The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-18 00:00:00

PROTESTANT CONTINENTAL SOCIETY.

A Meeting was yesterday held, at the Freemasons' Tavern, by
the Society for Promoting the Pmtestant Church on the Continent,
otherwise called the l'ontinental Society : amongst the distin.
guished persons present were—the President, Sir T. Raring, tar'
of Rocksavage, H. Drummond, Esq., Abel Smith, Esq.. Spencer
Percival, Esq., and many ether cli,tinguished persons, upon the
platform. II e observed afro. her Grace the Duchess of Monfort,
Lady Susan Somerset, Lady Bering, and the Misses Baring, in the
body of the Hall, which was filled with ladies of rank and fashion.
Sir C. Bantam, in taking the Chair, begged to observe that this
Society weeiveil the enirmiel and support of most of those charato.
leis unieent for virtue and learning, of which this nation had to
boast ; that It would be unnecessary in him to urge the claims this
Society had to the support of the Meeting, for he trusted what they
would hear that day would be sufficient to evince tothem the ne-
cesalty of continuing in the great work which they had chosen fee
themselves, anal the result of which was so likely to be of lasting
benefit to mankind. He would not occupy the time of the Meet.
by repeating whpt he had said so many times upon former
incisions- but begird the Society to persevere in the cause of re-
ligion and of Hod.
The Rev. Isaac SAUNTEIS begged kys to offer one or two
observations before he read the Report. lie would remind the
Meeting that the objects of the Society were simple in themselves ;
that their wish was to reclaim sinners from the wickedness of
their ways, through the instrumentality of Missionaries appointed
by the Society; and in which endeavour he would pray for the hies- I
sing °four Lord and Saviour. The doctrines of Christianity were
upheld by the Roman, Greek, and Protestant their-hes ; but the
abuses and corruption of the Roman Church was so great, the evils so
insupportable, that Voltaire and others bad taken exceptions against
the doctrines of Christianity, and promulgated a system of religion
which produced the horrors of the French Revolution—which over.
threw the throne end the altar, and established a reign of blood
and terror; itinirsuedits mum unchecked until it was manifested
in Agent= and Socintaniarn; so that in Geneva, the very cradle
of the Reformation, we had lived to see the time when the word of
God had been blasphemed, and its ministers atoned in the streets.
These reasons had induced the Society to appoint instructora to
revive the docrfne of Christ:in the hearts of the backsliders, and to
recover the spirit of divine truth, apparently lost to these misguided
people ; it would he necessary then, tOr this purpose, to establish
ministers, who, by divine blearing, would accomplish much ; and
t'ie Rev. Gentleman felt folly persuaded that all present would
join bead in hand in furtherance of the object now before them.
Theft' port, which was very luminous, went on to state the greet
necessity there was for appointing ministers in various part of the
I cannot ; that infidelity hid gained such ground that it required
all the support which Christians were capable of giving to combat
It contained likewise some interesting cases of Individual ex.
redone In favour of Christianity. A. the Report will shortly be
printed, at length, we refer each of our readers as may feel in.
Wetted to a perusal of it in full.
The cash account was next read, which, after going through the
various items, exhibited a balance of upwards of 2,00(51. in hand ;
which unusual circumstance, theTressurer took occasion to observe,
was owing to the expenses of agents and other demands upon the
Societe not being 1 quidated.
M. Baum NOVO. Esq. moved the first resolution—" That the
report, now read, be received, hod printed under the direction of
the Cot esktees and that this Meeting feels constrained, in the
view of the we-Mingo of the past year, to exprEss their thank. i
fulates to God for the liberal support granted to the Society at
home, and for its increasing success under the influence of the
Holy Spirit." The Hon. Gentleman directed the attention of the
Met;iog toll Petlitolar investigation of the report just read. He
felt convinced they would see more than ever the necessity of elm.
tits% Io spite of 'hater*t might be tailed against them, he was
sesoresi that the time would strive when these Societies, these de. ,
rpisedSoSeties, would be the bulwark and the saviours f the coon-
try. Whatever might be the claims of other Societies, it was the
peculiar distinction of this to establish the living church over that
of the false prophet—the man of sin ; and in which endeavour he
hoped the Lord would enable them to triumph.
Hr. ‘Vauca seconded the mutton. He had heard that man, in
the =dons of his pride, had dared to deny the efficacy of that
blood which watt shed•for the atonement of sin; that he had de-
graded that religion which it ought to be his duty and pride to sup-
port. -When he war told to what a pitch the spirit of Infidelity had
attained, his spirit grew cold within him, and the glory of the Lord
departed. But he knew that God was too great to deceive us ; it
was not the object of the Father of Jesus Christ to promise an
atone-runt by the blood of his son, which would not be redeemed.
God understood better than they. and in his own way he would
work their salvation. He had no language to describe the indig.
hii.,ll he felt at the methods by which the Romish Church main.
tatitd her authority. The moral law of God was explained by the
Prophet of Got But what authority could be deduced from that
esplanatlon to uphold the Church of Rome in granting dispense.
tin ts, which was r.athing leas than a means of extorting money
from the poor. Ile rejoiced at the purity of our own Church ; that
we are one people, and joined together by brotherly affection.
The second Resolutim was moved by the Rev. LEWIS IVAY—
" That thisMeetino., keeping in view thosecireurnstances which first
tailed the Society loco operation, and that learning, from incorrup-
tible sources of information, that the state of religion on the Conti.
ant of Europe, both amongst Catholics and Protestants, is such as
to awaken emotions of the deepest regret, feels itself called upon to
use Its exertions in the support and extension of the operations of
thie Society." The Rev.Geotleman said, the causes which brought
this Society into ire present formation was, the great necessity
foe religious Instruction in various parts of the Continent. He had
spent four years on the Continent in the cause of Christianity, and
could bear ample testimony to the efficacy of the Society. This
e,tititry was the oracle of God, through the morns of our mis.
siorsties, who were never wearied by their exertions in the cause of
truth and righteousness. Ile must allow that there was much to
tot mended at home. He trusted that every one world look to his
own heart, and be compassionate towards the failings of his
fellow-men.

....
The Rev. P. Sserr seconded this resolution. and said he would
not trespass on the time of the Meeeting, be had merely one branch
to touch upon, sod that was the state of the Protestant Church,
anti the lamentable condition to which it was reduced. He con.
eeisoi it was °sing principally to the injudicious selection of its
ministers. He begged to appeal to the hearts of those present_he
wruld even conjure them, if possible, with tears of blood—not to
elle, the dictates of Interest to guide them in the selection of their
children fur the church—never to allow those children to enter,with.
oat the heart neceesary to guide them io their important duties ; if
they did, they would arrive at the last stage of dreadful degradation.
Ree.Geetleman recapitulated the sophistry urged by the Theo.
logiste of Germany to invalidate the divine truths. lie felt
ashamed and disgustel to repeat such detestable facts; but he
knew RCN in what other manner to tell the Meeting how these
things were disposed of by these unfortunate and deluded Indio'.
eirtia. No wonder the results were so melancholy, when these argu.
tams were urged from the pulpit: but he hoped they would soon
be put down ; arms had already been taken up In the cause, and he
doubted not of success.
The third resolution was unwed by lie. REOLLONIORRE. of
Gottingen, and seconded by the Rev. E. Ie v 'NG. The'resolution
stated, that It is a pleasing feature in the character of this Society,
that Ira only object is the illumination of the souls of men, without
reference to sect or party.
The Rev. Rowan Ilavico, upon seconding the motion, rose
in offer a few observation' upoo the state of re./iNiOO et this Peti°d•
(Cries of " Pommel," by some persons who could not distinguish
the Rev. Gentleman's person.) " It is not to gratify the eye,"- said
the Rev. Gentleman, m his usual emphatic mintier, " that I stand
amour you—it is to the ear and to the mind thailaddress myself."
He rejoiced with his Christian brethren at the improvement he oh.
served in the spirit of the Sleiety ; he gave glory to God that their
hearts were more enlightened by the spirit of divine truth, than
when he was on that platform three years ago, when his ears were
horrified with the words made use of. He rejoiced at the altera-
tion; he still repeated what he then said—that the three great requl.
seta for missionaries were, firstly, prudence ; secondly. prudence :
and thirdly, still prudence. This threeteld qualification had been
tertived with infinite applause, and might. perhaps, be recollected
by some at that meeting. The Rev. Gentleman here entered into
long theological disquisition, in his unit vehement manner and
florid style, and concluded by begging the anpport of the meeting
to the great object of the Society.
The 4th resolution was moved by SPENCER PEnc 'cox, Esq.
M•P••• and seconded by the Rev. CHARLES HAW TREY, Secre.
tory to the Jewish Soeiety—" That the thanks of the meeting are
flue to all the friends of the Satiety in England, Scotland. and
Ireland, foe the aid afforded ; and to the Rev. Hugh 51-Neil and
the Rev. J. Atkins, fur the excellent sermons preached before the
SOeiety,..
The nth resolution wss moved by the Earl ofßoex sae AGE, and
!trended time Rer. 11U0ii AP:kit H.. The Noble Earl spoke
tot some but in so low a IAN.e that he was inaudible at the
extremity of the liall. The resolution voted the thanks of the
meeting to the President, Vice-President, and Officers of the
Society,
The amount of the collection at the doors was (Cl. 31. Gd.