The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-05-23 00:00:00

THE DOCK BILL-THE COUNCIL MEETING.

In referring to the report in our inner columns of the
Special Council Meeting, lit ld yesterday, we feel ourselves
impelled to pay our humble tribute of praise to the Chair-
man of the Dock Committee for the untiring zeal which
has enabled him, with the efficient aid of his colleagues, to
secure to the valuable estate entrusted to their manage-
ment the high and firm position which it must now occupy.
For such exertions, so successfully made, Mr. Brumley. -
Moore deserves highly of his fellow-townsmen—more,
perhaps, than they can pay, except by the honour which,
in November, we expect to see conferred upon him by a
unanimous present to him of the civic chair.

TRANSFER OF THE BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.-
IMPORTANT MEETING YESTERDAY.

A meeting of the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners was
held yesterday morning, at which the following ,members
were present :—C. Bentham, chairman • Messrs. Thomson,
' Bryans Gilberion, Barbour, Prichard, Cole, Hicklin,
Green, Pike, Adamson,,Nichols, and Fox.
The LAW-CLERK read a letter from Ambrose Lace,
Esq., representing the Birkenhead Dock and Warehouse
Company, communicating a 'resolution from the Liverpool
Dock Trustees, passed at a meeting on Saturday, by which
it was agreed that the latter trust should purchase the
Birkenhead Docks on terms agreeable to the interests of
all parties.
Atter considerable discussion, during which the pro-
priety of deferring the consideration of the question was
agitated, the Board resolved, on the motion of Mr.
Prichard, seconded by Mr. Thompson, that the Birken-
head Dock Commissioners would concur in any arrange.
went for the transfer of the works to the LiVerpool on
such terms as should meet the approbation of the Dock
Bondholders and the Commissioners of ;Woods and
Forests, and at the same time duly protect Birkenhead
interests. _ _

The Board divided, when there were for the motion
seven, and against it four. The following voted against
the motion :—Messrs. Hicklin, Green, Nichols, and Bar-
bour. Mr. Adamson did not vote.
A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Prichard, Cole, and
the Chairman, was appointed to meet the Bondholders and
Directors of the Birkenhead Dock Company in London
this morning, with the view of bringing this desirable ar-
rangement to a close.

PROPOSED MEETING IN LIVERPOOL ON THE
NAVIGATION LAWS.

The country has endured the suicidal policy of the last
few years iu hopeless silence ; but this last blow—the
attempted sacrifice of its shipping interest, and of the
various branches of industry which it maintains—has
effectually aroused the indignation of men of alt shades of
politics to protest against so wanton and ruinous an
aggression. Already the shipowners, merchants, and
nrtizans of other ports are up and stirring ; and we are
happy to be able to announce that Liverpool is about to
take her just prominence in the impending struggle. A
requisition, placed upon the tables of our Exchange for
signature, which received in a very short time and without
any public notice the signature of four hundred and
forty-four of our leading shipowners, builders, and mer-
cantile firms, of all grades of political opinion, has been
presented to the Mayor, praying him to call a public
meeting; which his Worship has kindly consented to do,
and has fixed Friday next for the purpose.
The gentlemen who formed the deputation to present
the memorial to the Mayor were Mr. Jas. Aikin, a large
shipowner and merchant, and a consistent whig and free
trader ; Mr. J. Bramley-Moore, a Brazilian merchant.,
and Chairman of the Liverpool Dock Committee ; and
Mr. R. Rankin, a member of one of our largest Colonial
houses, and a large owner of North American-built:
shipping. Amongst the signatures to the document we
find the same mixture of opinion on general politics. We
take a few at random—Chas. Horsfall and Sons ; Wm.
'
and James Tyrer ; Duncan Gibb •
' Cotesworth and
Wynne • Harold Littledale • Chas. Grayson ; Wm. and
John Lockett;' Chas. Challinor ; J. K. Myers; W. R.
Sandbach ; Humble, Milcrest and Co. ; Gladstone and
Co.; Chas. Turner ; Josh. B. Yates ; R. and A. Hen-
derson.

VIOLENT ASSAULT.—At the Police-court yesterday,
two youths, Edward Jones and Hugh M'Cann, were
charged by an old man, a native of Ireland, with having
on Saturday, struck him, and "knocked him dead,
without provocation. The case being proved, they were
required to pay a fine of 40s. and costs each, or to be im-
prisoned for 42 days.
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. Since OUT last
publication, we have had considerable and most welcome
showers of refreshing and feeding rain, which have
greatly improved the growth of all field and garden crops.
The country is luxuriantly verdant. The wheats in these
districts still present a yellow hue, especially at the bottom
of the plant, but this may yet disappear. The oats have
come well up, and are strong in health. Grasses have
almost perceptibly to the eye increased in thickness and
length. We never saw the- potatoes look better at the
time of the year.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Yesterday, the first of the anniverscry meetings of the
Liverpool Auxiliary of the Church Missionary Society was
held at the Lecture-hall of. the Collegiate Institution.

The attendance was numerous and highly respectable.
The chair was occupied by the Rev. Chancellor Raikes,
M.A. ; and on the platform we noticed a large number of
the local clergy, including the Rev. Dr. M'Neile,..the Rev.
Dr. Carpenter, the Rev. John Jones, the Rev. Richard
Davies, the Rev. Thos. Nolati, the Rev. John Connor,
the Rev. B. A. Marshall. the ReV. A. McConkey, the
Rev. C. W. Lawrence, the Rev. A.Knox, the Rev. H.
Carpenter, &a. Adam Hodgson, ESq., and several other
gentlemen occupied seats on the platform. The deputa-
tion from the parent society consisted of the Hon. and
Rev. B. W. Noel. the Rev; Smyth, late missionary in
China, and the Rev. E. Birch; incumbent of St. Saviour's,
Manchester.

The proceedings having been opened, as usual, with
prayer,
The CHANCELLOR addressed the assembly. He said he
should be sorry to detain them unnecessarily from. the inter-
esting statements which were about to be made,the more par-
ticularly as he hoped every individual present was already fully
persuaded in his own mind that the object in which they were
engaged was of all others the most glorious and important that
could occupy the attention of a Christian people. The only
remark that perhaps he might he permitted to make would be,
to endeavour to prevent the feeling of disappoinment which
might probably arise in some minds from the present financial
position of the Society ; and ,-therefore he would take the
liberty of suggesting that they were not to judge Of the pros-
perity of an institution like the present as they would judge. of
the prosperity of other institutions, by the simple fact of the
increase of their pecuniary abilities. In truth, in all institu-
tions like this, they might safely borrow a comparison from
that going on in all commercial transactions—namely, that
the extent of prosperity was not to be judged by the amount
of capital possessed, but by the extent to which capital
had been employed ; and if it had pleased God to grant
the society so large temeasure of blessing, as that their numbers
were actually. strengthened and their opportunities extended,
this he conceived was a test of their prosperity far more grati-
fying than if their treasurer announced a large amount of
means, without a corresponding mode in which those means
might be usefully employed. (Hear, hear.) And let the Chris-
tian public he convinced that, while God was opening fresh
doors of usefulness on every side, and while from every quarter
they were hearing reports of successful operations, no other
sources of encouragement were required. They had only to go
forward, and to rest assured that when God blessed the
work, He would not fail to supply the necessary. means.
And here he felt himself at liberty to communicate , an
encouraging omen with regard to the Church Missionary
Society. He rejoiced to think that the chair which he
then filled would be occupied, at a larger meeting to-morrow,
(Tuesday) evening by .the excellent and respected Mayor
of Liverpool—(hear and loud applause);—and certainly it was
most gratifying to see an individual so highly honoured as the
Mayor was, carrying so great a weight of character in his name,
coming forward on such an occasion to head a society, the
great object of which was to evangelize the world. (Hear, and
renewed applause.) Let them hope the time was coming when
the great and mighty traffickers of Liverpool—the men who
were wielding the power of this world's wealth—would feel
the reality and blessedness of true religion, and come forward
to aid a society which earnestly desired to communicate to the
world the freedom and happiness of Christian England, by the
knowledge of the truth as it was in Jesus. (Applause.)
The Rev. H. CARPENTER said that, before reading the re-
port, he would read a letter he had received, within the last
few days, from their newly-appointed diocesan, who had been
written to at the request of the Church Missionary Committee
to consent to become a patron of this auxiliary—an office that
had been filled by their late venerated diocesan, the present
Archbishop of Canterbury. His lordship expressed "the gra-
tification he felt in acceding to the invitation of the Liver-
pool Church Missionary Committee to accept the office of pa-
tron to their local association, and his regret that he would
not be able to attend the anniversary meetings this month.
He hoped to evince his cordial interest in the proceedings and
Objects of the association by being present on similar occasions
in future years." The reading of the bishop's reply was re-
ceived with loud cheers.

The IRev. Mr. CARPENTER next read the report, of which
the following are the main features :
The report stated that, though the proceedings of the society,
in its missions abroad, during the past year, bad not
been distinguished by any events of a striking or permanent
character, there had been a silent growth of piety in all the
missions, and the converts had shown a carefulness to improve
every opportunity of instruction, and a great eagerness to
attend the public means of grace. As a specimen of the
earnestness with which they wait on the means of grace, one of
our missionaries at the Grand Rapids, in the Red River mission
in North Western America. writes,—" I have never yet seen a
vacant seat.on the Lord's Day ; be the weather what it may,
rain or snow, storm or sunshine, frozen Mercury or fever heat,
the church is more than full." But the increase of piety in our
converts will appearfrom one fact, which is applicable toalmost
all our missions; we refer to the increase of our conirnunicanta.
Though the number baptised last year is probably less than in
the preceding, the communicants have increased by more than
1,000. In one of our stations, Sierra Leone, 100 communicants
have, last year, been added to the church ; and in Tinnevelly,
where the candidates for baptism have greatly decreased, there
has been an increase in our communicants of no less than 369.
And if we cast our eyes overthedifferentmissionsof the society,
we shall find that, in addition to the thousands which fill our
schools, and the tens of thousands which crowd our churches
12,000 stated communicants assemble every month round the
table of Our Lnrd. What thankfulness to God ought not such
a fact awaken in every Christian heart ! The time is not far
distant—some here may remember it—when, after years of
labour among the Heathen, our communicants were reported to
amount to six souls. Of what a goodly harvest have these
proved to be the first fruits.! He that began the good
work has given his spirit more largely, and multiplies our
communicants more than a thousand fold! To him be all
the glory ! To the same Lord we are indebted for the increase
in our missionaries. One hundred and thirty-eight clergymen
are now labouring in connexion with this society.. Four of
these are, we trust, at this time engaged in missionary opera
tions in that most important field of labour, the vast empire of
China ; and of the remainder, fourteen are converts, or descend-
ants of converts, from heathenism. At the last ordination
held by the Bishop of Madras, five candidates were ordained
for the Church Missionary Society, and four of these five were
natives. One of them is the son of our native missionary in
Tinnevelley, the Rev. John Devasaygayam. To him has the
blessed privilege been granted of seeing his son, first converted
by his own ministry to Christ, and now willingly dedicated to
his Divine Master, in the same ministry in which his honoured
father has so long and so faithfully laboured in India. It was
to this young man's sermon, written during his examination
for orders, the Bishop of Madras bore public testimony in
London, by declaring that "it was such a faithful, clear, and
simple exposition of gospel truth, that he could say without.
affectation that he would have been very thankful himself to
have preached it in his own athedral Church." The funds of
the society have this year declined in amount, as might, indeed,
have been anticipated in a year of such unexampled commercial
difficulty. The total deficiency is about £13,000. But in
analysing the different sources of the society's income, we find
that the falling off in legacies was more than £9,000; in bene-
factions between .el,OOO and £2,000; while the deficiency
from associations, which are the best and most permanent
sources of the society's income, and the surest tests of public
opinion, amounts only to about 2,550. Ourown auxiliary, we
regret to say, has fallen short by .e 213. £2,365 were remitted
to London the yearbefore last ; but this year thetotal amount con-
tribated to the society's funds from Liverpool Auxiliary is £2,152.
Our newly-appointed bishop has consented to become patron
of this auxiliary, an office vacant by the removal of our late
revered diocesan to the see of CanterbUry •, and the report
mentioned the obligations of the committee to his lordship for
tl e kind and cordial manner in which he accepted the office.
The Rev. FREDERICK BARKER moved the adoption of the
report of the committee, and officers for the ensuing year. He
nrged upon the meeting the duty of engaging in earnest and
constant prayer, for the success of the society ; and referred to
the Mission of Western Africa, and also to the Mission in the
Island of Benares, for :proof that great success had attended
past operations.
The Rev. GEORGE SMITH, late missionary in China, seconded
the adoption of the report. He said he was rejoiced to be en-
abled to inform them that a wide and magnificent sphere of
labour was now opened amongst a vast population of the
Chinese empire. In the first place, he might state that five im-
portant and populous cities, extending along one thousand
miles of seaboard, were now ready for the reception of Chris-
tian missionaries, and that to these five cities merchants from
the interior of the country
.were in the frequent habit of
resorting. Then, again, since the cessation of the late
war between Great Britain and China, the inhabitants
of all these cities had exhibited a friendly and sociable
disposition. showing, in every way, that it was their pleasure
to receive the visits of missionary teachers, and that they were
willing to cultivate the, most friendly intercourse with those
teachers. Again, their social institutions presented no barrier
to missionary work. There was no such thing as the Hindoo
caste among them. No powerful priesthood prevailed there.
With the exception of the worship of their ancestors, there
was no general form of superstition; and although the Chinese
were for the most part idolaters, they sat very loosely to their
idolatrous superstitions. Then, again, education was generally
patronised; and lastly the Chinese Government were beginning
to exhibit a more liberal policy and tolerant disposition towards
their subjects. He was persuaded that the people were capable
of judging of moral influences and of appreciating the sublime
morality of the gospel ; and in illustration of this statement
he might say that be believed there was no place on the face of
the globe where there were such powerful inducements for the
study of literature as existed now in China. No man in that
country, who was not prevented by poverty, ever neglected to
secure a liberal education. The very theory of their govern-
ment encouraged the cultivation of literature; for,. by that
theory, no person was admitted to the higher official situations
throughout the country until he had obtained a literary degree.
Government 'commissioners went through the country to con-
duct these literary examinations, and to select candidates for
situations; and the excitement which prevailed in the different
parts of the country, at the period of these literary examina-
tions, resembled the excitement at parliamentary elections in
England. Every member of the Chinese community was
admissible to these literary triumphs, except three
classes, namely, menial servants, idolatrous priests, and
theatrical players ; and t. en almost every subject of the em-
pire might hope to be admitted to some office under govern-
ment, and gradually to rise to the highest offices in the state.
Now, every one must see that the Christian missionary in that
country laboured under considerable advantages in one respect,
inasmuch as they were brought into contact with a refined and
highly civilized race of people, who exhibited a desire for
knowledge, and among whom the ability to read was very
general.' True it was that the dialects differed very much
in various districts, hut the written character was every
where the same, and written books were intelligible through"-
out eighteen provinces of the Empire ; so that it was easy to see
how important an instrumentality the Christian press was
destined to become in our future efforts to evangelise the coun-
try. (Hear, and applause.) Tract Societies, of various
kinds, were already in extensive existence amongst the
Chinese. Moral tracts, for instance, were distributed in
order to check the progress of vice, and to discourage female
infanticide, and Confucianism had been lower and middle
classes, been substituted in. its place, principally by means of
Bhuddist missionaries travelling through the country as col-
porteurs, and circulating Bhuddist tracts. But, notwith-
standing all show of morality, the present moral and social
condition of the Chinese was a fearful and melancholy proof of
the truth of God's word—that "the world by wisdom knew not
God:" for, althoUgh the Chinese were an extraordinary people,
enjoying many of the substantial blessings of civilization,
yet the whole population were sunk into the depths of Atheism
or superstition, and all their literature led to these results.
Confucius was in fact their God, and every subject of the em-
pire revered and venerated the idols and the memory of the
sage; but, blessed be God, they were not only an interesting
but an accessible people. and great success might confidently
be anticipated from the faithful proclamation of the Gospel
among theirs. He then proceeded, to point out the striking si-
milarity which exists between the rites of Bhuddism and those
of the Roman Catholic Chnrch; and he concluded by observing
that his connexion with the people of China would form a sub-
ject of thankful reminiscence to the latest period of his life, and
that it would impart to him a tenfold desire to make others in-
terested in the work of their conversion.
The hymn—" All hail, the power of Jean's name !" was here
sung, and the collection was made.
The Rev. Dr. CARPENTER, incumbent of St. Jude's, proposed
the second resolution,- to the effect that ":thegradual but sure
progress of Gospel truth throughout the older missions of the
Church Missionary Society calls for devout thankfulness to
God, and should awaken more earnest prayerand more devoted
efforts at home, that God's ways may he known upon earth,
and his saving health among all nations." He had long felt,
he said, that the Christian public were not fully aware of the
obligations which the missionary cause had upon them, of the
vast good which God was accomplishing throueh the Missionary
Society, or of-the blessed privileges which that blessed work
would bring upon themselves, upon their churches, and upon

their country, as well as upon the world. He desired to rest the
obligation upon all of them to engage in the missionary cause,
simply upon the command of God; and if he could see no ob-
ject to be gained ,for.ihe world, the country, the church, or
themserves, 116 Raoul d desire to feel, and to press upon all
Christians to feel_ alone with him, the obligation that rested
upon them to send forth ministers to preach the Gospel
throughout the world upon the simple ground that God
had commanded it. But they were called upon by other con-
siderations to engage in the work. The high place to wnich
God ;had promoted us among the nations of the earth, and
the pure faith and pure form of Christianity which God had
given pre-eminently to Britain, were soma of these considera-
tions. There were other motives which called upon us to
engage in this work, and one was the number of the heathen
throughout the world. They had often heard of 600,000,000 of
heathen that were- destitute of the knowledge of Christ ; and
the vastness of this number might, perhaps, be estimated when
he stated that if 5,000 of the heathen were to pass through
Liverpool every day, it would tike no fewer than thirty-three
years for the entire to pass. They were also called upon
to engage in the work by the great success which God had
vouchsafed to the labours of the Missionary Society
already ; and this success would be apparent by con-
trasting the report of the society in 1832 with the report of it
in 1847. In 1832, the funds were .t'40,751 ; in 1847, they were
were ..e116,827. In 1832, 48 stations ;in 1847, 100 stations. In
1832, 38 English clergymen labouring at missionaries; in 1847,
108. In 1832, 4 native clergymen ; in 1847, 10; -now, 14. In
1832, 477 converted nativas employed as catechists, &c.; in
1847, 1,115. In 1532, 23 female teachers ; in 184, 155. In
1133, 1,271 communicants; in 1847, 11,970; and he had heard
it stated in Cheltenham last week, that this number now
amounted to 13,090. The openings which God was giving to
us to enter on the labour formed another motive for exer-
tion. Mr. Smyth had referred to the opening in China, but
openings on every side were occurring in Ceylon. The
reverend doctor dwelt at some length upon the success of the
cause in Ceylon, and then proceeded to show how missionary
efforts had reacted in many beneficial ways upon the church,
and country, and people of God at home. He concluded with
a powerful appeal in favour of the funds of the society, and
suggested two or three modes in which individual and congre-
gational collections in its behalf might be increased.
The Hon. and Rev. BAPTIST NOEL seconded the resolution
in an able address. He said it was undoubtedly true, as had
been stated by the last speaker, that God had greatly blessed
this society in various parts of the world, in its endeavours to
accomplish the conversion of souls to God, but that perhaps
those conversions did not appear so numerous as, considering
the time during which this society and others had laboured,
might have been expected. They might have thought with
Mehincthon, that a story so plain and affecting as the redemp-
tion of the world by t heir blessed Lord, had only to be made
known to the masses of mankind, to make them embrace the
truth, and be followers of the Saviour. Such anticipations had
not been fulfilled, and when they would be fulfilled it was un-
known. But if they could not say when the 600,000,000 of the
heathen should be converted, there were manyeffects resulting
from the operations of Christian societies which well warranted a
great deal more of missionary zeal than had ever been evinced.
It would be a great object—for instance, to secure the renun-
ciation of idolatry throughout the world; and in any case we
should not have done a bad work if, by means of our missions,
we gave a testimony for
.Christ throughout the world, and so
fulfilled his divine command to proclaim the gospel. Besides
was it not a great privilege to be permitted to tell our fellow-
men that there was such a solace for human sorrow as a Savi-
oar—that there was such a resource from human guilt and
divine condemnation ; and ought we not to be willing to
do a great deal more than the Church Missionary Society has
ever done if it were only to hold up a plain testimony to the
ends of the earth that Christ was the world's redeemer, and
benefactor, and friend? (Hear, hear.) I imagine that we have
neglected it ! Suppose there were no such testimony for Christ
How could we retain a quiet conscience? But the the testi-
mony had been made and great results had followed both in
the Empire of China, and the vast continent of India. The
hon. and rev. gentleman here related some interesting anecdotes
connected with the conversion of the natives of Parsee, and the
ordination of two of that tribe as missionaries. It was, he ob-
served, most gratifying to know that 3,000 persons were re-
ceiving the Lord's Supper at Tinevelly—that tens of thousands
were listening to the Gospel in distant lands—that thousands
had renounced their idols—that polygamy had been banished
in many places—that the contempt with which wives and wi-
dows were once treated was fast disappearing—that children
were being trained to the service of God, and that there was a
marked increase of spirituality and consistency among the
Christian worshippers of the several nations. He concluded
by entreating of the churches at home to pray earnestly for a
larger band of devoted men to be raised up and sent forth to
the work of the ministry all over the world.
The meeting closed at half-past two o'clock with the singing
of the Doxology. The second of these interesting anniversary
meetings will be held this evening—the Mayor in the chair.

The sum collected at the meeting amounted to-.4'29 Is. 2d.,
and the following were the collections at the churches, on
Sunday, in behalf of the society. In many of the churches two
sermons were preached :
St. Andrew's . 0 0
St. Augustine's 4O 6 0
St. Bride's 55 12 6
St. Barnabas's
St. Bartholomew's
Christ Church
St. Clement's lB 13 6
St. George's, Everton 92 0 0,
Everton Chapel 3 0 0-
St. Mary's, Edge-hill 3O 0 0
St. John's
St. Jude's
*St. John the Baptist's
St. James's, Parliament-street
St. Luke's
Mariners' Church
St. Mark's 2l 0 0•
St. Matthew's
St. Paul's
St. Paul's, Prince's-park
St. Silas's
St. Thomas's, Toxteth-park 9 0- 0
St. Anne's, Aigburth l6 0 0
St. Mary's, Bootle - Co 0
St. John the Evangelist's, Knotty Ash l5 0 0
St. Thomas's, Seaforth
St. James's, West Derby
* One moiety of the collection in this church to• go to the
Gospel Propagation Society.

THE LIVERPOOL