Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1877-09-28 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—The annual public meeting of this society was held at Gloucester street chapel, on Wednesday evening. The Rev, W. Lewis presided, in the absence from home, of the Rev. E. Boltou, and epeeist' the meeting. Rev. T. Neave (Dorchester) sought, in his speech to excite the churches at home to more viguor and earnestness in behalf of missionary and all Christian work, Rev. Mr. CREAGH, missionary from the South Sea Islands, advised all who had not read John Williams's book on the south Sea Islands, to get it and read it through. But John Williams's labours were confined to Eastern Polynesia, while there are many interesting things in Western Polynesia, which of ceurse are not detailed in the book, among them he mentioned the enormously long puddings of the natives, which are baked. In sonic islands the savage natives wear about their neck a little bag, containing perhaps the big toenail of a dead man, the wearing of which is supposed to make thein invulnerable. But the hlols are altogether gone, so much so that the natives of some of the islands had to go to the missionary museum in London to see what sort of gods their fathers worshipped. To show how iguorant some of them used to he, he told how a ship was &Yen ashore, and the natives carried off all the articles they could including some gunpowder, and as they were playing with it, it exploded, end killed the chief, on which they, supposing that their chief was killed by the power of the white man's God, resolved to he revenged, and murdered the next crew of Europeans who came ashore. Among their cuatnis used to he that these brown islanders woald daub themselves from head to foot with white wash in order to prepare. themselves for the dance. But all these customs, including that of polygamy, are done away with, and now they have missionary meetings. The May meetings include three daj s—the first when the guests arrive, the day of the meeting, and the day of the dispersal. The preparations for the tiolet occupy a considerable time, for although the people are just as eager to appear welldressed as in England. the scarcity of some necessaries is great. A woman will send to another to borrow a looking glass, another a comb, while a man will perhaps send to borrow a shirt ; indeed he had known a dozen bonnets and shirts kept in store, to lend to the women and men who might come from a distance. At the meeting would he delivered about twenty speeches, all abouts minutes long, and none longer than RI minutes, and front such a people would be riven perhaps 20 pounds weight cif silver. Those who could not give money would volunteer to give their services, and they sent even men to Murray Island, where some a the teachers were murdered, and there were plenty (,f volunteers to fill up the ranks. The people gave 1:230 in one year to the Loudon Missionary Society, and another £230 to their own pastors. Last year they gave and expended on hooks COO, where six years before, they gave nothing at all. This was a little island, with only fi,ooo people. From these proofs of improvement he arglied that Christians at home should go on and increase their contributions and prayers for mission work. A eolleetiun was made from seat to seat. Rev. J. BAILEY (Baptist) proposed a vote of thanks to the deputation, expressing the admiration which the other denoniinatiens feel for the work of the London Missionary Society.— Seconded by Rev. S. BUTCHER, Upwey. The meeting closed by singing the hymn commenSng "From all that dwell below the skies."