The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL

OR Tuesday, there was a large and interesting meeting
of the members of the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts, held in reference to providing
religious consolation to the sick and wounded soldiers at
the seat of war. The Bishop of London, who presided in
the absence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, " would
not say that the Roman Catholics had set us an example,
but they had done their duty, and grieved inde'd should
he be if the Church of England were backward in treading
in the same steps. There was no reason, however, to fear
that. It was most gratifying to find that already, even
in the first moments of this endeavour, devoted men were
coming forward and offering their services to go out and
spend their time and strength in the good work, without
any reference whatever to remuneration—without looking
to any other reward than the answer of a good conscience
towards God, springing from ministering to Christ in the
persons of his suffering servants. They had present
among them two or three persons who had come forward
to dedicate themselves to this work of piety. Three or
four more had offered themselves, and he believed the
difficulty the society would have to encounter would not
be to find a sufficient number, but to choose from those
who offered themselves for the work of charity. He (the
Bishop) was authorised to state to the meeting, that the
movement now about being commenced would receive the
most cordial encouragement from Her Majesty's Govern-
ment, who had volunteered to do all they could, and who
had expressed themselves most thankful to the society for
so warmly taking up the matter. He might add that the
clergymen who might be sent out by the society would go
forth with the joint concurrence of the Church and the
Government of this Christian country."

Mr. A. J. B. Hope, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, pointed •out the necessity of succouring our fellow-
Christians in the East, and how wisely and well the
society bad met the xlifficulty. Mr. Hope suggested that a
Bishop should be sent out :—" Why should hot the society
go up to the Government, and ask at once for the appoint-
ment of a Bishop' He did not know whether any of our
present Bishops would undertake the duty. If the Bishop
of New Zealand, for example, could delay his return to his
distant diocese:for a short time,•his presence at the seat
of war would be hailed with acclamations of delight by
otir soldiery, for he was indeed a Ifissionary Bishop.
There were-very few legal difficulties in the way of send-
ing out one of the chaplains as Bishop, for there were
various acts- to render the consecration of Bishops more
easy than formerly. The Suffragan Bishops' Act of Henry
the Eighth, which had been long .dormant, might be re-
vived. The clergy in the East were peculiarly under the
episcopal superintendence of the Bishop of London, who
might appoint Suffragan BishOps, such Bishops on their
return from the East, being eligible for preferment, al-
though retaining their episcopal orders. This proposal
might at first startle people .I)y:its apparent singularity,
but would eventually recommend itself by its applicability
to -tie present emergency. With a Bishop camping with
thasoldiers and labouring in` hospitals, they might hope
to see the triumph of the 'Cross in connection with our
pokfical and military victories--a consummation which
should be the object of their dearest aspirations."
The Bishop of London-and the Chaplain-General of the
Forces pointed Out that the Government had not neglected
their duty in sending out chaplains ; never had so many
been sent out with an army, but it was impossible to supply
them with as many as could be wished. Mr. Gleig said fur-
ther :—" He had authority to.sts.te to the meeting that for'
every clergyman whom the society might send out under its
auspices, whatever might be allowed him out of the funds,
of the society, Government would give as much. He had
authority to state also, that a free passage would be pro-.
vided for each clergyman sent out, and that he would
receive the same rank, rations, .and quarters as though he
were a chaplain en the Staff. He did not think that the
Church would expect more 'from the Government. He
doubted whether an itinerant Bishop would be in his right
;place in a war. If they succeedectin evangelising the East,
:then would be the proper time to.send out a Bishop."
,The Rev Prebendary Murray, on the part of the So-
ciety for Promoting Christian Knowledge, offered to assist
the movement by the grant of any number of books that
3night be required.' _ _ _

The Chaplain-general to the Forces said, he had that
;day bought books to the amount-of £7O on behalf of the
,tiovernment, which would be forwarded forthwith to the
Hospital at Scutari.
The Bishop of London wished to add that St. John's
!House, Westminster, of which he ,was President, had sent
coat six of the nuraher of nurses, who had come forward the
rmoment they heard of the want that existed. They
:expressed great eagerness to go, without saying anything
about remuneration. They would be accompanied by the
Rev. C. P. Shepherd, the chaplain of the institution. The
Rev. Edward Owen, Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and
the Rev. C. E. Haden!, Curate of Crayford, who were in
tine room, were going out, and in the name of the Church
he (the Bishop) thanked them for the disinterested zeal
which had led them to encounter such great difficulties for
the sake of Christ andhis Church. The Rev. Mr. Dealtry,
asen of the excellent Bishop of Madras, had also offered
his,services, if required.