The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-18 00:00:00

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY

The services connected with the celebration of the twenty-
first anniversary of the Liverpool and West Lancashire As-
sociation in aid of the Church Missionary Society for Africa
and the East, commenced on Sunday, when sermons were
preached on behalf of the society, and collections made in
many of the churches of this town and neighbourhood.

Yesterday, at eleven o'clock, the annual meeting of the
subscribers and friends of the association was held in the
Music-hall, Bold-street. The attendance was highly respec-
table, and the room during the greatest part of the proceed-
ings was almost full. The platform was tilled with clergy
and others interested in the welfare of the society. Among
them we observed the Reverends H. Carpenter, W. W. Ew-
bank, Professor Scholefield, E. Sidney, A. Knox, R. Davies,
W. M`lvor, W. Maynard, W. H. Woodward, J. H. Stew-
art, J. Jones, C. J. Hamilton, F. Parry, C. Maginnes, W.
Falloon, J. Baylee, C. Townshend, F. Barker, J. N. Peil,
Orme, Chalmer, France, J. E. White, D. James,
H. Jones (St. James's), Jeffery Davies, R. P. Jones,
Gardner, Lang, J. G. Green (Knotty Ash), W. Rawson,
F. Ould, H. Bunbury, G. Mansfield, Dover, H. M`Neile,
Jackson, B. A. Marshall, Dr. Tattershall, J. Dodd ; and
Messrs. A. Hodgson, John Rigby, John Howard, Henry
Sherlock, W. Brocklebank, C. Inman, and C. Boutflower.
Mr. ADAM HODGSON, treasurer of the association, wai
called to the chair.

The Rev. H. CARPENTER, secretary, having implored the
divine blessing upon the proceedings,
The CHAIRMAN said it had been a subject of great disap-
pointment to the committee, and he was sure it would be a
source of great regret to the meeting, to have been deprived
of the presence of the Chancellor of the Diocese, by severe
indisposition. We had had so many opportunities of know-
ing the kindness of disposition. and of appreciating his pecu-
liar qualifications for the duties of the office he had under-
taken to perform, [those of chairman] that we should all
deeply sympathise in the loss and deprivation. We had al-
ways found in our meetings that his very presence had a ten-
dency to diffuse over them a tone of feeling best in harmony
with the subject, that it was calculated to produce a spirit of
seriousness and simplicity best accordant with the deep con-
sciousness of the magnitude of the object and enterprise in
which we were prepared to embark, and the utter inadequacy
and disproportion of all human means and instrumentality
to effect them, unless blessed in a special manner by spiritual
influence from above. (Hear.) It was quite unnecessary,
at this time of day, for he was present at the anniversary held
twenty years ago, and they had become as familiar as a house-
hold word, for the chairman in opening the proceedings of
these meetings to explain the nature and objects of this so-
ciety. He would state, however, that the object of the pre-
sent meeting was not simply to record the proceedings of the
past year, but to deepen the sense of our individual respon-
sibility, and of the exceeding responsibility which rested upon
us individually to promote the objects of the society by every
means in our power. (Heir, hear.) After these observa-
tions, he would proceed at once to the business of the day,
by calling upon the secretary to read the report of the last
year's proceedings.
The Rev. H. CARPENTER then read the annual report,
which is as follows :

" In presenting their annual report to this meeting, the
committee of the Liverpool and West Lancashire Church
Missionary Association desire, in the first place, to ascribe
devout praise to the God of all grace for the blessings be-
stowed of late on the labours of this society in heathen lands.
Never in the history of the society's proceedings were its
missions on the whole in a more healthy condition, or bore
more manifest tokens of being acknowledged by the Lord.
To multitudes among the heathen the gospel preached by our
missionaries has proved to be the power of God unto salva-
tion. The progress which divine truth has made among the

natives in some of our missions must animate the faith, and
cheer the hope of every Christian mind. From Western
Africa, from India, but, above all, from New Zealand, the
happiest tidings have been recently received of the rapid
spread of gospel truth among the natives. In the last of
these, New Zealand, a mission on which so much obloquy

_
was heaped, an unexampled measure of blessing has been
granted to the faithful labourers of this society. The gene-
ral consistency of conduct on the part of the converts there—
their eager desire for spiritual improvement—their devout
observance of the Lord's day, and their serious deportment
in the house of God have been confessed by numbers, and
often presented a painful contrast to the conduct of Europeans
visiting or settling in that island. The numbers now attend-
ing public worship in New Zealand far exceed those of any
past period in the history of this mission. By the returns
received in 1839, the natives composing the congregations in
our churches there amounted to 2,203 ; in 1840, they had
increased to 8,760; and now, in 1841, they have grown to
30,000 souls. It is true some of these may have been under

the instruction of native teachers in former years, and from
their remoteness from our principal stations may have been
omitted in the returns of those years; but be that as it may,
the happy fact is ascertained that our churches in New Zea-
land are now frequented by 30,000 natives of that country.
" Have not the friends of this society, in this single fact,
a subject for grateful praise to their God? Instead of re-
buking them for their feeble efforts on behalf of the heathen,
He has condescended to bless these unworthy labours, to en-
courage all to enlarged zeal in this great work of Christian
love!

" With respect to the society's progress at home, its funds
this year have fallen short of the preceding by about £lO,OOO.
The -Liverpool Association, the committee regret to add, has
shared in this deficiency. But whilst the committee would
express their regret, that in both cases the income did not
reach that of the past year, they rejoice to be able to state,
that this deficiency does not indicate any failure of love or
interest for the society on the part of the church. This will
be evident, if we analyzethe sums respectively contributed
. .

in each of these years. It must be boriie in mind that spe
cial efforts were made in the last year to supply the deficiency
of the year preceding. By deducting the sums raised thus,
we shall find that the society's income is not decreasing.
Thus, in Liverpool, for example, last year the association re-
ceived £2584: this year £2247: exhibiting a decrease of
more than £3OO. But let it be remembered that last year
an extra special collection was made in St. Jude's Branch, of
£126; there came also from Wallasey an anonymous dona-
tion of :100; and St. Helens Branch, which formerly sent
its contributions through this association, has forwarded
them direct to Loudon this year. And thus another £lOO
does not appear at this time in the report of your association.
" In conclusion, the committee would commend this so-
ciety and the work in which it is engaged to the sympathy
and support and prayers of all its friends. God has been
pleased to meet this society with his blessing, let us meet
Him with our praises and our prayers. He has blessed it:
labours abroad—He is blessing its labours at home. During
the past year seventy-seven new associations were formed
throughout different parts of the kingdom, and between
one and two hundred pulpits were open, if preachers ac-
quainted with the society's proceedings could be had to oc-
cupy them and plead its cause. The committee are thank-
ful to add, that a correspondence is at present going on
which promises to secure to the Church Missionary Society
the unanimous support of the bishops of our church, without
any compromise of those principles on which the society
has from the first been conducted. Those principles
your committee believe in their consciences to be based
on the sacred volume, and in accordance with the expressed
doctrines of our scriptural church. They are the prin
ciples which our Reformers stood for, even to the death.
And it is the conviction of your committee, that by
maintaining these principles in all their integrity, the so-
ciety can alone look for that measure of favour from God
and his servants on earth, with which it has been so signally
favoured and blessed in times past. To these principles your
committee would contribute in particular that cordial sup-
port the society has met with in this town for a period now
of 21 years. And though year after year they have had to
mourn the loss of older friends; some called away by death,
some moved to other scenn,— still the number of the
society's friends has not declined. While, therefore, your
committee would testify their grateful recollection of the
help received from old and valued friends in years gone
by ; they desire to bless the great head of the church, that
othrs are provided to supply their place. They ass cheered
by the thocght, that no work of christianity shall ever fail
for want of support ; and that amidst the changes and
chances of this mortal life, our Lord Jesus Christ ever
liveth—` the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' "
Mr. JOHN HOWARD said he had been called upon to move
the first resolution. It was always a pleasure to him to take
any part, though it be only that of a hewer of wood and a
drawer of water, in such a cause as this. He regretted he
could not do more; but were he to attempt to speak from
the abundance of his heart he should not know where to
cease. When he looked around him and saw so many gen-
tlemen prepared to takt part in the day's duty who were so
much better able to address the meeting, with benefit and
edification, he was satisfied he should but ill occupy time with
any extensive observations. We had to lament in the report
just read, and to record, a diminution in the contributions
compared with the amount received last year. In a commer-
cial town like Liverpool, the means of individuals, however
hearty their wishes might be in the cause, must occasionally
fluctuate. We must not therefore despond; all we had to
do was, if it should please God, to persevere, and another
year make up the deficiency. (Hear, hear.) A little self
denial, and a little more exertion, might perhaps readily ac-
complish this object •, at all events all must put their shoul-
ders to the wheel, and endeavour to carry on this excellent
society with increased vigour, every year seeking the blessing
of God upon our labours, and upon the silver and the gold
which were his. (Hear, hear, hear.) He begged to move—
" That the report now read be printed and circulated,
under the direction of the committee; that the Rev. Dr.
Tattershall and the Rev. W. Rawson be added to the number
of vice-presidents," &c.
The Rev. J. H. WOODWARD, incumbent of St. James's,
Bhirmissteollf, t
hs ea coded oonfdet
end ats h
he e rheasdo übetei
no ne
a. l
eHd en
pcoonu lt do
atdr
du
rl s
ss amy e for
et
ings on behalf of this great society, the oftener he was called
upon to do so, the more he felt his own deep responsibility.
le felt more than ever the necessity of wisdom from above
a speaking on behalf of an institution which he did not hesi-

tate to say, now that his official connection with it had ceased,
was one of the mostimportant rallying points, not only abroad,
but also in our own dear native land, for pure Bible evan-
gelical religion. He was sorry to hear, and we must all be
sorry to hear, that the funds of the society were falling off
in this place, and likewise that the funds of the parent so-
ciety had fallen off, he believed, to the amount of £10,000.;
but at the same time, if we looked at the income of the so-
ciety, we should find in what might be called the ordinary
sources of income, viz. the channel of associations, that there
had been a decided increase. He was sorry to hear that one
or two of the collections yesterday [Sunday] had fallen off,
but he trusted something would be done by the meeting to-
day and by that to-morrow night, to aid the funds of this
great and glorious institution. (Cheers.) Upon a compari-
son of the abstracts of last year with those of the present
year we found that the society had been making great and
gratifying progress. Last year it had 95 missionary stations,
in the present yeat it had 97 ' last year it had 95 mission-
aries, this year 102 ; last year it had nine native missionaries,
this year it had ten. (Hear, hear.) Under the head of
catechists and other British laymen labouring abroad there
was, he knew not why, a defalcation, last year it had 82 cate-
chists, this year only 76 ; last year it had 634 country boy
teachers, this year 970. He found that whilst there were
3050 communicants last year, there were this year 4603 ;
that last year there were 43,586 attendants upon public wor-
ship, whilst this year there 66,493. (Hear, hear.) And
finally, that last year there were 28,849 children within the
walls of the schools of the society, there were this year
85,396. (Loud applause.) Every missionary report, even
the excellent one the adoption of which he most cm dially
seconded, would be found to contain some circumstances of
sunshine and of shade. We heard of 77 new associations :
all of these must have added to the funds, but where were the
old associations—what were they doing? He feared the
secretary of the society, if he were asked, must be obliged
to state that those associations—most of them, at all events
—in some degree had fallen off. He trusted, however, we
should not find old faces removed from us, or old friends
falling off, but that there would be a revival in the midst of
years of the old associations, and that they would welcome
with increasing funds the addition of new ones. (Hear.)
We were often inclined to wonder at our forefathers not
doing more for missions than they did; for his part, he
could say, that that man was much more to be wondered at,
who having all the facilities which the present day afforded
for spreading abroad the Redeemer's kingdom, gave only the
kind of contributions which were too frequently given. He
remembered once hearing a very extraordinary and a naval
man say, that one great evil had arisen from the division of
the Bible into verses: he conceived it had given ignorant
men an extraordinary facility of controversy, for men who
had not duly studied the context, to find verses for the pur-
pose of proving any theory. Something like this was the
case with regard to our money. If you took up any of our
missionary lists, you found men considered by all as having
£lO,OOO or £5OOO a year subscribing their guinea; others of
£3OO or £4OO a year their guinea. Now, he ventured to say,
if men's incifies were laid before the public, with their con-

tributions to such causes as this, there would be found a
most extraordinary disproportion between them. There was
one topic adverted to in the report, which to his mind was
one of the most important, and, at the same time, one of the
most delightful and powerful interest. He alluded to the
notice given, not only in the local report, but in the annual
report of the parent society the other day, that there was
some plan now on foot which it was hoped might end in all
the bishops of our church joining the Church Missionary
Society. (Applause.) He was glad to hear that cheer,
because it showed, what indeed he had no reason to doubt,
that there was in Liverpool a warm, strong, and deep attach-
ment to the religion established among us, and which we all
believed to be an apostolical one. But there were difficulties
in the question ; there were features in the case which called
for our earnest prayers that the society might be guided by
the wisdom from above; that she might have grace given
her not to abandon one iota of the principles upon which she
had been established. And what principles did he mean ?
He meant those principles which a Scott, a Newton, and a
Pratt upon their knees prayed she might be kept in; those
were the principles in which alone he desired to see this
missionary society go forward, and if she swerved one iota
from them, he feared we should see " Ichabod" written upon
her proceedings. He did not mean to say, far from it, that
there were any web-grounded apprehensions that the matter
might not be so wisely and so specially ordered as to com-
bine the junction of every bishop in the church with this
society with a firm, uncompromising, undeviating adherence
to her old original principles. He trusted he should not be
deemed tedious if he just directed attention to one or two
points contained in the missionary records for the last year.
By the way, let him take the liberty, as an old secretary of
this society, to say he really almost doubted whether he
heard one passage of the report just read correctly. He
thought he heard the secretary read that there were between
100 and 200 pulpits open to the society, provided—he really
forgot the exact words used—clergymen could be found to
occupy them who had a tolerableor sufficient knowledge of the
proceedings of the Church Missionary Society. That was a
statement which ought not to be made. In his own parish
they had monthly missionary meetings ; they received the
missionary records every month, and the only difficulty was
to get through them in the time allotted for the proceedings.
In fact they never did get through them. He ventured to
say, that any clergyman who would pore over for eight or
ten hours—say one hour a month—the last volume of
the records of this society, would be able, so far as
information -went, to preach as many sermons as he
might be asked to preach on behalf of the Church Missionary
Society. (Hear.) He had spoken of the original princi-
ples of the Church Missionary Society. The only point to
which he would direct attention was this. Upon his way
from London the other day, in one of the railway carriages,
which among other excellencies allowed one to read comfort-
ably as one went along, he took into his band the Mission-
ary Records, and he found that the point always put before
the heathen, was salvation through the blood of the everlast—
ing covenant—that this society proclaimed in every one of
her missions, and the Lord God forbid she should ever cease
to do so, the glorious doctrines of the Bible, and the glorious
doctrines of the reformation. (Cheers.) The rev. gentle-
man then read from the Missionary Records extracts from
letters from missionaries in Western Africa, Egypt, North
India, Ceylon, New Zealand, and the West Indies, all of
which were exceedingly interesting, and corroborated his
assertion, that Jesus Christ only was preached. Oh, said
he in conclusion, these are principles which I do most
earnestly trust, and I do most entirely believe, that the
Church Missionary Society will never swerve from—that
nothing w,ll ever tempt her, wilfully or knowingly—for she
is liable .to mistakes and infirmities—to send abroad one
single missionary who will proclaim any other truths but
this. (Cheers.) The rev. gentleman concluded by second-
ing the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN, after explaining that Dr. Tattersall and
the Rev. Mr. Rawson had been added to the committee, and
that the name of the Rev. Mr. Buddicorn would be conti-
nued, put the resolution. It was carried unanimously.
The Rev. J. A. WHITE moved the second resolution :
" That the progress of Divine Truth in the missions of
this society, especially in Western Africa, India, and New
Zealand, be acknowledged by this meeting with devout gra-
titude to Almighty God, and be hailed as an indication of
His favour, who has commanded His church to preach the
Gospel to every creature,' with the encouraging promise
that ' He will then be with it even to the end of the world.' "
The Rev. gentleman, after a few appropriate introductory
remarks, touching the character of the present anniversary,
and a brief contrast of the original dimensions of the society
with its present magnitude, stated, that at one of its early
annual meetings, the late Mr. Wilberforce said he should
not be surprised if it one day attained an income of £lO,OOO
a-year. Instead of £lO,OOO a-year it had now a steady in-
come of £90,000 a-year for spreading the Gospel in distant
lands ! Even this was by no means a large sum to be de-
voted to such an object, when we considered the vast wealth
of England. The agricultural income of the country was at
least 150 millions per annum ; and the commercial income
more than double that sum ; who then would say that
£90,000 a-year was a large sum to apply to the sending of.
the Gospel to distant lands ? (Hear.) He would refer for
a moment to the proposition made to the society by the Lord
Bishop of London, that a council of bishops should be appointed
to which every matter touching the ecclesiastical power of
the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts and of the Church Missionary Society should be re-
ferred. The bishop said, and no doubt he spoke with the
authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, that all the
bishops would sanction the proceedings of this society, if
the society would consent to it. He (Mr. White) rejoiced
at this prospect, and it would be delightful to every son and
daughter of the church to see all our archbishops and bishops
sanctioning the proceedings of the society. (Hear.) It
would have another effect. In travelling through the country
he had met with clergymen who had scruples about opening
their pulpits, or making collections in their churches, for
this society, on the ground that their bishop did not exactly
approve of it; but when all the bishops sanctioned it, there
would be no such objection ; it would spread through the
length and breadth of the land, the clergy preaching sermons,
and forming associations. (Applause.) But, whilst he re-
joiced at our bishop coming forward to sanction the society,
he had not the least fear in the world of its principles being
compromised by such patronage. (Hear, hear.) There was
:he assurance of the committee, and the Bishop of London
'greed to it, that there should be the same management of
affairs, the same selection of missionaries, the same careful-
ness in choosing men of evangelical principles, the same
superintendence of missionaries abroad as before, and that
the missionaries should continue to preach, as they had,
the Gospel preached by Cranmes. by Latimer, by Ridley,
and by all the martyrs and confessors of our church, (Ap-
plause.) Its missionaries would go forth preaching the sim-
plicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the dark and be-
nighted regions of the earth. (Hear.) He would now in-
vite attention to a few details, to show what cause of thank-
fulness there was for the progress which the society had
made. Last year it had only 643 native teachers; this year
it had 970. His rev. friend Mr. Woodward, could not ac-
count for the falling off in the number of English lay-
teachers. Here was the way to account for it—the society
had now got native teachers, which was a very great advan-
tage, inasmuch as they had ?sotto learn the language, they
had not to become habituated to the customs of their coun-
try, they had not to endure the climate, often so unhealthy
to foreigners, but they could preach among the natives in
their own tongue, the wonderful works of God. (Applause.)
The resolution referred to the progress of the society in
Western Africa, in India, and in New Zealand. He should
not now speak of Western Africa, as he hoped to enter most
fully upon that subject to-morrow evening, but he should
speak briefly about India, and very briefly about New Zea-
land. In India the gospel had made most wonderful pro-
gress during the last year. Not only had the society been
working, but the Bishop of Calcutta had been working by
means of local clergy, and the gospel had made such pro-
gress, that he had actually consecrated two churches in the
midst of the Himmalayan mountains. (Hear, hear.) Such
was the opening for missionaries there, that those now on
the spot were worn out ; they were hardly able to proceed ;
the bishop was calling for a fresh supply' of labourers ; and
indeed, if a thousand more missionaries could be sent from
this country, there would be active employment for them
all. (Hear.) The rev. gentleman then described the pro-
gress of the gospel in Kislinaghan, Tinnevally, and Benares,
and recited an admirable hymn, the first composition of a
Hindostanee youth at Benares, who was being educated in
the seminary there for a preacher of the gospel among his
own countrym&i. He then referred to New. Zealand. How
our hearts rejoiced, and thanked' God when we recollected
that here was a beautiful colony added to England, and
an extensive country opened to British enterprise, by
means of the Church Missionary Society ! (Cheers.) it
had been truly said, that this was the first instance upon
record, of territory won to England, not by the sword or by
the broadsides of our ships, but by the sword of the spirit,
which was the word of God. (Cheers.) Not only that, but
the society's missionaries had opportunities throughout the
length and breadth of the land, of preaching the truth of
the gospel to all the inhabitants of it.—Having read some
accounts of their proceedings and success, from missionaries
Henry Williams and William Williams, he rev. gentleman
stated that at the present moment there were no less than
30,000 natives in New Zealand under the Christian instruc-
tion of the Church Missionary Society. The friends of the
society had heard much last year of the land held by its
missionaries, and much abuse had been directed againSt it
on that account. What was the fact now? Government
had sent out their own commissioners to apportion and sell
the land, and they had fixed the price of land in New Zea-
land at precisely the same amount as that which had been
paid for it by the society's missionaries ! (Hear.) That was
a sufficient refutation of the charge so often made, that they
had purchased land for tin kettles and looking-glasses.
(Hear, hear.) But the society was now charged, not with
being landholders, but with being place-hunters there.
(Hear.) This charge arose from the, fact that the govern-
ment had appointed George Clarke one of the society s
catechists, the protector of the aborigines. (Hear.) Why
not ? Government wanted a fit, honest, and christian man
to be protector of the aborigines in that rising colony, and
where did they go ? They did not go to England, or to the
colony of Sydney, but they came to one of the society's mis-
sionaries, who had laboured in the country for years, and
whom they could trust. (Hear.) He (Mr. White) consi-
dered this a striking proof of the value of the labours of the
society's missionaries. Mr. White concluded his address by
a strong call upon the meeting to aid the society by pecuni-
ary means, as far as lay in their power.
Mr. CHARLES INMAN seconded the resolution.
On being put by the chairman, it was unanimously
carried.
The Rev. Professor SCHOLEFIELD moved the next reso-
lution, which is as follows :
" That the present crisis in the history of the Churcl
Missionary Society's proceedings at home and abroad, calls
for earnest prayer on the part of all its friends, that the Di-
rectors of the Society may be endued with wisdom from
above, and thus be enabled through good report, and evil re-
port, to adhere steadfastly to those great principles of evan-
gelical truth, which have hitherto distinguished this society,
and received so large a measure of the Divine Blessing."
The leading point,to which his resolution referred was a cer-
tain great import and recognized crisis. That crisis was one
which called especially for the exercise of wisdom, and as
that wisdom could only be obtained from above, it must be
sought for in the way which the inspired writings pointed out,
by prayer to him who gave to all men liberally, and upbraided
not; and that wisdom, when so vouchsafed, as he trusted in
answer to prayer, it would be vouchsafed, was to be exer-
cised by the directors of the society in adhering to the great
principles of evangelical truth, upon which the society was
established. (Hear, hear.) The crisis here referred to was
one which every member and friend, as well as director of the
society must be prepared under the Divine blessing to meet;
and he was glad to find that his dear friends in Liverpool
were prepared to meet it in the same way as they had been
endeavouring to do in Cambridge, by having two meetings
instead of one, by adding this morning's meeting to the eve-
ning's assembly, which of late had been usual. He recog-
nized himself the existence of the crisis. He felt we had ar-
rived at a crisis in the history of the Church Missionary So-
ciety, whether he looked at the peculiar position of affairs at
home, or upon the vast extent of the missionary field abroad,
he thought it must be felt by all, that we were not now stand-
ing upon the same ground upon which we had hitherto stood,
but that we were called upon to look at the past, to review
and ascertain our portion for the future, and to ask for fresh
supplies of wisdom and strength to enter upon our duty.
(Cheers.) We could not, we dared not, doubt from past ex-
perience, the gracious blessing of our Divine Master, whom
it was our honour to serve ; that same blessing would still be
continued to us, and we should go forward with increased
energy and unction in the prosecution of one great and im-
portant object. (Applause. The principles referred to in
the resolution were of paramount importance. They were
those upon which the Church Missionary Society was first
established, and of which she had never for an instant lost
sight. But in connection with this, it was impossible to be-
lieve that there were not certain other principles of subsidiary

Importance to which we were called- upon to direct our at-
tention. Who did not know that it had been made some-
thing like an invidious and ill matured charge against the so-
ciety. That she had been deficient in certain other princi-
ples—" Church principles," they were called—because she
was not established to carry forward any measures, in pro-
ceedings similar to those of certain other institutions.—
Now like her, hold fast to one, and while so doing, not un-
dervalue the other. (Hear hear.) What did his suggestion
amount to ? To nothing more than this—that we should go
on as we had done hitherto ; and he doubted not but, by
persevering in that way, we should still have the Divine
blessing resting upon the society. (Cheers.) Permit him
to glance a little at the past history of the society, after hav-
ing just touched upon those great principies of evangelical
truth to which the resolution adverted. It seemed as if, in
*the framing of the resolution, something like an apprehension
had been felt—he knew it had been expressed by some—that
we were beginning to stand upon that slippery and dangerous
ground of temptation, by which we might be induced, for
certain considerations of immediate and worldly advantage,
to be content to lose sight of the great and prominent prin-
ciple which the society had, held fast from the beginning.
No : we were not so forgetful of our own principles, or so
unfaithful to the members of the society, and to that God
who had hitherto so blessed us. (Hear.) What was it that
had established this society in the hearts of the great mass
of British Christians, and called forth towards it the praises
and blessings of the world ? What was it that had entrenched
it so fast and deep in the spiritual affections of Christian
hearts, that had bound it up with the prayers to God of
praying people in every part of the world? He could not
hesitate for a moment to reply, it was the strict, and deter-
mined, and zealous adherence to that great, and high, and
holy principle of evangelical truth, which had been already
largely adverted to this morning. (Cheers.) At this time
of day, were we to relinquish those principles? Were we to
change the character of the society, to begin upon some new
speculations, losing sight of, or undervaluing, the blessing
of the Master whom we now served ? Were we to court and
look for support in other quarters, as a substitute for that
which we had foregone? He said, God forbid. (Applause.)
In the nature of things, it was impossible. The society must
not dissolve itself, and be re-constructed and re-modelled
upon new, false, and most dangerous principles. (Hear,
hear.) He thought he might take it for granted that such a
change as this never could take place ; but when, he said that,
he would not speak in the unhallowed confidence of human
presumption. He recognized the importance of that to which
the resolution referred to, namely, the necessity of having wis-
dom from above, and the necessity of asking for that wisdom
by prayer. And he hailed it as an omed, he could not say
pleasing and satisfactory, but he was justified in considering
it something in the way of encouragement, to find those very
persons who were so zealous for what they called church
principles, and who, in his humble judgment, were so fast
verging towards the very confines of popery—(loud cheers)
—he hailed it, he said, as lei timeu for 'good that this dear
society, which we loved so much, was met by perfect loath-
ing by those men, because they felt it was one with which
they could neither sympathise nor amalgamate. (Hear,
hear.) But whilst he said this, he did not say there was to
be an array of opposite principles, that we were to take Chris-
tian principles, and leave church principles to them. (Hear,
and cheers.) He maintained, on the contrary, that the so-
ciety had held church principles all along, (hear, hear,) but
that a new state of things had arisen, which, he trusted,
would give us the opportunity of entering more fully, or rather
he should say, more visibly, more palpahly, and unequivocally,
into the carrying out of those great principles. (Hear, hear.)
What was the state of things and the matter of fact with
regard to the Church Missionary Society, in reference to
church principles? Simply this—we were now, thank God,
about to have, as the result of ~a great and influential meet-
ing recently held in London. under the presidency, and
called by, the Archbishop of Canterbury, a complete, or
almost complete, system oaf colonial episcopacy established
in all our colonial possessions. (Hear.) To whom were we
indebted for this? He answered, without the slightest hesi-
tation—to the Church Missionary Society. (Cheers.) To
prove this, he would briefly trace the history of the whole
proceeding, which was simply this :—So long ago as 1807,
when this society was about to send, or had just sent, its first
missionary to India, one of the best friends of the Church
Missionary Society, of the Church of England, and of the
Church of Christ—he meant the great and good Dr.
Buchanan—published a book, proposing a scheme of a whole
episcopal frame-work for all the colonial possessions of our
country. (Hear.) The book was written, drawn up, and
published, at the suggestion of the great and good Bishop
Porteus ; and now, in the year 1841, just thirty-four years
after the publication of that work, we were about to have
an episcopal system generally established throughout our
colonies. And let it be marked, too, that if you turned to
Dr. Buchanan's book, you would find we had not either in
possession or prospect one single bishopric which was not
regularly laid down and dotted out in the scheme propounded
by Dr. Buchanan. (Loud applause.) When the society's
missionaries went forth what did they find ? In some of them
they found British commercial speculators, and British sub-
jects resident from various causes s they found a civil esta-
blishment for carrying on the civil affairs of the place, and
those relations in which the country was bound up with others,
but they never found a bishop. (Hear, hear.) Was the so-
ciety, then, to be sneered at by these men, because when
they went to preach the gospel of the great bishop to the hea-
then, they found no under-bishop there to whom they might
refer their proceedings, and to whom they. might defer in
point of authority? (Hear, hear.) How, indeed, did they
act? They carried with them as much of the discipline and
system of the Church of England as it was possible ; they
carried with them the church liturgy; they conducted all
their proceedings in strict conformity with the principles of
the church ; and the men who went out to those countries,
as soon as regularly qualified persons could be procured,
were ordained by the Bishop of London. (Hear, hear,) He
defied the enemies of the society, if it had any, to prove
that it had ever acted in any particular, in a manner incon-
sistent with ecclesiastical order. (Applause.) Nay, he would
)roadly declare, to the honour of this society, that she was
,he first instrument of winning the affections of heathen
:onverts to the beautiful liturgy of our church, that she had
ed the way to a system of introducing our liturgy into the
:ongregations of heathen converts, which had since been fol.,
owed by the converts themselves—for the society believed
;hat, next to God's own word, there was no book to be com-
pared in usefulness or importance with the prayer book of
the Church of England. (Loud cheers.) Then, in course
of time as the result of that attention which was called to
this subject, first, by Dr. Buchanan, and indirectly by the
Church Missionary Society, bishops were appiliated for the
West Indies, and one bishop was appointed to gg aml.saek
a grave, sinking under the burdens of the vast'diocese of the
East Indies. But now, by God's blessing, the work had
gone forward, and there were three bishops in India, and he
hoped there would be soon others for Ceylon, Malta, and
New Zealand, to give the society's missionaries that epis-
copal superintendence and direction which they were not
only ready to receive, but which the _society had all along
earnestly desired. (Cheers.) Such a transition state as this,
as were all things in a state of transition, was accompanied
with certain inconveniences, dangers, misapprehensions, and
a danger of one part of the society falling in with another
without open and unpleasant collision. Perhaps the Church
Missionary had had but little of this ; but if they had not
had it in the practical working of the society, they had at
least felt in the unkind insinuations of thoseswho bore them
no good will at home, and who thought if they could
find no other fault, they could in this distinct particu-
lar. The society, however, had gone on ; they had
sought for wisdom from above, and be trusted that it
had been given ; and they were now fallen into that
state of *things with regard to ecclesiastical relations, which
was ably described in a letter addressed by the Bishop of
Barbadoes to his clergy. The rev. gentleman read the pas-
sage, which was to this effect :--s" We are members and
ministers of the Church of England. Whether a minister
be regularly supported by the colonies, or by the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel, or by the Church Missionary
Society, or out of parliamentary grants, this in no wayaffects
the clerical character he possesses ; he still bears the com-
mon name of a minister and member of the Church of
England, is subject to the same corrections, acting under
the samelicense, using the same liturgy, bound by the same
rubric, ministers alike in the one same branch of the Church
of Christ for the salvation of the souls of men. We may
receive support from other societies, but the permanent
jurisdiction of bishops must ever be practically acknow-
!edged." (Hear.) He rejoiced to think that if we looked
back through the whole history of this transitory state, este
had called it, we should find these principles carried out just
as far as there had been opportunity of doing it. Look now
at the line of succession for bishops in India. Every one of
them, with a single slight exception. which he could advert
to—Middleton, Heber, James, Turner, and Wilson, and
the other, too, of Madras and Bombay had been
cordial friends of the Church Missionary Society. (Hear.)
He had spoken- of an exception—ghat exception was Dr.
Middleto, the first bishop of Calcutta, but it was not an
invidious' exception. He had the same feelings with regard
to all missionary eiertibn. He felt that he was sent merely
to superintend the English church. and English residents ;
but he (Professor Scholefleld) was able to state, on
unques-
tionable authority, that in one of the last, if n'
not the very
last letters which he wrote before his death, he spdke of the
Church MisSionary Society in very remarkable terms. He
said of its missionaries "they have been more religious men
than I, for th'ey have ever been ready to second and further
my plans, while I have regarded them with something like
susptcioft and unkindness.' (Hear.) This letter was
received in England at the time Bishop Heber was going to
set sail for India, and it was shown to Bishop Heber, in
common with two friends of his, (Professor Scholefields',)
one of whom had been removed from this world, but the
other still lived, and from which their mouths conjointly he
received this testimony. (Hear.) He thought, therefore,
if we looked back at the past there was nothing for which
this society could be found fault with with regard to church
principles. (Great applause.) Let him go one step further.
Many present, as he was, were old enough to remember that
ritical period in the society's history, when an Archdeacon
n Bath came forward at a meeting like the present to
protest against its being held, declaring that he as
Lrchdeacon was the ecclesiastical head under the bishop, and
hat without the partronage of archdeacon and bishop the
:lergy had no right to be present on suchen occasion, and for
inch a purpose. When this took place, a friend of his (Pro-
fessor Scholeffeld's) in the couuty adjoining, that in which he
resided, brought forward a proposition at a diocesan meeting
in the county of Huntingdon, to send up a requisition to the
Society for:the Propogation of the Gospel, calling upon them
to enlarge their missionary efforta. Dr. Tomlins, the bishop
of the diocese, highly
approved of it, and said to his (Profess
sor Scholeffeld's) friend, " Whatever letters you have to
write to the clergy of my diocese upon this subject, send
them to sae, that I may frank them, in order to show how
entirely I countenance the project." (near, hear.) The re-
quisition was sent up to the society in London, and an an-
swer was returned, in substance " We are not a missionary
society." It was very true. They were missionaries now ;
they were not then incorporated as missionaries ; but the
Church Missionary Society—and he mentioned it to show she
was not content to live under suspicion, to exist upon a kind
of suffrance, as if all her proceedings were carried forward in
opposition to our priuciples as churchmen—(hear, hear, and
loud cheers)—was the only missionary society that ever
was originated in the bosom of our church. (Hear, hear.)
Every one knew that the Society for Propagating the Gospel
was originally incorporated and chartered for sending out
chaplains to the colonies to preach the gospel, and keep alive
the religion of their forefathers among the British residents
there ; and that formere than a century it never assumed
the character of a missionary society. (Hear.) But before
this period, by one of those accidental turns in human affairs
which were under the regulation of Divine providence, the
Danish missionaries came into the hands of another society,
the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, or if you
liked, as trustees for a missionary society, but they were not
originated as a missionary society in the church. The So-
ciety for Propagating the peaGosl was then driven by the
-voice of the country to do tha hich they declined to do
upon the application from the county of Huntingdon ; they
assumed the character of a missionary society, one of the old
societies transferred the missions he had named to her, and
from that day to the present, the Propagation Society had
been a second Church Missionary Society in the bosom of
the church. (Cheers.) Surely for such societies the world was
large enough. We were not going to kidnap their converts
if he might use such A phrase, but we left them to carry on
their work uninterruptedly and wished them God speed.
Surely our thurch fight well support two such societies as
these, and he strongly deprecated those collisions, objections,
and misrepresentattons which were brought forward either
1
directly or indirectly, the real practical meaning of which was
that the Church Missionary Society was not a cherch society.
(Hear, hear.) As the meeting had heard already we had sr-.
rived at that crisis in the society's history when we were to
take up that position, and assume that recognized character,
after which, he supposed no member of our church would
venture any,longer to charge it with not being a church so-
ciety-, (eth%) He did not attach very great importance to

our escape from these ill-natured taunts; he did not think
they had hurt us much yet, and to be candid he did not think
they would hurt us at all. The great danger in connection
with them was that, under the influence of such taunts, men
might be irritated either to do or to speak things which might
savour of something like want of respect to episcopal authority.
This society had never been animated by such a feeling,
and, while from the bottom of his heart he thought, it had
been enabled by God's grace to take deep root throughout
the length and breadth of the land, he earnestly hoped, and
trusted, and prayed, and believed, that in receiving, if he
might so call it, which he did very unwillingly, something
like an accession of church principles, it would never be
tempted or misled to a betrayal of what he must call, after
all, the higher and holier principles which animated us as
members of the holy catholic church of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. (Loud cheers.) He felt, indeed, that
we did want wisdom from above, as at all times so in every
rising crisis in the society's history in particular, and cer-
tainly not the least at this particular and special crisis.
(Hear.) He would only add, that what he must consider
the unmeaning misrepresentations'which had gone forth re-
specting the society, upon the ground of its church princi-
ples, had for a limited season, and to a limited extent,
operated to its prejudice. He had not the shadow of a doubt
of this ; therefore, he called upon his friends, as attached
members of the society and of our beloved church, to en-
large their efforts and their contributions. In conclusion,
let him with all reverence quote the words-of inspiration :
" Abound in the work of the Lord, inasmuch as ye know
that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (Loud
cheers.)
The Rev. EDWIN SYDNEY in seconding the resolution,
enlarged upon the pleasing prospect there was of the whole
of the Eastern Churches, which like ours, were protesting
altogether for want of lauful episcopal superintendence,
they had fallen into error, being united with the Church of
England. _ _ _

The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
The doxology was then sang, and the proceedings were ad-
journed at half-past one o'clock, till half-past six this even-
ing, when the place of meeting will be the Amphitheatre.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL FUND

A public meeting was held yesterday in the Sessions-
house, Chapel-street, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration certain parliamentary measures in contemplation,
materially affecting the Liverpool Merchant Seamen's Hos-
pital-Fund. The meeting was convened by the Mayor, in
compliance with a requisition from the shipmasters' asso-

dation
The MAYOR having taken the chair a few minutes after
twelve o'clock, opened the proceedings by stating that he had
convened the meeting in accordance with the wishes of a
highly respectable deputatioa of gentlemen, who waited on
him to request that such a meeting might be called, in order
to concert mEasures for opposing a change contemplated in
.the management of the Merchant Seamen's Hospital Fund,
which fund was at present, he understood, managed in Li-
verpool by a committee of masters cf vessels and owners in-
terested in the command of those vessels ; and in such an
excellent manner, as that little or no expense at all was in-
curred, so far as that management was concerned. It was
apprehended, however, that it was in contemplation to have
the management changed, and to have it placed over all the
ports in the kingdom under the direction of a board in Lon-
don, which board would necessarily have paid officers, who,
from their non-residence, could only be imperfectly ac-
quainted with the wants of those who had a fair claim on the
fund. Under the good management of the existing law, the
fund had been not,merely well distributed, but a very large
'sum had accumulated in the hands of its managers; and
though it was not, as be believed, intended to take the sur-
plus amount out of Liverpool, but to change the management
to London, the matter was one very generally affecting the
widows and children of master mariners, that the manage-
ment should continueas it at present existed. (Hear, hear.)
Sir J. WALMSLEY proposed the first resolution. He had
been instructed by the Shipmasters' Association to commence
the proceedings of the day ; but, in thefirst place, he hoped
he would be permitted to thank the mayor, in their name,
for the promptitude with which he had called the meeting,
and to express his own assurance that there was no man in
the community who felt a deeper interest in the welfare of
the seamen of the town than did his worship. (Hear and
cheers.) The mayor would be gratified at knowing that re-
cently an establishment had originated in Liverpool, called
the Shipmasters' Association, an association, he (Sir Joshua)
was proud to say, which was rapidly progressing, and likely
to become all that its originators contemplated. It was cal-
culated to diffuse information among masters and seamen—
a class of men who had hitherto, he was sorry to say, been
too little cared for. (Hear, hear.) It would be necessary
to state, for the information of some present, though there
might be others in the meeting well acquainted with the fact,
that the Seamen's Hospital Fund was originated a long dis-
tance of time back. He found acts of parliament in refer-
ence to it in the reign of Queen Anne. The last act on the
subject had come into force on the Ist January, 1835, the
previous one was the 20th Geo. 11. The object of the two
latter acts was to empower the appointment of fifteen trus-
tees, to be elected by the merchants, masters. and owners of
vessels in the port from which the vessels hailed, and their
duty was to see that the funds were properly levied and dis-
tributed. Under the first act, the levy on the muster roll
was 6d per month on seamen and is per month on masters.
Under the second, which, as he had already said, came
into operation on the Ist day of January, 1835, the levy on
the muster roll was increased from 6d to is on seamen, and
from is to 2s on masters. The first provision of the latter
act was, that each seaman who had subscribed to the fund
for twenty-one years should be entitled to a certain amount
of return on the amount subscribed ; the second was, that
the disabled seamen who bad subscribed to the fund for five
years should be entitled to a benefit : and the third was, that
the widows and children of seamen, killed, slain, or drowned,
should be entitled also to a benefit, so that it seemed to con-
template all parties connected with the marine service. Ac-
cording to the act, it appeared that there existed a central
board in London, which managed thirty-eight outports, and
there were trustees also appointed in seventy-four other out-
ports, including Liverpool. Those trustees were appointed
on the 26th of December in each year, and were elected, as
he had previously informed the meeting, by the masters and
owners, of vessels. Sir Joslkua having here read the names
of the present trustees, which included those of Mr. Charles
Horsfall, Mr. Sandbach, &c., proceeded to say he was sure
he need only read the names in order to satisfy the meeting
that they might repose full confidence in their honour, zeal,
and ability. (Cheers.) The amount collected under the
act for the whole country appeared, according to the report
laid before the House of Commons, to be about £54,000 per
annum, and the money expended £42,000 per annum. The
muster roll in Liverpool amounted to £4,500 per annum,
besides which there had been an accumulated fund of £45,000,
a large proportion of which consisted of wages which bad
lapsed during the African trade. Upwards of £17,000 of it
consisted of lapsed wages. The interest on the accumulated
fund amounted to £l,BOO, which, added to the muster roll of
£4,500, made a benefit of £6,300 per annum fur the seamen
of Liverpool. Last year the sum of £5,100 had been ex-
pended. The expenses of a clerk and office, &c., amounted
only to £3OO a year. The trustees received no benefit from
the fund ' • they did their work gratuitously, and made no
charge whatever. The salary of a clerk and the rent of an
office had to be paid ; and when he (Sir Joshua) informed the
meeting that' the'whole of the expenses, including that clerk's
salary, the office rent, the expense of printing and other in-
cidental charges, did not exceed but were actually under
£3OO a-year, he .thought they would be satisfied that the
funds had not been very wastefully expended. (Hear, and
cheers.) The distribution of the fund in Liverpool at the
present moment absolutely exceeded the amount of the
muster roll; in other words, the sums paid to the seamen
were greater than the amounts received from them, but the
excess they were able to meet by apprOpriating thereto a por-
tion of the interest out of the accumulated fund. In the
year 1836 the number of persons receiving benefit from the
fund in Liverpool was 940 ; at present 1100 ; so that the
•meeting would see the numbers were rapidly increasing.
(Hear.) •ln the next place it would be necessary for him to
state the manner in which the fund was distributed. Ac-
cording to the old act, the relief was, for widows from ls.' to
ss. per week, and for children ls. each—that was while the
seamen were paying 6d.iand the masters is. under the new
act, after.five years had elapsed from the Ist of January,
1835, the trustees were empowered to increase the rates of
distribution to their present amount, namely, masters'
widows 2s. 6d., and children 2s. ; seamen's widows Is 6d.,
and children ls. each; and worn-out masters ss. each.
It might be proper to state that at present some of
the masters widows were receiving 15s. and 16s. pet
week in Liverpool, being a much larger sum than was
received by them in any other port, and that some of the
seamen's widows with their children were also receiving from
9s. to 10s. per week. According to the parliamentary re-
port it appeared that She distribution in Liverpool was
larger than in any other port, in the kingdom. In two other
ports it is stated the amount did not exceed 10s. per week ;
in ten other ports that it did not exceed .£2 per annum to
the widows and orphans ; in 'ten others £3 ; in four abets
£4 ; in 'five others £5 ;in two £6; in three others £8 in
Bristol it did not exceed £lO ; in Hull £l2 10s. ; and, in
Liverpool £l3 'per annum. (Cheers.) It further stated
that 139,230 'seamen 'and 1300 masters received relief it
Liverpool. As regarded the expense ofthe management of the
various'funds, he would just state that the amount distributed
in pensions in London, for London and 38 outports inclusive,
amounted to £12,000 per annum, and that the expense 01
the management of those outports was upwards of £l6OO
per annum. In the other outports the whole amount of ma-
nagement was £3673. per annum, and the amount paid, it
pensions was £33,200. In. Liverpool, the amount expendet
was £5,150. per annum, and the expense for the entire rha
nagement was £3OO. The meeting had now before them the
whole of the expenses of the various outports, London and
Liverpool inclusive, with the various pensions distributed in
proportion to the sums given out, and from the statement it
appeared that the expenses of all the outports taken together
were somewhat under 10 per cent., that those of London
exceeded 11 cent., and that the management of the Liver-
pool funds at home amounted only to 5 per cent. (Cheers.)
He (Sir Joshua) might well say that he rejoiced to see an
association such as the Shipmasters' Association raised in
the town, because he was satisfied that it would, from the
consonant parts of that association, take care, not merely of
its own interests, but of the interests of those for whom it
ought especially to care—the seamen. (Hear, hear.) The
association viewed with much alarm the attempt about to be
made to remove the management of the funds to a central
-board in London, and, from what he had stated, the meeting
would at once perceive that there was not, as regarded ma-
nagement, the slightest reason for so doing. The parties
favourable to the removal had given as one reason for taking
the management out of local hands, that the amount made
available for the purposes of the institution was less than it
ought to be, and that it was improperly distributed ; and; in
proof that the amount was not made available, the report
stated that apprentices had not been included: To his (Sir
Joshua's) mind, it was questionable whether apprentices,
considering the wages they received, should be called on to
subscribe to the fund, but it was for the meeting to con-
sider whether that opinion was right or otherwise. The
next reason stated, had been, that the crews of pleasure yachts
did not contribute ; but both those cases, if wrong, might,
he thought, well be rectified by an act of parliament, without
removing the management of the funds from Liverpool.
-(Hear, hear.) He had now laid before the meeting the plain,
straightforward view of the case ; and the proof that the
Liverpool trustees were able themselves to manage the funds
was, that they were giving to the' pensioner a much larger
sam than was given by any other port in the kingdom. Be-
sides, from the respectability of the names of the trustees,
the meeting would have the fullest confidence in their inte-
grity, and perceive at once that there was no necessity to
transfer their local fund to London. (Hear, hear.) If he
(Sir Joshua) understood the spirit of the municipal reform
act, it was intended to enable any large place to manage and
regulate as much as possible its own affairs. The system of
centralisation, as now recommended, he must therefore
utterly condemn, because he had yet to learn that the prac-
tice and intelligence of London merchants were in any one
respect superior to the practice and intelligence of those of
Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) He thought he made out a good
case. He had at least given the meeting a plain, unvarnished
tale, taken from the report of the House of Commons, and
it was for the public to judge what steps they ought to take
for the maintenance and preservation of their own funds.
He had endeavoured to *how that the change would be an
unjust one, inasmuch as it would take from the Liverpool
seamen that to which they were entitled, and by reducing the
amount of their funds, expend it on others who had not
contributed one farthing. Feeling, therefore 4 that the mer-
chants and shipowners of Liverpool were fully capable of
managing their own affairs, he had great pleasure in moving
the first resolution.—[For the six resolutions unanimousl3
adopted on the occasion, we refer .to our advertising
columns.]
Mr. ROWETT seconded the first resolution. It had been,