WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 371, 3 November 1849, Page 3

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

The Annual Meeting of the New Zealand District Auxiliary to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, was held in the Auckland Wesleyan Chapel on Monday evening last, the 29th inst. The assembly was very numerous and respectable. At half past six o'clock, the proceedings were commenced with singing and prayer by the Rev. G. Hutti.r, after which, on the proposition of the liev. Walter. Lawry, Dr. Fmlson, of the 58th Regiment, was called to the Chair. The Chairman opened the business of the Meeting in a few appropriate remarks, expressive of his willingness to promote by any means in his power, the great missionary undertaking. As however, he was accustomed " rather to practise than to speak," he would not occupy the time of the meeting, but would call on the Secietary to read the icpoit. The Rev. Thomas Buddli: then read the fallowing General Summary of all the Wesley/m Mission-. 41 Central or Principal Stations, called Circuit*, occupied hy tlie Socie'y in vaiious paits of tlie world, 278 {—Chapels and other Preaching places ut the flbove mentioned cential or principal Stations as fur as ascertained, 2,472 ; — Missionaries, and Assistant MUsionaries, including eight Supernumeries, 41 1 ;— other Paid Agents, »» Cutechisis, Interpreters, Day School Teadieis, &c, 800 ; — Unpaid Agents, as Sabbath school Teachers, &c,7 051 ; — Full and acciedited Church Members, 09,021 ;- On trial for Cliuich Membership, ai far as ascertained, 4,1112 ;— Scholars, deducting for those who attend both the Day and Sabbath Schools, 74,580 ;— Piloting Establishments, 8." He then rt?icl a detailed list of local contiibuiione,'aud the following account of " Contriiiutjons for the Year in the New Zealand District. — Auckland Circuit, £i)d 4i. 3d.; — Manogua>gu, £6 ss.; — Wsima and Newark, including Native Collection, i. J 5 2s.;— Wairoa, including do.,£^ 19s. 9£d. WaingaroH, ditto, £10 o's.; — Waipa, £7 14a ;— Aotea, including native collection, £7 2«.;— Kuwlua and Mokau, ditto, £0 Us. 4d.;— Waimatr, ditto, £13 7s. 6d.;— Wanganui, £2 2*.\— Wellington. JCIO Us. Oil.;— Nelson, £S 3s.;— Missionary box of the John H csley, £& 9* ; — A Thaukoffering fiom one who owes Ins all to God,^fls 15s ": — Abo the Numerical Statistics for ihu District, consisting of "Number of Hearers, European, 2,224; Native, 9,353} total, 11,577. — Ditto, of Scholars, Furopeati, 651 ; Native, 6,570; total, 7,221.— Ditt0, of Members, European!, 557 ; Native, 3,8'J 3 ; total, 4,422. Ditto, of Members on trial, European, 45 ; Muttve, SjJ.7 ; total, 392." The Fey. J. Wmtely moved the first res >lution:— " That the Report now read be adopted ; and that this Meeting acknowledges, with lively gratitude to the Giver of all good, the prosperity which has been vouchsafed to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and kindred Institutions ; and desires to record its unwavering assurance, that, by the Divine blessing on the ncripturally appointed means, the faithful pi onuses of God shall receive sure and full accomplishment in the evangelization of a world for which Chmt has died and lives to intercede. At the name time it mourns over the condition of tiic viist multitudes who have never heaid the glad tidings of Gospel salvation, and over those who— like the people of deeply degraded but deeply interesting Feejte— although they lmve in tome measure seen and rejoiced in the saving light, aie still to a lamentable extent, dwellers in dark places of the earth, which arc ' full of the habitations ol cruelty.' " The ipeaker said, that he felt that to stand on a Mio»ionary platform foi the cause of advocating the cause of Christian missions was a rery sol ran, a t< ry holy, and a very glorious position ; and his prayer was tb.it they might have a very solemn, a very holy, and « very glorious meeting. The cause of Missions was the cause of God. And does God indeed need oar services? He condescends, as we heard last evening, to employ human instrumentality and if the inhabitants of Meroz were cursed because they came not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty then might we expect to come under the condemnation of neglect ot this duty if we refused to help his cause lie (the speaker) said perhaps he felt as the Apoitle

felt when be said " unto me who am lesi than the least of all saints it thii grace giren, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Or if he might put in language another sentiment expressed by the same Apostle, he might say " unto me who am greater than the greatest of all tinners is this faithful saying sent, that Christ Jems came into the world to «nve iinners." And who is iuffieii'nt for these things ? After some yeari of exprionce in thii bhssedwoik, he ought, on appearing before thii annual meeting, to declare his determination to perseveie in it, and he was ready to nay— My life* my blood, I here present, If for thy truth they may be spent ; Fulfil thy sovereign council, Lord ! Thy will be done, thy name adored I And if God permitted him to bo employed in his lolemn and holy and glorious seivicc he would say from hit heart — Take my soul and body's poweri, Tnke my memory, mind, and will ; All my goods aiid all my hours, AH I know, and all I feel ; All I think, or speak or do ; Take my heart but make it new I He rejoiced that this blessed work wen prospering, as shown by the Report ; and the manner in which the congregation had come forward on the previous Sat>b th and were now coming forward again to the li Ip of the Lord, was most gratifying,— they 1 ad done moie for the Colony of Now Zealand than if they could have appended California itself to thr coun'ry — for what is it that constituted true richeH ? The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and nddeth no torrow therewith. The speaker alluded to his own locality and to the peace anil prosperity with which he had been favoured during the year, and mentioned a pleasing initance of Christian charity on the part of hit people in making a collection of all their books and a chapel bell, and presenting them mi an offering of friendship to the Taupo tribe, with whom they had formerly been ut enmity. Tamati Waka (who was'introducrd to the Meeting by Mr. La wry as " the Duke of Wellington of New Zralanu"), said (in the Native language, which Mr. Whiteley interpreted)— Perhaps you cui't understand my Korerot but when the servants of God first brought the Gospel to this land [ wai a very bad man. 1 was a murderer. I was a thief. And in the beginning I would not listen to the Gospal, I was a tungata kino and thought it whs all nonsense. After they had preached to vi some time I sa«r the Gospel was true, and I embraced it, and forsook my old customs. I had not long professed Christhnity before I had evil to contend w th ; we usfd to go and preach to our countrymen who were heathen, and on ono occaiion whilu some of my fricndi were preacning the Gospel at a heathen Pa, two of them were (.hot, one dead on the spot, the o her wounded. When I heard of this I was aroused,— -collected my peoplf, and went to punish them for the murder tlwy had committed I cut them off for their wickedness. Having embraced Cluistinnity I took a long journey that I might shew my colours, and Jet it be known everywhere that I had becomi- t Christian. When war broke out at the North and John Ilrki arose agninst the I'nfccha, I did not lui-itote to fuiie too. I came cheerfully to the help of the Pakehtt bee .use of Christianity. I have no wish hut but to continue in my profession of Chrhianity. 1 wish to live and die a Christian, and am determined to do io.

Thn Rev. John Watsford (Missionary fiom Feejee) seconded the Resolution. Ho would nmkeafow observ ition* )e->|>ecling the state of F<eji'e (icferred to in the Resolution), find the progiess of thu work of God there. The Resolution spoke of success. Think God they Inve hud success in Feejee. About 40 Oof the people have embraced Chru iunity, and most of these are professing members of the Cliv eh, end many of them he believed truly converted to God. K.minny, a chief at Vewa, had learned to read while lie uo.s a heathen. He had read about Jesus Christ, and iii the ptiuial of the script urei win cut to the heart. The King threatened to kill him if he embraced Christ anity ; but he determined that at a'l hazards hp would do so. He hul been converted and is now a useful local preacher. He had formerly been a great warrior and a cruel cannibal, but was now entirely changed. He (the Speaker) pr.iiied G>d for what had been accoinpl shed. Many Fcejeeaus hare died in the faith of the Gospel and are now before the 'llirone of God ; and many arc on their w<>y to Zion. A happy influence is manifestly exerted over thoso who have embraced Christianity. One of the eltects of this is frequency the preservation of the lives of those who were appointed to die. An instance of this which recently look place is one of the most remarkable occurrences of the kind that ever wasrecoided. Fifteen women had been captured by the Bau people, and it was determined that they should all be killed and eaten* The Missionaries were absent at the District Meeting, but the wives of two of them, Mra.Lyth, and Mrs. Calvert, resolved that at whatever peril to themselves they would make an effort to save the lives of the women. They accoidingly went to Bau, taking a whale's tooth as an offering to the Chief; and while the people were wild with excitement and "drunken with blood," presented their peace offering, urged their plea, and finally succeeded in reicuing five of the women. With respect to the other ten, it was too late ; they had been murdered and eaten It wag but too true, after all that had been done ; that Feejee was still a dark place, a land full of the habitations of cruelty. Comparatively few had been brought into the fold of Christ. Cannibalism still prevailed to an awful extent. Much as they had heard respecting it the half hud not been, could not be, told. One of their cruel customs was strangling widows on the death of their hutbandi ; an »ct winch wai perpetrated by their own relatives. It was not, however, cons dered cruelty but rather kindness ; he had himself heard widows begging and praying their friends to strangle them. After some other details to the same effect, the Speaker conc.uded with an earnest appeal on behalf of Feejee:— Pity poor Feejee ! It« people need your pity — need your help. They need effective help, and they need it without delay. I plead not ouly for the people but for the Missionaries. There are only five of them to labour amongut 300,000 people ; and the health of. some of them is broken, and it is to be feared they must soon retire from the work. Then pity Fef jee, and aid the work of the Gospel there I" The Rev. J. Bulleu, of Kaipara, rose to move the second Resolution. He said, While listening to the very interesting address we have ju»t heard from Mr. Watsford, it occurred to my mind that ths noble instance of philanthropy displayed by thoie excellent women Mrs. Lyth and Mrs. Calvert is an affecting illustration of the importance of female influence in connexion with missionary operations. In certain quarters Protettant Missionaries have been taunted with the reproach of having wivei, and it appears to me that such a fact might be remembered to purpose when Popish priests may again refer to their favourite topic. The Resolution lam called upon to move is as follows : — " That the Meeting recognises in the late revolutions and other gioat political and social movements in Europe, a loud and distinct providential call on the Church tojstrive with incre sed earnestness, « with reverence und godly fear,'-— that, while the earth is

shaken, and < those things that are shaken are removed,' the kingdom of grace which cannot be moved, may be universally established. To this end, it would direct special attention, amongst other instrumentalities, to the vital importance of accompanying the preaching of the word, with the diffusion of Educ ition, based on the principles of revealed truth, and on a system of which instruction in Christian doctiines and duties, is an integral and avowed portion— as the Meeting rejoices to know is the case with regard to the schools connected with this Society. The Meeting, would moreover, express its stiong hope and desirf, that the representations made fiom v.irious quarters, in opposition to the threatened introduction of convicts into New Zealand may prove successful in averting that evil ; as it is deliberately convinced that the i importation of ' Exiles' here,— besides being in the highest degree objectionable on other grounds,— would materially tend t<i the moial injury of the popu- I lation, both aboriginal and European ; and would grievously militate against the beneficial progress of the Missionary enterprise in this colony." Mention in here made of Education, and this ii a subject which hhS lately occupied much of our attention. Education is necessary for the New Zealand youth. It has long been a solemn conviction on my mind, as well as on many others, that the New Zcalander* cunnot exist as a distinct race for a very long time. Christianity hai done very much for them : but of lute a new era ba» occurred in their history. Ultimately, I believe they must b'como amalgamated with the European race or they must become extinct. To lave them from the latter alternative we must rune them to an equal footing with onrßelve», and for this it will be necessary to educat" them. We mult give them the English language, English literature, and with the blessing of God we must geek for them the attainment of scriptural piety, 1 had the pleasure the other day of visiting the native Institution at the Three Kings, and there are the materials of a very promising ichool. It is yet in its infancy but there is much to encourage, and I am sure that any of cur friends who might feel inclined to pjy a vihit to that establishment would be delighted with what they would see there. Under the able management of Mr. RtM, who has lately aimed to take charge of if, I nnticipate the mult cheering resnlt*. We are also doing something at our country stations in the way of Education though on a smaller scale than at the Three Kings, and we are encouraged to persevere* The mental capacity of the New Zealander is acknowledged by all, and we believe that hereaftei there will be minister*, raised from themselves. It is not to be supposed that an adequate iupply of ministers can always be received from the mother country, and I see no reason why in the coune of another generation, and perhapi before we are called away, that class of agenti may not ariie from among them. We have seen a Fraser ai on oiduined minuter, administering tho Word and ordinances to bin swarthy r ,, ce — the Negroes in the West Indies ;— we have seen another in the person of Edward Jones from the co loured population of North Ameiica, and why may we not live to sse an educated New Z&tlander, converted and called of God, and set apart to the ministry, occupying this pulpit and in this place preaching the word of life. Ido not despair of it if we c\n secure for them a mituhle education on Christian principle!. Hut fbr this purpoie funds are required, and I should b'i delighted to see our Christian friend* in Auckland establish a fund in aid ol this object so dear to our heart*. I have referred to the mental capacity of the New Z^alanier. We find them generally very fond of figures, it is a me-e pljy-thing with them. A» I was lying in my tent one night last s.immer an animating conversation took place at tlu* door between my natire lads and some natives of the kainga. Arithmetic was the topic of their discourse. A certain person was named who had been very expert at figures, but being bi ought un<Jer a very deep religious feeling thought it necessary to cas' aside his figures became they were too absorbing to bis mind ; and therefore the use of figures was condemned as being incompatible with a due regard to the saltation of the soul. A very shrewd lad, however, ob c erved th»t he could ice no rcaion why both might no' be attended to at the lame time, for, he s.id, you know that Njah was "a preacher of righteousness" and >et Noah muit have been a man of figures or he cou'd not have understood the directions which God gave him (or the erection of the ark. We have heaid, tonight, from our excellent brother Watsford that the Gospel has been prrached with success in Feejee, and I am glad to say that we do also, in some degree, witness its «ucceHs in New Znalrtnd. I find the nature and history of Christianity to be very much the same in nil countries. A short time since I was convening with some of my people about their first reception of the Gospel. It wat at Kaih u, a very fertile valley in my Circuit The Gonpel wai received in that valley about Hi or 17 years ago, but thoie who embraced Christianity were exposed to much annoyance fiora those who did not. Among the latter two individuals were notorious. One of these was a little awn, a cannibal and a desperate fighter. He had two dog* one of which he called " Satan," and the oJier "hold your tongue." This was out of derision to hit Karakia friends, and when they were assembled for worship he would pull the dogs' ears to make them yell in order to interrupt the worship. The other was a pert, impudent lad who would perch himielf on a branch of a tree by the door of their rude bark chapel and, with a large flax leaf in bis hand for a book, would pretend to praach a termon ia mimicry of the officiating teacher. 'I hey bore thu annoyance wiih meekneis, and mark the lubduing power of Christian love. That pert lad lived to read the bible and preach the Gospel to this same people. He some time since died t happy death at the Institution, and is now, 1 believe, before the throne of God. That savage man too ii become a lamb — he is not only a baptized Christian— but a good man and occupies the offi.ie of the head teacher of the people at this day. It would bo easy to adduce many instance! of success, but I fear to trespass too long on the attention of the meeting. There are other very important topics in the Resolution but I shall leave them to be handled by the able speakers by whom I shall be followed,

The lteT. Jamb* Warrbn of Waima ««id,— The cause which brings us together to-night, Sir, ia I think, one of the most important thnt can come under our consideration, and one which can never fail to poiacn infinite iatereit to nil who have tasted and teen that the Lord is good. For no truly christhn man can, I apprehend, be content to lire merely for hit own interest, or indeed for any interest short of that of the whole world. He looks upon himself ai a member of the entire family of man, and feels it to bo his moit lolemn duty, I at well at his highest privilege to labour Tor the promotion of the interest of the universal Brotherhood. We trust Sir, this is the object which brings vi together this evening. We remember that God hts made of one blood all nations of men, and thai all possess the same common nature. Hence in whatsoever region we meet with man, we find him muccpiible of the sumo impressions, capable of the same enjoyment!, and liable to the tame evils at ourtmlves, so that the law of consanguinity binds us to care for the whole human race. ■—But. Sir, there is another Law which absolutely requires that we should exert ourselves with un anxious and never ceasing zeal for the interest of universal man. A Law, iho commands of which we cannot disregard

with safety to ounelvci, I moan, Sir, the Law of I od which declares, " Thoushult love thy neighbour as thy•elf:" If the qucition should bo nsked, Who is my neighbour ? Our Saviour has himself answered it in his parable of the Good Samaritan, from which xva learn that Huh depends not on vicinity of resideuc."*, not on niinil.irity of views and feelings, but on our common brotherhood as men. The relation is independent of nation, or liuipuaije, or colour, or politics, or religion. Ard while the relationship continues the duty remains, and neither superstition, nor vice, nor infidelity can dissolve ir. But as Christians, Sir, we are hound by our profession to labour (or the promotion of the cause o£ Christ. As Christians, we are bound to follow in llio foottteps of our Divine Muster. But he so loved the whole world that he gave himself a ransom for its iniquities, an.) dud in its room and Btend. L'eihaps you are expectlne; to hear something of the p ( oplu among whom I live and labour. I will occupy yom time but for a very few moments. Suffice it to say, that white many obstacles oppose themHclves to the pi ogress of pure Chrfcuiiuiity amonc; the people, yet pure Christi* anity does advance Many of our nativei are, I fear, contenting themarlves with a diligent attention to the ordinance? of i eligion, and remaining strangers to the renovating influence of the gospel upon the heart; But othern there are who etc working out their salvation with fear and trembling 1 , imbibing the Bpiritofthn Savour, and learning of him who was meek and lowly in heart. The Nutivo population, Sir, in my neighbourhood is fast wasting away. It i« really melancholy to witness the rapid decrease ol population by death. I believe, Sir, the number of inhabitants in my circuit is not more than half what i* was nine years a^o. Rut thid ought not to have a depiessinij influence upon our exertions on behalf of the natives. It ought rather to stimulate us to greater diligence. What wo do for the New Zealamlera we must do at once, or we shall he too late. We beg an intercut in your prayers, my friends, that we m.iy be made moremcful among the people ; — that the Spirit of God may b« given, to give efT ct to our ministry, tint we may more eminently fite the grace of God and be glad. But the New Zealandcr< are not the only people for whom we should pray and labour. Millions of immortal souls are still sitting in darkness, and in the valluy nnd ihadow of death. For these we should pray, that God's way may be known in the earth, Ilia saving health among all nations. As Christian* we are called to counteract that which is evil and to promote that which is good j to let our light shine before men ; to be harmless and blameless, the sons of God without offence in the midst of .a perverse notion among 1 whom wa shine, holding forth the word of life. And as we hare opportunity we are to do good unto all men. Let ns then gird up lite loins of our mind to a diligent prosecution of our high and holy vocation, — not cease in any of our exertions, until the Gospel of our Saviour shall he preached to every nation, and kindred, and people, and toiiKUc,— and until, through its divine influence, " The gods which have not made the Heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth nnd from under these heavens," With these renvirks, Sir, I beg most cordially to second the Resolution.

Joun Whitk (Native Teacher) said became from Kaipara and embraced Christiauiiy under the instruction of Mr. Buller — had resided some time iv the Native Institu ion at Auckland where he had been instructed in Scripture, in the English Language, in Arithmetic, Writing, and other Europeun customs. While at lhat Institution he w<n ninde experimentally acijuuintcil with the, truth, was brought to tiue repentance, to faith in Christ, and a knowledge of salvation by ths romisßiau of urn. He was sot to take charge of the congregations of his countrymen living on the banks of the Kaiparn river : his success hud not been great, the majority of the people still remain under the influence of native custom enslaved by native tapu ; ho iometimes reminded them of the dtty of judgment, and they met hie arguments by asking where room would be found fur mcli an assembly ; if .ill that had ever lived were to be raised from the dead, room on this earth could not be fouii'l for such a crowd, beside, they aaid, you tell iv the earth will be destroyed, if to, where will the judgment be held, will you hold on by the »tara ? he felt much discouraged by tlm small success ho had. had, but wished to live to leach his couutiymen and to die in the faith of Christ.

Dr. Bknnktt suppoited the Reiolution in a speech of considerable length, of which, owing to the other di m in ds on our .space, we can give but a more outline. Hazing expressed Ins personal pleasure at meeting on the platform Missionaiies with wliose mimes, us connected with their devoted luloura, he had long been fain liar at homr,— refrrred to the interesting statements of Mr. VVatsford respecting Fecjce, and especially the Christian heroism ma ifested by Mrs. Lyth and MrH. Culvert, — and pronounced a warm eulogy on the public services and character of 'famuli Waka, the Speaker proceeded to dwell on I he degraded andjwretched condition of the Heathen world, the adaptation of the Gospel to meet its necessities and the encouragements to fuither exertion which the past tucccss ot the Missionary enterprise uffirded* He thon adverted to the future prospects of the earth in its coming stato of millennial bleosedncas, aa pictured in piopliccy, when Civilization — pence—pure religious knowledge — and love bhall universally prevail, — " light everywheie, darkness nowhere; — peace everywhere, war nowhere ; —truth everywhere, error aud falsehood nowhere ;— love everywhere, hatied and selfishness nowhere; — Gerizzim of the blessing everywhere, Ebal of the curse nowhere ;— the fulness of the Gentiles brought in, and the outcasts of Israel serving the Lord and Duvid their King, and the King Mcsbiah reigning on Mount Zion, and before His ancients gloriously." Ho next rapidly reviewed the probable bearings of the revolutions and other political and social movements in Europe on the program of general evangelization ; commented upon the evils, of a morul and religious chaiacter, which would result from the introduction of Convicts into this colony :— and vindicated the principle of basing public education avowedly and uncompromisingly on specific scriptural training, referring in teims of high commendation to the Wc&leyan school at the Three Kings. He concluded by stating and enforcing, (with severs! il'ustrativc anecdotes) the means of supporting the Missionary unilei taking,— viz. by prayer jby tUe exertion of influence ; and by s>elf denying and cheerfully rendered pecuniary aid. The Rev. John Houbs moved, the Rev. Gisorgb Butti-i: seconded, and the Rev. Gideon Smai.es supported the third Resolution — (each in n very lew word*):— "That on the review of the obligations and encouragements to Missionary exertion to which thi; recurrence of this annivcrbniy occasion calls, the Meeting feels bound to enter upon a new year with an humble but decided icsulution to be— each for himself or her* self,— more zealous, more liberal, and more active in, every suitable endeavour to promote the sacred cause, and above al , to bo more instant, persevering and believing in prayer to Almighty God for the abundant outpouring of His Spirit, without which human effort must be unavailing, but by which the earth may. and shall be filled with the knowledge of our God aud His Christ." Tha Doxology was then sung, thanks were cordially voted to Dr. I'hil.son for his conduct in the Chair, nnd prnyer was offered up by the Rer. W. Lawry. The meeting then separated At half -past nine o'clock