THE MILANESI.IN MISSION.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2216, 8 June 1865, Page 3

THE MILANESI.IN MISSION.

As most of om 1 readers arc aware, his Lordship' the Bishop of New Zealand, last Sunday, preached two sermons, in aid of the above mission. Unfortunately, owing to the heavy rain which fell in the course of the morning, the forenoon service at >St Paul's was but thinly attended, however, despite the few present-, and fhe inclemency of (lie weather the sum of £28 5s 3d was collected. In the evening at St Peter's this amount was supplemented by an additional sum of £19 IGs Bd, making a total of £18 Is lid collected in all. On Tuesday evening his Lordship entered more fully into the work ol'lhc mission, though we regret, to say the weather was again unpropitiou.s and but very few were able to attend. Shortly after 8 o'clock, his Lordship, attended by the Bishop of Wellington, mounted the dais, and a psalm and prayer wore read by the Rev A. Stock, after which (he .Bishop of Wellington made a short address on (lie subject of the mission, apologizing for doing so on the grounds that, it would be no use leaving it, (o (he melropolitan to speak of himself ami his labors, ns that was a thing he never could lie induced to do. The Bishop further remarked that all the little knowledge he possessed on the subject wag gleaned from different sources, some from Bishop Selwyn in conversation, but mostly from books o£ which the best perhaps was written by Captain Erskine. He himself had had the pleasure of seeing some

:- of the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands at .- Auckland, many had been educated at St John's College there, and numbers he believed to be sin--2 cerely good diri&tians. Bishop Sclwyn had been i the means of bringing these men over, not so ■ much nt first for (lie purpose of teaching the gosi pel as to initiate them into the manners and cus--3 foms of civilized men. When ho had seen these l men he felt perfectly astonished as to how it was ) possible to make them friendly. Naturally savage> > and brought up with no religion whatsoever, i not speaking our language, nor understand- > ing anything about us, it was really marvellous how anyone could go amongst, and in fact get, them to forswear their false goda and barbarous : customs. Yet (hat such was the case they all j knew. Bishop Sol win himself had been amongst j them, as they all know, and from him he had learned how simple in reality is the manner of dealing with savage tribes. As, doubtless, they would all like to know how it was managed, he would tell them in two words. Trustfulness and kindness. Bishop Selwyn had landed on many inhospitable shores unarmed, and had more than once extended his hand to armed barbarians in perfect trustfulness. They had felt him all over to discover whether he had any weapons of oflbnee or defence concealed about his person, '< and were lost in astonishment at finding nothing. , He would 2iow leave; the Bishop of New Zealand to tell his own story. ) Bishop Sclwyn after regretting that he had not '■ a map or chart of the South Sea Islands, geographically explained them at considerable ! length, and explained how the missionaries of the different denominations had divided their work amongst them, lie then casually mentioned his own visits to the different groups, and tho manner in which he had been received; after which ho commented on Bishop Pattesou's particular mission, and enlarged on its being the duty of all Christians in this country to further as much as lay in their power, a work that had for its object the propagation of the G-o-vpel. He had seen these islands in their darkest days of idolatary, and he had again seen them after the blessed tidings of " peace, good will" had reached them, and the difference was remarkable. The Bishop then spoke of Pilcairn's Island, and the manner in which John Adams, the mutineer of the 'Bounty," had repented in his old age, and how he had furbished up his little knowledge in order to be able to read an old worn out prayer-book to tho children growing up around him, the offspring of his old companions and the natives of the island. After an address which lasted upwards of three-quarters of an hour, His Lordship sat down | but not before he had explained to his little audience that he would as readily speak before a few as a number, as he felt convinced the purpose was as fully answered. He knew I hat people who left their comfortable homes in such a night, to attend such a meeting, did so from sheer interest, and that they would go away and tell their friends I and neighbors all about what they had heard, and so as many in reality would hear of it as if there I was a full house. The meeting was also addressed by the Rev RTaylor, of Wanganui, and the Rev A. Stock. Amongst the audience, we noticed the Rev nay Maxwell, and other gentlemen who had come from I he Thorndon end of the town. The meeting was brought to an end shortly after 10 o'clock.