The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-11 00:00:00

PUBLIC MEETING OF THE LONDON

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

(Abridged from the World.)

In consequence of the intended departure of the
Rev. Dr. Phillip, accompanied by three Missionaries
from France, and two others from this country, and
five who are expected .from Germany, for South
Africa, a meeting of this society was held at the
Rev. Rowland Hill's chapel yesterday. Long be-
fore the time for opening the meeting, the chapel
was completely tilled, and a large number of persons
were unable to obtain entrance, at the doors.
Surrey-street and Blackfriars-road were crowded
with carriages and other vehicles.
W. A. HANKEY, Esq., took the chair, and the
Rev. JOHN CLAYTON, jun., delivered an address to
Dr. Phillip and the young missionaries.
The Reverend Dr. PHILLIP next addressed the
meeting, who traced the progress of the Christian
faith. I look, said he, to the disciples as
they were assembled to wait for the out-
pouring of the spirit, which was the promise
of the Father. At that period the whole church
might have been numbered by a child, and
the place they occupied might have been mea-
sured by inches. In obedience to the command of
Gosh, they went forth without wealth, without
worldly connections, and the idols of the nations,
the philosophy of Greece and Rome, the prejudices
and antipathies of the human heart, and the opposi-
tinn of the most powerful empire that was ever es-
tablished upon earth, bowed down before them.
Paganism was once the prevailing religion of Eu-
rope, and of the land in which we live. It was once
in as full possession of the high places and strong
holds of this country as it now is of Africa, of
India, and of China. It was successively attacked
and conquered by the arms of divine truth, and the
weapons of our warfare have lost none of their
heavenly temper, and are, through God, as mighty
as ever to the pulling down of strong holds, and of
every thing that exalteth itself against his power.—
The genius of Christianity, which is from God, like
the solar fire, moves, in a sphere of its own, far
above earthly things; while it penetrates our mun-
dane elements without being contaminated by them,
it gives beauty and loveliness to every object and to
every scene to which it imparts its life-giving ener-
gies, and over which it pours its celestial radiance.
It has been said by philosophers, that so admirably
is the earth balanced, that were but a fly to alight
upon it from another sphere, it would disturb the
harmony of its parts. We know that every thing
is effected that is touched by the spirit of christian-
ity. It touches the heart of the proud man; arid he
becomes humble as a little child : it touches the
heart of the sensualist, and he becomes pure and
heavenly : it touches the affections of the covetous,
?,,rid he becomes liberal ; it touches the hearts of the
revengeful, and the malicious, and they become for-
giving and loving; it touches the chain of caste,
and it melts ; it touches the idols of the heathen,
and they fall to the ground like Dagon before the
ark of God ; it touches the fetters of the slave, and
they fall off: it touches the hearts Om statesmen,
and they stretch the shield of their prOtection over
the defenceless and the oppressed ; it touches the
heart of the philanthropist, and the prisons are
visited, the depressed are raised, the neglected are
remembered, the wounds of the broken-hearted are
hound up, the vicious are reclaimed, and the prodi-
gal son is restored is teaches the heart of the mis-
sionary, and lie goes forth forsaking country, friends,
and ease, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearch-
able riches of Christ.

GEORGE BENNETT, Esq., lately returned from the
South Seas and Africa, described the progress of
civilization and Unristianity in those coutritrip, and
'was followed' by the Rev. Maiic Wilks from Paris.
TifintAs WILSON, Esq., of Hiebury, and several
other gentlemen having addressed the meeting, a
contribution was entered into in support of the mis-
sions, wi~sn gont:emen stibscribing
each, the amount of 2,5001. was 'sp.eedily raised.
It was announced that a similar meeting had lately
been held at Manchester, when 2,0001. was contribu-
ted to the society.