clean, and that to conduce
to the comfort and amusement of visiters, Mrs. Allen,
the worthy hostess of " The Child of Hale Inn," has had
her establishment thoroughly repaired and beautified, and
the grounds, and bowling-green attached, put into prime
order, under the able and tasteful management of Mr.
Nickson, the esteemed horticulturist, at that ancient and
charming demesne " Hale Hall," in the immediate
vicinity.

THEATRE-ROYAL, WILLIAMSON-SQUARE.—The per-
formances during Easter week at this theatre have at-
tracted a large attendance of our holiday folks. Mr. T.
P. Cooke, the representative of the Tom Bowlines and
Harry Halyards of the stage, has appeared in a new piece
of the melodramatic cast, entitled " The Lost Ship," and
been received with lots of gallery applause, which, how-
ever, the piece itself scarcely merited, if we except the
scenery and a few tableaux, which were very effective.
The part of the heroine of the piece was assigned to Miss
Cleaver, a lady whom we have been so accustomed to see
in the higher characters of the legitimate drama, that it
almost pained us to see her thrust into one so unworthy
of her talents. Mr. Comptor? and Mr. Ross were very
laughable in a love-scene, which forms the underplot.—
The new extravaganza of " The Fair One with the Golden
Locks" has formed the remaining portion of the per-
formances, and is beautifully put upon the stage. The
part of • Queen .uctilora, the " fair one," is very prettily
sustained by Miss Coveney, by whom the music assigned
to it was tastefully and archly sung. The only other
prominent female character is that of Graceful, by Miss
Gardner, whose songs were given with great spirit
throughout. We were agreeably surprised by the sing-
ing,
and the acting as well, of Mr. Morley, in the part of
a , and culti-
vated;
King Lachryr.noso. This gentleman is much too little
w veryexcellent,deservedlywellcompany.imitationsHisand voice Kean, fine
his
ap-
plauded. The whole piece has gone off well throughout
the week, and will probably run for a while longer.