The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-10-17 00:00:00

ciVen Shaw Leigh, Esq.

REPORT.

" Halls God cast away his people? God forbid." These
words set before us, at once the motive by which all effort in
behalf of Israel is originated, as well as the mighty energy by
which it must be continually sustained. The signs of the
times, which we are commanded to discern, the evil days upon
which we have fallen, the wonderons events both at home arid
abroad, which hwe been crowded into the brief space of the
past year,—all remind us of the duty of redeeming the time.
The times of the Gentiles are certainly running on, and run-
ning out, when no longer shall Jerusalem be " trodden down :"
our work meanwhile is with the "remnant according to the
election of grace." Souls are passing into eternity, while oppor-
tunity is passing away from us; each year therefore cries aloud
in sterner tones than those of its predecessors, "whatsoever
thine hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."
In the solemnity of such association your Committee pro.
ceeds to report the proceedings of our auxiliary for the year just
brought to a close. And first they would rejoice with a disin-
terested joy over the loss that your auxiliary has sustained, in
the removal of their patron, by the well-merited elevation of
the Bishop of Chester to the Primacy of all England. They
are content to merge their own regret in the universal joy of
the whole church, earnestly praying in the Spirit that length of
days and happiness, wisdom and usefulness, may be vouchsafed
to him from on High, that he may be blessed, as was Abraham,
of God, and become the mean of multipted blessing to the
church at large. Your Committee are thankful to acknowledge
the exceedingly kind and encouraging reply of the present Lord
Bishop of the Diocese, to the official application of your Secre-
tary requesting his acceptance of the office of patron to your
auxiliary in th room of his venerated predecessor. His Lord-
ship consented at once and most courteously, and concluded
"sincerely and earnestly praying that the endeavour made for
that good endmay bereudered effectual by the :'ivine blessing."
There is cause, however, of regret, as well as of rejoicing in
the review of our proceedings for the last year. The amount
raised by your auxiliary has been less than the sums reported
at either of the last anniversaries, although these also exhibit a
gradual decrease. This your committee think fully accounted
for, by the pressure of extraordinary times, and not by any
lack of symp:Div, or abatement of interest towards the cause
of Israel on the part of our friends and supporters. To this
came, also, it is chiefly to be referred that sonic of the pulpits
where always hitherto the cause of the society has been advo-
cated, have not this year been open to your deputation This
unpleasant feature as regarding our funds is necessarily dwelt
upon in our report, both because it is the fact, and, in the hope
that this mention may tend to obviate its recurrence, and also
as it brings in Livercool responsible for its share in that defici-
ency of ri.4324 7s. 3d. announced in the Parent Society's report
for the current year—of this £2384 6s. 3d. is reported
under the head of legacies, leaving .e 940 neficient in the item of
regular income. Still there is joy and gladness as we allude to
the munificent donation of Miss Cook, of Cheltenham, of
£l4,o9o—which is not included in the above statement—to be
employed in a specified manner for the purposes of the society,
viz., for the completion and permanent repair of Christ Church,
Jerusalem, as well as for the sapport of its minister, who is to
be a missionary of the society : a contribution to the Jerusalem
flishoprick Fund, with an annual sum for the purpose of He-
brew Bibles, Testaments, and Prayer Books, for the use of Jews
in Jerusalem and Palestine.

The expenditure-of the society has been reduced this year, so
as to meet as nearly as possible the deficiency in its income.
However we may, upon prudential grounds, approve of this
proceeding, it is, nevertheless, deeply to be lamented that any
necessity should exist for their doing so. It implies a con-
traction of the sphere of missionary operations, admission de-
nied of children to the schools, and students• to the Hebrew
College; the abandonment cf the Jerusalem College, and ap-
pointments postponed to vacant stations; the printing deferred
of Bibles, tracts, &c., &c. Yet even here we are not left with-
out features of encouragement, and full of blessed hope for the
future, in the mode by which some of this decrease of expendi-
ture has been effected; displaying, as it does, the character
of so,ne of the labourers in this cause, both at home and
abroad. Two of their missionaries at Warsaw and Berlin
—the Reverends F. W. Becker and W. B. Wright—contri-
buted largely towards the expense of missionary journeys
in their respective vicinities, which else must have been relin-
quished altogether. And, at home, one of the oldest and most
distinguished of the friends of Israel, a man alike remarkable
for the depth of his erudition, as for the devotedness of his heart
to the Jewish cause; one who by his labours as a missionary
amongst the Jews on the Continent, and by his writings subse-
quently arid up to the present moment, has been more perhaps
than any other living man, honored of God, in bringing .1 ews " to
repent and be baptised, calling upon the name of the Lord";
Dr. Alexander M`Caill, principal of the llebrew College, has
generously relinquished a very considerable part of a salary,
that even were it many times increased would still fall far
short of the services rendered by Dr. I'd•Caul to the cause in
which we are all so healthy interested. But verity they shall
not lose the it reward.

The details of the society's labours, at home and abroad, are
fraught with the same amount of interest as before. Christ's
ChurA, Jerusalem, is spoken of in the last report as being so
near its completion, that it may be regarded as finished: some
interesting details connected with it, as well as concerning the
recognition of the Protestant Church by the Turkish Govern-
ment, will be found in the appendix to the report of this year.
As regards the home operations of the society, in this the
Midland District, your co:rmittee are glad to be able to report
very favourably. The Rev. A. Thomas, the Association Secre-
tary, has during the last year preached in fifty churches, where
for the first time collections were made in behalf of the spiri-
tual wants of Israel, and has the promise of about twenty
more, where n hopes to find an entrance throughout the
coming year. Ile adds his belief, that, but for the melancholy
depression that has prevailed throughout this commercial
community, there would have been a large addition to the
funds of the society from this district.
In conclusion your Committee would encourage themselves,
their friends, and supporters, notwithstanding all, to " thank
God and take courage." They remember that it is not by
might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts.
That Spirit, they believe, will yet he poured upon the house of
David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Meanwhile they are
taught that there is a remnant according to the "election of
grace"—they labour, therefore, the more earnestly to "save
some of them"—and they are fully persuaded that their labour
is not in vain in the Lord.

The command is still in force, preach the gospel, beginning
at .Terusalein tlwre is encouragement in the blessed hape—
" The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."
They venture to commend once again to the more earnest
prayer, and more self-denying support of their friends, and of
Christendom at large, a cause that comes before them, sur-
rounded with so many associations, honoured with such high
and holy sanction, and sanctified with so many promises, and
so much blessing.

The TREASURER. then read a statement of the funds of
the auxiliary, from which it appeared that the total amount
of receipts for the past year was £679 7s. id., being a
slight falling off from preceding years, owing to the bad-
ness of the times.

The Rev. W. POLLOCK then rose to propose the adop-
tion of the report, the treasurer's account, and the ap-
pointment of the officers for the ensuing year. In allusion
to the title of the society the rev. gentleman said it was
of the first importance that they should have a clear and
distinct idea of the object they were undertaking„' and
being convinced that the name of the society whose anni-
versary they had met to celebrate, namely, the Society
for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, truly
expressed its meaning he had great pleasure in referring
to it, and he believed a name for a society was never
more wisely or more felicitously selected. It breathed
a faithful hope for Israel, and yet restrained it within the
revealed limits of the Divine counsels. It recognised the
principle that God had not cast away his people, that they
were not beyond the region of Divine favour, but still th 3
means by which a remnant should be saved was
by the spread of Christianity amongst them. The
very name of the society seemed to imply that
whilst the Jews were labouring in the brickfields of
Egypt, many an individual Moses was to be rescued
from threatened ruin. (Hear, hear.) It was, however,
asked, if so much money was spent upon promoting
Christianity amongst the Jews, how much did it
cost to convert one ? To such a question it might
be enough to say that they were not of those who
measured duties by results—that wherever they met the
command they looked forward to the promises of God,
which said in keeping his commandments there was a
great reward. But with regard to the Jews they had a
specific answer. If they were taunted with having done
little, they said, true, they never expected much—they
always knew they had extraordinary difficulties to contend
with—they always knew that although they might convert
the heathen, yet upon the hearts of the Jews the veil was
double. They had, however, done enough to prove that
the true gospel could not be preached in vain—that the
very discouragements they met with were real encourage-.
ments, and proved that they were walking in the path of
prophecy—that the very ground they occupied was the
everlasting ground of truth. (Hear, hear.) But they
were taunted with the character of their converts. To
this he might reply—if they were professors of an an-
cient inheritance which their forefathers had forfeited,
and if a sion of that house came to their doors, would
they not relieve him, and offer to him the best they
could afford. That ruined person was the Jew; and who
could look upon his ruin without seeing in his fallen state
the rock from whence he was hewn, and the hole of the
pit from whence he was digged ? Patriarchs aed prophets,
kings and priests, apostles and martyrs, all are
ours, and however hated for our sakes, yet for the
Father's sake all were beloved. The poverty of
the Jew is our riches—his casting away our reconcilement,
we possess through him all we have, all we are, and all we
hope to be. They could not kneel at any footstool but
one that he had pressed—they could not lift up their hearts
' in praises without unconsciously giving forth one of
the songs of Sion ; and it was through him our pasture
was a shady pasture, and through him its fragrance flowed.
They could not look upon him without seeing the linea-
ments of Abraham, with a mysterious Ichabod written
thereon.. The rev. gentleman concluded a powerful speech
with reference to the future millennial glory of the Jews,
and after proposing the resolution, resumed his seat amid
loud cheers.

The Rev. J. H. STEWART, on rising to second the mo-
tion, was received with rapturous applause. He said often
as he had been called noon to plead that cause, he had
never felt more the need of lifting up the heart in prayer
to Almighty God for his blessing than on that occasion.
They might not again meet until they met around his
throne, and then he should have to give an account of
what he had spoken, and they of what they had heard.
He could not express the joy, delight, and pleasure he
experienced when he saw around him those whom he might
call his companions in the wilderness, which reminded
him of the wanderings of the Children of Israel, for it was
then forty years since that society first sprang into exist-
ence. (Cheers.) He had joined the society in the first
year of its existence as one of its earliest members, and
now he could say with heartfelt gratitude to our Heavenly
Father, that having received help of God, they continued
to that day. (Hear, hear.) Who was there who had seen
the society when it first attempted to deliver the Children
of Judah from their worse than Egyptian bondage,
and now -looked at its position was not ready to ex-
claim, " What bath God wrought ?" (Hear, hear and
cheers.) It was first formed by some young men in
London, and (luring the first year of its existence not
more than whilst during the pest year? notwith-

standing the pressure of the times, the sum of £24,721
had been collected. At first its members, numbered
only a few private individuals, now it numbered
amongst its supporters, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
many of the prelates of our church, and some of the
brightest ornaments amongst our peers and members of
parliament; but, above all, it was Ares eed over y a
nobleman, as eminent for his Christian virties as for his
devoted attachment to the cause of the poor—a nobleman
whose praise was in all the land—he meant Lord Ashley.
—(Loud cheers.) They might adopt the language of
Scripture and say, " Kings have been their nursing fathers,
and queens their nursing mothers;" for, as they knew
the King of Prussia had given a large sum towards the
foundation of the church at Jerusalem, whilst our gracious
Queen, whom God long preserve, sent out the first bishop
—(applause)—thus fulfilling the very words of prophecy
the Lord bath proclaimed from the Isles; or, as it had
been rendered from the British Isles, " Say to Sion,
Behold thy salvation cometh ; behold his reward is.
with him and his work is before him." Besides the
Lord bad made the Society usefui by making it the means
of first translating the Bible into Hebrew, and there had.
been 497 of the seed of Abraham baptised into the Chris-
tian Church in Palestine, besides hundreds, nay thousands,
in all lands, whilst on Mount Sion itself a Protestant
Church was erected. (Cbeersp) He could not help be-
lieving that there was a coincidence between the present
,period and the pero.l when Israel of old were aboat taking
possession of the promised lard. They had sojourned
forty years in the wilderness. This society had been forty
years in the wilderness of this world. They had to take
possession of the land after conquering their enemies.
The Lord was with 'them. Jordan's waters stood on
a heap for them to pass over. The walls of Jericho
fell down at the blast of the trumpet, and the sun
stood still until they were avenged of their enemies.
(Hear, hear.) What were now the signs of the times ?•
As they all knew Christendom had been visited with such
an earthquake as had shaken almost every throne in
Europe, and our Lord said, " When these things begin to
come to pass, then lift up your heads, for your redempt-
ion draweth nigh." Had they not grounds to hope that
they were drawing nearer that blessed time when a loud
voice from heaven should cry, not that the walls of Jericho
had fallen, but that " Babylon is fallen, is fallen. (Cheers.)
" Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.' •
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) What important instruction
was to be gathered from the circumstances attending the
entrance of the Israelites into the promised land. Mes-
sengers were sent proclaiming peace, and whoever accepted-
were saved, so now peace was proclaimed to all the world
—they most gladly said to all, make your peace with
God, ere that day arrives when the Lord shall be revealed
from Heaven, taking vengeance on them that know not
God and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ..: They made
that proclamation feeling that they were on the conquer-
ors side. (Applause.) Some there were who, like Eli,.
trembled for the Ark ofGod when they saw Popery spread-
ing abroad. He had no such fears. They would make
war against the Lamb, but they that were with him were
valiant, and chosen, and faithful, and they knew
that the set time was at hand for the triumph of
his servants. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) The
rev. gentleman after alluding to the fact of the Church
Missionary Society being about to celebrate its jubilee in
a few days, concluded with a solemn appeal in behalf of
the Jews, and a pathetic prayer for the happiness of all.
present,

The Rev. Chairman was about to put the motion, when.
the Rev. W. Ewbank rose to propose an amendment, but
was interrupted by the chairman, who stated, that as the
proceedings had been conducted in the same manner as
they had at every anniversary during the last forty years,
it was not competent for the rev. gentleman, as a member
of the society, to propose an amendment.
The rev. gentleman for a short time persisted in his in-
tention to propose the amendment, but was met with
considerable impatience by the meeting, and eventually
withdrew from the room.

The meeting then passed the resolution, and the pro-
ceedings continued harmoniously.
The Rev. FREDERICK PARRY moved the following re-
solution, which he read :
"That this meeting, whilst greatly regretting the falling off
in the receipts of their own Auxiliary, and of the Society gene-
rally. during the past year, is at the same time thankful to
Almighty God for what has been done, and humbly prays for
His blessing, who alone can give the increase in men and,
means, and openings with success for the year that is in pro-
gress."
He said that he had known the society and its operations
for a quarter of a century, and highly approved of its ob-
jects, while he congratulated those around him on its suc-
cess. He should not, however, detain the meeting by
entering into any details, especially as, after what had oc-
curred, it was desirable to make way for Mr. Averst, one
Of the cleputati on from the parent society, who would
afford them some valuable information in seconding the, .
motion. (Hear.)
The Rev. Mr. AYERST alluded to the political commo-
tions and convulsions that had been going on in the con-
tinent of Europe, and particularised several instances in
Prussia, Poland, &e., even where schools had been esta-
blished, where some Jews had, by a bigoted portion of
the people been murdered, and others young and old put
to bodily torture. This was done by those who halt
adopted the cry of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Yet,
even these atrocities, which every man of Christian feel-
ing must abhor, had been the means of making new
openings for the exertions of the society. He ha&
himself been in Russia and other parts, where bibles
could formerly only be introduced or used by stealth ;
but these restrictions were now in a great measure re-
moved. At Cracow the missionaries had had much to
contend with, and were at one time compelled to leave•
the country. At Amsterdam there were 30,000 Jews,.
and there their missionaries were now labouring with.
effect. At Berlin their labours were still more suecess-..,
ful, and they bad had during the past year tiro hundred
applications from adults to join the Christian community.
Ile instanced many Jews in various parts of great learn,
ing and acquirements, who had embraced the truth, and
were now zealous preachers or teachers, and he furnished
their names. He also told some interesting anecdotes of
parties converted from Judaism to Christianity, and on
the whole held out great hopes of the success of the
society in future, beyond any expectation that had hitherto
been formed.

The motion having been seconded, was put and unani-
mously carried. _ _

The Rev. Mr. Nolan then read the following statement
of the recent collections made in the several churches
here.

ANNIVERSARY SERMONS.

IS4B. . 1847.
.ie s. d. .i 3 s. d.
St. Andrew's 22 17 0 -
St. Brides
St. Barnabas 8 8 0
Christ Church
Christ's Church,Waterloo II 0 0
St. Clement's lO 15 3
St. James
St. John's
St. Jude's
Mariner's Church 3 15 3
St. Mark's 2O 11 4
St. Mary's, Kirkdale
Ditto Edgehill
St. rani's, Princes' Park
St. Paul's.. 4 0 0
St. Thomas's, Seaforth
St. James's, West Derby
St. Silas: 7 15 0

Total .e330 0 0 4369 7 0
A collection was then made while a Doxology was sung.
Tlie Rev. JOSIAH B. LOWE then moved
"That this mecting cannot contemplate the present intensely.
momentous state of the millions of the race of Abraham, dis-
persed throughout the world, and now breaking away from the
deeply-rooted superstitions of ages, and falling, some into
Rationalism and some into Infidelity, without feeling it more
and more incumbent on the Christian Church to strive more
zealously and prayerfully to send forth more additional labour-
ers among them, to make known the truth to them as it is in
Jesus, which alane can make them free indeed.
He supported the motion in an able and affecting address.
It was seconded by the Rev. A. THOMAS, Secretary to
the District Association, who also spoke at considerable
length and with pointed effect.
Mr. NOLAN then moved a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, for his kind and able deportment in the chair, and.
especially for his kind forbearance that evening.
(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks for the manner in
which they had approved of his conduct, and the meeting
then separated, shortly before eleven o'clock.

TEN 'TOURS' BILL DEMONSTRATION IN WARRINGTON..
—A tea party, in celebration of the passing of the Ten
Hours' Bill, took place on Tuesday evening last, in the
rooms of the national schools belonging to the established
church. The festivity was on a scale of magnitude which
would be deemed large, even in Manchester. The number
of persons who sat down to tea, including guests, was
nearly 1,000, about 650 being provided for in the girls'
school, and the remainder in that of the boys. The com-
pany consisted of about equal proportions of both sexes,
and all were neatly dressed. The rooms were decorated
with evergreens, knots and bunches of dahlia flowers,
small flags and mottoes. The aspect of the upper room,
crowded as it was with its festive party in holiday array,
was very fine, and the pleasing effect was in no slight
degree enhanced by the jubilant spirit, the mirthful talk-
ativeness, and the smiling faces exhibited on every hand.
The fete was got up and the whole arrangements were
conducted by the operatives themselves.
DA RING RoBBERY.—A very singular and daring rob-
bery was effected on the night of Saturday week, at the
house of Mr. Joseph Harvey, innkeeper, of Oakamoor,
near Cheadle. A number of " navvies" employed on the
Churnet Valley branch of the North Staffordshire Rail-
way assembled at Mr. Harvey's house on the night men-
tioned, and having drunk rather freely, they commenced
a disturbance, and were obliged to he displaced by the
police. During these proceedings, it is supposed that one
of the party gained admission unperceived into a bed-
room, where, inside a chest, was deposited £lOO in
crown pieces in a bag. The box was broken open, and
the thief, in jumping through the window, let the bag
drop, when a number of the silver coins rolled out. The
inmates, hearing the noise, ran out to discover tile cause,
and found upon the ground £2llos. in crown pieces. In-
formation was immediately given to the police, and bills
offering a reward circulated ; and on Monday night, two
men were apprehended by Mr. Field and Mr. ilrinslev...
constables, of Ashbourne, at the Tiger Inn, in that town,
and about £7O in crown pieces; and other coin, was found
in a bag and upon their persons. The two men, who
gave their names as James Clayton and William Letts,
were committed on Tuesday to take their trial at the en-
suing sessions of Stafford.

Coffee is one of the most powerful means not only of
rendering animal and vegetable effluvia innocuous, but of
actually destroying them.
Voltaire's press is now employed in printing the Bible
Society's .bibles ; at Gibbon's .house, which is now an
hotel, 4000 bibles have been sold by one of the society's
agents; and in Hume's houie the first meeting was hell
for the formation of a branch of the. British and Foreign
Bible Society, at Edinburgh.