rbe aletrapaTil.
Tile Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty held their twenty-third anniversary meeting on Saturday, at the City of London Tavern. The large room was well filled, principally with Dissenters of various sects. Among the gentlemen present, were the Earl of Durhatn, Mr. Abercromby, Mr. Tennyson, Mr. Lambton, Mr. E. J. Stanley, Mr. Wason, Mr. Baines, Mr. Langton, and Mr. Wilks. The chair was taken by Lord Durham; and Mr. Wilks, as honorary Secretary to the Society, proceeded to address the meeting ill a very long speech ; in which he detailed several of the minor grievances under which Dissenters and their ministers still laboured— such as being compelled to hold ell their chapel property in trust, being refused the privilege conceded to Churchmen of building their places of worship with bricks free of duty, and a few others. He expressed the strong feelings of disappointment with which the kite measure for abolishing Churelorates was viewed by the Dissenters; and hoped that .11i:timers would be prevailed upon to abandon it. He disapproved of Mr. Brougham's Registration Bill; he feared that it would be found impracticable: there was to be an intimate connexion between registra- tion and taxgathering, which was highly disagreeable. The resolutions were then moved, seconded, and carried unanimously. A great many gentlemen addressed the meeting; among whom were Mr. James of Birmingham, Mr. Carlisle of Belfast, Mr. Aber- cromby, Mr. Baines, and Mr. Tennyson. When the second resolu- tion—denouncing the compulsory support of Church Establishments— was about to be pet from the Chair, Lord Durham intimated his dis- approval of the principle therein involved, but said he would reserve his remarks till the close of the meeting. The third resolution ex- pressed disappointment at the Ministerial measures for the relief of the Dissenters. This called up Dr. Lunt Carpenter, of Bristol ; who was beard very unwillingly, as he attempted a defence of Ministers, and argued, that as Maynooth College and the Irish Presbyterians re- ceived national support, such support ought to be given to maintain those glorious edifices, our abbeys and cathedrals. The greater part of Dr. Carpenter's speech was inaudible, from the shouts of laughter with which he was greeted.
Mr. Abercroinhy spoke in reference to a resolution in which thanks Were given to the Members of Parliament then present, and to others who had advocated the cause of the Dissenters. He said,
Loosest :It the signs of the times. he could nut disgoise from hitwelf, that the ques- tion of a Volutatioy't hureh had assumed an attitude, aud had taken such deep mot hi the public nu iii, as made it indispensably necessary that Ministers and Legislators should pav the deepest attention, in order that the latter, as honest Represoutatives, might ascZatain how notch they ought to 'demand, and that the former should Le in to say how much they could consistently grant. This he would at onee say. that every aunt had a t clear, legitimate, and indisputable title. not only to maim nit' his own opinion that a separation of Church front State would be for the benefit of reli- gion, but thud he hal also a clear and indisputable right to enforce those opinions both by writing and in speaking. Ile held also, that it was very tit there should be a cont. petition between those who maintained the Voluntary Chinch principle and those who supported au Established Church. in order to show On Whiell side the mulvantage was to be Maud. Ruth tlw Volentary Church awl the Established Church must be tried by the test of utility. We lived in times when lawless institutions were proved :tot to be fur the benefit of the public; it was totally idle for them or for any man to say he would maintain and uphold them. They mold not successfully oppose the public voice. There ought, then, he thought, to be a free competition between the two. to show on which side the advantage lay. The supporters of a Voluntary Church would not hesitate to miter into such a competition, and the Established Churchman ought not to shrink from it. (Mb h 6a: ring.)
A resolution of thanks to Lord Durham was carried unanimously, with three cheers, the whole meeting standing up. It was expressed in these words-
Thut last, but most willingly. the Society express their grateful delight th it the Right Honourable the Earl uf Durham has presided at this Meeting: mid they profit eagerly by the occasion to apprise him of the general admiration and atmehment he has won, not merely by high rank and eminent Litton, but by his exertions in the cause of Reform—by the liberal principle's Ise has ever avowed—by his frequent and spontaneous interpositions on behalf of Dissenters—and by the sacrifices he must have made to increase the welfare of the People, anti to promote kouwitalge, freedom, and happiness, throughout the land." Lord Durham, in returning thanks, alluded to the orderly manner in which the meeting had been conducted, with one exception ; which was perhaps owing to Dr. Carpenter's having shown a little want of taste in breaking in upon the arrangements. He proceeded to express Lis opinions regarding the separation of Church and State— Mr. Wines (the Honorary Secretary) would admit he had' sail to'him frankly and fairly, that he could not consent to any proposition which iuvolverl a question as to the propriety of the Church being separated from the State: these sent ttttttttt he had al. ready expressed in Parliament, and they were awl' as lie should always consider it his duty to express in any society or place in which he might hear the separation of the Church trout the State recommended. this eonstientiems opinion, then. eats that Om Church wa. bound to tender religious instruction to all the members of the State. In the present Ignorant awe itueducteted coutlitiou of the great mass of the population of this come ry, he ceusittered that it would be tne.t improper to leave the lik S Ithtillt any religious lust rue at all. Ile thought it would he mo't unwise to 11,1Ve persons to the tituiiiuCilitti ut rel Ocala sects. some of whom 'night endeavour to gain favour and support by ithreasiug their prejudices and fiatu ring their igourance. He was aware that the Dissenters were not unanimous themselves upon that subject. 'there was another point of view in which the questiou of atelier:akin of Church tend State should also be put— In the Illonse of I unitnons, from the best information he had been able to colleet, out of upwards oh' GOO Member-. nut thirty woad vote Our it ; awl in the 110tlfg, of Lords not a single Peer would be tunnel to support it. '1 he country. he was bound to tell them, was not now prepared for it. It had beeti admitted by some Of Its most :admit suppor.e.s. w Ito Imo mime ilr• must sanguine calculations, that they could not expect it noiyutity of opinions in layout 01 the stpittai ion. There was not one single individual and he w lute I it to be understood that Ile spoke this ads ) in pantie life whose sopport they coat' calculate out. m hose aid auit assistance was worth hi: .'" g ce hits% tut the ()die( hand, tint bare agitat mu of the question raisel fears and prejtiaiees, and bitter hostitity — operating nut merely ou the speeillatiVe gitieSti011 itself. but tali-ming the reuress UI thwe arknow edged grievances of 0 Inch nothing but their own improdence could prevent the settlement. lwy would disqualify their friends froM net log in their behalf. :Ind increase the power of their ellenties tenfold in looking to thew climes. he ;Minted 10 the tie win with w hint thus point bad been taken up by that intolerant faction w hick hall ever ttistiugnished themselves by opposition to the Dis- &otters- clams, awl by the avidity with 0 leelt those who only Ito, etl to raise them- selv es to eminetwe by COnflitiittil awl civil discord, have seised oil the Deelaration, to velliell they would irrev..cably hind the Dissenters. Ile earnestly prayed that the we- hallow rut de.igtis of both p mies cc outlet be defeated.
With respect to the measures now before Parliament, the course to be taken by the Dissenters wits plain : they should support those which they improved of, und petition for the withdrawal of the others.
The British and Foreign Unitarian Association held their annual meeting at the chapel in South Place, Finsbury, 011 Wednesday even-
ing. Mr. Richard Potter, Alember igan, %vas in the chair. The report of the Alanagieg (;onintittee was only partiully approved of. A passage in which the Alarriage 11111 of Lord Joint Russell was men- tioned with " gratitude end pleasure," was expunged by a huge majo- lily, alter a very warm and even violent discussion. 'The remainder or the evening was taken up in debating the question of the separation of Church and State. It was got rid of by one of the members moving the previous questa:it ; which was carried by a majority of 9.
Mr. Clay, Member for the Tower Hamlets, met a considerable number of his t onstittients ,it it public dinner at the Alermatid l'avern, in Hackney, on IVeduesday. After several preliminary toasts had been (baulk, the health of Arr. Clay %'as given ; and that gentleman returned thanks, in a speech continuing a number of remarks on the proceedings of Pal liament and the conduct of 'Ministers. lie unaided to the reduction ii Iieh hail been effected in the Estimates for the year ; the promised repeal of the House-tax ; the advantage of repealing the. ‘Viielow-titx also, which he Wall certain &night be done with perfect surety ; and to the Election Purifying Bills. Of these itictustires
generelly approve. Ihit, he continued, " with regard to our other iiruvectlings, they may, I fear, be best described by negatives."
st, s Isos not ahrogattql the Corit laws; we have not revise.' the Pettsion.li-t ; mc e have not r.snoved any at t he insulthig ttisqualifications or unjust burdens wit u press open mita,e tt:tr hien whit ettieeitmuuttsiy dis..ient trout I he rite: sod doom 431'3 tf the liNtahlishell tilmatelt. Upon this eptestion of might y and growing impat, ote cc ill pardote Me if I ow a momeut owelt : it is by very far the most momentous, whether as regaids I relatta or En,,talet. Well is likely either he this or perhaps Limey ,att,,,quelit years to Coale U •I• I tic con:diktat ion of Pat liament ; and it is grab if ing awl u',,utos. l.uuur I. lute to have tit s opistr, unity of caplet tt i tt g to you my opinion on Rs preseut state th the hijustice :dm a ltsto duty involved in the calliug Oliva any a & . to contri- bute to the support of a ham wordtip. or dee. not i artaleg and gown:Witt i,uuu'e iii -apiece es, unit t•NINI:itig•utty oft of the irople to civil reaprel Rica - toms :end itividivellivim.5, Olt the iztvliiitt of Ilicit' ilksetit frOill tine faltairell portion ef tl.etr cit,zens ill matters or ridigioliS lujI Mous—of this Illionialy iti the laws alai lost it In Mos om a tree et.tintry. its of every miter :these in ten surf d system. Ireland afErtis all' 1110,4 SI liki11,4 intistratiou, the most grim ous instatme."
lie referred to the question of the Repeal of the Critical, against which be lied conscientiously- voted-- - Yet, Cu ith iuiulu 1,55 110 s CS strt.114 i7 111:11,11.11C to entertain of the ruin which ',mild follow itepeal in the Union--; hut, kdig it would be little short of ias wily tor a British At ads. er 10 C1111Se1a 10 1s1.61 a Inca e— nut Lolly Catt I ilPrg i re ail!, I t i-Ilinali he- urging it, w Inlet Iretautt endures the erievuo; Wrongs to Which lit ale bithjeileit Olt the bride of religious 1., Isl. tea I rennet reci thud et. van wholly jilt hi)' the maintaining, by 00 alio'. force of England, Ihe Legislative 117 'lion, whilst these %% rungs are ttttt otte,scit. Ittit tor the Luion with England. the Irish Church Estu• blishinent could Ida tor all litItir ; and I calillot allow that our argu- ments a,,t iui$ ittpeal ate complicit., whilst Olie single awaaure orj Ile ice is Oil Miele by the It tined Parliament nhieh a separate Parliament in Ireland would infallibly awl immediately coucetle."
Wit hin it week, the question of the maintenance of the existing Irish Church Establishment would be decided- - Long. 1:apprehend. shall we have reason to recoiled, either for good or for evil, the decision to which we may come upou it. Although '10i to the nature of that decision I 1:011rebS my fears prepowierate. yet one eircunistaoce gives me hope. One or tlic Veld-
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