REVIEW. (Communicated.)

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 476, 6 November 1850, Page 3

REVIEW. (Communicated.)

1. Latory's Visit to the Fiicndly and Feejee Islands. London, 1850. 2. The Wesleyan Missionary Notices for January, 1850, containing- Extracts from a Despatch from the Litutenant. Governor of the Gold Coast. I We took these books up with a feeling of great interest, not only in reference to the specific field of missionary labour which they purport to describe, but in reference also to the large field of missionary labour on which the Wesleyan Society has entrred. We are ourselves in no way connected with that Society, but we have long felt that it was in its power to achieve much for the welfare and happineis of the human race; and we wished to tee how far itt missionary efforts have now reached, and in what direction they are tending. Just one hundred and twenty years have elapsed since nine young students at Oxford, who had been led into serious thinking, were guilty of the then strange acts of attending the weekly sacrament, and observing the methods of itudy prescribed by the statutes of the University. On them the nime of " Methodists" was in ridicule bestowed, and when they formed themselves into a small loeiety, the object of which was to promote the spiritual welfare of its members and the good of others, much surprise and some indignation were excited. One old minister, the father of two of the members of this society, alone dropped words of encouragement to them; he bid them to defy reproach, and in God's name, with grace and with courage, to wage war against the world and the devil, and to go on steadily in that path to w which their Saviour had directed them. A small band this, apparently, for so great a warfare; and in effect the uselessness of the wild attempt seemed so apparent that the University was for the most part shaken with fun and merriment. Even in this early stage of their proceedings, i reverse is sustained by the champions. Already the world, with some of her most weighty weapons has inflicted a loss upon them, —one of their number, overpowered by the shafts of ridicule and the persuasion or friends, secedes from their society. Eight are thus left to wage the war, and in the meantime the world is with vigour urging the powerful and influential to buckle on their armour and to be up and doing for the destruction of such unlooked for opponents. Still however amidst the shouts of ridicule and the din of preparations for battle, the old man's weak yet unfaltering voice of encouragement cheers on his children. " 13e never weary of well-doing; never lo k " back, fur you know the prize and the crow n are *' before you; though lean scarce think sa meanly "of you as that you will be discouraged by the *'' crackling of thorns under a pot. 1 Be not high"minded, but fear; preserve an equal temper of mind " under whatever treatment you may meet with from 41 a not very just or well-tempered world. Bear no "more sail than it necessary, but steer steady. The "less you value yourselves for these unfashionable " duties (as there are no such things as works of " supererogation) the more all good and wise men will • •' value you, if they see your works are all of apiece; "or what is still more, He, by whom actions and " intentions are weighed, will both accept, esteem and " reward you." Reinforced by this advice alone, the eight students proceed in their great warfare. To relieve the poor they sacrifice all the superfluities, even the convenieucies of life. They redouble their efforts to produce religious impression* upon their College ac* quaintances, as well as upon the ignorant, the poor, ' and the sick. Yet, as the aged father hai said, the great question is " Will their works be all of a piece ?" Will they continue a life-long career of labour and self-denial; will they, aided by God's grace, leave behind them men imbued with their spirit, whose works shall still, through succeeding ages, be all of a piece with theirs ; or will they, in tome bold sally or headlong charge, or, alas, as is much more likely, in some timid, hasty and ill-timed retreat, fall victims to the forces which the world and sin are mustering against them ?" la all warfarei some fall; the victory it to the iur« ' vivors alone: the early perils and toils were for all; therefore those who have escaped the chances of the war mourn for those who are lost, even those who, through their own timidity, were ingloriously slain or made captive by a mighty and host, are mourned for by the victors, and geuerosity finds some excuse for them in their weakness or uupreparedness for the battle. Thus let it be with us. Alas, from the small host of eight Methodists some were by the world made captive—their works were not " a'l of a piece." We will not name them. We bless them for the woik they did, and for the aid they gave ; we mourn for them that they did not persevere even to > the end j that we cannot, in this day of victory and great achievement, enrol their names amongst those of the conquerors. In the meantime, recruits must be found for the great warfare which is to be waged; but where are they to be obtained ? Pay tbeie is none to give ;we question whether even the shilling, which custom requires to be given to a recruit, could in many instances have been found ; but we are certain that uniform, rations, p.»y or pensions were not forthcoming. Nevertheless these captains of Christianity * will enlist recruits, and they doubt not that thsy shall find them; recruits who shall manfully fight, under the banner of Christ, against the world and sin ; and for this eminently spiritual warfare they think they shall find recruits chiefly amongst the ranks of the ignorant and careless, amongst persons who have little knowledge ard no experience of the power of religion, who are negligent of religious worship of every kind, and miny ot whom, but for the agency of Methodism, would swell the ranks of those who are equally di»affected to Church and Slate. 'Ihus then a motley company are to be got together from amongst such classes of society ; and they, or their agents, are to go forth to contend against the world and the devil in their manifold forms of sin and wickedness, whatever guise they may assume, whatever land they may be dominant in. To the world in geneiaJ, a wild and hopelesss

•chcrac this ; ridiculous but for the mischief it may do. To the early Methodist, on the other hand, it ii a wiie and hopeful plan, of the ultimate succesi of which there it no doubt ; not from any wisdom and skill upon their parts, but because they intend limply and humbly to work in carrying out what they believe to be the design of their Redeemer. In as far as it really is this, it must succeed. Where it is not in conformity with the Divine will, its failure will be again. We cannot stop to trace cren a hasty outline of the manner in which the early Methodists accomplished their design of collecting together a socie'y which might enable them to confer the contemplated benefits on the human race. It took years to accomplish this; during a considerable portion of which time many parti of Great Britain were agitated by convulsive throes. Meeting houses were in some cases no sooner built than they were pulled down by tumultuous mobs. Sometimes the preachers were heard by attentive thousands ! Sometimes they were beaten and pelted ! Sometimes—that they might be finally disposed of— they were by the Magistrates impressed as soldiers, on the ground that they hail no visible meam of getting their living. We know [Hot what the soldiers thought of their new companions ! the Methodist Preachers for their part complained that they were constrained to dwell among lions. These Preachers all ultimately obtained their discharges. One of them was liberated by a substitute who was hired to take his pace. No one knows who subscribed the money to pay the substitute ! Some say it was in all probability contributed by the Methodists of London. For our own part, at we find that this soldier preached in the streets in his red coat, and that with honent faithfulness he took all occasions of reproving his officers for iwcaring, we can imagine that there may have been others besides the Methodisti of London who would have been glad to subscribe the funds requisite to obtain his discharge. Even our Great Duke did not wholly escape his anxiety on these subjects. We find tha-. in the month of February 1811, it came to his knowledge that Methodism was spreading very fast in the army 1 that there were two, if not indeed three, Methodists meetings in (he town of Cartaxo of which one was in a no lest distinguished regiment than the Guards. The men it appaars met in the evening and sang psalms. This however was not all ; it was also believed that a certain Sergeant Stephens now and then gave them a sermon. In other parts of the army these meetings also prevailed. In one regiment they were even attended by two officers, a lieutenant and a doctor, and the commanding officer of the regiment was not able to prevail upon them to discontinue this practice. The Duke had, however, some grounds of comfort amidst these anxieties. There was a most excellent young man, a Mr. Briscall, who was military chaplain at Head Quarters ; he it appears had his eye upon these transactions, and would give the Duke due notice when they were growing into anything which ought to be put x stop to. And better far than the most watchful eye upon them, Mr. B i iscall's character and conduct were such att to have gained him not only the respect of these people, but such an influence over them that he could prevent them from going wrong. We honor and respect the Duke for his feelings on these subjects. It was, he states, his anxious desire that every person in the army nnder his command should have the advantage of religious instruction » and he stated it to be within his knowledge that religious instruction was the greatest support and nid to military d.scipline and order. The Duke also stated that Methodism was spreading in the army, because no adequate means of religious instruction were provided for it. In fact, with the exception of a clergyman at Lisbon, who had been absent all the preceding year, Mr. Briscall was the only chaplain doing duty with the Urge army then in the Peninsula. Methodism was here therefore clearly attempting to supply an urgent and pressing want* and the Duke, admitting this, urges upon the Government the necessity of arranging some pl«n by which the number of efficient and respectable clergymen in the army might be increaased. Some of the Duke's views m regard to Methodism are however curious. He considers the meeting of soldiers in their cantonments to sing psalms or to hear a sermon read by one of their comrades, to be, in the abstract, perfectly innocent, and to be a better w*y of spending their time than many others to which they are addicted, although it may become otherwise. Nevertheless, be considers it to be an abuse, alihough until this abuse has made some progress the commanding officers can have no knowledge of it, nor can he interfere. The only cure the Duke can see for this abuse is the providing ample means of religious instruction and of clerical superintendence for the entire unity. We should have suspected that with his usual sagacity the Great Commander would have arrived at exactly this conclusion. We have somewhat dwelt on these statements because we are anxious that the Wesleyans should have the benefit of the wholly disinterested testimony of the Duke of Wellington, that at least in the army they merely did that which they have invariably contended they had done in reference to the entire nation; and we think that the evidence of the Duke, in as far as thejarmy is jconcerncd, conclusively estubhshes these two points in their favour. Firstly. That they came forward as of men who were exerting themselves in the cause of religion ; and that they opposed no obstacle to the operation cf any plan of usefulness which was in preparation, but simply supplied a great and pressing want. Secondly. That they indirectly compelled attention to the destitution of means of religious instruction which existed in the large army under the Duke* command, and were the cause of increased means of religious instruction being supplied to the British army generally. It is interesting to observe that in the army in the Peninsula, as elsewhere, the Methodists had chiefly gained their recruits from the poor an 1 lowly ; of all the noble, almost princely, names of that renowned army, not one appears to have been enrolled amongst their number; of officers there were none but one doctor and one lieutenant. Some of the men, it appears, at such time as they could spare from fighting the foes of their country, from guards, from pipeclaying belts or but nibbing trusty firelocks, and from weary night watches, met and sang psalms, and good Sergeant Stephens now and then laid aside his halbert and gave them, as we have no doubt, a very edifying sermon. All fitting honor be to the little bund whose example spread very fait, and to Sergeant Stephens who thus once stalks across the stage of history and has been, at least by us, no more seen, although his name, not likely soon to perish, stands recorded in the Great Duke's despatches. We must admit even now, looking back with the increased infonna'ion we at present possess, that the experiment of organising the poor and ignorant into societies and the assembling them in large masses to which spirit stirring harangues were addressed, wa* one which might have pardonably alarmed men ot reflecting minds ; whilst the novelty of such an a' tempt, and a neceisaiily complete misapprehension of the objects contemplated, must in many instances have excited the apprehensions of those who neither enquired deeply nor reft cted long.

The minds of the founders of Methodism were however agitated by no such doubti. In their view of the case, the fint instruction necessary for the people was a knowledge of Gospel truthi. Without this knowledge there was no useful learning, but in proportion at this spread throughout the length and breadth of the land, so would men* passions calm, so would they become more sober, peaceable obedient And benevolent. This was the corrective which in their opinion must be applied to the kind of half information, the parent of vain confidence and of a love of restless change, which increased with the extension of the facilities for education. Thii was the antidote which must be applied to the diffusion of infidel principles, both of home and foreign growth, which found too congenial a soil in the breast of the discontented poor, to whom that resignation and peaceful cheerfulness which spring from a religious state of mind were too frequently unknown. Their duty therefore was to strive to plant the prin> ciples of religion in the minds of those who would hear them ; to diffuse piety wherever their influence could reach, and to encourage all to act on the offensive against immorality, infidelity, and error. They contended that all the religious meant in existence in Great Britain were entirely inadequate to meet the necessities of the case, and to counteract the active and pernicious agencies of sin that were at work throughout the country ; and that even when all their exertions were added to the agencies already in existence, there would still be multitudes beyond the reuch of christian instruction and ordinances. And thus amidst discussion and turmoil they prosecuted their labours. Lny preaching and Aeld preaching were introduced. On the Utter point one of the early founders of Methodism had, at Oxford, to sustain the severity of the Dean ; but this only assisted in securing him audiences computed at thousands, when returned fieldpreaching in Moor Fields and on Kennington Common, At another time however it appears he was thrown into great perplexity of mind from the Archbishop of Canterbury having condemned the irregularity of his proceedings, and having even hinted at excommunica. tion. Amidst these and many other causes of per* plexity of mind, they however mildly and genily, but even resolutely, persevered in what they regarded as their duty ; and a society was collected together, the first conference of which was held upon the 25th of June, 1744, its members consisting of six cloigymen of the Church of England, no laymen being present at this assembly, which was held at the Foundery in London. These six clergymen continued in conference for one week, settling their doctrine, practice and discipline with great love and unanimity. This might have been anticipated, for besides John and Charles Wesley, they consisted of Mr. Hodges, the Rector of Wencoe, who, whenever opportunity offerded, stood by the Wesleys when they preached in the open air, cheerfully bearing a share in the reproach with which they were so often treated by the multitude ; of Mr. Samuel Taylor the Vicar of Griniton, himself a powerful and impressive itinerant preacher ; of Mr. Henry Piers, the Vicar of Bexley, whose house had often afforded John Wesley a tranquil asylum from his public toils; and of Mr. John Minton, a clergyman from the Isle of Man, who had assisted John Wesley in his duties at Wapping. And now began one of the most interesting experiments, of modern minds. The poor, the lowly, the ignorant of Great Bntain>ere to be collected, wherever they could be got together, iu'o societies for religious purposes. All talents, all ranks all classes of men wiio belonged to this society were to be employed in such stations as their capacities fitted them for, in spreading » knowledge ol the Gospel, in doing gooj to all, and iv fighting as good soldiers against immorality, infidelity and error. Now was a new Chivalry to pour forth its heroes, taken generally from the middling and humbler classes of Britain ; amidst it was to be seen whether the mild virtues of Christianity could impart not only a gentleness to the manner and bearing, but nerve and retolu* tion to the heart which should enable the Christian hero to confront all perils and dangers, and to engage in enterprises which should in all respects equal, if not surpass, those which were undertaken by the most daring of the knights of old. In the present Review we have not space to enterinto the question of the extent to which Methodism has, in the Britiih Islands, fulfiled the predictions of its founders ; but this much we must say, that we believe that the rise and spread of Methodism in Great Britain tended greatly to rouse to exertion other religious bodies, to revive religion tand to spread a spirit of piety throughout the country. It is by all admitted that Great Britain is that country of Enrope in which the most fervent spirit of active piety exiits, and we think that in congratulating ourselves upon Great Britain having recently stood firm when Europe was revolutionized, we generally attribute too much to our undoubtedly happy Constitution, and too li* tie to the warm spirit of religion which actuates so vast a majority of her people ; and that in the same manner when we boast that by wise and resolute good faith we hear gradually established a public credit, fruitful of marvels, which to the Statesmen of any former age would have seemed incredible, we too generally foiget that it is the religious feeling of the nation which hat sustained and must sustain this wise and resolute good faith : and when we state that from the auspicious union of order and freedom in our country has sprung a prosperity of which the annals of human affairs furnish no example, we often leavo out of sight the fact that it is upon the religious feeling and character of the people that their love and respect ft r order rests. It is also a fiequent object c f our congratulation that our gigantic commerce has given birth to a maritime power conpared with which every other maritime power, ancient or modern, sinks into insignificance. In this case we think we shall presently show that that gigantic extension of our commerce is in a great degree to be attributed to the religious feelings of the nation, and that it is precisely because it deserves to be more extensive than the commerce of any other ancient or modern State, that it is so. These can be no doubt that a nation which endeavours to make die spie^d of the Gospel not only commensurate with, but even far in advance of the extensions of its commeice, will have an evtensive and lucrative coonunerce, and that for her people the eartli will from all quarters give forth its increase. Generally also, we mutt record our belief that in cousideiing the proper means of relieving the want and destitution which exist among the poorer classes of so many countries of Europe, it has been generally forgotten that aa spirit of piety, and of earnett, active rehgion is ip cad throughout a country, so will immorality and tts attendant vices disappear, and that in proportion as the Churches uke upon them the change of ministering to their own poor, regatding this not as a duty only, but as a piivilege, so will the necessity for a Poor Law and its comcomitant evils disappear. We believe that in this direction, and this direction only, can an effectual cure be found for the evils which now afflict so considerable a portion of the populdtiou of Europe. In fact what the Duke of Wellington stated to be »i liin hit knowledge regarding the army, \iz. that religious instruction was the greatest support end aid

to discipline and order, holds good of the entire Empire It is the spread of religious instruction and knowledge, and the adoption by the stat? of Christian principles in public attain, which has ratted the Britiih Empire to its present state of glory, and nothing will maintain it in its ptesent proud position, but a continuance in the same principle?. Viewed under this extended aspect we think then, without attributing too much to the early Methodist, that the great revival of religious feeling throughout all Christian denominations which attended the rise and spread of Methodism in Great Britain was one of the 1 most remarkable events of modern times. In fact about that period of time, Christians of various religions denominations appear to have roused themselves as if from a lethargy, and many men f'om all rnnko and classes appeared determined, as fur as in tlu m lay, to aid in spreading a spirit of piety throughout tlitm country and if possible throughout the world. We should have thought tliis was a sight wh'ch the whole nation would have risen as one man to witness and which every statesman and every patriot must hay« beheld with a thrilling heart. At lirst something of oddity, perhaps even sotnethiug of uncouthness, cer« tainly much of strong English natural prejudices; must have been looked for in these Christian warriors who were thus to be poured out upon the world. But who could doubt that thtse men imbued with strong religions convictions and feelings, with their warm national affect ion^for their SoVareign and their country, and its constitution, laws and language, would do otheiwise than strengthen and ex'end the foundations of the British Empire in all portions of (he world. For the first time was a nation to rise and strive to do its Christian duly to all mankind. It was not a simple isolated church that was to strive to do its duty for its own specific church ; but it was a large number of persons from our country who were to gee up and bestir themselves to do, with such ability as they could, their duty as members of a Christian State to the entire world : and tbis a nation could not do withort obtaining in return a world-wide reward of commerce and of sway. If the combatants against the world and bid who were to go forth were pious men and true, whereever they went they must excite love and regard for the nation that could scud forth much men, and could through their means and exertions confer such benefits upon those auongst who they laboured. They must carry with them a knowledge of the English language and lawi ; the praises of the British Sovereign, fervent aspiration s for whose welfare mingled with their daily prayers; accounts of British justice, and tales of the beauties of their native land ; ot the piety, bravery and honor of their native race ; and of the happiness of English homes; and ainidit all their devotion to the work in which they were engaged, at times in their j earnings to visit the homes of their infancy, these men must luve unceasingly shown to those who surrounded them how deep and fervent was to their love to that land which they so loud'y praised. All who sagaciously watched these events, must then have anticipated from them great results ; yet we doubt if even the most sanguine ever looked forward to such glorious victories as have actually been achieved. But in order that we may clearly understand what has been accomplished, and how tbis bas been done, we must take a rapidly survey of the causes in which modern missions originated.

[To be continued.]

Political Rumours.— lt it astonishing how soon those aii y nothing! called rumours assume shape and consistency. No matter how improbable a report, it it sure to gain credence with tome of the quidnuncs who are lounging about the world with no better occupation than that of disseminating and believing wonderful stories. We have often thought that there •hould be a special journal published for the behoof of this class of readers. We would have the sea terpent constantly meandering through its columns. We would fill it with accounts of enormous gooseberries produced at Christmas times up >n Salisbury plain. There should be a re^nlar department devoted to miraculous draughts of fishes oft the north-east coast of Scotland ; another to the extraction of elephants' diseased tusks under the influence of chloroform. In literary matters it might be advisable to call public attention to the discovery of an old manuscrip of the Vicar of Wakefield recently found at Sirutford.uponAvon, with every mark of its being a true Shaksperian performance, or John Milton might be shown to be the true author of Hudibras. At far as political topics are concerned, we don't know thafthe periodical we have iv view could open with a much surer hit than a report which got about last week, that Sir Robert Feel had been sent for to Buckingham Pal ice, and that after an interview with the Queen lie had gone straight to Apslcy-houic, with the view of taking the Dulte of Wellington's opinion upon the most politic method of formiug a new Administration. One would supposethat the all unutterable absurdity of such a report in the present aspect of political affairs would at once have deprived it of the credence of any rational being. But not so— it seems that in such matters the higher the absurdity the greater the chance of success. Let us analyze fora moment the facts upon which the rumout is grounded. It is said— we know not with what truth— that lart week Sir ttobert Peel went down to the Palace, and it is also asserted that he subsequently called upon the Duke of Wellington. Let us as* snme the facts to be tiue. Without holding ourselves forth as having any special information upon so important a subject as Sir Kobekt Peel's houses of call, it appeals just possible that he might have gone down to the Palace to talk over the proposed Exhibition with the Piince, possibly — for we have no assurance upon the subject— upon still more general topics. With regard to the subsquent visit to Apslcy. house, shall we be giving offence to the lorers ot the marvelous \l we venture to suggest that Sir Robert probably called to pay his respects to the Duke of Wellington without any ulterior views ? Of course there may be some mare's nest that we have nut the wit to appreciate at the bottom of nil this, but we can simply say that no persons in the three kingdoms will be more taken by surprise than ourselves if we are on the eve of political convulsions in consequence of Sir Robert P. el* morn n r visits. We lully expect however, in the course of a tewtlaya to be favoured with an intercepted correspondence, well larded with initials and asterisks, upon this important subject. Of course the conversation between the Duke and the ex-Premier, with correct lists of the coiningAdministration, will soon be handed about. It was from such gossipry as this that Sheridan took the hint for the fumous scene in the School for Scandal— and the point and application of his satire will be a* eternal at human ab urdity or human credulity. Seriously, if one can be serious on such a subject— we will venture very confidently to asiure our readers that theie is as much chance of Sit Robert Peel displaceing the Whig Cabu.et just now as of hi* bee imin.j Emperor of Hayti or greai Llama of Thiber. — Times. More Suhscribers.— A western editor announces that Ins better halt had the previous day presented him with " a twelfth little responsibiity," and immediately below makes the following appeal, which we hope was duly respouded to:— 1 « More subscribers wauled at this office."