WESLEYAN MISSIONS.

Southland Times, Issue 576, 10 October 1866, Page 3

WESLEYAN MISSIONS.

The following is an abstract of the Report of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, which was read by the Rev. Mr Watkin at the Anniversary Meeting held recently at Wellington : — = " One of the principal events of the year afiecting the working of your Missions is the loss of the brig John Wesley. She was wrecked on a small island called Tau, near Tongatapu, on the morning of November 18th last. While your Committee deeply regret the loss of the vessel, they cannot but recognise the providence of God in the remarkable escape of the captain, missionaries, ancl all on board, from a watery grave, and record their conviction that the sad catastrophe was not in any way or to any extent the result of neglect or incapacity,

but one no human sagacity could anticipate, nor human power could provide against. _ It is hoped the loss will soon be repaired in the building of another, and in some respects a more suitable vessel. " A subject of continued and deep interestwith your Committee is the entire financial support of our Missions by the Australasian WesleyanMethodist Church. This subject has been brought to their notice by a communication from the General Secretaries of the parent Sooiefcy in England, an«l although we are not told in this communication that we must forthwith raise the whole funds nece - sary to the carrying on of our Missions, yet the intimations are clear and full that we are expected to come nearer to this state of things every following year, and that in a few years, at most, we shall be expected to relieve the parent Society of all charge on account of our Polynesian Missions. Nor can your Committee regard such an expectation as extravagant or unreasonable — rather it is their conviction that by a general, systematic, and continuous effort in every circuit throughout the Australian colonies, supplemented by the large annual proceeds of oil, and other contribution-- from the Islands, and New Zealand Missions, in connection with a judicious and careful expenditure of the Society's funds on Mission stations, this reasonable and highly desirable object may soon be realised. "During the year your Committee sanctioned the expenditure of £1,000 (one thousand pounds) for the building of a new schooner, to replace the two old ones long employed in the Fiji M7*-ion. There is reason to hope that the proceeds from the sale of the old vessels, with the contributions of the children of some of our Sunday Schools, will go far towards defraying the cost of the new one. This vessel, which is called the Jubilee, will be greatly appreciated by your missionaries. " Your committee thankfully acknowledge the receipt of £500 (five hundred pounds) from the executors of the late Mr. J. Briekhill, of Campbelltown, Tasmania, a bequest from that gentleman to the funds of this Society, and express their hope that thi3 but the first of a long list of similar munificent contributions to the same object. The Rev. William Taylor also gave £50 (fifty pounds) as a second donation ere he left the Colonies. In the course of the year, the sum of £427 ss. 6d. has been remitted to the British and Fbreigu Bible Society, the proceeds from sales of copies of the Holy Scriptures in the Friendly Islands and the Fiji Districts. " The expenditure of the year has been £15,523 2s. 4d. ; the receipts from both Colonial and Mission Districts, £9,550 18s. 7d., leaving a balance of £5,972 lis. 9d. to be granted by the Parent Society in London. This balance, though large, is less by £600 than was estimated for at the beginning of the year, and would have been at leas** £1,000 less than it is had the Wesley brought away the oil from the Friendly Islands. "It is a matter for thankfulness, and we trust of hope for the future, that there is a small increase in the amount of contributions from each of the colonies . but your Committee cannot avoid recording their regret, that from every district in New South Wales, except Sydney, the amount returned from the whole District is less than was wont to be raised in former "years, by a single Circuit in each of these Districts. " Passing from these financial, yet important matters, your Committee give .hanks to God, the giver of all good, for the spiritual success and prosperity of our Mission during the year. At the last Conference we returned a membership connected with the Missions of 27,920 persons, with 5,573 on trial for membership, being a net increase for the year of 2,969 members. In this cheering fact, the friends and supporters of this society will mark and own the hand of God, and be stimulated, we hope, to devout thanksgiving, and more earnest self-denying efforts, for the extension of the Redeemer's Kingdom among the islanders of the Pacific. CHINESE MISSION IN VICTORIA. " The past year has been marked by a most gracious work of God among the Chinese in Victoria. In the month of December last six adult Chinese were publicly baptized in the Wesleyan Chapel in Castlemaine. These are the fruit of the labors of the catechist, Mr. Leong On Tong, who is described as a man of ' superior parts and devoted zeal their religious experience and testimony on the occasion of their reception into membership with the Church, given before a very large congregation, was very satisfactory and encouraging. The Rev. William Hill reports the catechist as diligent and persevering in visiting his people, and instructing them in the truths of the Gospel and states that he has been honored of God in the conversion of many of his countrymen. A grant of £170 has been made to the Mission for the current year. " The dark war-cloud which for six years has hung, oves these fair lands is not yet rolled away ; uncertainty is still felt as to when or how the fearful strife will end. The influence of this state of things upon the moral and spiritual condition of the Maori population is painfully distressing. In many localities intemperance and superstition are rampant, and have resulted in deeds of darkness and of blood, most revolting in their character. Still all are not lost. 560 Maori church members and 112 on trial are the returns for this district. In some parts your missionaries report good congregations, coming long distances to join in the service and worship of the House of God. The English department of the work continues to prosper. "The contributions of New Zealand towards the society's funds during the present year had amounted to £661 15s. I 6d., which had been contributed by the circuits in the following proportions : — £ s. d. Wellington 80 10 0 Nelson 63 14 2 Christchurch 136 2 7

" The General Committee mentions New Zealand, and hopes for contributions of larger amount towards the Mission cause. " As New Zealand is the oldest Mission in our Australasian connection, preeminence success might be expected in it but, alas, the warlike spirit of the Maori has been roused and strengthened during during the last few years, and consequently the words of the Prince of Peace have been less regarded. But all are not lost. Many have withstood in the evil day, and continue to stand ; and may we not hope that the darkness is pasi, and that a brighter day will dawn upon the aboriginals of this favored land. " In Fiji and the Friendly Islands the missionaries rejoice in the work of the Lord prospering in their hands. . " The harvest is great and the laborers are few, but a band of workers has been raised from among the people, and is being augmented from institutions especially set up for the training of Evangelists. "We believe that islands of the sea belong to the Lord, and that they shall be taught His ways and rejoice in His salvation."

Wangaoui 9 2 7 Otago , 14 4 6 Timaru 2 0 0 Invercargill 1 1 0 Auckland 233 3 2 Manukau 58 17 4 New Plymouth 63 0 2 Total 661 15 6