The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-08-09 00:00:00

PRE3ENT STATE OF THE CHURCH
MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The Very Rev. Dean Close gm a lecture in the Town-
hall, on To silay evening, upon the Yreaent State of
the Church M.saionern Society. John Moyer, E q.,
U. P., preaided. and on the platform there were—The
Rev. T. A. Falkner„ the Rev. H. 0. G. Mottle, the Rev.
J. Miller, the Rey. J. Q. [EA, the Rey. R. Smith, the
Ws. . W. Knipe, the Rev. W. Urquhart, and the
Rev.. P. Sylveetar. The hall was well tilled.

After prayers read by the Her. R. Smith. the hymn
rommeneing "From all that dwell below the skies,"
gra. song.

The CHAIRMAN said he believed it was usual for the
chairman to intrnelnoe—as it was called—the lecturer
on an incision like the present, and especially if that
lecturer happened to be • stranger. Hut be thought
he might say that Dean Close could hardly be looked
upon as a etranger in any part of England; still less,
he was happy to say, cenld he be regarded as a stranger
for some years past in the neighbourhood of the good
town of Dorchester—(hear, hear). He thought he shnuld
consult bin own holing, and their wishes heat by &eking
the Dean of Carlisle, as soon as Mr. Bird, who wished
to say a few words had spoken, without further prier ree
to enter upon th subject he had kindly undertaken
to lay before them that evening.
The Rev. C. J. BIRD add that in justice toe friend
of the society—Mr. John Mansel—he wished to say
that he had received a letter from him expreniag his
great regret that he could not be present, and adding
he was already workkg to diminish the large deficiency
the society is labouring under. If all abrient friends
would do the 114,11 C they would be very thenkful.
Dean Curse said he h It that an epology was den to
them on that occasion for his presentii g Mame f b fore
them unsought and unasked ; yet he was imie•lled te it
by his earnest lore for the cause they hail in nand,
from • deep seen of the necessities of their beloved
institution—the Church Missionary Society. and from
a fear lest amongst the multiplicity of ohj•cts now
*meninx the philanthropy and Christian feeling of our
own country, this good old cause should in any way fade
before their eyes. He will afraid, and he should show
ere he had done, there was cans- her apprehension that
unless all of therm whether influential or humble,
rich or poor, redouteled their efforia, the great c eternity
would fall upon them of being unworthy to bear the
truth of Christ amongst the Gentile nations of the
earth. With regard to the special subject before them
he might perhaps lay some claim to their attention as
for nearly 60 years—from his boyhood—this subject had
been interesting to his mind; he bad watched its pro-
gress and pleaded its cause for that long period and that
nicht account for the large acqueintance the Chairman
•itributed to him throughout the country, for he con.
feared that he had been a beggar for V e society—be
was not ashamed to ask In his Master's cane, and felt
honoured if God permitted him to move a single heart
to love Him more or to serve Him better. This society
had been familiar to him for many years, 1,0 that per.
hope he had a view of its progron and • more jun
apprehenionof its exact position at the present moment,
than most persons could have who had not so log
known it. Navin few of them wi re aware of the
total apathy upon the subject of foreign missions which
prevailed in this country for some WO years aft r the
comenenoeinent of the Reformation. It was true that
was . period when undoubtedly rsligion was Very mush
decayed throughout the country and especially in the
Established Church, so the stPij-ct of foreign minions
slumbered and slept. But Iroin that time the Church
of Rome made tremendous efforts to Propagate the
gospel according to in notions in the distant parts of
the earth • and whether thy believed that seal was
andirectaXl or otherwise, they must admit the 'Cornish
church was in the missionary field more than • century
before we stirred in the matter. It might be that the
Protestants of Europe generally were almost exhausted
in the elf irt to obtain their own independence, and
throw off the superstitions whrnte bad enthralled them;
but the heathen nations of the earth did not engage
the Protestant church to any great extent till the close
of the last and the comrnenoement of the present century.
It must aln be remembered that it wait about 100 years be-
fore a revival tookipl•ee in our own church. It was about
the year 1702 or 1703 that two now venerable societies
of our church were funded—the Christian Knowledge
Society arid the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts. They were the first germs of
Christian effort for God in our church beyond all
doubt, end their (Noche were clearly defined—the former
wan employed at home, and the latter in the colonies.
Afew yeava after the formation of those two institutions
the first missionary efforts arose in Germany—the
Moravian were first in the field; and then the
Lutheran., moved by the condition of India, endea-
voured to commence 'union work there. At that time
and for long afterwards, a missionary was not allowed
by law to set foot in the presidencies of this country in
India. Up to 1813 all plaoes were closed by bow agsiest
English neople or clergy men preaching the Gospel in
The Liatherens applied fir.t to the Promtgation
Society for help, and were told foreign minions were I
beyond the limits of their charter, and they could
• not assist; and, on going to the Christian Knowledge
I Society, they received a similar answer. But a few
I members of the Christian Knowled.ce Society were
greatly moved on the milli-et as individuals, and
grieved to send the Lutherans empty away; conse-
quently a little holy of pious members of
the Chriatian Knowledge Society rai•ed a fund in
that beh.if, and it went on year after year ; but
It was not fur 15 or 23 years or more that the Christian
Knowledge Society admitted an account of then little
subordinate minionary front; into their reports ; then,
from that time until 1813. the Christian Knowledge
Society, or its friends amongst themselves subecribed—
it was but a very small sum— from year to year in help-
ins those German missionatiee to spread the Gospel in
India. That was literally the whole the Church of
England did for 120 years in the missionary field. It
was true that here and there • few individuals and
several bishops supported foreign minions, but one or
two of the most eminent bishops actually pieaohed
against them, declared it was interfering with the
providence of God, that the injunction to preach the
gospel was intended only for the first ages, and not for
eters. We °mid hardly conceive it possible that
Christian men, mush less Christian Bishops, could do
that. But to shorten that part of the milling he would
conclude by remarking that up to 1820 not a single
. ordained clergyman of the Church of England was
Ipreaching the gospel to the heathen in any part of the
world. There were nevertheless chaplains in the East
India Company's service, who were missionaries in