We

cause on the success of the experiment." And God has given us success. have gathered round the walls; we have gone into the valley; we have lifted up our voices; and we have blown our trumpets. The valley is in motion, and the walls are ready to tumble down. Now, what is our duty? What did the men of Israel, when they saw the seams of the stones opening? Did they drop their trumpet, and say, "O, it is all a bad cause; -we will stop the supplies' of breath, and give the matter up!" No, no; if they had courage to go on when there was nothing but firm walls before them, and had courage to go on to blow these walls down with nothing but trumpets; how would they act when they saw the walls giving way? Would they then droop? The devil, no doubt, might have told them to do so; because, always when success is going to crown the efforts of either Minister or people, the devil is careful to interfere, if he can, to prevent it; and it would have been very much in character that, on that occasion, he should have whispered to them, "Now, you need not blow any more; it will come down of its own accord;" or something of that kind. But did they receive any such satanic suggestion? Some of the waverers, some of the lazy ones, who wished to save their breath, perhaps hesitated for a moment; but not one of them threw down or removed the trumpet from his mouth, but sent forth a louder blast, until the walls came tumbling upon the earth. And I have no doubt, that those who were tempted to 66 stop the supplies," instead of justifying themselves, would be so ashamed to think they had fallen even for a moment into such a miserable temptation, that they would be ready to rend their windpipes, and tear their throats, to make up for their temporary faltering. I believe -indeed I know-this is the case with some already, in connexion with the Missionary cause; and I believe it will be the case with more.

The REV. ROBERT ALDER rose to

move

"That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Auxiliary and Branch Societies, both at home and abroad; to the Ladies' Associations; to the different Juvenile Societies; and to their respective Committees, Treasurers, Secretaries, and Collectors; for their liberal and successful exertions in aid of the Funds of the Society; and also to the Ministers who have so zealously afforded to the Society, during the past year, the aid of their valuable services."

It was not, he observed, his place, even to attempt to make a speech, on the present occasion; but it was his duty to say, that

he felt very great pleasure in having to submit that Resolution to the Meeting, because he liked reciprocity, especially in the discharge of acts of Christian kindness and courtesy. He had had occasion lately to attend the Anniversaries of some of our most important Auxiliary Societies, in different parts of the kingdom. At those Anniversaries, votes of undiminished confidence in, and unabated attachment to, the General Committee and Officers of the Parent Society were adopted, not only adopted, but adopted unanimously,-and not only adopted unanimously, but passed with a degree of cordiality alike honourable to the Parent and her offspring. This was especially the case at Manchester and Liverpool, where, from circumstances to which he need not more particularly advert, a different result might possibly have been anticipated by some. He had to state to that vast assembly, that the Auxiliary Society for the Newcastle District had attained its majority; and in order to commemorate that auspicious event, the Ladies connected with the Society in Newcastleupon-Tyne resolved to hold a Missionary bazaar, and to devote the proceeds of it to Missionary purposes. This proposal was at first objected to, by some professedly prudent individuals, who thought that if a bazaar were held, the amount collected at the Anniversary would in this way be very greatly diminished. The Ladies, however, persevered in their purpose; the bazaar was held two or three days before the Anniversary; the receipts at the Anniversary were, he believed, as large as usual; and he had to state that £325. 2s. were received at that bazaar, which sum he had now to present, in the name of the fair daughters of Northumbria, for Missionary purposes. From what he had seen in many parts of the country, and from what he had seen in that place that day, he was fully persuaded that the cause would live; and He, too, should live who was the very life of the cause itself, and "to Him should be given of the gold of Ophir,-prayer should be made to him continually, and daily should he be praised." He was persuaded of this from the very difficulties to which some allusion had been made. He was reminded of an anecdote, respecting the venerable Founder of Methodism; and as it bore upon the present circumstances of their Society, he would relate it. In Dublin the Methodist society was greatly agitated. A good man wrote to him on the subject; told him the actual state of things; deplored it exceedingly; and concluded his communication by saying, "Where, Sir, are all these things to end ?" The venerable Wesley replied, "Dear brother, you ask where are all these things

to end. Why, in glory to God in the highest,' to be sure, and on earth peace and good-will amongst men.'"

The REV. MAXIMILIAN WILSON merely rose, as coming from another District, to second the motion which had been submitted to the Meeting, and he did so with very great pleasure.

The Chairman then retired from the Chair, and LORD MOUNTSANDFORD was called into it.

The REV. JOSEPH TAYLOR moved

"That the very respectful and cordial thanks of this Meeting be given to John Hardy, Esq., M. P., for his kind and able attention to the business of this day.”

LANCELOT HASLOPE, ESQ., seconded the Resolution.

A general call was now made for "DR. BUNTING."

DR. BUNTING at length came forward, and said, I have no faculty, and 1

never had, for speaking in obedience to such sudden and unexpected calls. If, indeed, you will give me a subject, I will then try to speak about it. If you will tell me any thing you have to say against the principles of the Missionary cause; if you will state to me that you have doubts and difficulties in reference to it; then I will endeavour to meet those doubts, and to solve those difficulties: but I am persuaded you entertain no doubts on the subject. I have, in common with the excellent President of the Conference, who moved this Resolution, been exceedingly gratified with the whole of the proceedings of this day. But I am especially called upon by you, I believe, to acknowledge, and I do it with very peculiar emotions, the kindness with which you have appeared on several occasions,-if I did not mistake the matter, to receive myself, or the incidental mention of my humble name. think you meant by your obliging cheers to say, that although you knew very well that I often make mistakes, and am often chargeable with something like indiscretion in the way in which I go about the work and duties of my office, (cries of "No, no,")-well, but all that I am perfectly ready to admit; I have a deep feeling on this subject; I am often compelled to say, "Who is sufficient for these

I

things?" But I understood you to say, that, whatever may have been my occasional blunders, or the blunders of my colleagues, or of the Committee,-whatever may have been our mistakes, they have all been errors in judgment, and that you all give us credit for having acted with honesty, zeal, fidelity, and integrity. I have sometimes, in the course of the discussions that have gone on during a part of the year, been greatly comforted by the senti

ment of an aged and venerable friend, the oldest Travelling Preacher in our Connexion, Mr. Gaulter. There were moments when things looked likely to be at least annoying, if not destructive, so as to give us some trouble, if not to do us permanent harm, and when, therefore, we needed consolation; and Mr. Gaulter has frequently met such circumstances by saying, "Fear nothing; we have not offended God! He is not displeased with us! We have not sinned! Why, what have we done?" Certainly, we have done nothing new. We have introduced no new princi ple into the management of the Missionary Society. It has always been, ever since this Missionary Society was formed, its principle and practice to give as much preparatory instruction and assistance as it could procure, to those candidates for Missionary labours who were about to proceed to foreign lands. We have only acted more fully on that principle; but we have now obtained the means of doing it more effectually, more systematically, and more economically. My firm opinion is, that if this system continues to be acted upon, and I am quite confident it will and must, (for, when it has once been tried, I am sure that nobody will be found seriously and gravely to propose to abandon it,) my conviction is, that, by acting upon this principle, by giving to candidates the opportunity of learning at home every thing that can be learned at home, while they are preparing for their Missionary labour abroad, you will save much Missionary health and life, you will prevent much loss of time and languor of spirit abroad, and you will eventually save, in various ways that might be mentioned, many thousands of pounds to the Society. I maintain, in the face of any man, and of every man, that it is a part of the duty of the Missionary Society to prepare Missionary candidates for going abroad, to do the work of the Society, and that the expense of so preparing them, whatever that expense upon a fair calculation may be, ought to be paid out of the Missionary funds. what is the Missionary fund raised, but to provide for the work, for the whole work and duty of the Society, at home as well as in the foreign stations? . My Lord, I should not not have introduced this subject at all to the notice of the Meeting, especially at this late hour, but that the Meeting compelled me to speak, and no other topic presented itself to my mind at the moment when I adverted to

...

For

this question. I do give this Meeting sincere thanks on behalf of myself, my brother Secretaries, and the Committee, for the kindness you have manifested towards us; and now, let us implore that

the holy Scriptures have already been translated into the native tongues, and are read with avidity and spiritual profit by many persons who a few years ago had no conception of letters whatever; and many of whom were the unthinking murderers of their own offspring, and others the beastly devourers of human flesh? From these converted and sanctified outcasts of mankind "incense and a pure offering" are daily presented to Almighty God.

The Anniversary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, which is always a festival of holy love, was this year a season of peculiar interest. It was characterised by bursts of feeling in favour of the cause, and of the measures employed to advance it, and by expressions of the highest regard for those excellent men who, merely on account of their talents, their influence, and the soundness of their Wesleyan principles, have of late by some "false brethren" been singled out as special objects of slander and defamation. The Anniversaries of the principal Auxiliary Societies in the country appear to have all borne a similar character. This is a gratifying proof of the strong attachment to their institutions which is cherished by the Methodist societies in the length and breadth of the land. In the midst of so much soundheartedness the friends of this good cause have nothing to fear. The strength and efficiency of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and of the Wesleyan home ministry, are, unquestionably, under God, to be mainly attributed to the union of the Methodist body; and if that union be preserved inviolate, and the spirit of primitive piety be maintained, we have every reason to believe, that, as a part of "the sacramental host of God's elect," that body will be used as an instrument of divine mercy to the world, upon a scale more extensive than its most sanguine friends ever contemplated. There are some excellent remarks on this subject in the Speech of Mr. Montgomery, which is inserted in this Magazine; and we have great pleasure in placing upon record the sentiments and suggestions of a man to whose judgment, on such a subject, so

much deference is due. He sees that the strict union of all the Methodist societies invests them with a moral power of which no other denomination of Christians in the present day affords an equal example; and that the legitimate object of that union is simply and exclusively the advancement of spiritual religion. These, we conceive, are principles which the Connexion must maintain at all hazards. Perhaps Mr. Montgomery attaches an undue importance to the decisions of the approaching Conference, in regard to the noisy agitators that have recently risen up in Lancashire, and a few other places. Our judgment is, that, so far as these misguided men are concerned, the matters in dispute will be brought to a very short issue. The measures which they advocate would inevitably dissolve the union of the Methodist body, and thus paralyze all its efforts both at home and abroad; as is shown by Mr. Vevers in an able pamphlet, just published, under the title of "A Defence of the Methodist Discipline." Besides, the means which these men have adopted to attain their mischievous and worldly objects are so directly opposed both to the letter and spirit of Christianity, and indeed to the decencies of civilized life, that, in the nature of things, we should judge, the Methodist Conference can never enter into any stipulations and arrangements with them. The essential principies of Mr. Wesley's system will never be bartered away, by his sons in the Gospel, to gratify a number of men who, after repeated attempts, have shown themselves utterly incompetent, either to agree among themselves, or to form a theory of ecclesiastical polity possessing even a plausible consistency in its several parts. Their projects vary every two or three months; and every new scheme obviously involves in it the elements of anarchy and confusion. They can rail against the Wesleyan discipline, but can no more improve upon it, after all their deliberations, than a council of wild Caffres could improve the mechanism of a watch, or give increased power and utility to the steam-engine. Our decided judgment, however, is, that these agi