The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-19 00:00:00

15 0 0
28 7 9

£2,584 4
" But while the committee rejoice in the increase of funds
and the growing interest manifested in many quarters in fa-
vour of the Church Missionary Society, they would not have
their friends to suppose that this society is without its trials.
The committee trust they are not mistaken in believing, that
those who conduct the affairs of the society in London will
meet with sympathy and support, in all their difficulties, from
their Liverpool friends. And that the objections recently
circulated against the society will receive no countenance
from them. The principal objection raised of late is, that
some of the society's agents have become possessed of ex-
tensive tracts of lands in New Zealand. We are sure we
speak the sentiments of every friend in Liverpool when we
express our conviction that the London Committee, from
the character of its members, would be among the last to at-
tempt to justify their agents when in error. And what is, in
fact, the position of the committee in reference to the sub-
ject of New Zealand? After a long, patient, and sifting inves-
tigation, the committee came to the conclusion, that there
was ground, apparently, for dissatisfaction with the conduct
of one of their agents in that country.
Accordingly, being solicitous to free the society from the
blemish, and at. the same time to do no injustice to the
individual in question, they wrote to New Zealand, appoint-
ing a Committee of Enquiry on the spot, accompanying their
letter with a resolution that, if the individual alluded to did
not submit to the committee's decision, and resign every foot
of land beyond what they thought him warranted in
holding, his connection with the society was forthwith
to be dissolved. How the committee can be charged
with blame in this it is not easy 'to conceive. If it be
said they ought to have proceeded more promptly, we
may ask, was it inconsistent with British or with Chris-
tian justice to pause and examine before they condemned.
-But if it be said such things • should never appear in any
connected with such a society as this. True. But every one
must be" aware, that in any society so • widely extended,
spreading through all parts of the earth, employing so many
agents ; in such a society,. with whatever vigilance of manage-
ment, things must occasionally arise to call for condemna-
tion. He has lived to little purpose who is not prepared for
this in the best-constituted and best-conducted institution
here below. We dare not claim for the Church Missionary
Society what we dare not claim for the church herself. Our
church—our scriptural apostolic church, with her evangelical
homilies—her uncompromising articles, her devout Liturgy,
which has won applause from more than her own children,—
even our venerable church has to mourn over the inconsist-
encies of her members. And if this society has on some
rare occasions to lament the same, few that they are rare is
proved by the eagerness with which they are seized on by
their adversaries,—is it reasonable, is it candid, is it chari-
table, in such a case, to impute blame to the conductors of
the society, when their agent's conduct has been so anxiously
examined, and which, when on further inquiry, it prove to
be, as represented by some, it will subject their agent to a
summary removal from the office he fills in connexion with
the society.
" Another objection has been alleged against the constitu-
tion of this society, viz., that it wears too much the aspect
of a dissenting body. To enter fully on this point, the com-
mittee feel would be unsuitable to this time and place. It
is sufficient now to observe, that the friends of the Church
Missionary Society will yield to no body of men, whatever
they profess, in attachment to our beloved church. The
committee oldly
affirm, and they appeal to every man's ob-
servation for its truth, that a sounder body of churchmen
does not exist than the bishops, clergy, and laity, who
compose the Church Missionary Society. They are con-
vinced that no class stand more on their church integrity,
refusing, on the one band, to court political dissent, or,
on the other, to tamper with Romish superstition.
" The committee have only to add, that the Lord conti-
nues to bless largely and more largely the labours of the
Church Missionary Society among the heathen. In one field
of missionary labour in Kishnaghar, in Northern India, there
has been a religious awakening almost without a parallel
in the records of modern missions. The soundness of this
work has been tested by time, as well as subjected to the ex-
amination of those most competent to judge of its truth;
among others, by
him whose praise is in all the churches—
Daniel Wilson, the venerated Bishop of Calcutta ; and the
work has abided both tests. The sincerity of the converts,
in the main, is proved by time ; and Bishop Wilson has un-
hesitatingly pronounced that the work is of God. To the
Lord alone he ascribes this blessed movement in Kishnaghar,
and to him be all the glory. Long had our devoted.mission-
ary toiled there, and still he saw no fruit from his labour ;
but his labour was not in vain in the Lord. The seed, hid
bung', the surfacer was *routing there, though he knew A

not. The Lord of the harvest was cherishing his own seed,
and ere long it surang and grew, and the fields became white
with corn, inviting the reapers' hands to gather it. Let the
friends of missions thank God for this, and take courage.
Let them learn from this to tarry the Lord's leisure, assured
that in due time they shall reap, if they faint not. Let them
learn to rest in more simple faith on his promise, and to
remember his declaration—' They that sow in tears shall reap
in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious
seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his
sheaves with him.' Psalm cxxvi. v. G."
Mr. HORSFALL came forward to propose the first resolu-
..

tion. All who were present would, he said,.agree that the
report was an excellent and an encouraging one. It was one
which was much needed, because it was never more neces-
sary than at present, to put forth a manly and uncompro-
mising declaration of the strict adherence of the members of
the society to the principles and tenets of our established
Protestant Church. (Cheers.) And nothing should induce
them to swerve from those principles ; for if those principles
were right, why should they associate their church with any
other, in the propagation of the gospel. The report was, in-
deed, exceedingly gratifying. The fact that £lOO,OOO had
been collected within the last year was a sufficient proof of
their prosperity. The Great Head of their church needed
not the aid of their contributions ; but the increase in their
funds manifested an increasing interest amongst the com-
munity in behalf of the church. (Hear.) There was one sub-
ject, having reference to the labours of the society, which
could not but be regarded with anxiety by them both in a
moral and religious point of view, and that was the state of
our relations with China. In that country there were four
hundred millions of souls, who were shut out from the blessed
light of the gospel. All who heard him must condemn that
line of policy which brought about this state of things. No
doubt the illegal traffic in opium was the commencement of
it. But while they felt anxious to bring about a brighter
state of things for that country, they must not suppose that
the Chinese would not still receive opium, until the govern-
ment work were accomplished. They would continue to re-
ceive it from innumerable channels. There was but one ef-
fectual way to put a stop to its introduction and its use, and
that was by missionary efforts. They must go forward ; they
must plant the standard of the cross upon the territory of
China, and by that means and that alone would they put
down the immoderate use of that destructive drug, and pre-
vent the cultivation of the plant from which it was extracted.
By the blessing of Providence they might yet be enabled to
carry the gospel through the length and breadth of that popu-
lous country. It had been said that their society was a dis-
senting one, and that they interfered with the operations of
the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The latter
society, however, carried the gospel to the British Colonies ;
they (the Missionary Society) carried it to every quarter of
the globe. He concluded by moving, " That the Report
now read be adopted by the meeting, and be printed and
widely circulated.''

The Rev. EDWARD RICKERSTETII rose to second the re-
solution. It was highly gratifying to him to have come
again to Liverpool, in order to give some details respecting
the present state and progress of the Society. He could not,
however, but first thank God, and he called upon the meet-
ing to unite with him in that duty, for the wonderful change
which had taken place in the state both of the Parent So-
ciety and of the Liverpool Association, since their origin and
beginning. There were those present who remembered the
formation of the Liverpool Society, in the year 1819, when
Mr. Cunningham. the present Bishop of Calcutta (then Dr.
Wilson), and himself attended ; that they then met in the
Town Hall, which was found quite able to contain all who
were willing to go. The income of the Society was then only
a few hundreds ; and there were but three or four sermons
preached. Now, he found, there were no less than 27 ser-
mons preached at the anniversary ; and the collections after
the sermons alone, Independently of the other collections
and contributions amounted to the whole of the then income
of the Liverpool Association. It was gratifying to him to
hear the list of the different places where contributions had
been made, and to see how they had multiplied. He could
not but contrast it with the list that St. Paul gave in the
16th Romans, as read in the afternoon service of yesterday,
and say we seemed to be realising something of the primitive
feeling of zeal and love for the Saviour, and labours to pro-
mote his Gospel. His friend (Mr. Horsfall) had spoken of
some who thought they were interfering with the So-
ciety for Propagating the Gospel. They must have a
strange notion of the work to speak of interference.
If there was a ship wrecked upon our coast, should we call
it an interference if more than one life-boat went out to the
rescue, especially if there were hundreds of thousands perish-
ing in the vessel ? (Applause.) We were called upon, in
the actual state of the heathen world, to multiply our exer-
tions; for ignorance of the actual condition of those of our
fellow-men was the grand source of all the objections to
missionary enterprise. He rejoiced to be able to give a very
gratifying account of the progress of the society. With re-
gard to its funds, it might he well to give the amount of
them for one or two preceding years. In 1837 the income
of the society was £71,000 ; in 1838, £83,000 ; in 1839, it
fell back to £71,000; but this year [lB4o], through the
mercy of God, for the first time in its whole history, its in-
come exceeded £lOO,OOO. (Cheers.) Liverpool had done
well, and he hoped it would go on. It was delightful to
think he was now addressing the largest Church Missionary
Association out of London. For a long time Bristol, though
smaller in point of population and wealth, stood the first ;
but now Liverpool exceeded that place, as it ought to do
from its population and station. (Hear, hear.) He would
now proceed shortly to detail the progress of the missions

through several parts of the world and a better idea would
be given if he compared the account of last year with that
of the present. Last year there were 607 teachers among
the heathen; this year there were 827. (Hear.) Last
year there were 468 schools among the heathen ; this
year there were 500. (Hear, hear.) Last year there were
26,000 schools among the heathen : this year there were.
29,000. Let the meeting notice the next point particularly
Last year there were 28,000 attendants upon, public worship:
this year there were 41,800. (Loud cheers.) The number
of communicants had not been made up, but it would be in
proportion. Last year there were 24 students in the Church
Missionary Society's Institution at Islington : this year there
were 29. (Cheers.) And he was thankful to say that no
mission had been left without a manifest blessing from God.
(Hear, hear.) At particular times there had been remark-
able blessings vouchsafed. In the West African mission, in
the time of the late Mr. Johnson, there was a remarkable
blessing ; and though the mission fell back upon his death,
yet upon the whole it had since been steadily advancing, and
never was it in a more encouraging position than at this mo-
ment. (Hear, bean) So with regard to the New Zealand
mission. The meeting had heard of the difficulties and the
opposition which the society had had to encounter with re-
gard to this mission. He did not wonder at them. Satan
would have forgotten his old office if he had not raged. Surely
when there was such a great work going on there, we might
expect many adversities. The whole island was divided into
fourteen districts, in eight of which the society had esta-
blished missions, which were attended by 8760 natives.
(Hear.) The way in which the natives were becoming reli-
gious teachers was truly surprising.; and there was, further,
an extraordinary demand for Prayer Books and New Testa-
ments, so that it had been found necessary to. provide 33,000
copies of the book of common prayer, and 10,000 copies of
the New Testament were about being sent, for the use of the
poor New Zealanders. (dear.) It was very singular that
their old enemy, the Pope of: Rome, was at work there, as
appeared from an account sent home by Mr. Williams, one
of the missionaries, (which Mr. Bickersteth read) to the ef-
fect that there were already one bishop and ten priests, and
that six more priests were about to join them. He mentioned
these facts to show the enlarged efforts which that enemy
was making, and how much Satan hated the New Zealand
mission, when both at home and abroad he was striving to
thwart its labours. (Hear.) He was gratified to find that
notwithstanding every obstacle the mission was never more
prosperous than at the present moment. The Bishop of
Australia, who had visited 'it, gave a very pleasing report of
it, (which the speaker read,) in the course of which it was
stated that the condition of the converts was satisfactory,
and that they bore a great proportion to the entire popula-
tion. (Hear.) The mission to India was also very remark-
able. Were he to go through the whole of India, he could
give the meeting the testimony of the Bishop of Madras to
the state of the missions in the south of India. and that of
Bishop Wilson as to the north, showing that God was most
remarkably, by his blessing, owning the labours of the so-
ciety. Bishop Wilson stated the condition of the mission at
Kishnagur, in five particulars [which were read, and they
showed vast accessions to Christianity.] This statement was
combined with every kind of guard and caution, so that there
could be no exaggeration. How delightful it was to consi-
sder, that twenty-one years ago the Bishop of Calcutta
,was standing before the public of Liverpool pleading the
cause of the Church Missionary Society, and that now
he was in India spreading the fruits of those labours
which they, at his stirring up, supplied to the society to com-
mence its operations in that country ! So with regard to
Ceylon. It was exceedingly interesting to hear the Bishop
of Madras describe the state of this mission as pregnant with
great results. But let him now go forward and look at
Africa. He hoped many present had read Mr. Buxton's
book upon the means of suppressing the slave trade in Africa,
and the remedy suggested for it to the Christian Church. It
presented such an amazing field for the labours of the Chris-
tian Church, that he (Mr. Bickersteth) could not but ear-
nestly direct public attention to it. It was gratifying to know
that Government were willing to promote the measure, and
that they had directed the papers to be laid before Parlia-
ment. The plan was for steam vessels to go up the Niger,
in order to establish a beneficial system of commerce
with the African nations ; and Mr. Buxton had shewn the
unspeakable importance of not sending commerce only, but
the Gospel. (Hear.) What had been the means of prepar-
ing the facilities for this great enterprise? The emancipation
of the slaves in the West Indies. (Cheers.) Oh, what a
mercy it was for Christian natives to be preparing there to
carry the Gospel to that country whence he had been brought
by the system of slavery ! Oh, that the standard of the
Cross, and the knowledge of the saving blood of Jesus
Christ, might be diffused thoughout the whole •of Africa !
(Cheers.) So, too, with regard to China. He could not but
deeply feel nt Mr. Horsfall had said upon this subject.
We were fearfully guilty concerning our brethren in China ;
before God he did feel that we owed an immense debt to the
Chinese. See how we stood with regard to them ! A hea-
then nation sent us, a Christian nation, the means of a
cheering and a refreshing beverage. We, a Christian nation,
returned that heathen nation a greater amount in value of a
poisonous drug, against all their remonstrances, against their
laws, and against all their efforts to prevent it. He trusted
we should feel that there was a national guilt in this ; and if
now we were sending to demand the price of the poison, did
it lessen our guilt? Whilst he said this, he could not but
hope with his friend, that this evil might be overruled for the
evangelizing of China, as the slave trade was, by communi-
cating the gospel of our blessed Saviour to the 360 millions
of that vast empire. Before he sat down he must notice
another point, and that was the great progress of the gospel.
A letter bad been written by the Bishop of London to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, for the purpose of raising funds
for the endowment of colonial bishoprics.—(Hear, hear.)—
Having read an extract from this letter, Mr. Bickersteth
proceeded to say that he remembered how the contribution
of £5,000 from the Church Missionary Society to the
college at Calcutta was hailed. He trusted the Bishop of
London would feel they were in common labouring to send
abroad the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ ; and he did not
doubt that the Church Missionary Society would cordially
respond to the Bishop's wishes in this important respect.
What a delightful fact it was now, although they had had
grievous difficulties in making an interest for the heathen
world, to find our leading Bishops planning how bishoprics
hfsoieo(
junwnhsdo,ed in every colony where we had established
!rtlhdlt t a
Britainremindedn db eagn
Irieghahitmt lightthofu thus
become
eetcholeimrnseat
ttpihoreno
smmoiisfge to
oshuorupldoshseets
Abraham.
nation
earth! (Cheers.) Ile had great pleasure in seconding the
resolution.
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, and it was carried
unanimously.
Mr. CHARLES INMAN moved the next resolution, expres-
sive of the acknowledgments of the glory of God as exhibited
in the success of the missions in India; and in the course of
his address he called upon laymen to assist in carrying out
the objects of the association.
The Hon. and Rev. BAPTIST NOEL seconded the resolu-
tion, commencing his address with a few appropriate obser-
vations upon the advantage of laymen appearing before the
in
public more frequently, to advocate a cause like this,
which he felt the liveliest interest. He had
great
in seconding the resolution.
kind ; The awakening
omwihsied which it
in
spoke
of was of the most cheering
'o fhawt
late
years Northernprompromised
nfdoira
Southern
eventsr
India. which
Ul ph oad o
happenedt
h ai st
theto p i
meetingc
he would
at presentk mo
rceo nafir*nely e
himself to one
tov-ematerow; of which his friend Mr. Bicker-
steth, ther mission, the state
it was involved
should be glad to speak
because it was that on which
had
hdeescrerislo)cludiibeenc,anuosedin the general
terms of t
it was supposed by Joule the blessing of 4.lcaighty God