CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
On Tuesday, May 3rd, the annual meeting of tl e members and friends of this society was hold at Exeter Hall, which notwithstanding the inauspicious state of the weather, was densely crowded. The Earl of Chichester, the president of the society occupied the chair, ann was supported hy the Earl of Carlisle, Earl Waldegrave, the Bishop of Norwich, the Bishop of Bombay, Sir R. 11. Inglis, Bait, M.P., Sir E.N. Buxton, M.P., the Rev. Hugh Stowell, the Bishop of Ohio, U.S., the Revs. Dr, Marsh, F. Close, E.. Sidney, and many other clergymen.
Ttc noble Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said the society had arrived at the end of another year of Missionary labour—a year which had been marked by many triumphs of the Gospel amongst the heathen. The great aim of the society was to instruct the heathen in the pure principles of the Gospel, and to the observance of th is rule he had no doubt was attuibntable the great success of their operations. The Rev. John Venn, 8.D., Prebendary of Hereford, then proceeded to read the report. It commences with a reference to the great financial prosperity of the past year. The income of the year had amounted to £120,232 ; and (he contributions, which were the most important item in the account, had exceeded those of the the last year hy £3BBO. The large balance announced at the last anniversary had been absorbed, in consequence of the irregularity of bills, which placed the whole sum to the present year. The whole of the income of the present year had been expended, within a reasonable balance, in the enlargement and strengthening of the foreign operations of the society. The home expenditure had bnen of about the usual amount. The number of missionaries employed on foreign stations had been increased during the year from 102 to 172, and there had been a corresponding iecrease in in the other departments of the society by foreign agency. The Islington College had received during the year a larger supply o*t students tlian at any former period, the number having Increased from 19 to 27. Highbury College, during the past year had trained 10 masters for the society’s operations. The accounts which had been received relative to the West Africa Mission were of a highly gratifying character. The Right Reverend Ur. Vidal, Bishop of Sierra Leone, who had the mission in his heart, as well as being a great linguist, reported that he had 5000 children in his schools, and 2700 regular communicants in his churches. In the diocese of Sierra Leone, which extended along 4000 miles of shore, 151 distinct languges were spoken, besides various dialects. These languages had been classed in groups, but still there remained 54 languages differing more from each other than the various languages of Europe. Last yeor there were alarms of an invasion at Abbookata, but these providentially had passed away, and the missions were proceeding with the same success as marked tire first step of their progress. Hn Eastern Africa the missions were reported to have progressed with the greatest success. With regard to the missions in the Mediterranean, the Committee had to state that they had had a personal conferwith the Right Rev. Dr. Gohat, the Anglican Bishop at Jerusalem, relative to what should be done in consequence of the remakahle movement amongst the Christian communities and the Mahometans of the Turkish Empire. The Society had made a protest against the procaedings of the Oriental Churches, and they were gratified to state that the Episcopal Church of the United States had adopted their views, after having carried on missions at Constantinople for eighteen years on opposite principles. From Western India Bishop Harding had sent over word that he had urgent need for more missionaries, and had expressed a hope that the English Universities would send out some of their best men to assist him in the work in which he was engaged. Reports from Northern India had been received from the Bishop of Calcutta. In the city of Calcutta, the Jews had manifested an earnest desire to become possessed of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which they had been supplied with, and had read with avidity. The bishop had made a visitation of his diocese, and on the eve of his departure from Calcutta, had expressed a conviction that Hindooism was passing away, and that Christianity would, ere long, take possession of the length and breath of India. At Benares, several Mahommedans had been converted to the Christian faith. In Southern India, C«ylon, China, New Zealand, and Northwest America, the missions of the Society had proved eminently successful, but in the West Indies they had met with very little encouragement. The report concludee by stating that the society was prepared to employ as many men of good character and attainments as would offer themselves as missionaries.
On the motion of the Bishop of Norwich seconded by the Earl of Carlisle, the report’ was adopted, and thanks were voted to the Rev. W. Weldon Chatnpneys, M.A., Canon Residentiary of St. Paul’s and Rector of Whitechapel, for his sermon before the society at St. Bride’s Church Fleet street, the preceding evening. • The Rev. E, Hoare, the Rev. Hugh Stowell the Bishop of Ohio, the Rev. Dr. Tyng, the Rev! T. Nolan, and other gentlemen addressed the meeting, in support of resolutions expressive of gratitude for the opening missionary prospects in Western Africa, and urging support of the British °nd Foreign Bible Society on the occasion of its jubilee now in course of celebration. Thanks were voted to the Earl of Chichester for presiding, and a collection was entered into on behalf of the society’s funds. The meeting hen separated.
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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 791, 12 November 1853, Page 3
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956CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 791, 12 November 1853, Page 3
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