Star.
London, England, 1817-07-09 00:00:00

AFRICAN AND ASIA' 1 IC SOCIETY.

Yesterday the Ant►u.l Meiling of this Society,
which was instituted tor ti:c bent fit f thy Puor N•.
lives of Africa and Asia, residinx in London and its
vicinity. was hel,i in Fieetti.4coneHali.__
_ _

Mr. WlLBEttrouct being called to the Chair,shortly
explained the object for which the Nleeting bad been
ass. mbled, viz. for aid sty a Society which had been
minted for enlightening the ignorant, improving the
mind. of the wretclieti, and clothing t!.e naked, thus
sh:•win themselves to be ha:owe-is of him who'• went
about continually doing good.' •
'the Report of the Society's proceedings during
the last year was then read by the Rev. George
Grei,.l, and presented an interesting acciitint of the
pro_ress made by the Society, of the increase of their
funds, and the happy consequences which had rt stilted
from their benevolent exertions. One individual (an
African) had bequeathed the sum of te3UO in the j
per cents. for the use of• the Society, and the most
flattering accounts had been received respecting the
ciaiduct of some who had once been under.its protec- '
It also stated, that the Dukes of Kent and
S.'s-its (those well known and justly celebrated friends
loicilauity), had condescended to become joint
?a:rims.

The Rev. Basin Woonn, ir. moving that the Re-
port be printed, telt himself called on Iv say a kW
+..tods on the nature of this Ins:itution. Ile particu-
larly esteemed it, when lie considered that it embraced
the whole /lonian species, 0141 it was not !akmd,..if on
private or national alt ichfrurts, but considered the
Human race as all bred:tel.. and in ti:is point it cer-
tainly had followed the dictates of 1:411 who bad en.
joint ;1 his disciples to love weir neighbours as them-
s:lvet., and who, in Me beautiful and striking rata-
ble: of the good Samaritan, l,ad elfectaally illustrated
who were our neighbours. He a:is egitatly gratified
to.wituess the attention paid to the ettrni.l I,,terests
of those persons who were patronized by the Society.;
the deep solicitude that its members fat that ull un-
der
their sopa intendance should know the until and
feel its power; end when be retlected on w::at had I
limn done, he was encouraged to hope that more
happy consequences would follow, and that the titre'
would soon arrive when, throu:;it every corner of cf.:
earth, wen would b: bletstd aid, grace, mercy, and
_peace. The exertioas IA the iliacitil proved shot in,
Cuttl.r there wits neither DA batian nor Se% ',Han,
bond nor free, but that be was all an.i in all. lie'
was delighted to see the Society compo..ed of persons
of all denominations, shewiug thus that though they
differed in a few points of minor inapt:tatter, they
were all actuated by the same spirit, and ambititins
to promote 'the same great end. Now they were
doing kindness to those who prob..bly never could re•
pay them, hut if tbr' would be secompensed in the
1 resurrection of the just." He cot.clioded by moving
i that the Report be printed.
The Rey. Dr. !Mum.. seconded '.he motion, ob.
serving, that he bad never atte:,Jed a Meeting,
where he bad been more gratified. He was proud
to witness the harmony which pervaded the Meeting,
land he was no less glad to see that true benevolence
which the Society exercised—benevolence which was
truly enlightened by Christian feelings and Christian
1 principles. The Sur: of Righteousness now began
with his genial rays to illumine the mind of the be.
nighted 4114 untutored atitican, and the child of ig-
-1 norance was now led to en asylum, even to HIM of
1
' whom it was truly said, "Lc was the SAVIOUR of the
wo:ld." After tt: gbrin: tern:pl.. wLich had.brea

P paired ire Bs't:alt :.mate tf.e ref-ash:el aad
iniquitet rave Trade, it wrs CT eery of every!
1 honest btrevolert mind rot to rest ste4secl rith thet
triumph, but to penterete further sled f!rrtf:er iree the I
regions t.f derkneis and ignoraece, and give the if: Terre
no quarter. Glad to see this measure edepted by the
Society—glad to see them actuated by well !
principles, he wills much pleasure seconded the rec.
Lion, which ea: then put and agreed to.
The Rev. Dr. Mason (of New York) was much
gratified at being present. Had the Institution bets
one ot a he :1 nature, be ahoeld net have attended,
in come-gilt:ire cf the sittiation in which he stood ;
but, constdi leg its extensive natute, and the wid •
nrospect which it held out, he W4l b iund to atter. '.
He saw with much pleasure that system of egg, 1-
ditement which was going on in tLis country—not a
system like that which waded tint-nigh human blood,
and regarded the number ot deli: bodies as only so
misty step to the accomplisiatient of its object ; hit
it was a system to extend the conotwsts of the Plover
of Pr a.ee, who came not to destroy men's lives, but
ei save them. The Christian who embarked in the
cause of benevolence shewed himself a true phibisr-
Fiber, because his Pirertions war directed to the bite-
rests of both soul and body. and would this hasten
the reign of Righteousness and of Peace. He felt in
common with them all the mighty triumph which
had been gained in thee; over do, Friends of itondage„
and he alluded to it
be done by it single arm nerved by an honest le. t
and an enlightened head—( Geed nAidauser.) Once,
indeed, that scheme had been treated as the effusions
of a distempered imagination ; bet it now engaged the
as gument of the philosopher, the attention of the states.
man, the arm if power, the applause of the humane.
It had originated with one indivieuel (Wilb,r:orce),
whose name was as clear across the All-attic ac it was
here, and who would be banded eno:n to posterity
as the deliverer of Africa. Yes, while the name of
Howard would command es:"em and afTect:or. lot
his penetrating the groom of the dungeon, that v:or•
thy ii.dividuel, who this day filed their Chair, would
be equally revered, n &red, and rdn.ired, fir having
set at liberty the captive, and abolished a trail-1 which
was once the disgrace of human nature. It wes need-
less for him to name the person he alluded to, as
every one knew him, and every eye was row directed
to Iten—(Lcvd Ap4l,t,,ses.) lie regretted I;e was now
to leave h.:n.o-'lli . which. perhaps, he l.:oti!d toyer
again revisit; hot he would cvrry or. his mire] a deep
impression of what England Lad dere, arcs was suit
doing, for the v:reecieed and the igncrert. He shoehl
tell in his own century, how that here he had' teen
the practical truth of that decleration—it GOD Lath
made of one blood all the nations of the earth ;" for
England had seewn she felt that, by the exertions she
bad made to illuniinere the ignorant of every clinic,
and improve and exalt human atere. He would
be proud to oh his Rephhhean countrymen (who,
by the bye, were not to get tour rorretimes), that
Royalzy here condescended to patronise every Insti-
tution which was levelled en benevolent and Chris-
teen principles ; for he believed that there•was not a
tietion on a art! where 'he pelsation of Dads!, bene-
volence was net leit. He concluded by moving the
cordial thanks of the meeting to their Royal High.
tresses the Dukes of Kent and Sussex, for comic.
sending to patronise the Institution.
This was seconded by Captain HILLYPII. Royal
?Loy, and curled unahimonsty.
The Rev Di. lite:note of the Scots Church, Swat-
low-street, was grateful to GOD for what he had heard
respecting; the Society, and to see so many Christians
of ad denominati.ms forgetting their p celierities,
without however saciiticing their principle+, arid unit-
ing in this mighty cause. The events of the last 20
' years bad been awfully important, and had been
attended with effects noise,: singular than peeled.
It was ileasieg to coLsider the united exertions now
mahieg fur the itheciation of human mil:•ry by so
many Societies, and it was 111, less h nottrebie to the
national character to ,vittnss what was also dein4 for
enlightening the wand. and rectifying the ditpcsations
of the heart. This was precisely what this Seeely was
deing, and. they-were using means for that purpose
which Coo 11;:d appointed, and had promised to bless.
He lamented the bttle attention paid to religious in-
struction in the public seminaries of educetion ; end
stated, that the high seek which the Scottish Iles.
sore v held in society, arose both item their being
taught lo read, and from the hatecitial 'cachets twine.
bound to teach thorn thS principles of religion.whiell
sees doee by the AssetuLly's Catechieni, anal by en
excellent one composed 11 the late Professor Lliown,
which he t:conitnendcit to their attention. lie was
now to mote tie Thank% of the Meetirg to Mr. Wit-
berforce, respecting whose cooduct it was introssitil:.
for hint or ar.y peimut to say too much. Alter a few
observations cn the exert:ons of Mr. ‘Viiberforce, the
wendertul asiisluity Ile bud FilvWll in the cense. and
his manly sherd ahraiest the oppressors of Atriea, thc.•
D d -octor concludeby moving thanks to Lint and the
Vace-Ptesidects, which area: ea:tied with loud applause.
Mr. Wteuctitehtee did nut kiwis. hew to ex-1
press his gratitude for the honour store bin:, but he
could assure the :dieting that his services had been
' too highly rated by his Worthy Friends, for be could;
never have iit:czaded, nor valuld the triumph have
been achieved, had it not been tor the united exertions
of I:3ost:sure, and the admirable manner in which
the friends ci that measure lOrgot their party '
!Linn, in Pa:liar:ma, and juitwei the standard. After j
acktaswie,:ging ti.e attention of the Meetieg, Mr.
Wei:he-4.1.e regretted he was now obliged to leave
them, but his heart seas with them—(fie ,
asidd wrath aNdusue).
The Rev. B. WoODD beng then called to -the Chair,
The Rev. J. &seises, atter an eulogium on the
exertions of Mr. Wilberforce, and Mr. Macaaley,
one of the Treasurers, moved die Thanhs of the
Meeting to the two Treasureis, which V/44 twain.
motsel) agreed to.
Alter the Thanks had been voted to the Secretary,
Committee, See. the Meeting
e:llee spree:les were re was di,, slued. Several
eac
ade by the Rev. Messrs.
FltlxLty
BALLANI ItNa. LUWAItD3, &c. A liberal
collectien was reLeived.
The: Galleries of the Hall were fillet! with men and
j women of colour—with v.-bite women who had be.
come the wives of some of the Africans and
- Asiatics.
The comfortable, and, in sonic instances, we may
say, the highly respeeeable appearance of these
people, and the propriety of their deportment, re-
• small honour Ots the ltl tluLt ti, ii. :)113-
vtt•s, .4d C4nductva ‘•