The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-28 00:00:00

of Wrenbury, CI

the-Fields), the Rev. W. Falloon,

the Rev. W. Maynard, the Rev

Joseph Baylee, the Rev. H. Carpenter, the Rev. W. W.
Ewbank, Rev. A. Knox, Rev. J. C. Hamilton, Rev. J. R.
Connor, Rev. E. Parry, Rev. Seddon (Salford), Rev.
Maginnis, Rev. W. Rawson, Rev. J. B. Chalmers, Rev.
Green (Knotty Ash), Rev. B. A. Marshall, Rev. Hill,
Rev. W. Moriarty, Rev. S. Cragg, Rev. Graham, Rev.
S. Boutflower, Rev. Hugjies, Rev. R. Davies, Rev. T.

Gardner, Rev. E. Jones (Winwick). Rev. D. James, Rev.
Meredith (St. Helens), Rev. Clarke (Chester), Rev.
J. N. Peill, Rev. T. Ingham (Rainhill), Rev. Longueville
(Hoylake), Rev. Howarth, Rev. W. Pardon, Rev. S.
Fenton, Rev. J. Badham, E. Jones, Esq., Forde,
Esq., T. T. Glazebrook, Esq., C. S. Parker, Esq.,

C. Boutflower, Esq., C. Cotesworth, Esq., T. B. Horsfall,

Esq., John Howard, Esq., James Parker, Esq., William
Rowett, Esq., John Sheppard, Esq., John Rigby, Esq.,
W. Gurden, Esq., G. Langtry, Esq., John Middleton,
Esq., Samuel llolme, Esq., R. Harbord, Esq., Turner,
Esq., W. Jones, Esq., Preston, Esq., J. G. Duncan, Esq.,
W. Forsyth, Esq., A. Brown, jun., Esq.

On the motion of Mr. JOHN. RIGBY, seconded by the
Rev. W. W. EWBANX, the Rev. Dr. Tattershall, Incum-

bent of St. Augustine's Church, Shaw-street, was unani

mously called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN then said,—MY Christian friends, it ba,
been ever the custom of the Protestant Association, from it:
first formation, to commence all its meetings, whether of the
committee or of its members, with an act of prayer and
supplication to Almighty God, for his blessing upon the pur-
pose of their coming together. (Hear.) lam sure it will be
your desire, as well as my own, that the present occasion
should afford no example of a deviation from so excellent a
rule. (Cheers.) If even in regard to the affairs of this life
it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps—if even
in reference to the affairs of this world, the ignorance and
the shortsightedness of men are such, that it becomes needful
for us to ask Divine direction and support; much more,
surely, will the same hold to be true, when the object we
have in view is the maintenance of the truth of God in its
integrity, the promotion of true religion, and the inte-
rests of the kingdom of Christ anions, mankind. (Cheers.)
I shall therefore, with your perinission, beg my reverend
brother, Mr. Nolan, to open the proceedings of this meeting
with prayer to God for his blessing. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. THOMAS NOLAN then offered up a most im-
pressive prayer.
The Cu AIRMAN, on the meeting resuming, addressed them
as follows :—M y Christian friends, as we have now been en-
gaged in an act of devotion, as we have been invoking the
presence of. Almighty God upon our meeting together, I trust
I do not flatter myself with any vain expectation, if I express
a hope that in answer to prayer, the blessing may be vouch-
safed; and that all the remainder of our proceedings this
day may be suitable with this beginning—(hear)--that both
with regard to speakers and to hearers, it may prove that
there has existed among us that consciousness of the divine
presence, that sobriety and thoughtfulness by which our whole
procedure may be of a character suitable to that with which
it has commenced. (Hear.) It is usually, I believe, ex-
pected that at the commencement of a meeting like this, the
individual who has been selected to have the honour of occu-
pying the chair, should offer some few observations with re-
gard to the nature of the object for which the meeting is
convened. In my own individual instance, I think I might
not unreasonably plead to be exempted from any further exe-
cution of a duty of this kind, because the object of our meet-
ing is at once so simple and so well known ; and, because,
moreover, I have, upon former occasions, endeavoured, as
well as my poor ability would allow, to explain the purpose of
the Protestant Association. But I can scarcely persuade
myself to forego altogether the privilege of the position in
which your kindness has placed me, of offering to you a few
remarks, even though it may possibly be at the risk of tread-
ing upop ground which, it may be thought, belongs more
properly to those who should follow me. I observe, then,
that the nature and objects cf our association are explained
in the very title of it. (Hear.) It is the Protestant Asso-
ciation—(cheers)—it is an association for the promotion of
the principles of protestantisrn—that is, for the promotion of
pure, of original, of primitive Christianity—(renewed cheers)
—of Christianity not mutilated, not defiled, not deformed, as
represented by that fallen part of the Christian church, whose
degraded religious condition we cannot too deeply lament—
but, as restored, as set free from all the incrustation and de-
filements by which it his been despoiled of its beauty, by
which the harmony of its proportions has been disturbed, and
by which Christianity itself has been bereft of its life-giving
power, and made inefficacious for the great purpose for which
it was revealed of God to man. (Hear, hear.) We meet, my
Christian friends, now, under circumstances extremely dif-
ferent, totally different, from those in which we have been
placed upon former occasions. (Hear, hear.) Since the time
that we last met together, it'has pleased Almighty God—for
it is from Him that cometh down every good and perfect
gift—to bring to pass a wonderful change in our national cir-
cumstances and condition. When we last met together our
national affairs were in the hands of men, a not undistin-
guished individual in the number of whom is reported (and
I know not that any contradiction has been given to the re-
port) to have said, with regard to some contemplated mea-
sures, that they would inflict "a heavy blow and great dis-
couragement" upon Protestantism. (Hear.) Now surely,
when we consider what Protestantism is—that Protestantism
is neither more nor less than primitive Christianity in all its
beauty, and• glory, and power,—when, I say, we consider
Protestantism thus, and remember that the design was
coritemplated of inflicting "a heavy blow and great discou-
ragement" upon it ; when we consider, moreover, that it is
by virtue of Protestantism that our beloved Queen holds the
crown of this realm—(great cheering)—when we consider, I
sayr; that Protestantism is such in itself, and that it stands in
such a relation to the monarchy which we love, and of which
we will be the firmest supporters ;—(cheers)—to think that
the affairs of the state should have been in the hands of any
men who could talk, or contemplate a case, of inflicting a
" heavy blow and great discouragement" upon Protestantism,
—(hear)—we cannot but rejoice to think that the affairs of
our nation,—that the chief administration of them, is in such
hands no longer. (Great cheering.) We cannot but rejoice
to think that since the time we met together before, the very
important and imposing ceremony has been performed, and
performed at the instance of the whole nation, of politely
handing over the gentlemen who occupied that position to the
opposite and less influential side of our legislative houses,—
(hear)—and that the affairs of the nation are now in the hands
of others, of whorls we have reason to be proud, of whom we
have reason to rejoice, that they can be safely entrusted to
their hands. (Cheers.) And though it be true, unfortu-
nately, that our present rulers do not see some things precisely
in the light in which we see them, and do not take in all re-
spects, and to their full extent, the measures we could desire
them to take, yet we have still the assurance that no case
would be contemplated by them, or be otherwise than re-
pudiated with indignation, which could be supposed to in-
flict, or which they tbought would prove, " a heavy blow
and great discouragement" to Protestantism. (Cheers.) I
shall be understood in one remark which I have just
made, to be alluding to what we cannot but consider
their inconsistency in the continuance of the grant for the
support of the College of Maynooth. (Cheers.) I see
already that the vast assembly before me joins in this re-
gret. (Hear.) It could not but have been a delight had
we seen, as one of the first acts of the new administration, a
measure so inconsistent as that of supporting idolatry (for
such it is) utterly repudiated. (Hear.) I regret it upon
another account, because I believe to have discontinued that
grant at the first moment of the new administration coming
into power would have been an easier work than at any sub-
sequent period. (Hear, hear, hear.) One feature, as in
some measure connected with this, of the proceedings of a
former government deserves, I think, to be mentioned. It
is well known that there has existed for a long period a so-
ciety in connexion with our national chureh—an incorporated
society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts—
that is, for the support of the Christian Protestant ministry,
among many of our own countrymen, professing Christians,
who are expatriated from their own land, who have from vari-
ous causes been compelled to retire to the British colonies.
Now, for a long time this Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts received the support of government;
I think, indeed, that the sum of £15,000 a year was voted
by parliament in aid of the support of that society, for the
maintenance of the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in
our foreign dependencies. (Cheers.) Now, surely, one
might think that if it were thought a necessary thing to
withdraw the sum of £15,000 by the year from the support
of the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, it would not
have been too much to expect that £lO,OOO a year should
' also be withdrawn from the support of error. (Great ap-
plause, and cries of " hear, hear.") I may venture also one
remark upon a subject which affects us, somewhat more
nearly, at home. Not only has a change taken place in the
administration of the affairs of the nation generally, but a
not less remarkable change has taken place, nearer home, in
the administration of the affairs of our municipal corpora-
tion. (Hear, hear.) To one particular subject to which
the support of the corporation is directed, and in which of
all others the deepest interest is felt by our whole commu-
nity, I may be permitted very briefly to advert. (Hear.)
I shall be very well understood already to mean the question
concerning the mode of conducting our corporation schools.
(Hear.) It is never any part of my intention to attach need-
less or extravagant blame to any party or individual what-
ever; and I am perfectly willing to believe and concede (if
it be considered a concession) that the individuals who had
heretefore the conducting of the affairs of those schools, and
who suffered Roman Catholic error to be taught in them,
may have been acting—and I believe they have been so
acting—from a mistaken sense of duty. (Hear, hear.) But
a mistaken sense of duty is a mistaken sense of duty; and
when a mistake, especially a serious mistake, is made, it
cannot but be matter of rejoicing that such a mistake should
have been found, and received its appropriate correction.
(Hear.) The Corporation Schools are now under the go-
vernment of a committee, upon which are found men—l
know them to be such—who have the spiritual as well as the
temporal interest of the children in those schools at heart.
I rejoice also to say, that the Education Committee is under
the presidency of a chairman who has the interests—the
best interests—of the children of those schools at heart.
(Renewed cheers.) And I will further venture—looking
for the blessing of God upon their endeavours—upon the
prediction that ere long they will be found (yes, they are
found now) to work effectively for the real benefit of a vast
multitude of children who shall receive instruction in them ;
and that notwithstanding all the endeavours (and many en-
deavours have been made) to hinder their progress and
impede their effective operation, the power and blessing of
God will be found too strong for the enmity and the opposi-
tion of men. (Hear.) One remark more I wish to be per-
mitted to make, in reference to a sentiment said to have been
put forth by one, if not more, highly respectable individuals
in relation to this question—individuals whose views in
every other particular, which has conic at least under my
own notice, I have every reason to approve, and who, I
think, have spoken as they have, only because they have not
given the subject all the consideration they could and might
give it. It has been reported that one gentleman has recently
observed, that if our municipal body (I do not quote his
own words, but I am giving the meaning of them) gave edu-
cation at all, it must be education based upon religion ;
and that if it gave education based upon religion, it
must be upon the Protestant religion ; it must be true
religion ; and, therefore, if we are to have corporation
schools at all, they must be upon the principle which they
are now conducted upon, which we believe to be correct ;
but that a preliminary question first required to be set-
tled, whether it was necessary for them to be an educating
body at all? (Hear.) Now, if this question were to be
answered in the negative, the great subject of dispute and
controversy, which has occupied us so often in this place,
would be taken out of the way. But I think, my Christian
friends, you will be ready to bear your testimony to the
truth of the sentiment I am giving, when I say, that in such
a case the remedy would be worse than the disease. If because
education, if given at all in our schools, must be given upon
a certain religions system, and that certain system cannot be