ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ON THE PRESENT CRISIS.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 539, 14 June 1851, Page 3

ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ON THE PRESENT CRISIS.

The Committee of the Church Missionary Socirty cannot allow the commencement of a new year to pi«K over m the present crisis of our Church's history, believing that in this crisis the interests of our Society are deeply in volved. without a Special A.idiess to their snppoiters throughout the country. It has not been thought right that the Society, in its collective c p.icity, should address the Queen ngainst the late Papal Aggiession, because thnt act does not d>.Ci.tlij interfere with the main object of the Society, ir "-"(I thri Gospel to the Heathen. But the Committee have not, on the other hand, overlooked the indiret t tlTcc 3 of the efforts of Rome upon their cause, in the cveut of th"ir success, to undermine the Potest* nut (aith, to multiply among us fatal but seductive error*, and to bring down the just displeasure of God ag-unst us an ungiateful people, insenvb'e of His merry in vouchsafing to our land the blessed Reformation Hence the Committee have seen, with hpartfelt giatitude to God, the spirit which has been culled forth by this aggression—in defence of the Protestant faith, in ieuistance also of Popeiy in all its foims>, whether open or in disguise, and in support of those blessed principles of the Reformation, (or which, the Martyrs cf the Cliurch laid down their lives. Theie are also special reasons which should make the friends of ihe Chuit'h Missionary Society watch, with deep and anxious interest, the present Protestant niovenitnt. Fust, the Piotestant and evangelical principles whith are now upheld, and which are manifesting their vitality and power, thioughout the nation, aie those very principles which animated the hearts of the routi'lers ot our Ik loved Society ; and in the stiength of whit b. they wisely and firmly luid the foundations of that great work, in every quarter of the globe, which oui ears are privileged to hear of, and our eyes to behold. This Society was enabled to uphold these principles in times when they were less esteemed, when they seived to estrange many from m, when our strict adheience to them threatened our existence us a So'•iety. What, then, may we not now hope for, when God teaches our Chuich at large their value, by bunging n ai to us the dangers of an antagonize and coirupt system ? In this way many Christians have Decn aroused to embrace and cherish with more ardent zeal the pure and simple truihi of the Gospel ; which alone aie effectual, when implanted in the heart by the Holy Spmt, to produce a sincere and steady desire for the e3e 3 ten si m of the Redeemer's kingdom, and for the salvation of mankind. Again, the Vlcmbeis of the Church Missionary Society may well sympathize in the just indignation which ha;, been awakened amongst a Christian people, by the attempts of the Bishop of Rome to counter a oik our National Church, through an organized agency, assuming an exclusive spiritual authonty over the land. For the Society has long had to resist and contend with the same assumption and aggression dnected against its Missions in many parts of the heathen world. No sooner had the ble&oing of God , enabled the Society to bring under instruction a large body of Native Converts in New Zealand, than Rome sent thither a Bishop and a large tiody of subordinate agents, who ut once endeavoured to bewilder the minds of the Natives, by disci editing the Froteitaut liible, and by pretending to the txulusive possession of the tiu-h. In the Reports circulated in Europe, the Romish Bishop claimed, as under his oveieight, and as wait ot his spiritual eh •Jge, the many thousands who hud been conveited by Piotebinnt Missionanes ; and on this statement Koine appealed ior pecuniary support to sustain so important u Mi-sion. In Crishnnglmr and 'J innevelly, Rome has atteinptsd similar asrg-ie&Mons. In lViivancoie, Madras, Calcutta, Noith W.st Anmica, and at other Stations, Romish cfl'orts \ are couutri winking our Missions. The Society is thus actively involved in the conflict with the Church of Rome, and with Romanizing punciples. It is upholding a witness foi Protestant truth. It lefuses all compiomiEc with P, pery under ereiy form. The Musionants abroad me contending tgHlngt the combined snp-

port of idolatry by the Heathen and by Papists: they address the same evil to nil, to seperate themselves from a system of fatal error, and to embrace 'he truth as it is in Jesus; and so iMOdtly have these efforts been blessed, tint Urire numbris, who wen; oni'e entangled under thebondj^e oi Rome, are now publicly offering to God a pure woislup accusing to the Liturgy and Services of our oj/no j/n rpfonr^il Chinch. Hence the Society sees, in the conflict a^.iinbt Romish principles and practrea which the whole nrion is now sustaining, a sanction, a .'trengtlvning, and an encouragement of their own etFoi ie, in the came cause. On these special grounds, as vsAl as on those which are common to all Protostint Christians, the Committee call upon the members of the Society to thank God lor having, in so wonderful and unlooked-for a manner, awakened th.ou^hout the countiy n zeal and jealousy for llis Truth ; ami to enlarge their expectation^ of the benefit which may acciue to our own special department of the Lord's wor'c, by an adfiitionnl impulse bpin« given to the extension of Christ's kingdom upon em th. While they take their stand with those who aie determined not tn remit their exertions until the l»le Papal Aggression *hdll be effectually defeated, and all ilomtiiiizint* tendencies within our Church snptesscd ; while as individuals they give expre-sion to their views in the way of Public Addresses and Petit'ons ; let then as members of this Society, still keep in view the r/ieal Missionary effort to which the present crisis calls and invites «?. Let them gtnrd a<Min->t the t"i»ptaiion to expend and exhaust their effort* upon nn muneihate pressing cvi), so as to neglect a special opportunity of advancing the came of Christ. Idolatry, whether among Roman Catholics or the Heathen, is offensive in the sight of God. Let the conflict be carried into the heart ol the enemy's country. The triumphs which are there gamed, Ihiough the presence of Christ with hi 3 faithful servants, will redound to the safety and enlargement of the Church at home. Let prayer, then, be made continually for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, through which alone the real errors and fatal tendences of Popery nan be discerned, and the kingdom of Chmt advanced either at home or abroad. The sure Word of Propher-y has repeatedly and indissolubly connected together these three, gie-it topics —the repression of the enemies of the Church —the outpouring of the Holy Spirit —the conversion of the heathen. Two out of many pasgages may be heie referred to—" Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers.. .. until the Spiut be poured upon us from on high, and tha wilderness be a fruitful field." (Isaiah lxzii. 13,15.) " So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his gloiy from the lisiug of the sun. When, the enemy ••hall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a s audatd against him," (Isaiah, lix. 19 ) We may take encouragement from many indications in the piesent state of Missions, and of the world at Jarge, that the pomiaed conversion of the Heathea is, in the food providence of God, at hand. Piotestant Missions show a piYpaiedness for incalculable enlarge* ments, if men and means can be supplied in any adequate proportion. The Heathen countiies on all sides are open, as they never were before, to receive Missionaries. The means of communication with these parts are daily multiplying. The facilities for acquiring the. Native languages, and tor the multiplication of versions of the Scriptures, bespeak another pentecostat era. One striking fact may be mentioned, as illustrative of the advancement ot the Missions of this Society. Dm ins: the last three mouths, while the heaits of many Chnstims at home have been trembling for the com.nuance of the tiuth of the Gospel with us, a fai l-ir^'i number of men thai at any previous season —mcnoftiicd evangelical, Protestant principles, have been ordained, or are about to be ordained, either bs Pi ksis or Deacon 1;, for Missionary work, in different parts of the world. At Calcutta, 5 ; at Bombay, 3; in Ceylon, 5; io Tmnevelly, 7; in North-West America, 2; in Chin*, 1 ; in London, 8 } total, 31 ; of whom 11 ar^ Native Cluibtians. Thus the Lord is thrusting forth labourers in to Elis haivest. We iiuy regard these as the fhst-lruits of an abundant ingathering. Oiber Protestant Missionary Societies are also able to recount then successes. Smcly these encouragements, occuning at this very crisis, are a proof that the Lord is ready to pour out a blessing upon us, if we have f.mh to leceive its fulness. The Committee eu.neftly appeal, thcielorc, to their supporters and frienda to lenew their efi'o.ts; to take advantage of the present movement as an oppoitunitv given to those who lon>r and pr3y for the triumph of God's truth tluoughout the world —to abound in more earnest efforts and impoitunate praj crs for the conversion of the world to Chtist. M<ii>y who have hitheito hesitated to assist Missions in iy now be induced to help ihe cause : the lukewarm uuy ye stirred up to feivent zeal, iln* people of God may have their hearts enlaiged to devise liberal th.nj;s>. As tiu?» hearted friends of our icfnimed Chinch we desiie to see her fulfilling her high calling, >n dependence upon the life-gi«ing influences of the Holy Spu it, oi preaching the Gospel to every creature ; assurid >bat, while she thus seeks the honour o! her Lord, " He will deliver her and set. her on high," and make her light to arise ami shine even to the ends of the ea.rth. By order of the Commute , IInNUY VfcNN, "I John Tucker >Secre'taiies. HucroiiiiTiuTn, J Church Missionary House, January 13, 1851.

PAIIRAMATrA —TllC PASSION FOR GoLD.—Nfl* thing in the colony ever exceeded the piceent mad* dening ambition <>f the inhabitants or tins town and distiict for participating in the occupation of digging toi this piecioua metal. Youu;< and old, learned and unlearned, men, women, and children ate making saciifices of t-omloitable homes, well-stored shops, gardens, orchards, and fa ins, of eveiy trade and calling 1, and aie proceeding to the mountains in search of gold. Gentlemen in the intenor have in -oine case? sent for their sons fiora sihool, for the purpose of taking charge of their flocks and heals that have been forsaken by the servants. It is believed that not half the publicans' licenses which h,ive bien applied for will now be taken out, us many of the iunkeepeis aie only waiting till llomebush Rices aie over to proceed to the diggings. In fu<i, such numbers have already gone, and o hers making active prepaiations to be iff, that we have ieasou to anticipate that our town and neighbourhood will be comparatively deseited by the male population. Provisions jinl sioixs of every kind aie exceedingly dour, and the metropolis does not stand in n«*ed of a benevolent Air. Sinait more than the poor of thii town. Maya ki.id Povidunce oider all things to woik togeiliei toi good m our behalf.— Correspondent of the Sydney lletald, May 29. Manilla. —Hemp was likely to contiuue scarce ; the reason assigned Deing, that when their wa« luch « laige demand (or shipments to America, about two years ago, large quantities ot the young plantings were then cut down to supply the matket; and it will be some time befjrc a licsh growth will be available.