Mummery, Pickering, G. Townsend, West, and Young. The wine, by Rev. Messrs. Britten, Browning, Coombs, Davies, Gibbons, Hyatt, Muscutt, Quigley, Saunders, Sevier, Sharp, Sturtivant, Thompson, Vautin, and Watson. Hymns, Rev. Mr. Platt, and Messrs. Sanders, Harris, Wood, and Parsons, students at Cheshunt, and Mr. Timson, student at Hackney.

SILVER STREET.

THE REV. WILLIAM ROBY presided.Addresses were delivered by the Rev. Messrs. Roby, Gurteen, Castleden, and Innes, of Edinburgh. Prayers, Rev. Messrs. Slatterie and H. Pawling. Distribution of the Elements. The bread, by Rev. Messrs. Hopkins, Scraggs, and Ford. The wine, by Messrs. Sanderson, Caston, and George. Hymns, Rev. Messrs. Sloper, Ford, jun., Gilbart, Creighton, and Sloper.

ORANGE STREET.

THE REV. ROWLAND HILL presided. Addresses by the Rev. Messrs. Stowell, Hill, Adkins, and Smith. Prayers, by Rev. Messrs. Curwen and Steinkopff. Distribution of Elements and Hymns, by Rev. Messrs. Chapman, Shepherd, Washbourne, J. Hyatt, H. Townley, Lewis, Adkins, J. Townsend, Winter, Smith, Collison, Geary, Turner, Dunn, Browne, Hunt, Wilson, Morison, Maslen, Cobbin, Mc Donald, Stratten, Pattison, Day, Oates, Hackett, and Bowden.

KENNINGTON CHAPEL.

THE REV. Dr. COLLYER presided.Addresses, by the Rev. Messrs. Henry, of Tooting, Jackson, of Stockwell, and Innes, of Camberwell. Prayers, by Rev. Mr. Morris, of Olney, and Mr. Hunt, of Kennington. Hymns and Distribution, by Rev. Messrs. Salt, Bodington, Cooper, Moore, Shaw, Sugden, and Átkin

son.

WELSH SERMONS.

IN the week immediately preceding that of the General Meeting, two Sermons in the Welsh Language were preached for the benefit of the Society; the first at Albion Chapel, Moorfields, by the Rev. John Elias, from Anglesea, on the Evening of Thursday the 8th of May; and the other at the Rev. John Clayton's Chapel in the Poultry, on the Evening of the following day, by the Rev. W. Williams of Wern. Mr. Elias

took for his text, Isaiah liv. 2, 3) "Enlarge the place of thy tent," &c. He observed that those persons who love God, are distinguished by their zeal, efforts, and prayers for the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, the overthrow of the powers of darkness, and the salvation of their fellow creatures; and that, although the gospel has been sent to many parts of the world, and multitudes have been saved by means thereof, yet numerous extensive countries, and many millions of human beings are

still destitute. "There remaineth much land to be possessed." The prophet having in the preceding chapters foretold the humiliation, sufferings, and death of Christ, and the result thereof in the increase of his seed, &c. &c, in the present chapter calls upon the Church to rejoice in the calling of the Gentiles, and to make room for the children who should be born to her. Explanation of the Text. "Enlarge," &c. Thou Zion, that art desolate, believe the promise, and expect the birth of multitudes, and prepare a place for them. "Let them stretch forth," &c. let others assist thee; let the ministers of the word, governors, merchants, mariners, rich and poor, all conspire to assist in stretching" forth the curtains of Zion's habitation." imagine that thy expectation or prepa"Spare not;" do not ration can be too extensive for the promise:-" Lengthen thy cords;" endeavour to extend the limits of the Church by the preaching of the gospel."Strengthen thy stakes;" hold possession of the land which has been conquered. The larger the tent, the stronger should be the stakes that support it. The more Zion's cords are lengthened, the greater is the danger from errors and corruptions. The Churches of Asia and Africa lost the ground they once possessed, from neglecting to strengthen their stakes more effectually. "Thou

shalt break forth on the right hand, and on the left;"thy abundance shall exceed the utmost extent of room thou canst provide. "Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited;" the people of God, the saints of the Most High, shall at length inhabit the whole earth. The Doctrine: Here he remarked, that it is the duty of Christians to make exertions for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ, and that there are strong grounds to expect that the exertions made will be successful. The following things, observed the preacher, ensure success. 1. The counsel and purpose of God.

2. The divine promises. 3. The death of Christ. 4. His intercession. 5. The office and work of the Holy Spirit. He, the Spirit, will surely apply salvation, as the Father hath planned it, and as Christ hath wrought it. He will raise up and qualify instruments; He will send means, and accompany them with his power.

Application 1. The efforts of missionary societies to spread the gospel, may be considered as a compliance with the call of the text. "Enlarge," &c. so that the confplaint in the prophecy of Jeremiah cau now no longer be made-"There is none to stretch forth my tent and to set up my curtains." 2. The place of Jehovah's tent shall surely be enlarged. Happy are those who shall be his instruments in carrying on the work. 3. The cause is already successful. 4. The Tabernacle of God must be established wherever men can be found. Until that be accomplished, our endeavours must not be slackened. 5. Let all who are of a willing mind, do what they can in this great work.

The text of Mr. Williams was from Haggai i. 2-6. "Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come," &c. &c.The preacher observed, I. That men are prone to attribute their negligence to the Providence of God. 1. As not affording convenient seasons for "The the performance of their duties. time is not come," &c.-2. As presenting a barrier to the accomplishment of their designs.-II. That although men furnish themselves with various excuses for their inattention to the interests of Christ, yet they find time to attend to their own; the people's houses were decorated and beautified, while the house of God "lay waste." When men enter upon their business they do so-1. Without delay - 2. They encounter every difficulty-3. They act with diligence4. With zeal and energy-5. With perseverance.-III. That it is an awful sin to be more careful and assiduous in our

w

own pursuits than in the cause of Christ. "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?"-1. By neglecting the cause of Christ, we evince the greatest ingratitude. Christ did not act so, when our cause was at stake; for, in due time, when we were yet without strength," Christ died for the ungodly."-2. By pursuing such a conduct, we do not act according to the relative value and importance of things. What are our insignificant concerns compared to the great cause on account of which the whole universe was created and preserved?-3.Because of the great need there is of our assistance;" this house lieth waste."-4. Because it is an attempt to frustrate the chief end of God in all his works.-IV. That this conduct is unprofitable, and incurs the divine displeasure." Ye have sown much, and bring in little; he that earneth wages earneth wages to put in a bag with holes."-1. It is unprofitable with re"The gard to our worldly interest. heavens over us shall be stayed from dew, and the earth stayed from her fruit."-2. It is unprofitable to our spiritual interest, by producing a barrenness of soul. When we do not perform our duties, God will withhold his blessing, and show his indignation. "Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord."

V. The important duty enjoined, "Consider your ways."-1. By seriously examining yourselves relative to the concern you have for the cause of God. David evinced greater care for the ark of God than for himself, by requesting it to be carried back to the city. 2 Sam. xv. 25.-2. Consider that all your trials and disappointments are the consequences of your negligence, and not the effect of chance, see verse 9.-3. Consider that you cannot hurt your own interest more than by neglecting the interest of Christ.-4. Deliberately" consider your ways," with resolution and prayer to reform.

William Alers Hankey, Esq. the Treasurer, having taken the chair, a hymn was sung; and prayer was offered by the Rev. Thomas Young, of Margate. An abstract of the Report of the Society's Proceedings during the past year, was read by the Home Secretary.

The Treasurer, after presenting the accounts, spoke. in substance, as follows :

I am sensible that the details of accounts form the least agreeable part of the proceedings of meetings such as the present: and, if my duty permitted, I should spare you and myself the task of entering upon them. But, as the mere reading of an account cannot put you in possession of all that it is necessary you should know, on the important subject of your pecuniary resources and prospects, I must detain you, for a short time, from the more pleasing views which my friends around me are prepared to open before you.

My first duty is of an agreeable kind; to express the satisfaction and gratitude which I feel in referring to an increase in the best source of the Society's prosperity-the voluntary contributions at home and abroad-to the extent of 4,300l. On the other hand, you must observe a decrease of 400l. per annum, in the income from the funded property, occasioned by the sales of stock, called for by the necessities of the Society, during the last two years. It is further to be stated, that the expenditure of the last year is less than that of the preceding, by 7000l. and upwards. But it is still more important to remark, that, notwithstanding this increase of income on the one hand, and this decrease of expenditure on the other, the latter still exceeds the former by 1,200l. a result which I cannot come to, without great concern. It is the more to be regretted, when it is considered that the last year has been one of unusually small expense, from new operations: so that it forces upon me the conclusion, which I beg most strongly to impress upon you, that the account before you presents what ought to be regarded as nearly the permanent, and therefore the lowest, scale of the Society's expenditure, (viz. about 31,000 per annum), and one from

which it cannot recede, except by an abandonment of its undertakings. That rate of expense must rise from year to year, as our proceedings advance; and will receive an augmentation from the necessary charges occasioned by the families of deceased Missionaries, and other concomitants.

After the statement which I.last year presented to you, a friend and most ge nerous supporter of the Society, anxiously inquired on what I confiled for the stability of its operations. I told him that, besides the confidence which I reposed in God and his people, I had, as it respected the then ensuing year, two agreeable anticipations,-that of an augmented income, and that of a diminished expenditure. Both of these have been realized; but for the now ensuing year, I have only the former as a ground even of hope. Instead of a decreased outlay, I anticipate one considerably greater. For, besides the exertions necessary to supply the chasms which death has made, the resolutions of the Directors, which you have heard, to send additional labourers to the South Seas, and the urgent claims of further aid from India, Africa, and other parts, will show the propriety of my conclusion. It follows, then, that we must obtain large accessions to our income during the ensuing year, or, that deeper inroads must be made in the funds of the Society, which every principle leads me to deprecate, and which I earnestly entreat its friends

to avert.

The necessity then of an enlarged and growing income, is obvious: and if I be again asked, where my hope of obtaining it lies, I answer, as before, in God, for whose cause the Society labours; and in God's people, who have, before God and man, pledged themselves to support that cause. My judgment tells me, further, that the field of Missionary benevolence is vast, and as yet very partially explored. Assuming the annual income, from voluntary contributions, to our Society, to be 30,000l., and supposing even that it were collected from individuals at the rate of 1d. each, per week, the number of contributors would fall short of 150,000; but when I deduct from

that sum the amount of donations, congregational collections, and larger subscriptions, it leaves a result that really surprises me, by showing the small number of persons who actually unite in the support of the Society; small in itself, and strikingly so, when compared with the great body of Christians whom the

cause of missions has called forth as

its professed friends. There remain

then abundant sources in the unexhausted liberality of the servants of the Redeemer, for all the wants of this and every other kindred Institution,-for the observation applies to them all. To whom shall we look, then, for the cultivation of that field? I address myself, first, to you, Christian Ministers; and recommend you earnestly to point out to your people the obligations to support this cause, and the modes of liberality by which they may promote it. And here allow me to suggest an easy way of estimating the measure of liberality, shown by your congregations respectively multiply the annual sum contributed, by 5, and the product will show the number of the persons adequate to raise that sum, even at the low subscription of Id. per week each *. You will readily draw the practical inference. I look to the zeal and perseverance of the Female Friends of the Society, and, thankful that such a spring of influence has been brought to bear upon the interests of Missions, I assure them that I rely upon it as one of the surest and most abundant sources of our pecuniary prosperity. I look to the Young for the dedication of their growing talents and energies to the most sacred of causes; and tell them, that their labour, independently of its immediate gratifications, is preparing the way for the most happy ultimate rewards. It is amongst those of their own age, in various parts of the world, that the seed of future triumphs to the Gospel must now be sown; and they may even live, to reap with joy, the fruits of their own labours.

In closing these remarks, I beg to commit the cause for which we are assembled, to the blessing of God, and to the continued support of your affections, your liberality, and your prayers.

The Rev. Dr. Bogue, of Gosport, having been prevented, by domestic afflictions, from attending the Meeting, the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw, D. D. of Glasgow, then moved the following Resolution:

*This will give too high a product, as the sum should be multiplied by a number fractionally less than five.

I. "Resolved, that the Report, of which an abstract has been read, be approved and printed; and this Meeting desires to offer its most grateful thanksgiving to God, for whatever, tending to the furtherance of the Gospel amongst Heathen Nations, has been effected by the instrumentality of this Society, and for the prospects of future usefulness which he is pleased to open before it."

My dear Christian Friends,—It is with the most sincere diffidence and reluctance, that I present myself to your notice thus early in the business of the day. I expected to have seen still at his post, a revered and holy veteran in this best of causes, one who has also, for many years, been in the practice of proposing to you the resolution now in my hand. I remember when I had the pleasure and honour of seconding the same resolution, after he had moved it, five years ago, it was told me by himself, that he had not been absent from a single Anniversary Sermon, or Meeting, of this Society, in the metropolis; and this is the first Annual Meeting from which he has been absent. There is one wish in which he with his whole heart would join with me, and all this meeting, namely, that the Society itself, which he has so long supported, may never, be allowed to feel the encroaching infirmities of age, but continue through the providence of God, in all the vigour of manhood to prosecute its glorious objects; and, at length, in the full delight of having effected the end it had in view, to lay down the weapons of its warfare when they have proved themselves mighty through God, to the pulling down the strong holds of Satan.

The revered individual to whom I have alluded, was, I know, in the practice (possessing as he does a naturally vigorous and comprehensive mind, and familiar as he is with the progress of the Society,) of tracing its operations in its different departments from the beginning; of taking a review of the Report, and of commenting on the various parts of it. In this it is impossible for me to attempt to follow him, but on general grounds. The Report, upon the whole, contains very cheering tidings, but it presents a chequered scene of lights and shadows; death has made his inroads to an unusual extent among the Missionaries of this Society, and we not only lament that these labourers are removed, and that the operations of the Society have been impeded, but also on account

of the distresses which have arisen to the individuals connected with the deceased. We are called to die at home; we are called to mingle our tears of sympathy with the tears of conjugal, of paternal, and filial sensibility. I have sometimes admired the wisdom of God in placing his people in a great variety of circumstances and conditions of life. It is this which sets before us the endless and lovely variety of the influence of the love and the Gospel of Christ, on the human heart, and human conduct. Throughout the natural, as well as the spiritual world, there is a sameness, yet an endless and beautiful variety. Although nature appears almost entirely clothed in her lovely mantle of green; on which the human eye dwells with delight; yet she also presents in the products of the vegetable world, a beautiful variety in tint, and form, and fragrance. So in the spiritual world, the great principles of Christian character are the same; yet still, from the various circumstances in which the people of God are placed, these great principles, operating in different circumstances, produce the lovely variety that appears in the Christian character, throughout the Christian world.

Dr. Wardlaw then proceeded to remark, that although the principle of novelty in the human mind had its peculiar attractions, and a certain degree of influence in stimulating to exertion, yet he was happy to perceive that the Society, both in its contributions and operations, continued to advance, notwithstanding the charms and power of novelty had declined. He further observed, that as this principle had no place in the mind of the infinite God, so he had never wearied of the purpose which he early conceived of sending his Son into a lost world, nor of those steps which were necessary to prepare the world for the full accomplishment of that purpose. Shall we then (proceeded Dr. W.) be wearied in the service of his Son? Shall we be weary of active efforts and liberal contributions, to promote that cause which he had at heart from eternity, and which he will have at heart till the multitude which no man can number shall be gathered from all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, to celebrate for ever the praise of his mercy? The operations of this Society have not been such as to diminish the powerful claim it had on our hearts, but on the contrary, have been such as to recommend it to our increased regard; and I trust that the vigorous efforts it has been

making will be continued and will be supported, powerfully supported, by all Christians who feel interested in the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom. And what Christian does not feel interested in the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom? Has that heart felt its obligations to Christ for itself, that is not concerned about the honour of the Redeemer, to whom it has been laid under obligations that tongue cannot express nor heart conceive; such as it shall lie under to all eternity, and will not be able to express even there. We may rest assured, that the state of religion in every man's soul will always be in exact proportion to the interest he takes in the spiritual welfare of others, and the salvation of the world.

It is pleasing to think, when we hear of the deaths that have taken place, that it is the hand of Divine Providence. Ah! how different is this, from what it would be to hear of some of our missionaries apostatizing from the faith of Christ, and leaving their post through the love of this world. It is a proof that it is the hand of God which is upon us. I would therefore say to you, Sir, (as I cannot detain the meeting longer-for when we come from the North, we come rather to receive than to impart instruction; we come from the northern cold to catch a little of the warmth of your Summer's sun, and I hope to retain on my mind the impression, such scenes as those I have witnessed are calculated to produce, and act in my blessed Master's service under that impression);—I would say, Sir, Go on and prosper; the work in which you are engaged is imperishable, for it is the work of God; and even upon that portion of it which you have accomplished you might write, (I must be excused if I quote what to many may be an unknown tongue, but I shall be my own interpreter),

Iamque opus exegi; quod nec Jovis ira, nec ignes, Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetustas. The meaning is, for the sake of those not acquainted with the language,

The work you have been honoured to perform, neither the wrath of heaven, nor fire, nor sword, nor all-consuming time, shall ever bring to nought.' We need not be afraid of the first of these, the wrath of heaven; for the smile and not the frown, the blessing and not the wrath, of heaven rests upon it.-And shall we be afraid of the fire, no, for he hath said and will fulfil it, "When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." And shall we fear the sword? no, for the same Omnipotent