The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-05-19 00:00:00

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY

I The annual meeting of the Liverpool Auxiliary to the
Church Missionary Society was held_ yesterday in the
theatre of the Collegiate Institution, and although the
weather was most unfavourable there was a large and
respectable assembly, the lower gallery and the body of
the ball being filled.
Shortly after eleven o'clock the Worshipful and Rev.
Henry Raikes, Chancellor of the Diocese, took the chair,
and the platform was speedily crowded by clergymen.
The worshipful CHAIRMAN then proceeded briefly to
open the business of the day. He observed that very few
remarks were necessary from him to explain the nature
of the business to be transacted, because it was satisfac-
tory to know that all present must be well acquainted
with the nature and objects of the Church Missionary
Society, and their yresence that morning, under such un-
favourable circumstances, showed the deep interest they
felt for its welfare. From the very nature of the society
it was manifest it must go on prosperously, for every suc-

and produced a
better acquaintance with the heathen world. (Hear.)
God had given much success to their labours, and if they
looked to him for his blessing they would be stimulated
to come forward with renewed energy. He concluded
with calling on the Rev. H. Carpenter, who opened the
meeting with pravtr.
The rev. gentleman then read the report of the cam-

led— its inf

mittee.
This document, after noticing the Divine blessing which has
attended the society's operations. remarked on the promising
state of things in 'linnevelly, in Southern India. During little
more than four years the converts there have doubled, and in
the last year in that mission no fewer than 68 0 souls were con.
verted to Christ ianty. This desire for Christian instruction has
gone on increasing, and we have the recorded testimony of the
Bishop of Madras, after a personal inspection of the labours of
the missionaries in that region, that almost any number of
faithful ministers would be immediately engaged, and each
would find himself surrounded by 1500 or 2JOO attentive in-
quirers. In reference to Kishnaghur, in Northern India, the
Archdeacon of Calcutta writes, after visiting several stations of
our missions there, " At every station it did my heart good to
see what was going on." In Western Africa, within the last
eight years, seven new churches have been erected, a❑ of
which are filled every Sabbath with devout worshippers. The
society's labours in New Zealand, the West Indies, North West
America, Cev lon, British Guiana, China, at the Himalaya Moun-
tains, not far from the banks of the Sutledj, have been greatly
blessed. With regard to the society's finances, there is a de-
ficiency in the amount contributed this year as compared with
the year before of £2791. The total amount received last year
was £102,458, and in the preceding year it was £105,247. But
of the deficiency £200.) comes under the head of legacies, al-
ways a fluctuating source of income. There is alto a deficiency

in the amount received by the Liverpool Auxiliary. In tile year
before last the Auxiliary received X 2199 16s. gd., while this
year only £lB7l 15s. gd. have been received, showing a falling
off of .e 328. A considerable portion of this deficiency in Liver.
pool is to ue traced to the absence of special donations, and to
other causes not indicating, it is hoped, any diminution of
interest in the society. The report concluded by referring to the
principles of the Church Missionary Association. as a faithful
iei,cher of Evangelical truth, and a faithful witness agai,st
Romish error. The great Protestant principles for which our
Reformers died at the stake have, from the first, guided the
society, and from these, with the Divine blessing, the society is
resolved never to swerve. _ _ _

The Rev. J. H. STEWATIT moved the adoption of the
`, ,ind the appointment of officers for the ensuing
year; and, in doing so, drew attention to the fact of the
anniversary meeting of the Parent Society, held in Lon-
don last week, being more numerously attended than
usual, and to the animation which prevailed, as indicative
of increased exertion in behalf of the missionary cause.
At that meeting there were four bishops, several noble-
men, several members of parliament, and a host of the
most influential clergy ; and he trusted the noble example
set in the metropolis would not be lost upon Liverpool,
but that the merchants and influential persons in this town
would come forward and give a tone to their proceedings.
(Loud cheers.)
The Rev. R. DAVIES, secretary to the Parent Society,
seconded the motion in a lengthy and eloquent address.
He said it afforded him exceeding pleasure to return to
Liverpool after so long an absence, to endeavour to excite

report

There were man

peril
sons to bless God for the success which had attended the
efforts of the Church Missionary Society. He could

and this, whether preached in a ch'rch, cr from a pulp
formed on a rock. having the canopy of heaven for
temple, or beneath. the shade of a green tree. (L,

heers.) He woula venture to asset[ that the

sermons preached upon a rock, on the mountain's side,
or in the wigwam of an Indian, more evangel'cal than
ever had been preached in the most polished pulpit
puritanism ever destroyed, or that ever was restured.
(Loud cheers.) The Church of England, in her
missionary character throug'aout the world, was the real
representative of the reformation, and the Church 'Mis-
sionary Society appeared in her most apostolic as well as

her most catholic aspect, when she was extending her
borders and sending forth the everlasting gospel to heathen
nations yet in darkness. (Loud cheers.) Another cha-
racteristic of it was, that it tended to bring the heathen
world and the different members of the church into fellow-
ship, one with another; not merely into that unity v, hich
produces little more than uniformity, but into that bond
of brotherhood, that spirit of Christianity,
animates the Church Missionary Society. (Ap
They who had assembled that day were w

that what bound them together vv,,s the common cause of
their God and Saviour to promote the eternal welfare of
fellow-mortals. (Hear, hear.) There were some present
who might be considered chroniclers of the past
tion. Their venerable chairman was the rep
of a generation which had passed away. H

nected with some of the earliest founders of ti

sentati

and he trusted he might long live to bear his testimony
amongst them to the labours of its earliest supporters.
(Loud cheers.) He was a witness that in the early period
of its existence there were few such gatherings as this,
and that which had recently taken place in London.
Some, however, objected to their proceedings, because
there was excitement. Why, were not our soldiers ex-
cited ? Was there not excitement amongst our sailors
when they were expecting to be engaged ? We had seen
a good deal of excitement in Parliament only the other
day. Was there not excitement on our Exchange when
stocks were up. or the market was good, and was it not
right, then, to be excited to the immeasurably higher ob-
jects affecting the eternal welfare of man ? (Cheers.)
Was it right that they should be excited merely as

regarded earthly objects, and when, as Christians,
they saw the whole world lying in wickedness, no holy
zeal should burn in their breast as Britons? (Applause.)
If the excitement which animated the first founders of the
society bad been merely an ephemeral excitement, it
would long since have died away. There could be no con-
tinued flame, unless there was something solid for it to
feed upon. _ Not long ago the prospects of the society

were most cheering. It was thought this institution was
going far towards harmonising the brethren throughout
the church, but there arose a party in Oxford who
would have union on other than Christian grounds.
(Hear, hear.) At the time referred to he could recollect
numbers of the clergy were coming forward to join the
society, and the church of England was becoming happy,
harmonious, and as one man. Many were now set up in
opposition ; but the spectacle of the heathen world was
now exhibiting to them how brethren could dwell together
in unity. (Cheers.) He recollected, when a your,,,
on his way to college, being in Liverpool during
severe store-

He saw' the docks full of vessels
were driven against each other with such force
as to be likely to stave each other's sides in. He
was enjoying the scene with all the ardour. of youth
under the shelter of a wall, :to prevent his being blown
down, when a Jack Tar came up and remarked that it was
a pity the vessels were pent up in the dock, where they
were doing injury to each other; for if they were out at
sea, there would be no such danger, and they should not
come near each other, except to ask " how fares it with
you ?" So it was with religion at home. They were in

danger of knocking each other to pieces; but when
they went forth as brethren against the commo❑
enemy of mankind, on the broad field of heathen-
ism, they never came near each other unless it
were to ask bow they fared, and to wish each other
good luck in the name of the Lord. (Loud cheers.) The
way, too, in which m'ssionary exertions tended to open
out commerce, was a subject to which too little attention
had been directed. I

t was one of the most touching and
interesting passages in our history, to contrast the pro-
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