from The Chisholm, in which that gentleman said : "I am not quite certain whether or not I shall be able to get to ExeterHall on Monday.........I feel very great interest, not only in the Missionary labours of the Wesleyans, but in that body generally; for I consider them one of the main supports of the Protestantism of our country. If I can manage to do so, it will afford me unqualified pleasure to attend the Meeting." A letter from Sir Augustus D'Este, addressed to Dr. Alder, was likewise read, to the following effect : "You know how very uncertain my unsatisfactory state of health must, upon all occasions, make my personal attendance; and I am unable to attend so great a Meeting to-day. That no loss, however, may be sustained by my absence, I beg to forward my humble contribution in support of the Society." (The enclosure was a cheque for ten guineas.) DR. BUNTING added, that he was sorry to state, that Mr. Emerson Tennent, the excellent Chairman of last year, was prevented from attending by the pressure of official business. The Society was very much indebted, in several respects, to Mr. Tennent for his continued kindness, and therefore deeply regretted his absence. Dr. Bunting then read a letter from Mr. Tennent, stating, that he was under the necessity of attending the West-Indian Colonies' Committee, but assuring the Society of his most anxious interest in all its proceedings. J. P. PLUMPTRE, ESQ., M. P. for East Kent, said,-Mr. Chairman, and my Christian friends, I can assure you I sincerely regret, that it was not in my power to be present at the opening of your Meeting; and I also must express the regret I feel, that I must very shortly, after having had the honour of addressing you, retire from the Meeting, on account of that press of public business which has been alluded to in the note read by the reverend Doctor from my honourable friend Mr. Emerson Tennent, and which does indeed press upon us, who are Members of Parliainent, very heavily, especially at this time. But, although I cannot partake fully of the pleasures of the day, yet I am thankful to be able to appear amongst you, if but for a short time, to assure you of the delight I feel in being permitted, in some little measure, to labour with those who, I believe, "love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," and who desire, as far as in them lies, to extend the boundaries of his kingdom. I have had much satisfaction, as a Member of Parliament, in presenting, during the course of the present session of Parliament, a large number of petitions, I believe I may say about forty, from different congregations of the Wesleyan body, against the National Grant to the Romish College at Maynooth. I greatly rejoice to find, that whilst there may be amongst some a readiness to imbibe a spirit of indifference in matters bearing upon Protestantism, the followers of John Wesley-nay, I would rather call them the followers of Jesus Christ-are ready still to protest against error; are ready still to lift up their voices against Popery itself. And, Sir, in allusion to the remarks made by a Reverend brother on my right, (Dr. Tyng,) I would say, that I, as a member of the Established Church of the country, am anxious to lift up my voice against what I consider to be Popery itself, whether that Popery shows itself at Rome, or whether it emanates from Oxford. We are met, Sir, not as you and I commonly meet, for the discussion of worldly and secular matters, matters which must be attended to, matters which require much of our time; but, Sir, we are assembled to-day to consider more important matters,matters bearing upon the eternal interests of our fellow-creatures: and, Sir, I rejoice to be at your side in promoting such a noble cause as this; for if we know anything of the value of that religion, the religion of Jesus Christ, which it is our endeavour and our desire to propagate far and near,-if we know and, in proportion as we know, value that religion, we shall indeed think it not only our duty, but our honour and our happiness, to be engaged in such a cause as this. O, Sir, who can tell what unspeakable benefits that religion confers upon our race! Who can tell what it does for the poor sinner, who has been brought to feel his need of its saving and healing remedies! Is it not the religion which offers a full and a free salvation to the lost? Is it not the religion which raises us above the poor perishing events of this passing world, and leads us to seek those treasures which are durable and eternal? Yes, Sir, if we do know our Saviour, (and I pray God we all, in this vast assembly, may know the value of "the name which is above every name,") we shall desire to sound that name so loud, that all the world may hear it. We shall, in proportion as we fcel the preciousness of the Saviour for ourselves, be ready to adopt the language of that beautiful hymn : "Jesus, thy blood and righteousness "When from the dust of death I rise, Yes, Sir, and if this be our belief; if the truth be brought home to ourselves individually in this way; if we have been enabled to say of the adorable Redeemer, that "he hath loved me, and given himself for me;" then we cannot rest satisfied without doing what in us lies, to make known "the exceeding riches of his grace to our perishing fellow-creatures far and near. Sir, as I came to this Meeting to-day, I observed a considerable bustle in the street; and, upon inquiring into its cause, I was told it was an assembly of people meeting together, to see the petition of the Chartists carried to the House of Commons. That petition is said to be signed by between two and three millions of the people of this country, praying for an extension of political rights and privileges. But, thought I to myself, whatever may be the opinion of these men,and I would not utter a word showing the slightest disrespect towards them,what are the things they ask for, compared with those blessings which the poor Heathen are asking for, and which the friends, with whom I am about to associate myself, are anxious to confer? Political privileges !-they may be accompanied with good, or they may be accompanied with much evil; but the blessings our fellow-sinners are asking you to confer upon them, are blessings unspeakable and eternal. There can be no doubt about that. I feel that I must allude very shortly to the motion that has been put into my hand : "That this Meeting thankfully acknowledges the practical sympathy with the Society in its financial difficulties manifested by the Church-Members and Congregations at the Mission-Stations in the West Indies, and in other parts of the world; as well as by the Missionaries themselves in South Africa and elsewhere." My Christian friends, we have some little movement in this country at present with regard to an income-tax. Now, what think you? I am told, that your Missionaries in South Africa (liberal men!) have consented to impose an income-tax of ten per cent. on their salaries, in order to aid the Society, and help it out of its difficulties. Now, is not this a delightful and encouraging consideration? Sir Robert Peel would like to have to deal with such men as these. When they find that their Society is in difficulty,that your finances are at a low ebb,— they do not show any factious opposition to meeting the necessity, but they come forward, and from their hearts say, "There is a necessity, and we will tax ourselves; we wait not to be taxed; we will pay ten per cent. out of our incomes." They, I believe, have at the bottom something more than a mere reference to the temporal difficulties of the Society, they have a regard to the honour of their great Lord and Master, and to the salvation of immortal souls; and it is this consideration that has ren dered them willing to make such a sacrifice, a sacrifice which I am confident they will never miss, and with regard to which they will never have cause to repent having made it. But if they, my Christian friends, have shown such a spirit and feeling as this in Southern Africa, does it not say something to us who are living in this favoured country? Are we willing to impose an income-tax on ourselves for this object, and with the view of meeting these difficulties? I trust the spirit that has animated these good men will, by God's grace, animate this Christian community; and that, if difficulties, financial difficulties, are found in this and other institutions of a similar description, there will not be wanting those who will be ready to come forward, and stand in the gap, and do what lies in their power, for the honour of their God, and the advancement of his cause. I now beg to move the Resolution. The REV. JAMES DIXON, President of the Conference, was received with great applause. He said,—There is a state of the heart, in which the expres sion of joy can receive no echo. If any thing could excite feelings of pleasurable animation and pious delight in my mind, it would be the kind, affectionate, and hearty reception which my old friends have now given me. I have been endeavouring, Sir, to enter into the spirit of your noble and exalted proceedings; but I feel, on standing before you, as if my mind was almost paralyzed; and if I am to give utterance to any sentiments which may be at all profitable, it must be by the inspiration either of my theme or of God. I think, however, that our Meeting today has been of the old character and. class. It has been graced by a young Nobleman of the sister island, a Protestant, a legislator, and, I trust, one of Christian principles and promise. It has been honoured by your own presidency, and I may be permitted to say, we are glad to see amongst us an old friend. It has been admirably supported, in its spirit, by the talent, the eloquence, the wellprincipled piety and zeal, of our friends of the Church of Scotland. It has been also favoured with the presence of an Episcopal Clergyman of the Anglican Church in America; and thus, at the Meeting to-day, we are presenting types of that union, charity, affection, and cooperation, which have been so admirably dwelt upon by preceding speakers. The matter, I presume, now fails very much into Methodist hands. Our friends of other nations, and of other parties, have admirably sustained their portion of the great and interesting work of the day; and I am sure when I have done,-when I have finished my poor performance, my friends on my right hand, Mr. Waugh, Mr. Newton, and others, will well sustain the character of our own Connexion. I presume it will best accord with the sentiments of those who manage the proceedings of the day, if I, at least on my part, enter as well as I am able into some practical considerations regarding our position. The preliminary and opening proceedings of the day, it strikes me, have been rather unusual. The financial part of the Report, which used to be delivered to us at the close, was delivered at the beginning. DR. BUNTING-It was so last year also. Since we got into debt, we have found it necessary to do so. The Rev. J. DIXON-Yes, that is just the thing, that is just what I thought, that, being in debt, and under some anxiety, it seems to have entered into the judgment of the Secretaries, that they had better take us when we are most fresh,-when we are most able to receive an impression, and most capable of entering into it with becoming spirit. I thought that was the reason, and so it turns out; and it is quite right. Sir, it is not for me to become the apologist of the Society's proceedings; and yet, if the task were imposed upon me by authority, I should have no objection at all to undertake it. Although we have some embarrassment, I think we are right in principle, as well as in the expenditure of the funds intrusted to the management of the Committee. I am prepared to maintain that proposition, that if we had not been in debt, we should not have held our present position, and our present position is worth a great deal more to us than the amount of our debt. There is great difficulty in considering one thing in connexion with another; but it would be wrong altogether to isolate our debt and difficulties from everything connected with the position of the Society at this moment. Sir, I am obliged myself to consider our embarrassments in connexion with the world's wants, with the world's woes, with the world's danger. It would be quite easy for us to enjoy a very comfortable state of religion. John Wesley might have remained in his retirement at Oxford; given himself to the study of theology; been a quiet son of the Church; refused to itinerate through the nation; and so saved himself from rebuke, contumely, opposition, rotten eggs, stones, and all the difficulties he met with in his great and important task. And we might very quietly and comfortably enjoy our religious privileges; give ourselves (those who are capable of it) to the study of philosophy; others to poetry; others to the cultivation of mystic religion, or to meditation upon abstractions: we might quietly and comfortably enjoy our classes, our sacraments, our Christian means and ordinances, from Sabbath to Sabbath. We need not give ourselves any trouble about the state and condition of the world. We might fold our arms, and save ourselves from embarrassment, and let the world go on in its present state; and then we shall have no anxiety at all about debts. But, Sir, can we do so, and be Christians? Can we do so, and be a true part of the church of Christ? I say we cannot. What do I behold abroad in the world? I behold millions of men in ignorance; millions of men devoted to idolatry; millions of men in a state of the utmost barbarism; millions of men, we have every reason to conclude, destitute of all preparation for that immortality to which they are rushing; and can we stand by and behold their condition and state, without any movement, without any exertion, without any effort to bring about a better state of things? We might do so, but we should cease to be a Christian church if we did. Now, Sir, this is the true question. You have the world's wants on the one side, and you have your own expenditure on the other. I ask if our expenditure is too great to meet these wants? Do we contribute too much? I am persuaded that every person in this assembly will echo, "No." It is true we have in some former years gone a little beyond our means. The resources we possess, and the end sought, have not exactly. agreed together; but that has only been an excess of our charity, if an excess it can be called. Sir, it is impossible that we can love our race too much; that we can feel too deeply respecting their state; that our sympathies can be too tender; that our compassion can be too great. As to the excess of £10,000 or £12,000 a year, when all you do is poured upon the poor perishing condition of a whole world of sinners, it sinks into mere insignificancy; it is nothing. When I throw my attention abroad on the state of the whole world, I say these financial matters are not to be considered for a single moment in contrast with the sighs, the groans, the miseries, and the dangers of the world. I congratulate myself, I congratulate you, my friends, the Secretaries, and all around me, that we now love our perishing fellow-creatures a little beyond £100,000 a year. Is this too much for a cause so noble, although the excess has entailed a transient difficulty? Sir, this position of embarrassment and difficulty must be considered in union with something else; with the principles of the Gospel; and with our own designation and vocation. We hold as a principle, that we are acting at present, and have acted from the beginning, upon a divine vocation. That, indeed, is denied us. It is affirmed we have no such call; that God has nothing at all to do with our operations; that we are not true Ministers; that we are not a church; that we are schismatics. Various epithets of that description have been applied to us. We believe, however, that we do act upon a divine designation and vocation; and I should like to put the opponents of this position to the proof of the contrary. I really think they will have a great deal more to prove on their side, than I can have to vindicate on mine. They will have to show, by logical deduction, how it came to pass that John Wesley was so successful in his mission; how Francis Asbury, in America, came to lay the foundation of an Episcopal Methodist church, so numerous and influential; how Dr. Coke came to be so successful in forming and constituting some of the most beautiful and glorious churches in all Christendom, those in the West Indies; how Benjamin Clough, and his noble compeers, when they went to India, succeeded in laying the foundation of a Ceylonese Mission; and then they will have to account for the great and important fact, how it is that, at this moment, we number, in connexion with our Missionary department of the work, somewhere about eighty thousand persons, who in general enjoy the faith and privileges of the Gospel, as well as exhibit its spirit, besides all who are gone to heaven. Now, Sir, we have done all this, either with or without God. Have we done it without Him? Has our eloquence charmed this church into existence? Have we argued the people into a state of justification, moral renovation, and practical piety? Have we breathed into them the breath of spiritual life and holy joy? Have we constituted them what they generally appear to be, moral, religious, and excellent persons? Sir, if we have accomplished all this by the powers of our own genius, we are really a much mightier people than I ever thought we were. No, Sir, this is not our work, except instrumentally. It is God's. Where I find a Christian, I find the work of God. We have Christians associated with us on almost every distant foreign shore ; and I bring forth these converted people as a proof of the divinity of our Mission. Nothing could be more beautiful than the illustration of our excellent friend, Dr. Buchanan, from Glasgow, when he descended into the warehouse-stories of our Missionary-hall. But if I want a proof of our success, I would not go to our warehouse of stores and outfits, but to living men. Come forward, fifty thousand converted Negroes! Stand up, ye Hottentots, ye Kaffirs, ye Great and Little Namaquas, and give us proof of the divinity of our call in your own conversion and holy joy! See your ten or twelve thousand people in the societies of the Polynesian islands, who were in a state of utter ignorance, barbarism, hardly idolatry, for they scarcely seemed to have a perception either of a material or an immaterial God; but who are now kneeling at your altars, singing your hymns, reading your Bible, offering prayer, devout prayer, in the morning and the evening, and exhibiting all the beauties and loveliness of an incipient piety!and there is one of them!-(pointing to the New-Zealander on the platform, amidst loud cheering.) I was never more pleased, than by the information given yesterday, by one of the Secretaries, that a medical gentleman, who went out to NewZealand on account of his health, sceptically disposed as to the usefulness of Missions, thinking it impossible you could ever raise that poor, degraded, and barbarous people into the character of Christians, had called at the Missionhouse, and informed our friends, that his observations in New-Zealand had led him altogether to alter his mind; that in a chapel where these New-Zealanders worship, a thousand people meet, and sing the hymns you have given them in their own language, with an animation, a pathos, and a joy which we at home seldom, if ever, witness. They respond to our Liturgy, which it seems has been translated into their language, with a loud "Amen," and nobody is offended. They listen to their Minister, it is said, with intense attention; and the remark was, that if a volley of artillery were fired against the building, it would scarcely move them. On attending public worship for the first time in this country, in the City-road chapel, yesterday morning, the young stranger from New-Zealand, now on the platform, remarked, that the chapel was better than theirs, but the congregation not so good. These are our witnesses. As to this question of apostolic succession, you will perhaps allow me, in passing, to say a word. I greatly deplore its agitation. It is no joy to me, Sir, to have the mastery in argument; to think that I have truth on my side; to imagine that I stand upon a good foundation, and am capable of supporting it; because it is no joy to me to have to vindicate myself on these principles, amidst all these contentions. My impression is, that the great adversary is taking advantage over us; that he is setting us together by the ears. A fine spirit had been generated; a generous catholic feeling was growing up; Christians met together in friendly converse to promote the work of God, in a spirit of unity, specimens of which we nave witnessed to-day; but the wily and arch enemy has intruded topics of discord, that we may give ourselves to the study of unprofitable ecclesiastical questions, instead of giving ourselves exclusively to the promotion of the kingdom of God and the conversion of souls. have a great mind to take the liberty which I think my office warrants me in taking, that of suggesting a word of caution to my Methodist friends. While we defend our position, as a branch of the true church of Christ, do let us keep to our great work,-that of labouring for the justification, the sanctification, the conversion, and salvation of men. Carry out your itinerant principles; go every where: keep to your noble Missionary enterprise; let nothing divert you. the grace and blessing of God, we will be true to principle, true to our calling, true to the designation of our great Master, and we will still go on, in spite of these ecclesiastical contests, to the conversion' of the world; and if we fail now to conwince our opponents of the validity of I By our designation, and of the presence of the Lord with us, we can afford to leave the settlement of the questions about our orders, and our calling, a little longer; and then we will argue, in the course of fifty or a hundred years hence, or our successors shall do it, whether or not we are Christians, whether or not we are a branch of the holy catholic church, whether or not we have been doing the Lord's will and the Lord's work. Sir, these considerations are to be associated with our pecuniary embarrassments and difficulties. A dispensation of the Gospel has been committed to us. We are obliged, then, to proclaim it; we have no right to hide it, in order that we may save our money,-pitiful and paltry money. What is that when compared with the salvation of man? with the extension of the Redeemer's glory? Why, I very much doubt whether any of us have yet made any sacrifice,-except the poor. The poor have done it: they give up their pence, and it is to them a real sacrifice. But I want to know whether a man who is laying up several thousands a year, and should find it in his heart to give one for Christ, is making any sacrifice. My own impression and belief is, that we have not yet arrived at the elevation of Christian charity required by what God calls us to accomplish. I do not find in the commission anything respecting support and provision. I find this positive, absolute, and simple commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel." That is the commission, that is the calling, that is our designation; and then all the rest is supposed to follow. It seems that God, the Author of the apostolic commission, in giving it, assumed, as it were, that his people would never be backward to contribute of their substance, in order to its due execution. When the first Ministers of Christ went out, had they purse or scrip? When John Wesley went forth to carry the Gospel message, had he a large sum of money in his pocket? He had got his horse, I suppose. DR. BUNTING-And his Oxford Fellowship. The REV. J. DIXON-Dr. Bunting says, "his Oxford Fellowship." Well, then, let us take the case of John Nelson, if you please. Had John Nelson a large sum provided, when he, and our noble and great Founder, ate blackberries in Cornwall, lay on a boarded floor, their saddle-bags for pillows, and then congratulated each other, during the night, that both sides of their bodies were not raw? Sir, I am sure of the |