The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-11 00:00:00

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CORRESPONDENCE.

"WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sto,—Your correspondent " A Church of England Chris-
tian" asks an important question in a grave and serious
manner. He asks, " What is the church ?" It demands a
careful and serious reply. This, I have little doubt, will be
given to it, by some of those to whom he specially appeals,
more particularly by " A. M.," whose style and calm de-
monstrative manner plainly evince him to be a man " of
power, of love, and of a sound mind." It seemeth good to
me also, though I cannot claim " more perfect understand-
ing of these things," to say a word to your querist ; and in
so doing, I would simply appeal to three authorities for an
answer to the question, " What is the church ? " First, to
Scripture; secondly, to the article of the Church of Eng-
land; and thirdly, to one of our venerable reformers.
First, what saith the Scripture? St. Paul replies, in Ist
Timothy, iii. 15, " The house of God, which is, the church
of the living God, the pillar and ground of te truth ; "
" cs.6xo; xai hki:vp.is"—" a pillar" to perpetuate, and " a
ground " to maintain and uphold ; distinctly referring to an
external organised company of persons professing the faith
which is in Christ Jesus—a baptised community; and to
this external body agree the words of the same apostle in
Ist Cor. xii. 28, " And God hath set some in the church :
first, apostles; secondarily, prophets," &c., referring to an
existing ordained ministry.
But, as in ancient days they were " not all Israel " be-
lieving who were " of Israel " circumcised, so now likewise
they are not all of the church spiritual who are of the church
external—i.e., there is a saved company of genuine believers
within this company of bapthed professors—" a wheel within
a wheel" ; and as the large body is external and easily dis-
cerned, so this inner and smaller company is invisible, and
•not discernible to man's eye. Of this inner and unseen body
the Bible speaks more frequently, and denominates it " the
church" : for this see Ephesians i. 22-3, " And gave him
(Christ) to be head over all things to the church, which is
his body," and of this " body" St. Paul speaks again in
the same epistle, chap. iv. 4,5, 6, " There is one body,"
&c.; and again, chap. v. 23, " Christ is the head of the
church." I could multiply passages on this bead.
Now what saith the 19th article of the Church of Eng-
land? " The visible church of Christ is a congregation of
faithful men, in the which the pure word of God is preached,
and the sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's
ordinance," &c. &c. This article, from its use of the word
" visible," evidently refers to the external and organised
company, and not to the inner and saved body.
What saith the judicious Hooker? " That church of
Christ, which we properly term his body mystical, can be
but one ; neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any
man, inasmuch as the parts thereof are some in heaven al-
ready with Christ, and the rest that are on earth (albeit
their natural persons are visible) we do not discern under
this property whereby they are truly and infallibly of that
body." Hooker here distinctly speaks of the saved and in-
visible company. Again, he says :—" The visible church of
Christ is therefore one, in outward profession of those things
which supernaturally appertain to the very essence of Chris-
tianity, and are necessarily required in every particular
Christian man." Here he as distinctly speaks of the bap-
tised community. .
And now, sir, there appears to be a third sense in which
the term " the church " is used in Scripture, viz., certain
local companies of believers, who were in the habit of meet-
ing together for mutual edification, sometimes in each others'
houses. So we read, Rom. xvi. 5, " Likewise greet the
church that is in their house ;" and Ist Cor. xvi. 19.
So, then, here are three senses in which the term " the
church" is used : one of them spoken of in the 19th article,
two of them spoken of by Hooker, and the three spoken of
in the Bible : and if your correspondent inquire to which of
these three I think those words in St. Matthew, xviii. 17,
" But if he neglect to hear the church," belong, I have no
hesitation in saying, to the latter; the Saviour plainly di-
recting the man, after remonstrating with his offending bro-
ther in private, then to take with him two or three Christian
friends, and if all failed, then, in the last resort, to lay the
matte/before the little local company of believers who might
assemble in his house or neighbourhood ; Christ never, I
believe, having constituted an ecclesiastical tribunal to take
cognisance of secular offences.—l am, sir, &c.,
Nov. Bth, 1812. `'INDEX ECCLESLE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
think your correspondent, " A. M.," will see that,
admitting the meaning which " Hear the Church ! " was
adduced to sustain, and which I proved to be legitimate by
two pertinent quotations, the form also of the text is
not strained or unnatural, seeing that the words " If he
neglect to hear the Church" is a plain injunction to " Hear
the Church," and only expresses the whole sentence in a
short compass ; and that " Top knot, come down," is by
no means a parallel instance, inasmuch as it introduces a
meaning quite different from its context.
Mr. Dodsworth's sermon, price 3d., will afford the requi-
site information as to what is the Church.---Your's, &c.
CLERIC US.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS OF 1843.
TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Now that the excitement occasio.,ed by our annual blister,
the municipal elections, has nearly passed away, and the
minds of men are sobered down to a state of calm reflection,
it may, perhaps, not be deemed wholly improper to take a
survey of the prospects of conservatism in this town for the
ensuing year; and he must be a poor prophet indeed who
cannot foretel that on the Ist of November, 1843, the sixteen
wards will be gained by that powerful and rapidly increasing
party. I turn first to Everton, in this ward a conservative
retires, and it would indeed be idle to suppose, if that gentle-
man again offers himself, that there would be even a shadow
of opposition ; the radicals know well their lamentable state
of weakness in this ward, and will be careful not to betray it
to the world by a contest. Scotland Ward, which has just
returned Mr. Houghton without opposition, will not stultify
itself by re-electing the retiring councillor, Mr. Thornhill
,will be relieved from labours that during the last twelve
months must have been most irksome to him ; and in the bar
parlour of the Castle Inn North, he will be more in his ele-
ment, and will there meet with congenial spirits, and over a
glass or two of "cold without" "fight all his battles o'er
again." Vauxhall, notwithstandinc, appearances, is safe 'for
its present respected representative, he has only to offer him-
self, and opposition will _ieureely be thought of. In Saint
Paul's the Pame alone of Blundell forbids the thought e'en
opposing candidate. The same may be said of Exchange,
where Mr. Sands is sure of being returned as triumphantly
as was the, " true tory John North." Castle-street "bides
her time.", she longs,to be relieved from her radical thral-
dom, and if our own party remain true to their colours, next
November Castle- street must be our own.
I now turn to the ward of wards, the far famed St. Peter's,
the Gibraltar of reform; here .radicalism is defunct—its ghost
will not even raise its head on the first of next November;
and I have only to say to those excellent friends of mine who
have hitherto worked it so well. " go on, and prosper."
Pitt-street may be dismissed in a very few words. An
ignorant, inflated person has, by dint of misrepresentation,
given the, radical party a temporary and short-lived triumph.
To that notorious personage I say—

M'Clellan, M'Clellan ! beware of the day,
When the tories next meet thee in battle array ;
When the chief who first conquer'd a Rathbone in fight.
Shall wave " the bright banner"—prepare thee for flight!
Great George Ward has "nobly done its duty," and is ready
to do it again ; no radical has here the shadow of a chance.
Rodney-street, Abercromby, and Lime-street are all safe
for their respective retiring councillors, should those gentle-
men again offer themselves ; they have given general satis-
faction, and it is best "to let well alone." Saint Anne's
Ward will doubtless be contested warmly, the adverse par-
ties being more equal there than in any other ward; but if I
may judge of the future by the past, it will be long before
St. Anne's returns a radical to the town council. My re-
mark respecting Great George Ward applies also to that of
West Derby : here genuine toryism has triumphed, and in
-this ward trimmers and shuffiers will not find " rest for the
soles of their feet." " Coming events cast their shadows
before :"—the return of Mr. Lace for South Toxteth is a
warning to Mr. John Platt ; and South Toxteth will in No-
vember be wholly conservative. In North Toxteth radical-
ism expired with the return of Mr. John Sheppard; and the
hand that pens this paragraph will be mouldered into dust,
long ere another radical sits for North Toxteth Ward.
I have thus glanced rapidly at the sixteen, and we con win
them all if we like ; bnt to do this we must agitate unceas-
ingly. from the 2d of November, 1842, to the Ist of Novem-
ber, 1843. The names of our candidates must be familiar in
our mouths "as household words." No exertion. must be
spared. Seven years ago there were only five tories in the
town council, and we must never cease agitation until the
radical minority has dwindled to the same amount. Then
let us see whether that party, in the course of seven years,
can, by untiring perseverance, convert five into forty-seven.
If the radicals can do this, I for one shall exclaim that " the
age of miracles has not passed away."
I am, sir, yours, &c.,
AN ELECTOR OF EVERTON.
Nov. 91h, 1842.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

So.' —A letter appeared in your paper of the Bth instant,
signed " Arithmeticus ;" and to the question your corres-
pondent proposes, I beg to reply, that by such a speculation
he would lose the sum of £3,333 Gs. Sd., as follows :—The
cost of 100 bars of gold, at the rate of two for £lOOO, which
is equal to £3OO per bar, would be £50,000 ; 100 ditto, at the
rate of three for XlOOO, equal to £333 6s. Bd. per bar, would
be £33,333 Gs. Bd., making a total cost of £83,333 s. Bd. ;
the proceeds of 200 bars at five for £2OOO, or £4OO per bar,
is £BO,OOO, deduct which from the cost price, and you have
a loss of £3,333 6s. Sd. Any other question " Arithrneticus"
wants answered, he has only to send a similar letter to your
journal, and I shall be happy to oblige him.
Yours' respectfully,
A CONSTANT READER.
[We have received several other letters in answer to our
correspondent's question, but this is sufficient.]

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT MANCHESTER.—(Further parti-
culars.)—An account appeared in our paper of Tuesday,
of the destruction of a cotton-mill, and the melancholy
loss of several lives, at Manchester, on Friday. The coro-
ner's jury returned a verdict on five of the bodies, " that they
came to their deaths by burning and suffocation, through a
fire accidentally taking place in the willow in Messrs. C-
Pooley and Co's mill ; but how the fire originated therein
there was no evidence before them." The inquiry occupied
four hours. The total damage is estimated at £ll,OOO. We
believe that the loss will prove to he fully covered by the in-
surances. The matters and amounts insured are :—Machi-
nary, £9,800 ; building, A:5,000 ; stock, £1,400 ; millwork,
£600; and boilers, £2OO. It will be recollected that a fort-
night ago the various insurance offices advanced their rates
of premium on cotton mills about Os. per cent. and the pre-
sent rates we believe are 265. (including duty) 011 the mills
spinning lower than 40s. (and we believe in this mill the num-
bers spun were chiefly 40's and 38's) and on the fine mills,
that is, 40's and all higher numbers, 21's per on,:
ISLANDS.
—Nothing OF THE GOSPEL IN THE SOU
race c%ll appear
—Nothing in the history of the human
extraordinary than the
auspices of the chiefs in
gation of the gospel.
Christian to
motives systemungu e s
the reflecting mind more gratifying or
establishmentt
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That
in reference more especially
m en , is not con-
this was the case to a very considerable tionably retained a strong mixture I.doefrltehelytingtred.ients.
of Archipelago,describe
thethe
ceatlheed
thwyo their
clustersinstructors,ofSocietywho,
tothe religion of the greater part of people as being at first
merely nominal, and thattbtbaen that
pro-
fession required
abstinence
at tkhneetwi mleitttlheey more
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1 from labour every seventh day. The change applied almost
solely to the outward observance, and had not yet reached
either the decisions of the understanding or the feelings of
the heart. Still it was a most important revolution, which
must necessarily be followed by a movement in advance.
Idolatry could not again resume its empire • the chain of the
captive has been broken; anti the appetite for newviews both
in human arts and divine knowledge would necessarily seek
gratification at all hazards. The result corresponds in no
small degreeiwith this anticipation ;' the tree planted among
them by the missionaries has brought forth both good and
evil fruit ; tares have grown up with the wheat, but the land
is no longer a desert ; and the ample produce denotes at
least the inherent powers of the soil.—Edinburgh Cabinet
Library, No. XXXIII. Polynesia.