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GEORGE HERBERT AT BEMERTON.

much hold on the affections of simple country people. A pleasing chapter is devoted to the "Parson Blessing; the neglect of this duty in ministers themselves hath made the people also neglect it." "Those of his servants that can read are allowed time for it, and those that cannot are taught; for all in his house are either teachers or learners or both, so that his family is a school of religion, and they all account that to teach the ignorant is the greatest alms. Even the walls are not idle; but something is written or painted there which may excite the reader to a thought of piety." "As he opened the day with prayer, so he closeth it, humbly beseeching the Almighty to pardon and accept our poor services, and to improve them, that we may grow therein, and that our feet may be like hinds' fect, ever climbing up higher and higher

unto him."

We give short extracts from Herbert's prayers before and after sermon.

Before sermon. "And now, O Lord, in the power of thy victories, and in the ways of thy ordinances, and in the truth of thy love, lo, we stand here beseeching thee to bless thy word, wherever spoken this day throughout the universal church. O make it a word of power and peace, to convert those who are not yet thine, and to caution those that are; particularly bless it to this thine own kingdom, which thou hast made a land of light, a storehouse of thy treasures and mercies. O let not our foolish and unworthy hearts rob us of the continuance of this thy sweet love; but pardon our sins and perfect what thou hast begun. Especially bless this portion here assembled together, with thy unworthy servant speaking unto them. Lord Jesu, teach thou me that I may teach them; sanctify and enable all my powers, that in their full strength they may deliver thy message reverently, readily, faithfully, and fruitfully."

cloquent, but holy." He lays down the rule that a sermon ought not to extend above an hour. Sunday is to be to him what market day is to a "market man ;' he must make the very best of it. He must be very exact in governing his house that it may be a copy or model for the parish. The little poem, "The Family," is an expansion of this idea. "The furniture of his house is very plain, but clean, whole, and sweet, as sweet as his garden can make; for he hath no money for such things, charity being his only perfume, which deserves cost when he can spare it. His fare is plain and common, but wholesome; what he hath is little, but very good; it consisteth most of mutton, beef, and veal; if he adds anything for a great day, or a stranger, his garden or orchard supplies it, or his barn and yard; he goes no farther for any entertainment, lest he go into the world, esteeming it absurd that he should exceed who teacheth others temperance." We may gather that it was Herbert's custom in the course of a year to invite his parishioners severally to his house; eourtesy and charity are his law of life. On the afternoons of the week days he would go into the parish to make his calls, and would look upon himself as the father of his flock. When he leaves his parish he does not leave his ministerial character behind him. Therefore, those he meets on the way he blesseth audibly, and with those he overtakes or that overtake him, he begins good discourses, such as may edify, interposing some short and honest refreshments, which may make his other discourses more welcome and less tedious." Walton has preserved some beautiful anecdotes, illustrating this procedure on Herbert's part, which show also how closely this holy pastor adhered to the ideal which he drew. If the tone of any conversation displeased him, he would "either prevent it judiciously, or break it off seasonably by some diversion." He would make it a point to be on good terms with all his brethren in the ministry, giving them all the help in his power. welcomes to his house any minister, how poor or mean soever, as if he were to entertain some great lord." Herbert also appears to have been, for the good of his parishioners, both a little of a lawyer and a little of a doctor. His library seems to have boasted both of "Abridgement of the Statutes" and "Dalton's Justice of Peace." He would be willing to decide with the best helps he could get, but his chief business is to reconcile. He, or his wife, is a sort of physician. "For salves his wife sceks not the city, but prefers her gardens and fields before all outlandish gums. And surely hyssop, valerian, mercury, adder's tongue, verrow, melilot, and St. John's wort, made into a salve, and elder, camomile, mallows, comphrey, and smallage, made into a poultice, have done great and rare cures. In curing of any, the parson and his family use to premise prayers, for this is to cure like a parson, and this raiseth the action from the shop to the church." "The MISSIONARY SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN country parson is generally sad because he knows nothing but the cross of Christ, or if he have any leisure to look off from thence he meets continually with two most sad spectacles, sin and misery." Nevertheless he admits a seasonable happiness and mirth. Herbert conceived that the great and crying sin of the land in his day was idleness, "great in itself, or great in consequence." "The country parson's library is a holy life... the servant of God, freed for awhile from temptation, in a quiet sweetness seeks how to please his God." Herbert was also a lover of old customs when good and harmless, especially when they had so

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From the prayer after sermon. "Thou hast given us the blessings of this life, and of a better. O Lord, thy blessings hang in clusters, they come trooping upon us; they break forth like mighty waters on every side. And now, Lord, thou hast fed us with the bread of life; so man did eat angels' food. O Lord, bless it! O Lord, make it health and strength unto us, still striving and prospering so long within us until our obedience reach thy measure of thy love who hast done for us as much as may be. Grant this, dear Father, for thy Son's sake, our only Saviour."

It does not enter within the compass of this article to speak of the earlier portion of George Herbert's life, nor yet of his saintly death, nor yet to discuss fully the subject of his poetry. The intention has been to speak simply of one phase of his history.

CHINA.

XXI. THE NIRVANA.

F. A.

AN intelligent young man, from the city of Woo-Sih, called upon me one day to converse about our religion, and also to get some insight into some of the scientific matters about which he had been reading. He was well read in the Buddhist books, and I resolved I would take the opportunity of enquiring about the doctrine of the Nirvana- the highest and ultimate aim of the Buddhists, because the generality of the priests are utterly unable to explain it, many of them

MISSIONARY SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

being little better than dirty and filthy bowing and chanting machines.

Having spoken on a variety of subjects, I asked him "if he could give a clear idea of the wonderful doctrine of the Nirvana; because, though I had read a great deal about it, I did not yet understand it."

"I shall be delighted to tell you all I know, but my poor abilities cannot reach far," he at once responded. "Well then, what is the state of Nirvana ?" After thinking for a little, and arranging his thoughts, or more probably recalling passages in books which he had read (for these Chinese have tremendous memories), he said, "It is the state in which we reach the ultimatum of living and yet not living: thinking and yet not thinking."

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"It is quite possible," was his calm reply, "and I will tell you how it may be attained;" and then he went on to explain :-" Suppose a man retire to a cell. He resolves to subdue his nature and quench his desires and thoughts. The first day he thinks 10,000 thoughts, the second day thinks 9500, the third day 9000, the fourth day 8000,-and so on till he only think 10 thoughts. After that by increased diligence he thinks 9 thoughts, then 8, then 7, till he gain the grand climax of thinking only 1 thought,thought, and have this one thought, and only this one, always in his mind. This is the state of thinking and yet not thinking, living and yet not living. The mind is then at perfect rest, and perfectly purified from all carnal or worldly desires. Reaching this state, the mind immediately perceives Buddha, and is then absorbed into a Buddha; as a Jew-drop is absorbed into the brilliant atmosphere, or a taper into the glorious light of the sun, so the human soul is absorbed into the great essential pristine intelligence —is redeemed from all the evils inseparable from existence --and never again will pass through any grade of creatures. This is the Nirvana. And it is the only way of entire escape from misery. Though a man reach the western heaven he may fall down again unto the lowest brute, or even hell. Only by being absorbed are you perfectly free from the chance of woe.' "And is this the aim and end of your religion? asked, after complimenting him and telling him that I now understood it better. I also said, "This is annihilation. Your great aim is thus to become nothing; for if you have no thought, no feeling, no anything, why this is literally to be nothing. Is this your aim?

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"Yes," he replied, with great satisfaction. "What a dismal futurity!" I said. "How different from the good hopes of the Christian religion! We know that we shall be perfectly purified from all sin, and saved from all danger of falling; and we know that we shall live in the perfect enjoyment of all our highest pleasures; that our future life will be social; that we shall dwell with Christ Jesus, with the bright angels, with the spirits of just men made perfect; and that we shall be for ever and ever, rising in intelligence, and love, and joy. Oh the glory of eternal life with God in heaven! Has any one ever reached

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Nirvana yet?" we asked, as we concluded this exposition.

"No mortal man has yet achieved Nirvana, though some have reached the stage next to it," he replied.

Here I pointed out the folly of aiming at such a delusion; told him that we certainly, as his religion admitted, would live for ever; that God had sent us a book in which he clearly told us what we were, and how we might be redeemed from misery, and translated to eternal joy. He listened to it respectfully. Let us hope the words reached his heart; for the direct objective teaching of the Bible is just what these men need; for many thousands of them are deeply in carnest in seeking how they may be saved from an evil and corrupt nature, and the ills the flesh is heir to, and the misery of a dark future life.

XXI. BUDDHIST VESPERS.

- One day, when in Kio-Huin, there was a service to be performed in the Buddhist temple in the evening. I went and saw it, and I must describe it to my readers. It took place in the outer temple, and there were sixtyfour priests engaged in it. There were five rows of cushions of twelve each placed before the huge images of Buddha; and the priests came and took their respective positions, sixty at the cushions and four in front. They all knecled down before the idols, the gongs began to beat, the bells to tinkle, and they chanted a chant in the Pali language. Afterwards they rose, and went up between one row of cushions and down the next, priest following priest in regular and most orderly procession. At first their pace was slow, afterwards a little faster, then faster still, and yet faster, until their pace became a race as swiftly as they could lift their legs. This zig-zag race continued fully a quarter of an hour, and all the time they kept offering up prayers to Buddha. The mumbling of their prayers kept pace with their speed-first slow, and then faster, till the words followed so quickly, that articulation became impossible. And what, think you, did they say all that time? It surely must have been a long prayer to occupy fifteen minutes' rapid speaking. It consisted of only one word of three syllables and another of one syllable. It was "O-mi-du veh," which is the Chinese way of pronouncing the phrase, "Honour to the coming Buddha." Oh! it was painful to me to see this. How powerfully it reminded me of our Saviour's command: "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." How true to the very letter!

When their pace was at its height they suddenly ceased, but not before each priest was at his cushion. Then they again kneeled most profoundly before the big piece of clay and straw fashioned and painted after human form. The gongs again began to beat, and again they commenced their wretched chant. This was done a third time, and the service was ended. The priests were better dressed than many I have seen, and never changed their countenances during the service, although a great crowd was gazing at them, which proved they were of the more serious class. Their heads were all shaven, and plainly visible were the nine or twelve spots, about half an inch in diameter, which are the marks they receive when they become priests. They are burned into their skulls with red hot iron.

It is certainly strange that in almost all countries and in all ages the custom should so extensively have

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HAPPINESS FROM SPIRITUAL THINGS.

prevailed of burning marks into the head or hands, or attention to religion. They would not neglect it. on some part of the body, to indicate a particular They treat all serious things with reverence, and perreligious profession. It was done among the Egyp-haps devote some time every day to religious duties. tians, among the Israelites, and is alluded to in that But these duties are considered as duties, and nothing beautiful passage, "I have engraven thee on the palms else. No pleasure is either expected or found in them. of my hands," and also in the book of Revelation. May They are not sources of enjoyment or happiness. we all have the true mark, "the new heart and the right spirit," without which we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven!

THE PULPIT OF THE FAMILY. HAPPINESS FROM SPIRITUAL THINGS. "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."-Col. iil. 2.

HE things by which we are surrounded, and which we have to do with every day, must interest and Occupy us. God himself has placed us among them, and we cannot but care for them, nor is it wrong to do so. In like manner we may properly have earthly objects of hope and desire. Indeed hope seems inseparably linked with interest, and where we care for things we must have desires about them too. But no earthly things whatever ought to be cared for or desired in such a way, or in such a degree, as would be inconsistent with this text. What is but right, in its proper measure, becomes wrong when that measure is transgressed.

There are other things to be cared for. We do not see them yet; for they are above, and we are below. But they are not far off. A little while, and we shall be among them. Then they will form our position and our circumstances, as really and as closely as earthly things do now. Even now, they are not far off. Though not seen, yet they may be known, felt, realized, by faith. For though unseen and spiritual, they are as perfectly real as the things that we see every day.

These things, the "things above," are in fact spiritual and eternal things; the things of the soul, the things of God, the things of eternity; the very same things as are spoken of in the first verse, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

These things we are to care for, and to care for most. "Set your affection on things above." That is, mind them, consider them, have a taste for them, love them, desire them. They are even set in opposition to the things below, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth :" a strong way of showing us, how much more we are to care for the one than for the other. Compared with our interest in, and our care for things above, we are to have none whatever for things below. However we must necessarily be engaged in worldly things, the chief place in our thoughts must be kept for the things above, those are the things that must have our hearts. It is plain from the text that we are meant to seek our happiness in these things. Now this is a very different view of religion from that which is taken by many. With them it is a thing of duty merely, not of happiness; a thing quite distinct from those things which they do when they are seeking to gratify themselves; quite distinct from them, and very unlike them. I am not speaking of careless people. Those to whom I allude are far from being careless. They pay a conscientious

How different a view of religion is presented to us in the text! "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Let a regard to spiritual things be first with you. Let religion not be an occasional thing merely, an exception (as it were) to your common course of life; but let it form your very life itself, and let all your conduct, your feelings, your thoughts, take their tone from it. Let deep religious principle, as leaven, go through all. Turn away from earthly things, and bestow your chief attention upon heavenly things. Do this, not merely because it is necessary for safety, but because it brings happiness. Embrace spiritual things for their own sake. Learn to love them, and to find delight in them. And as you declare by your very attention to religious duties that your desire and your hope is to be happy with God hereafter, so seek happiness in him even now. Thus the text seems to speak to us.

Ah! how far do we fall short of that happiness which we might have even now, were we more spiritually minded! Truly may we say with the psalmist (applying his words in this sense), "My soul cleaveth unto the dust." Let us go on to say with him, "Quicken thou me according to thy word!" Let us pray for a spiritual mind, a mind in which the Spirit dwells. Let us seek continually that the world may lose its hold on us, that Christ may be dearer to us, that we may grow in the spiritual life, and that the things above may be the objects of our most earnest desire, making us happy even now, and filling us with lively hopes of a yet better happiness to come. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Lord, grant that both our treasure and our hearts may be with Thee!

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"Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."-1 Pet. v. 14.

"What is this peace ?" asks the unbeliever. "How may I get this peace?" asks the awakened sinner. "How may 1 keep this peace, and never lose it ?" asks the child of God. Listen to our Saviour's own words. The peace that he gives is his own peace,

something not of the world, nor given as the world gives. It is only by coming to him that we can know by blessed experience what this peace is; it is by coming to him that the distressed and awakened sinner may attain this peace; it is by abiding in him that his people, amid all their troubles, may keep this peace. Out of him, there is no true peace; in him, the peace of the believer is real, and deep, and true. The unbelieving heart cannot find peace, because it will not go simply to

Christ for it; it wanders about like Noah's dove over the restless waves, till, worn and weary, it takes refuge in the ark, and he himself puts forth his hand and takes it in. Oh let it not again fly forth upon that ocean of darkness!-let it abide in the love, and the presence, and the peace of Jesus, listening to his voice, learning of him!

"O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace."

Pages for the Haung.

ANNIS LEIGHTON.

ANNIS LEIGHTON.

EADOW HOUSE was so called from the large fields that lay round it. It was a pretty white building; in fact it was so very clean and bright, that many people called it the White House. The grass grew right up to the back door, and the garden was so full of fruit-trees, that it almost looked like an orchard. In one corner were four little bits of gardens; they belonged to Annis, Charles, Rosic, and Mary Leighton; and Mr. and Mrs. Leighton were the lady and gentleman who lived in Meadow House.

It was on a bright sunshiny summer afternoon that three happy children were shouting and laughing in the garden. Charles, Rosie, and Mary were picking strawberries for tea, and a merry time they had over it. On a low garden-seat near the house sat a little girl of about thirteen. She was so small and slim, that you might have taken her for much less; but the white, delicate face looked old for her years. She had some knitting on her lap, but the thin fingers only played with the needles. You would have noticed that the bright sunlight shining on her hardly caused her eyelids to droop-for Annis was blind. She had not always been so: once she was as happy and rosy a little child as you could wish to see; but one winter she sickened, and when, after many months of illness, God spared her life, the doctors said that Annis would never see again. And so the merry little child grew up into a quiet, delicate girl.

Presently a lady came from the house carrying a little baby, carefully wrapped up in a shawl. The rustle of her dress on the grass caught Annis's quick ear, and she turned with a smile, but not before Mrs. Leighton had had time to see the serious look on her face.

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What is the matter with my little daughter?" said Mrs. Leighton, as she laid her hand tenderly on the smooth head. "Oh, nothing, mamma; I was only thinking." "Thinking of what, my darling?" and, as Annis did not answer, she went on: "Were you tired of sitting still? Were you wishing that you could play with the others this sunshiny afternoon?"

"Oh no, mamma," replied Annis, eagerly, as though she, did not wish her mother to think that she had been neglected. "See," and she pointed to a large cabbage leaf full of fine ripe strawberries; and taking up a nosegay that lay beside her, she picked out of the bunch a bit of trailing convolvulus, and rapidly passing her fingers over the flowers, as though by feeling she could see, she held it up to her mother, saying, "Is not this a beauty ?"

But Mrs. Leighton's eyes wandered from the white blossoms to her daughter's face. She sat down, and took Annis's hand in hers.

"But I want to know, my dearie, what you were thinking about before I came into the garden ?"

"I hardly know," said Annis, with a little sigh. "I was thinking that I was not of much use in the world. Charlie will grow up, and do great things when he is a man; and Rosie does many little things for you now; and even Mary can run your errands and I'm the eldest, and I can't do anything-not even pick the strawberries," she added with a sad little smile.

"Annis, do you remember what I read to you from Milton, They also serve who only stand and wait?' And when I see my little daughter a cheerful and pleasant Christian under a great and daily affliction, and I remember how much may be done by example, I don't think her life a useless one. And when I see her listening to Charlie's school feats, and taking an interest in all his sports, or rocking the baby for hours at a time, or when I see little Johnny Smith running about with warm socks knitted by her diligent fingers, or notice how papa is cheered when he comes home tired and sees her contented and happy face, I don't think her's a wasted life."

Aani pressed her mother's hand. "I don't mean so much now; but when I grow older, instead of being a useful woman I shall only be a burden."

"Have you ever thought, Annis," said Mrs. Leighton, "of all the different kinds of men that are wanted to build and furnish a house? First, the strong men must dig the foundations, and the brickmaker must make the bricks, and the stonemason must

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lay the stones, and the carpenter must prepare the wood from the trees that the sturdy woodcutter has felled, before the skilful painters can paint and decorate; and then the cabinetmakers must make the furniture; and then the musical instruments, and ornaments, and pictures are wanted. So many gifts are required to make a beautiful house: and don't you think that the decorator would be very foolish if he were to sit down and cry because he was not strong enough to dig or hew stones, and to say, 'Of what use am I? instead of waiting till the master had work for him to do? God has created no useless life; and are you not willing, my little Annis, to help in the building of that temple which is not built with hands, even though your work be patient waiting? Your life will not be spent in vain if, by your cheerfulness and patience, you show forth the beauty of holiness." Annis smiled brightly, but Mrs. Leighton's eyes were full of tears.

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At that moment a loud ring pealed through the house and garden. Papa!" exclaimed Annis, starting up "Papa! papa!" shouted the children. It was always Annis's task to let her father in; and very cleverly she found her way about the house, every one being careful to leave nothing in her way.

The summer was passed, and autumn was now fast changing the pretty green leaves into dry and yellow ones. It was after another bright sunshiny day, in which Mr. Leighton and the children had taken a holiday, and made an excursion to some woods not far from Meadow House, that our next scene takes place. All had gone to bed early, tired with the day's rambling. Annis slept in a little room opening on to the nursery. She had remained at home all day with her mother, and therefore, not so tired as the rest, she slept less soundly. She dreamed that she was out in India, watching some kind of heathen feast. One of the amusements was making a great bonfire of sandal-wood. She saw them light the faggots, she heard the fire crackling; and how strong the sandal-wood smelt! The smell grew stronger and stronger, in fact so strong that it woke her. Was she still sleeping? for she seemed to smell the burning wood. She listened nervously, and heard a low kind of noise, as though some one were blowing a pair of bellows. Could nurso be lighting the nursery fire? No-she remembered that fires had not begun yet. Her first feeling was to bury her head under the bed-clothes, her second to scream, and her third that poor nurse had been tired out with the long day's pleasuring, and that she had better not wake her unless something were really the matter. Very courageously she got out of bed, and we who are blessed with sight can hardly fancy how much courage it required for poor blind Annis to get up when she thought that there was something wrong in the room that she could not see. She made her way to the door, and opened it carefully; the noise grew louder-something was the matter. A gust of hot air swept by her, and she knew that there was fire somewhere in the house. Her knees trembled; she had hardly strength to know what to do. She determined to go to her father and mother. Quickly and noiselessly she crossed the hall to their room, and in a moment she was by their bedside. "Mamma! papa !" she sobbed, "oh, do wake!'

"Annis, my child!' exclaimed Mrs. Leighton, starting up in bed, "what is the matter?"

But the smell of burning wood told its own tale. In two minutes every one, was up, and, owing to Annis having roused her parents first, every one was called calmly and in a reassuring manner. The children were taken to a place of safety. Mr. Leighton carried Annis, and, feeling how she trembled and shook, he whispered in her ear :

"Him no danger e'er can harm, Who lies cradled in Thine arm."

And as he set her down he said, "This is the brave little girl who has saved our lives this night."

The fire was not very serious, and Mr. Leighton and the servants were able to extinguish the flames before any great damage was done.

Spring has come back to Meadow House. All the fields are full of flowers, but one of the sweetest blossoms is missing, and you will notice that Charles, Rosie, and Mary, who are working in their little gardens, are dressed in black. Annis caught cold the night of the fire, and when the first snowdrops came she died; and if you will follow me to the churchyard, I will show you "the low grave starred with daisies" where she lies. She has done her work of patience and love. May we, whether God has seen fit to afflict us as she was afflicted, or whether he has blessed us with health and strength, be cheerful and loving children of Christ, - remembering that being pleasant and willing in little things is doing Christ service!

Religious Intelligence.

THE ANNIVERSARY MEETINGS.

In the present number we propose to give a brief record of the anniversary meetings of the great religious institutions. We are able to tell, as in former years, of large and interested audiences, cheering reports and speeches, and augmented funds. The total amount raised, in connexion with the London Societies, for various objects-missionary, biblical, literary, and educational at home and abroad, now approaches one million sterling. There has been a total increase upon the receipts of the last year of upwards of 20,000l. Of these, the largest share-more than one half of the whole-has served to replenish the wellnigh exhausted resources of associations for various forms of home missionary effort.

The meeting of the Church Missimary Society was presided over by the Earl of Chichester, chairman. The report showed that though the income had exceeded that of the preceding year by upwards of 3,000l., it was insufficient to meet the largelyincreased outlay. The success of the Sierra Leone Mission was reported as being complete. The voluntary contributions of the people have supplied the stipends of nine native clergymen at a higher rate than the Society had paid. On the West Coast of Africa, through the labours of sixteen missionary societies, native churches are gradually rising up, at various points along a coast line of 2,000 miles, numbering at least 80,000 converts. One fourth of these are the fruits of episcopal missions, in connexion with which also twenty-five native ministers have been ordained. It is considered, therefore, that the time has arrived when a bishop should be provided for these native churches. Reference was also made to the Society's operations in the Mediterranean, India, Ceylon, China, New Zealand, and NorthWest America. At Fort Simpson, on the shores of the Pacific, nearly 100 adults were baptized last year. The Society has, in the various parts of the world already mentioned, 140 stations, 269 clergymen, of whom 157 are English, 22 European lay agents, 1,983 native catechists, and 18, 110 communicants. The reading of the report was followed by a speech from the Archbishop of York, who was very decided in his enunciation of scriptural truth, and was justly severe upon those journalists who, on account of the comparatively scanty number of conversions from heathenism, pronounce the missionary enterprise a failure. "I am comforted, said the Archbishop, "by this reflection, that that kind of newspaper article would have been written much more appropriately in a certain place in Judæa on the day of the crucifixion. There would have been a practical logic in saying, Christianity is now dead, because the Founder of it is nailed on the cross, and all its followers have run away. But Christianity lives, notwithstanding all the slashing logic of those who so anxiously seek to prove that nothing has been done." The meeting was then addressed by the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Rev. John Barton (missionary from Northern India), the Rev. J. C. Ryle, and the Rev. J. Smith, prebendary of Derry. The speaker whose appearance excited the greatest interest, however, was the Rev. Samuel Crowther, the Bishop-Designate of Niger. He experienced a most cordial reception from the vast audience. Mr. Crowther began by saying that he had been surprised to hear the objections of certain newspapers that the accounts produced by the missionary societies were unreadable or unread. As some persons wanted to see results, as a result he presented himself before them. Towards the close of his speech, he made some touching references to his personal experience. He observed:-" I come to this country, Christian friends, not as a missionary to Paul, but as a real applicant to Christian England to come over to Africa and help us. You have many a time heard people say who did not desire our welfare, that Africans sell their own children. No, Christian friends, Africans do not sell their own children; and if there are any present who can come forward and assert that Africans bring up their children for sale, I am ready to confront him here and challenge him to the proof. I was a slave by myself; but my mother did not sell me, and my father perished in the attempt to save me. (Loud applause.) And when once a relative of mine was about to be cut asunder by slave-hunting marauders, my mother fell on her knees before them, and besought his captors rather to let the poor boy go and be a slave for life, than cut him in pieces and spill his blood on the ground. When I returned again, after twenty-five years absence, to Abbeokuta, and met my mother and other relatives in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, they stood gazing in astonishment at my mother's exhibition of yearning love for her son, and can bear testimony

that it could not have been she who sold me." The Rev. Canon Stowell and the Rev. C. D. Marston also addressed the meeting. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel met at St. James's Hall (the other large meetings being held at Exeter Hall), under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It appeared from the report that the income of the Society, from subscriptions and donations during the past year, had largely increased, as compared with the year before, and the committee state that the Society is steadily proceeding in the course upon which it entered several years ago, of reducing its grants in those dioceses and colonies which, through increasing wealth and population, are yearly becoming more equal to the support of their own churches and clergy. The speakers included the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Harrowby, who especially eulogised the sending out of bishops, who might be called the seed of clergymen, and who he wished might be multiplied in this country also; the Right Hons. E Cardwell, M.P. and W. E. Gladstone, M.P., both of whom spoke eloquently of the value of voluntary missionary enterprise, in contradistinction to the system of relying on the public purse: while the latter specially warned the meeting to beware of Chancellors of the Exchequer. The Bishop of British Columbia gave an interesting account of the work of the church in his diocese, and Mr. Gathorne Hardy, M:P., in an eloquent speech, insisted on the duty of the church at home planting herself on the shores of every land on whose waters waved the British flag. The concluding vote of thanks to the Primate was adopted, on the motion of the Archbishop of Armagh, seconded by the Bishop of Chichester.

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The Wesleyan Missionary Society celebrated its jubilee. The Right Honourable Joseph Napier took the chair, and interested the meeting by informing them of the friendship which had existed between John Wesley and his own grandfather. The report, after brief references to the Society's missions in Germany and Italy, and at Gibraltar, proceeded to speak of the work in India and Ceylon. In the former, the steady growth and enlargement of all departments of missionary lah ur, and in the latter, the increase of native contributions, were noted as encouraging circumstances. In Africa and New Zealand the work proceeds under varying conditions, and with different degrees of success. The pecuniary results of the jubilee celebration were referred to in language of devout thankfulness." Without any general or urgent solicitation, more than 170,000l. has, in the last nine months, been promised in the form of special contributions, of which more than 27,000l. has been paid." The year's income showed a total decrease, as compared with that of the previous year, in consequence of nearly 10,000l. less being received from legacies; but in the ordinary home there was an increase of upwards of 5,000l. The year s expenditure exceeded the receipts by nearly 16,000l. This and a previous adverse balance of several thousands were expected to be covered by the 'gleanings of the Jubilee harvest." It appears that the Society has 634 central stations, 4,648 chapels and other preaching places, 920 ministers and assistant missionaries, more than 1,400 catechists and other paid native agents, and upwards of 142,000 church members. The speakers were nearly all returned missionaries, representatives of the Irish and the Australian Conferences, and laymen from Cornwall, Bedford, and Leeds. One of the speeches (described by a Wesleyan pen as of "almost unrivalled splendour and power") was by the Rev. E. E. Jenkins, who has been twenty years a missionary in India. The aspect of that country towards Christianity impresses Mr. Jenkins with much confidence, and he regards the educational work being done by the government in a far more favourable light than do missionaries generally. "The government teaching is secular," he observed. It does not profess to overthrow Buddhism, Mohammedanism, or Hindooism; but although it does not profess to do that, it is doing it nevertheless. (Loud applause.) The scientific teaching of the government cuts right through these systems, in order to bring its pupils to the other side, and raise them to the intellectual status to which it proposes to carry them." He thus described the agency by which the evangelization of our Eastern empire is to be secured :-" Let me say, however, in regard to this work, that, like Lord Clive, we intend to conquer India by means of Indian levies. European missionaries, unaided and alone, will never be able to convert India. So we draw our young men around us. We wean them from the gross vanities of their religion, and by the teaching of God's Spirit they are enabled to cast from themselves those fictions in which they had trusted as heavenly revelations. We take them into our counsels. They know the gospel as well as we do. They

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