Stalybridge Examiner, and Ashton, Dukinfield and Mossley Advertiser. — 1876-02-12 (Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, England)

UNITARIAN LECTURE IN THE COOPERATIVE HALL, DENTON. On Tuesday evening last, a very able and instructive Lecture was delivered in the above hall, under the auspices of the Uniterian Mission, by the Rev Douglass Walmsley, 8.A., of Bury, his subject being "the Devil." He commenced his lecture by a reference to the first chapters of the book of Genesis, in which the account of the fall was given, he denied the assertion of the orthodox doctrines that the serpent, which according to the passages quoted. is said to have tempted our first parents in the Garden ef Eden, was, or had any connection with our modern idea of a Devil, and he asserted and challenged contradiction, that, according to the account of scripture, the tempter of Eve was a serpent and nothing but a serpent, and that the author from his account, found in the bible, never had any idea of a devil such as we are in the habit of being taught, the existance of. He went through the scriptures, to the end of Revelations and claimed to have proved that the Doctrine of a devil was not in accordance rith the highest and purest ideas we entertain, of a just and merciful God. He said the doctrinal was a relic of an Aseatio Paganism, aid that prior to the captivity, the doctrine of a devil was unknown among the Jewish people. He characterised the popular idea of satan, as an ignorant, God-dishonouring superstition, which had permated the thoughts aud notions of the vulgar, and superstitious people of the middle ages, and culminated at that time in the murder of nine millions of God's creatures; for what the people in their woful ignorance and superstition designated witchcraft. He said that the popular idea of christianity, was a somewhat shuffling thing, that charged the wrong that we ourselves were guilty of, to the account of a diabolical agency, that God had created as powerful for evil as He himself was for good, and then after the sin and wrong was committed, we sought to free ourselves from the stain, by appealing to an innocent being that is said to have suffered the punishment in our stead. He said that every individual was responsibte to himself and to God for every sin that he committed, that according to the words of the Epistle General of St James. But evezy man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enti4ed. Then when lust bath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. The lecture which occupied upwards of an hour in delivering, was listened to with marked attention by a numerous and respectable audience. At :the close the chairman, (the Rev J. K. Smith), announced that questions on the lecture would be allowed and the lecturer would answer them to the best of his ability. A number of questions having been put and replied to, a resolution was moved by Hr. It. Kenyon, that the best tt auks of the meeting should be given to Mr. Walmsley for his very able logical and instructive lecture. A gentleman in the body of the room, moved as an amendment. That inasmuch as the views enuuuciated by the lecturer, are at variance with the truths of ohristianity, we are of opinion, that those views should not be countenanced by this meeting. The amendment wasput when three hands' were held up in favour, the original motion was then put to the meeting when the whole of the audience with the above exception, voted in its favour, the motion was therefore carried. After a vote of thanks was accorded to the Rev Mr Smith, for his impartial conduct in the chair, the meeting separated BRADFORD COMMIMICIAL BANKING COMPANY The forty-third annual meeting of the Brad, ford Commercial Banking Company was held on monday morning. The report presented to. the Sharsholders stated that the net profit for the year 1875 amounted to g43,678.4s 9d., ' which, with the sum of £3,358. 2s. 7d. brought forward from the previous year, gave a total of £47,036. 7s. 4d. to be appropriated. At the directors' recommendation, a divindend of 18 per cent- or £4. ss. 64. per share, free of income tax, was declared; £.2,000 was passed to the credit of the bank premises account, and £3,675. 14e. 10d. was carried forward- tcrthe profit loss account for this