The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-19 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID SOCIETY

The annual meeting of the Liverpool Branch of the Church
Pastoral Aid Society was held in the M usic• hall, Bold-street,

gentlemen among others were upon the platfOrui :—The Rev
Chancellor Raikes, the Rev. C. Lawrence,the Rev. A
Irvine, the Rev. W.
Pollock, the Rev. J. Cordeaux, th
Rev. F. Ould, the Rev. T. Nolan, Rev. H. Carpenter, Rev
F. Barker, Rev. W. Rawson, Rev. T. Carter, Rev. J
Whitley, Rev. J. N. Peill, Rev. Dwyer, Rev. Butler
&c. &c. ; Adam Hodgson, Esq., C. Boutflower' Esq.,
Howard, Esq., J. A. Payne, Esq., Bowles, Esq,, W
Maples, Esq., Richard Harbord, Esq., W. Jou
&c. &c. &c.
On the motion of

ADAM HODGSON, seconded by t
the Rev. Chancellor RAIKES

Rev. C. ',Awn
called to the cha

'he CHAIRMAN
the request to take the chair--the more so, because i

great r

saw there had been a certain exerei

the chair was taken. The fault unquesti
to him or to the rev. friends around hii

could bear wi

that the tirr

Light come c

n the chair

occupied with any prospect of sue(
were not perhaps very flattering at the press
the same time he had had enough of expc
meetings never to be disheartened by a thin
because it had frequently turned into a full room at 1
he had likewise had sufficient experience to kno
a small audience gave a tone and ch

ter to th

meeting—a more solid tone pervaded the speeches than
when they had a full room and clamouring audience to sti-
mulate the feelings of those addressing them. In truth, the
subject was so really a good one, and so decidedly necessary,
that it mattered little, comparatively speaking, whether the
room was full or not. If they could but get an audience
sufficient to make their statements before them, they would
depend on their communicating to others fairly what they
had heard. They were aware, he was fully convinced, of the
great object for which that society was instituted. When the
population increased so rapidly and so largely as it had done
in that town for years, they could easily conceive that there

was a necessity for building more churches, in order to meet
the wants of the inhabitants; and if the necessity for build-
ing more churches existed, unquestionably a necessity also
existed for supplying those churches with ministers.
In this town many churches had been built, and many clergy-
men had been supplied to fill those churches, and whatever
might be the increase of population in Liverpool, lie could
not but doubt that the well-timed liberality of the rich would
take care that the spiritual wants of the community should
be sufficiently supplied. Unhappily the case w
ferent in the other parts of this district ; there were places
where the population had increased almost as rapidly as with
ourselves, but where there had not been the wealth nor the
liberality in order to make provision for the spiritual wants
of the inhabitants. We had a melancholy picture of an im-
mense population growing up without any of those means of
grace and knowledge which we knew and felt from experience
to be absolutely necessary to guide men to a conviction of the
truth, or make life itself a blessing. Much had been done,
and he was thankful so much was doing, to supply the want
of the church accommodation; and if it pleased Gad to
spare their lives, they hoped in a few days, with their friends
at Preston, to make a report of the last year's proceedings
for building churches in the surrounding district of Lan-
cashire. But building churches was nothing unless they
supplied them with ministers. After dwelling for some time
on this point he said whatever might be their means of con-
tributing to the wealth of the society they all might contribute
to its efficiency. Those who could give nothing could at
least give their prayers,—" The prayer of a righteous man
availeth much." It would be in vain that clergymen were
appointed were not the prayers of faithful men employed in
imploring that blessing which came from on high upon their
labours.

'very dif-

The Rev. THOMAS NOLAN then offered up a prayer for
the divine blessing upon the proceedings of the meeting.
The Rev. CHARLES LAWRENCE, Secretary to the Local
Society, then read the report of the committee for the past
year, of which the following are the chief features :
After stating that the auxiliary had remitted to the Parent
Society the sum of £226, the report alludes to the lack of
zeal manifested to the society by its supporters, and chal-
lenges more attention to its objects.
The system upon which the society has acted is noticed in
the following terms:—
"The existence of the Additional Curates Society may be
looked upon with satisfaction by your committee as a happy
provision by which those may be assisted who take different
views of an important, but not a primary question. This
society has taken her stand upon a great distinction not
always remembered. Her supporters regard the Bishop as
the sole dispenser of holy orders and the guardian of the pre-
cint of his diocese, but subject to such limitations, and
those connected with the rights of incumbents, the usages of
the church, and the laws of the land, have ever recognised
the right of the laity to interfere, more or less, with what
may be termed the localization of men once admitted by the
bishop to the functions of a minister of the gospel. And it
would be strange if an opposition, professedly based upon
principle, to such a system should exist in Liverpool, where
there is not a clergyman now resident, who, after having

been, of.course, ordained by the bishop, and being
subject to his authority, does not owe, in a less or great€
degree, the fact of his posit►on in this town to lay patronage,
" The recognised right of interference in the localisation of
the clergy seeking assistance, in this case entirely limited by
the rights of incumbents, who, at their hands, the &'-
hers of the Church Pastoral Aid Society exercise,
a committee of delegated laymen, but through th
able machinery of a clerical committee. The
contend, is a correct one. If it should work ill it will not t
from defective principle, but from the frailty of that ►r
of which all human institutions must consist, and from tut
errors of judgment and corruptions of heart which creep into
the working of the best systems, and disappoint the soundest

, not throu

ystein, we

principles.
" NV ithin the last 15 years a great change for the better has
taken place in England in regard to her church ; r
place is that change more apparent than in Liverpool
Churches have been multiplied in districts judiciously
chosen. it faithful to their divine master, and fully com-
petent to their work, have been attached to specific portions
of the vineyard, and the whole will soon present the appear-
ance of systematic and progressive cultivation. Among all
the difficulties still to be encountered, and hindrances every
day experienced, what thanks to God do we not owe for the
dew of His grace lying so thickly on this favoured town !
The Church Pastoral Aid Society has not been inactive and
unblessed in bringing about these results. The districts of
St. Paul's, of St. Michael's, of Christ Church, of All Saint's,
and latterly that of St. Barnabas, have received grants from
her. May not your committee, then, conclude with the ex-
pression of a hope, in conjunction with earnest prayers to
God, that he will pour forth in still more abundant degree
the healthful spirit of his grace and fertilising dew of his
blessing upon us, that this great town shall at no distant pe-
riod rise from the unsuitable position of a receiver which
now she occupies with regard to this society, and pour back
an ample return into the exhausted coffers of her benefac-
tress ! May not rather a still better founded confidence be
placed in the power of the word of the grace of God, now so
fully ministered among us, to touch the springs of men's
hearts, to subject them to the claims of the Saviour, to melt
them at the recital of the spiritual indigence of others, and
to moor them to Christ-like efforts of mercy."
The following collections were made in aid of the associa-
tion, last Sunday week, in this town :
St. Mary's, Edgehill
Seaforth .
St. Barnabas
St. Mary's, Kirkdale
All Saint's
St. Luke's
St. Simon's
St. Paul's
The TREASURErt then read a statement of his account.
from which it appeared, that, whilst Liverpool had contribute
only £205 ss. 2d. to the funds of the Parent Society for tht
year, she had drawn from them, in the same period, a sum
of no less than between £5OO and £6OO.
The Rev. W. POLLOCK, incumbent of St. Helen's, then
moved the first resolution, to the effect that the report
be printed, and the usual officers appointed. He pre-
sumed that that resolution was never intended to be
any thing more than a peg to hang a speech on ; but, as
as it referred him to the report that was just read
him the opportunity, if he only had the power, of speaking
to any length, and of speaking on almost any subject con-
nected with the interests of the Church of Christ in this
country. When a short time ago he received a letter from
the committee of the Pastoral Aid Society, requesting that
he would consent to appear as one of their deputation, he
felt there was but one course to pursue, and that was, at
once to obey. He felt, indeed, as well he might, that the
society might have found many abler advocates, though, at
the same time, he felt they could not find a warmer one.
They never could find an advocate who felt every feeling of
pastoral obligation, and every Christian sentiment of regard
and esteem, or one who would plead their cause, at least,
more earnestly than he would do wherever he appeared as
their representative. And now that he had come, if any
thing could give him additional pleasure, it was to see him
(the Chancellor) occupying that seat. (Applause.) He
(the reverend speaker) did not wish to adopt the language
which would be most disagreeable to him—that which
might be deemed the language of flattery, but he would say
it gave any minister in the Church of England confi-
dence to have him presiding over any meeting that took
place. They did feel that his presence was. of itself an as-
surance of the purity, of the holiness of any cause he per-
mitted to be heard before him. He would follow the report
in the first place, generally to the principles of the Church
Pastoral Aid Society ; and in the second place, to the opera-
tions of the society, its success, and its results in Liverpool.
The rev, gentleman then took a very animated and eloquent
review of the period when this society was established, in the
course of which, he said it was when chartism was assaulting
all that partook of the nature of settled law—when socialism
was blaspheming against all that was held good or sacred,
and above all when popery bad returned at length within the
precincts of the constitution ; it was at such a period, in the
year 1837, that God put it into the the hearts of other chosen
chosen servants to institute and organize the Church Pasto-
ral Aid Society. (Applause.) When the founders of this
society looked abroad on the state of things he had described,
they attempted to meet them by such means as he would
further lay before them. They looked with much anxiety at
the distractions by which society was torn and shaken, and
they felt persuaded that the true way of healing this was only
if they might happily succeed in multiplying in the land
the dwelling places of the son of peace. They believed
that the oil which should be thrown on the troubled
waters was of that bought by the unction of the
Spirit of the living God. Such, he was sure they could
bear him witness when he said, were the first persua-
sions of the founders of the Pastoral Aid Society. But
they had another step to advance. Having determined to
give themselves to the work of God—the holy work of ad-
vancing so far as they might the cause of the gospel amongst
their countrymen—they had then further to inquire by what
legitimate means they might carry their design into execu-
tion. Was there a lawful and ordained instrumentality for
the spread of the gospel of Christ already in existence, or
must they desire a new one ? They had already a chief shep-
herd and a fold in this country, and was it their duty to ac-
knowledge that fold or to found a new fold ? The founders
at once decided that the fold should be the Church of
England. They knew her to be holy in her faith—catholic
in her constitution—and apostolic in her descent. They saw
her when they looked at the annals of her history—they saw
her in better and purer-times, although they were more
troubled times—they saw her supported by the blood of
many a martyr to the truth as it was in Jesus—and even
now they saw the tokens of God being with her in the con.
version of many a sinner. They knew, too, when they
looked at her parochial system, that the machinery only
needed to be carried out in practice to give to every sheep
fold and every fold a shepherd. The fact was that prin-
ciple would not permit them, and inclination never tempted
them for a moment to look further than the church. There
were some whom they might be permitted to call unautho-
rized dictators, who had been bold enough to pronounce
that that was not a church society. (Applause.) Really,
he must confess, they were in utter ignorance of the autho-
rities which, no doubt, such parties were able to produce it
support of such an assertion ; but until those authoritiet
were produced, and as yet they had only heard the result—
until they knew the full authority on which such a statement
was based, they were constrained to say, first, that it wa:
essentially wanted and required for the wants of the churcl
on the one hand and the order of the church on the other.
It was an earnest desire to extend her borders, to throe
to stren
wide her sanctuary, to carryt oat her ministrations, to wider
her courts, g en her streets
standing, and to develope her spiritual' to perpetuate hem
exercises ; it was
desire to see her a clean church; not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing. He said that if such feelings and such

ad in no

£36 0 0
33 0 0
20 0 0
19 0 0
15 0 0
10 10 0
9 0 0
5 16 0

, it gave

efforts as there could entitle any society to be called and ad-
mitted as a church society, then the Pastoral Aid Society
was all that it pretended to be ; indeed, it was the Church
Pastoral Aid Society. (Applause.) But, secondly, he must
that if there were any file

and
V
n
n

old, wh mould impede them in their
,vhatever dam y they (the society) miat
mu. ng out that tk y were a church society,
eed say little of ti task they had imposed
Ileum Ives o. their claim to the hon-
flair of churc. Yes, the name of church-
was i honoured e,—(cheers)—and• •as far as
n humble individual, %, s concerned, he did venture to
;hat he had no higher earthly ambition, as far as title
concerned, than to be esteemed both a warm and high
. (Hear.) But it might be that he, in common
ultitude, might be mistaken as to the true meaning

upon themselves of proving;
oured name of churchmen.
man was an b.--

churchman

with Ulf

t might be necessary to deny
ous, the comfot table truth of
)0 necessary to return towards

, at least as far as A'ppii Forum, forgetting that both
Lod captivity awaited them there—all these things might
!cessary. to entitle them to be called churchmen,
they were necessary, then he would confess that he was
churchman, and the society he had the honour to re-

.esent was not
.a church society. (Applause.) He had
i
,oken negatively on this point, but t he had spoken nega-
i by the society to their beloved
e was compelled to do so. He
ble to give substantial proof of the truth of

tively of the services rend

thought he w

r, at that time do

thing more than deal with general remarks. Mr. Irwen
who was to follow him would go into detail. 247 incumbents
1 already been aided by the society, and many of them by
re than a single grant. He was himself a pluralist on the
247, there was a pope_
Not to speak of the aid
—not to speak of the increased means of
xst into the treasury of the church £130,000
hey spoke of the church building society. He
happiness to say, that through the instiumentality of
ety, 154 churches had been already built—one within
his own incumbency, and there were 64 now in progress.

bounty of the society

.endered to sod
:race, they had c

Under tit

117 licensed places of worship had been opened in neglected
districts, and 37 more were contemplated. Great good had
been done by the distribution of tracts, prayer books and
homilies, &c. Their good example had been followed by the

Fund Societ

:iety had been established in lrela

common work go on and prosper, for it is in the name of the
Lord, and for the glory of his. great
.name." An attempt
had been made to establish a piece of rivalry—of unholy
between the.
.Church Pastoral Aid Society and the
ety ; but tl

were the irar-
tletnan objected to

that society bei

—a sister that they loved and prayed for. Ile sail distinctly,
that if there was an objection to the peculiarity of their prac-
tice, then let such person subscribee-go the other society ;
only, for God's sake, let no man be guilty of the hollow,
transparent, dissimulation of making the peculiarities of one
society an excuse for helping neither. What was the posi-
tion of the society in Liverpool ? He found that Liver-
pool received £6OO a year from this society, and that
she only returned £2OO in money. (Hear, hear.) He
must say, honestly and openly, that this ratio should be
inverted, and that instead of returning one-third of what it

received, it should give three times what it received. Where
the fault lay
.he did not presume to say. He was a stranger
and hardly known in Liverpool, but yet as a stranger address-
ing a Liverpool audience, he would venture on his own
responsibility to say plainly that he should have liked to
see some of the Liverpool champions who were not there.
He should have liked to have seen some of these champions
for the truth of. Jesus, who took an honoured lead in every
holy cause. He should: have liked to have seen them stand
there to advocate and to support the Church Pastoral Aid
Society. He would put it honestly to that meeting through
the chairman. Was it right, or was it not right, that those
champions of whom he spoke, should be forward in pro-
moting the came of foreign missions? Then they should
stand there with them. Was it right, or was it not right,
that those faithful men should have given their testimony in
behalf of scriptural education? Then it was right that they
should take their stand there. Was it right, or was it not
right, that they should have raised their voices against Po-
pery ? Then they should have been there. The champions
agains Popery ought to be the champions of the Church Pas-
toral Aid Society. He really thought that he ought to beg
liese observations, but he would only say that
11 his own ' - he 'alone would be responsible for
the rest of Liveriaoisil, he trusted that the report
of another year would pre.sent a very different account, and
he hoped that henceforward Liverpool would be found a
1, and consistent friends to the Church Pastoral

they wer

warm, liDer
Aid Society

)ING OULD seconde

the resolution. The
;ence of some of the

which had been cum-
ker, remarked that just at the time

Liverpool champions of this

the last 40 years

Ailed for it sprung into existence.
ine millions had been added to the
ind it
s in-

annually