The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-23 00:00:00

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Liverpool Church 'Missionary
Society was held yesterday, at eleven o'clock in the ore
e
on,
in the Royal Aphitheatre, Great Charlotte-street. Plat'e
form and every part of the vast building was crowded by
moat respectable auditory ; among whom we noticed the
Reverends Chancellor Raikes, J. C. Barrett, (of Birintng-
harn,) Edward Bickersteth, Hugh Stowell, A. W. Hanson,
R. P. Buddicom, Dr. Byrd), Dr. Tattershall, Hugh
M`Nelle,
W. W. Ewbank, Henry Carpenter, J. Cordeaux, W. A. C.
B. Cave, Frederick Parry, John Jones, A. Knox, 13. A'
Marshall, C. W. Lawrence, S. B. Boutflower, K.
T.
Wheeler, Isaac Wood, Morris, Stephen Cragg, C. J-
Hamilton, F. Ould, W. Falloon, D. James, Thos. Gardner,
Thos. France, Thos. Dwyer, R. S. Bunbury, Henry Hai"-
ton, J. N. Peill, Robert Davies, Evan Jones, John Brown,
Higgins, R. Cargill, William Cardall, W. Williams, W.
Butler, Whitley, and W. Hughes :—Messrs Adam Hodg-
son, Joshua Edwards, C. Bouttlower, C. Inman, William
Jones, John Howard, John Rigby, R. H. Sherlock, NV•
BrocUebank, Thos. Porter, George Lingtry, T. O. Cooper,
Captain Creighton, R. A. Payne, W. H. Moore, T. B.

llorsfall, A. Browne, and James Parker.
The Venerable the Chancellor of the Diocese was called to

the chair, and at his call
The Rev. HENRY CARPENTER implored the divine bless-

ing upon the object of the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting. It was a usage
nificent and a striking spectacle which he saw before hill
Passing from the dim and dark light in the passage w°
introduced him into the room, and admitted at once into such
a scene as that before him, was almost enough to staggre
a man of firmer nerves than his, and overwhelm him hiy,
he
sight so suddenly presented to his view. (Cheers.)
looked before him what a spectacle might he venture to ea/
he beheld? He trusted he saw an expression of the
Chrts-
tian feeling, of the deep-rooted sympathy of the Christiansee,
inhabitants of Liverpool ; and if he was not privileged to
at that early hour of the day, the intelligence and the an
hood of Liverpool, he trusted, he saw the ladies before bin!
representatives of all that could be felt by them—( their
—a sure and unquestionable pledge for the reality of their
feelings, by the fair deputations whom they had sent,
exhibiting the reality of their feelings by trusting them
into the hands of those who were dearer to them,
no doubt,
than life itself. (Hear.) If he was privileged to ook around
him, the platform, with its present company, presented
an
scene of abounding interest. If he saw in front of hint
exhibition of the Christian feeling and the Christian sYmPat!hYld
of this great and important town, he saw around and be
him the individuals by whom that Christian feeling had heed
excited, by whom that Christian sympathy was o
sustained,
t
who now had come to watch the progress of the feelings
which they had given rise, to stimulate to fresh exertions,
and awaken to fresh efforts in the noble cause of Chrise_
tian missions. He saw around him, upon one side ,°r
the other, many veteran soldiers of the cross, many lie
had borne the heat and burden of the day ;—(bear)il,
could trace many a deep line in their countenances woad "
thought and anxiety whilst the progress of the Gospel he
been watched and laboured for. He could see others, l‘i
trusted, rising to supply the place of those fathers in tia
faith, destined to occupy the pulpit from which they slm".
be removed, to carry forward that great and blessed work tizi
which they all bad pledged themselves, and to which all
were now preparing this day to renew their Pledge' ;
might look forward, and his eye rested upon one individna
whose colour and complexion had already arrested attention,
(hear)—whom he must claim as the first fruits of Aft ieat
whose presence hail been realized many a devout asticipationr
of faithful men of former times, who seemed given in answe
to many an ardent prayer that had been breathed by the
friends of this society—and the circumstance of whose ap-
pearing here seemed to open a new page in the history. of
missionary enterprise, realizing the prospect of a
ministry among converted Africans, and who might that
fated, in God's providence, to unlock the doors of tba
mysterious country, to unroll the veil which hitherto
had covered its eternal destinies, arid to pour out the
light of the Gospel in the interior of that land. ("eer')
Upon every side, whatever object rested upon his eYe
seemed calculated to awake the deepest and the tenderes!
emotions of the breast; but when he recollected 30,,
called to mind the object upon which they were assemble.
when he recollected that the walls of that house were not tilledet
with any of the multitudes that were from time to time as-
sembled there for some of the frivolous objects of hurne„3
auibition, or for some still more frivolous object of bum
amusement and delight,—when he recollected the object lo'
which they were met, that it was to promote the enlarge-
ment of the kingdom of our blessed God, and further and
eternal eternal destinies of mankind, now waiting in suspense, 8
hanging upon the results to which they might come tog
—when he considered what the object of the meeting was!
and the results which in God's good providence might follow,
—when it was not the magnificent spectacle of many line° 0f
beings congregated in a a single place, it was not the blaze
re!
light that met the natural eye, and overwhelmed the n
atured
feelings upon entering the room, which powerfully impresseut
him, but it was his deep feelings at finding the °Wee
they were met to promote, the magnificent plan and schefne
they were labouring to carry out, and the overwhelming In;
terest of mankind that seemed to be involved in the issue oci
the present meeting—(hear)—in truth he must be Pern'itte the
f
to say, that he felt convinced that if the end and object o
present meeting were but more generally felt—were but encird
properly appreciated, it would not be that house, which sco",
hold the assembled multitudes which might be inLiverpootl
the largest area the town could offer would be insufficient to ho!",‘
the multitudes which would assemble together in order. ";
consider the means by which the Gospel should be eetendere
to all mankind. (Cheers.) In truth, take but that singe
object into consideration, do but allow the mind to wan
and
over the ends and purpose of a meeting like the present, bst
he felt convinced they would agree with him it was not t, be
which met the natural eye—it was not that which .could
in
comprehended by the mind at preient, that constituted,
any degree, the interest of the object before them, as to fLii/t
express the end and purpose of the present meeting. roes
them trust themselves really to consider the object ; let theta
allow imagination to act ; let them consider the purr° tel
which they were assembled, and the interests involved, er
which might be depending upon the result to which t'ilne
might come, and then trust themselves with the assur3sited
of what would be the case, if all could but feel as he trui ;of
all present would feel,—then, he said, let imagination 'sr", )
a picture of the scene that might be exhibited here. (tlea-s'a
It would not be merely an assembly of a few hundreds,°;
few thousands, met in the bonds of Christian love endhCli6s:
tian sympathy, to consider how the Gospel might
persed among mankind •, but we should suddenly find -ulof
selves surrounded by deputations from the whole racebicic
mankind. Crowded assemblies would be drawne—e tents,
circle of those who, in many tongues and manY acer'.-o-tee
but breathing bat one word, and that word, " ..e""b re
over to us and help us." (Hear, hear, bear.) 'dices,
would be the coloured inhabitants of the West In no,
the natives of Africa, who, if the meeting chose to suPPO-0- ),
were now represented by his friend behind him (M r• Han'„ee-
and they could not have a more effective or interesting re!,'„ia
sentative—(hear)—they with tongues innumerable
be gathered together around us, imploring us to recollechteir,
innumerable wrongs which had been heaped upon the
praying we would at least exhibit that we, who posseSsit it
volume of the Gospel of peace in England, would eill"!tuid
as a great emancipatress from the power of aPir:, to
darkness, as she had hitherto asserted her P°we, we
break the chains of the captive. Beyond ther)seed
should see the population of India, the millions Pest.
under British dominion, all gathered round us, "Pe
jog in all their various languages the claimsl eY le°Lif•
seised upon our sympathy, the injuries they had
tbeir
fered from the long-rivetted bondage of Satan over, belP
souls, praying us to come to their assistance and Bich
their deliverance from a bondage worse than that Ivatioe
pressed upon the natural bodies of men. The whole poP"' nta-
of China would be at us, awakened from its sleep of ced he
ries, the consequence of our power in one sense, 300 f of
trusted yet fated to experience at our hands a better Prof tee
power than that which we had given them—the power,°„d, to
Gospel of God conveyed, and the grace of God imPr`; )
se erg.-
every one who could receive it in faith. 0-'stari'6
Thus, wherever man was found the victim of bt env
delusions, groaning under the bondage of sin, we m'gd come
gine, that from every nation, tribe, and kindred, woul
or bed
th,' that
some mighty deputation, to tell to us of the wrongs
endured, to implore our help, and to seek at cur liamTnyee
assistance which God had enabled us to afford• 13° cola
then the picture would not be complete. Imaginatimle-e the
not rest satisfied with this, which he would suppose be a
circle now surrounding them ; for there would there
higher circle. (Hear, hear.) Angels, among whom eetills
was joy over one sinner that repenteth : did the %coo'
think that angels could watch with indifference the Pr,. tho§e
of a meeting like the resent?p Could we suppose tha'nneer
who at the birth of our blessed Lord burst the sileneeiineece
which their feelings were restrained, yielded to the in!'esierl
of love, and burst forth in the glorious assurance of '
to God, and on earth peace and good will towards midees°
could we think that angels would watch with the con were
of indifference a meeting like the present? Oh, there loath-
meetings from which their purer minds recoiled wit thel
ing and disgust; there were meetings from what it
shrunk with wonder and dismay, at which they were, per
astonishment how man, born for immortality, e° tin's'
himself and all his prospects in the things of earth an?.., that
but over a meeting like the present, he could conceivedi iii-
angels would find it a subject of rejoicing in the ble•daceing
heritance which it must be our privilege to have, gigioee f°r
every heart that was heating with warmth 8"d see nri"
Christ. and desiring to do good to man, and exiiltii'elld'eete—:
vilege which held forth the means of advancing the s.„ igen
er's kingdom. (Hear.) Above all, might lie not dss eltheixij
another in the circle? He looked down uP°Tleatche
the travail of whose soul was satisfied, who end.
es'
loots
over his church, who still sympathised with all tne of gos;i
and feelings of man, who delighted in every
pel truth as conducive to the happiness of Inn,nne on°, „
advaluirid, 11,0er
who cheered all our efforts, and strengthened to tda
all our trials by the assurance that be is with us everestioie
end of the world ! The Venerable Chairman then
hi t
h s sea amidst loud ceers.
The Rev. HENRY CARPENTER then read the r°ll°-
deli
report :

00116
" 11P:PORT
" The committee of the Liver o• ol and West La!3 reffrt
Church Missionary Association desirep to begin thel e 64
to t )01,;(ohl
for the past year with thankful acknowledgments
banledssiFnagtshebrestoofweotuirbyLord Jesus Christ, for the n'ty, aills
which it is our privilegenitmo
of prosperity, both at home and abroad, in temPqalsociet,Y,'
spiritual matters, has of late been vouchsafed to i? 1: fries
u''
on that tcloinntneiciitse,adlu. alZeshocater_serjodsurii
a may well kindle gratitude in the hearts of all,i't.o. 0,
and animate anew their faith and hope iu Christ ''.cii" the 5-0
" A brief retrospect of the past, compared wit „ aconj
ciety's present position, will help us to appreciate. "% bet,"
, greats the
measure, the deep debt of gratitude we owe to ti1.„,,10
of the church for the recent tokens of his lore '''.-
ot of
Church Missionary Society. _eoenleog..--
..," It will be remembered, that at the coM.' ouragt ere
wttheilleasntelyveaarn,dwhile every thing abroad. .".85 r;nlcilbtjuricrY .4t
enlarged fields for missions,
,he oc 01,,,
opening all around, the pecuniary resource, ot ~7ofui.resicial
home. were in so crippled a condition, that the I,,sa"ese ,600' ken'
tlon was reluctantly adopted, that so long al t_voottertao of
difficultiesand with
continued, no new mission sboohlb; dins 01°,00'
with respect to missions already establishe,to be v
these the sphere of the society's operations vols
...ere dila'
siderably contracted. these ate
" To every friend of the missionary Wise i iihon° two
tressing tidings. It was a painful thought that; tj to sh°.,' brit
society should be compelled, even for a single aer 130,r n- pelf
the heathen world to itself, or rather to Satfl the II
et
could the society do? Though many a bersid 01
°A6tl he
shold offer thoua into the unoccupie 61010 ot
heathenim ; gh many a soldier of ChFi.tbe boundftr
willing to go and plant the banner of the cros!,no ,cre er
holds of Satan's kingdom, the Parent Comootte„, wered•
to reject the services of such, while their tinB,l%. conofoitt,
haunted, and no funds for such a work left st "le t° tl.l 00;
In this critical emergency an appeal vvio ,n,13‘,001 file, IV
and love, to the sympathy and liberality, of C"t.' oin• bose
and blessed be God, the a l I
in whose hands are the helarts of all men, o'' of InPl'iliri
.
, the horts f libel'', in
is the silver and the gold,' stirreu up 0 , vet 1
mca las not be,ei.,l_ll Lord "' ~, of
hk faithful people in the church, and tide,, 0 00' Is o
flowed into the coffers of ibis soc. ley, wtiwns` the solloiti•
its own history ; nay, without a precedent " , oilit:,„,t.;;;11
any Protestant religious society in this or 01.1.3'svoitdv
(00
So that the income ,which, in the preceding ver
an-wonted in the lent, to no lens than :C115,110i to 0011
" Among Mg iume vihich Int,* tontritinte