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CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

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'millions of miserable beings, whose immortal souls are perishing." After drawing a very feeling contrast between our privileges, and the ignorance of the heathen, Mr. James asked, What is likely to become of the heathen, the great- est numbei- inhabiting the known world ? Is it our duty to assist them? Are they saved or are they not saved? Are they saved by the law of nature? Is there another "salvation?" And then shewed that there was no other sslvation than through the redemption of Christ, no holiness in the children of nature, that no unclean thing could appear in the presence of God, and that although the Atonement was sufficient for all the world, it was only effectual to those who believe. 11 How can they believe on whom they have not heard?" Mr. James then forcibly observed, If you believe Christ was a Vlissionar-y-if you believe the Gos. pel-if you believe these things, act in conformity thereto. Let us unite to spread the knowledge of Christ to poor dinners." He concluded a most affectionate appeal by adding that He who is holy asks for our co-operation towards evangelising the world-, the work will prosper, for the hand and heart of God are in it, and the travail of Christ's soul is connected with it". He then seconded the first resolution. The Rev. John Latham, lately a Missionary in India, moved the second resolution, viz:—That the moral state of the heathen world is such as still to demand the best exertions of the christian world in its behalf. Mr. Latham observed that it would have been more con- genial to his taste and feelings to have remained quiet on the present occasion, but being acquainted with a large por- tion of the Missionary field, he felt it difficult to refuse his aid. After observing that the general objects of the Society were not necessary to be commented on, being well known to all whom he was addressing, he proceeded at once to make some observations on the subject of his proceedings connected with the Mission in Calcutta. He spOoke of the numerous idolatrous festivals at Calcutta, which he found to be wholly given to idolatry instanced the varieties of idols and atrocities of a peculiar kind, and gave a very interesting account of an idolatrous festival which takes place annually in the spring of the year, and lasts three days-when the "Black Goddess is to be propitiated by acts of cruelty." On the first day, platforms are erected; the Indians climb these platforms, and then throw themselves down on knives laid to receive them. On the second or grand day, a large assem- bly, consisting of millions, perpetrate a vast variety of ei-uelties-oiie group running rods in their arms-another stabbing themselves with knives, while others have their tongues pierced and whilst all these cruelties are practising, the poor victims arc made to dance, in order to appear as if they were not in torture. Human life, indeed, appears not to be valued by them. On the third day, the victims are led to the foot of a gibbet-a rope is let down to the fleshy part of the victim, who is hoisted up, and swung about round the gibbet, until death terminates his sufferings. Mr. Latham stated it was very common in the neighbour- bood of Calcutta, to see four porters carrying a bier, not with a corpse, but a dying man, whom they are carrying down to the river, where they fill the eyes and ears with mud, to ensure him a happier state that these instances are very frequent, and when any one gets a little wealth, his relations seize him on the first appearance of sickness, and take him to the river, that they may possess themselves of his pro. perty. The European Physicians are often employed by the sick to attend them and prevent their being disposed of. Mr. Latham mentioned an instance of his being walking one day in Calcutta, with his friend the Archdeacon, when a bier was carried past them; the Archdeacon thought he recog- nised one of the men carrying the bier, he stopped them, and on lifting up the covering, discovered his own old Coachman, whom they were taking down to the river. The old man im. implored the Archdeacon to interfere and save him; the bier was ordered back, and the old man was taken into the Arch. deacon's house, where he recovered, and was living when Mr. Latham left the Country. He next remarked that it was very common for the Hindoos out of 12s. per month, by their economical mode of living, to save enough to keep them in their old age-that then they begin to i-efiect-they elHluire what they must do to arrive at a better state, There is no Missionary, hut they go to the Priest, who perhaps tells them to make a pilgrimage or take a journey with their property to Juggernaut they have a Desert of 1000 miles to cross, they reach Juggernaut where they i-e- ceive a little consecrated rice in return for their property ,hey depart for home, and in many instances die on their way. The Reverend Gentleman then urged strongly the claims of the Hindoos on this Country, and stated that if 50 or 100 Cha- pels were now erected in Calcutta, and 50 or 100 Missionaries were sent there, every one, every night, would have a good congregation. He stated that the people were dissatisfied wiili their own course, and would adopt ours if offered to them, if not, perhaps one little better than their own would be offered to them: and that although this Country was more alive than it used to be, yet we had great amends to make for past neglect, and that we must awake and bestir ourselves in this good work, Gotlrequiring that as freely we have received, we should freely give: since we have the Gospel, we ought to extend it to others. He then adverted to the fact that although the Society proceeds gradually, there is still a great deficiency, a great lack of Missionaries, that indeed, there was not one Missionary to one million of heathen adding, that if our Country were invaded, or our Sovereign insulted, we should all be up to avenge them, but that when Jehovah is insulted, and Satan invades and lays waste, and holds captive three-fourths of the human race, we send 100 Missionaries, and spend perhaps XIOO,Ouo, and then boast ot wtiat we are doing. Mr. Latham finished a most impassioned appeal in these words, "If you have received the word of grace, listen to our appeal and answer to our appeitl-but above all, "pray to lJod, pray constantly, for an increase of self- denying devoted men. J'ray to God to increase the Labourers-collect, pray, and do all in your power, and remember that while you are interested lor the "heathen, you will be interested for your neighbours, and your own hearts." The Rev. Mr. Gwythers, before seconding the resolution which Mr. Latham had proposed, lamented the absence of the Vicar, Mr. Hughes, and begged earnestly to congratu- late his congregation, on tlie faithfulness of their Minister, adding that after twenty years acquaintance with him, he could not refrain from so doing. He then observed that" we were, that night, called upon to look at the Ileatiicii-ttiey want scrivtures-sahbaths-ilOiiuess- all of which we have to send them. We want Ministers "and means—but the spirit lielpeth our infirmities; how are we to obtain it ? by asking. Bickersteth attributed the success of this Society to prayers, in the Church Mis- •' sion House, on Saturday livenings. Prosperity is sus- pended on faithful prayer, where faithful prayer is made a blessing will come down." He then most eloquentiy. alluded to the success of the Rev. Chairman's Mission, as also to that of a friend of his, a Mr. Yate, who went to New Zealand a few years ago, and whose endeavours to promote the well-being of the New Zealanders, had been eminently successful. He also instanced Greenland and the West India Islands. Some hundred years ago, two or three Moravians offered to go out to Greenland and Labrador they went and begged their way, the result being that Greenland is now professedly Christian, and 4000 of the Indians are converts. In Antigua too the Church of Eng- land and the Moravians were doing wonderful things for the great God. Mr. Gwythers concluded by seconding the second resolution. The Rev. Mr. Parry, (the Deputation from the Parent Society,) moved the third resolution,—That the fields of operation which Providence opens for Missionary labour afford every encouragement to persevere in Missionary toils,—while the success which attends the Missions which are established in various parts of the earth is another encouragement to persevere in this holy cause. The Rev. Gentleman commenced his observations by stating that he labored under two disadvantages, one of these was his having just got off the Coach from Shrews- bury, which be had left that morning, and the other arose from his not being able to be present at the commencement of the meeting. He wished to avoid repetition, and in mak- ing a selection from the mass of numerous facts of which he was in possession, he proposed to go at once into those facts which contained evidence of the assertion embraced in the resolution and while arguments and principles were the foundation, and facts the evidence, to God alone be the thanks. He then proceeded as follows, Ist. coiypai-c file progress of the past and present state of the Society as to funds. £ In 1S37 its revenue was 71000 183 8 83000 183 9 71000 184 0 84000 and upwards Last year the Society had 670 I Tuis 820J leacliers Last year 468 „ This 548/ 0 Last year 260u01 This 28849/Scll0lavs Last year 28000 Attendants on Divine vVorship This 43586 This 43586 Last year 7721 I „ This 3050/ Communicants That in 1813 there was no ordained Clergyman of the Church of England employed by the Society, and that now there were 83 ordained Clergymen actively engaged in Mission- ary labours-68 new Associations had been formed during the last year, and Mr. Parry very beautifully and poetically compared the magnificent ocean, within his sight, formed of drops, to the small associations of this So- ciety formed in villages and families. He then observed that although £100,000 might appear a large sum, yet it was small in comparison with the wants of the Society and that while £100,000 were spent annually by this Society, in their endeavour to convert the Heathen, three millions were an- nually spent in the tax on Tobacco alone. He then drew an appalling contrast between the spiritual destitution of India, and the provision for Scotland, alledging that in Scotland with a population of two millions and a half, there were two thousand stated Ministei-s-wliilst in India, with a population of one hundred and thirty millions, there were one hundred effective teachers only. Mr. Parry next al- luded to an observation which had been once made as to this Society's clashing with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and after observing that its object was primarily different, he said "Interference! suppose a vessel in danger, would it be called interference, if more "than one life boat were sent out." He argued that the Church Missionary Society had never inflicted any injury on the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts but that on the contrary it had caused the latter So- ciety to be on the alert, and they had obtained X40000 by King's letters, While, therefore, a celebrated General exclaimed, "Another such a victory, and I am ruined for ever." The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel might exclaim Another such an injury, and we are raised for ever." One Mission he would not touch upon, because it had been done already, he would therefore say nothing of the Mission in North West America. The West African Mission was the first object of this Society. Africa had a peculiar claim on our sympathy, on account of the Slave Trade. Fifteen thousand Negroes were annually exported from the Western Coast; six thousand had been emancipated and settled at Sierra Leone, when this Society had established a Mission which had enjoyed the Divine blessing in an eminent degere, and the African Schools and Churches were never more prosperous. The zeal of the Negroes, for the conversion of their fellow men, was intense, though steady they met regularly for discussing Missionary matters, and they had actually remitted to the Parent Society £ 73 and upwards, a fact which he hailed as one of the most important cir- cumstances connected with the establishment of this Mission. He next spoke of the Australasian Mission, eight thousand of the natives having embraced Christianity. He observed that wherever Missionary Societies are established, there they are tried. This Mission was tried bytbePapists, and during the last year, one Popish Bishop, eight Priests, and Cate- chists had landed. New Zealand too, was instanced by Mr. Parry, as a peculiarly favored Mission, and he stated that the demand for the New Testament and the Book of Common Prayer was extremely great, 10,000 of the former, and 33,000 of the latter had been sent to them. They bring," said be, Potatoes in exchange for them," and one of the Natives applying for a Testament called it a Telescope to save his ship from destruction amongst the rocks." The New Zealanders, be said, were also themselves becoming Mis- sionaries, and twenty native Teachers were then going out. The Rev. Gentleman alluded to Hindostan and the East, and refuted the doctrine at one time held, that any attempt to introduce our Religion into the East, would tend to sub- vert our political power. As an instance of the fallacy of this argument, he mentioned the fact of Mrs. Wilson, the relict of the late lamented Bishop of Calcutta, having estab- lished Schools in Calcutta, which were in a very flourishing state and he added on the authority of a civil functionary, that oaths were almost universally administered on the New Testament, at the request of the Natives. Mr. Parry ad- verted to the spread of infidelity in the Indies, and stated that persons were actually employed in this Country for the purpose of disseminating infidel publications. He also al- luded to the endeavour made by the Government to establish a mutual School in Calcutta, where no religious instruction should be imparted, but this endeavour had proved futile. He then concluded his most interesting speech by appealing to all present to exert themselves in behalf of the Missionary cause by prayer and self denial; that while they were endea- vouring to provide happiness for others, they might enjoy a greater share of it themselves. The Rev. Mr. James rose to second the resolution, he said, at that late hour he should merely detain the meeting while he congratulated them on the very interesting details they had heard, and sat down seconding the resolution. The Chairman concluded a brief address by requesting the Rev. Mr. Gwythers to conclude the business, as he had commenced it, with prayer. The professor then pronounced the blessing, and the Meeting separated. The whole of the Collections amounted to J-26 15s. llfd.