Wherever she saw sin, she would reprove it with boldness. She exhorted all, with whom she had any intercourse, to flee from the wrath to come; so that the wicked, whether rich or poor, stood in awe of "Grannymother Fanny Casey." She was a woman of much prayer and strong faith. When her children or others were with her, she called them together, and offered up with them her morning, evening, and noon-day sacrifices on the family altar. Private prayer was her delight in this holy exercise she spent a considerable portion of her time: very frequently, in the night season, she would arise from her bed and call upon her God. She had a strong and steady confidence in Divine Providence. Though extremely poor, she rested with ease and quiet on those Scriptures which promise temporal supplies to the people of God; and the Lord honoured her faith, by supplying all her need. She often prayed that she might live to see all her children free; and God gave her the desire of her heart. By the kind assistance of a few poor Members of the Society, principally Slaves, the last of her children, who was in bondage, obtained his freedom a few days before she was seized with her final sickness: he has been a useful Class-Leader for many years. She loved the Means of Grace, and attended them with the utmost punctuality. When the infirmities of age came upon her, she removed to a little hut near the Chapel, that she might not be deterred from fulfilling her accustomed duties in the House of God. Her heart was constantly fixed on the prosperity of the Cause of God: when pure religion languished, she mourned; and when it prospered, she rejoiced. She often prayed that the Cause of Christ might revive in Sandy Point before she died; and when the revival first broke out, her happy soul was almost over. whelmed with joy: she received it as an answer to prayer; and was frequently heard praising God, that she had lived to see those days of grace. For some time previous to her dissolution, the Lord was evidently preparing her for her important change. Her soul was absorbed in God, and in the contemplation of heavenly things: when I inquired after her health, her general reply was, Bless de Lord, Massa, mercy 'till keep me: I am only waiting till me change come.' 99 During her last affliction, which was of short duration, she delightfully displayed the fruit of that perfect love which casteth out fear and purifies the heart. A few hours before her death, she was seized with strong pain, and said, "This is death-pain." While we were holding a meeting in the Chapel, she listened attentively to the voice of prayer; and at the close of each sentence, she loudly said, "Amen!" When the spasms were severe, and her friends were sympathizing with her, she said, "He know what suit de sinner best." She soon afterward departed in peace. Proceedings and Entelligence. make a very different statement, it would not have excited surprise in the minds of those who have calmly looked at the varied and surprising events of the past year; as well as at the fact, now generally known, that a diversity of opinion exists on two points among some of the friends of the Society. The points themselves are of such importance, that your Committee deem it right to call your attention to them. Several respectable and sincere friends of the Institution have, at various times, urged the Committee to introduce ORAL PRAYER into the Public and Committee Meetings, and to recommend the practice to the Auxiliaries generally. Your Committee have never recorded their sentiments on this subject in the form of a Resolution; but they may now state, as their almost-unanimous judgment, that, viewing the peculiar constitution of the Society, they cannot advise the adoption of the measure. When the second point-viz. a MODIFI CATION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF THE SOCIETY WITH REGARD TO QUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP-was first brought under the notice of your Committee, during the past year, by two Auxiliaries (one of some years' standing, the other but just formed), they felt it their duty to record a Resolution to the following effect; viz. -That this Committee, feeling it is their duty not only to confine themselves to the prosecution of the exclusive object of the British and Foreign Bible Society, but also to uphold the simplicity of its Constitution, under which the contributions and assistance of all persons, without respect to religious distinctions, are admissible, earnestly, respectfully, and affectionately entreat the Committees of the Societies in question to reconsider the Resolutions passed at their late Public Meetings with a view to their returning or conforming to the established principles of this Society. To the opinions then expressed, your Committee (with two exceptions) continue to adhere: and they are at liberty to state, that in that opinion they have the concurrence of your President, and many of the Vice-Presidents, together with that of the Committees of several important Auxiliaries who have addressed them upon the subject. They have felt it their duty thus frankly to apprise you of their deliberate conviction on these momentous points; fully believing, that, as has been often stated in former Reports, the Society owes, under the Divine Blessing, its extensive opportunities of usefulness to the simpli city, not only of its object, but also of its constitution. At the Conclusion of the Report the subject is thus resumed :— Your Committee have on many former occasions, in drawing their Report to a conclusion, delighted to dwell upon a variety of pleasing topics connected with the Society; and especially upon that UNION which has existed within its circle, among true Believers of every name. They have thanked God forjoy and thanksgiving have, peradventure, they have rejoiced in that union: their through the infirmity of the flesh, occasionally degenerated into an unseasonable glorying in the principle of the Institution, through the simplicity of which sincere Christians of different Denominations have been enabled to give to each other the right-hand of fellowship, and to enjoy a delightful communion of brotherly love one with another. They are precluded from pursuing such a course on the present occasion: for they have been officially apprised, that it is intended, on this day, and in this assembly, to call in question the soundness of that view of the Constitution of the Society which your Committee (they believe in common with every preceding Committee) have taken: and they have been further apprised, if the soundness of their views be admitted, a demand is to be insisted upon, that a change without delay be made; because, in the judgment of those who are moving the question, the union subsisting in the Society is unhallowed, is unscriptural. Under these circumstances your Committee feel imperiously called upon to offer a few observations on this important point. They will freely admit, that, under the view of the Constitution which they believe to be correct, it may happen-it does happen-that such as embrace those views of Divine Truth, which by the general consent of Christians in every age have been esteemed "THE TRUTH,' shall occasionally find themselves in a painful juxta-position with those who by the same common consent have been accounted to hold serious, nay, fundamental and vital error. But, making this admission, your Committee would appeal to experience, and without any disparagement of the use and value of Creeds, ask, Whether, in Communions professing the purest principles, the same evil be not occasionally to be deplored? and, further, Whether, if the parties objected against should be removed, there would not remain behind persons professing to belong to purer Denominations, who, by their published writings (of which no Committee of a Bible Society could take cognisance), and in other ways, might be as clearly known to hold sentiments almost, if not altogether, as dangerous? It may be admitted again, that expressions have found their way into Addresses at Public Meetings, which carry the principle of the Society's union far beyond its legitimate bounds. But still, how often, how sedulously, has the allimportant distinction been drawn; and how well and how clearly has that distinction been understood, that the union in the Bible Society is a union without compromise-a union in one work alone a union which commits none of the uniting parties to the relinquishment of their own opinions on any other subject, or to the adoption, or even countenance, of the opinions of others. And why should this distinction be applied to every other subject, some of which are of equal weight and importance, while it is deemed inadmissible as it respects the one now before you? The introduction, too, of the name of one class of Subscribers, as no longer fit to remain Members of the Society, would only prepare the way for the introduction of another, by those who may discover fresh grounds of objection. They would further beg leave to inquire, how those who may charitably believe of one another that they hold "the Truth" shall be brought, from among the varied Communions to which they respectively belong, into an effective union, to accomplish a work like that contemplated by the British and Foreign Bible Society. To the infirmities of the human mind it may be attributed, that there is no common declaration of faith, on the great fundamentals of Truth, to which they can all in common subscribe. To the infirmities of the human mind it may be attributed, that some would conscientiously and solemnly object against any actual or implied acknowledgment of submission to any human formulary expressive of the Truth: : yet other than human formulary would not meet the occasion; for, it may be added, were Scriptural Declarations simply proposed in the words of Scripture, and as those words stand in Scripture, the parties now objected against, reserving to themselves the right of interpreting those words, would subscribe as readily as others. To human infirmity it is, doubtless, owing that so many diversities exist; not merely as to minor points, but as to the method and manner of conceiving of and stating the weightier points of the Gospel. The Society may, in one sense, be said to have its foundation in this very infirmity: and were it attempted to define the limits of fundamental truth, as they lie in the Sacred Volume, those who have been brought together upon the simple acknowledgment of the paramount authority of the Sacred Volume must quickly part-a farewell must be taken of one another by Christians hitherto united in the Society's ranksand again must they retire to their respective Communions; and separately carry on that work of the Lord, which consists in giving His Word to the world. The infirmities of the human mind are known unto Him whom the Society professes to serve and is it saying too much, provided it be said with the humility becoming those who venture for a moment to interpret the mind of God respecting the conduct of man in his endeavours to serve Him-is it saying too much, your Committee ask, to say, that, with all our infirmities, He has graciously deigned to accept our labours? Is it too much to hope, that He will yet deign to accept them, though it be admitted that that scheme on which we are united be not perfect at every point-be not free from every objection? Is it too much to hope, that the number of those who shall love the Bible for its own sake, for the sake of our God and Saviour whom it reveals to man, and who shall therefore be deeply zealous for its propagation, will ever outweigh, by a vast majority, those who, not having these views in common with themselves, may yet, from other causes, be willing to join in the work of the Society: and that thus the Institution shall be preserved from the evil effects dreaded by some; and shall thus remain, what it has ever substantially been, and which under God is the secret of its strength, a centre round which good men shall meet; and, if they cannot now lay aside the infirmities which prevent them from being perfectly joined together in one mind, look forward to that period, when they shall no longer see through a glass darkly, but shall walk in the light in that City and that heavenly country, of which the Lamb is the light, the Sun of Righteousness shining in the brightness of His strength? Your prayers, which can now ascend in silence to the Throne of Grace, are earnestly entreated, that a wisdom better than man's wisdom may guide the decisions of this important day-that the wisdom which is from above may this day appear, first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated—and that, under the guidance of that wisdom, the mind's eye, the eye of faith, may pierce within the veil-may realize the solemn hour, when the question shall not be, Who are worthy for admission into a Society such as yours; but, Who shall be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man? May considerations such as these allay all undue heat of feeling, and lead our thoughts to Him who hath made peace by the blood of His Cross; looking unto which alone can any hope to be presented faultless before His glory, with exceeding joy. WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Renewed Zeal of a Collector. An instance of the exemplary zeal of one of the friends who collect for the Society was stated at p. 83 of our last Volume: in reference to his exertions since that time he thus writes: During the past year, I have waited on upward of Two thousand and ninetysix Families twice over; once in leaving the "General Views," &c., and a second - time in taking them up again. High and low, rich and poor - all have had the encouraging Missionary Intelligence, contained in the last Publications, laid before them: all have been solicited to lend their support to this Blessed Cause. I have again widened my extensive circuit round this place; and have travelled on foot, on these errands, upward of two hundred and fifty-six miles, without adding one item of expense to the Society. Success tends to encouragement; and reward sweetens toil. In many of the villages, and in the surrounding country, where this Missionary Society was scarcely heard of before I visited them, much information has been circulated; and the inhabitants, generally, have much increased their subscriptions. Wherever I have travelled, near or distant, my visits have been received, by both rich and poor, with the most Christian Kindness, and good wishes and prayers for the prosperity of this Sacred Cause; and, in sitting down at the close of the year and surveying the past, I do exceedingly rejoice, as they that divide the spoil. I rejoice in the goodness of God; and if spared, I hope, in the strength of Divine Grace, to return to this work with renewed vigour and animation; always placing my trust and hopes of future success in the Lord alone. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE annexed Tabular and Comparative Views of the Missions have lately appeared. TABULAR VIEW OF THE SOCIETY'S MISSIONS FOR THE YEAR 1831. COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE MISSIONS IN 1831 WITH THEIR STATE IN 1818. May 1828. May 1831. Principal Stations, where European Missionaries labour;) exclusive of the Dependencies of those Stations European Missions .. Assistants, Missionary Artisans, Native Teachers, Readers, Catechists, and Schoolmasters.. Schools Scholars. 16,400 20,543 ABSTRACTS OF ADDRESSES AT VARIOUS RECENT ANNIVERSARIES. We shall confine ourselves, in the present Number, to a collection of the most useful FACTS stated by different Speakers. UNITED KINGDOM. which she resided was very densely in Instances of Benefits effected by Visiting habited, and the Lady, in the first in Societies. In a distant town with which I am acquainted, a Society of this kind was established by a near Relation of a Gentleman now on the Platform. In that town, which contains 12,000 inhabitants, about 6000 have been visited; and, out of this number, 209 were found who were absolutely incapacitated, by bodily ailments, from attending Divine Worship. What would have become of these poor persons, if they had not been visited ? but their wants becoming thus known, they were provided with the means of spiritual instruction. In the same town, in the course of the first year of the Society's operations, 105 Young Persons, who were in the habit of wasting their Sundays in idleness, or worse than idleness, were induced to attend Divine Worship, and to receive instruction in Sunday Schools. There were, likewise, 72 persons who had not been in the habit of attending any Place of Worship, who were persuaded to become regular attendants at Church. Is it necessary for me to point out the advantage of rescuing so many from habits of idleness and irreligion? Many families in that town have, since the formation of the Society, adopted the salutary practice of Daily Family-Prayer. The Visitors also succeeded in collecting small subscriptions from about 250 poor persons; which were placed in a fund, from whence they are paid back to them again when they are visited by sickness or distress. A great and salutary change was effected in the town. [Bp. of Chester- at Dist. Visit, Soc. An. A Lady, who was one of the Visitors of a District Society, went to visit a poor woman on her death-bed. The place in June, 1831. stance, went into a wrong room. Here she found an Old Woman busily employed in teaching five or six young persons to gamble, and training them up for the worst of purposes: shocked with this scene of revolting profligacy, she left the place, and proceeded to the room in which the poor sick object of her visit lay. How great the contrast! There was a neatness and regularity about the apartment, which in some degree indicated the moral order of its occupants. On a bed at one end of the room lay the dying woman: beside her sat her little daughter, a child of ten years old, who was reading the Bible to her afflicted parent. When she saw her visitor approach, she raised her eyes in a spirit of joy and thankfulness, and expressed her gratitude to God for having directed the District Visiting Society to her poor dwelling. Her Husband, she said, who had some time before lain stretched on that bed which she then occupied, and dying of a consumption, had been visited by some Members of the Society: he had been supplied with Tracts and Books, and by these, and the kindly instructions of his visitors, his heart was raised to the Lord: his peace of mind was restored, and she had reason to hope that he left this world in a lively confidence in the Lord Jesus. Her little girl, she said, had been sent to a Sunday School; and she herself was now enjoying the delightful result of her instruction there, in having her read to her the Bible in her hour of sickness. For all these mercies the poor woman expressed her thanks to God; and, under Him, her gratitude to the Society. Such scenes as this-and no doubt many such occur-are calculated to improve the hearts of the 2 M |