THE "MAY MEETINGS."

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 672, 22 September 1852, Page 2

THE "MAY MEETINGS."

The English papers which have lately reached us contain Reports of the proceedings at several of the Religious and Philanthropic Anniversaries in Lpijdon, which arc familiarly known *as "The May Meetings," — although the number of the Institutions whose annual festivals arc thus celebrated in the metropolis has, happily for the world, so much increased that portions of April and of June are necessary to afford lime for the whole; The attendance this year — not only from all parts of the United Kingdom but from the Colonies and America — was represented as at least' equalling that of previous years; and the interest excited and sustained in the public mind was in no degree diminished, notwithstanding the unusual extent lo which political questions claimed attention. However Mr. Macaulay and others may scoff at " Ihe bray of Exeter Hall," Exeter Hall has become an element in Ihe social condition and progress of the Empire which cannot now be treated with indifference. Even those who have little sympathy with the higher objects with which the ''May Meetings" for colonial and foreign purposes usually held there are specially identified, have yet learned in some adequate measure to appreciate the influence which goes forth from them to civilize the heathen, to promote the introduction of British habits and feelings, to widen the field of commercial enterprise, and — viewing their operation even on the low ground of the most calculating and selfish policy, — to confer large and permanent benefit on the country from which it emanates, as well as on the more distant lands in whose behalf it has been awakened. We should fail in conveying any proper view of the intelligence brought by our late files, if we did not devote some space lo at least a summary of the principal Reports of this class. At present, however, we must confine ourselves lo a few Societies, and give merely the leading facts connected with their Anniversaries. We select for first notice the Societies whose operations have the greatest bearing on colonial afiairs. Our notes of their Meetings are arranged in the order of the dates on which they were severally held : —

WfiSLEYAN MISSTONARY SoCJM'Y. The Annu.il Meeting of this Society was held on Monday, the ftrd of May, in Exelcr llall, John IlcndeisMi, Ks(|., of Glasgow, in tlie Chair. The I^innncinl Report showed un increase for i tho preceding year amounting (including a be(|ucst of 10,000/. by the lute Thomas Marriott, Esq., of London) to" II 1,730/. 19s. <)d. The expenditure of the year had been J L 1,.0/55 14s. <ld., being l 7' r »/< 'of>. />d. I ess than the income; but there still remained a debt from previous years amounting to IQfiCAU. 7s. Od. The General Summary of the Wcsleyan Missions was given us follows : — Central or I'rineipal Stations in various parts of tho world, 856; Chapels and other Preaching places in connexion with these Stations, so far as ascertained, H,0!)2 ; Missionaiies and Assistant Missionaries, 470; other paid agents, as catechists, interpreters, day school teachers, &c, 7H2 ; unpaid agents, as Sab-bath-school teachers, &c, 0,477 ; lull and accredited Church members, J 08,078 (being an increase for. the year of i)fi4%) ; on trial for Church-member-ship', as iav as ascculaioed, § t 4'M ; scholars: 7!),8<J1 ; priu ting presses, Is. Eight Missionaries, and six wives oi Missionaries had been s6nt out by t.ho Society since tho last anniversary,: three' Mitoionaiics and three wives of Missionaries had died during the same period The Report directed attention to the operations of tho Society in Irclmd, the Continent of Kuropo, Ceylon, and Tndia, Australia, Now Zealand, tho Friendly and Fecjce Islands, Southern and Western Africa, the West Indies, and T3ritish Noi-tli America, ill referring to the distress and perplexity in wliiclitlio Kaffir War had involved some of the Stations in Southern Africa, the Committee observe, "Notwithstanding the causes of regret which present themselves, two facts call loudly for gratitude to God. The first is that there has been no loss of Missionary life or desertion of duty on the part of the Missionaries; but, amidst many alarms and much real danger, every man has stood to his post as long as possible. In no case, so far as iho Committee is informed, or has reason to believe, Imb there been any cowardly shrinking from the path of duty, any "unworthy preference of private and peisonal over public objects. The olhur subject lor congratulation is 'the universal and unwavering loyalty of the Societies. As in tho last war, so in the present, there is not an instance on record in which n member of any of our Mission Churches, nor (it is believed) a resident on any of our Mission Stations, has taken up arms against the British Government, while in several instances their fidelity and bravery has deserved sincere • commendation. The Resolutions were moved or seconded by Dr. Hannah, (President of the Conference') ; Mr. C. Cowan, M.r , for Edinburgh ; Rev. Dr. Spencer ( of tho Established Church of England); Rev. r. Peicival (Missionary from Ceylon); Rev.

Church Missionary Society. The Fifty-third Annual Meeting- of this Society was held on Tuesday, the 4th of May, in Exeter Hal], which was excessively crowded. The Earl of Chiehestcr, President of the Society, occupied the Chair. The chief points of the Report which was read to the meeting related to the very great success which hud crowned the labours of the Committee at home and the Missionaries abroad during the past year. At home the largest income ever received by the Society had been collected, and this had enabled the Committee to apply the surplus to the extension of the missions and to the commencement of a new building for the Missionaries' Children's Home. At Sicira Leone the work was prospering. The Ruv. 0. E. Vidal had been appointed to the bishopric, and twelve native candidates were waiting lor ordination. The Society's labours had been productive of the most satisfactory results in the Yoruba country, in the Mediterranean, Bombay, and Western India, New Zealand, Calcutta, and Northern India and Northwest America. The income for the year had been — from the general fund, 104,858?. 12s. M. : special fund, 1910/. J3s. ]]d. ; China mission, i)2i)l. 18s. Gd. ; local funds raised in India, 10,075/. 4s. 4d., giving a total of ]18,G74/. 10s. 2d., showing an increase of 0,42J/. Us 7d. over the year preceding, and leaving a surplus over expenditure j and liabilities (with the exception of 2000/. for bills of the' year preceding), of 14,455/. Os. Od. The missions now consisted of 90 English clergymen, 51 foreign clergymen, and 21 native clergymen — in all lf>2. Euro])enn Laymen,- — Gathechibts, Secretary, Printer, &c, 27. Native and country cateohists, 1(530; attendants on worship at the whole of the stations, J 07,000; number of communicants, 35,302; being an increase of communicants (omitting a Station in N. W. America relinquished) of 1,148. Scholars in schools, 40,000; and during the year there had been 4,509 baptisms announced, although the returns were not complete. The Speakers at the Meeting wore tho Bishop of Winchester ; Mr. Colquhoun ; the Chevalier Bunsen ; Rev. W. Keane ; Rev. Dr. Dyer, of Philadelphia; Rev. J. C. Ryle, of Ilelmingham ; Ilev. R. H. Cobbold, Missionary from China; Rev. 0. E. Vidal, Bishop Designate of Sierra Leone ; and Rev. Robert Bickersteth.

British and Foricion Bible Society. The Anniversary Meeting of this Institution w.ia held at Exeter Hull, on Wednesday, the filh of May. The Karl of Shufleslmry occupied the Chair. A letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury was read, regretting his Grace's inability to attend, nnd declaring deep sympathy with the objects of the Society. Similar letters were read from the Bishop of Chester, the Earl of Carlisle, the Marquis of Blandford, and Sir George Grey. The Report stated that the entire receipts ol the year amounted to £108,449 os." 10d., being an iuerciise of £5,119 on those of 1851, and of XICOOO on those of 1850. Of this sum, £51,765 has been realized by the sale of Bibles and Testaments. The free contributions from auxiliary societies amounted to 1711,765 12s. 9d. The issues of the Scriptures during the year amounted to 1,154,642 copies, being an increase of 17,025 over those of last year : of the number, 805,181 had been issued fi om the depots at home, and 349,4G1 from depots abroad. The total issues of the Society since its establishment have amounted to 'the extraordinary number of twenty-five millions, four hundred and two thousand, three hundred and nine copies of the Scriptures. The expenditure of the last year amounted to £103,930 9s. lOd. ; and the Society was under engagements to the extent of £52,341 2s. 7d....The operations of the Society were promoted by more than 8000 kindred institutions in all quarters of the world. It has promoted the distribution, printing, or translation of the Sacred Volume in 148 languages or dialects. The'number of versions in "whole or in part completed hitherto is 175, of which 121 are transla- 1 tions never before printed. The Resolutions at the Reeling were' moved or seconded by the Bishop of Winchester, the Chevalier Bun<jcn, tho Earl of Hod on, the Bishop of Cashel, the Rev. Dr. Dyer, of the Episcopal Church in Philadelphia; Hie Key. O. E. Vidal ? Bishop Designate of Sierra Leone ; the Rev. James Kennedy, of* Benares," the Rev. F Porcival, Wesleyan Missionary from Ceylon ; Rev. Mr. Wilkinson, of the, Irish Church JUisaion, Society ; the Rev. William Kean, from Calcutta ; and Lord. Toignmouth.

London Missionary Socikty. The 58th Anniversary of this Society was held at Exeter Hall, on Thursday, the ]3th May, the' Lord Mayor of London in the Chair. The fteport lamented the removal by death during the last year of many of the Society's most valuable friends and sprvnnts, but stated that' notwithstanding, there had been some augmentation of their operations in Polynesia, India, and China. There were altogether 170 European Missionaries and 700 Native Teachers employed by the Society. The Committee noticed with concern that the treaty which guaranteed perfect freedom to their Missions in Tahiti was by no means observed by the French Governor; — that in the West Indies their people were depressed by the low rate of wages and unequal taxation ;—; — that in Southern Africa the, peaceful natives and the Missionaries themselves had been molested during the war, owing to the suspicions and violence of the colonists ; — and that in Madagascar fierce persecution continued, no less than eighteen of the native people having been put to death for their Christianity, during the year 185$. The income for the hist year Lad amounted to £65,3 1G lfis.

M. y «\chiM\'e of nearly £4000 raised for spoci.il (-bji'cls. The Expenditure amounted to .£72,830 Wo liave not {bund in our files, hitherto received any Report of the speeches, or list of the speakers at this Meeting.

Wool Sale. — The remainder of the damaged wool, ox Neptune, from Sydney for London, was sold at auction, by Mcisre. Council and Ridings, on Monday, at prices as ioilows : — Dlt, 10 bales, ], at 2d., 0, at 10d. ; 11X, ir>, at B£d. ; Jin dble triangle above NE, ], at Od. ; A, 2, at 3?d. ; C, 13, at 1\ A. ; D above PN or LN, 1, at 3Ad. ; PT, (i, 3, at 3d., 2, at 2j|d., 1, at l£d. ; WA UP, 1, at ]od. ; B||o or Em dblo triangle ahove || 30, 1, at 4f d. ; MFT, 1, at 0d. f 1, at 04 d. ; JBJI, 3, at 6k1. ; B&C,1, at Bjd. ; M above MFl', 1, at Bd.; MM above M, J, at G^d. ; SC above M, 1, at Gjd. ; J above W13, 1 at 7£<l. ; SYER, 1, at 5d. ; JG, 1, «id.; KR, 1, at 2id.; C above Wll||3 or B||7, ], at 2^d. ; mark obliterated, 1. at Fikk — On Saturday last, about one o'clock p.m., a five broke out hi the chimney of the house belonging to Mr. James Simms, at the corner of Shortland and Princes-streets, and at one time threatened serious consequences. Tho Ban'ack Kpginc was, however, immediately on the spot, with the Sappers and Miners, &c, and His J2xcelloncv Ivieulennnt-Govcnior Wynyard, with Colonel Bolton, R. E., and Captain 'travers, R.A., personally snj^crintonded the efforts to subdue the lire, which owing to tho great promptitude and duciency of the stops taken, weie happily speedily successful.

Kawhi.v. — Overland Mail. — ft may be satisfactory In the public to be informed that the N.ifive postman who was capsized in crossing the h.nbour, a-> stated in the New Z calari der of the 7th of July, lias received, by order of the government, One Pound reward for his exertions in living the mail, which it will be remembered he brought safe to shore at the peril of his life, and with the loss of his clothes. The garments kindly fm nisht'd to him on the occasion by the settlers heic, have also been paid for. The money was handed over to him on Saturday night much to his surprise and gratification, for he had not been expecting it, and doubtlc&s it will have the good effect of encouraging similar fidelity. — Sept. 13. Communicated.