meet the expenses which will be incurred in promoting the important work of negro education in the West Indies, to execute the plans which have been formed for extending the society's sphere of operations in India, and, in short, to maintain in a state of vigor, and efficiency all the existing missions of the society, and to embrace those opportunities for usefulness which are presenting themselves in various parts of the world."

After expressing his satisfaction in the excellent Christian principles advocated by the reverend gentleman who preceded him, and ably supporting at some length the several points embraced in the resolution, he adverted with much interest to the influence which the labors of the missionaries had exerted in support of the great principle they had heard advocated, viz., that Christianity is the best mode of civilization.

"Have we not heard that in the rebellion which took place in Jamaica, before the general emancipation, the negroes of this connection, to a man, were not engaged in that rebellion? Have we not heard that, when the Caffrarians made an irruption into South Africa, many of the tribes were prevented from joining in the invasion of their neighbors by the labors of the missionaries and have we not had a most interesting detail of the fact, that when two hostile tribes were drawn up in array against each other, by the timely approach of the missionaries, and the blessing of God on their interference, these two large and influential tribes of human beings were prevented from imbruing their hands in each other's blood? These are great and mighty triumphs of the missionary cause. And does it not become us all to assist in the spreading and the working of this great and glorious cause? When we look abroad, we find that our missionaries, who have been exposed to perils and indescribable dangers, (I allude to those, particularly, in Caffraria, and in the West Indies,) have not been left without protection; but that, while their chapels and houses were burned, and their persons exposed to brutal violence, underneath and around them were the everlasting arms of the Most High, so that they have not been suffered to perish. Nor would I omit to notice the melancholy fact, that so many of your excellent and valuable missionaries have fallen as martyrs in the great and good cause; but they have gone to their reward, and I trust that many more will stand up to take up what they have left undone, following the bright example which they have left, and looking forward to partake of that reward which they now enjoy."

The farther proceedings of this interesting meeting, being carried into a subsequent number of the Magazine, which we have not at hand, we cannot insert. But if we had it, we ought not, perhaps, to occupy a larger portion of this paper with it. The Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society employ more than three hundred missionaries at foreign stations; and they are providing greatly to extend their labors among the most destitute and degraded portions of our race.

2. THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

"The thirty-sixth anniversary of this society was held on Tuesday, May 3d, at Exeter-Hall: the earl of Chichester, the president of the society, in the chair. The speakers were, the bishop of Winchester; the Rev. Dr. Duff, of the Church of Scotland's mission, at Calcutta; the bishop of Chester; the marquis of Cholmondeley; the Rev. John W. Cunningham; the Rev. Professor Scholefield, of Cambridge; the dean of Salisbury; the Rev. Hugh Stowell; Captain Gardiner; and the Rev. Peter Roe, of Kilkenny.

"The aggregate receipts of the year were stated to be £68,354 10s. 6d,

The Rev. Dr. DUFF, in advocating the cause of the society, made. a long and exceedingly labored speech. "In searching for the most marvellous proofs of the fall of man, we must not go," he said, "to the outskirts of the globe, to New-Zealand, or to Labrador; but visit the vast regions of the east, the cradle of the human race, of religion, of science, of patriarchal faith." He drew a dark and dreadful picture of the moral and religious condition of the people whom he called the subjects of Christian Protestant Britain, trained up in all the abominable and bloody rites of an idolatry which recognizes more than thirty-three millions of deities,

"All monstrous, all prodigious things,
Abominable, unutterable, and worse

Than fables yet have feign'd, or fear conceived
Gorgons and hydras, and chimeras dire."

To convey the lamp of life to this dreary region, and illuminate all parts of this mass of darkness and idolatry, he alleged that fifty or sixty thousand missionaries would be necessary, forgetting, probably, that the fruit of a small portion of that number in raising up native teachers would do much toward supplying the work.

Of the state of the country, as favorable to missionary operations, and the description of missionaries which ought to be sent into it to ensure success, he spoke as follows:

Formerly the government of India, from what motives it was not for him to say, established colleges, which were the depositories of the antiquated stores of knowledge, wrapped up in Sanscrit, and astronomy, and Arabic, and false systems of geography, and history, and theology. They salaried their professors of idolatry and superstition; they granted stipendiary allowances to students of idolatry and superstition. But that policy was now at an end; a better day had dawned. The decree had gone forth, that henceforward the pure fountain of English literature and science should be opened, at the expense and under the patronage of government, to the national mind of India. As light cannot coexist with darkness, so surely must the false systems of Hindooism vanish before the torch of modern science. Already had the floodgates of knowledge been thrown open, and who would now dare to shut them up? Already had the means of information begun to pour in upon the thirsty land, and who would now venture to arrest their progress? As well might they exclaim with the poet :—

Shall burning Etna, if a sage requires,

Forget her thunders, and recall her fires?'

But here was the appalling consideration. All trained up under this system, when tossed by the power of superior knowledge out of the errors of Hindooism, and having no better system of religion substituted instead, would inevitably become infidels-quick, versatile, learned infidels. And these would pounce on our simple-hearted, sincere, but ignorant and illiterate Christians, like so many harpies on their prey. What then is to be done? What else can be done, but by combining in holy alliance our own literature and science with our true religion, endeavor, through God's blessing, to raise up a race of men who would be able to enter the territory of the enemy, grapple with him on his own ground, hurl back upon him his own weapons, and, driving him out of his own fastnesses, rear the citadels of grace over the ruins. In this way, instead of keeping down the preaching of the Gospel, we might secure, through the blessing of God's Spirit, a superior race

of preachers, who might diffuse a knowledge of it throughout the land with a power which would prove mighty in pulling down the strong holds of Satan."

After showing at length the political vicissitudes through which the country had passed for a thousand successive years, during which time idolatry, with its concomitant darkness and degradation reigned triumphantly, he exclaimed,—

"Ah! how different the scene now. About two hundred years ago, a band of needy adventurers issue forth from this our native land, from this, one of the remotest islets of the ocean; and they sit down in peaceful settlements on India's fertile shores. By a strange and mysterious dispensation of Providence these merchant subjects were destined to become sovereign princes. In opposition to their own expressed wishes, in direct contravention of the imperative mandates of the British parliament, district was added to district, and province to province, and kingdom to kingdom, till at length all India lay prostrate at the feet of Britain. And now, for the first time during the last thirty centuries, universal peace does reign in India; and if there were a thousand temples of Janus there, the thousand temples might now be shut. O, then, who could resist the inference which analogy supplied? Were the Roman legions commissioned by an overruling Providence to break down the barriers of intercommunion between the kingdoms of the world, to prepare the way for the ambassadors of the cross to announce the advent of the Prince of peace? And had not the British legions been commissioned in our day by the same overruling Providence to break down the barriers of intercommunion between the tribes, and states, and principalities of Hindostan ? Had they not levelled mountains and filled up valleys to prepare a highway for the heralds of salvation to proclaim the message that ought ever to fall upon the sinner's ear more enchanting far than the softest, sweetest strains of earthly melody? Would they then shut their eyes, and steel their hearts against an opportunity so favorable for extending the boundaries of the Redeemer's kingdom? Say not that ye have not the means. The wealthy have the means in abundance, and to spare, if they had only the Christian heart to communicate. The poorest have something; even the widow has her mite; and if she has not, she has her closet; and thence, in communion with all the saints on earth, may thousands of prayers be made to ascend into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth, more grateful and more acceptable far than the incense of a thousand sacrifices. Would they, then, neglect the golden opportunity of extending the principles of the cross in India?"

The Rev. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, in speaking of the grounds of encouragement to hope for a successful introduction of pure Christianity in China, said:

"Mohammedanism had scaled the walls of China; Judaism had penetrated into China; the Roman Catholic religion had gained access to the empire, and had reached the very throne and court. Mr. Abeel had declared, what had been confirmed by Mr. Gutzlaff, that Budhism was not indigenous to China, that it was not as the tea tree of that country; but that it was an apostacy from the ancient faith. That circumstance was not a little encouraging; for if Mohammedanism, with no evidence, not even that of a straw, could convert China, surely Christianity, with its long train of prophets and apostles, with its holy and cheering truths-truths written in blood-with an influence sufficient to bear down every barrier-surely Christianity, with the book of God in her hand, would not fail, under the Divine blessing, to penetrate with effect the deepest recesses of China. But look at the difficulties connected with a mission to China: the first was its language. He supposed that there was not a person in that large audience who had not been

puzzled while learning the letters in the English alphabet. He had asked three persons who were seated near him how many letters there were in the English alphabet: one had replied, twenty-four, another twenty-six, and a third twenty-five. Now, if persons were puzzled in learning those twentysix letters, what was to be said of the Chinese alphabet, which contained not fewer than fourteen thousand characters? If wonders were not achieved in China so rapidly as some might expect, they must remember that the missionaries had first to learn the alphabet. But were they also aware that that difficulty was already, in a considerable degree, overcome? It could not be forgotten that Morrison, whom they must ever remember with lively gratitude that Morrison had written a Chinese grammar, a Chinese dictionary, and that he had, almost alone, translated the Scriptures into the three dialects spoken all along the line from Canton to Corea."

To this he added that the Chinese language was becoming more known, and mentioned a Mr. Kidd and lady, who, having learned that and the Malay languages, while residing in that country, were now employed in teaching them to a missionary and his wife.

He noticed, as an obstacle to the ready reception of the Gospel by the Chinese, that they are a peculiarly self-conceited people. "Men must come as children to the feet of Christ, or they could not receive his salvation. Now, how was that self-conceit to be overcome? Force would not destroy it; acts of parliament would not destroy it; schools of mere human learning would not destroy it. But the Gospel would achieve the mighty work. That Gospel which taught men that they were poor, vile, unworthy, sinful creatures, and which brought them humbled to the foot of the cross, to seek mercy and salvation there through Jesus Christ alonethat would effectually destroy all self-conceit. And that Gospel they hoped soon to give to the millions of China. He would name another encouragement. He believed they would all concur in the feeling that there was no greater proof as to what was the will of God in reference to any people, than where attention was directed peculiarly to them, and when their condition awakened, simultaneously, sympathy in the bosom of the whole Church. That was the case at present in reference to China. There was a general movement in reference to that country. All along the line of Christians, the impulse seemed to be felt. Who was Dr. Morrison? They might perhaps imagine that he was a sort of Hannibal, devoted from his infancy to fight against China until China fell. But it was not so: if he understood rightly, Dr. Morrison was of comparatively humble circumstances. While yet a stripling his heart was set by a Divine impulse upon China. To China he went out, an unbearded youth, alone. He made a grammar of a language which had never been reduced to grammar before. He completed a dictionary of the same language. He secured a translation of the whole Scriptures into the three dialects of China. Then there was another person whom he must mention. He (Mr. Cunningham) had a brother in the country, who was always looking out for opportunities of doing good. He happened to hear that in his country there was a young man, the son of a farmer, who had some skill in learning languages. He sent for him, and asked him how many languages he knew? Mr. Borrow replied that he could read, speak, and write twenty-seven languages. But his brother knew well that human learning alone would not make a good missionary, and that certain physical powers also were necessary. After having satisfied himself as to Mr. Borrow's personal piety, he questioned him on those points, there. fore; and received satisfactory answers. He asked him as to his health, and if he could walk pretty well? His reply was, that he had walked from London to Norwich but two days before." Mr. Borrow had since been sent out by the Bible Society to St. Petersburg. He had a perfect acquaintance with the three dialects of China, and had completed the correction of the

Scriptures in the court language of that country. The Bible, therefore, was gone to China, and no reason was to be assigned why the Gospel should not be made known to its teeming millions."

3. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

"The thirty-second annual meeting of the society was held at ExeterHall, on Wednesday, May 4th: Lord Bexley, the president of the society, in the chair. The speakers were the bishop of Winchester; Lord Glenelg; the bishop of Chester; the Rev. Mr. Breckenridge, of Baltimore; Dr. J. Pye Smith; the Rev. William Jackson, of New-York; the Rev. William Shaw; the Rev. Mr. Keuntze, of Berlin; Josiah Foster, Esq.; the Rev. William Ackworth; the marquis of Cholmondeley; and the Rev. Dr. 'Longley, bishop elect.

"The report stated that in the colonies the circulation of the Scriptures during the past year had been 43,523, being 16,921 more than in the previous year. In France great numbers of the Scriptures had been circulated. In Paris, in particular, great efforts were made by the French Bible Society, and schools were there established in aid of the object. Belgium had also afforded a new opening for the extension of their labors; as had both Spain and Portugal. In the latter country there was now no legal impediment to the introduction and circulation of the Bible. The accounts from the laborers in Italy, Malta, Bucharest, Wallachia, Smyrna, Constantinople, Calcutta, Madras, and other parts of India, were of a most encouraging and cheering character. From China the accounts were of a mixed character, but on the whole encouraging. Although the little Christian band there laboring had been disturbed, still they wrote for greater numbers of copies of the Holy Scriptures, saying that if they had fifty thousand or even one hundred thousand, they could dispose of them. From New South Wales, Van Dieman's Land, New-Zealand, the Mauritius, the Cape of Good Hope, Grahamstown, Sierra-Leone, Tunis, Barbary, Tripoli, and from the different islands of the West Indies, the accounts were of a most gratifying character, and proved that the Lord had poured a blessing on their labors. In one part of Jamaica the Maroons alone had ordered two hundred Bibles at £1 1s. each. Turning to their domestic operations, they had to lament the death of a most pious, zealous, and cordial supporter of the society, the late Right Rev. Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, upon whose memory the committee felt bound to pronounce a high but just eulogium. Among the persons added to their vice-presidents, were the lord bishop of Madras, Dr. Longley, (bishop elect.) the earl of Burlington, and Sir W. W. Wynne, bart. The report, after canumerating a variety of legacies and donations received during the past year, contained the following statement of the receipts and disbursements during that period. The amount received by the society from all sources during the year has been £86,819 8s. 7d.; of this sum, £45,856 10s. 4d. have been obtained for the sale of the Scriptures; which sum, compared with the sales of the preceding year, shows an increase to the extent of £3,591 16s. 3d. The free contributions to the society, together with legacies, donations, &c., applicable to the general objects of the society, have amounted to £38,902 7s. 9d., being a sum less than that of the preceding year by £10,922 10s. 7d.; but if the legacy of the late H. Cock, Esq., which fell in last year, be deducted, (alone amounting to £11,695 12s. 9d.,) it will be found that there has been an шcrease of £773 28. 2d. in this department. The negro fund has been augmented by farther contributions, amounting to £967 7s. 6d. ; making a total for that special object, of £15,975 6s. 1d. The total expenditure of the society has amounted to £107,483 19s. 7d., being £23,445 19s. 5d. more than that of the preceding year; and its present engagements exceed £34,000. The ollowing was the issue of Bibles, &c., during the last year :-558,842 copies, including Bibles and Testaments, and integral portions of the Scriptures; making a total from the commencement of the society of 9,751,792.

"In moving the adoption of the report, the bishop of Winchester said