The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-10-07 00:00:00

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Last night a public meeting was held in the Collegiate
Institution, to receive information of the progress of the
Gospel in Western Africa, from the Rev. Samuel Crowther, a
native African Church Missionary, from Abbeokuta, and the
Rev. 0. E. Vidal, M.A., who is about to proceed to Sierra
Leone. The chair was taken by Adam Hodgson, Esq., who,
at considerable length, explained the main object of the meet-
ing, which was to raise the necessary funds for the establish-
ment of a bishopric in Sierra Leone. Why, he asked, should
Africa be excluded from the luminous belt of episcopacy?
(Hear hear.) He trusted that the result of that and similar
meetings would be to roll away the reproach so long resting
on our land,—the neglect of our African fellow creatures. One
of the objects in establishing a bishopric at Sierra Leone, was
to supply the ministration of the right of confirmation to our
injured fellow creatures in Africa. Another object of the esta-
blishment was founded on the necessity of a bishop for the
ordination to the ministry, and for the superintendence of
native misssionaries. After dilating upon the necessity and
importance of the establishment of an episcopacy in Africa, the
Chairman called upon the Rev. 0. E. Vidal first to address
the meeting.

Ti.e REV. GENTLEMAN, in doing so, took a review of the
history of our African missions since their establish-.
lnent in the year 1804 to the present time. He said the
dealing of the Lord with this mission was in strict conformity
with his dealing with his spiritual, and with individual
members of his Church on earth. The progress of this mis-
sion was unquestionable, but the stages through which it had
passed had been various and trying. The history of the
misions up to the year 1816 was a season of struggle and
difficulty. The season from 1816 to 1823, was the period of
promise—the season of the sweet manifestation of God's pro-
vidence. From 1823 to 1841 must be accounted a period of
patient perseverance against pestilence; and, what was worse
and more discouraging, against apparent unfruitfulness. In
1827 the mission of Western Africa had reached its lowest ebb ;
yet still the remaining few of the servants of God laboured on in
spite of the difficulty—cast down but not aestroyed—perplexed
but not in despair. About the year 1835, a brighterand more encou-
' ry.ing state of things took place : the seed sown was beginning
to bring forth. In this year was entered upon the labours of
the present missionary cause. The season of the ingathering
of fruit might be said to have commenced in the year 1841,
the era of the Niger expedition. This expedition might
not have been the moving cause of the blessings that suc-
ceeded it; but it was the occasion of evoking the fruits of
the ministrations which had been the means of producing
these effects ; it ripened them and brought them to matu-
rity. It was the season of fruitfulness, which had now con-
tinued, under the good hand of God, for the last ten years.
Let it not be supposed, however, that it had passed
without trials and opposition. The enemy to the cause
of God sent forth its devastating army under the leader-
ship of the king of Dahomey. But God said, " Destroy not the
blessings which have been sent forth ;" and the legion of the
enemy were thrown back from Abbeokuta, and destroyed. If
Africa, then, was to be etlightened and regenerated, this could
only be done through the teaching and preaching of the gospel of
the only true saviour of the world. What they (the advocates of
the mission) asked, was the support of Liverpool, and that as she
bends forward from her airy throne, she should cast her hand
out across the broad Atlantic, and raise a kindred spirit from
the dust of the shores of Western Africa. (Applause.)
The Rev. SAMUEL CROWTHER was then called upon to' ad-
dress the meeting, and on presenting himself was hailed by
load and prolonged applause. He confirmed, from personal
observation, many of the facts spoken of by the Rev. Mr. Vidal,
and gave some interesting details of the progress of the mis-
sions in West Africa. Shortly after the rev. gentleman com-
menced his address our reporter, in consequenze of the extra-
ordinary preparations to meet the increased demand for our
paper this morning, was compelled to leave the meeting.
Several other gentlemen, we believe, afterwards addressed the
audience, after which a collection was made in aid of the cause.
and the interesting proceedings terminated.

On the previous day, Sunday, sermons were preached, and
collections made, for the same object, in the following
Churches:—Christ Church, Everton, in the morning by the
Rev. S. Crowther: St. Mary's, Edge-hill, in the afternoon, by
the Rev. S. Crowther: St. Jude's, in the evening, by the same
rev. gentleman. St. Luke's, in the evening, by the Rev. 0. E.
Vidal ; on the morning of the same; day, the Rev. 0. E. Vidal
preached in St. George's, Everton. We have not heard the
amounts collected.

This morning there will be a public breakfast at the Adelphi
Hotel, at half-past eight o'clock, to meet the above-named
deputation.

Yesterday the borough revision commenced for War-
rington, before Mr. T. S. Brandreth. There were 28
objections, and 24 claims, to be decided.

The United States mail steamer Atlantic sailed, on
Wednesday, for New York, with 151 passengers, the
usual mails, and a fair cargo.
On Thursday the body of a new-born child was foUnd
in the ashpit of a house in Lower Parliament-street. It
was conveyed to the dead-house.

On the Ist instant, the morning mail, from Liverpool
for. London, commenced leaving the Post-office at 4 15,
irstead of 6 a.m.

At the Warrington Town Council, on Thursday, the
proposition made by the Warrington and Altringham
Railway Company to erect a new bridge over the Mersey
was rejected. _

The North American Royal Mail steam-ship America,
Shannon, commander, sailed on Saturday afternoon, for
Halifax and Boston, with the usual mails and a full corn-
plethent of passengers.
A meeting was held at Prescot, on Tuesday, when a
memorial was adopted to the London and North-Western
Railway, to form a branch t(lithat town from the Huyton
station.

THE QUEEN'S VlSlT.—Messrs. A. and E. Jacob,
Estate Agents, of Parker-street, have made extensive
arrangements to accommodate the public. They are
issuing tickets to view the procession as low as 2s. 6d.
each.

It is intimated that the Royal Mersey Yacht, the Royal
Irish, and the Welsh Clubs will, next season, act in
concert with the Royal Cork, and, by giving their regattas
in succession in 1852, ensure a large fleet in St. George's
Channel.

THE OCEAN MONARCH.—Through the exertions of
khe divers employed by Mr. William Blackey, of this
town, who, it will be remembered, purchased the wreck
of the Ocean Monarch in December, 1849, a great portion
of the cargo, originally valued at £6,000, has been re-
covered -

.It. consisted 'of pig,_ sheet, -and bar-iron, tin

, and steel bars, copper sheeting, earthenware, &c.
" are still going on when the weather per-

t work. They can re-
enveloped in a kind of
sour, an india-rubber tube being attached
helmet, communicating with an air pump
loops are moored near the wreck. with all

being two sets of divers
1 hours and