MISSION MEETING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 23, 1 July 1871, Page 15

MISSION MEETING.

The Annual Mission Meeting in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church was held on Monday night in the Church in Sydney street. The Hon. the Premier in the chair. The Chairman, in opening the business be* fore the meeting, called attention to the remark* able aspect the work of Christian missions presented in New Zealand as exhibited by the native race. The speaker rapidly reviewed the history of the attempts to evangelise the Maoris since the days in which they were discovered living in the most revolting depths of savagery, indulging in every hideous vice and custom opposed to the dictates of civilised humanity and the teachings of the Q-ospel. It Beemed that considerable room for doubt existed as to whether or not the race, when found, was on the downward course from a higher state of civilisation belonging to India or some other mother country, which the Maoris, as a scattered offshoot, failed to retain, and were consequently sinking morally and socially by degrees into those depths of degradation as far as it was possible for a nation to sink. The Christianising of the natives seemed to have been a very short work, and it was painful to think that it was now nearly over, from the fact that the very extinction of the native race itself was threatened. The speaker referred to the efforts of the late Dr Marsden, from Australia, a man of great energy and determined will, if not of the most refined spirituality, who came over to Mew Zealand in 1814, and through whose efforts lay missionaries were sent over. These men, unfortunately, were not well qualified for the arduous duties they had undertaken, and became little more than pakeha Maoris. The result was that these pioneer missionaries effected very little in the way of enlightening the darkness of the Maoris. Later, other gentlemen, not ordained ministers, but enlightened men, came amongst the natives, felt from various causes they labored at a disadvantage j and it was not until the present Archdeacon Williams and Bishop Williams, arrived in 1820, that any perceptible good was noticeable ; but it was a hard struggle and a heartless and dispiriting task for a long time. At last it came in a day. One or two became converted, then hundreds, and so on, until it was not many years before the bulk of the natives might be said to have become professed christians. They had all seen how that work had since fallen, and the Maoris avowedly and openly abandoned the teachings of the Gospel, tearing up their bibles and making cartridge paper, proclaiming a new creed containing a very few features of Christianity mingled with the worst feature of her garrison. The only thing that seemed clear was that in a few years not a native would belefton the shores; at least according to all human reasoning, that catastrophe, seemed inevitable, however much we might wish to see it averted. The contemplation of such things was enough to dispirit us and makes us doubt whether the progress of missionary work was well grounded, and that we were doing much real good in spreading the G-ospel amongst the natives. There were two ways in which the missionary work of the Church might be looked at, though on neither would he advance an opinion. He saw the gospel carried into several countries of the earth j and yet the few who were rescued were as nothing compared with the myriads who were doomed to destruction. There seemed to be two classes among scriptural interpreters—the one asBumed that by preaching the whole world would be converted before the second coming of our Lord ; the others took a different view, and thought that all preaching would only result in the selecting of so many for the Christian Church, and that the world as a whole would not be converted by it until the advent of our Lord upon the earth a second time. However, if missionary results had been small as compared with the millions and millions still belonging to the Mahomedan, Bhuddist, and other churches, that was no reason why they should be discouraged ; for if they believed the world was to be converted, the magnitude of the work before them should be the strongest incentive to them to become the more earnest in their work.

The Rev. Mr Dean expressed his regret at not being able to read the annual report, which had not reached them as yet; but instead read extracts from a report received since the holding of the last annual Missionary meeting. According to that the total number of mission stations was 144 which were occupied by 204 laboring missionaries; and the total amount in hand was £23,117, being an increase over that of the previous year of £2,719. He had learned also by last mail from other sources that the number of agents had been multiplied, the number of stations considerably increased The rev. gentleman then went into the details of missionery work in New Zealand, in the course of which he said he was pleased to be able to inform those present that the Church they were then in, hitherto assisted by a missionery society, would in future receive no assistance from them, and that all collections in aid of missionory work would be sent home. Amongst the teachers sent abroad into new fields, three had been sent to Fernando Po, a Spanish colony, and one to South Africa. The report to which he had referred spoke most encouragingly and hopefully of the healthy condition of religious affairs in Canada. On the whole, they had great reason to be thankful at what had been achieved. Since his predecessor, Mr Ward, landed upon these shores as their first missionary, they found the number increased to 71, and the handful ot friends who rallied round him then was now multiplied to 5,777The Rev. Mr Patbbson spoke on the subject of missions as reflecting the force and divine spirit of the church, irrespective of all denominational distinctions. It was a subject of vital interest to all Christian believers, and

an object which they ought all to have in view. The duty of carrying on missions was expressly inculcated by Our Lord when he directed his disciples to go forth and preach the Gospel to all nations of the world. Hence it would be seen that where a church manifested a strong spiritual life, there would also be found a strong missionary spirit. The rev. gentleman gave several illustrations of his opinions from the early history of the Scottish and English churches, in which the work of proselytising was first commenced about the end of the last century and the beginning of this ; until, from sending one missionary after another the Scotch church became eminently a missionary one ; and, when, in 1843, the rupture occurred, the Free Church took up the work, and carried it on as earnestly as ever. It was the working of the spiritual life he had spoken of that evoked the Methodist Church. The spirit which would have been crushed in the bosom of the old Church sought refuge without, and the people formed themselves into a separate Church; then, acting on the true spirit which had animated them they became famous for missionery work. In the same way, if there was much earnest Christian life in a congregation, they would be found to give a cordial support to all missionary works. The missionary spirit was always an indication of soul in a church, and reacted accordingly ; it was to the Church what activity was to the body. Considering how lately missionary work had sprung into existence amongst the Christian Church after a long lapseofdeadness.hesawnoreasontobediscourag ed. The rev gentleman then rapidly sketched the past and present state of religion in Spain and Italy, referring to the broad spirit of tolerance which now pervades both those countries. In Eome, where a few years ago no Protestant church was allowed to be built, and the Bible prohibited, they might now see several, with Father Gavarin preaching the Gospel to the Italians in their own beautiful language; while Bibles were sold openly in the streets. A similar'picture was drawn of Spain. They should take example by tho Apostles of old, and be not discouraged if results sometimes seemed small; for did they not have to wait and pray until Peter, by a powerful sermon, converted three thousand people in one day. Mr Woodwaed, who also spoke on the subject of missions, ventured to submit that success should not be taken as a test in religious matters. They had nothing to do with results. A simple duty was placed before them by their Master, and all they had to think of was to fulfil his instructions. The speaker reviewed the field over which missionary labors were spread; and in reverting to the apparent ill success of missionary efforts amongst the Maoris, he only looked at it as one of those refluxes which had marked the history of Christianity from the earliest days—like the tide, it ebbed and flowed ; and no doubt they would see the spirit which had been ebbing some day roll back again in such a triumphant manner as they never dared to expect. The speaker then gave some interesting information with regard to the progress of Christianity in India, where, now that European ministers have become acquainted with the native tongue, and able to examine their sacred books, the people discovered that their priests had not been teaching them their ancient doctrines, in which were to be found nothing in support of the distinctions"of caste or the dreadful custom of widow burning. The young people in this country should recollect the disadvantages aB regarded spiritual teaching which existed in the great cities of the old world and, thinking of the knowledge and privileges which they enjoyed here, be ready to bear their part in contributing to mission work. The Eev Mr West compared the marked difference which existed between the present age and the preceding one in testing everything, and especially so in religious matters. This was carried so far that men now had no hesitation to apply the test of scientific investigation to things which they not long since deemed too sacred to be even doubted or examined ; and if satisfactory reasons could not be given they must be swept away. The Established Church in Ireland was an instance in point, and another was furnished by the last mail news. The rev. gentleman, after going at considerable length into the question of missionary duty, said that it consisted of three chief points—work, faith, and liberality —though as to the latter ministers generally treated it as a delicate subject, ignorant people being prone to say that they were ready to look after their own salaries.

The Kev. Mr Buddle pointed out, in reply to the remarks of the Chairman, that much of the failure attributed to missionary work in New Zealand was owing to a want of union among themselves. In the most early days the work progressed well, and it was no un« frequent occurrence to see ministers of different branches of the Protestant churches exchange pulpits. At length new instructions came out to the ministers of the Established Church, and all this ceased, and Methodist ministers were not recognised as ordained ministers. The natives were carefully informed of this, and it was no wonder that it produced injurious effects. Then a third missionary agent stepped io, and said that both of the others were wrong and to be avoided. The rev. gentleman, after giving some interesting reminiscences, pointed out that the very essence of christian spirit and missionary work lay in giving, as typified in very system of nature —everything in which was given to man, and therefore he who gave most freely most resembled his creator. The speaker also gave some interesting information regarding the progress of missionary work in the Pacific Islands. In the Friendly Islands, the whole of the inhabitants had been converted, the King himself being a local preacher, and his wife, the Queen, a class leader, and that the brethren had sent to Sydney last year in oil and money over £SOO towards the su&tenance'of missionary

work. In Fiji they had large successes, but he feared there was a similar fate impending over the Fijian converts as was lately seen amongst the Maoris. A vote of thanks to the Chairman and also to the various ministers being given the doxology was sung and the meeting broke up.