The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-08-22 00:00:00

SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE

GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.

On Thnrsday, the Rev. Henry Melville, Minister of
Cattitlen Chapel and Chaplain to thl Tower, delivered a
1 sermon at St. Peter's Church, in this town, in behalf of
the funds of the above society. The text was selected
from Isaiah 2, 18—" And the idols he shall utterly abo-
lish." The sermon was, as might have been expected.
extremely argumentative and eloquent. Every part of
the church was crowded, and the sum collected was
£ll2 18s. Bd. The following tieing the concluding por-
'ion of the sermon, will be read with interest, not on-
mingled with regret that so noble an institution should
meet with such trifling support.
We call upon you to do your part towards the mighty
crusade, we call upon you to be liberal supporters of the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts—a society which has been established upwards .of
140 years, has been engaged in a most noble but arduous
office, and which during a whole century was the only mis-
sionary society in connection with the Church of Eiig.
land. Ido not hesitate to say that it has greater claims
than any other society that may resemble it, for it
la-
bours for our immense colonial empire. For whom
are we so much bound to provide the ministrations of
Christianity as for those millions of our fellow-subjects
who in foreign lands—whether natives of the soil, or emi-
grants from among ourselves—are destitute of the in-
struction which maketh wise unto salvation. The heathen
is not excluded from the operations of the society whose
cause I no advocate. In India much has been done;
but, alas ! what are 32 missionaries among millions of ac-
countable beings—subjects of the same earthly Sovereign
as ourselves, ignorant of their heavenly King. Oh !
what might be done if Christi ais would but combine in
the attack. Know you anything of the spiritual destitu-
tion afar off ? I should think not, judging from the
comparatively little support which this Society everywhere
receives. Look at British North America in its three
divisions of the Canadians and Nova Scotia; here you
have a population of nearly a million and a half while the
number of clergy working is two hundred. Look at New-
foundland. Alas ! taere are not twenty clergymen to
minister to the many thousands there. Look at Australia
with its enormous continent from whence future nations
are to spring, where we already see the foundations of a
kingdom, which if it began in the felon and the slave may
yet give laws to half the globe; here we have 150,000 of
our fellow countrymen for whom this Society by a mighty
strain supports thin ty tour clergymen. I blush to proceed
with such a recital. As a nation we have done little or
nothing for the maintenance of Christianity in our Colo-
nies and to say the least it is not to be expected that
the inhauitatits of such colonies can for a long time, from
the very nature of their case, provide religious instruction
themselves; hereafter. as opulence advances with them,
they may rear a clergy, and give endowments for the
church ; but whilst thousands are emigrating, how can
the ever growing demand for spiritual instruction he satis-
fied without an endeavour to meet the claims of a society
such as this. We have encouraged emigration by every
possible means that we might have ample room at home,
but having cast our brethren on a foreign shore, is it just
to leave them without churches, without ministers, arid
yet to expect them to be loyal to their sovereign' which
they never can be, unless faithful to their God. It is
time we wiped off the national disgrace. If the legislature
cannot proved-, let us pray that benovelence may step
forward and undertake the work. The Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts is eager to
employ 200 additional clergy, but it is almost bankrupt.
Parliamentary grants have been withheld, the clergy is
employ ..re already existing on a mere pittance, and are
threatened with penury. What is to be dons: What is
to be done do I say? Is the question asked in this vast
commercial town, ibis metropolis of trade. What is
to be done for the colo ,ies? Is that the question,
and is it raised in a place which sends ships to every
colony, whit.: , brings home the produce of every
colony. Oh! let hut Liver pool rouse itself, and the effect
will be felt throughout the kingdom. Commerce has its
responsibilities as well as its gains—be alert, and the
example will tell well and powerfully. But if a town like
this is to act on the empire, who is to act on the town ?
There can be but on: answer. The clergy. And what a
responsibility rests upon the clergy. Far be it from me,
a stranger among you, to suppose that that responsibility
is riot felt; but I am sure, that however much it is felt,
there must still be place for increased exertion. As cler-
gymen we are specially called upon, not only by the wants
of society, hut by the unanimous recommendation of our
bishops, to bestir ourselves in so righteous a work. And
one thing shoiod be particularly urged Ly us all. In the
undertaking there ought to be union. Tire Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts is utterly
averse to anything of a party character. 1 am bold to
affirm that it has but one object in view in the selection
of its missionaries, that of finding faithful, devoted, sin-
gle-hearted men who will zealously labour in diffusing
Christianity, as embodied in the teachings of the Church.
arid in conformity with its instituted privileges. And if
this society be unsupported, mind you there is none to
take its place; for, be it observed, no other missionary
society occupies the same ground, no other has our vast
colonies under its care. !t is of no avail to say, Ido not
support the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, but I support tine Church Missionary So-
ciety. The Church Missionary Society well deserves
support • but the two societies are not rivals, although it
is only here and there that they can work in the same
field ; and it were strange to be satisfied with giving the
bread of life to the native Hottentot, and withholding it
from the helpless exile. The Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts now makes its earne-t au-
'peal. Surrounded with difficulties, almost forced from
ancient fields of labour, with new openings before it, the
society implores the clergy to unite, in the endeavour to
render Liverpool an example to the kingdom. A luke-
warm clergyman makes. tukewarin congregation ; a luke-
warm congregation may keep a colony in destitution and
a country in idolatry. We will not disappoint though
there is so much to be done, so little apparently with
which to do it. Our dependence is on God : it is His
cause which is at stake. The idols to be abolished are his
adversaries; fall they shall, and fall they must. Let it be
our own resolve to go to war against these idols. The cry
for spiritual help, the cry from the east, the west, the
north, the south, shall not long remain unanswered. The
missionary ship waits your succour ; she shall be re-
paired. The prayer from the righteous shall ascend as
she departs. and as we read the inscription, " And the
idols he shall utterly abolish."

The following brief particulars connected with the
reverend gentleman will be interesting:—
The Rev. Henry Melvill is son of the late Captain
Melvill, who was for many years Governor of Pendennis
Castle in Cornwall. He was brought up to mercantile
pursuits, and for some time attended to hu-iness in Lon-
don. His brothers, however, thinking that he possesz‘ed
powers of a high order, enabled him to enter St. John's
College, Cambridge, where he very shortly distinguished
himself, and it soon became evident that he would be-
come a bright ornament to t I.e church. For a short time
after his ordination, he held a caracy at Cheshunt, and
from thence he was appointed minister of Camden Chapel,
Camberwell, in which be has faithfully laboured ever
since—upwards of ten' years. Although gifted with such
extraordinary pulpit powers; the rev. gentleman does not
confine himself to that tart of a clergyman's duty only.
He is always ready at the call of the poor ; and the district
over which (by mutual consent with the rector) he pre-
sides, has his especial attention. The Rev. H. Melvin is
brother-in-law to H. Kemple, Esq., M.P. for East
Surrey, and brother to Melvill, Esq.. secretary to the
East India Company. He has also a brother in the foreign
service of the company. We cannot refrain from stating,
in proof of the true liberality of the rev. gentleman, that
out of his income from Camden Chapel he allowed his
curate £250 per annum.

DOCK COMMITTEE ELECTION.—On Tuesday last,
Mes,..rs. William Smith, Thomas Tobin. Thomas Bold,
and William Robertson Sandbach were elected members
of the Dock Committee.

VALUABLE CARGO.—The barque Ann, Captain John
Salkeld. hurthen GOO tons, which sailed hence for Bom-
bay on Thursday week, has taken out one of the largest
cargoes of manufactured goods that has been shipped here
for some time. It consisted principally of fine Manches-
ter piece goods, and was valued at about £40,000.

•
PUBLIC-HOUSE ROBBERY.—On Monday last between
the hours of five and ten in the evening, some person or
persons effected an entrance into the bed-room of Mr.
Eckersley, publican, Thurlow-street, broke open a box.
and stule £5l 85. in cash, a silver watch and guard, with
gold key.

CHARGE OF RAPE.—On Thursday the evidence against
John Reynolds, a journeyman printer at the Liverpool
Mail office, on a charge of rape, was heard before
Messrs. Rushton and Hornhy, magistrates, in a private
room. The complainant was Anne Palmer who reached
her fifteenth year on the 27th of last month. Mr. Rush-
ton committed the prisoner for trial for the assault with
intent.

THEATRE ROYAL.—We understani that the negocia-
tions between Mr. Murray, of the Edinburgh Theatre,
and the proprietors of the Theatre Royal in this town, are
at a stand still for the present: Mr. Murray wishing to
learn the issue of the bill for the 'regulation of theatres
now before Parliament. Mr. Hammond paid £lOOO for
the house per annum, but the proprietors have offered it
to Mr. Murray for £5OO.

DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT.—At Mr. Newton's, Dick's
Coffee-house, on Tuesday evening last, about half-past
nine o'clock, an alarm was caused by its being discovered
that some villain Lad, during the temporary absence of
Mrs. Newton from the bar, left upon the table two small
parcels, one addressed to Mr. Newton, and the other to a
friend of his. On examination of one of the parcels it was
found to be full of the finest gunpowder, and a lucifer
match wrapped round with sand paper in the centre of the
powder, one end being fastened to the lid of the box with
wax, so as to ignite and explode when the lid was removed.
The boxes were taken to Mr. Rushton, together with an
anonymous letter, and the matter is undergoing an exa-
mination by the proper authorities.

ROBBERY.—Three females, of loose character, were
yesterday brought before Mr. Rushton on a charge of
robbing a " Johnny Raw," from the Isle of Man. Tho-
mas Kelly, the complainant, said that he had lodged in
Drumgold-street, Douglas, and had come from the Isle
on Saturday last. He went into Copperas-bill to inquire
for lodgings, and in a publc-house found the two younger
Prisoners, who took him to what they called "a most re-
spectable house" in Albion-street. He had scarcely,
good simple man, retired to rest, expressing a wish not to
be disturbed, when the two damsels came into the room
and relieved him of sixteen balf-crowns and other money,
which they bad previously seen in his possession. His
Watch was also gone. He complained to the old woman,
but she cut him by telling the other two to cut. He
Called a police officer, who found the watch concealed in
the house, but not the money. The prisoners were all
Committed for trial.