The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-20 00:00:00

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY

The annual meeting of the Liverpool branch of the Church
Missionary Society was held last night, in the theatre of the
Collegiate Institution, the Lord Bishop of Chester in the
chair. Among the clergymen and gentlemen on the platform
were—Rev. Archdeacon Jones, Rev. Hugh Milsreile, Rev. Mr.
Ridgway, who attended as a deputation from the Parent
Society. Rev. Messrs, Wm. Pollock, T. C. Cowan, C. W.
Lawrance, F. M. Harke, A. Knox, Wm. Rawdon, D. T.
Barry, Wm, Howson, R. A. Gent, T. L. Pair, Wm. Leveson,
F. A. Power, D. Anderson, J. B. Powell, Jos. Laurance, T,
P. Boutflower, J. Bardsley, D. Bowman, J. Lea, W. May-
nard, E. Morgan, C. Brittain, Chas. Marshall ; Messrs. Wm.
Gregson, A. Hodgson, C. Inman, H. Greene, J. K. Roun-
thwaite, H. Halhead, George Holden, R. A. Payne, Francis
Mill, Robert Williams, B. J. Webster, 11. H. Statham, &c.
After the proceedings had been opened by the prayer, which
was offered up by the Rev. Secretary,—The Right Rev Chair-
man then addressed the meeting. After one or two preparatory
observations, his lordship said : I think it is a matter of con-
gratulation to us that we meet in a happier state of public
affairs than we did last year 'at this time. We were then

engaged in a very serious war, and now, by God's blessing,
peace has been restored. I think it is a cause for national
gratitude in every point of view, but, still, I only wish hero to
speak of it in one point of view. I do not wish to speak of it
in the spirit of a politician, hut in the spirit of a Christian and
of a minister of the Gospel of Peace, and in that character I am
thankful, and I trust you all aro thankful, that Almighty God,
in answer to our prayers, has given again to all nations unity,
peace and concord. (Hear, hear). May that concord long last,
and may it ho made, by God's blessing, conducive to the exten-
sion and spread of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ among all the nations of the earth.
(Great applause.) It is not amid the din of arms, but it
is in the time of peace that the gentle message of the gospel
is heard ; and there is one circumstance connected (at least
colateral]y) with the present peace, which I think holds out
a great encouragement to the christian hope—L mean that the
christian population of the Turkish erup!re have now obtained
from the Sultan legal protection in the exercise of their faith,
and the profession of their religion more extensive, better
defined, better secured than they ever possessed before.
(Hear, hear.) I think that is a great step gained for the cause of
humanity, and for the cause of religious truth. (Hear, hear.)
Let but the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ have a free space to shine before the eyes of the follow-
ers of Mahotnot, and I trust that, through God's blessing, on
his own truth the pale crescent will fade away ere long, and
and vanish, and be lost in a flood of brighter and of purer
light. (Applause.) Now this, I think, encouraging—and may
we not also hope that returning peace will draw forth greater
efforts on our part, and from ourselves, for
the extension of the religion and the faith of
of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world. During the
two years of war, we have:bad to bear the pressure of a very
heavy national expenditure, and how nobly has it been borne !
Whatever the government required, whatever the government
asked, the parliament and the country willingly gave, the
people of the country willingly paid, without the sound of a

. . .
murmur. (Hear, hear.) Aot only so, but if there was any•
thing left to be supplied by the voluntary efforts of
the patriotic spirit, how nobly have all such appeals
been met, whether it was for the wounded sol-
diers in our hospitals abroad, whether it_ was for the widows
. . .

,
and orphans of the brave men who have fallen, or whether it
was for the families of the brave men who still survive to
maintain their country's cause abroad. (Hear, hear, and
applause.) Now, all this has been most honourable to the
country, but particularly honourable in this respect, that
although there has been all this liberal display of patriotic
spirit, it has not been suffered to interfere at all with
the feeling of religious charity meanwhile in this kingdom.
(Hear, hear.) I believe I may say that with very little exception,
if any, the income of the groat religious societies in Eng-
land, during the two years of the war, either has not fallen
short at all, or but little fallen short of what it was in times of
peace. I said this would be the case. I may not have said
it here, but I have said it, that I was sure the religious
societies would not suffer greatly from the war, and that what-
ever else we might find it necessary to retrench, our charities
would be the last thing we would retrench, and I rejoice
to find that the results have proved the truth of it,
and I think it is in the highest degree honourable to
the people of this country, and honourable to the people of
Liverpool, where this has been the case. (Hear, hoar.) But,
at any rate, in whatever noble spirit these calls have been
made and borne with, now, God be thanked, we are no
longer called upon for such objects. Those appeals to our
voluntary patriotism will now, in a great measure, cease ; and
I gradually look to the additional weight of taxation which
was, unavoidably, imposed upon the country, being
entirely—not perhaps instantly, for that would not be
wise ; but I have no doubt that it will be gra-
dually lightened, and withdrawn. Now, is not this the time
if we are to show our gratitude to God, that we should do so
by something of an increased liberality in our religious chari-
ties. Surely, if we could do as we have done during a time of
war for our charities and our religious societies—surely we can
now spare a little more, when all the extraneous pressure is
taken off our shoulders. (Hear, hear.) Surely, it may be
hoped that every one of us will find that he can spare some-
thing more than he did before for these purposes, and what
thank-offering can we make to Almighty God, if we aro really
grateful—what thank-offering can we make so becoming and
so appropriate ? (Hear, hear ) I trust that those who never
gave before will find that the y can spare something for those
great objects, and I hope all others will feel that they can spare
mere than they did before. (Hear, heat:) lam not afraid
' that this will not be the case in Liverpool. (Hear, hear.)
After a few concluding observations, his lordship called on the
secretary to read the report, and resumed his seat amid applause.
—The Rev. Mr. Carpenter read the usual report, from which
it appeared that, notwithstanding the pressure of taxation, the
home receipts of the society last year were more than in the
preceding year. The foreign accounts have not been as yet
received, but if the collections amount only to the
receipts of the previous year, the total income of the society
for the year 1855 will amount to £132,125 Os. Id. From
Liverpool the receipts were £3,581 Os. 6d.2 being £BoBl6s. ld.
above the rec,,ipts of the preceding year. Owing, however,
to the growth of the missions in India and the Turkis.h
dominions, there has been an excess of expenditure over income,
the definiency to be made up amounting to £6,493 6a. 7d.
—The meeting was addressed by the Venerable Archdeacon
Jones, Dr. Xl‘Neile, &e. ; and a collection made in aid of the
society.