EXTRACTS. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. Speech of Prince Albert.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 587, 29 November 1851, Page 3

EXTRACTS. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. Speech of Prince Albert.

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, incorporated on the 16th June, 1701, has held its third " Jubilee" during the week. The vanous objects for which sympathy niid aid are sought by the Society are, the extension of the episcopate abroad, the education of missionary candidates, and the augmentation of the emigrant's spiritual assistance fund. On Monday morning, a ve-y large congregation assembled in Westminster Abbey, to hear a sermon from the Bishop of London. On Tuesday afternoon, a Public Meeting was held in St. Martin's Hall ; His Royal Highness Prince Albert presiding. Long before two o'clock — the hour foi the commencement of the meeting — the hall wls crowded to excess. His Royal Highness was accompanied by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop 6f London, and a number of noblemen and gentlemen. A fnw moments after the Prince had taken his seat, Lord John, Russell came upon the platform and was much cheered. After prayeishad been read by the Bishop of London, Ihe Royal Chairman rose to open the proceedings of the meeting. His address was as follows :—: — My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,— We are assembled here to-day in order to celebrate the third Jubilee of the foundation of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign 'Parts, incorporated by Royal Charter, and one of the chief sources of the spiritual aid which the Estahlisued Church affords to our extensive colonial dependencies!. We are not commemorating, however, an isolated fact which may have been glorious or useful to the country, but we are thankfully acknowledging the Divine favour which has attended exertions which have been unremitting during the lapse of one hundred and fifty years. (Hear.) We are met, at the same time, to invoke the further continuance of that favour, pledging ourselves not to relax in our efforts to extend to those of our brethren who ate setlied in distant lands, building up communities and states where man's footsteps had first to be imprinted on the soil, and wild nature yet to be conquered to his • use, those blessings of Christianity which form the foundation of our community and of our state. (Cheers) This Society was first chartered by that great man William 111., (cheers) the greatest Sovereign this country has to boast of, (loud cheers) by whose sagacity and energy was closed that bloody struggle for civil and religious liberty which had so long been convulsing this country, and there were secured to us the inestimable advantages of our constitution and of our Protestant fairh. (Loud cheers.) Having thus placed the country upon a safe basis at home, he could boldly meet her enemies abroad, -and contribute to the foundation of that colonial empire which forms so important a part of our present greatness; and honour be to him for his endeavour to place this foundation upon the rock of the Church. (Renewed cheers.) The first Jubilee of the Society fell in times wnen religious apathy had succeeded to the over-excitement of the preceding age. Lax morals and a sceptical philosophy began to undermine the Christian faith (hear, hear), treating with indifference, and even with ridicule, the most sacred objects. Still this Society pei severed in its labours with unremitting zeal, turning its chief attention to the North American continent — where a young and vigorous Society was rapidly growing into a people. (Hear, hear.) The second Jubilee found this country in a most critical position. She had obtained by the peace of Amiens a moment's respite from the tremendous contest in which she had been engaged with her continental rival, and which she had soon to renew in torder to maintain her own existence, and to secure a permanent peace to Europe. Since the last jubilee the American colonies, which had originally been peopled by the British subjects who had left their homes to escape the yoke of ieligious intolerance and oppression, had thrown off their allegiance to the mother country in defence of civil rights, the attachment to which »hey had carried with them from the Butish soil. (Cheers.) *Yet this Society was not dismayed, but m a truly , Christian spirit continued its labours in the neighbouring Not th American and West Indian settlements. ( Hear, hear.) This, the third jubilee, falls in a happier epoch — (hear, hear) — when peace is established in Europe, and religious fervour is rekindled— (hear, hear) — and at an auspicious moment when we are celebrating a festival of the civilization of mankind — (cheers) — to which all quarters of the globe have contributed their productions and are sending their people— (cheers) — for the fir&t recognising their advancement as a common good — their interests as identical — their mission on eaith the same. (Loud cheering.) And this civilizition res's on Christianity — could only be raised on Christanity — can only be maintained by Christianity (cheers) : the blessings of which are now earned by this Society to the vast territories of India and Australasia, which last are again to be peopled by the Anglo-Saxon race. (Hear, hear.) While we have thus to congratulate ourselves upon our state of temporal prosperity — harmony at home and piece abroad — we cannot help deploring that the church, whose exertions for the progress of Christianity and civilization we are to-day acknowledging, should be afflicted by internal dissentions, (hear), and attacks from without. (Hear.) 1 have ,rio fear, however, for her safety and ultimate welfare, (cheers,) so long as she holds fast to what our tmcestors gained for us at the Reformation — the Gospel, and the unfettered right of its use. (Cheers.) The dissentions and difficulties which we witness in this, as in every other church, arise from the natural and necessary conflict of the two antagonistic principles which more human society in church as well as state — I mean tho principles and submission of individual liberty and of allegiance to the will of the community, exacted by it for its own preservation. These two conflicting principles cannot bo disregarded— tlipy must be reconciled. (Hear.) To this country belongs the honour of having succeeded in this mighty task as far as the Btate is concerned, while other nations are wrestling with it. And I fuel persuaded that the same earnest zeal and practical wisdom which have made her political constitution an

object of admiration to other nations will, under God's blessing, make her chinch likewise a model to the world. (Hear.) Let us look upon this assembly as a token of future hope, and may the harmony which reigns among us at this moment, nnd which we owe to having met in furtherance of a common holy object, be, by the Almighty, permanently bestowed upon the chuich. (Hear.) The Report read by the Secretary gave a full account of the pioceedmgs of the Society in the various colonies and dependencies of the Butish Crown. The Bishop of London, who pioposed the first resolution, expie.ssed his pleasuie that the Society's third jubilee had fallen upon 1851, a year winch would be ever memorable from the successful issue of the Great Exhibition. He had spoken so fully in his sermon in Westminister Abbey, that he had haidly any thing remaining to say ; "he hud shot Ins m rows and his quiver was well nigh empty." His Giace proceeded to comment briefly upon various facts contained in the Report. Lord J. Russell, who seconded the resolution leferred to the vast extent of the operations of the Society. The benefits that they were enabled to »ive weie not confined to members of the Church of England, but extended to Clnistians of other communion*. They had done right, as His Royal Highness had said, in founding the Society upon the lock of the church. In founding it upon that rock " we hold forth a beacon by t which those who may navigate the surrounding seas will find succour and safety." One consideration he begged to put before them, as it was a consldeiation of hope and promise for the future. After Christianity had been fiist promulgated, it pleaded Almighty God to allow many of those territories winch were under Christian rule, in which Christian bishops preached, in which Christian people worshipped, to be oveiruii by infidel and Mabomedan conquerors, and to be subdued under the swoid and the power of those who denied, who scoffed at, and who sought to triumph over Christianity. Those parts of history are melancholy to lead, and one would fain wish, in looking to the future, to think that fiom such dangers we should be hereafter free. Sir, I think those arts which have bpen spoken of, those aits which j 'have accompanied Christianity, which enabled our ancestors, once rude and barbarous, to overcome the resistance of matter, and, by the aid of science, have enabled us to show those wonders of civilisation which we have seen in the present year, (hear), will be a security for the maintenance of that Chustianity ; and I think we never need dread that any barbarous or infidel power, will by means of the sword, again extend an empire where Christianity at present rules. ("Loud cries of" hear.") Earl Grey and the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert referred to the value of the Society in its relation to emigrants ; and the Bishop of Oxford enforced the necessity of having a native ministry in heathen lands. His lorclbhip also alluded to the Royal Chairman's remaik concerning the internal dissensions of the church. Something had been said of divisions, and sorrows, and griefs of heart, and God knew how they pressed on those to whom, in any degree, the duty of governing at this time was committed — (hear, hear) ; but let us not look only at the gloomy side. In some respects these things were the necessary correlative of intense and active life. (Hear.) There had been times of greater quietness in the Chuich, but were they always times of equal activity? (Hear.) There had been times of greater union ; but men were asleep, they did not find out their disunion. (Hear.) Never let us believe that this nation of England, or this Church of England, was forsaken of God, when they were doing the works for Him which at this moment they were permitted to do. (Hear.) A converting earth, a Chuich spreading itself into every land, a multiplied episcopate, God's Word every day translated into a new tongue, and articulated by new mouths— these were not the signs of a deserted or a falling Church. (Hear.) This third jubilee interesting many a poor churchman in every part of this wide-spread empire, and presided over by the Prince, was a sign of God's presence with us, an omen and a promise of united and successful work, which might enable us to throw aside with thankful, though with humble hearts ten thousand auguries of evil." Sir R. H Inglis, the Dulce of Newcastle, the Earl of ILurowby the Bishop of Tenncbsee, the Archbishop of Canteibury (whose remaiks were very brief), and the Earl of Chichester, followed the Bishop of London, putting the vaiious resolutions to the meeting. His Royal Highness, in acknowledging the vote of thanks for his services, said it had been very gratifying to him to preside, to listen 10 the eloquent speeches which had been made, and to witness the expiessions of enthusiasm with which noble and religious sentiments had been received. He saw in all this, pledges for further exertions in this cause The Archbishop then pronounced the benediction, and the meeting terminated.

The Jubilee services were continued on Wednesday afternoon, by a grand musical service at St. Paul's Ca 'thedral. The Lord Mayor and the sheriffs attended in •tate,>and there was piesent a large number of the aristocracy and gen'ry. The service was performed by the united choirs of St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and the Chapel lloyal. The Psalms were by Hayes, and iho usual anthem by F arrant. Anthems by Handel were also sun«* before and afrer the sermon, which was preachpd by the Lord Bishop ot St. Asaph, the collection at the doois amounted to £171. which with £280 on Monday at Westminster Abbey, and £108 at St. Maitm's Hall, makes the total of £559. In »he evening the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress gave a splendid entertainment to the members of the booiety. There were upwards of 170 persons present.