The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-07-08 00:00:00

SERMON AND MISSIONARY MEETING.

On Sunday evening last, the lit v. H. lion ley
preached an excellent sermon to a large congre-
gation nt St. Thomas's Church. At the close of
the sermon a collection was made on behalf of
t'a) funds of the Society for the Propogation
the th.spo.l. and .4:1 7s ))(1 was fettlised.
A meeting was held in the Union Hall on
Monday evening (under the auspices of the or-
ciety for the l'iopagation of the (ospel). 'l),,
chair was taken by the Hon. ond liar. W.
Lyttelton, who ni a supported by the Revs. H.
Rowley, If. Intiard, J. S. Bolden), and 1).
Robertson. was a large attenJance oh
clergy and geotry from the town and neigh-
bourhood.

The Chairman, after referring to the object,.
of the society, which were for extending the
knowledge of the Gospel amongst the heathen,
and providing the means of grace for persons
who emigrate from our shores to foreign coun
tries, called upon the Rev. J. S. Boldero, vicar
of Amblecute, to read the statement of accounts,
It stated that there had been no meeting in the
town since the year 1868 ; the total receipts from
subscriptions and collections that year were £22
115; in 1867 they were over £2O ; in 1868 only
£l7 6a; in 180, £24 ; and in 1870, £2O. T 2.,.
annual subscriptions heti year by year been on
the decrease in consequence of the subscribee:.
being removed by death, and their places no.
being suiplied. The receipts for the present
year, including the collections made at the vari
one churches in the town and neighbourhood I ti
Sunday last, were over £2O. lie urged upon
those 'resent to become annual subscribers tn
the above Society to assist in the extension of
the Gospel.
The Rev. 11. Rowley was then introduced to
the meeting, lie said in consequence of the
representations that 11r. Livingatone gave of the
tribes of Central Africa, the late Bishop Mac-
kenzie was sent out there with several decoy.
men, including himself, 10 preach the Gospel to
' then,. When they arrived amongst them they
found that the iniquitous slave trade traffic wes
carried on to a considerable extent by the Por-
tuguese, who took bands of women and children
further into the interior of the Continent and
sold them to other tribes for ivory. The slaves
cost them very little to keep, and they frequently
obtained for each two elephant tusks, worth at
least £3O, which were sent over to Europe. On
several occasions the traders were stopped with
gangs when going through the village where they
were staying, and the slaves released ; and, upon
the traders finding that they were English pen.
pie, they fled for their lives. As means for se-
curing the slaves, the traders had supplied the
male population with tire-arnis and ammunition,
and then kept up continual wars with the vari-
ous tribes, whilst they carried off the women and
children. Bishop Mackenzie and his party,
however, succeeded in putting an end to the
slave trade in the district where they were loca-
ted, and instructed them in the building of
houses and the manufacture of warm clothing.
They taught them the Gospel, which was at-
tended with good results. Mr. Rowley gave a
variety of incidents which came under his own
observation whilst amongst them, and concluded
by giving a deserrption of the liabi's and cus-
toms of the people, and their devoted attach-
ment to the cause of truth.

A voto of thanks, upou the motion of the Rev.
1). Robertson, seconded by the Rev. H. Sher
rard, was passed to Mr. Rowley for his address,
after which the meeting terniinated with pro-
nouncing the benediction.

A linunaan WOMAN.—At the Public Office,
on Wednesday, before R. L. Freer, Esq., Sarah
'funks, a " Nymph," was charged with being
drunk and riotous in street, on the 4th instant.