most assuredly there was a large expenditure both of funds and labour for a long time directed to the more thinly-inhabited portions of the United Kingdom. I rejoice to hear it now stated that the object is to consider large and populous towns, as well as small villages, or the rural population. I rejoice to hear that the intention is to endeavour to establish stations which may themselves become the centres of effective operation, and auxiliaries to the parent Society. Much good has been done confessedly by this, and by kindred institutions, both in a direct and in an indirect manner; there have been many great and important results arising from the labours of this Society and other kindred institutions directly. Without any unkind or unchristian feeling, without anything like sectarianism, one may venture to ask, What would have been the condition of our native land had it not been for the voluntary efforts of those who receive no State-pay, and scarcely any protection whatever? At first these labours and labourers were treated with contempt, indignation, and scorn, but still they laboured on; and notwithstanding all the spleen of country squires(laughter and loud cheers)-and all the vexation of clerical magistrates, and regular and expected anathemas of visitation sermons, yet still the labourer went on and went on, till, altogether to the surprise of such men as those to whom I have referred, they saw chapels and schools and conventicles, or whatever they please to call them, covering the length and breadth of the land. (Loud cheers) And I may venture to say in sober truth that the whole nation is indebted to the voluntary efforts of the Nonconformist body, for a great portion of its piety, the extent of education, and for the improved tone of moral feeling. Not only, however, have there been effects of a direct kind, but indirectly much good has arisen, and, perhaps, in some respects, almost as much good from the labours of this Society and other kindred institutions as in a direct manner. There has been a reaction even on the Established Church itself. By means of the efforts of Dissenters they have been roused from their slumbers, and there has, in many instances, been put forth an energy and been manifested a zeal which appeared to be latent and altogether useless for a long period of time. How is it that churches begin to be built now by voluntary subscription altogether? How is it that so many schools in the Established Church have been erected? We all know something of the reason and nature of these movements. It is enough for a Methodist or Dissenter to go into a neglected place and build a school, and presently all is zeal and sympathy to have a fresh school. It is only necessary for Dissenters to look after the spiritual and temporal necessities of the poor, and immediately there comes forth a host of donations of bread, and soup, and coals, and blankets-(laughter and cheers) -to bind them fast to the Establishment, to keep them from the sectaries. Why, perhaps in all these cases, at least some of them, the motives may not have been altogether of the purest kind; but still, notwithstanding, though there may have been, through the infirmities of human nature, improper motives, there still remains a large residuum of good produced by this kind of reaction, for which I do really think the whole bench of bishops ought to thank the Nonconformists. (Cheers.) The Rev. D. KATTERNS, in seconding the resolution, said, How can we expect great success so long as our rural population are under the power of a system which has mapped out the country for its own occupation, and which denounces all the agents of this and kindred Societies, as unauthorized intruders into a private sphere, which will acknowledge no excellency that is not of its own growth and production, which requires to have placed under its own control, the entire instruction of all the people, which demands the training of all the young, the visitation of all the sick, the performing of all the offices from the first designation of infancy to the burial of all the dead-except that despised outcast from the covenanted mercies of God and the Church-the Dissenting minister? (Loud cheers.) Let the Dissenting minister be as mild and as tolerant as he may; let him never lift up his hand to touch the sacred ark of ecclesiastical monopoly; let him labour on for an entire generation, in patient endurance, without breathing a syllable of rebuke against that mighty mischief that has overshadowed his best labours: yet it will not do. The excellency that could neither be extinguished nor emulated when living, shall be insulted when dead. (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") Perhaps he may be permitted, as a special favour, to deposit the bodies of his little ones where they may moulder away unnoticed into consecrated dust; but his own cold ashes, in the sight of his bereaved widow and mourning family, shall ask for burial in vain, and cry out to humanity and religion in vain-"Give us a little earth for charity." (Loud cheers.) There is not the meanest of your agents who, amongst all his various discouragements, may not congratulate himself that he is not the tool of a system whose ministers need not indeed cease to be Christian,-but often do, nevertheless, cease to be men. (Cheers.) But let us consider for a moment to how small an extent these efforts have succeeded. Here and there, it is true, we are told, they have succeeded in sub. tracting a stray lamb from the sabbath-schools, or stealing a poor member from our congregations; but these are exceptions, and in neither case are the numbers considerable. The wonder is, when we consider that this system of coercion is going on more and more in every parish through the country, not that a few persons should be brought under it, but only a few. (Hear.) The wonder is, that with the overwhelming influence, some of our schools and stations have not before this time become utterly extinguished. But such is not the result, nor, in my opinion, need any such result be anticipated. I have a better opinion of the poorer classes of the community than certain politicians of this world, who for their own purposes delight in representing them as ignorant and debased as depraved and irreligious. They may want many things, it is true; they may want more polish, more cultivation; perhaps, in many cases, they may want the necessaries of lifethanks to the busy legislature, which for so long a period interposed between them and the arrangements of a beneficent Providence; but one thing is clear from the Report, they do not want for moral courage and independence of mind. (Cheers.) Why there are hundreds and thousands of men in this country who, from their wealth, their influence, and their standing, have no need to quail before the highest Church dig. nitary in the land, who would, nevertheless, be ready to shrink into their shoes for very shame if they were found defiling those shoes with the dust of a conventicle. (Hear, hear.) But this spirit does not prevail to any extent among the poor; and this proves to me that there is a vast body of the poorer classes of the country who will not barter away their dearest religious interests for money, who will not go to church for a mess of pottage, however arbitrarily they may have waved over them the sceptre of ecclesiastical despotism by the hands of men who, with all their refinement and respectability, are not ashamed to go crouching to the civil power and say: "Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priest's offices, that I may eat a piece of bread." (Cheers.) Now as long as we see this spirit of independence among the poor, we may well be encouraged to hope for better days. This shows that, in the foundations of the body politic, there is the root which, however mean and rugged and unsightly and contemptible it may appear to ordinary and vulgar eyes, is nevertheless the medium through which the sap and vigour of all our political, moral, and religious glory as a nation must ascend till it reaches at last the uppermost boughs of the aristocracy. Principles work upwards. In the days of our great Master, when no one understood it but himself, his own far-seeing wisdom laid hold of this principle, and not only made it the basis of his proceedings, but the rule of proceeding to his followers, "Go ye into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." All the verdure and fruitfulness of the branch come to it from the root; therefore, if we neglect and despise the poorer classes of the community, we are trampling upon the resources of our own strength. Let us instruct them, elevate them, imbue them with the spirit of charity, and then we shall accomplish a great work, a work that will extend itself and reach all other classes through them. Let us go to work here, and the influence will rise and rise through all the lower and intermediate stages, till on the highest pinnacle of the social fabric there shall be planted the sacred banners of triumph, on which the finger of God's own Spirit has inscribed, as in characters of light, "Holiness to the Lord." But there is one more point on which I will touch. Every one now speaks of the mighty efforts being put forth for the revival of antiquated heresy and exploded superstitions. It would be folly to deny, that these efforts have to a very great extent succeeded; but I would ask in what quarter? They have succeeded among the rising clergy, who cannot be supposed to be fortified against principles that go to advance and strengthen their own secular interests. They have succeeded among a class of politicians who view a system of religion just as it can subserve their aims at power. Perhaps they may have succeeded among the higher classes of the community with which the clergy are linked in a thousand diversified ways. But, have they spread among the poor? I ask the question with emphasis. Have they succeeded among the poor? I trow not. (Loud cheers.) So notoriously have they failed here, that it has become a principle with them, "Leave the adult population alone, and give us the children." (Ilear, hear.) I learn a lesson, also, from this, and I take this to be among the most cheering and encouraging signs of the times. Let them VOL. III. go on to labour with increasing zeal and activity; let them earn new praises or new expostulations, I care not which, from the Vatican-(hear, hear)-let them go on, like the scribes and Pharisees, to compass the land that they may make one proselyte; let them be as constant and vigilant as they will in their visitations of the poor; let them go parading through the streets and lanes as I have seen them, with their humble Levite behind them, bearing the sacred vestments, without which it is impossible to admonish men as to the disposal of their worldly affairs, or to sooth the sick man to his tomb; but let this and kindred societies discharge their duty faithfully, paying a due regard to the religious training of the young; and I suspect that many a long year will elapse before they will persuade the millions of Britain, that true religion consists in a pompous ritual, in apostolic succession, in lighted tapers, in endless genuflexions, or even in the perennial flowing of a weekly offertory. (Loud cheers.) But there is one simple view of our work in which we must be all fully agreed, that is, that whatever may be the results, results are not in our hands; we are responsible for one thing, that is, the bringing of truth and error into collision and conflict. We are responsible for the dissemination of the truth, and if we fulfil this work conscientiously and faithfully, I believe we shall be approved unto God and successful amongst men. I only wish truth and error to be brought into free conflict; I ask no vantage for the one or the other, and I have no fear for the results. Give me God's truth, and I do not believe that any of the falsehoods of the world can stand up before its light and majesty. (Hear, hear.) I should as soon believe that a demon could stand up before the purity of an archangel. (Cheers.) Give me the truth of the Spirit, I do not ask for the mysterious sanction of apostolic succession, if such there could be; I do not ask for the dispensation of sacramental grace through the tips of my fingers; I do not ask to have fetters put on the human mind to favour my progress. should immediately suspect a religion that attempted to restrain the free exercise of thought. Christianity has no secret doctrines; no doctrines that require to be covered with a shrine into which consecrated feet alone may enter. Let the superstitions of mankind skulk into their hiding-places; let credulity seek an asylum from the light of truth; Christianity bears written on the portals of the temple, "He that doeth truth cometh to the light." (Cheers.) I do not ask for the support of human authority, nor the intervention of human power. Perish the carnal weapons-(loud cheers)—that would even overthrow the power of antichrist himself, by the very means which exalted him to sovereign authority, and brought the nations of Europe in subjection to his feet. Give me truth. Let truth alone confront her proper antagonist. I look therefore upon the man who brings truth and error into conflict as a benefactor to the church and the world; and however unpretending may be his labours in the estimation of the world, I rejoice in them because I believe they will bring about that contest of truth and error which must take place, and will certainly end in the triumph of the former. I look upon such a man as only the second cause to bring about those victories which shall be celebrated alike in heaven and earth, in one general triumphant song, when S I "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ." (Loud cheers.) Messrs. MIALL, NICHOLSON, and others, followed with excellent effect. BIBLE TRANSLATION SOCIETY. THE Sixth Annual Meeting of this Institution was held at New Park-street Chapel, on Wednesday evening, the 29th of April, and was very numerously attended. The Rev. J. H, Hinton, A.M., occupied the chair. The CHAIRMAN rose and said:-This is a Society for diffusing the Holy Scriptures, and diffusing them throughout the nations in a manner auxiliary to those employed in the same object-that of making known the tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is this which binds us together, binds us to Christ, binds us to all who love him and love the world, binds us to the world, that we cannot desert or abandon, till, so far as in us lies, every part shall be irradiated and cheered by the warmth of the Sun of Righteousness. It is not for me to anticipate the contents of the Report that will now be presented, but I will call upon my esteemed friend the Secretary to read it. (Cheers.) It It Dr. STEANE then read that document. commenced by stating, that the churches in India had received a larger number of converts during the past than in any preceding year. was impossible, however, to say how many had received the light of truth by the Scriptures, and how many by the preaching of the gospel. Reference was then made to the lamented death of Dr. Yates, who, it was stated, had been succeeded by Mr. Wenger, the former coadjutor of the deceased, and who would continue to avail himself of the services of the same pundit. The Bengali Bible had now issued from the press. There had been printed in quarto 500 copies; in octavo, 2,500; and the New Testament, uniform with it, 1,500. In all, there had been issued from the press, during the year, Sanscrit, 2,500; Bengali, 12,500; Hindustani, 15,000; making a total of 30,000 copies. The distribution had greatly outstripped the printing. About 54,000 copies had been distributed, containing smaller or larger portions of the word of God. The total number printed since the year 1838 was 419,205. Three years ago, a hope was expressed that the Society might be called upon to translate some part of the Scripture into the dialect of Western Africa, and Mr. Clark had now sent home the first part of the Gospel of Matthew in the Fernandian language. With the American Bible Societies the Committee continue to hold correspondence, and to repeat their acknowledgments for a grant of 2,500 dollars in aid of the Calcutta translations. The subscriptions, donations, and collections, received during the year, amounted to £1,894 98. 1d. That sum, as compared with the last year, showed a deficiency of about £30, but, in reality, more had been collected by the travelling agents, the difference being occasioned by two large donations given last year, and to which no corresponding sums had been received during that which had just closed. Two grants of £500 each had been made in aid of the Calcutta translations, and a further grant of £500 had been voted, but not paid. That sum, and £50 voted for the Fernandian translation, would appear in the cash account of next year; so that, though the balance-sheet would show a considerable amount in hand, it must be recollected it was more than appropriated. The TREASURER then presented his accounts, from which it appeared that the total receipts, including a balance in hand last year, amounted to £2,437 78. 5d.; the expenditure to £1,957 88. 11d.; leaving a balance in hand of £479 188. 6d. towards the £550 which the Report stated had been voted. The Rev. T. SWAN, O. WINSLOW, R. W. OVERBURY, and others, addressed the meeting, in speeches distinguished by good sense and excellent feeling. BAPTIST MISSIONARY MEETING. THE fifty-fourth Anniversary Meeting of the Baptist Missionary Society took place at Exeterhall, on Thursday, April 30. The chair was taken at ten o'clock, by S. M. Peto, Esq. as 66 The CHAIRMAN said:-It is interesting to reflect that ours is the first of a series of meetings of a missionary character; and oh! let me entreat you to pray from the heart that a devotional feeling may pervade this meeting and kindred assemblies, that our brethren who have to address you on this occasion may be blessed from on high, and that what we entreat for ourselves may descend in rich abundance on our brethren who are to follow us. The world may sneer at meetings like the present; it may speak of our efforts as "the braying of Exeterhall" (hear, hear, and laughter)-it may call our proceedings speech-making philanthropy" -it may speak of our anxiety for the heathen "transcendental morality;" but this we know, that when the kingdoms of this world shall have passed away, it shall be seen that efforts like ours were not those of mere mortal men endeavouring to gain applause for themselves, but were based on scriptural command, were prompted by the Spirit from on high, and succeeded because God himself had directed that they should be made. (Cheers.) A few days since I was favoured with a conversation with that esteemed servant of our Lord, Thomas Burchell. When I questioned him about what took place after Mr. Knibb's return to Jamaica, he said, "We always found William Knibb, after his return from England, William Knibb still; he was the same humble and devoted servant of his God; we found a compassionate heart, into which we could pour all our sorrows; he was indeed, in all things, our brother. But," he added, "I was much struck on his last return with his heavenly-mindedness, and with his evident meetness for the eternal world; and, on leaving him, after my first interview with him, subsequent to his return from England, I said to a dear friend, 'The conviction on my mind is, that brother Knibb will soon be removed.' friend said, Why do you think so? he seems in perfect health.' I said, 'There is a meekness about him which conveys to my mind that impression-I think his work is done, and that it will soon be said to him, Come up hither."" (Cheers.) Oh! my friends, what a system is that which warms a man's heart as William Knibb's was warmed, and makes him desire to live-not in cold and ice-bound isolation, but for the My benefit of his race! (Hear, hear.) As a member of your Committee, during the last year, I could not help being aware of our painful financial position. (Hear, hear.) While I acknowledge the very liberal support that we have received during that period, from all quarters, I yet feel it my duty to call your attention to the fact, that our income, during the present year, has not met the expenditure. This we feel to be the more lamentable, from the fact of so many calls being made to us from various places for help; I will refer only to one. The position of our country, at the present moment, in relation to China, makes us feel that something ought to be done by us in that part of the world. (Hear, hear.) The edict published by the emperor of China, in which he not only grants religious toleration but religious equality-(cheers)-is one of the most striking features in the recent history of missions, and constitutes a call to exertion, to which as Christians we cannot but respond. I do hope that as soon as our brother, Dr. Cox, has succeeded in the mission which he has undertaken for the purpose of clearing us from our debt, the first effort which we shall make will be to send the gospel to China. (Cheers.) Oh! can it be that our ships fill her ports, that our merchandise loads her quays, and that our commercial men are, day by day, making fresh inroads in her territory, and obtaining a footing in her dominions, and shall not Christianity plume her wings for a nobler flight, and proclaim to the millions of China the word of life? I cannot believe that the missionary spirit which prompted the formation, and has marked the labours of this Society, has left the churches by whom it has been supported. (Loud applause) The Rev. JOSEPH ANGUS, the Secretary of the Society, then read the following abstract of the Report. "The Society employs agents in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. "Much has been done; but more yet remains to be done. "In India, it supports thirty-nine missionaries, and 137 native preachers and teachers. In connexion with the Indian churches are 1,678 members, of whom 251 have been added during the last year. There are also 101 schools, with 3979 children. "The members of these churches are nearly all very poor, and yet they have contributed more than £1,200 last year for the support of their pastors. Friends at the different stations have also contributed at least an equal amount towards the support of schools and translations. “Fifty thousand volumes of Scriptures in the Hindustani, Sanscrit, Bengali, Hindui, Persian, and Armenian languages, and one hundred and fifty thousand tracts have been distributed during the year. "In Africa, the Society has stations at Fernando Po, Bimbia, Cameroons, and Calabar, and thirty-three missionaries and teachers. There are 250 children in the day-schools, and 500 in the Sunday-schools. Parts of the Scriptures have been printed in the Fernandian, Isuba, and Dewalla tongues. The Dove missionary ship visits the stations, carrying teachers and supplies. "In America and the West India islands, here are the following fields of labour : "To these may be added the churches in Jamaica, containing 34,000 members, formed under the care of agents sent out by the Society. "In France, there are three stations and two ministers, one of whom is occupied in completing the New Testament in Breton. "God has greatly blessed the Society in these fields, but more, much more is required. "In India, the city of Delhi, with a population of 180,000 has only one missionary ; Patna, with 300,000, only one missionary; Ceylon, two-thirds as large as Ireland, has long had but two missionaries; while India, containing 150,000,000 inhabitants, has fewer religious teachers than the county of Lancashire. "The total number of our missionaries all over the world is not so large as the number of agents of the London City Mission. "Hayti has but one missionary connected with us; Trinidad has but two; France, with many millions who hear not the gospel, has but two; South America and China have none. "More is required. Our total income is not more than one-tenth of the annual offerings to Kalee, the Indian goddess of murder; not more than one-thirtieth of what the Baptist denomination pay in taxes. It does not amount to one penny a-week from each of the members of our churches; nor is it more than one-tenth of the amount spent in sustaining the gospel at home. By systematic efforts, several churches have each raised more than large counties where such efforts are wanting. "Will the friends of Christian missions remember that their gifts are to be divided among upwards of 200 stations, that they are spent in four continents, and that they support upwards of 150 ministers and teachers? Each of these is deserving of and requires liberal contributions, and yet but a small sum is divided among them all." The CHAIRMAN read the cash account, of which the following is the substance : "The receipts of the Society for missionary purposes have amounted to £26,398 18s. 9d., of which £4002 16s. 3d. is for special objects, and £18,583 8s. 7d. for the general fund; being an increase in the total of £2,593 13s. 5d. above the receipts of the last year, and in the general fund of £2,242 18s. 5d. It is but just to add that the receipts from auxiliaries connected with foreign stations are larger than usual, and that the grants from the Bible Translation Society have amounted to £2,117 58. 3d., including £511 7s. 3d. from the American and Foreign Bible Society. On the other hand the expenditure has amounted to £25,191 2s. 8d., being an excess above the receipts of £2604 17s. 10d. This sum, added to the amount due by the Society on the 1st of April, 1845, £2,398 98. 8d., makes a total of £5,003 7s. 6d. now due. "In addition to the amounts acknowledged above, there has been received towards the grant of £6,000 to Jamaica, the sum of £3,712 13s. 11d. To meet the whole amount the sum of £2,587 68. 1d. is still required. To obtain this grant was the object of the last visit to this country of our friend and fellow-labourer William Knibb. "The total number of members added to the churches during the past year is 1,866, the total number of members in all the churches being 39,202. There are also 232 stations and substations, 234 agents, not including Jamaica. The number of day-schools is 152; of children taught in day-schools, 9,306; and of children taught in the sabbath-schools, 11,155. The total receipts for all purposes are £26,298 18s. 9d." The Rev. OCTAVIUS WINSLOW, of Leamington, on rising to move the first resolution, spoke as follows:-The elevated sentiments and spirit, Sir, which pervaded your opening address, happily relieved me, as the first speaker on this hallowed occasion, of an overwhelming responsibility. You gave the key-note to the feeling which will, I trust, pervade every person present; and what I require, as one of the weakest vessels on this platform, is grace to continue that key-note; and what we all require is, that it may swell higher and higher with every succeeding speaker, until we close with a shout of thanksgiving to the God of all grace, and gird ourselves resolutely and unreservedly to the high enterprise which has convened us on this occasion. (Cheers.) It is, I believe, a growing sentiment, that the missionary enterprise is especially the enterprise of the Christian church; that, however important are distinct organizations for conducting it, and however deeply indebted we are to committees and other agents in carrying out different plans, the life of the missionary enterprise is embodied in the life of God in the soul of every regenerated man. Such an one bears about, in his renewed breast, the very germ of this life-like cause; and in proportion as he grows in grace, in proportion as his heart becomes expanded with the love of Christ, in proportion as he is convinced of the overwhelming debt which he owes to the Saviour who died for him on Calvary, will he be found consecrating his person, his services, his time, and his substance upon the altar of one of the holiest enterprises that ever awoke the sympathy, or called into exercise the energies of man. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) In acting thus, Sir, the church will be placing herself in a position the most favourable for cultivating her own believers. There is a reflex action arising from Christian missions which must tell most powerfully on the piety and spirituality of the churches at home. How advantageously may our denomination be compared with what it was previous to the embarkation of the holy Carey! How has it increased in numbers, how has it increased in power, and how signally has God blessed us at home, in the originating of other important institutions, all growing out of our outwardbound charity, and all resulting from our consecration to this high and noble work! There is one part of the Report read this morning, which deeply affected my heart. It was the demand made for more men. (Hear, hear.) We want more men for the missionary work. We want men of deep piety, of unreserved consecration, of ardent love to Christ-men who will be willing to abandon all the ties and endearments of life at home to embark in this great and noble enterprise. (Cheers.) I am told that we are already in debt, and are not prepared to send out more labourers. To this I answer-let six men for China present them selves some day in Moorgate-street, before our The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks (Loud applause.) The Rev. J. J. FREEMAN, one of the Secretaries of the London Missionary Society, in seconding the resolution, said:-I rejoice with you in all the sources of rejoicing and encou ragement which that Report presented; and as sincerely do I weep and sorrow with you over all that its pages record of trial, of bereavement, and of gloom; and I the more gratefully embrace this opportunity of expressing my sincere sympathy with you, because I am, myself, however unworthy of that honour, officially connected with another institution, which you have designated kindred-an institution which is kindred in object and in character, and I trust not rival in spirit. I rejoice in the opportunity of adding one small link to that golden chain of Christian love and affection which is binding the whole body of believers in our day into one great fellowship-a fellowship in which I trust we feel, and by which we shall make the world feel that we are substantially one. The success of one such Society as this is that of all kindred institutions. (Hear, hear.) If in any part of the world the trophies of grace have been especially conspicuous, it is certainly the western part. (Hear, hear.) Oh! it was a privilege to myself to mingle with the vast throng of congregations in Jamaica, and to see men who, a little before, were denied the freedom of action, and almost of thought, performing all their duties as men and as Christians, living in the fear of God, and being made meet to be par takers of the inheritance of the saints in light. (Cheers.) And, Sir, allow me to relieve my heart by bearing my humble tribute to the memory of that great and excellent man who is now gone to his rest; one of the most faithful, indefatigable, and successful labourers ever engaged in the missionary work. William |