enjoy their privileges, as free men. He was anxious that the Negro population of the West Indies should have the Gospel, which, while promoting their highest, because their spiritual and eternal, interests, must inevitably raise them to a state of civil freedom; and on looking round in search of agency for the attainment of this desirable end, he was induced strongly to recommend the Wesleyan Missionaries as every way deserving encouragement. Nor had his confidence been misplaced. The course which the Wesleyans had pursued, had placed them in a commanding position as persons from whose labours amongst the emancipated Negroes this country may confidently anticipate no other than the most beneficial results. Although he had not lately attended the Meetings of the Society, he had not been inattentive to its proceedings. He had derived high gratification from its monthly Notices and yearly Reports, which were most valuable, instructive, and encouraging. In the New-Zealand question, he had taken a lively interest. He had witnessed with deep feeling the interruption which was given to Missionary labour there by the dissolute and lawless conduct of our run-away seamen and convicts. A certain Association, it was true, had most kindly offered to take the care and management of the whole island, and put an end to those disorders. Those offers reminded him of the Squire in the adventures of a well-known Knight, who, in reply to the question as to whether he judged himself to be competent to take upon himself the civil and religious government of an island which had been named, said, "I really feel that within myself which tells me that I can govern any island, however big." Such was the case with the New. Zealand Association. They had the feeling that they could manage all the affairs of New-Zealand. The Committee of the House of Lords, however, had a different feeling upon the subject. They entered upon a full investigation of the state of things in New-Zealand, and the effects produced by Missionary teaching; and their noble and memo. rable verdict was, that no mercantile plans or speculations should be allowed to set aside, or interfere with, the system of Missionary operations which had produced such a wonderful change in the character and pursuits of numbers of the once ferocious and cannibal population of those interesting islands. Looking at the success of the Society in New-Zealand and else

where, he was persuaded, that the results of their disinterested labours were to be classed amongst the most decided and splendid instances of success which had been vouchsafed to Missionary effort in modern times. He was particularly struck with that boldness of Christian piety with which the Wesleyan Society engages in enterprise the most dangerous and difficult. And the secret of their courage and success was, that they adopted scriptural principles, and applied scriptural means, in confident reliance on the promises of the Gospel. They went to the Heathen under the conviction that they were depraved and fallen creatures, whose case could only be reached by one remedy, but that an effectual one, and they acted accordingly; and the success with which God has honoured their working faith, demonstrates that they have taken the right course to reclaim and elevate the cruel and ferocious savage. He was a great reader of books of voyages and travels; and while referring to the auspicious commencement of the Society's Mission in Feejee, he would advert to a fact connected with the melancholy end of the celebrated French circumnavigator, Perouse, in the vicinity of that group. The naturalist who accompanied him was a freethinker, who, on the night previous to the massacre, maintained, in conversation at the supper-table, that natural, unsophisti cated man was always well-principled and good; but, before the close of another day, he himself fell a victim to the savage cruelty of those who were the subjects of his eulogy. The Wesleyan Missionaries did not go amongst those "children of nature" with such views. They did not venture amongst them because they believed them to be virtuous and good. They knew that the inhabitants of Fee jee were monsters in depravity and cruelty; but they fearlessly landed on their inhospitable shores, in the spirit of Him who came to seek and to save that which was lost, and in firm reliance upon the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world ;" and most cheering and encouraging was the result. He should not have felt satisfied, had he not given public expression of his confidence in the Wesleyan Society. Believing that Jesus Christ died as an atonement for the sins of the world, he honoured the Society which was exerting itself to make the efficacy of his blood known to the ends of the earth. In the agitations which have taken place at home, the Wesleyans, as a body, had maintained, throughout, their consist

ency. They had been assailed by temptation, and had been exposed to reproach; but they had neither been terrified nor seduced from their longcherished principles to move to the right hand or the left. They had nothing to lose by altering their position; they might gain; but the interests of our common cause were dearer to them than any merely sectarian advantages, which might be gained by the overthrow of the established Church. Looking at the state of society in our country, they knew we had no Christianity to spare, and would not, therefore, have the efficiency of the Church diminished. Besides, they saw the folly of hoping to get up a nice little earthquake, which, beginning at Westminster Abbey its work of Church destruction, should proceed thence at once to St. Paul's Cathedral, and leave all the chapels between those two points untouched and uninjured. They had nobly, in the time of trial, maintained the principles which they had ever avowed from the time of their great Founder; and their conduct at home, and their labours in the conversion of the Heathen, equally entitled them to his confidence and support. He then moved the following Resolution:

"That this Meeting contemplates with especial gratitude and delight the triumphs of the Gospel, and the consequent prevention of exterminating wars, and the spread of the arts and blessings of civilized life in South Africa, NewZealand, and the Friendly Islands; the opening prospects of the new Mission in Feejee; and the auspicious commencement of the Mission among the degraded aborigines of Australia."

SIR JAMES EDWARD ALEXANDER, honourably known to the public as one of the most recent African travellers, rose to second the Resolution. He begged to say, that he had been engaged in war in Africa, although he regretted the necessity of having been so engaged; and it was chiefly owing to the influence of the Wesleyan Missionaries that that war had been put a stop to. He had observed in Africa the difference between the natives who had been under the influence of the Missionaries, and those who had continued in their state of native wildness. In the latter state, they were exceedingly vicious and depraved; and in the former, very much improved, and progressing to improve, in every possible manner. Those under the influence of the Missionaries were cultivating the soil, and applying

themselves satisfactorily to industrious habits; and he had no doubt that, under the influence of the Wesleyan Methodists, the commerce, the cultivation, and the useful habits of large numbers of the South-African natives would daily increase.

The REV. JOHN MACLEAN, of Sheffield, said,-When, in a moment of weakness, I consented to take part in the religious services of this Anniversary, I stipulated-I certainly intended to stipulate--with my friend Dr. Alder, that I should be exempted from any obligation to take part in any of the proceedings of this day. I am sorry to say, that my esteemed friend has forgotten this stipulation; and that, although I have made repeated appeals to the compassion of all the Secretaries, yet I have been compelled to take a humble part-and humble it must be in the proceedings of this vast assembly. Sir Peter, I cannot refrain from expressing the unmingled delight with which I have regarded you as the Chairman of this Meeting, and with which I listened to your admirable address; and from the recollection of former years, connected with some anecdotes of an old Scotch Provost, with whom I happened to be acquainted, I have not been able but to regard your presence here with peculiar interest. Sir, I rejoice at it on account, also, of the noble stand, the truly catholic stand, which you have made for Protestant principles. Incidentally, you have defended Wesleyan Methodism; but essentially, and more than Wesleyan Methodism, you have defended Protestant principles. After

this defence, I must consider this to be a most happy day, that has seen you come to such a Meeting as this, and to preside over such an assembly; for I am sure, there are no meetings, in their influence and operations, more likely to be fatal to sectarian bigotry, which you, Sir Peter, have so successfully opposed, than the assemblies held from year to year, in connexion with the various evangelical Societies that meet in this Hall. When we hear the Reports made of the proceedings of the different evangelical Societies in this country; and when we look at the operations of our own Society, as one among the "sacramental host of God's elect," all engaged in the great enterprise, and connected with the real apostolical succession; we cannot but, with pleasing prospects, look forward to the verdure of the desert, and the luxuriant fruits of the plains that are now parching to be watered with our exertions. As the sight of fruits and verdure manifest the presence

of the sun, so the facts in the Missionary Reports prove that the various Societies are connected with the real apostolical succession. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to our Saviour, saying, "Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?" the reply was, "Go, and tell John, that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." And when amiable men, but mistaken men, come forward to contend with those who are diffusing the Gospel among pagan nations, and say, "Art thou he that should come, or are we to go to some other?" we answer, the London Missionary Society answers, the Church Missionary Society answers, (and, blessed be God, it is among the happiest evidences that it is connected with the true apostolical succession,) all the various Societies answer, "The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." Sir, the influence of such a Meeting as this upon those narrow, sectarian feelings which are, I trust, only temporarily revived in some quarters, is sure to be destructive of them. It rejoices our hearts to see many gentlemen and many Ministers of other denominations present on such an occasion as this. It rejoices my heart unspeakably; and I am reminded, when I look round on the various gentlemen of other denominations who have addressed us, of a story I heard a long time since in the north, about a countryman of mine, who went out one morning before the sun had dissipated the mists from the tops of my native mountains, amongst which he then was. There he saw, or thought he saw, on the summit of a hill before him, and descending towards himself, something in the shape of a monster, something of a very frightful aspect indeed. His Scotch heart, I suppose, was ready to quail at the sight. I am not sure whether he did not consider that the better part of valour was discretion, and that it would be as well for him to retire from the scene; but, however, mustering up all his Scotch or Highland courage, he waited till this frightful monster approached nearer; and by and by, as it approached, the frightfulness of its form became less, until (strange to tell!) he found the figure, which had seemed to him to be a monster, when surrounded by mist on the top of the mountains, to be his own brother. So, Sir, when we see each other on the tops of the mountains of our various sec

tarian peculiarities, to which my elo. quent friend, Mr. Bunting, has so beautifully referred, we are apt to regard each other as monsters: but as the sun of true catholicity arises, it dispels the mists that intercept our view, and, as we come nearer and nearer, behold, we find ourselves to be brethren! I should be very sorry indeed, if, in making these remarks, which have occurred to me since I came into this Hall, I should be mistaken, in reference to my sentiments. I love the Church of England. I rejoice in her increasing beauty and glory as a Church. I cannot but regard any obscurity which envelopes her at present as a passing cloud, which is sure to be dispelled; and that she will yet come forth, "fair as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners." I know not whether, in such a strain as this, I am justified in offering any further remarks; but, in reference to the appeal on the subject of finance, which has been so forcibly made by the Report, and supported so well by subsequent speakers, as a Minister from the country, I think it may not be improper for me to bear my personal testimony, in reference to the keeping up of our funds. Reference has been made to the munificent contributions of the rich. Now, I can only say, that God has given us, in connexion with the contributions of the rich, the hearts of the poor. I was much struck, and deeply affected, by a circumstance that came under my notice in the course of a visit to a town in the neigh bourhood of that in which I reside, respecting the singular zeal of a poor widow. She had a very small independence, upon which to subsist, but which afforded no surplus fund to enable her to demonstrate the extent of the liberality of her disposition. What did she do? She determined to increase her means of contribution to the Wesleyan Missionary Society by keeping a day-school. She charged the small sum of a penny a week for educating each scholar; and at the Meeting I attended, she contributed, from that source, a most handsome sum, in the modest shape of a Missionary box. The resources of the Redeemer, then, you may be persuaded, are most ample, when he can lead a poor widow to exert herself to assist the operations of your Society by such exertions as these. I was likewise deeply affected by a remark in the Report, that some pagan Chief had said, "What have we done, that we should not have Christian Missionaries? Let this remark sink deeply into your hearts, into the hearts of all

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who love the Lord Jesus Christ; because what have all the Heathen done, from whom applications have been made for Missionaries, that they should not have Christian Missionaries sent out to them? The Lord Jesus has redeemed them; the Lord Jesus has a right to the homage of their hearts, a right to their worship, a right to their services; and we, his professed servants, ought to go to them, in obedience to his command, with his Gospel in our hands, and bring them into subjugation to his laws.

The Resolution was put, and carried unanimously.

MR. ALDERMAN VENABLES said, -I have very recently entered this great assembly, and I have been requested to propose a Resolution for your adoption. When I consider my own inadequacy, under any circumstances, to do justice to a proposition made upon such a subject, and to such an assembly as this, I might, perhaps, complain of the responsibility that has been thrown upon me; but with the sympathy which I have in what is going forward, and with my feelings as a Christian towards the Wesleyan Missionary Society, whose Anniversary we have this day met to celebrate, I own I cannot refuse to do what is in my power towards the great object in support of which you are assembled. I have just left the confusion and turmoil of this great city; and I cannot help being struck with the contrast, on entering this Meeting, where all are occupied with one object, all hearts at least disposed to do their utmost towards the furtherance of one grand object, the promulgation of the Gospel among the Heathen, and the making known of the name of Christ to those who are in pagan darkness, or lying under midnight superstition. If there be any one subject that has an overwhelming claim upon any Christian, I should think it is this. It is our duty, in proportion to the means with which God has blessed us, to do our utmost to make known to them who are without it, the glad tidings of the Gospel, which the Apostle calls our "common salvation ;" and it is consoling for us to think, that, at a period like the present, when there are so many unhappy instances of contention in the church of Christ, all are pretty well agreed on this, and that there is a general feeling, among all classes of Christians, in favour of Missionary efforts. It was but a few days ago, that I attended, at another place, a Meeting held for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, where I heard Archbishops and Bishops give utterance to the same evan

gelical sentiments which I have had the happiness to hear here to-day. I saw some there then, whom I see here to-day, -Methodists, who were delighted with what they saw and heard on that occasion. If I asked them the reason of their being present, I believe they would reply pretty much in the same language as I should reply myself, if I were asked why I am here to-day,- Because the points on which we are all agreed as Christians are of such overwhelming importance,so manifold and so great, compared with those upon which we differ, that we can most readily give each other the right hand of fellowship, and do all we can for the purpose of exciting each other to love and good works. I think it would be almost as reasonable for an army, about to encounter a foe, upon whose success against that foe the liberty of their country depended, it would as well become the soldiers of that army to quarrel with each other on account of the colour of their regimentals, or the shape of their accoutrements, as for Christians to differ upon the way in which the Gospel shall be sent to other countries. Have we not the same great Captain ? Have we not the same great object in view? Why should we differ, then, as to the smaller points, which are scattered as chaff before the wind, when we come to Christian argument and Christian feeling. A solemn thought struck me, when I entered this assembly. Though I have been here before, I was never so struck with the magnificent view which presented itself before me on entering; and thought, What would be the feelings of some of your predecessors,―of Wesley, of Fletcher, of Coke, and others, who have gone to their reward, if they could have been present on this platform? If it be given to them, as surely it is, to witness the fruit of their labours, and the great things that have been done by their successors, and the prosperous state of the building of which they laid the foundation, I am sure that their souls must be rejoiced. I have been requested to move a Resolution which has reference to the state of your Missions in the West Indies, and I will read it to you :

"That the Meeting offers its most devout thanksgivings to Almighty God, on account of the prosperous state of the Missions in the West Indies, a portion of the Missionary field which this Society has cultivated for more than half a century, at so great an expense of its own funds, and of the health and life of its zealous and devoted Missionaries." I am sure I need offer no argument to

this assembly, to induce them to give this Resolution their warmest support. In reference to one part of your West Indian Missions, I find it stated in the Report, on authority, that here, compara tively a few years ago, "life and property were equally insecure, and the Sabbath, instead of being observed as a day of hallowed delight and religious enjoyment, was prostituted to the purposes of traffic, or spent in idleness, gambling, and fighting. Then they had no places of worship, no Ministers of religion, and public morals were at the lowest ebb. Now they have Christian temples, pious Ministers, holy ordinances; and, although there is much evil still to be deplored, yet such a great and decided improvement has taken place in the public morals, as proves that the Gospel has been preached with power." It is stated by a member of the Council of Tortola, that "it was owing to the teaching and influence of the Wesleyan Missionaries, that the labouring population of the island were prepared duly to appreciate, and properly to improve, the boon of unrestricted freedom which had so recently been conferred upon them; and that the present quiet of the country was mainly attributable to that effective agency." Now I ought to beg pardon, because I feel myself so unprepared, and so totally unable, to follow the eloquent gentlemen who have preceded me, that I think your time would be better employed in listening to others rather than to me; but I can assure this Meeting, that I do sincerely sympathize with the exertions that have been made by the Wesleyan Missionary Society; that I greatly honour the wisdom and the zeal that have characterized those who have had the management of its operations; and I think their exertions are an example to the world, which the world will do well to follow. I give, with my whole heart, the right hand of fellowship to those holy men who are to be found among Missionaries, and who deprive themselves of all comfort, except that which is to be obtained from knowing that they are engaged in the work of the Lord. My most earnest wishes are for their success; and while we think of them, we ought to consider the vast obligations we are under to them. Look at the power we have; look at the facilities and advantages we have, compared with those of other countries; and then let us recollect that we are but upon the threshold of our exertions, and that there is much yet, not only to be done, but to be undertaken.

The REV. JOHN TINDALL, Wes

leyan Missionary from the island of Hayti, said that the only consideration that would justify his appearance on so important and vast an occasion as the present, was the important and honourable relation which it had been his happiness to sustain for about five years in connexion with this Society, in one of its most interesting stations, to which the Resolution he held in his hand more distinctly referred,-the island of Hayti,—a country abounding with the loveliest of nature's scenery, and in point of its physical and topographical features such as to entitle it to the appellation of the Queen of the Antilles. With one exception, it was the largest island in the Indian Archipelago. Its political history was most interesting. About forty years ago, it was a joint colony of France and Spain; in which slavery at that time, in some of its most horrid forms, abounded. It had become, since then, a free nation, its independence being now recognised by the great powers of Europe; and, at present, it stood as free as Britain itself. But while Hayti was, in this respect, all that the philanthropist could desire; yet, in her moral and spiritual aspect, in all that was connected with man's best interests, Hayti was the very reverse of what the Christian could wish her to be. Morally and spiritually, darkness covered her land, and thick darkness the minds of her people. It was very true, that a certain system of religion obtained in that country, a system which had obtained from the time of the Spaniards; but then that was the system of Popery; and Popery, in its true and genuine character, unmitigated by the leavening influence of Protestantism. He held in his hand, at that moment, a small Spanish publication, published in the year 1824, entitled, "The Small PrayerBook and Christian Doctrine." Amongst other things, that book professed to teach the children of Hayti the Ten Commandments. The first three of these related to what was called our duty to God; and the seven last to our duty to our neighbour. They had inserted the third in the place of our second; and conse quently our fourth became their third; but, throughout, there was not the slightest allusion made to image-worship, or to keeping holy the Sabbath-day. There was a commandment ordering the people to "sanctify the feast-days," but not one word about keeping holy the Sabbath. The numerical deficiency, however, was supplied in this way: namely, by cutting our tenth commandment into two, and thus bringing up the