WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 481, 23 November 1850, Page 3

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

The Annual Meeting of the District Auxiliary to the Weileyan Missionary Society was held in the Auckland Chapel, on Monday evening last, Bnd was attended by a very numerous and 1 expectable audience. The proceedings commenced at half-pait kix o'clock. After singing and prayer, the Chair was taKea by Alexander Shephiuid, Esq. , who, briefly but appropriately and feelingly in-lroduced the busines« of the Meeting, and expressed his own sympathy in iti objects. The Rev. Tiiomis Buddle then read the following Report. We have a pleasing duty to perform in presenting a brief report ot the Vvesleyan Missions to this Meeting. To review the past when the course has been one of victory, is pleasing, and when the victories obtained are moral victories, the review is especially delightful. It is encouraging too. It inspires hope for the future, and supplies motives for increased action. The following summary will give a bird's-eye view of the Society's Missions throughout the world. Central or principal stations 324 Chapels and other preaching places 2,992 M issionaries and assistant Missionaries 427 Other paid Agents, as Catechists, Interpreters, Day School Teachers, &c 781 Unpaid Agents, as Sabbath school Teachers, &c. 8,081 Full and accredited church Members 100,392 On trial for Church Membership 4,830 Scholars 78,548 Printing establishments 8 Anything like a detailed account of the state of the work of God on the respective stations, will not be expected, a biief notice of the principal missions will suffice. In Ireland our Missions are 18 in number, having connected with the preaching ol the Gospel 6\) schools, witii nearly 6000 children. On the continent of Europe God blesses the labours of his, servants.

In Germany % where there has lately been a groat elfortmtule on the side of Infidelity, ami where Atheism appears to be taking deep hold of many, our Missionaries are prosecuting their work, weekly religious services are held at about O'O places and the infant churches number about 1000 members. In Ffance and Switzerland. The work among the French at Paris has not recovered the shock received by the late (evolution, hut among the English there is good doing. Among the villages the woik is more prosperous, Several Catholic villages arc seeking the ministrations of our missionaries. In some places offering the parish schools, and even the mass-houses or churches for Protestant worship. Members, 825 ; attending worship, 5070 ; scholars, 1254. AtGibra't r. It is considered that a good foundation is being laid 'lor an extensive work among the v panish by the religious training of a large number of Spanish children. It is one of the features of the present time that all denominations are becoming awake to the importance of education, and employing it as an instru* went tw extend God's work. Attending worship, 6'oo. In India tiie progress is slow hut steady. In South Ceylon, the churches number 1214 converts, chiefly from among the idolaters. And in Noith C-ylon, the truth is winning an entrance into the minds of both old and young. In the Madras and other districts the Missionaries are extending the work both by preaching and tianslating the word of God. The reports from N^w South Watt-sand Vct,n Dicmon's Land are very cncouraginir. New chapels are being built and old ones enlarged, and the work ot (iod rapidly extending. Members 3,500; attending services about 20 00. New Zealand we leave to the brethren who can best report the state of the work of Goa on thrir stations. The number of .church members are 7000, and of regular hearers, 9000. The Friendly and Feejee Islmids we refer to the General Superintendent, who has lately visited them, and to Mr. Ilazlewood who has labouied in the latter group some 6 years. In South sffnea the Lord's work is prospering. At Cape Town there has been a blessed revival, and innny have been added to the church. In Great Namaqualand the young people make great progress in education, and the Missionaries have had a great demand for pocket Testaments, that they might take them to the fields to read while tending their flecks. In Kaffrana and Ihchanu districts, the promised blessing has been given to the means used. Western Africa pre>ents much encouragement and promise. In Sierra Leone the work of religion both deepens and extends, the piety of tho members exhibits signs of improvement, and J5B have been added during the year, and the chapels generally are becoming too small to contain the congregations. On the Gambia and at Macart/itfs Island a similar state of general improvement aim extension has bceu realized. On the Gold Coait and at AUianti the work is owned of God,— and the Lieut.-Governor Sir W. Winniett has borne testimony to the result of the Society's labours in Ashanti. "As I sat " (says Sir VV. in a join nal of his visit) " in the airy spac ous hall of the Wesleyan Mis sion House in the cool of the evening, after all the toils and excitement of the day, and contemplated this little European establishment planted in the midst of barbarism, 200 miles into the interior of Africa, exhibiting to thousands of untutored pagans the -comforts and conveniences of civilized life, and the worship of the true God, I could not but think deeply and feelingly on the great triumph tliU3 achieved by Christianity and civilization," One very interesting fact connected with this mission is worthy of special notice,— i. c., a nephew ot the present King has been placed at Kumasi, the capital, ai a Christian teacher. John Ansah was educated in lingland, returned with the Niger expedition, became a regular attendant at the Mission Chapel, was aw.ikened and converted, and aftei being employed as class leader and local preacher, and given proof of bis sincere piety has been sent Joith as a catcchto to Kumasi. He is kindly received in this capacity by the King, his uncle, and enjoys his confidence and esteem. He is likely to be very useful and wiites a pleasing account of his prospects. In the British West^ Indies the work is rather discouraging. The alteiation in the duties on sugar has brought about a state of things that greatly obstructs missionary effort- In some places the ministry is sucr cessful in the conversion of souls, but generally the work has declined, and the- numbers have been considerably diminished. in Canada, both among the whites and the Indians, the mission makes steady progress, as also in Newfoundland. The Financial Statement presented at the last Annual Meeting of the Society in London, was one demanding grateful acknowledgments to Almighty God. Though strenuous efforts had been made to stop supplies, the Lord had caused them to flow with increase. The amount received from the various sources for 1849, was J6111,G85 13 6 The expenditure 10.'J,16'8 10 7 Halance £ 2,517 2 ll Towards the last year's deficiency of £13,000. The Rev. J. Whiteley, in a few touching observationi, expressive of hit continued adherence to the great cause of Missiom, to which he would devote " silver and gold" did he pos»ess them, as well as the labours of his life — moved the first Resolution :— ">>That the Report be adopted'; and, ascribing to the Divine Messing all that has been achieved by Missionary labour m cvangeli/ing and civilizing heathen nations, this Meeting records its gratitude to Almighty God for the success granted to this Society, and to similar Protestant and Evangelical Institutions. The Rev. Alex. MacDonald (lately arrived from the Navigitor's Islands) rose to second the Resolution. After expressing hh cordial sympathy with his brethren around him, lie proceeded to give an account of the field of Missionary effort in which he had him* self laboured in connexion with the London Missionary Society. That Society had commenced its operations in the Samoas in 1830, by the location there of Native Teachers from the neighbouring islands. Considerable difficulties were at first experienced. In s'x years after, wtien the Speaker and bis companions arrived there, they expected to find a ferocious people, and, in going there took their lives in their hands. But they found a people ready for the wrrk of God, and their fears vanished. They acq-iired the language, preached in it and soon saw fruits. The district in which he laboured contained 5000 inhabitants ; here there were 300 church members. They proceeded to translate (he Scriptures, a principal part of which work was now accomplished; nnd an edition of 1500 copies of portions of the Bible had been received. Other portions were in manuscript, and the book of Job, was in course of translation. They also issued a doctrinal catechism, a periodical in the native language every two months, and a Report every lix moutlw. There were hindrances to progress, especially from native wars ; but the chrisiiani were exercising a balancing power, keeping away from war, and trying to reconcile contending parties. There were amongst the natives those whose hearts were renewed, and from amongst them spirits had fled to join the church above. In the group of islands there were now 1,704 church members; and in the Schools, 2,748 adults, and 3,2 \"2 children ; — the whole population being from 35,000 to 40,000. Missionary Meetings had been held in the district, and in 1 1818, there had been contiibuted of oil (which is al most all the poor people have to give) 1,008 gallons ; in 1849 (when war was raging) 577 gallons ; and in 1850, 900 gallons. Estimating their donation at thr I low price of one shilling per gallon, the proceeds would

nmount .£l2l. nThey nho contribute to support Teachers in the adjacent islfinds, ami at the last coiloclion made for this purpose, 1,060 articles had been given. Rcfeinnij to the condition of his own church there, Mr. McDomld stated that from January 18 11> to January JB5O, he admitted 32 members ; restored to communion 10; 11 had died; and (ai he wished to show the dark as well aa the bright lide of the picture) he had excluded 23. The reverend gentleman, (who had interwoven with his statement of facts various appeals to the Missionary spirit and feeling of the Christian public) concluded by seconding the Rcsoluion. The Rev. Walter Lawry supported the Resolution in a very effective addreis, in which lie bore testimony to the widely extended benefits conferred by Millions on the aborigines of the Llands which he has lately viiited in the John Wesley. Hi! illustrated his itatements by a variety of interesting facts and anecdotes, which we should be happy, did circumstances permit, to publish in detVil, but we are obliged to confine our Report of this and some of the other speeches within narrower limits than we could have desired. The Rev. David Hazlewood (who has lately arrived from Feejee) moved the next Resolution, in an Address which contain! so much curious and interesting information respecting is'ands to the state of which attention has lately been directed in the " Review" which appeared in successive numbers of our journal, that it gratifies us to be enabled to give a copious ant! correct report of it. The Speaker said — Christian friends — You have heard so much and so frequently both concerning the state of the heathen and also concerning the work of God, that I do not suppose that 1 have anything new to communicate. But perhaps you will bear with me while I make a few remarks on the mythology and superstitions of the Feejeeans. The Feejeeans, like other heathen, have gods many and lords many ; they have superior and inferior gods and goddeises, more general and local deities, and, were it not an obvious contradiction, we should say they have gods human, and goda divine ; for they have some godi who were godi originally, and some who were originally men. It is impossible to ascertain witu. any degree of probability how many gods the Feejeeans. have ; as any man who can distinguish himself in murdering his fellow men may certainly secure to himself deification after his death. Their friends also are sometimes deified and invoked. I have heard them invoke their friends who have been drowned at sea. I need not advert to the absurdity of praying to those who could not save themselves from a watery grave. Tuikilakil*, the chief of Somosomo, offered Mr.. Hunt a preferment of this sort. "If you die first," tuid he, " I shall make you my god." In fact there appears to be no certain line of demarcation between departed spirits and gods ; nor between gods and living men, for many of the piiests and old chiefs are considered as sacred persons, and not a few of them will also claim to themselves the right of divinity. "lam a god" Tmkilakila would sometimes say. And he believed it too. They were not merely the words of his lips, he believed ha wai something above a mere man. Ndengei is considered as the god ef all Feejee : he was enshrined in a serpentine form, in a large cave, upon one of the highest mountains in Naviiiletu. No one on pain of death must descend into this cave, except the priests. It is too sacred for vulgar gaze. This cave is laid to contain a greal quantity of Feejeean propeity which has from, time to time been offered to the godi: Hut on this particular I am sceptical j for the priests aro rather too fond of property to allow the gods to be overstocked. But although he is considered the principal god of Feejee, he is not much feared or worshipped, except ia the immediate vicinity of the cave in which he lies. When, however, the comet appeared two or three years ago, they said it was Ndengei's ion ; that his father had tent him to investigate the state of Christianity in the other part of the group, and to put a stop to it. We did not, however, meet witb mach opposition to our cause from Ndengei's son in the form of a comet. Ratumaimbulu ii a god of great importance in Feejee. He causes the fruit-trees to blossom, and on him, depends the fruitfulness, or otherwise, of the seasons. There it a month in the year, about thW month (November) called Vula i llatumaimbulu, (the month of Ratumaimbulu.) la this month the god comes from Bulu, the world of spirits, to mnke the bread-fruit and other fruit-trees blossom and yield fruit. He seems to be a god of peace and cannot endure any noise or disturbance, and his feelings ia this respect, are most scrupulously regarded by the natives. They therefore live very quietly during this month, it bein<j tapu to go to war, or to sail about, or plant, or build houses, or do most kinds of work, lest Ratumaimbulu should be offended, and depart again to Bulu, leaving his important work unfinished. The priests announce the time of his coming from the other world, and also the time of his departure, when it again becomes lawful to pursue their usual labours. But before he leaves the world, the priests have to bathe him ; I suppose lest he should have contracted any impurities during his residence and occupation in this woild. This custom probably arises from one of their o.tn— that of always going to bathe after they luve done their work. Be this as it may, the priests bathe the god, aud send him away to Bulu ; immediately after which, they raise a great shout, which is carried from town to town. Nature of tiir Gods. — They consider the gods as beings of like passions with themselves. They love and lute ; they are proud and revengeful, and make war, and kill and eat each other, and are, in fact, savages like themselves. The names of somo of their gods are indicative of their nature. The chief god of Somosomo is named Ma inatavasura, which may Bb rendered "the god just come from the slaughter." Another is Ranusimano, (spit wonders,) which is indicative of the ease with which he can perform miraculous works. Another god'« name is Mataiwalu, the god w'nh eight eyes, indicating his wisdo'H— another, Bativonu, the god fond of turtles—another, Batimona, the god fond of human brain*. Thus you see their gods «re cannibals like themselves. Pbiests.— Their priesthood is in general hereditary, livery town and village have their priests, and in general the priesthood remains in the same family. But not invariably ; for sometimes if a man thinks he can shake well, at the priests do uudcr inspiration, and that it will facilitate bis getting a pieco of food, or property, he will set up priest. I knew a young man at Somosomo who paid dearly for a trick of this kind. He was hungry one day, and sat down a few paces from my garden fence, and began to shake priest fashion, and to call lor banauas. Of course it was the god that wanted the bananas, and bananas were immediately given him. This you see was an easier way to obtain them, than going to plant them. Well, he went on for some months, perhaps twelve, and fully established his reputation as a priest, and begati to think himself somebody ; and to wear along train behind him, as the chiefi do. Tuikilakila being annoyed at his assuming so much, and I suppose being rather doubtful a& to the validity of his priesthood, sent for him one day to go to his house. lie went and Tuikikkila interrogated him after this manner—" Who are you, that you should set up priest, and make yourself somebody ? I will kill you and cut you to-dny ;

(Foi continuation s«e Supplement.)