India, where so many had been brought to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus-were they to give up India, with its thousands and millions who were yet in darkness, and leave them utterly to perish? No, it was impossible; the eldest born of the Society could never be resigned. Should they, then, give up Africa -Africa, to which Great Britain stood more indebted than to any other country in the world? England owed a fearful debt to the sable inhabitants of Africa; was it a proper way to repay that debt, by abandoning them to the grossest idolatry and superstition; were they to give up their youngest born, the very Benjamin of the Society's missions? Oh, never! Were they to withdraw from the West India islands? Thirty thousand converts to Jesus told them they must not. Was it to be Canada, where the ancestors of those now forming the Society had established the Word? No! no!-they could not afford to resign any one of their fields of labour-they would not give up one of their missionary stations. The thought was not from heaven

scattered abroad, it had germinated, and was | larized; still the difficulty remained-still now growing up, and would soon produce the Society was in want of funds. In order goodly fruit, to the praise and glory of God. to remedy this material defect, some counIn Jamaica 30,000 members testified to the selled that the Society should give up some faithfulness of their missionaries; in Central of their fields of labour. Now, would those India they had 2000 out of the millions of who give such advice be good enough to that country, who testified to the truth as it is point out which of their fields of labour they in Jesus. In all countries, wherever their would be content to give up-which was to missionaries went, they had made their thou- be the one resigned? Should they give up sands of Christians. Sixty thousand of the India-the scene of their first missionary laheathen had been converted and added to the bours-the field in which Carey had triumphed various churches of the Society. Now, if that alone were the result of their labours, still it proved that the public interest was not withdrawn from the Society for want of success. Want of success! Look at the circulation of the blessed word of God which had taken place-upwards of one million copies of the blessed book had been circulated under the auspices of the Society-schools had been established in all lands-the practice of the suttee had been abolished, and their Society must go on until superstition had been utterly routed from the earth; it must be broken in pieces, and great would be the fall thereof. It was not, then, for want of success that the public interest had been withdrawn from them, for God had indeed abundantly blessed their labours in the field. There must be no talk of the return of any of their missionaries; on the contrary, every thing called for an increase in their energy and earnestness. So far from lessening their forces, they required to multiply them, for God had greatly added to their field of labour. China had been opened up; but, to the disgrace of the baptist it did not emanate from the mind of mancommunity, they had not a missionary there. he need not more particularly allude to whence Africa, benighted Africa, ought to have its it originated; he left that to be solved by the thousands of workers in God's vineyard, in judgment of the meeting. What, a Christian place of only tens. The continent of Europe community turning back from a field of labour ought to be filled with their missionaries, as in God's vineyard! At such a scene infidelity well as Brittany. On all hands there was a itself would cry shame, and the whole church loud cry, "Come over and help us." There would stand appalled. It was said that there could be no cause assigned for the apparent was a decline in the religious feeling of the want of confidence in the Society founded on people,—that the number of conversions was the want of success. While considering the diminishing. He questioned whether the desubject, he had been naturally led to consider cline in missionary effort was not the cause of and examine the remedies which had been the decline of religion. When the primitive proposed for that state of things which existed. church went forth to preach the unsearchable Some said the Society must retrench their riches of Christ, that was the richest time of expenditure both at home and abroad-that religious feeling which the church ever knew. it must diminish its working expenses, and The missionary spirit, when it burned brightly, reduce the salaries and allowances of the re-acted upon the church. This Society, like missionaries to the lowest possible amount. many of a kindred nature, had been threatened Why, that had been the practice of the Com- with peculiar obstacles. The brethren would mittee for many years past. The expenditure recollect that only a short time ago, the Lonof the Society had been reduced to the lowest don Missionary Society was groaning under possible amount for a long period; and as to the oppressions which had been inflicted upon the salaries of the missionaries, those good them in Taheite. Well, Providence had taken brethren might be said to exist-to vegetate, the retribution in its own hands. The instru rather than to live by the preaching of the ment which then employed itself in torturing blessed gospel. Others, again, urged refor- a woman in Taheite, was soon after compelled mation; they said the system of management to fly a fugitive from his throne. At Fermust be altered-must be popularized. Well, nando Po, the great enemy which the church that had been done. The system of manage- had to encounter was popery. Wherever ment had been altered-it had been popu- their missionaries went, there they found

popery. But, marvellous to relate, not long tion from the same honoured society, to take since a revolution broke out in Rome itself-part in their general meeting in that very a revolution in the very metropolis of papacy, hall. He would willingly have shrunk from and superstition, and of error, and the Pope himself became a fugitive. All this was very encouraging, and if they humbly trusted in the goodness and the grace of God, every obstacle to their onward march would be removed. The meeting could not relish the appalling fact that had been brought under their notice in the Report, viz., that the Society was so much in debt. Did it not excite their surprise to hear that the Society owed no less a sum than £4900! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in Askalon, let not the infidel know it, tell it not to the follower of the pope, tell it not in the senate. Let it not be thought for a moment that the ministers and the deacons of the church were willing to allow the Society to remain under such a cloud. Let them stir up the church to a lively sense of the pure love of God, and then come to a resolution, that this should be the last year of debt. He had no fears for the Society; he should yet see it progress, until, where they had now one missionary, they would have two, and until their brethren were in all the places of the earth, and then, and not till then, would the Christian church have realized the object of the Society-then would the Supreme Majesty in heaven look down on them with benignity, and say, "It is very good; my will is done on earth, even as it is in heaven."

The CHAIRMAN said, it gave him much pleasure to introduce to their notice a friend, whose presence, upon such an occasion, proved the value of the loving principle of the Holy Alliance. The Rev. J. Jordan, the vicar of Enstone, would second the resolution.

The Rev. J. JORDAN.-As a friendly stranger come amongst them, he might be allowed to explain the position he occupied, standing on that platform, in favour of the Baptist Missionary Society. It was but a few years ago that he had been invited to take part in favour of any missionary society but that connected with the church of which he was a member. Upon that occasion he received an invitation to assist at the meeting of the London Missionary Society. He took the invitation into serious consideration, and, looking at the matter in the light of his conscience, he found that he could not refuse to give the aid which they sought from him- he could not refuse to take the part which they offered him, and therefore he willingly attended their meeting. Very shortly after that, the Evangelical Alliance was formed, and he rejoiced at it, for it had brought out that spirit of love which actuated all who felt themselves as one in Him, the Head of all. Shortly after that again, he was honoured with an invita

standing on that platform to address such large audiences as were in the habit of meeting there; but his conscience impressed upon him the necessity of going forward. He remained still of the same mind, and he attended and performed the duties which had been kindly imposed on him. That was followed by an invitation from the London Missionary Society in the last year to preach for them, as well as to take a part on this platform at their anniversary. He could not refuse to ascend the pulpit for them, acting in strict conformity with his conscience, he had felt himself constrained to take the part assigned him. On that occasion he had received a very kind invitation from their honoured friend, Dr. Steane, to take part in the proceedings of that day; he felt that he was bound in conscience to show the same respect and love for their Society, as he had done to the others, knowing as he did what their works had been, and honouring them for the labours of love in which they had been engaged. It might be asked what he could find in common in all those different societies, which could justify him in appearing at and assisting in their meetings. He trusted he could show many and good reasons for his conduct. Even had the missionaries done no more than tend to the civilization of the world-even had they done no more than improve the temporal condition of that portion of mankind amongst whom they had laboured-even that comparatively low ground would justify him in appearing there. Every one who desired the benefit and the blessing of his fellow-man, must be glad of the privilege of taking part in support of such societies. As a patriot, he claimed the right to assist such societies. What work had been done which was so efficient in promoting colonization from this country-what would so much promote the spread of the good Saxon, as an extension of the missionary system? There was another view of the question, in which, as a patriot, he should think himself justified in attending upon their anniversaries-that was the manner in which the missionaries had been the means of extending schools throughout the world, and thereby promoting civilization and a knowledge of the true God. After highly praising the noble exertions of the Society in the missionary field, he seconded the resolu tion with much pleasure.

The resolution was put, and passed unanimously.

The Rev. HENRY Dowson, of Bradford, moved the following resolution :

by this Society, as exhibited in the Report, should impress upon the minds of all its friends a more

That the state of the various missions maintained

lively sense of our dependence on God, should lead to to the Baptist Missionary Society, especially fervent prayer for the promised help of the Holy because I am here, in this kind of spiritual Spirit, to more constant watchfulness over the motives which influence our services, and to more parliament, as the representative of the Lonsystematic and self-denying liberality to promote don Missionary Society, and in some measure this sacred cause. the representative of the continent of India. In coming to the Baptist Missionary Society in connexion with India, it is like a traveller tracing the stream to its spring. One comes to see the place where the bubbles first sprung up, where the stream first shed itself and to the south. I feel particular pleasure to the east, and to the west, and to the north, in coming here this morning, because the Let us cheer note has been a note of sorrow. it. We have been, according to the various speakers, in the clouds; at any rate, we have heard a great deal about small clouds and large clouds. Now, I do not believe in clouds,

We have two beautiful instances of Chris. tian evangelical liberality in scripture history; the first is that of the box of alabaster oint ment with which the woman anointed the head of the Saviour, anointing him for his burial. When Judas was angry with her, the Lord defended her. But our blessed Lord reserved his highest eulogiums for the poor widow who came with her two mites and cast them amongst the Pharisees' gold in the treasury of the Lord. Now, if you will pardon me, I will make one observation respecting the good friends in London. I do not like your collections. It is not on account of the gold and the silver there, but because 1 see so little copper in the plates. I like, not only to see the gold of the rich man, and the silver of the man in moderate circumstances, but the copper of the poor man. We want more of systematic liberality, that all should contribute according to the extent that God has prospered them. Then we shall not need to recall missionaries from the field of labour. I would say solemnly and earnestly to the honoured directors of the Society, that this must not be done. I would say to the Christians of this great metropolis, 46 You ought not to suffer it to be done." The Christians of this metropolis, the focus of civilization, the centre of commerce, the admiration of all the civilized nations of the

in reference to missions. I believe, not in

clouds, but in the promises; and I am quite certain, if we rest in the promises, we shall pleased that you feel yourselves as bapusts, soon live beyond the clouds. I am quite and a society, in great difficulties, because men always act like men when they have difficulties to meet. I remember, when a boy, a member of the Society of Friends once standing by my side, in my native town, upon its dark and stormy shore, and saying, whilst I looked upon the dense cloud that seemed to encircle us," My boy, do you think that those clouds are as dark as they appear "I tell you," said he, "that if you had a to be?" "I am not sure," was my reply. telescope long enough to penetrate right through the cloud, you would see that it is as bright beyond, and brighter, than it is below." of faith to look right through those clouds, Now, I think, sir, that you want the telescope and to see far beyond them into the bright and glorious future. We never feel so much as we ought to feel, as Christians, as when we get into the bright, clear, lucid, healthy doubts to the winds, rest upon the promises, Let us scatter our atmosphere of faith. and do our work like Christians and like men. I feel this morning particularly pleased The Rev. T. Boaz, missionary from Cal-at being here, just because I think that I am cutta, a deputation from the London Missionary Society, seconded the resolution as follows. Sir, in rising to address you on the present occasion, I find myself subject 10 those feelings which have been expressed by one of our sweetest poets, Henry Kirke White, who says, in listening to the bells of the evening,

world, the place where Christian missions have been cradled and fostered all these years, are you going to abandon now the Baptist Missionary Society? No; and we, who are the representatives of the provinces, and the angels of the churches, will go back to our various congregations and communities, and tell them that they must not suffer it to be done.

"I'm pleased, and yet I'm sad."

in the right place. I am among those who the East. I am not unmindful of the fact, were the substantial pioneers of missions to that the Danish king, to whom you most appropriately adverted, was the first sovereign who sent Christian missionaries to the East; nor would I be unmindful of the fact, that the Church of England, through the agency of the Propagation Society, was the second agency that sent a few solitary missions to Pleased to think that there are so many hearts Oriental climes. Let us give all the credit that beat with high and holy expectation in that is due to all parties; then we can take a reference to the conversion of the world to firmer stand upon the basis that we have for Jesus; and sad to think that, after the labour ourselves. Your missionaries were the effiof 1800 years, so large a portion of the human cient pioneers of Christian missions to the family should yet be held under the dominion East. Nay, when the beloved Carey, and of the "prince of the power of the air." I his associates, first arrived in that country, feel particular pleasure this morning in coming what was the kind of reception that they met