The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-10 00:00:00

CHURCH PASTORAL AID
SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of this society took place on
Tuesday at Exeter-hall, the large room of *hich was
crowded on the occasion.

Lord ASHLEY presided, and at some length vindi-
cated the usefulness of the society. He stated that
if the number of the clergy was three times as great
as it was at present it would be wholly inadequate
for the great work of evangiliaing the nation. Still
they were not to despair, for, however great the
difficulties by which they were surrounded, the
generations that came after them would develop the
beneficial results of their labours. He warned them
that the fUture welfare of their nation and of Chris-
tianity and of the civilization of the world depended
upon their conduct during the next ten years; for it
was not by science, by arts, by mere secular know-
ledge or material progress, that the great Goliath
of vice and ignorance rising up amongst them was
to be mastered. lie believed there never was a time
so full of hope as the present, and therefore he
hoped that it would please God to bless the labours
of this society, which he believed to be the very best
that had ever been established in these realms, and
the principle of which was, that through its efforts
the poor had the Gospel preached.
The SECRETARY read the report, which stated
that the receipts of the past year amounted to
32,0001., showing en increase on those of the pre-
ceding year of more than 6,0001. The expenditure
had been 29,000/., thus leaving a surplus of nearly
3,0001.; but as the society during the previous year
had exceeded its income by nearly 4,000/., a balance
still remained against it of 1,0001. Yet the support
which the society had received had been greatly in-
creased. Upwards of 200 clergymen had added their
subscriptions to the funds, and 400 new lay sub-
scribers had contributed to the parent society, besides
a still greater number to the branch associations.
The society now aided 289 incumbents, intrusted
with the cure of 2,094,521 people, making an average
of 7,247 souls for each. These had an average in-
come of 2021., while 160 of them had no parsonage-
house. The society bud now erected or kept open
140 churches and chapels, and they defrayed the
expense of 155 rooms licensed for the celebration of
public worship. The report, which was a very
lengthy document, gave a minute account of the
society's operations throughout the year.
Chancellor RAIKES moved that the report be
adopted and printed, and in doing so bore testimony
to the immense benefits conferred by the society upon
the diocese of Chester.

Mr. COLQUHOUN seconded the resolution, and
expressed his conviction that the society dealt with
matter which touched at the existence of the realm.
He was told that the prosperity of the country de-
pended on the amount of its wealth and the extent of
its population, but these were to the philanthropist
subjects of the most serious alarm. He found there
were circulated weekly throughout the country about
500,000 copies of penny publications, conducted by
men of considerable ability, yaw attacked in the most
vehement manner all the great institutions of the
country, from the Throne downwards. Yet the poor,
in the midst of all these incentives to outrage cast
among them, and with great physical suffering and
want to endure, were patient amidst all,—and why ?
Because they knew that wealthy and earthly pros-
perity was not all nor the great objects of life, and
that the present would was but an outdoor school,
preparing man for th• great existence which awaited
him hereafter. He was sure that the labours of the
society were doing more for the permanent interests
of the nation than all the efforts of legislation and
statesmen.
The motion having been put and carried,
The Rev. Mr. Baooxs and other gentlemen ad-
dressed the meeting in support of other resolutions
founded on the report, and after the usual vote of
thanks to the Chairman the meeting terminated. -