Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

course of his observations forcibly remarked, that from very respectable congregations they must not expect much pecuniary support; for he feared that, in such congregations, the people generally gave so much to themselves that they had very little left to give to God. He hoped that the debt which at present existed would be liquidated by the day's proceedings. The motto on which they should meet and on which they should part that day, was-death to the debt. (Laughter and cheers.)

The Rev. W. Ellis then proposed that the thanks of the meeting be given to the ministers present, and especially to those who had assisted in the services of the day.

The Rev. Mr. Blackburn acknowledged the compliment, remarking that he had once been in the town, as a missionary. Sir Culling Eardley Eardley had sent him in his carriage on one rainy day to preach in the open air, and the weather was so unfavourable that he could only get about a dozen persons

to address, while Sir Culling himself held an umbrella over him. He mentioned this as illustrative of the pleasure he must feel at seeing a town which needed such services a few years ago, provided with so convenient a chapel as that which had been opened this morning.

At five o'clock tea was provided in the British School-room, when about 100 persons assembled, and at six o'clock the new chapel was again crowded by a respectable congregation, and the evening service was commenced by the Rev. I. Anthony, of Hertford, reading a part of the third chapter of St. John's gospel, and afterwards engaging in prayer.

The Rev. James Sherman then preached a very eloquent, impressive, and affecting sermon, from Colossians i. 18. "That in all things He might have the pre-eminence."

The collections after the sermons weremorning, 441. 16s. 2d.; evening, 251. 4s.

General Chronicle.

AN APPEAL FOR CHINA.-TO CHRISTIAN

MOTHERS.

A FEW years have passed since I bade farewell to the missionary Smith, when about to return to his labours in the field of India,-which, alas! he was never fated to reach. To me "he being dead yet speaketh;" for often do his last words, "Mrs. remember India," recur to my mind, and often have they excited in my soul a spirit of prayer for that dark and interesting country. And now Dr. Legge has spoken to my heart, and prompted me to remember China. The March Number of the Evangelical Magazine contained a stirring appeal from him on behalf of that populous empire. Let me take this opportunity of calling the attention of those whose thoughts may be arrested by these observations to the claims of China as there set forth.

Dear Christian mothers, have not you and I, in some of our best moments, before the throne of grace, earnestly invited the Lord to open a way for the spread of the gospel, through the length and breadth of China, and have we not been surprised and delighted that so gracious an answer has been vouchsafed? But, how do we feel now, when the painful fact is brought be fore us, that means are wanting for the Chinese mission, both as it respects money and agents?

Little did we anticipate such a destitu

tion when we presented our petitions. Little did we think how forcibly we should be reminded that we are "straitened in ourselves and not in God." If our hearts are right with God, we cannot but be deeply moved by the statement that the agents in China of all the various Protestant Missionary Societies of Great Britain and the United States amounted in the past year only to about forty. Forty labourers amidst more than three hundred and sixty millions of heathen! The statement is indeed almost overpowering; but we must not be paralyzed by it. Oh, no! The strong claims of China forbid; the glory of God and of Christ forbids; and may the principle of grace in our hearts, weak as it may be, also forbid that we should yield to a spirit of discouragement.

It is your privilege and mine, dear friends, to be helpers in missionary work. True, our position is that of "keepers at home;" but there it is, in the family circle and in the privacy of the closet, that we are called upon to exercise our influence. Let us but think seriously of the condition of China, shut out as it has been for so long from gospel privileges: let us be rightly affected by the fact, that adequate means for effecting its evangelization are as yet far from being provided, and we cannot fail to exert an increased measure of effort for the spiritual and eternal welfare of that important

nation. One strong chain by which China has been kept in bondage has been broken, and evidently by the Omnipotent hand of a prayer-hearing God.

Another chain yet

remains to be broken; only let prayer be made without ceasing of the church unto God," and we shall see that, as it respects this chain too, "His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, nor His arm shortened that it cannot save."

With reference to missionary agency, is it not truly painful that we see so very few of the sons of Christian parents giving themselves up to the service of the gospel among the heathen? Many, indeed, want the due amount of physical ability, and of other needful qualifications; but if our hearts had been properly alive to the Divine glory, we should not now be mourning over the great destitution of such able labourers; we should not now see so many promising youths choosing a life of comparative ease at home, or embarking in military enterprise, in preference to enlisting under the banner of the Cross, and showing voluntary consecration to missionary work. Have we not failed in our efforts to promote the early conversion of our children, and in solicitude to interest their minds in this great cause? Let us seek to be more faithful to the eternal welfare of our beloved offspring, to the claims of a perishing world, and to the glory of the blessed Redeemer. That we may become so, let us prayerfully seek an enlarged measure of the Holy Spirit.

We must, dear Christian mothers, in Divine dependence, pledge ourselves to more special effort and prayer on behalf of the heathen, and especially the heathen in China. We have much encouragement to pray, and to pray in faith, seeing that God has not withheld from the Chinese mission indubitable proof of his blessing. Just forty years ago the devoted, self-denying Morison entered upon that field. He has entered into rest, and others who succeeded him "sleep in Jesus;" but in the forty labourers above referred to, we see living testimony of the providence of God; for these, like the altars erected by the patriarchs of old, exhibit to our minds a beautiful and faith-strengthening evidence of the faithfulness of Jehovah. May the claims which God has upon our gratitude and praise ever prove an irresistible incentive to believing prayer; and if, as we would trust, the promise should soon be verified to us and ours, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring," may we not cherish the be

lief also that it shall be our distinguishing honour to see some, at least, of that offspring called and qualified for missionary labour. It ought surely to rejoice our hearts that those who are "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh," should go to di to distant lands, proclaiming to dark and heathen minds the "truth as it is in Jesus." And if at Ningpo one of the feebler sex can, unshielded by the arm of man, but protected by the "everlasting arms," prosecute her honoured toil with safety and success, why may we not indulge the hope that to daughters as well as sons may be assigned, in the providence of God, a sphere of missionary work, in the faithful discharge of which angels shall rejoice, and God be glorified?

With a view to hasten on the blessed period, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of Christ for ever, allow me to suggest,

That we fix upon a stated hour weekly for special prayer in reference to the missionary cause; and,

That we make a greater effort to interest the young in missionary work.

And then as it respects our petitions before the mercy-seat:

1st. Let us entreat God to give to his church a more missionary spirit.

2nd. Entreat him to give his church a far more self-denying spirit, in order to carry out his great designs in reference to the heathen.

3rd. Let us entreat him to call out from the families of the faithful many of the dear youth for missionary labour.

4th. Let us entreat him to endow missionary enterprise, in all its various operations, with the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.

That God may bless this feeble effort to promote his glory, is the sincere wish of a friend to missions.

[We have much pleasure in giving publicity to the preceding judicious and earnest observations. The writer will be glad to know, that the Directors of the London Missionary Society have been able to add considerably to the number of "the messengers of the churches" appointed to labour in China. But still the claims of that interesting country and most promising field of labour are far from being adequately met. If Christian mothers will but lay those claims to heart, we may hope the Directors will soon be enabled to do for China what they have it in their heart to do.-ED.]

Покорава

MISSIONARY MAGAZINE

AND

Chronicle.

[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

2 L

VOL. XXV.

MISSIONARY OFFERING OF THE SAMOAN CHILDREN.-Vide p. 441.

SOUTH SEAS.

SAMOA.-MISSIONARY OFFERINGS OF THE YOUNG.

THE advantages connected with the possession of a Ship entirely devoted to Missionary Service were sensibly realised, and strongly appreciated, by our brethren of the South Sea Mission, during the recent voyages of the John Williams among the Islands of the South Pacific. The Juvenile Collectors and Contributors for the purchase of the vessel are reaping abundantly the rewards of their generous and self-denying efforts in the inestimable services which their good Ship is rendering to the interests of the Gospel in Polynesia; and they will rejoice to learn that their Missionary zeal has touched a responsive chord in many youthful hearts in those distant lands. An instance of this is related in the following communication, under date of September last, from the Rev. W. Mills, of the Samoan Mission; the perusal of which, we are assured, will awaken feelings of thankfulness and delight in the minds of our young friends :

"The John Williams sailed from Apia Harbour on the 2nd of this month, and is now on her concluding voyage to the Westward, before leaving for England. She has on board sixteen Native Teachers, some of whom are married. Messrs. Pritchard and Williams, myself, and some of the brethren, accompanied the Ship outside the reef. The Samoan Teachers seemed to feel much on parting with their friends. One of the most interesting sights connected with the effects of the Gospel is the simple devotion of many of these men to the cause of Christ. With none of the excitement which often attends such parting scenes in England, they embark with their small and simple store; and, with eyes full of tears, look, probably, for the last time, on the green mountains of their native land.

"My brethren will doubtless have informed you of the liberality of the Samoan Children on this occasion. It was at first proposed that the Children of each district should subscribe a Canoe, for the use of the Native Teachers at the various Islands to the Westward. The proposal was met with a readiness I never could have anticipated. Our meeting was held on the 20th of June, under a grove of bread-fruit trees. I do not know that I have enjoyed a more interesting meeting during my residence in Samoa. The children came from the farthest village of my district. Mr. Pritchard was present, and gave them an interesting address.

"The Children of each district then successively came forward with their offerings. There were upwards of 400 yards of English Cloth; 87 fine mats, many of which would employ three or four months in making; 369 pieces of native cloth; eight axes; twelve pairs of scissors; three razors; five knives; and many other things in all upwards of 700 articles, with fifty-seven dollars in money. Twenty-nine Canoes were bought, and what remained of the property was sent down to the Westward. The whole amount collected for this one object, in the different districts, could not be less than 300l. or 4007.

"Such is the advantage of having a SHIP of our own, and a CAPTAIN MORGAN who is ever ready to do his utmost to advance the cause of Christ. Would it not have gladdened many young hearts in England, could they but have looked on the John Williams leaving our port, (p. 441,) laden with so many little Missionary Vessels: these will prove of great use to the Teachers, in enabling them to extend their labours round the shores of these distant Islands.

"The Missionary Ship has received on board upwards of forty tons of oil, besides a large quantity of arrow-root. Nearly twenty tons more, now being collected, will be shipped when she arrives. Add to this about twenty-four tons sold, for want of casks to contain it, since March 1845; and you will see that something has been done for the support of the Gospel among us. There has also been collected in money, at our May and Jubilee Meetings, since May, 1844, the sum of 1137.; and besides all this, there is the large amount of property sent to the Teachers to Westward, and the many valuable offerings to the John Williams, in the shape of pigs, fowls, yams, and other native supplies."

Our engraving represents the John Williams, on the eve of departure from Apia Harbour, Island of Upolu, receiving the offerings of the Samoan Children, for the service of the Infant-Missions in the New Hebrides and other groups of Islands lying in the same direction.

SANDWICH ISLAND.-ENCOURAGING PROGRESS OF THE

MISSION.

In the preceding article, we are informed of the preparations made for the voyage of the John Williams to the islands of Western Polynesia; and, since that communication came to hand, we have received from Messrs. W. Gill and Nisbet, who sailed in the Ship on that occasion, a deeply interesting account of the voyage itself, and of their proceedings at the several Islands they visited. The first on which they landed was Fatè, or Sandwich Island, belonging to the Group of the New Hebrides. In a former number of the Missionary Magazine, we informed our readers of the commencement of a Mission there under very promising circumstances; and the subsequent progress of the work, with its present encouragements, wants, and claims, is stated in the appended extract from the narrative of our brethren :

We left Samoa on the 2nd of September, having on board sixteen Teachers, fifteen of whom were intended to reinforce the stations already occupied, and one-a native of Savage Island-who goes for the purpose of introducing the Gospel among his benighted countrymen, should the providence of God open the way for him.

On leaving Samoa, we purposed to call first at Anatom, but the wind not permitting, we sighted Erromanga on Sabbath, the 13th of September; and, passing it, were off Fate (Sandwich Island) the next morning. We lay-to off the district where the Teachers had been located by Messrs. Murray and Turner last voyage. After a short time we were cheered by seeing two of them come off to us. Having ascertained that the inhabitants were friendly, we cast anchor in the Bay, and were soon surrounded by great numbers of natives, all of whom manifested a high degree of friendly feeling. At sunset they were requested to leave for the night, and in a short time all was quiet. During the evening we received the report of the Teachers respecting their work; and were gratified to hear that God had not

only given them favour among the people, but had, to all appearance, blessed their labours to a degree fully equal to our expectations.

Four Teachers were originally left here. Two were located in the neighbourhood of the harbour, and two at a village a little way distant. These we found in the enjoyment of excellent health; but the wife of one of them was evidently drawing near the end of her course in this world.

They had been \treated with uniform kindness by the Chiefs and people among whom they dwell. At each place they had been assisted in building a plastered house, and in different ways had manifested their friendly feeling. At each of the stations the Chief and his family professed from the first to join themselves to the Teachers for instruction, and the worship of God. Their example was soon followed by others, and the numbers kept gradually increasing, till at last almost the whole population professed to have renounced heathenism, and joined the worship of the true God. The Teachers then began to extend their operations, and soon gained a footing at

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »