The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-05-23 00:00:00

other
newly-
told or

rising to the highest offises in the Church. He felt
shame for thoee of his countrymen who contended that
they were an inferior race. Long before Christianity
was known in this country, and when its inhabitants
were sunk in idolatry and ignorance, the African Church
could boast of men of the highest order of intelligence.
Mr. Glyn concluded by expressing an earnest hope that
by such meetings a more lively interest would be ex-
cited in the mission cause.—The Rev. W. H. Lynn said
he folly concurred in the remarks of the preceding
speakers as to the effect of mission work on the Church
at home. The Church Missionary Society was proved
to be based on • sure foundation. It neither encouraged
those latitudenarian views advocated by some on the
one hand, nor did it encourage or foster the return to
those ceremonies and practices which lead to Rein*, as
had unhappily been the case with several in their own
communion. The rev, gentleman then proceeded to
show :-Ist, The need for mi,sion was a real one; 2nd,
that the minion work was real; and 3rd, that the r,sults
were reel. It WU necessary to prove that the need for
missions was a real need, inasmuch as many at the pre-
sent day said that the heathen were well enough as they
were. Only lately he was reading a work by one who
had been sent out as • Bishop, whose arguments went
to show that the heathen were well enough as they
were. But they had only to read of the gross
superstition and idolatry of the Chinese, of the cruelty
of the Hindoo religion, and the harrowing accounts
contained in their missionary magasinee, to prose to
them that the heathen were am much in need of the Gospel
now as the inhabitants of this country were in former
days. The rev, gentleman related an instanoe of
gross superstition among the Chinese, who offered
sacrifices to devils ; and believing that a certain English
captain's soul, who had been a cruel tyrant, was trans-
formed into • devil, they presented offerings to it. This
proved the reality of the need for mis,ions. The
reality of the work was then proved by the rev, gentle-
man, and also the realty of the results. The latter
was proved by the fact that in Southern India alone
there were 87,437 converts, and if liberality in Christ's
cause was any proof of sincerity, these foreign convert.
were fully entitled to be considered sincere. The rev.
gentleman then gave several instances of their
liberality, their interest in mission work, and their
devotedness to the cause of Christ. He also stated
that their plan was to take a handful of rice, or other
articles, two or three times a day, and put it away for
the mission cause. The proceeds were collected every
now and then at public meetings, when it was decided
what should be done with the money raised. This
system of regularly setting apart something for God's
service he trusted would be adopted at home. To these
meetings they would travel a dozen mile and on one
occasion when the rivers were swollen by floods the
men had to swim through -an instance of zeal and
determination the rev, gentleman commended to those
at home, who often stayed away from a meeting on
account of rain.—The Rev. Canon Carus, of Win-
chester, who attended as the deputation, referred to the
first formation of the moiety some 50 years ago, and
contrasted its present state with the difficulties which at
first themselves to the pn meters of the Church
Missionary Society. He read an abstract of the
annual report, (to which we respectfully call the
attention of our readers, feeling assured that its perusal
will well repay them,) and then referred to the annual
meeting of the society held in London, at which the
Archbishop of Canterbury was present, and said it was
one of the moat remarkable meetings ever held in
London. He then gave a very interesting account of
the commencement of the Sierra Leone Mission, of the
difficulties they had to encounter through the unhealthi-
ness of the climate, of the zeal and devotion of the
late Rev. Edward Bickersteth, and of the ultimo...
success which had attecded their labours there. In
proof of the sincerity of the converts, he stated that
one of the judges remarked that 10 years previously
there were 4,000 people, and 40 sent for trial ; but,
through the establishment of mission schools, whilst
there was an increase in the population to 10,000, there
were only seven for trial, and not one from where schools
were established. He was afraid that not one of his
brother clergymen present could say that one-half of the
adults worshipping in his parish were communicants ;but
in Sierra Leone fully two-thirds were, and these were
subjected to a most searching examination. During
the past year the liberated negroes subscribed moat
cheerfully for the mission cause at one of their
meetings. Would those present pledge themselves to
give as much (laughter)? Well, • halt or a third. They
gave £95 12s. 11d. (Cheers.) The rev, gentleman then
passed on to notice the operations of the Society in
India, and remarked that where they had took
their stand, and required that the Bible should
be read in the schools, the missionaries had been pre.
nerved from death during the mutiny. He then alluded
to Sir H. Lawrence, who had every opportunity of
judging of the sincerity of the native converts, and
who out of his own pocket gave £7,000 to support the
schools where the Bible was taught. The rev, gentle-
man concluded by remarking that the agents of the two
societies of the Church—the Propagation Society and
the Church Missionary Society were working harmoni-
ously together, and urged upon the audience increased
liberality in the mission cause. Votes of thanks to the
deputation, and to the chairman were passed unani-
mously, and after the Doxology Was sung the meeting
separated.—The evening meeting commenced at half-
past seven o'clock. The chair was taken by the Rev. J.
R. Quirk, and after the meeting had been opened with
, prayer, the Rev. Mr. Wilkinson, of Poole, gave an interest-
' kg account of the mission work in Sierra Leone, and par-
ticularly dwelt upon the fact that no less a sum than
£20,000 was subectibed by those living at mission stations
who had become converted to the Christian faith. He
also remarked that their schools and other religious
institutions in Northern India were greatly supported
by the governor and other influential persons, which
proved that they knew full well the value of missions.
The rev. gentlem+n in alluding to the Industrial Exhibi-
tiori riAtout Co be held in Blandford, suggested that some
such plan might be devised for the aid of missionary
work, and reads piece of poetry on the same. wbich
had attended the aid given by a poor man and his wife
to the mission cause, who set apart an apple tree in
their garden for that object, showing that if people
could not afford to give money they could deny them-
selves of something for Christ's sake. The labour of
the hand could be given. The Rev. Canon Carus on
being called upon, gave a very pleasing account of the
success of missions in New Zealand, and read a portion
of a letter written by Samuel Martin, formerly a black-
smith in this country, who some 50 years ago went out
to Paramata, where he had the education of some
chiefs' sons confided to him, and afterwards determined
himself to go to the island. The rev, gentleman
described the scene of his first visit when surrounded by
the chiefs of that island in their warlike costume,
After preaching the Gospel to them he lay calmly down
in their midst and went to sleep. He then related the
success of the missionaries in that island, and alluding
to the war entirely exoulmited the natives from all
',statue. He also showed the effect that Christianity had
Upon them in their trials, relating that on one occasion
whilst the natives were at prayer on the Sunday our
troops fired upon them, but they did not rAurn the
fire. The rev. gentleman concluded by entreating his
hearers to increased liberality in God's cause, inciting
them to it by the example of the native converts in
Southern India, who gave at the rate of 17s. 6d. per
family each year to mission work. The meeting was
brought to a close by pinging the Doxology. The col-
lections after the meetings amounted to £l4 ss. 9c1.,
which added to the Sunday's collection made a total of
£34 58. 9d.