The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-05-18 00:00:00

THI ANNUAL MEETINGS OF WESLEYAN
METHODIST MINISTERS.

The annual meeting of the Wesleyan Ministers for the
Exeter district are being held dining the current week at
Bridport. The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in South.
street, wee as a matter of course chosen as ttp building in
which to hold them. The number of ministers who
have arranged to take leading parts in these religious
ceremonies are as follows :—Rev. Thomas Nightingale, of
Exeter (ebsirman of the district). Rev. J. B. Allen
(Tiverton), Rev. James °Wings. mid Thomas Hammond,
returned missionaries (Lyme Regis and Taunton), Rev.
T. Bennett and Rev. J. Watson (Bideford), Rev.
Samuel Wesley (Teignmouth), Rev. Walter Lang
(Barnstaple), Rev. C. E. Wansborough, district financiel
secretary (Ilfracombe), Revs. J. Ryan and A. L
Hutchinem, resident ministers (Bridport). Thoth meet-
ings are held annually, but at Bridport may once in seven
years. At such meetings all the Wetness traneacted by
the committee is di/coned, and officers breach individual
district appointed for the ensuing year.
The per ceedings commenced on Monday evening by a
politic service in the chapel, when the Rev. John Watson
(Bideford) preached from John ix., 4, "I must work the
works of Him that sent me while it is day; the
night cometh when no man can a ode" The rev. preacher
point d out that Jeans Christ in His teaching taught
03 that we should live a life of monkish seclusion, but that
work was an important duty of man's life in whatsoever
condition he found himself. The forming of the universe
out of chaos we. the first grand work of God for man, a
work for which the cost was fully counted. Even man wasa
worker and had some sphere to fill. God never sent a man to
preach who could not make his own sermon, a seed.sower
who could not fill his own breed-basket If we are called
upon to work for G. d we must feel that we have the
responsibility of that glorious mission. Christ weeps and
toils to save the fallen troubled, and sorrowful, to save
them was His work and His mistime on earth, and such
WM the duty of those who laboured in His cause. Wesley
taught them to hate the sin with their wh de hearts, and
there were yet men who did so, men who were at the
present day willing to work the works of Him who sent
them, and although the martyr fires were not now lit
(thanks to some they are not), would be willing to suffer
for His sake. At the present day there existed men of
wonderful educational endownments, yet could not teach
an atom of Gods Word or do anything to further its
mission. There were men who, by perplexing questions,
thought to overthrow Christian truths. but Christianity
would Nave the population of tbe world yet Jesus taught
that gold and riches would not save • man's soul, we must,
by His help, work for ourselves and brethren. There was
• wide field open tout The whole world was our neigh-
bourhood, and every person to whom we could do good,
our mishbour. The days of miracles has passed away
with the childhood of the world, and men should apply
themselves to every object which invited them to exert
their labour,. Bin is real, justice is real, condemnation is
real, but with delicate words to ears polite some attempted
to pave the road thereto. God had given it to us plain
and real, and as such it should be preached. How many
ri,ya had been paused that might have been used for the
work of love, on behalf of the heathen and the destitute
at home. We should remember how soon life is pest and
days wasted that could never be re-called, days that might
have been improved in His glory. We must work, and the
results let the great multitude, which no man can nutuber.
beatify. The preacher impressed upon them the necessity
for and sanctity of this work, remembering that we have
• charge to keep and • God to glorify. True, there were
many 'hien to burden us, but nothing to dishearten us.
Sorely and slowly the time will come when this world
shall have but the law, one love, one light over all. Then
lemur shall mass, and the weary have rest, when tb•
kingdoms re this world shall become the kingdoms of our'
L rd Jesus atrial.
On Tuesday morale& at seven o'clock, • sermon was
Preached by the Rev. J. B. A 1162, of Tiverton, from
Philiopiees iii, venom 111 and 14. This was an earnest
appeal for Christian week.
in the evening, at seven o'clock, • public missionary
meeting was held, and collections made in aid of foreign
no skie. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Thomas
Nigh!ingele, chairman of the district, and the rueetine
was addressed by the Revs. Littleton Lawry, J. Grillage,
and T. Hammond.
The Meeting opened with singing and prayer, alter
which the lire. A. E. ilurcuision read the annual report
and financial statement which showed • spiritual
success on one baud and • financial difficulty on
the other. The misnomer's' found there bail been
most satisfactory revivals for the church in India, Ceylon,
Senn, Italy, Lo. The increase in India had been small.
Cheering teas were reported from China, where two
orphanages for children had lately been built. They had
found in Western Africa increased opportnnite for work.
In the West Indies they had been successful 111 raising up
native ministers. Tbe financial statement showed there
bad been the large increase of 12,006 scholars for the yen.
The total expenditure for the year on Weehrean 113W/Mene
was £lllO eith an income of £165,498, leaving a deficit
of 4:25187. • Bridport circuit alone, with its locelity,
contributed last year LC 184. The Rev. II utchisson
hoped the next report would be more cheering and
worthy of the greet missionary cause—The CHAIRMAN
trusted they would have • thanksgiving meeting that
night, as the collection was for saving of souls. They
should remember that they could not send out missionaries
without means, and he hoped they would sestet them also
with prayer and faith, and if only one soul were to be
saved by their efforts, the missionary meeting that night
w .uiti he immortalised.
The Ft iv. LITTLATOIf LeIVAT then addressed the meet-
ing. He spoke at the outset of the linking of edmostion
with the evangelistic work. Hie had been taught to "Go
into all the world, and nee& the Gospel to every
mature." Tbe mere preaching of germane was but one
method of "erring the Lord and Master, however Divinely
powerful. In India the work of theirs and kindred
societies was not antagonistic, but united by bonds of the
most inseparable union. Their educational work there
was exceedingly valuable, it having prepared the way for
Preaching the Gospel. Tile minim:metes could te.tify that
before simple secular education the nettling of idolatry
had crumbled to dust' through the work of education
they had been enabled to riles native agents, a very
natural mode, for none were better adapted than then of
their own nationality, and Christ, who was raised up for our
salvation, was sent to us as one of ouraelves
The next speaker was the Rev. Janie Gthurtos, of
Lynes Regis, a returned missionary from India. The ,
speaker bad been three times to the mission field. and
would willingly go again, should Providence open the way.
India had peculiarly difficult claims, and, he w is glee to
say, peculiar encouragements. A greet difficulty bed to
be overcome with regard to the language, and the climate
of 84 degree*, as it was in Madras day and purist, was •
severe pressure upon European constitution.. The people
were entrenched in idolatry, ar.d India, with such • Pope
led .11 as 240 millions, was • mighty task to brine the
Gospel into contact with. The women brought an obstacle
of gigantic character, for 120 millions of our sisters had
been bound by Satan in that land. Widows of aU persons
were to he pitied ; children there are betrothed soon after
birth, enl such are the stringent laws that should the
selected husband forth. child die, the females are immured
in their houses In a state of abject misery and ignorance.
Yet the Gospel, as the speaker showed by vividlr-Palnteff
narratives, could and does reach even this. There were
ladies who took an active part in this good work of
redemption—be trusted they would be multiplied •
thousand fold. When the Prince of Wales visited India
the speaker had the honour of being introduced to him,
and he thought he showed the Prince something to loitered
him. On a platform were nlaced 14,000 children belonging ,
It the Mission Schools, those who were trained to sing ,
beteg plowed in the middle. As His Royal MiLlt•••2
sPt:use:k at. they
osuodngs.**,.Godthbelezanthe. Prince of Wales. He
getiptrainticite.onerbwehwieihmhios.(.ltiese
bowed to them very gracefully, and as be pissed on they
heard them sing the songs of Zion, it wee • beautiful
Itsb
and labour in the education of native teachers. In one
tddeirtir of tine
school. in Madras, they had 1,000 children trainies for
Christ.
The Ray. T. Heenthelln, lets missionary on the island r
of 81. Mtn, West Incline was the next speaker.
The collections were foreign missions and the respesse
to this inneal was • most sethfactory one. On Weisteedeg
at saves o'clock. the Rev. T, Bennett
and at sena p.m, the liteZireit-a
Loxes The eestmesai et the
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