The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-10-24 00:00:00

MEETING LAST NIGHT.

THE annual meeting of the Li:erpool Auxiliary of this
Society was held at the Collegiate Institution last evening,
the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Chester presiding. We
also observed on the platform the Rev. Dr. 31`1STeile, the
Rev. Messrs. M. Rawson, S. P. Boutflower, S. Crump, S.
Butler, S. Minton, J. Bardsley, W. F. Taylor, Herbert
Jones, W. Hamilton, J. M‘Naught, Wright, Barry, Read,
Ball, and J. B. Lowe ; W. Jones, Esq., E. Jones, Esq.,
H. J. Webster, Esq., E. P. Parry, Esq., E. Glazebrook,
Esq., and E. Batty, Esq. ; Revs. C. W. Lawrence, R.
Wolsley, A. Knox, S. D. Hirsch, S. S. Moss, E. Lawrence,
and R. Oates.

At the request of the Right Rev. Diocesan, the Rev.
J. 8.. Lowe opened the proceedings with prayer.
The Bishop of CIIESTEB then proceeded to address the
meeting. My friends, said he, before I call, upon the
secretary to read the report to you, I wish to express the
very great pleasure I feel in being present at this meeting,
and having once more the opportunity of showing my own
cordial sympathy in the great object of this society. As
we are this evening to have the privilege of hearing seve-
ral gentlemen to whom I am sure you will listen with
the deepest interest, I should not have troubled you with
a word more for myself, were it not that, under present
circumstances; I just wish to say a very few words as to
my own impression, and—if I may venture so to speak,
in the reliance of God's blessing—a very few words as to
the usefulness of this particular society. Almighty God.-
in His Holy,Word, has given us assurance that the gospel.
of His blessed Son shall ultimately triumph andprevail over
the whole extent of the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ him-
self gave to His Apostles the comprehensive commission
to preach the gospel to every creature, to make disciples
of all nations,. and, in the spirit of that large command,
the Apostles themselves preached the Gospel both- to the
Jews and to the Gentiles--" To the Jews first, and also
to the Gentiles." And in the same spirit, my friends,
the ministers and servants of Christ in every age must
still continue to act, so long as there remains a single
corner of the earth that is not visited by the light of the
Gospel, and so long as there remains a single tribe or
people who have not been won to obedience and faith, and
added to Messiah's universal kingdom. Now, in our
own country, there are several societies that have been
formed, with an earnest desire and humble hope of being
instrumental, through God's bleising, towards the accom-
plishment of this great work—to Christianise the world.
There are several Missionary Societies having for their
object the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in
the dark parts of the Heathen world. It is a vast and
noble undertaking; and may God bless it with success.
Our own society, acting in the same spirit, still marks for
itself a different field of operation. It addresses itself to
the JeWs, who stand iu a peculiar relation to us, as our
elder brethren in the covenants of God's dispensation to
mankind. On that account they require to be approached
in a peculiar manner, and by a peculiar line of argument.
In dealing with the heathen, what missionaries have, un-
der God's blessing, to do, is to reclaim them from the
debasement of idolatry, in worshipping false gods ; but in
the case of the Jew, the question we have to discuss with
him is of a very diferent kind, and is narrowed almost,
if not entirely, to one single point—whether Jesus of
Nazareth be indeed the Christ, as Moses and the prophets
foretold. And let me say that that is a point which, in
subtle controversy with the Jews, requires a very great
stock of accurate learning to discuss with the Jew with
proper force. It requires, in many instances, au accurate
knowledge of the ancient Hebrew tongue, to enable them
to discuss by reference to their own books. Now, without
entering into any deeper points of
,distinction that may
affect the cause of the Jew as compared with the heathen
world—points of distinction of which you have often heard
some of my friends near me expatiate with great elo-
quence and force—but merely looking at the question in
, a practical point of view, I think you will perceive that
the conversion of the Jews is manifestly a peculiar de-
partment—so far as we may venture humanly to speak—
that the conversion of the Jews is a peculiar depart-
ment in the great and vast work of Christianising the_
world. And froth its peculiarity it does require to be ap-
proached in a peculiar manner, and the use of peculiar
missionary apparatus of its own—a special machinery
of its owls. So that the society is distinct from the
General Missionary Society. (Hear, hear.) If a society
takes upon itself, as this society has done, a special
Work requiring special theans: and a special apparatus
of missionary labour, Should we not give it our earnest
, support ? ..1 know there are some nersoos who think—
and I speak of theca with the most sincere respect—that
something is gained in these matters by centralization of
funds. But let ins remind those who bear me, that in all
matters, -so far 'as Litman means are concerned; very
much is also gained by the judicious division of labour.
(Hear, hear.) After some further observations, the right
rev. chairman proceeded to state the names of the gentle-
en who would address the meeting, speaking in terms' of
eulogy of the Rev. Dr. M`Neile (whose name was the
signal for a round of applause), and the Rev. W. P. Taylor,
who had consented, since he came into the room, to second
a resolution which had been assigned to the Rev.' Mr.
Pollock, who, however, was-precluded from being present
by the pressure of his many duties.
The Rev. J. B. LOWE (the secretary) read the report of
the Auxiliary Society during the past year. It showed
that the Java receipts for tilt fLumoluljoar up to tbe-