ing this change, from the first to the last, British Missionaries have been the great agents. Now that garden, which was redeemed from the wilderness and cultivated, has been invaded by the foot of a stranger, and is threatened with being laid waste by the hand of the despoiler. What has been there realized as fruit by British virtue, industry, and piety, is about to be seized, it would seem, by French power. Might is there set up against right. The law of the strong is there set up against the law of the weak; and it would appear that things are come to this pass, that all that has been done by British zeal, humanity, and religion, for the purpose of civilizing and christianising those regions, is to be so much pure loss to British interests and to British hearts. This I think, Sir, is our case; and the question now is, Are these things so to be? We have met to express our opinions and impressions fully and freely, relative to the conduct of the French Government, if the French Government should put its seal to the perfidy and tyranny committed in its name at Tahiti. Let that Government attempt to conceal the fact that Tahiti has been torn by violence from the hands of its lawful sovereign; let that Government attempt to sustain the odious tyranny, the fearful bondage, which is now being set up there; that tyranny which has its centre in the infamous senate of three; that tyranny which subjects every Briton in the island to punishment, who dares to insinuate or do anything against the invasion of French power; let the French Government come forth and put its seal to conduct like that in an Island recovered from barbarism by British zeal and piety; and then, I have to say, let Louis Philippe and M. Guizot lay their account with having their conduct scrutinized, exposed, denounced, execrated -execrated as from the very centre of British feeling. Let them lay their account with finding that feeling in meetings like the present, in every city and every town throughout the length and breadth of the country we call our mother. There are millions-and it should go forth from this meeting that it is so-there are millions in this country, whose minds participate in the higher elements of intelligence, and virtue, and piety, who, if things are to come to this pass in regard to the Missions in the South Seas, will become but as one spirit of fixed indignation.

It is hardly two short years since I had the pleasure of seeing M. Guizot, the Prime Minister of France, in this hall; there he sat, just there (pointing to the front seat next to the left of the Chairman.) At that time the husband of our Queen occupied the chair which you, Sir, now fill. God bless them both! Many

noble sentiments were uttered that day. I had conversed with the spirit of Guizot many a time before. I saw his countenance; and I looked upon his countenance that day, as fine things were said, and saw it give signs of interest and marked approbation at the right points. He could not but feel interested, and now I wish he were here, that I might appeal to him, to his honour as a Frenchman, and that I might ask him whether he can count it a small thing, that his name should go over the length and the breadth of religious society in Britain, and through all the colonies of Britain, as the name of the Protestant Minister, who signed away the liberties of Protestantism under such circumstances as would attend the act, should he be led to confirm the tyranny that has been set up at Tahiti? I would appeal to his scholarship and statesmanship, and ask him whether he would like to stand out as an object of reprobation against all that English feeling, as connected with religion, which he knows to be so marked an element of our character. I should like to ask him if it be that, in his estimation, labours for the civilization of mankind lose all their value when they have to do with nations at a distance, and when the agents, employed in the work of civilization, happen to be Protestant Missionaries from the Island of Britain. Of all this he ought to consider.

But while one would press upon a mind like his considerations of this nature, I feel that there are minds moving in similar spheres at home upon whom it also behoves us to impress such considerations. There are those to whom we have a right to look as the protectors of equal rights, and as the protectors of Protestant piety. The rights of Englishmen-those rights which properly belong to a British subject are put in great peril in the island of Tahiti; and while I believe war to be the greatest curse that ever visited the family of man, whether we look to the mischief it inflicts or the good it prevents, and while I see in it the great chapter in the history of humanity, and the worst chapter in that history, still there are other grounds by which a man might feel impelled, and other considerations which might give firmness to his mind, besides those which have respect to the sword and the bayonet, the cannon and the musket. It may be that we may be told that nothing can be done in this business; that this is a squabble between Popish priests and Methodist Missionaries, and that there must be no interference; and possibly Ministers of State may speak of being pleased at what has been done. But I would say, on behalf of this meeting, that the men, be they who they may, who take such a ground in relation to this question,

will not rise in their moral power in Britain by such a course. I shall hold the French Government responsible for all that may be done in their name, after they have had time to send to Tahiti; I shall hold the Ministers of State at home responsible for all the mischief that shall ensue which they may have had the power to prevent. They may tell me that they have issued such and such regulations, and they may point to the phraseology in which these regulations are drawn up; but I will go from their words to the deeds of their agents, and by those deeds will I judge of their guilt or innocence in reference to this island. Do you suppose, that if all the mischief which is now threatened should come upon us, that Protestantism will cease to exist? I answer, distinctly and emphatically, No. It would be the most calamitous chapter in the history of Roman Catholicism for the last hundred years. If it be asked how I make this appear, I should say, that the perfidy on which all this is grounded, and the tyranny by which it must be sustained, would have the effect of calling forth a feeling against it more powerful than any with which it has had to deal for the last century. It would be seen at once, that after all the soft things that may have been said in explanation of Catholicism,-after all the plausible things that we have frequently heard about its being changed, yet all the worst things said of it were just the right things. This would be seen, and we dare not abstain from causing them to be distinctly seen. Our firesides are our own; we have them left; and we will expound these things to our children and servants; they shall understand them. We have our schools left, and our children shall be there duly taught all these things. We have our pulpits left, and we will take care that they shall be the channel through which our people shall be fully instructed. We have meetings like the present open to us, and we can avail ourselves of them. We have the press, at least as much ours as that of our opponents; and if Tahiti and Protestantism are to go down, then all this machinery must come forth; and from end to end of the land Popery will be better understood - Popery will be more deeply hated than anything else would have caused it to be in the history of our country. While I thus speak, I have no wish to cherish any unfriendly feeling towards any sincere worshipper in the Roman Catholic Church. I have no wish to infringe any right, as pertaining to him, that I claim for myself. But I am anxious that France should look to her course; and, after all her boasting of philosophy-philosophy about matters of history, and social policy, and how to deal with religious sects, after all her boasting of philosophy, yet to commit such a blunder

in favour of Catholicism as has been done in Tahiti, would turn the laugh of philosophy in every other part of the world against it, and secure its silence for many a day to come.

The Rev. H. HUGHES (of the Established Church) in seconding the resolution, said: I must express my gratitude for the calmness and moderation which seem likely to pervade the speeches delivered on this occasion. I am very glad to be able to think, that at present the French Government is in no way whatever compromised. I am very happy to think, that all we are called to animadvert upon, is the act of a single French officer; and I do most heartily hope it will be found there is a better spirit pervading France than that which would commit an act deserving of all that denunciation, so forcibly alluded to by the speaker who preceded me. This meeting has been convened principally through the efforts and exertions of the London Missionary Society. I am not myself a member of that Institution; but, nevertheless, I have always been able to give God thanks for the success and prosperity which have accompanied their endeavours in the most neglected quarters of the world. I think they, of all others, are the proper persons to come forward and take the lead in setting on foot those measures which will lead to an unanimous expression of opinion by all who fear God, and know the value of the truth as it is in Jesus. I think, therefore, that the gratitude of the whole Christian Church is well due to the Directors of the London Missionary Society, and I rejoice to be able to follow in that path which they have marked out. I hope they will find an unanimous response throughout the kingdom, and that the national voice will be elevated against usurpation of every kind, especially against that commenced and carried on by the power of the Church of Rome.

We have already heard that five years ago a French armed vessel, under command of the same Captain who has been forward on the present occasion to perpetrate an act of tyranny, exacted from the Queen of Tahiti a sum of 2,000 dollars, under the terrors of the thunder of French cannon, on account of the removal of two Popish priests, who had landed in contravention of the established law of Tahiti. The following year another act of injustice was perpetrated-the laws which caused the removal of the Romish priests were abrogated, and since that time the emissaries of the Roman Catholic church have had the same liberty to publish their doctrines as the missionaries of other sects of the Christian world. It is proved, then, by these and subsequent events which have taken place, that this is one of those efforts in

which Rome is so fertile, to establish herself everywhere, and to reign triumphant over men. From all that we have heard to-day, we cannot but conclude, that the case before us is one which demands the firm and united protest of this Christian land. The acts of our Government, however, depend very much upon the manifesta. tion of feeling throughout the kingdom, and for this reason, I am earnestly desirous that our example to-day should be generally followed, in order that the Government may see that there is a depth of moral feeling in the hearts of Christians, which in a moment can forget rivalries and divisions, and the existence of such things as sects and denominations amongst the people of Christ, and only remember that there is a Gospel to believe; that there is a truth which it is our bounden duty and interest to defend; that everywhere the oppressed servants of Jesus Christ are objects of our compassion and our prayers; and that everywhere we should throw over them the shield of our protection and make the British name respected as the protector of the helpless. I have not the least doubt in my own mind that the real cause of all which we are now called upon to deplore, and to protest against, is the spirit of Popery making her advances in the world, and preparing herself for that last great contest which we must yet expect.

Let me remind the meeting that this is not the first time the Church of Rome has made use of the instrumentality of France to advance her designs, to confirm her usur, pations, and to sanction her acts; and if we, who are met on the present occasion, shall fail to accomplish that end, which is the object of our desires and prayers, it will not be the first time that the spirit of Popery in France has taken advantage of English confidence, or English vacillation, to enable her to confirm her triumphs, and to complete her aggressions. No; this spirit which has invaded the peace of Tahiti is just the same as that which, in 1572, on the night of St. Bartholomew, deluged France with blood, and filled her with an

exceeding great cry. It is the same spirit before which Coligni fell-that man as faithful to his God as he was wise in council and renowned in arms. It is the same spirit which leads the Church of Rome to endeavour to plant her triumphant foot on our neck, and will never leave her satisfied till she has made us as wretched as herself. Oh there have been days in which I have indulged in far different thoughts from those which are now forced upon my mind; I have looked away from all the din and tumult and turmoil among ourselves, to the peaceful habitations of the South Sea islanders, and the purity of the Gospel as there pro

fessed and practised; and I have thought that if, in the providence of God, the dark cloud which appears on our horizon should spread itself over the land, when all the purity of our own worship should have disappeared, and the spirit of the Tractarian heresy should have forced from us all those things which we have been accustomed to hold dear, we might look to some far distant spot where the voice of prayer still rose from spiritual minds, where the truth of the Gospel was still preached by lips untainted with the errors and beresies of the land, and might rejoice that God had there fenced in for himself a little fold, where his servants still gathered for worship in security and in peace. And is this prospect now to be clouded? Are we to look in this direction only to another district over which Rome has asserted her supremacy? We trust that this will not be the result: sure I am that the English people will not suffer it to be so without a firm and consistent expression of those feelings and opinions which every true Christian must ultimately entertain upon the subject.

The Rev. Dr. ALDER, Secretary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, rose to propose the next resolution. After some prefatory observations, he said: I feel that I shall best serve the interests of our common cause by directing the attention of this assembly, for a short time, to some matters of fact connected with the subject now under our consideration. Allow me,

then, to remark, that, amongst the other intolerant exclusive claims set up by the Church of Rome, is that which she makes to universal dominion. She conceives that she has as much right to send an army of priests into any country, whether occupied or unoccupied by Christian teachers belonging to other denominations, and to take possession of such country, as the Queen of this great empire has to send a British army to dispossess invaders of any portion of her dominions. In accordance with this principle, she has directed her attention to the Pacific Ocean; she has found in France agents, and, to a great extent, means, for promoting her particular designs. In the year 1805, a society, called "The Society devoted, or dedicated, to the Hearts of Mary and of Jesus," was organized in Paris, and in 1817 was established by a Papal Bull. This society may be regarded as an offshoot from the Jesuits; and judging from the subtlety, the craft, the activity, and the devotedness which it manifests, it is a true scion of the ancient stock. In 1825, this society was directed, by Leo the Twelfth, to send agents to propagate the tenets of Popery in the Sandwich Islands. The attention of Rome continued to be directed towards the Pa

cific Ocean, and she resolved to increase the number of her labourers, and to extend her operations in that part of the world. In 1834, we find four persons connected with this particular society at Valparaiso, holding conferences with the heads of the Romish Church in that place, with a view to ulterior movements amongst the islands of the Pacific. It was finally resolved that two of them should go to the Gambier's Islands, and the other two to Tahiti; but the two proceeding to Tahiti were to go there disguised as carpenters. Tahiti was conceived to be a most important point as connected with the other groups of islands in the Southern Ocean. France was, therefore, anxious to obtain possession of it. In this way the Government hoped to gratify the vanity of the French people, and here was one motive for the usurpation. It had been stated again and again by the theologians of Rome, that no tribe or nation had ever been converted to the Christian faith by the labours of Protestant Missionaries; and that, if it could be shown that such an effect had been produced, they would admit, that a church accomplishing such a result was a part of the true Church. The practical and satisfactory answer to this charge was Tahiti. Look at Tahiti. There you see idolatry abolished; there you see the people taught to read and understand the word of God; there the people are walking in the fear of the Lord, enjoying the consolations of the Holy Spirit, and exhibiting all those social and personal qualities which can be demanded for the purpose of proving that they have been truly converted to the faith of Jesus Christ. Well, then, all this must be destroyed; the Protestant Mission in that island must be put down, in order that we may not have it in our power to exhibit such evidence of the success with which it has pleased God to favour us. Such is the evident object of the Church of Rome.

In the year 1821, a society was formed in France called "The Society for the Propagation of the Faith." For some time the existence of that society was known only to a few. About 1826, it was discovered by some of the leaders of the French Liberal party that such an institution was in existence, and they apprehended that the great purpose of the association was to bring the institutions of France again under the influence of the Papacy. But they were assured that this was not the case; and then the minister of ecclesiastical affairs stood up in his place in the House of Deputies and said, in defending that society, that it was a noble idea of Louis XIV, to found an institution in France designed to carry the glory of France

and the knowledge of Christianity to the very ends of the earth. And this was just the principle adopted and acted upon; and hence you find that portion of France which is called the infidel portion, adopting Roman Catholic Missions, not because they care anything for the religious interests involved in them, but to render those religious efforts subservient to the extension of the political power of France throughout the world.

We are met to declare that it is a

We

In support of these statements, Dr. A. read some extracts from The Annalist, a Roman Catholic publication, issued by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, bearing evidence of the movements of the French Missionaries in the Pacific Islands, and full of the grossest misrepresentations respecting the labours of the Protestant Missionaries. Having completely refuted these, he then proceeded to give a detailed account of the proceedings of the Romish priests in Tahiti, and said, We have come here to protest against this act of aggression, for such I must consider it, on the part of the French, on the authorities of the island and our Missionaries there. proceeding, in our judgment, characterized by circumstances more befitting buccaneers and pirates than a civilized nation. The Protestants of America will join us in this protest. The American Board of Missions, and other institutions in that country, will, I doubt not, press upon their Government, ere long, to tell France that she must not trifle with our Protestant institutions. can afford to be silent when we read in the French papers of the rapid decay of British power and influence; we can afford to be silent when we hear the French assert that Britain is reduced to pauperism, and that British glory is on the wane; but we cannot be silent when the vanity and superstition of France interfere with the interests of the souls of men. We have come here for another purpose-to devise and carry out measures for preserving from such insults and injuries our missionary establishments everywhere, but especially in the Pacific Ocean. For where is all this to end? This is only the beginning of a series of aggressions. The French, being successful in their first effort, will not rest satisfied without attempting more. Now, as it has pleased our heavenly Father to grant us success in our efforts to promote his glory, it must be our care to guard what he has given us, that it may not fall under the influence of any deteriorating and destructive power. We have come here to-day for another purpose, as the resolution which I have to move states, to sympathise with the Queen of Tahiti; for we have every reason to believe that great violence has been done, not

only to her dignity and authority, but to her religious principles and feeling in connexion with the affair of which we complain. It is true, we have been told that the Queen, to say the least, was passive in the affair, and is not at all disposed to complain. But how are we to reconcile this with the following letter, addressed by Queen Pomare to the Vicar Apostolic, when she sent away the two Papal priests on their first attempt to establish themselves at Tahiti, and not on the second, as falsely asserted in the Dublin Review. "Tahiti, Nov. 21, 1836,-Friend and Grand Missionary, dwelling at Mangareva: I salute you in the True God. send away these two men to Mangareva: it is not at all pleasing to me that they remain here at Tahiti. This is the word which I address to you; do not send here to Tahiti, the men who are under you. If you send your men into this land I shall send them back again. There are here, in divers parts of my kingdom, Missionaries who preach the true word. We will not embrace any other. I salute you, POMARE."

I

The following letter was addressed at the same time by the Queen to the priests themselves: Laval and Caret, Nov. 29, 1836, -I salute you both on your entry into my kingdom. This is my declaration to you both. Do not remain in my territory. Go away to your place at Mangareva. There are Missionaries in my territory. We have also been taught in the word; and we know the word. Grace has sprung up also in my kingdom: be not wicked; have no unfriendly thoughts. Have I done you any injury? No, you know my attachment and kindness for you both: I myself also know your attachment and kindness for me. not imagine that this declaration comes from any other; no, this declaration is mine, and that of all the Chiefs. It is our will that you should not remain in this kingdom. I salute you both on your departure. POMARE."

Do

The sentiments of the Queen must have been greatly changed between the two visits, if what the French agents say is true. Indeed, she has never shown any disposition to countenance this religious or political movement on the part of France and Rome. But we are to express our deep sympathy with the Missionaries at Tahiti. We are told that the Queen will be safe under French protection; but we sympathise with the Missionaries, because of the character of the man who will in all probability wield the greatest French influence in that island, and who is the greatest enemy to Protestant Missions; and I fear, also, that the Missions will suffer from the effects of the presence of the captains and crews of the whalers and other ships; for, generally speaking, these men are in favour of a

movement which is likely to establish a system of things in connexion with all that is base and wicked, in preference to retaining a system which promotes morality of conduct and purely Christian principles. We are to sympathise with the people, too, and we do deeply sympathise with them, because of the character of the teaching that will now be spread throughout this land, under the influence of France and Rome. What that will be, you may judge from a canticle to the blessed Virgin, prepared for the use of the Tahitians, which is as follows:"We hail and love thee, O Mary, who art the mother of Jesus Christ!" I still quote from The Annalist, the work published by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith:-"We hail and love thee. There is no one but thee who art at the same time Mother and ever Virgin. Thou art ever full of the graces of our God; we hail and love thee! The holy Son of the Almighty Jehovah is ever with thee; we hail and love thee! Thou art blessed above all the women of the earth; we hail and love thee ! The blessed fruit of thy womb is Jesus Almighty we hail and love thee! Pray for us, mother of our God: we hail and love thee! Yes, pray for us, O mother, for us who do nothing but sin; thou knowest that we are all thy children: we hail and love thee!" Such is a specimen of the new teaching, the new doctrines and opinions, introduced into Tahiti by the persons to whom we have referred. Let us hope that this meeting, under the guidance of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, may cause this disastrous attempt to be overruled for the further spread of his truth, until every continent and island shall be sanctified by that truth, and reflect the purity and the charity of heaven. Dr. Alder concluded by moving the following resolution :

:

"That this meeting hereby expresses its sincere sympathy with the deeply-injured Queen of Tahiti, under the cruelty, injustice, and oppression, by which she has been deprived of her authority and independence; with the Missionaries of Christ, labouring in that island, under the hindrances to their success, and the danger to their liberties, which they may justly apprehend from the teachers and supporters of Popery; and with the Tahitian churches, under the fearful trial of fidelity and stedfastness by which they are now visited: and this meeting devoutly trusts that the God of all grace will enable his faithful ministers, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, successfully to encounter the advocates of error; and that he will guard the purity of the infant churches, and preserve the islanders in general, amidst the allurements of superstition, and the temptations to vice, with which they may hereafter be assailed."

The Hon. and Rev. B. NOEL said, The resolution, which I have the honour to second, contains an expression to which I