The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-11-07 00:00:00

THE JUBILEE MEETING LAST SIGHT.

This interesting meeting was held last night, in the
Theatre of the Collegiate Institution, which was most
inconveniently crowded in every part by a highly respec-
table and attentive auditory. This fact, indeed, we may
fairly plead in excuse for any imperfection in our report ;
for it was with the utmost difficulty we could manage to
take a note of some of the speeches delivered, such was
the crush even upon the platform. Neither can we give
anything like a list of the clergy and other influential
gentlemen present. To do so would be to transcribe the
name of nearly every clergyman of the town and neigh-
bourhood.
A few minutes after half-past six o'clock, the Bishop
of Chester, who was announced to take the chair, arrived
in company with his Worship the Mayor, and proceeded,
with the committee and a numerous cortege, to the plat-
' form, where he was received with hearty cheering.
On his left, in front of the platform, we observed
the Rev. Canon M`Neile, the Rev. John Jones, and two
or three other gentlemen ; and on his right, the Mayor,
the Rev. Robert Davies, and the Rev. W. Withers Ew-
bank. The latter gentleman arrived after the Bishop and
other gentlemen had taken their seats, and was received
with hearty congratulations, as was the Rev. Canon
M`Neile, who entered almost immediately after the Right
Rev. Prelate. It will be seen that his 'Lordship alluded
in his speedh with Christian delicacy and affection to the
difference which had occurred between these twos reverend
gentlemen. The allusion was received with the most
cordial satisfaction by the meeting. Indeed., the whole
proceedings were marked by the greatest display of en-
thusiasm ,1
and zealous feeling we ever witnessed on a si-
milar or on any other occasion-.
The meeting having been opened with prayer,
His LORDSHIP proceeded to address the meeting
nearly as follows :—My Christian friends,—lt is a very
great 'gratification to me to see this very numerous assem-
blap—a gratification, but still no surprise; the occasion
accounts for the fullness of the attendance. If this were
an ordinary meeting of the Church Missionary Society,
it'would naturally draw together many friends of mis-
sionary enterprise—it would naturally have attraction for
lild those who in sincerity of heart seek to promote the
glory of God and the welfare of man. But, my friends,
this is more than an ordinary occasion •, we are met to
,celebrate the fiftieth anniversary—the jubilee of the soci-
ety—a memorable epoch in its history, and, I might also
say, in all missionary enterprise. (Hear, hear.) During
the period of its existence‘it has gone on with advancing
success, and, notwithstanding the difficulties it has had
to contend with. its success must cause joy to every heart
and great thankfulness to Almighty God. (Hear, hear.)
But if compared prospectively with the extent of the field
of labour and the magnitude of the work remaining to be
accomplished, its success is so limited as to wish for the
most ardent, renewed, redoubled, multitudinous exertions.
I have spoken of the extent of the field of labour. What
extent does that embrace—even if we take no larger a
view than the boundaries of our own territorial empire.
If we look to India alone—an immense population, I be-
: lieve not less than sixty-five millions of human beings,
all immersed in the deepest darkness of human ignorance.
Idolatry prevails there far and wide in its most odious and
rueful forms, combining everything; that can degrade man
or corrupt his heart; and yet they are men of same
nature as ourselves, subjects of the same government, na-
turally looking at our hands for the light of civilisation,
and still more for the light of the glorious and everlasting
Gospel. They are entitled to this by every principle of
justice, by every debt of Christian duty and Christian
love. They have never known their own want or
proper duties. (Hear. hear.) Our efforts until lately
have been feeble and languid, and their conversion has
been slow ; but however slow, the progress of truth is
certain, and the ultimate triumph of Christ's Gospel is as
sure as God's unfailing word. (Loud cheers.) It
may be a distant day, but gradually the day will
come, when the light of Christianity will overspread
the whole of our Indian empire—nay the whole world,
and if it should please God to make England the happy
cause of this, what a bright and glorious page will it form
in her history. (Applause.) In many points of view
England has many reasons for thankfulness—so far as
respects civilization, even in India itself, she may well
exult that her banners wave over the hard fought field—
, and better still that she has established justice, virtue,
and piety. (Loud cheers.) And it will be a better theme
of joy when India shall look to England not merely as her
governor—not merely as her conqueror—but as the source
from whom she has derived the blessings of light and
truth, and the salvation of the gospel. (Hear, hear.) I
have spoken of India—l might speak of other places in no
less stirring themes—l might speak of the West Indies
where until lately the population was in a state of slavery,
but now liberty prevails, and still more the liberty with
which Christ has made them free. (Applause.) I might
speak of China, long barred against o'er interests,
but now at length unbarring its long closed gates. I
might even speak of the vast continent of Africa
'itself, where as yet the traveller can scarcely pursue
his way with safety and security—l might speak of
those places, but were I to do so 1 should occupy an
undue portion of your time, and what is more I should
most probably interfere with views and sentiments which
will be urged upon your attention by the clergymen pre-
sent. I will not therefore enter upon so wide and discur-
sive a theme, but I will ;say one thing applicable to the
place—the town in which we are now met. You may
well feel that kind of pride which is permitted to man, of
the town in which you live. It is one of the greatest,
most opulent, and most populous in the kingdom. Its
greatness is the type of the greatness of England. Your
port sends forth its vessels to every quarter of the globe.
My friends let not worldly goods be the only trea-
sure with which they are freighted. Let some of them
carry the Word of God and the Missionaries of Christ.
Prosperous be your trade—prosperous be they in their
voyage— laden with wealth may they return. Before
I sit down pardon me if I add another word. We are
met together here to unite our humble efforts for the
service and glory of Gad, by furthering the spread of the
Gospel throughout the world. What is the Gospel but a
message of peace. It is in the spirit of peace that we
must seek to further its spirit if we hope for God's bless-
ing upon our labours. (Hear, hear.) My brethren, it
may be that many with their hearts deeply engaged in
endeavouring to promote God's glory, and man's welfare,
may yet sometimes differ, not as to the object, for in that
they are heart and soul agreed, but as to the particular
form and manner in which the object has to be carried
out. Such differences may from time to time arise among
the best of men—possibly something of that kind may have
arisen very lately among ourselves, but I am sure it is a joy
to my heart ; it will be joy to every Christian heart, and to
all this vast assemblage I see around me, when I say
that if there has been for a moment such misunderstand-
ing, it has been cleared up and reconciled. (Continued
cheers for some time.) The harmony for a moment in-
terrupted has been restored, and the cloud has passed
away, and I hail with joy the applause I have now been
greeted with far more than ever I hailed it before, be-
cause I believe it rather intended for those to whom I
have alluded than for me. and that the reconciliation of
the slight interruption which had taken place has found
an echo in the hearts of all. (Loud cheers.)
The Rev. ROBERT DAVIES commenced by explaining
the circumstances under which he had been induced to
address the meeting. As an aged minister who had been
connected with the society for thirty-six years, he was
proud to have the privilege of declaring his undiminished
confidence in its value. A jubilee of such a society as
this was an interesting object to contemplate, especially
for one who was able to trace its growth from its distant'
source. The rev. gentleman gave many interesting inci-
dents as illustrating the prospects and aspect of the society
fifty years ago. Then. the difficulties appeared intermin-
able ; but they had now the encouragement to be derived
from looking back at what they had overcome. lie pro-
ceeded to trace in detail the society's progress, and to
compare its early position with the present one, and com-
batted an objection which had been urged against the
Church Missionary Society, and still entertained by
some individuals, that it interfered with the operations
of other societies, shewing that these, as Well as their
own, had largely increased in the extent of their opera-
tions. Great as had been the success of their efforts,
they had still much to do ; and he exhorted then, urgently
to increase their exertions to meet the magnitude of the
task before them, reminding them lof God's promise that
the time should come when all should know Him.
The Rev. JOHN JONES referred humourously to the
extent to which his friend, Mr. Davies, had monopolized
the whole subject. He should confine himself to an at-
tempt to paint the portrait of this venerable society, as
they might now call her, for she was in her fiftieth year;
and he was sure that when it should be presented to
them, its beauty would be acknowledged. The rev.
gentleman 'proceeded to give a chronological detail of the
growth of the society from its first formation at the
close of the last century, and a list of the eminent
men, both clerical and laical, who had been connected
with it. The first beginnings were discouraging. The
hierarchy of the church did not appear to see their way
clearly with respect to it ; they were afraid that its pro-
ceedings might not be kept within the paths of the
church ; but those to whom he alluded told them to go
on, and bade God bless them. The society formed its
first station at Sierra Leone, to which they confined
themselves for ten years; at the end of that period more
zeal was animated, and they formed a mission at Madras,
and next year at New Zealand,—a station which had
produced most important results. Calcutta was their
next mission, the next Ceylon, and two years afterwards
at Bombay, whence the society passed with a giant stride to
North America, and next to Guiana, Jamaica, and to the
shores of the Mediterranean. For fifteen years the
society paused ; but in 1842 she passed to Eastern Africa,
and in 1844 to China, where she has now three stations.
If they could look forward to another jubilee, what
might they not expect in that country ? He stated, how-
ever, that they were crippled for want of money—that
other communities were getting before them, and, alas !
amongst them the idolatrous Church of Rome. Their
twelfth mission ;vas to Malaga. The rev. gentleman re-
marked in very eloquent terms upon the judgment with
which the society had been conducted, and the blessings
with which its efforts had been rewarded; and concluded
an eloquent appeal for support, amidst much applause.
The Rev. W. W. EWBANK, who was warmly received
by the meeting, commenced by expressing his sense of
the kindness which he had experienced from his lordship,
when he was an undergraduate at the College at Cam-
bridge, over which his lordship presided. He was also
anxious to thank his lordship for the latter portion of his
speech, in which he mentioned an unfortunate subject
which bad recently occurred and created an appear-
ance of seism amongst them. He could assure them
that this was completely healed ; and be was fully
prepared, as all men may be at times, to rest under
any blame which might be attached to his conduct on
the unfortunate occasion. The reverend gentleman
proceeded to deliver an eloquent speech, in which he ex-
patiated upon the meaning of the word Jubilee, as applied
in scripture, and to show that God himself had worked in
missionary labours. He went on to point out one Phalle
this society, viz., that it; had brought the influence' and
gospel to bear upon men in all grades of barba- '

it had never failed to produce healing and civilizing effects.,.
The Rev. FRED. BARKER then addressed the meeting
in suitable terms.

The Rev. F. PARRY then briefly addressed the meeting-
The Rev Rev. Dr. M`Neree then rose and was received with
loud cheers. He commenced by returning his sincere:
thanks to his lordship for the affectionate kindness with
which he had been pleased to allude to a difference which
had unhappily arisen between two of his clergy. His
respected friend (Mr. Ewbank) had alluded to it, and so.
far well; but the enemies of true religion always
rejoiced at any inadvertence which took place among
Christian men—the . enemies of true religion. ha&
rejoiced on this occasion, both publicly and privately
in letters and in newspapers, and in doing so had paid to
the clergy a very high compliment. (Hear.) He now
appealed to those persons, to their common honesty and
candour, that an event of equal publicity arising in ant
hall should meet with equal publicity at their honds—ha
meant this, that the Rev. Mr. Ewbank and himself, after
an explanation kindly made, shook hands with each otherort
Saturday, and prayed for one another in secret yesterday.
He hoped if there were any mistaken friends present who,.
through mistaken friendship, had attempted to foster
peisonalities where none such existed, that they would
stand that night deeply rebuked ; and he also hoped that
if there had been any attempt to make a party of English
clergy against Irish clergy, that alf-such attempts (cheers's;
would be at an end. It was the United Church of Eng.. -
land and Ireland (continued cheers) ; and if they didenet
complain that English clergymen .had good livings on.
I.he other side of the channel; why. should. there be
any complaint that the Irish clergy had hard work
in this country ? (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Syr
then he hoped good would come cut of the matter, and'
no more would be heard of such pettiness, for be
could call it nothing else. (Hear, hear.) How-
ever, with regard to the subject before the meeting,
One of the diseases of our fallen nature, which it is the
express aim and design of Christianity to heal, is that-
insulated and insulating selfishness, which prompts every
man to seek his own things, without any brotherly con-
sideration of the things of others. Upon this point, the
example of our Lord Jesus Christ himself is brought to
bear with the greatest earnestness by the Holy Spirit..
He is presented to us as a Missionary of. inn--
nite condescension and self-denial, leaving the happi-
ness of his Father's house, and all the glories of his
heavenly home, humbling himself to the condition of beet
and ruined man, clothing himself in the likeness of sinful
flesh, exposing himself to the contradictions of sinnerer
the mirepresentations, rejections, and persecutions of the
ungrateful, the stubborn, the hard hearted: enduring the
noxious pestilence of surrounding impurity, out of high
disinterested compassion and love towards the impure
never becoming in the slightest degree congenial to the
foul atmosphere around him, so as to experience any-
abatement of suffering in it ; and never allowing the in-
tensity of his sufferings to deter or interrupt him in leis
mission of saving mercy. With express reference to-this
branch of the Saviour's character, St. .Paul says, "Let
this mind be in you-that was in Christ Jesus." In you
his disciples—in you who have received much, and
from whom much is therefore and reasonably expected.
To whom on earth can this be addressed with moc
force, than to us of this nation ? Much has, indeed,.
been done for us. The glorious gospel was sent
to us in the earliest ages of its propagation.
Our forefathers were delivered from the grass. idolatries
and debasing impurities of heathenism. Yet not all at
once. Patient missionary toil was necessary ; and had
missionary journals been written in those days and trans-
mitted to posterity, we would doubtless now read of some-
such hopeful instances of conversion in Britain on a small
scale, as we read of in India or China. In due time, however,
idolatry was banished, and Christianity became the religion
of our favoured country. And when that Christianity was.
corrupted, debased, overlaid, and disfigured by a re-intro-
duction of heathen practices under Christian names : again
it pleased God to favour our land, by a reformation, which,.
based on Christianity, and following the primitive prate-.
tice of the church, delivered us from the Antichristiaa
abuses, and Antichristian usurpations of apostate Rome.
Rome was not to be shaken off without a struggle. Deep
and deadly was that struggle—long-continued also, and fre-
quently renewed. We have just been engaged in a thankfa
commemoration of what ourchurch most justly calls "great
deliverances"—a subject mostappropriate to our Missionary
Jubilee—for wherever our missions have been, or of what
character. wehave not lost our Protestantism. The intended
massacre of our Protestant King and rulers was mercifully
prevented, and the reformed religion mercifully preserved.
And when a subsequent king himself attempted to de-
prive us of this blessing, when the royal preregative wa.s
abused, by an exercise of dispensing power against the
laws, we were mercifully kept from the danger. The
rev. gentleman then gave a condensed account of the
Gunpowder Plot, and of the landing of the Prince of
Orange, and proceeded :—lt is well to review and appreciate
these blessings, for Christian blessing duly viewed will be
be found the true mainspring of christian duty cheerfully
performed. Our duty in this matter is clear. Let the mind
be in us, which was in Christ, the unselfish mind, the
expansive, beneficent, self-sacrificing mind, which seeks
the good, especially the -eternal good of others. Means
must be used. The vehicle of Christian blessedness-
entrusted to us, is the Divine Word. To us is the Word
of this salvation sent, and by us is the same word to be
sounded out. The Gospel is not a demand for work tote
done, but glad tidings of work already done. Nosatisfaction
for sin is everto be made beyond what has been made. No
justifying righteousness is ever to be wrought, beyond
what has been wrought. The preparation of the Gospel'
was the Lord's work, his own, and only his. The proem- .
gation of it was not only his, but ours also. With this
we are entrusted ; we are ambassadors for Christ. We
have every encouragement to persevere. We are not left
to a bare sense of duty however high. This ought, indeed,.
to be sufficient, independent of any success. But ourinfr-
mities require the secondary inducements to be derived
from sonic apparent progress. And we have been indulged.
A great blessing has been vouchsafed upon the work in ear
hands. You have already heard interesting particulars.
Our missionary publications abound with such. 139,
missionaries, of whom nine are natives ; 1,342 male
and female teachers, of whom 1,268 are natives ; in Weee.
tern Africa 7,000 Christian worshippers, and above 2,000
communicants; in New Zealand 5,000 communicants.;
In India, 30,000 under Christian instruction. When we
talk of converts, we do not mean persons entrapped by
fraud under the supposed but delusive charm of some out-
ward ordinance, as if the opus operatum could cleanse the
heart. No, we make no such converts as Mr. Wilk's-
describes the Popish missionary making, or rather gine
their own account of their absurd and treacherous opera-
tions. The reverend gentleman then proceeded with a
very eloquent speech, which we could not possibly repnet
further. He sat down much applauded.
Mr.- S. HOLME proposed a vote of thanks to the Lord
Bishop, and also to his Worship the Mayor, for lending
their influence to the meeting, which was immediately
carried by acclamation.
His LORDSHIP, in feeling terms, acknowledged the
compliment. His first duty in Liverpool had been a very
pleasing one—that of preaching for the Blind Asylum—
his secynd the most pleasing he had ever performed, that
of consecrating a church, erected by the worthy chief
magistrate and his friends, and his third, presiding over
that meeting, for which he felt deeply grateful for the
gratification they had afforded him. (Cheers.)
The MAYOR also briefly acknowledged the compliment,.
and his Lordship having delivered the Apostolic bene-
diction, the meeting separated at half-past ten.