character, and more happy in its effects, than any which such men are likely to establish? The Society had done much for Ireland: much more remained to be done. He would say to the Society, and to the British public, if they were not prepared for a dissolution between the two branches of the empire,--if they were not prepared for a repeal of the Union, send more Missionaries to Ireland; establish more schools. There are, perhaps, not less than one hundred schools already inviting the Society to go and possess the land, so far as it was connected with them, -schools that could not find supplies to keep them working as they ought;-go, he would say, and keep those schools alive, and by that means sow more fully and more effectually the seed of eternal life in that unfortunate country. Do you wish to give our children scriptural instruction ? to give them elevation of mind, and a taste even for the cultivation of more general knowledge? Do you desire to promote social order and civil subordination ? Should you not then aim at establishing such a system of Christian instruction as shall lead that interesting portion of the people of your empire to a saving knowledge of Christ, and make them partakers of like precious faith with you? He hoped

that this and other Societies would succeed in the benevolent operations they have commenced, until Ireland should be like England itself,-a praise on the face of the whole earth.

The REV. ROBERT NEWTON, on making his appearance, was hailed with loud and oft-repeated expressions of affectionate welcome from every part of the Hall. He said, It is not necessary that I should say before you, Mr. Chairman, and before this large assembly, that the Missionary cause, which has brought us together once more, has still my most cordial and entire approbation. I will say, however, with your kind permission, Sir, that that cause was never, at any former period of my life, more dear to me than it is this day. We have heard of storms, and we have heard of battlefields, but surely no one who had not heard any thing of this kind before coming to this Meeting to-day, could have suspected that there was any truth in the statement. We have no storm here, thank God; we are all of one heart and one mind; we have no contest here, except it be who shall be the foremost in this career of Christian benevolence and Christian charity. And although, in the course of the year,-to take up the figure of my excellent friend from Liverpool, there certainly has been a storm somewhere about the Black Rock near that town, yet, thank God, the Missionary vessel has weathered the storm, and has come round the

rock in safety. I was on board that vessel the other day; I found her in good condition, and so far as I am competent to judge, she is perfectly sea-worthy. There were some attempts, I know, made by some on board, to scuttle her, that she might go down; but although they made the attempt, they found her constructed of materials far more impenetrable than even the heart of oak itself, cased with copper. And I have to say, that the vessel is well manned; and also, what my friend neglected to say, that the vessel, during her last annual voyage, notwithstanding all that has taken place, has yielded a larger cargo to your Society than she ever did before. And if they have had a sea-fight at Liverpool, we have had some land-skirmishing at Manchester: but, thank God, we have not struck; our colours are flying yet, and flying in the right place; and I am sure you will give us credit when we say, that we are determined to stand by them. I hope we have not been cowards during the late engagement; certainly we have not been deserters; and we are not come here this day to tell a sad tale of woe, of calamity, and of desolation;

that we have had a hard and perilous service, and that, therefore, now we must be superannuated and retire. We are not come to exhibit our scars even; we have not come to pray that we may be put on the invalid list; but we are ready for active service again, in the name of our divine Master. My friend Dixon spoke of being somewhat timid; I am sure no one would have thought him so at Liverpool; and I am free to confess, that during the whole of our engagement in Manchester, I never feared the result. I was sure our cause was good; it was the cause of truth; it was the cause of righteousness: and I was sure the God of truth and righteousness would maintain that cause. And, Sir, I am happy to say, that even Manchester has been more productive this year than in any former year. And we shall go back to our respective posts, refreshed and encouraged, and resolved to do all that in us lies to maintain this good cause. Recent circumstances have led us to a more careful and attentive examination of our first principles, of the ground on which we stand; and we are sure that we are on a firm footing, that we stand on solid rock. As to opposition, it often is the occasion of increased success. When all is smooth and quiet, even the real friends of the cause are sometimes in danger of slumbering at their posts, and of becoming supine and indifferent; but when opposition raises its voice, then every mind is awakened, every dormant energy is aroused, every man is at his post, and the friends of the cause are more united to each other than ever they were before. We

never should have known, in Manchester, how well we loved one another, had not this opposition become the means of teaching

us.

Our friends there-for in this respect they have done us a friendly service-have been awakening attention, exciting curiosity, pulling the bell, and the people have inquired what was the matter; and in that way not only has inquiry been elicited, but information has been obtained, and conviction produced. And not a few now, in Manchester and its neighbourhood, are, from that cause, saying, "We will go with you, for we think God is with you of a truth." Storms are necessary, and they will arise; storms purify the atmosphere; and I am sure the storms we have had at Manchester and Liverpool have already tended greatly to purify the moral atmosphere. And you know that there are trees that only strike their roots deeper in consequence of the storms that assail them. The Missionary tree will thus strike its roots deeper, and spread its branches wider and wider still, and become more verdant, and more fruitful, and more blooming than it has ever yet been. I will not, Sir, trouble you longer than by repeating a passage from the New Testament, which I have referred to in my own mind during the last six months, with an interest I never did before. Some of us little knew what honours awaited us; for we have been called to have some sympathy in common even with the Apostles of our Lord: "By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold we live, as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things."

The CHAIRMAN then said, I have to announce to the Meeting, that the usual collection will be now made for the purposes of this Society; and let me have to announce after this collection is made, that a large addition is made to the funds of this Society, such as will make me remember, with joy and satisfaction, the circumstance of my having filled to-day that honourable post in which you have placed me.

HENRY POWNALL, ESQ., said, The Resolution he had the honour to propose was one which, he was sure, the Meeting would only require to be read, to give it their most hearty concurrence. It

He felt, after the spirit-stirring addresses they had heard that morning, it would ill become him to consume the time of the Meeting. The grand argument upon which he would lay any stress for their approbation of his Resolution, was the very interesting and satisfactory Report of the past year's proceedings which they had heard read. It was a subject that should call forth much of their praise and thanksgiving to Him who alone can bless any effort; and he should ill requite the trust reposed in him, were he to ascribe any thing to the Committee without giving the honour to divine agency, in its co-operation with the members of the Committee, and in enabling them to bring to so satisfactory a conclusion the labours of the last year. They were well satisfied it was not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, that they had been enabled to do what they had done. If the Committee could ascend to their first station in the Mediterranean upon British ground, and take their stand on the heights of Malta, and look eastward, and westward, and northward, and southward, they would come down from their eminence with the admiring exclamation, "What hath God wrought!" They had already had thanks presented to the Committee, and, through the Committee, to the body of the Society at large, for what they had done in Germany and on the continent of Europe. They had had the satisfaction also of receiving the acknowledgments of their American brethren; and one of them had, with all that Christian warmth of heart which was so characteristic of brotherly love, invited a deputation from the Society to the kindred states in the other world. If he might venture to give a pledge on behalf of this Society, he would say, as he was sure indeed he might on behalf of every other Christian Society in the land, that when a person from America could come and tell them that America was free, and contained not a slave on her shores, they would send over a deputation with joy and gladness, and would 66 say, Brethren, you have done well; you have acted faithfully towards your brethren who were once in bondage; you have evinced that you have received the truth in the love of it, by the love which you have shown to your black brethren." He would not now dwell upon circumstances connected with slavery, neither would he touch that golden chord which their brother from Ireland had just tuned so melodiously in every ear. Would to God that the note which he had sounded from that platform that day were heard by every Christian ear, and felt by every Christian heart: then would they look at the wrongs of Ireland through the medium of brotherly love; then might they

endeavour to unite Ireland more firmly to England, by Bible-ties and Christian principles. If they went to Africa, either in its western or in its southern hemisphere, the Society had abundant cause to take up the language of thanksgiving and praise for the success that God had vouchsafed to it. Even among the tribes of New-Zealand, too, they had achieved a mighty victory, that could not have been contemplated only a short time since. But if the Committee were anxious for testimonies of the divine favour, he would ask them not only to look at their foreign labours, but to look at their home proceedings. That very Meeting was a proof of the divine favour; for it was God alone that made men to be of one mind in a house and if there was ever a unity of purpose, if ever there was a unity of feeling, if there was ever one expression of thanksgiving and praise, of mutual congratulation and mutual joy, it had been heard in the assembly of that day; and he trusted that that was only the beginning of what would be heard, for many years to come, in that room; and that brethren from America would again come and witness the proceedings of the united band of Christian brethren in England, that they might carry forth some of that Christian feeling and love into their country, that they might roll it back with the waves that separated them; and that, as our vessels were carrying on the mutual interchange of commerce, so our hearts might have a mutual interchange of Christian graces.

One

of their American brethren had said, that he had come there partly to ascertain how many Christian Graces they had in England. He would tell him they had but three; he would find but three in London; and if he travelled through every town, village, and hamlet, in every assembly like the present, he would find but three. The first was Faith: and O might the brethren from America derive all that blessed consolation which faith in the divine promises was so well calculated to impart! They had, secondly, Hope: and they did hope that, amidst all that was perplexing and distressing to their country, the divine favour would be richly poured down upon our land. Sure he was that, if there was much to agitate and distress, there was a great deal more to cheer and animate them, in the glorious work which they had begun. Then, thirdly, came Charity. Charity would never fail; though superstition might attempt to divide it, though infidelity might attempt to sever it, and though religious tribulation might for a time distress it, yet charity, that charity which emanated from a knowledge of the Redeemer's love, would never fail. Faith was, as one of our writers expresses it, "a right down

Christian grace and companion; it would travel every step with us through this wilderness; it would see us safe to our Father's home, and it would there take leave of us; but not so with charity, for that would never fail."

WILLIAM GILYARD SCARTH, Esq., of Leeds, said he hoped the Meeting would allow him, in rising to second the vote of thanks to the Committee, to express the happiness he felt, being a Yorkshireman, to find a Yorkshireman in the chair; and he could only say, that the devout prayer of his heart was, and he was sure it would have a cordial " Amen " from the Meeting, that God might spare their Chairman to a good old age; and that, long as he lived, he might occupy a place in the British Senate, as a representative of some part of Yorkshire. He was fully persuaded the Meeting needed no argument to carry the Resolution, for there was a Christian principle in that Meeting which taught them to render "honour to whom honour was due;" and they were convinced that honour was due to those excellent men who formed the Committee of that Society. With reference to the excellent gentlemen who were members of the Methodist Conference, and who composed a part of this Committee, he would only say, that "their praise was in all the churches," and that they continued to "esteem them very highly for their work's sake." In reference to the lay gentlemen of the Committee, he might say, that their characters were well known in London; and he supposed, plain country man as he was, that their character for honour and integrity would go as far, perhaps, on the Royal Exchange as that of any other such number of individuals in the whole metropolis. He stood not up there as the advocate of the Committee; but he would say this of them, that those who knew them, knew they were above suspicion; and he would also say, in reference to those who knew them not, that they violated a great Christian principle if they ventured either to speak or write evil of them.

THOMAS FARMER, ESQ., said, he thought it proper to observe, that he should not have presented himself before them but that he had been requested to appear as the proxy of a gentleman, whose name and Resolution he was fully satisfied would meet with the cordial approbation of the Meeting. William Tooke, Esq., M. P., was well known to the greater part of that audience; he was known as the friend and advocate of their cause. Mr. Tooke had kindly consented to move the Resolution which he then held in his hand, but his a particular engagement required retiring from the Meeting. He wished, however, to express his willingness

to take part in the proceedings of that day; and he (Mr. F.) had been requested, as his proxy, to move the Resolution. He could never do justice to the feelings of his heart upon these occasions. Next to the pleasure he derived from attending these Meetings, was the pain he felt, and the regret he experienced, that he could do so little to promote so good a work. He could, however, say, that his heart was in the cause; it had been in the cause for some years; and his pulse beat full as high, and his heart was quite as warin, on the present occasion, as on any former one. Most cordially did he move

"That the thanks of the Society are especially due to Lancelot Haslope, Esq., and the Rev. Joseph Taylor, the General Treasurers, for their valuable services, which they are requested to continue; and that the thanks of the Meeting be given to the Rev. Jabez Bunting, the Rev. John Beecham, the Rev. Robert Alder, the General Secretaries, and to the Rev. Elijah Hoole, Assistant Secretary, for their attention to the affairs of the Society during the past year."

On the subject of the Resolution he could say much. He was happy to bear his testimony to the diligence, the zeal, the affection, and the perseverance, with which, as far as his observation had enabled him to form an opinion, they had attended to their duties. He felt that he should not be say ing too much if he said, that they might search far and wide before they could find four such individuals, competent to do the work as well, certainly not better, than the present Secretaries had done it; and they had at all times his best wishes and prayers, that the blessing of God might rest upon them, and preserve them in health and strength to meet all the demands that were made upon their exertions and talents.

The REV. JOHN MACLEAN, of Sheffield, said, With all these gentlemen I happen, Sir, to be more or less acquainted, and I am persuaded, that the whole of this assembly is prepared to concur in the sentiments of this Resolution. I paused over one of the names,-that of Jabez Bunting, -and surely if I say, that I lived under the roof of that honoured individual for twelve months, and that I feel myself under personal obligations to him, both with respect to my piety, and with respect to my qualifications for the situation I fill as a Minister of Jesus Christ, no one will wonder, if, over this by-me-honoured and truly-loved name, I made a pause, especially under existing circumstances. friends of other denominations must excuse us, on this particular occasion, for making allusion to certain circumstances.

Our

It is possible that, for half a century to come, we may not have to deal so largely in this sort of matter as we have had to deal in it to-day; and therefore our friends who are not initiated in the secrets of some parts of our recent history, must not suppose, although we dearly love one another, that we are accustomed ordinarily to congratulate each other just so much as we have done to-day. But, from the circumstances in which many of the beloved and honoured individuals referred to,- Mr. Newton and others,-have been lately placed, the joy we feel on this occasion is very peculiar, and in reference to those extraordinary expressions of interest which were manifested by this large assembly, in connexion with those individuals, you must believe us, that, dearly as we love them, it was not so much on account of themselves individually, as on account of the great cause with which they are inseparably bound up. Sir, when we were cheering them, and if that is ever to be allowed at a Meeting of this kind, it is to be allowed this day, we felt that, in expressing our feelings in this way, we were not only telling those honoured individuals that we were thankful to them for their fidelity, and disposed still to confide in them, but we were declaring to each other, and declaring to the world, our determination to adhere to certain great principles, from which, by the blessing of God, we are determined never to swerve. We were declaring, that, in this great cause, we are resolved to nail our colours to the mast, and, come what will, we are resolved to advance. I am sure the Meeting is prepared to agree to, and indeed has already most heartily concurred in, the substance of this Resolution; and, in conclusion, I would just observe, Sir, that the circumstances of the heathen world, by the blessing of God upon our efforts, and the efforts of our brethren of other denominations, are such at present as call for special exertions. We are, Sir, in that situation at present, into which God does invariably bring those, sooner or later, who have engaged in enterprises at his command. As the seconder of one Resolution observed, God often calls us to become "fools for Christ's sake," or to go into positions which may make ns, in the estimation of some, look foolish ;-in such a case, we have just to act on divine authority. We go on, appearing to a multitude of persons as fools, because God hath bidden us. But although in the first instance, Sir, God calls upon us to become fools for his name's sake, and to show our allegiance to him by a deference to his will, yet he does not allow us always to remain in the precise position in which, in the first instance, he

was pleased to place us; but he graciously furnishes proofs to those who thought us fools, that we are probably wiser than they imagined. The Lord hath respect to his people; and when he called a number of men of God to surround the stone walls of a certain frontier city, and to pull down those walls by the sounding of rams' horns against them,-this was going into an extremely foolish, an extremely unphilosophical situation; and many a one, perhaps, volunteered advice that they should take a few scaling-ladders with them, and a few battering-rams. But those individuals were willing to be thought foolish for the Lord's sake; and, contrary to all the principles of philosophy and mechanics, they threatened to pull down the walls by sounding rams' horns. It required no small degree of courage to go into such a situation as this; but, although, in the first instance, they were called upon to appear foolish, yet, I suppose, many thought they were wiser afterwards than at first sight they seemed. When the disconnected stones were seen moving from their places; when a noise was heard throughout the whole of the walls, betokening in this extraordinary way their speedy and complete overthrow, the people must have begun to have some different notions of what was really foolishness. And when God called his Prophet Ezekiel into somewhat of an unphilosophical position, when he sent him into the valley of dry bones to speak to them, some persons, no doubt, would consider that a very foolish thing. And if we could conceive any men present,-though it is a mere fiction of the mind, and a visionary thing, we can well suppose that they would say, "Would it not be better than speaking to dry bones, to get the bones to fit,-if you can; and joint them,—if you can; and get sinews,-if you can; and get flesh and skin to cover them,—if you can;-and then study chemistry, to find out some principle of life, if you can; and throw that principle into the whole mass, if you can: by these means, you may fail, perhaps; but, if you fail, you will fail philosophically. If you fail, you will have the pleasing reflection, that you have gone to work in a scientific manner." And this is very grateful, no doubt, to a person's feelings in the case of failure, to have his science and philosophy conceded. But this was not the way the Prophet was to proceed. He was to go into the valley, and to speak to the dry bones; and, with all the ridicule which different parties have brought to bear on the Methodist societies, they have never been able to raise a richer joke, at the expense of the Methodists, than they might have raised at the expense of the Prophet, when he went forth into the valley

of dry bones, and proposed to restore them to life, by merely speaking to them. They might then indeed have raised the cry of folly; but, "lo, a noise was heard; and behold a shaking; and the bones came together, bone to his bone." And then the candid men would say, "Really, in reference to the philosophy of this, we are quite at fault; we cannot give the rationale of this at all; but there is some secret eonnexion between speaking to these dry bones, and restoring them to life; and, after all, this must be a wise man." Now, this was of God. It was God's will, that the men of Israel should go round the walls of Jericho, just because he bade them; and it was God's will that Ezekiel should go into the valley of dry bones. He believed they would be restored to life by speaking to them, just because God bade him do so. But then, it was not God's will that the men of Israel should always continue blowing trumpets against firm walls; it was not God's will that the Prophet Ezekiel should always continue speaking to a valley of dry bones, that were marrowless, moistureless, and perfectly still. No; it was God's will that they should commence upon his authority; but having tried their faith, he soon instructed them in another form, and tried them with another motive, with that of success. Now, this is precisely the history, in different words, of God's dealings with us as a Missionary Society, and with all the great Missionary Societies. The men of God who started them were willing to appear as fools for Christ's sake. They gathered around the wall, took the rams' horns, put them to their mouths, and blew the blast; or they wen into the valley of dry boues, and said, "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord: " and a number of infidels were ready to split their sides with laughing at them, if an infidel can be capable of such excitement. They were assailed from this quarter and the other quarter, and from Quarterlies too, both in the north and the south; and ridicule enough was poured upon them. But they had the courage to bear the laugh, to go on preaching; and when they were asked by one and another to give the philosophy of the matter, they did not attempt to do this, and I hope we shall always have something better to attend to. It is not from a desire to learn philosophy, if we could teach it them, but only to embarrass us, and exhaust our strength, that these unprofitable questions are put. But the men of God did not stay to speculate with them; they said, "You'll see by and by-we go on; stand you there; and we stake the credit of the whole