DOCUMENTS. PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN. PARTS. THE following is a report of the Bishop of Gloucester's speech at the meeting of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, held at Cheltenham, on the 23rd of October :— The Lord BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER, on taking the chair, enjoined all present to assist, pursuant to the constitution of the society, in commencing the proceedings of the meeting with prayers, which were very impressively read by his Lordship. On resuming his functions as chairman, our excellent diocesan said,―It is the customary duty of the presidents of meetings such as this which I have now the satisfaction of addressing, to open the deliberations by explaining the position of all affairs relating to the society, its purposes, and means, as well as its present operations and future prospects. But you are all fully aware that the object of the society is the propagation of the Gospel in the British Settlements; and that it has existed for as long a period as one hundred and thirty-three years.-Its great purposes are, to establish missions, to appoint faithful and zealous pastors, to build schools, to found and endow colleges, and, by all other expedients, to promote true religion in North America, in the East and West Indies, and in other parts of the world. It is allowed, I believe, that, in the United States, the establishment of the episcopal church is mainly attributable to the exertions of this society, before their separation from the mother country. In order to educate missionaries who might be duly qualified for the sacred labour of diffusing the knowledge of the Gospel, and spreading the light of its truths through heathen nations, colleges are supported by this Society in Nova Scotia, in Barbadoes, and in the East Indies. At this time the society is in peril-is, in fact, in an alarming crisis-the cause of which it is necessary that I should fully explain. Until the year 1813, the British Government made provision for clergymen of the establishment in the British Colonies in North America; but at that period an arrangement was made with this corporation, that, in consideration of receiving a certain sum by annual grants of parliament, the society should conduct the clerical department in those provinces. The sum annually paid was about 15,500l., and that was allowed until two years ago, a crisis when there was the greatest anxiety amongst the friends of the society and of the church to promote its objects, and establish still more extensive missions, which were rendered necessary by the great influx of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland; at that moment, when they were contemplating the necessity of still further extending their establishments, an announcement came on the society like a thunderbolt, that the parliamentary grant was to cease, and that "the society must for the future take care of itself." Repeated representations were made-but in vain-to induce the government to relax that determination. All that could be done was to prevail upon them to render the reduction of the allowance gradual; so that it should fall first to 12,000l., then to 8,000l., then to 4,000l.; and in the next year cease altogether. But, though the arguments and remonstrances of the society failed to produce any other effect, the representations from the Colonies had induced ministers to relax in some degree from their resolve, and to make a small provision for clergymen who have already undertaken their high, important, and responsible situation, on the implied faith of government. The missionary, on the faith of that assurance, has established his family and himself in a far distant land, in the wilderness; and has, in some case, expended his slender means in building a parsonage house. The government has now consented to apply to parliament for 4,000l. which will enable the society to pay to the missionaries three-fourths of their original salaries; he who had received 2001. per annum receiving 150, VOL. VII.-Jan. 1835. M and so all others in the same proportion. But, though the existing missionaries might thus be provided for, still, as no allowance was to extend beyond their lives, or their capability of discharging their several duties, but was, in effect, to cease with them-as far as the public question was involved, or the interests of religion concerned, even this concession will do little. As soon as by sickness, death, accident, fatigue, or any infirmity, the present missionary shall cease from his labour, no provision whatever is to be made for the maintenance of a successor.-It is not for me to impugn the motives which led to the reduction of the original grant; the necessity of reducing the national expenditure, and a due regard to economy, were, I doubt not, the only reasons-but this part of the subject cannot be mentioned without expressing a deep feeling that an act of great injustice and impolicy has been committed. Had his majesty's ministers been members of the society, and thereby known its excellent and laudable objects, and all the good that it has accomplished, they would not have cut off part of its supplies. But they did not, they could not, know the almost boundless extent of good which their proceeding has arrested. The measure was one not only of great hardship to those concerned, but of great impolicy; for I appeal to history, and to the knowledge and experience of all, whether there is any bond of union amongst nations so strong as that of worshipping at the same altars, and maintaining the same form of religious belief. With respect to Canada, we are now endeavouring to relieve the mother country by forced emigration to that portion of our colonies; and as the majority of them have from childhood been accustomed to worship their God in the bosom of the church of England, an additional number of clergymen would consequently be required to minister unto them in their new station; instead of which we are threatened with a reduction of those previously employed. It is indeed impossible to say what will be the consequence, unless the good and pious feeling of the Christian community, by which our efforts have heretofore been zealously supported, should determine and enable the society to uphold their establishments in still greater efficiency. Think of the state of religious and moral destitution to which the poor emigrant will be reduced in remote lands, when he has no longer the means of looking forward to the customary mode of employing the sabbath in the service of his God; or of consulting his clergyman, as he was wont; when his children can no longer receive the sacred rite of baptism; nor his sons or daughters the holy ordinance of matrimony; and he himself, at the close of his career, deprived of the last consolation of religion, can look forward only to the burial of a dog. But this is a painful subject; and I wish to leave it. I must, however, call your attention to the manner in which the missionaries have conducted themselves. Those who have read the reports of the society will find in them ample testimony of as much piety and zeal—as much labour, mental and bodily-as much hardship patiently endured, and as much fortitude displayed, as there can be found on record from the time of the Acts of the Apostles down to the present day. I refer to these facts with the more gratification, as I find them fully confirmed by the Bishop of Nova Scotia, Dr. INGLIS, whose name I mention with pleasure, for two reasons :first, because I have the honour of his acquaintance; and secondly, that I have recently had the satisfaction of receiving a letter from him, acknowledging in grateful terms the exertions made by the clergy of my diocese in behalf of this society and of its missionaries. Before I quit this portion of the subject, there is one observation which I cannot suppress, because it makes the claim of the Colonies on the religious sympathy and support of the British public irresistible. We came into possession of those provinces by conquest; and however gratifying to the national spirit it might be to attribute our success chiefly to the prowess of our arms, and to our own valour and heroism, still a higher and juster feeling tells us that success should be ascribed only to the favour of the Almighty.However we may have exulted in the conquests of Cape Breton and of Canada, we should never forget that it was the God of battles that fought for us, and secured us the victory over nations greater and mightier than ourselves. I appeal, therefore, not to your charity only, but to your gratitude to the Almighty. With regard to the East India Missions, there are some present who will recollect a celebrated paper, published in a popular Review, condemning all attempts made to propagate the religion of the gospel in those countries. The chief argument made use of was that the superstitions cherished there were of a kind that our missionaries would wage war with in vain. Yet since that time, we have had several episcopal churches founded there. The excellent and exemplary Bishop MIDDLETON was the first in the field; and though his own most valuable career was prematurely cut short, yet he opened to his successors that way which they have so successfully followed.I remember to have read that, however horrible, however atrocious, the self-immolation of the widows, any attempt to abolish the practice, would lead to rebellion. However, the present Governor-General, Lord WILLIAM BENTINCK, issued an order for suppressing the Suttee, and it has been suppressed; and yet we find that no rebellion has been the consequence. On the contrary, all accounts represent the country as better satisfied with his government than with that of his predecessors.-Then, I have heard that it would not be right to attempt to suppress the tribute paid to Juggernaut; and yet, two years ago, the Board of Directors sent out an order to suppress it, and it was done, as far as the company was concerned; yet no rebellion, no disturbance whatever ensued.I have how before me a late dispatch of Bishop WILSON, and from that you may know how he feels on these points, and his reliance upon the operations of the society. It is true, however, that he does not seem aware of the danger that now threatens it, or of our not being longer able to afford them that support by which so much good was effected. I must say this eloquent, this feeling expression of sentiment, (his Lordship here read a quotation from one of Bishop WILSON's letters relating to the decay of the Hindoo and Mahometan religions, and the confidence felt by the Bishop in the operation of the society,) reminds me forcibly of that which I may now consider as almost a prophecy, in a beautiful Poem by Mr. Grant, President of the Board of Control, who has a chance of seeing his prediction fulfilled. I will say no more of India, but this: -without the co-operation of this society, all that could tend to realize the heavenly results thus ardently anticipated, must be cut off. All its means, derived from the contributions of the Parent society, and of the District branches, and the annual interest of its funded property, if taken altogether, would not amount to more than 12,000l. per annum; and it will take the whole of that sum, with the small allowance from government, to keep up the missions in North America only.-The appeal that we now make, is made to the whole Christian community; and we do most anxiously hope it will impress upon every one the necessity of endeavouring to support this good and sacred work; for it is in the power of every one to further it, not only by their own subscriptions, but by recommending it to their friends. In the diocese of Gloucester, last year, the contributions made, on hearing of the blow that had been struck, amounted to above 400l., which placed us conspicuously amongst the dioceses of England. But when I look into the list, I see how it may be done much more effectually by small subscriptions in distinct parishes. I find, for instance, at Sittingbourne, in Kent, the population of which is about 2180, the subscriptions--none of which exceed five shillings-amounted to 50l. Now the population of Cheltenham is more than ten times greater than that of Sittingbourne. The town of CHELTENHAM, besides, is known to all the world; and may well take the lead among the parishes in England, in the furtherance of such a work. There is, in fact, hardly any place the example of which is likely to be more influential than that of CHELTENHAM-with reference to the circumstances of its inhabitants, and to their ability to do good; let it only be understood how great and crying are the spiritual wants of our fellow-subjects. Much as I have occasion to apologize for having thus long occupied your attention, I must, in concluding, touch upon one point of great public importance—the condition of the Negroes in the Colonies, whom this country has, by the most noble act ever performed by a nation, emancipated at a vast pecuniary sacrifice. On such an occasion as the present, I feel, and all, I am sure, will agree with me, that no allusion should be made to topics calculated to excite political differences or discussions. -But with respect to Negro emancipation, I may, without infringing that rule, observe, that the act was, in itself, a noble one. As to the time, and mode of carrying that emancipation into effect, all may not quite agree with the authors of the measure; but all must agree that the traffic in Negroes was opposed to all Christian principles. Property in the flesh and blood of our fellow men, ought to be done away with. It is my own opinion that it should have been done earlier, and by more gradual means. Had Christianity in the West Indies been more extensively propagated, instead of such momentous dnties being left in the hands of ignorant enthusiasts-had the church been our earlier care, that which has now somewhat precipitately taken place might have been effected gradually and with safety, and without that vast pecuniary sacrifice which has entailed upon us an expense of 800,000l. per annum, for ever. But the benevolent feelings of all must now lead them to wish that the inculcation of the doctrines of the church should be a leading feature in the measures to be taken in cultivating the minds of our emancipated fellow-subjects, to prevent their converting their liberty into licentiousness. Once more apologizing for the length of remark into which the consideration of so important a subject has led me, it only remains for me to bespeak your attention to the arguments that will be used, and the details that will be laid before you, by those gentlemen near me, who are so well qualified to urge the claims of the society for the propagation of the gospel, to your generous support. INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT, Among other business transacted, grants, varying in amount according to the exigency of the case, were voted towards rebuilding and enlarging the church of St. Michael, Stamford; enlarging and new pewing the church at Holybourn, in the county of Southampton; building a gallery in, and repairing the church at, Great Waltham, in the county of Essex; building a church at Chichester; enlarging the church at Kirkhammerton, in the county of York; rebuilding the church at Chapel Colman, in the county of Pembroke; repewing the church at Ware, in the county of Herts; rebuilding and enlarging the chapel at Brentwood, in the county of Essex; rebuilding and enlarging the church at Bramshot, in the county of Southampton; building a chapel at Forest Row, in the parish of East Grinstead, and county of Sussex; building a chapel at Danehill, in the parish of Fletching, and county of Sussex; increasing the accommodation in the church at Mundesley, in the county of Norfolk. CHURCH MATTERS. THE churchmen and clergy who have so anxiously recommended large changes in the church may now see that they have not laboured in vain. Church reform was a cry taken up for political purposes, without any definite form, till they gave it one, and pointed out the various modes in which it was possible to violate the principle of property, and break in on the existing condition of the church.* Some have conferred this great service on the church and the country from very good motives, though not from very wide views; some from vanity; some from mere love of change. But whatever the motive was, they accustomed the public ear to the notion of large changes; and as whatever a possessor offers to grant is, of course, not looked on (as he would idly hope) as the end, but as the beginning of concession, they have whetted the public appetite to a far higher condition of hungry craving than even their fondest dreams could have imagined. On the prudence of this course, it is now too late to dwell. It remains probably to be seen, how those, who have prepared the medicine, will relish it. For they have rendered it impossible for even a friendly government to commence its course without speaking of a fresh distribution of church property; and for those who most clearly see the dangers, on the one hand, and the mischiefs, on the other, which will follow change, to nourish the expectation that change will not take place. Previously to the present day, the lawyers It may have sometimes appeared to the readers of this Magazine that Church Reformers have been too harshly spoken of. But the fact is, that in by far the majority of cases, their proposals were so crude, and shewed such utter want of all power and inclination to see how schemes would work, that persons guilty of it must be considered as most presumptuous. To talk, as they did, and still do, of abolishing pluralities and non-residence at once, and a variety of other schemes of the same kind, as if more harm than good would not be done, is so wild that it cannot be mentioned in a very courteous manner. Another specimen has been added to the former list within these few days in a paper circulated by Archdeacon Webber through his archdeaconry. The Sussex Incumbent," who has forwarded this amusing specimen of radical reform, (which arrived too late for the present number, but shall be used in the next,) will easily appreciate the reasons which prevent a person, long engaged in endeavouring practically to reform what has generally been thought a gross scandal and abuse, in opposition to Archdeacon Webber, from making any remarks on his paper. His motives might be mistaken either by himself or others. Happily, however, no comment is necessary. When a scheme, consisting of fourteen propositions, intended to secure the church against all pluralities, jobbing, &c. &c., has been so hastily drawn up, and so little considered, that, if tried in the case of the proposer, it would actually allow him to hold an archdeaconry and two stalls, and to receive a pension from each of two livings, the Sussex clergy are not very likely to need any caution against it. One thing more as to church reformers. They have left, perhaps, to those who, on principle, resisted as long as they could, no other task than that of doing whatever they can to make the measures proposed as little evil and as really useful as possible. But let them not reproach those who have resisted so long on principle, if they resist no longer; and, above all, let them not complain at last, if the sacrifice required of them comes nearer home than some of them may like. Are not all of them, indeed, bound, in their own persons and times, to submit to the changes which may be ordered only for the successors of the present generation? They who have recommended measures ought, surely, to set the example of submitting to them. |