The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-04-17 00:00:00

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The interesting services connected with the Livrepool Aux-
iliary to this important branch of christian missions have this
week been held in this town, and we are happy to learn that the
pecuniary. returns, so far as they have been ascertained are very
encouraging.
The anniversary sermons having been preached at the several
Wesleyan Chapels last Sunday, the annual meeting for the
Liverpool North Circuit was held yesterday evening in Bruns-
wick Chapel, Moss-street, James Wood, Esq., in the chair. The
meeting commenced at six o'clock, when a very numerous
auditory attended.
The Itev. Richard Reece opened the business of the evening
by prayer, after which the Chairman addressed the meeting by
some very appropriate remarks on the object of missions, and
the mode and spirit in which they ought to be supported and
conducted.

The Rev.. John Stamp, one of tne local secretaries, then read
a very interesting report of the proceedings of the:auKitiary
;dieing tt:a past year, with a condensed view of the operations
of the parent institution; front which it appeared thht the pre-
sent number of missionary stations in all parts of the world
are 106, and of missionaries engaged 2'lB. he number of
members under the care and christian instruction of the mis-
sionaries is 45,786, with 36,000 children in the schools attached
to the mission. The total receipts in the Liverpool district, for
the past year, is £1,805 7s. 5t1., being by several thousand
pounds the largest contribution ever made- in any one year to
this cause.

After these details has been communicated the meeting was
addressed by the Rev. Robert Spence Hardy, late missionary
at Ceylon, and by the Rev. Robert Alder, one of the parent
secretaries, also formerly a missionary. The latter gentleman
gave a very interesting. sketch of the present state and prospects
of the missions at. home and abroad, especially as it respected
Ireland, the Continent of Europe the Islands of the Mediter-
ranean, Continental India, the South Sea Islands, Africa, the
West Indies, 8:e. In referring to the• West Indies, he re-
marked the encouraging result of the recent measures of eman-
cipation, and of the disposition of the negroes to benefit by it,
and of the planters to encourage every attempt for their moral
.and religions improvement. One fact appeared very striking;
that in one school for the instruction iu reading of negro adults
there were found 48S persons who had been induced to attend
in order to be prepared for the gift of the Holy Scriptures about
to be presented by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Another fact of peculiar interest was stated, namely, that in
Constantinople, the seat of Mahominedan delusion, there are
at this moment seven chistian schools for the education of the
Turkish population, and conducted by American missionaries,
at which 2,5000 of the junior soldiers of the Porte attended for
instruction.

The rut eting was next addressed by that ornament of his
species, and friend to everything which adorns humanity, James
Montgomery. The pathos, the exquisite touches of delicate
sentiment, combined with christian feeling and poetical imagery
which characterised his admirable address, to be duly appre-
ciated must have been heard. He commenced by expressing
his pleasure in being again permitted to meet his christian
friends on an occasion like the present. With much feeling he
adverted to the absence by death of several most valued friends
with whom he had formerly the gratification of associating on
missionary occasions, and alluded particularly to the late Rev.
Dr. Adam Clarke and the Rev. Richard Watson. Mr. Mont-
gomery alluded to the fact of he himself having descended from
missionary parents who had spent their lives in endeavouring to
benefit the poor negro, and concluded by an impressive and
affecting appeal to all present on the vast responsibility laid on
them to exert their utmost energies in promoting the spiritual
improvement of that vast portion of the human race still desti-
tute of the benefits of our common christianity.
The Rev. Dr. Stewart, M'Leau, from Sheffield, and Waugh,
from Dublin, also addressed the meeting; after which the com-
pany separated, much gratified with this interesting feast of
christianity feeling and sympathy.
The collection on this occasion amounted to £l3O 7s. 6d. ;
and the sum raised at the several services up to this time
amounts to upwards of £27 more than the corresponding one
last year.

PRIESTLY INFLUENCE AT ELECTIONS.

( From the Carlow Sentinel.)

One of the first petitions on the subject of the illegal and un-
constitutional interference of the priests at elections, will, in a
few days, be forwarded to our representatives for presentation
to parliament. Already the petition which contains many spe-
cific charges has had th; signatures of nearly two thousand pro_
testants and Roman Catholics affixed to it; and we trust simi-
lar petitions will be forwarded from every borough and county
in Ireland, praying that the legislature may speedily devise
such salutary enactments as will effectually check their tyranny,
and above all, prevent their interference at elections. To this
moment they are canvassing the county—employing every pos-.
sible means to intimidate the electors. In many instances they
have deprived the farmers of their leases, and such as manifest
an inclination to resist their demands, are threatened with ex-
termination from the altar—where scenes of blasphemy and
ruffianism have taken place, that would disgrace the French re-
publicanism, during the reign of terror. • 'I he adoption of such
measures as may tend to check. their arrogance and political
villainy in this county has had due effect on those ghostly gen-
try, and accordingly they arc getting up counter petitions in
justification of their conduct. But all their efforts are vain—
for we have reason to know, that they are likely to be cut short
• in their career, by the timely adoption of such remedies as will
effectually deprive the priest of his unhallowed influence over
a benighted laity, and send the agitating boors that have inter-
fered at elections, "back to their altars." We again assert
that every toten and county in Ireland should send forth its pe-
tion to the legislature on this subject.

SIR ROBERT PEEL.

(By the Author of The Flea are Awake.)
The rock of the ocean, when night-storms rage loudly,
Stands 6rm in its might, and repels the rude wave;
And the beacon above it shines calmly and proudly,

flow wildly soever waves roll or winds rave.
That rock still unmoved, and that light still appearing,
There is hope for the bark o'er the billows careering ;
For her mariners watch it, and, dauntlessly steering,
Hold on by the beacon that lightens to save !

And now, when the tempests of faction rage loudly,
0! is there no rock the rude surge to outbrave ?
0! shines there no beacon-light calmly and proudly,
To guide the State bark through the night of the wave ?
Yes, Peel! every bosom not dead to emotion,
Exulting confides in thy fearless devotion ;
Thy courage is England's firm rock of the ocean !
Thy wisdom her beacon that lightens to save !