The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-05-25 00:00:00

ANN IVER ..Airt".

0 THE

CHURCH MISSioNAgy,SOCIII:FY

On Mon,.lay eve Thing. last the b anniversary olthis
s,,ciety was 'held in. the Music Hall, BOld-street. Owing to the
lateness Qt. the hour at whets the &pectin conclu,ied, it was irn-
possitikif to do anythin like jute to the iona speeches
delivered in.our fullowiug 4noining's publication, and we have,
therefore, postponed our report until to-day, when we present
our readers with an accurate cud verbatim report Of the greatest
part of the proceedings.

The Spac:;Ms room of the Music Hall was crowded to great
excess, and numbers went away unable to get in. The audience
sas highly respectable, and consisted chiefly of ladies Owing
to the almost suffocating heat several ladies fainted during the
evenitiu..

On the platform we noticed the Rev. 11. Raikes, chancellor
of the diocese ; Rev. R. P. Buddicom, Evertou; Rev. R.
Blacow, St. Mark's; Rev. J. W. Cunningham; Rev. Robert
Davies, St. David's ; Rev.- T. Bates, St. Bride's; Rev. T.
Barker; Evertua ; Rev. Richard Davies, Si. David's; Rev.
Themas Tattershall, St. Augustine's ; Rev. H.- M•Neile, St.
Dude's; RevJ. H. Stewart, St. Bride's; Rev. C. W. Law-
rence, St. Luke's; Rev. John Jones, St. Andrew's.• Rev. J.
Hughes, St. Jude's; Rev. William Tyrer; Rev. W.lVlayuard,
Mariner's Church; Rev. Spencer, flt. Matthias's; Rev.
Crawford, Si. Mark's; Rev. David'James, Kirkdale; Rev. G.
Stones; Rev. Mot ris Hughes; Rev. Win. Rawson, Seaforth ;
Rev. IL Carpenter, St. Michael's ; Rev. M'lver, West
Deryy; Rev. 'l': Woodward; Rev. " White ; Rev. Mad-
den;: Rey. Tuer, Knotty Ash; IRev. h. Ouid, Christ Church ;
Red.:— Power; Christ Church; Rev.,Ambrose .DaWsarn, Rev-
P. H. Lee. Rev. Alder, Adam-. IlOilgson, Esq., 'l'. B. Hors-
fall, Esq., J. Rigby, Esq:, Sir J. P. Salisbury, Knight, J. Eden,
Esq., T. Forsyth. Esq., &c,
The Res. H. Rai IC. NS, chancellor" of the diocese, having been
unainnintody called to the chair, said he was sure be only ;rn-
ticioattul.t t'eelinoi of all preseut', wheir in. proposekthat their
prorikdifigs.hs commenced try prayer.
beltertoitieria an DA W. IES accordingly read -several devout
prayers, falai the beautiful'forms- of our venerable church.
Tbe Rev. CI-imam:lN then (after a short interval occupied in
endliatouriug to obtain seats fur several clergymen ua the
already over-crowded platform) rose. feel, my
christian frieads, that it is not right to trespass longer on your
pat bittproceed .at once to the business of the evening ;
4an lilt is impossiule for me to express at, first lily gratitude for
the asset:l44l;4e I see collected in this Own. It has generally
been my privilege at, this period of the year to be present at this
meeting in, London; but I do not think that even Exeter Hull
has ever presented to niy eye a larger or more respectable
audience Chap that I have the happiness to behold. I rejoice in-
that as much as t rejoice in knowing
,that the details to be
brought before you this evening will be of a nature to gratify
your most enbounded expectations. The report,-which I will
wit. anticipate-hut-the report, which you will soon hear read,
will CoMmunicate to you a most gratifying increase in the funds
of the society; and not only that, but likewise an increase
•as gratifying, in the means of usefulness opening to us, and in
the channels of missionary exer'ion that seem laid at our dis-
cretion. But i will briefly stale, at first, that it is not any en-
largernent of the funds of the society which gives me gratifica-
tion. No doubt it is important that the funds should be large,
because "our' operations are large, and it is imposSible that our
operations should be-carried on Athoul a commensurate supply
of funds. But the real subject of gratification is the increase of
religious feeling throughout the country at large. The only test
of religious feeling which is tangible and accessible to common
observation, Ifirmly believe is an increase of missionary zeal;
and just in proprin ion as I see zeal for missions awakened in a
family, in a parish, or in a country; so dol suppose that real
religion is felt in that family, parish, or country, and I may
-calculate on the fruits of such spirit. (Hear.) And here per-
mit 111 Q to observe, that it is nut the mere knowledge of the
gospel that will lead to missionary exertions. We have long
been under a great mistake on that head, and we have imagined
that a mere conviction of the truth of the evidence on which the
gospel rests, was sufficient to give a missionary character toThe
people at large. My dear friends. be convinced that as long as
we view religion merely as an abstract question, when we do not
feel in our hearts and our consciences that the happiness of all
depends upon it, we shall never. make any decided endeavours
for inissionaiy.exertions ; and that j conceive is the cause of
that lamentahltelanguor, with regard to missionary efforts, which
has so loug excited wonder and surprise in the religious world
of thiacountry. We were convinced of the truth of Christiani-
ty'; there was no man bold enough to deny it; but still when
we looked to our missionary efforts, we, write ashamed at. the
apparent. inconsistency between profession and reality. And
what was the reason I' Why the truth simply was, that while
'we felt the truth of the gospel; while we acknowledged it as a
revelation sent front God, while we did not yentute to deny the
facts it contained, we did not all that time feel that that revela-
tion was a tevelatiou sent by God, I'r the purpose of making
us happy; nor did we feel in our hearts the happiness which
the gospel is calculated to convey. And while the gospel was
thus consideted, there was no reason to wonder that our mig.s
srunary efforts were cold and Ihnoeid. The 'truth, was known,
but it was valued merely as a theory; it was acknowledged, hut
it was hot felt. Its evidence was admitted,-but its power was
not perceived. We saw that it rested on evidence that could.
not- he gainsayed, but we did not-feel ihour hearts that it was a
thiii;;ttlTit man required-for his own peace and comfort. In
tin way it was that while religion was viewed simply as a beau-
tiful theory, we Might view it in all its • perfection and correct-
n .s.N.but we viewed it merely as a truth in philosophy.' We, as
well
,felt that we could live without it ; that our comforts were
derlo4 from other- sources, and we imagined that all the other
nations in the world could do without it as we did, and it was
giving them an unnecessary boon to labour to impart the gospel
to them.. For instance, to illustrate my view, we know that the
Newtonian system of philosophy is the only satisfactory system
which comes to our reason, and satisfies us with regard to the
pheuometion -a the heavenly bodies. In that respect we are
convinced ()fits truth, brit we do not believe that our happiness
depolldS' Gil it. The man who believes in the truth of it looks
forother causes for the happiness his gonl desires. tie looks
to his family, to society, to the comforts with which he 'is sur-
rounded. He sees in them the tokens of the happiness which
makes life bless' J, and-Thus he is contented to view these theo-
ries as a matter of abstract truth in- itself: but feels that it is
notlessentialto that happiness he needs._ Now, this I regret to
say;olau,for ages been the -view that has been. taken of the
- Wediavekcsowita fiat it is true.; we have regarrt-
ed 40,4.4 revelation sent from Grid, but we have not felt that it
wasthos, means of our happiness; we looked, to other sources for
thratnia4pi,.aefs,atof„liongetl, firr,,and as we feitthat we could lice,
w Ay* ilott gfpfoi,k to,boo rie;ivexl from the word of God, v e
hanOmpv-ptptPfl to cage-,the, heathen world without those
sotirspeoraisampyv,,krgeplug. tat the
.oaly trite happiness to
!taloa/W.ow_ ;h4p i oess diiens a from the word of
(''-'urrilitaisASppole/airi4liaderivedfrour communion with,our
1-A§Milliblif-bsi lirami.a,A pit thus you see it has happeucd
RI_•4111110138 Miteflpytata,,iyhiln Men were firinly..convinced
or AliweStVilleaceialtiPwahancli,..while all the various forms of
intwelitx,,asew4spni49s42,„pato sonus, as they appeared, there
hasolnopinNgijea!la f 4,9 mitinahlifo?„ in the cause of missions, and

after all we did snot feel that
it was by the gospel alone that a mall was to be made happy;
a nri gf the- diffefeptoat,ioniFot the w(kod possessed from other

circumstances those means that were chusuleredascontributing
to lit4ppiness,. we thought Lust they were happy enough, and for-
gott that in neglecting the gospel we had neglected that which
wit,sessential to make. their:: happiness real and perfect; and
therefore.. I do rejoice in feeliag that that error seems fast rolling
away, and-that men have come to feel,.that whatever, be the.cir-
cucestances with which they are -surroutidert,,whatevertnay be
the,eharacter, of- their condition, happiness cannot he enjoyed.
unless the gospel -is possessed, and. huless.the gospel be felt;
an4.this I hope promises well for the •state
,of religion within
ourselves; it seems to skew that men are, coming ,atlast to a
jusw•cview
_of the, _blessings:of the gospel,: and, is calculated to
convey. that instead of feeling. it as a niere,abstraet theory; beau-•
tifhl if true, we. now have learnt that the only•source of•luippi-
ness- was that which was opened
:in .the gos.pel;•that%t wad,
whether he lives- in a Christian coutary era treattiee country, is
but a poor wretched being.so long as he isdestitute of the gos-
perof Jesus Christ: Let but thy., feeling tie brought home. to
every conscience, let men but feel that. their own happiness- is
derived- from the book of God; • let them but -feel that .all
those circumstances in which the world is supposed to take de-
light are but shadowy goods, and itiv4pable of satisfying the
longing that exists within—let them be brought to thisconvic-
tioas that it is Geil and-God atone that.:can make them happy,
and then I can trust to the common feeling ut our nature, that
sympathy fur our fellow creatures will induce us to give them
Oat book of life which-the mercy ut Gud has :bestowed on
anti instead of coinplaintof languor and coldness in missionary
exertions we shall see the same zeal, energy, and devotedness
'hitt no doubt we should perceive if we heard-of nations perish-
ing of hunger for wirot,of food if we had it in our 'tower to im-
part relict to thein;or dying Of disease if we had medicine to
I, r•-joice that I shall have in notice in thelreport
netmerelyan account of the numtiers that shall hear, through
'yollr,,meausolle-•;tru)h,of the blessed. gospel, whii.h alone gives
tiowo the world, hut .because I feel assured that just in pro-
polopun as the urigsionary spit it spreads and extends itself in the
country. so I rn ; SI hope I hit men are looking for happiness
wheve ti,ppineste, can aleue tie foroyd, and are feeling the source
d kimir it w tioo,,gosvol which it is the object of the.mis-
sionary kr carry to the heather world. I trespass no longer on
oer Christian friends, but something seemed due to
h.!aauafuu.e tneetilig, tulle regaced, and I &low-call oti the Secre-
tary to read the report of the preceettings of the society. (Ap-
plause.)
" ' • " " •

iZev. RicirAnn DAVIES accordingly read the following

eport:—

Among the many and varied claims which institutions, such
as the Church Missionary Society have upon our regard, one
is founded upon .the fact, that they furnish a ground for the
exercise of those blessed charities and the expansion of those
hallowed feelings which true religion necessarily and invariably
produces.. Christianity is essentially diffusive. Those who
have felt its power iu their own souls ate extremely desirous to
be „instrumental in promoting the glory of God. Constrained
by the love of f-litn, who—" Though he was rich, yet for their
sake:4_ becisnic poor, that they through his poverty might be
t ich," they burn to obey his commandments. And one of these
is; that theystiould freely impart to whet a, what they have them-
selves freely received, that they oild. gu into all the world
and Wrench the gespei to every creature. Partaking of the
inincithat was iu Christ .Jesus, they view with vow passion, the
multitudes who are scattered abroad as sheep having no shep-
herd. Being blessed theMselves, they earnestly desire to be
made a blessing to others.
Anti if is one, of the merciful appointments of God's provi-
dence and grace, that in so doing their own blessing is increased.
From having their attention drawn w the spiritual destitution
in which. millwra of their fellow creatures are placed, they
learn more highly to value, and more diligently, to imp:ore, the
privileees which th 4 enjoy. A. fresh dame of God is kindled
in their souls. Tneir gratitsolo is enlivened—their zeal is quick-
cued —their drooping graves revive, and. burst forth into new
vigour. And. tims,-as. well:as in nans, other. ways, by watering
others they are watered' themselves.. Hence it f4lnws, that
when any -great itheletse.of interest in missionary exert Mos is
felt in any place it foir ishesa strong ground for hope that vital
and expel imenna relielon is extending- itself iu that place : it
cannot, therefore,: do otherwise than afford the greatest satisfac-
tion, to know that such a hope is strongly held oot in the trans-
actions of the parent society' during the past year.
In that period fifty-three new associations have been formed
in different pacts of the country ; and the society's income has
reached the sum of £83,417, being, an increase of £11,720 over
that of the preceding year. In its foreign operations, also, there
is every reason to rejoice and give glory to God for the success
with which he has been pleased to bless its labours. It is with
sincere pleasure and heartfelt gratitude to Him "from whom all
holy desires, all good councils, and all just works tin proceed,"
that. the committee have to announce that a considerable in,.
crease of interest in the cause of missions has been felt in seVe-
sal parts ofAVest Lancashire.
In the months of Octoio and November last, branch asso-
ciations in connection with this auxiliary were formed at Onus-
kirk, Southport, Bursieeigh4tridge, and Ruffin& Judging from
the sum received flan,: !Lose, sources in the shoat interval between
their formation and the end of the year, they may be reasonably
expected- to furnish very important aid to i the society's funds.
YlectriShing ti -toeekiatios were also established about the same
at-W4tOothrvillatte, and in connexion with St. Ann's,
ur41,4-octs Liverpoel: In the two former
o[ thestr, tttki, cieeitrK eitireoeietv will be supported in conjenc-
iien with thom.ovilie " Society fot•the Propagation of the Gos•