On this page

• Text (6)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    U4& THE LEADER. [Saturday,

  • 

    To the Honorary Secretary of the Working...

  • 

    THE BASIS OF KEPKESENTATION. (To the Edi...

  • 

    BELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS IN GLASGOW. (To the ...

  • 

    A SUGGESTION ON STRIKES. (To tho 1' Uito...

  • 

    numckb to coraa«roNJwijts. u Kmnnc « ovn...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Un,Sectarian Education Volfc Wo Uking M ...

    For the above admirable object , and by the means generally pursued , one would be inclined to think the baleful influence of speculative theology might have been escaped , as at least unnecessary . That this is not the caso , you may judge by an extract or two from their rules . Kule : 2 , ' * That the office-bearers and the committee of management "be selected from such persons only as agree to the following fundamental basis : —The publication to be scriptural , unsectarian , and free from party politics , and shall neither iqnore nor impugn the doctrinal basis . "

    " The doctrinal basis affirms the divine inspiration of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments , and their sufficiency as a perfect rule of faith and practice ; thfe divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ , with the atonement made by him for sinners , to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself , not imputing their trespasses unto them . " The 11 th rule states " That the constitution of the society he unaltekable as it regards the doctrinal basis ; " nor will they further permit t he same to be discussed . Other rules are matters of course .

    As I have some interest in the elevation of the working man , I regret exceedingly that the beneficial operations that such a society might effect , ( in preparing diagrams and promoting lectures upon objects of interest and advantage , ) should be damaged by the tendency and results of such or any doctrinal basis at all ; and hence the origin of the letter I have sent to the Honorary Secretary , a copy of which I inclose to you , hoping that you will make it public , so that public opinion may be enabled to check the erroneous tendency I think the society is likely to fall into . I have no doubt that you can , along with myself , inform this

    committee from experience , that they can do much better to interest and elevate the working classes , by practical matters at home , than by missionary scenes , Pagan murders , or foreign customs of ancient days . True , they may please mightily certain " very good young men" thereby ; but all must know that the people as a mass have other sympathies and interests , and t hey are not to be reached by any such Evangelical means . Believe me yours respectfully , John Holmes .

    U4& The Leader. [Saturday,

    U 4 & THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

    To The Honorary Secretary Of The Working...

    To the Honorary Secretary of the Working-Mens ' Educational Union . Nevile-street , Leeds , Nov . 14 , 1853 . Deae Sir , —I was not at home when your report reached here , and hence it has been overlooked . Your circular , of the 9 th , has directed my attention to it , in your request to forward my subscription to your society . On a former subscription I believe I stated , very decidedly , my objection to your doctrinal basis , as a basis for such an union ; and especially to the

    affirmed unalterable constitution of the same , as provided by the eleventh rule . It was intended , moreover , to convey , that I should not subscribe again , on that account . Your renewed application seems to imply that I had not so expressed myself , or that there is some other claim , as to price of diagrams , & c , & c ., on which account , only , I inclose you , herewith , a post-office order for lO . f . hd ., begging , distinctly , tostate I shall not again subseribe , for tho reasons I wish , again , to reiterate .

    First , —For any avowed object ( or certainly for any proper one ) of your union , to improvo the condition of the working- classes , in my opinion such doctrinal basis is entirely unnecessary . All required is to do the thing tending to tho end , and to leave , carefully , all speculation alone . You could easily have done all you have done , without any doctrinal base at all : nay , I submit you might have selected much better subjects for diagrams , had you not been misled with it . Instead of pagan sacrifices and missionary scenes , you might have given an equal number , picturing the of the lo at home

    houses and dwellings poop , showing , truthfully , the bad arrangements and deplorable results , both iu a moral and Hanitary point of view ; and then you might have portrayed homes and habitations such ns the people ought and might have , by a , butter management and taste directing tho funds they now pay . Diagrams of a homo of taste , order , and health , fitted to tho means of a working man , with hinLs ol how to obtain it , would , I submit , ho quite as likely to interest and profit tho pooplo generally , as tho He abovo instanced . Why go to ancient days and to the " East for habitations , manners , and customs , when

    England , Ireland , and ( Scotland teem with nueJi specimens as abound all round uh ? The true , peep-show " , horrific descriptions ( your own ) of your Pagan diagrams incline me to think we have already a HuOiciently depraved' taste , lor the night oj marvellous and bloody murders , without training up Mm * , —'——ihp young further by such hcoiich as you give . Aiu \ jt j [( rl ^ .- 'S [ . ^ B « j ? fc < iho moral evil of them ) cruelties nhould be attributed ^ j ^^^^^ pm ^ to Paganism , would he , as you muni , know , mont TrMv * ffi ^ x / $ Bfi *!® fr 8 * 3 MV * true . J ? oth Jewish and Christian prao-&/* 3 o # ^^^ ffSl ^ ' x ^>^ ten r * N ( 1 < ' * my thing you could represent & tT ^'^ i ^'^ ll ^ r ^*^ ' " ^ I ^ ' ^ an might paint . Ioptlm ' n vow , * £ ~ iif > jlr 4 & JJ & iw * i fite */ 1 slaughters , and , , ( Saimid ' H , when Situl £ c . Hi / - /^ P ^ S jr aowejOnorcy , " -m l nay , '' thus said tho Lord to tho < fe / f ^ 'Y *¦' ' "•?*? $ rffi / Ww ^ A i > ilSim might paint from tho crusades , tho \ \^ '" V ^ s Inqufifttion , Vox ' is Book of Martyrs , and Puritan for-^^ rJa ^ *

    secutions , —most thrilling pictures , and say ^ ' Thus did the Christians , to show their love of God / You would protest , of course , against such abuse , and so would the Pagan . But , if true , I submit , most strongly , such scenes of cruelty are neither profitable nor in good taste . - Secondly , — -Upon the views entertained in your Doctrinal Basis , I am not inclined to waste one word ; but I must protest against that old Mede and Persian

    spirit of your rules , which admits of no alteration . Your Eurclca , is the last and a most deplorable form of the Mediaeval spirit of Popery—viz ., Infallibility . Wherever this is dominant , there reigns Popery . The name of the Church—whether High , Low , Evangelical , or Dissenting—is of little moment ; where they exhibit ( as too frequently the case ) that common bond of hate to all who differ from them , and exclude all others from all benefits they themselves

    aspire to . . . Such is a view your Society has placed itself m from its Doctrinal Basis ; and though ' you have published sundry commendations lipon your cause from correspondents , I do not request you to publish this ; only , as you are a public society , advocating claims upon public grounds , I hold myself at liberty to do so ; at the same time hoping the good you might do by the means in your power may not be damaged by the incubus of disputable and doubtful polemic dogmas . Yours respectfully , John Holmes .

    The Basis Of Kepkesentation. (To The Edi...

    THE BASIS OF KEPKESENTATION . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) Sir , — As I imagine that the readers of your paper are not of that order of mind which is apt t 6 take alarm at suggested innovations in political matters , I venture to think that you may be not unwilling to afford a place in your " Open Council" to the following remarks . Matured or well digested they make no pretensions to be considered . Their only aim is to contribute in a small degree to the radical investigation of the great subject to which they relate—the basis of the representation . It is no new thing to regard the case of the great mass of the unrepresented as briefly this . They ask of the existing powers , "Why have we no share in the government ? " The reply is , though not in terms so direct , " because you are ignorant , " '' Then , '' _ they reioin , " help us t o acquire knowledge ; we are ignorant enough to think that you possess the power to do so , but are wanting in the will or in the talent to make use of it . " To tliis remonstrance there is no answer at all . Now , I want to see the unrepresented come forward and take up their position as follows , or I shall be glad to be informed wherein such a course is impracticable : —

    " We are ignorant , as you say , but with some exceptions . We venture to maintain , without offenpe , that your situation is the same as ours . We are ready to abide by this standard of your own selection . Let the House of Commons represent the knowledge of the country such as it is . Cannot you devise the means by which this may be accomplished ? No ? then don ' t bo alarmed , but have the goodness to consider . You know the Church Catechism ' >¦ that is , you are aware of the existence of ouch a production , and have a general acquaintance with its contents ? Very well ; that is not a strictly historical compilation . But it might have been . It is' founded on history , but it giveB its

    own version of facts , and adorns them after its own fashion , and favours us with its own convictions respecting thorn . But it would have been quite possible to convey as much information on its subject-matter , in a form strictly historical ; either clonely limited to original facts , or adding any Htatomont of opinions as matters of history . Now , imagine a State Catechism of thin supposed character . There aro plenty of able men who could represent Q . converging with A . to the ox tent of a hundred amicable interrogatories and rc-Hponses , in such a manner as should embrace an elementary Hkot < : h of the political history of England , and of tho principles of general polity , representative government , and political economy , «« laid down in the workti of certain authors . For the electoral qualification let every grown man who chooses have put to him of these hun

    in a public court , and viva vocc , ten out - dred <| uostioriH , and he required to answer cigljt or nino , in Ihr own wohIh , <> r in those of the Catechism , to the satisfaction of two out of three examiners appointed by tho Queen .- We will endeavour to qualify ourselves to this extent . If we- succeed our knowledge will render uh , in your view of the ease , disposed to support your yironent legislation , and to abstain lrom all innovation . If tvo fail we shall Btill be ho far gainers that Home addition will have boon mado to tho political knowledge < : f tho country at large . We do not not a high value on the amount of knowledge ho obtained by any individual ; but yet it may bo elementary , not superficial . And if an approaching registration should present tho upootaelo of rival parties inducing- ' the iaol > ' to achieve only a parrot-like repetition of the answers in the State CkteohiHjn , yet even mush a * cram' as thin would not fail to be at least an improving to all coucorncd jva thu tank at present provided

    for the elector ' s bodily digestion . Let if you will those who are already on the register remain there . We believe that from our ranks the Catechism plan would merit as many as from your own . "—I am , sir , yours , & c . QUiESTOR .

    Beligious Movements In Glasgow. (To The ...

    BELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS IN GLASGOW . ( To the Editor ofthe Leader . ) Sib , —In the hope that it may be interesting to your readers , I take the liberty of forwarding you a short sketch of some strange proceedings here , in the name of religion . A body of young men , bearing the name of the Glasgow Young Men ' s Christian Association , engage lecturers , chiefly from the ranks of the clergy , to instruct the youths of the city in various matters . One of the gentlemen thus engaged , delivered a lecture , lately , upon science ; and , in the course of its delivery , took occasion to warn his hearers against believing in science , when it contradicted what he was pleased to call divine science , as revealed in the Bible . Those who think for themselves will understand the sacrifice

    they are required to make . Under the auspices of this society we have also been favoured with a course of four tirades against infidelity , by a Mr . Brewin Grant . This gentleman ' s forte seems to be personal abuse and mimicry , seasoned with a coarse substitute for wit , which makes a good many think that his proper walk in life would have been the circle , and his dress the clown ' s . Much as I regret what I conceive to be the errors of secularism , I regret , yet more , such advocacy as Mr . Grant ' s , which will never reclaim a single secularist , but may make a few scoffers .

    Another and highly pugnacious association is the Protestant Laymen ' s , who , having apparently bullied the Roman Catholics into silence , have turned upon the Morisonians , to ruin whom they are covering the walls with most unchristian placards . The Morisonians offer to discuss the subjects , ( predestination , & c ., ) if any minister , or person appointed by a number of ministers , be put forward . During this mural controversy , the Rev . James Morison , the gentleman from

    whom the body takes its name , indulges in denunciations of Unitarians as infidels , which are temperately and ably replied to by the Rev . H . W . Crosskey . At the request of a committee , formed of Unitarians , for the purpose of obtaining men of enlarged thought , though of no particular church , to lecture here , George Dawson , of Birmingham , delivered , during last month , a course of four lectures . The lectures were excellent , and well received , even by

    those who differ from his theological views . The Free Church has appointed a fast day , as a protest against the infidel opinions of Lord Palmerston ' s letter , and has also given another proof of its staunch orthodoxy and illiberally , by refusing baptism to the child of an omnibus driver ,-because he worked between sermons ! „ , T ,, . Notwithstanding all this jarring of socts , i tiuiiK w « are making progress . Perhaps the reaction from such bigoted intolerance may aid this glorious purpose . Apologizing for the length of this letter , I » m '] VJ respectfully yours , W ' Qlaswm , 14 th Nov ., 1853 .

    A Suggestion On Strikes. (To Tho 1' Uito...

    A SUGGESTION ON STRIKES . ( To tho 1 ' Uitor of the Leader . ) Bradford , Nov . 21 , 1853 . Shv-Ah a remedy for the prevention of trade strikes and the evil consequences arising theref rom , J . bog suggest that a National Association bo forthwith commenced for the purpoao of raising a fund to promote co-operation on a largo scale in trade or nwj ^ the mean * to be obtained by subscriptions of not Us than 3 d . per week , until each Hubscriber has con „ bated U ., Uio money ,, to bo placed m charge « rf m , orc than six Individuals ( men of ^ f ^' ^ l apathies are with tho people ) , who sludl 1 ^ U

    ZSTZ ^ over the * funds in their . PP ^ And until the capital fa squired in formaUou ^ obtained from all parti * engaged m &* ™»™» ™ and manufactures , ho that tho best and wo » t ^ able might bo selected for a ^ nnnence . oont . ^^^ & C . iLL- ^ rrrrrrr ---.

    Numckb To Coraa«Ronjwijts. U Kmnnc « Ovn...

    numckb to coraa « roNJwijts . u Kmnnc « ovn i . ** . -l « * " ° . ^ ^ J « , o t oft «> r "Tlio KwHlan lord had not provided , " & a , « . «! , luw had not provided , " &<> . « BuBHtaa ruMlofttlono m London , " noxt w « elc

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 26, 1853, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26111853/page/16/