The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-03-24 00:00:00

GREAT MEETING

IN THE
PHILHARMONIC HALL.

THE MISSIONARY CONFERENCE
/TN LtVERPOOL.
4 great public meeting, in connection with the
mishionaiy 'conference which concluded Yesterday, was
held in the Philharmonic Hall last night. The Hall
was densely crowded on the occasion. The Right Hon.
the Earl of Shaftesbury took the chair; ad on the
Platform were MajorLGeneral Alexandet, ,Major,. tlaytd-
sint, Colona FterheYt Edw.Odes'ithtt Rev. Canon Stowell,
f 144 RF: *Jusiplc gulling, the Rev. Mr. Lowe, his
Worship the Mayor (T. D, Anderson, Esq.), the Rev.
Dr. Raffles, the Dr. Rev,, Taylor, the Rev, A. Knox; the
Rev, -Mr, Cullen, the. Rev. Dr, Sterne, and Mr.,,H. C.
Tuoker (secretaries to the conference); Rev. C. P. _
Lenpolt (India), Rev. Dr: I O'Meara (missionary to the
North American Indians), Dr. Lockhart end ps.
M‘Growart-(medical missionaries , 11:tessm kiii. *ninth-
waite, R. A. Nractie, WI Ge 08,..J. R. Jeffery, A.
Elodson,&c. "the' Rib': i."'M'Nelle 'aria family
_ &e:, .
occupied.one of the. bpxesi '
"'T.he proceedingg comineneeci by the singing of Bishop
Tieller'q 41iisi4'141: 441, 4f.44' *WI the Rev: GeoTO
Scott 'offered tip Prayer.
Major-GenerfiIAtENANDER gave a general statement
to the meeting of tho.objects of the bonferenee.l --i HO
;aid that the members of the conference had been
pleased to elect him as chairman during the series of
interesting meetings which have been held. He should
confine his remarks to a very brief outline of the i'lltiousi
stthjects which had conic under. the datiSrdol:'atfort of the'.
ootifetenee ; and he would conclude by glancing at-the
good results to which 'such meetings as they had lately
' held were likely"to tend, leming succeeding speakelre to' -
enlarge upon these subjects. In the .first place, then, it
pleased God to put it into the hearts of a few Christian
men, many of them intitnately connected Vtil #lt tljOft;
ci" tillce counsel together rekardin4 the p esent ositibn
of Chrilitianlty, and th'e .'best' eins br advancing the
foie. Ife'`iveuld 'not 'Undertake to do justice to ,the
noble sentiment's 'which 'had inspired those men, nor.
woUld he attempt to compliment thqw to whpini q(1n1-
On:lents' vinghl hie acceptable. rue, pito object
which these gent,ettleft` SeCbefiii.e then was the exten-
sion. Of' the glorious gospel of Jesus 'Clizist, 04,1.
although it had been preached fop eighteen ontnties, stilt
continued unkqown to MilliollS of human beinge --millions
of human beings who were still living and. dying in the
most deplorable ignorance and error. It was this thought
that operated upon the minds of the individuals to whom
he had alluded as the originators of this conference, and
they have accordingly provided that the . results of this •
conference shall be as widely spread as possible. They
considered, Ark, the snhject of European missionaries.
Efl4fQ4-7-how-t,0:404 for • them,how tq.seleet; dna hoW
to prepireten4. - They had also, considered the value
of acquiring the language of the people riTlicirig. 1.11,1113
they Were to preach. Tho tlllt suhieet they consigered
was how beit to stir up the nnsgioary feeling at home,
and the general conclusions arrived at would shortly he., .
published. They had not been drawn up in the farm of
resolutions, because from the beginning of the scheme it
was thought best to avoid as much,as possible anything
that might look like dictation or dogmatism. They next
considered the subject of education, but education iilt as 4 primary future and (M I
eet of the missionary scheme,
but a a neeessfiry ticijuigt tor MisSiotiary ialiour, ' The
§petiker 'then proceeded to notice the other 'Subjeets to.
which the conference had given their most serious eon
sideration, and which will be found enumerated in the
programme. Referring to the probable results of their
proceedings, he trusted that there would to a more open
and conelsielit toPtiglli4ettrf t,Witic,ipiesqoAcistitloy,
so that that ligllieq4sness Winch WO the glory of their
land'hilght be advanced and promoted. (APploilse,)
The Earl of SuArrEsiwo..4, thewrose, and was greeted.
with prolonged applause, . Ile said—after a few pre-
fatory observations—l confess that, when I look at this
vast assembly, and when I consider the. purpose 'for
which it is brought together, I am Moved to call you to
feelings of congratulation; and' tq thanlc Altniglity Gad'
that He has pqt •it into*tlle'lleaT:ta of many to be
warPle4 b tilt d..sire'tTY*:h''they Olt rnanifest to spread
abroad Iris holy name; and bring millions now sitting
in derkiress to the light' and liberty- of the Gospel.
(Applause.) But you are here to-day, 'as it were, a
national synod; you are here to-day collected the repre-
sentatives of all branches of the Christian Church—
Baptists, Moravians, NFesleyaip.,a,- members of the Church
of England, TlNtnirl's o.t t,lxe Chureh of Scotland—of all
thoie tenon:due* s thet lite to the Lord Jesus Christ
in sincerity.' That is pour` symbol—that is'
our con-
necting link—that is the principle that • guides' you--7--
that is the object yaii have in view. (Applause.) '
must sav that it appears- to me something- like an CEcu-
menical'Council of the dominions of tier 'Majesty Queen
Victoria (hear,. har),- and ' V trust that it will* okuite ea,
pure in spirit; wiser in cOndtiet, and happier Lit'issue
than most Cectinzotkai C 0,6140.4 (Itanghter), and that it
will be a great precedent and example to all the bebitoble
• parts of the globe to meet togethernswe have done, every
one in his own nation, and set, what he can do to spread
abroad the glad tidings of sallation from one extremity of
the earth unto the other. (Applause.) Now, the business
of this conference, so far as I gather it, has been this, to
inquire and to conclude in what Way the missionary,
spirit could behest stirred up in this country--sin what wiy.
the means for bringing that spirit into action torrid` be best
raised; and then to see in what ' finiiiiier 'both could be
best directed to the object you have in vielv. -This will