CHRONICLE OF BRITISH MISSIONS.

PROPOSED SIMULTANEOUS COLLECTIONS IN ALL THE CHURCHES ON BEHALF OF BRITISH MISSIONS, ON THE LAST LORD'S-DAY IN OCTOBER NEXT, THE

31ST DAY OF THAT MONTH.

The Committee of the Congregational Union address an affectionate, urgent appeal to all the brethren connected with the Union, to join in this effort. They respectfully invite brethren of the Congregational body, not connected with the Union, to act in concert with it.

Under the denomination "British Missions," are included the Home Missionary Society, the Irish Evangelical Society, and the Colonial Missionary Society. They are termed "British Missions," because they embrace three important portions of the British Empire. And it is intended, by pleading for a British object, to appeal to the British and patriotic feelings of Congregational Christians.

These three societies are connected with the Congregational Union of England and Wales, and therefore, by that common bond, they are in a measure united with one another. Thus, that interesting department of the efforts of the Congregational churches, their labours for the religious good of their country, presents a character of unity and greatness. Each department of the work, by its affiliation with the others, at once obtains and reciprocates impulse and strength. The Congregational Union at the same time employs its utmost influence in aid of each, in aid of all.

To promote this great object—unity of interest and action, in behalf of the several, the united departments of British Missions-it is asked with earnestness, that on one and the same Lord's-day, the 31st of October, all our pastors would publicly plead and pray for this great, this sacred cause; and that all our churches would join fervently in those prayers, and sustain them by liberal contributions. Last year a similar appeal was made. The result was, that for British Missions, by collections and contributions, on the 25th of October, 1840, and on subsequent Sabbaths, in connexion with this effort, there was obtained a sum of £3190. 78. 5d.

The necessity for such an appeal and effort is this year much greater than it was last year. This the following statements will fully bear out.

The HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY has already assumed responsibilities for the current year to the amount of £10,000. In all probability, as the year advances, additional stations and agents must be adopted. A prospective increase of another thousand pounds of expenditure, from this cause, is a low estimate. The income of the Society for the year ending in May last was £8603. The Home Society will, therefore, need an addition to its income of £2500. This increase of expenditure comes from causes most greatly to be delighted in-the effective education of many promising candidates for Home Missionary labour-the adoption of new stations in many dark and destitute districts of the country-efforts to originate churches in many populous and important towns.

The IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY proposes to redouble its efforts. Its anxious discussions with the Congregational Union of Ireland have, it is hoped, reached an amicable and satisfactory adjustment, through the wise, kind, and devout proceedings of the conference at Liverpool. According to the recommendations of the brethren, who spent much time and toil on that occasion, thoroughly to understand and adjust that question, it is advised that the Congregational Union of Ireland should derive two-thirds of its pecuniary resources from the funds of the Irish Evangelical Society. Now, to those who love and pity Ireland, who desire to see Christ's Gospel prevail there, it must be matter of hope, that these drafts on the Irish Evangelical Society will be considerable. But the income of that Society for last year was £650 less than its expenditure. Suppose its own outlay for the current year somewhat to

increase, and the wants of the Irish Congregational Union not even to exceed five or six hundred pounds, no less an increase in the income of the Irish Evangelical Society than £1500 will be required to meet only the charges of the year, while there remains, besides, a balance from last year against the Society to be provided for.

The COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY will need this year one thousand pounds more than it obtained last year. There is great hope that several additional missionaries will be obtained for both the Canadian and Australian colonies. The labours of the Society ought, without delay, to be extended to the colonies of New Zealand, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia. In all the colonies in which its operations have been commenced, they require to be forthwith extended and strengthened.

Here, then, is an increase needed for the present year over the last, in the resources appropriated by the Congregational churches to British Missions, of £5000. Does this seem excessive, discouraging, impracticable? Let it be observed, that the combined incomes of the societies engaged in British Missions, did not last year reach £14,000. All, therefore, that is now proposed, would still fall short of £19,000; and is this too much, is this enough, for the missionary efforts in England, Ireland, and the colonies, of all the Congregational churches of our favoured land?

But how is this to be obtained? A simultaneous collection in all our churches, on the 31st of October next, in connexion with other usual and regular proceedings in aid of these objects, would fully realise the desired result. Beloved brethren, make the trial!

The proposal is, that all our pastors, on the same day, the 31st of October next, should, each in his own pulpit, with his own flock, for his own country, plead this great, sacred, urgent cause. That the proceeds of these collections should be appropriated in every instance, by the pastor and his friends, to any, or all three of the departments of British Missions, according to their own direction.

No other method of raising a large proportion of the funds needed for British Missions, could equal that now proposed in simplicity and efficiency. It would be inexpensive there would be no deductions for travelling charges. It would promote union and sympathy, and therefore strength and zeal. It would be eminently an appeal to principle, on the part of both pastors and people. It would greatly facilitate and assist those organized, constant arrangements to obtain funds for British Missions, which ought to be in operation in every Congregational church in our land. It would diminish the onerous labours and responsibilities of the executive in all these societies. It could never entirely supersede, neither is it desirable it ever should, the visits of deputations, the appeals of committees, the printing and circulation of intelligence; but it would come in aid of these proceedings, as they would come in aid of it, to effect the great object intended by them all—an object not now attained, but which then might be accomplished—the securing adequate pecuniary resources for British Missions.

HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

A deputation, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Henderson, of Highbury College, Rev. C. N. Davies, of Brecon College, with B. Hanbury, Esq., one of the treasurers, at the request of the directors, kindly consented to visit Cotton-End, and examine the Home Missionary students under the care of the Rev. John Frost. This being the first examination, the directors were anxious to secure the services of esteemed brethren, who had been accustomed to mark the progress of students preparing for ministerial labour. On Wednesday morning, July 7th, the examination commenced, and concluded on Thursday afternoon, leaving, however, several subjects of study unexamined, for want of sufficient time. The following extracts from the letters of Dr. Henderson and Mr.

Davies will show the impression made on their minds. It may be added, that Mr. Hanbury cordially concurs in the remarks that follows:

Dr. Henderson informs the directors, in his report of the first day's examination, "Mr. Hanbury and I proceeded to examine the students at nine o'clock, and, with a short interval, continued the examination till three in the afternoon. Two of the classes read in Greek, and answered questions on a variety of subjects, of a grammatical and exegetical nature. Three discourses were delivered by young men of different standing, and two essays, one of which, on "The Spirit of Popery," discovered an intimate acquaintance with the subject, and no ordinary powers of discrimination. Four of the students read in Hebrew, as a voluntary exercise, prepared by rising at an hour earlier than would otherwise have been requisite."

On Thursday, the examination commenced with the addition of Mr. Davies, (who had been prevented arriving in time the day before,) and embraced the whole of the evidences of revealed religion; the arguments for the Being of God; the Divinity of Jesus Christ; the Trinity; with church history, and various parts of the Greek Testament. An essay was read on the internal evidences of the Christian religion.

Dr. Henderson being compelled, by previous engagement, to leave before this day's examination closed, remarks, that "It gives me great pleasure in being able to express my high satisfaction with the close and successful attention which the students had obviously paid to the different subjects that had been brought before them; my conviction that the directors are warranted to cherish pleasing expectations of their becoming more or less efficient ministers of the Gospel to our country population; and my firm persuasion, that their excellent tutor is entitled to all the confidence which the directors may place in him."

Mr. Davies reports, that, "On the morning of the 8th, we continued our interesting work in a close and prolonged examination of our young brethren, in the evidences of revealed religion, and in the line of argument by which the various systems of infidelity could be successfully answered, with an especial relation to the modes of confuting the prevailing and dangerous forms in which unbelief is most commonly exhibited to our village population, such as Socialism, Deism, and the mechanical hypothesis. Various arguments were adduced, by which the Arian, Sabellian, and Socinian hypotheses were presumed to be confuted. Questions were propounded on those points on which our views, as Congregationalists and Podobaptists, are likely to be impugned by Presbyterians, Anti-pœdo-baptists, and the Plymouth brethren. The whole examination was interspersed with such occasional elucidatious of sacred criticism and rules for biblical interpretation, as the subjects required and permitted. "I cannot conclude," Mr. Davies adds, " without expressing my sincerest congratulations with all my honoured brethren, the officers of the body with which I am happily associated, on thus witnessing your progress towards that state of exact adaptation to the circumstances and wants of the age at which, I doubt not, you will soon arrive. Long and deeply have I felt, that if there were one point in our ecclesiastical polity in which we were assailable, the inadequacy of our prevailing collegiate institutions to the awfully increasing wants of the population of our rural districts, was the exact place against which a judicious adversary would direct his attack. That opprobrium is now happily removed. It remains only to say, that there can be only one opinion as to the very laudable proficiency made by the students. We may confidently expect that, under the able and enlightened instructions of Mr. Frost, they will be fully prepared for the honourable and important duty to which they have consecrated their piety and talents. I have felt it a personal gratification of no common order, to be privileged to witness their progress, and to offer them a word of brotherly exhortation, in directing their minds to a farther prosecution of their ministerial preparations."

For this report of the examiners, the directors of the Home Missionary Society heartily express their gratitude to God, and to their highly valued friends; lamenting only that they cannot be favoured in print with Mr. Davies's impressive address to the students at the close of the proceedings, upon their progress in piety, attainments, and manners or conduct in active life.

IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.

We have now the satisfaction of presenting to our readers the documents to which we referred in our last Chronicle.

The meeting at Liverpool was attended by the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, and the Rev. Messrs. Tidman and Burnett, on behalf of the Irish Evangelical Society; the Rev. Dr. Urwick, and the Rev. Messrs. W. H. Cooper, Shepherd, and King, on behalf of the Irish Congregational Union; and by the Rev. W. S. Palmer on behalf of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. The advisers and referees, after hearing the whole case, prepared the following award, which we believe is highly satisfactory to both parties.

Liverpool, 25th June, 1841.

We, the undersigned, having been requested to give advice as to what arrangements are desirable to secure cordial, peaceful, and efficient co-operation between the Congregational Union of Ireland and Irish Evangelical Society, in the attainment of the common object contemplated by both, viz., the extension of the cause of Christ in that country on Congregational principles, met at Liverpool for that purpose, on Thursday the 24th, and Friday the 25th of June, 1841. The various documents relating to the business having been read, and all circumstances taken into consideration, we are unanimously agreed in the following recommendations:

That there shall be substantial and effective union between the two societies in the promotion of their common objects, on the following terms :

1st. That each society superintend and conduct its own missions, on a mutual understanding in relation to the fields which they shall respectively occupy. 2nd. That all sums raised in Ireland for Home Missionary purposes, from the following sources, shall belong to the Congregational Union of Ireland.

1. Congregational collections: it being understood that such collections may be made from all the Independent churches in Ireland, as well as others disposed to grant them. 2. Private donations and subscriptions. 3. Auxiliary Societies. 3rd. That the Irish Evangelical Society shall undertake to transfer to the unrestricted disposal of the Congregational Union of Ireland, a sum of money double the amount of the aggregate funds raised in Ireland from the sources already specified.Shall provide, as they do now, the salaries of their own agents, and shall afford addi. tional grants in aid of the operations of the Congregational Union of Ireland in cases which appear to their committee to be peculiarly urgent.

4th. That the Congregational Union of Ireland shall, for these considerations, consent to forego their unquestionable right to make separate collections in Great Britain, so long as, in the judgment of both parties, this shall be deemed desirableit being, however, understood that private donations from friends in Great Britain to the Congregational Union of Ireland shall be at their entire disposal, and form no part of the estimate, on either side, in the pecuniary arrangements between the two societies.

5th. That the Congregational Union of Ireland shall be considered no further responsible to the Irish Evangelical Society, for the money they receive, than the communication of a half-yearly report of their operations, for publication at the

discretion of the latter society, the Congregational Union of Ireland publishing their own report.

6th.—That the Irish Evangelical Society shall pledge themselves to frame all their public documents so as to convey their anticipation and hope of the ultimate perfect independence of the Congregational Union of Ireland in pecuniary as in all other respects, and thus, in process of time, of being in a condition to conduct alone all Home Missionary operations connected with their own denomination in that country.

The advisers cannot refrain from expressing their deep regret at the printing and circulation of certain statements, though on the responsibility of the individual writers alone, and without the countenance or knowledge of the officers or committee of either society, while the question was yet pending, and their earnest hope that its amicable adjustment will preclude the necessity of any further public appeal from the press.

Signed,

THOMAS RAFFLES, Chairman.

RALPH WARdlaw.
J. A. JAMES.

JOHN BLACKBURN.
JOHN KELLY.

On the receipt of this document, a special meeting of the Committee of the Irish Evangelical Society was held at Blomfield-street, Finsbury, July 29th, 1841; T. M. Coombs, Esq. in the chair, to consider the same, when it was resolved unanimouslyI. That this Committee, still retaining its strong desire for cordial co-operation with the Congregational Union of Ireland in missionary labours in that country, gratefully accept the wise and Christian advice embodied in the recommendations of the conference at Liverpool now read.

II. That this Committee will therefore employ its utmost energy and vigilance to give full effect to those recommendations, in the hope, that in this course they will he sustained by the full and cordial approval of their constituents; and as the Committee expect and hope that the plans thus advised and adopted will occasion greatly increased demands on the funds of the Society, they most earnestly appeal to the liberality of all the friends of Ireland for augmented contributions.

III. That this result of the conference at Liverpool fully justifies the confidence reposed in the Christian wisdom and candour of the brethren to whose judgment the anxious and complicated questions connected with this affair were referred, to whom this Committee hereby tender the expression of their most respectful and affectionate acknowledgments, for the important services thus rendered to the whole Congregational body in reference to their missions in Ireland.

IV. That the Christian hospitality and courteous attentions of brethren at Liverpool, to all who attended on the occasion, were such as to require the distinct and cordial thanks of this Committee, which they desire thus publicly to express and record.

Although not in possession of the resolutions of the Committee of the Irish Congregational Union, we understand that they cordially acquiesce in the proposed arrange

ment.

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE REV. JOHN ROAF, OF TORONTO, BY THE REV. JOHN CLIMIE, JUN., OF NOTTAWASAGA, UPPER CANADA.

Let no Christian friend be deterred from the perusal of this most interesting letter by its length, if he would learn to value his temporal comforts and spiritual privileges -if he would obtain a true and lively picture of the hardships of the first settlers in a rude country, hardships which must be shared by the faithful men who would carry to them the Gospel-if he would become acquainted with an instance of genuine Christian simplicity and devotedness-if he would become deeply interested and moved on behalf of the Colonial Missionary Society.