RELIGIOUS ANNIVERSARIES LATELY HELD IN LONDON. (Continued from page 408.) 5. LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHISTIANITY AMONG THE JEWS. Preacher and Speakers. THE Annual Sermon was preached on Thursday Evening, May 6th, by the REV. LEGH RICHMOND, M. A., from Isaiah xliii. 21. The Collection was £67.9s. 6d. The Meeting was held on Friday Morning, May 7th, SIR THOMAS BARING, BART., M. P., in the Chair. Addresses were delivered by the Chairman, and by the REV. BASIL WOODD, SIR R. H. INGLIS, BART., M. P., LORD BEXLEY, the BISHOP of LICHFIELD and COVENTRY, SIR G. H. ROSE, BART:, M. P., the REV. CHARLES SIMEON, LORD CALTHORPE, W. CUNINGHAME, ESQ., the REV. DR. HAMILTON, SIR M. CHOLMELEY, BART., LORD GAMBIER, the REV. W. MARSH, the Rev. L. RICHMOND, and the REV. PROFESSOR FARISH. Income. The Receipts of the year have amounted to £12,426. 8d., being an increase, beyond those of last year, of £1502.8s. ld. Issues of Books. "The following have been the issues from London Schools for Jewish Children. "There have been admitted, since the last Report, four Boys, and one Girl. During the same period, three Boys and four Girls have been placed out as servants or apprentices; and several of those who had previously left the Schools, in these capacities, have received from the Committee rewards for good conduct, on the recommendation of their employers. There are at present in the Schools thirty-three Boys and forty-six Girls." Missionaries, and Missionary Seminary. "In the Missionary Seminary, there are at present Seven Students. Four Missionaries Poland, and two to Leghorn. The total numhave gone forth during the past year; two to ber of Christian Labourers employed in connexion with the Society is Eighteen." Domestic Success. "There does undoubtedly appear to be an increasing disposition to attention and inquiry, among the Jews in this country. Three Jews,-two English, the other a Polish Jew, have been baptized at the Episcopal Jews' Chapel, Bethnal-Green; a fourth at Chichester; and a fifth at Manchester." Foreign Proceedings. "These have been carried on chiefly the Depository of the Society during the past in Holland, Germany, Prussia, Poland, 4,472 3,577 the Mediterranean, Palestine, and India." From most of these stations, the details contained in the Report were exceedingly interesting, and, in general, of an encouraging kind. The number of Jews, instructed and baptized in Berlin alone, during the last eighteen months, amounts to Fifty, for two of whom the King of Prussia, who zealously patron1,510 izes and assists the Society's operations, accepted the office of Godfather. Of these converts, Professor THOLUCK, a learned Orientalist, says, some months after their baptism, 9,559 136,622 Quarterly Jewish Records : . 94,285 "The places and countries to which these various publications have been sent, are, besides the United Kingdom, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Frankfort on the Maine, Leipsic, Dresden, Berlin, Konigsberg, Breslaw, Posen, various parts of Poland and Russia, Gibraltar, Leghorn, Palestine, Madras, and Calcutta. And when it is considered that most of the places here enumerated are resorted to by Jews from almost every part of the globe, and that there is a continual intercourse kept up among them, it will appear probable that the range of the Society's publications is very much wider than your Committee are able to define. Of the utility of these publications, and the avidity with which they are sought for by the Jews, in almost every quarter of the globe, satisfactory evidence is adduced." "Our two Jews from Berditcheff thrive to our satisfaction. They make a rapid progress in learning. We have scarcely ever witnessed such eagerness to acquire knowledge. Their inner man also grows in the grace of the LORD. The Jews, with whom they converse, they endeavour to bring to CHRIST. With several of them they have had very impressive conversations, and two of them they have brought very near the light of truth. Even the more obstinate Jews do justice to these two young men, and declare them to be genuine Christians." Several cases of Jews professing to have received the Gospel as a Divine Revelation are related at length, in which there appears to us good ground to hope, that a real conversion of the heart to GOD has taken place and in various other instances, the " good work" seems to have which, we trust, will be been begun, carried on to a satisfactory completion. Some of the narratives are striking, and deeply affecting to every christian heart. The Polish Jews continue to engage a principal share of the attention of the Society, and of its foreign agents, whose labours are very important, both in largely circulating the Hebrew New Testament, and other Books, and in "reasoning out of the Scriptures," after the example of ST. PAUL," opening and alleging that the CHRIST must needs have suffered, and risen from the dead, and that this JESUS is the CHRIST." In Breslaw, and other parts of the Silesian Provinces, much attention has thus been excited; and the seed is sowing, from which a future harvest may be fairly expected to arise. Four Missionaries are now employed in Poland; and six more are said to be needed, to meet the openings for usefulness which present themselves.The REV. LEWIS WAY, who went to Syria, with an ultimate view to the establishment of a Missionary Station at Jerusalem, was obliged by ill health to return to Europe; but not till he had made arrangements for furthering the Society's views in reference to Palestine. "Judging it to be in the highest degree important to provide a place of resort for its Missionaries, on their first going out, where they might study the vernacular language, and become habituated to the climate, he engaged a suitable residence on Mount Lebanon, called the College of Antoura, having formerly been occupied by the Jesuits, and since used as a school." MR. WOLF, the converted Jew, has paid a second visit to Jerusalem. Of his proceedings, an interesting sketch is given in the Report, from which we must extract a few paragraphs. "MR. WOLF's reception among his brethren, on this his second visit, was truly gratifying. The learned doctors, with whom he had so freely discussed the subject of Christianity during his former residence there, welcomed him with great cordiality; and some difficulty having arisen in procuring him lodgings, one of the chief Rabbies himself had a house provided for him, in the Jewish quarter, upon Mount Zion. He soon had reason given him to believe that his former labours in the Jewish metropolis had not been in vain. In a letter, dated Mount Calvary, June 21st, he writes: "There is now at Jerusalem, by God's grace, a feeling and a spirit of inquiry excited among the Jews, even according to the confession of the Rab bies, which never existed among them before. He spared no pains to improve these encouraging appearances; conversing freely with all who came to him; furnishing New Testaments and Tracts to all who desired them; reading and praying, with such as appeared to be in earnest, by night and by day; and exposing, boldly yet meekly, the sophistries and absurdities of the Talmud, in the presence of its devoted admirers. He thus speaks of his proceedings, with characteristic simplicity and humility, in a letter to DR. NAUDI of Malta: You will, by this time,' (MR. WOLF wrote on the 22d June last, from Jerusalem,) have heard of the kind reception I met with Among the Jews at Jerusalem; I lodged among them; and was engaged in preaching to them the Gospel from morning to night, and often all night: the LORD be praised for it. I have at this time more confined myself to labouring among the Jews than I ever did before. The LORD enabled me, beside this, to preach to them the fulness of the riches of CHRIST, more clearly than ever I did before.' "Your Committee have received the fullest confirmation of MR. WOLF's own account of his labours, and of the encouragement which attended them, through the medium of the Ameafter their arrival at Jerusalem, MR. KING rican Missionaries. In a letter, dated a few days writes: MR. W. was well received by his brethren the Jews, among whom he labours with unabated zeal from morning till night. Sometimes he sits up nearlythe whole night,in reading with them out of MOSES and the Prophets, and, out of the Talmud. This I regret exceedingly, as it must soon injure his health materially, and if persisted in, deprive the christian world of one of its ablest Missionaries to the long-lost and despised people of the seed of ABRAHAM.' -Your Committee exceedingly regret to state, that the fears expressed in this letter proved to be too well founded. MR. WOLF'S uninterrupted exertions materially affected his health; and after spending upwards of three months in Jerusalem, he found it necessary to leave the place, and repair to the college already spoken of, on Mount Lebanon, where he remained, for a short time, recruiting his health, and enjoying christian communion. "It will be satisfactory to know the view which that experienced friend of the Jews, DR. NAUDI, takes of the result of MR. WOLF's two visits to Jerusalem. In a letter to your Committee, DR. N. writes: Things in the Holy Land, under Divine Providence, seem at present to be more interesting, and more pressing, than any where else. Jerusalem, until lately, was thought to be an impracticable place for missionary undertakings; and the Jews, inhabitants of Palestine, were considered as an inaccessible people, from their pride, bigotry, and pretended wisdom. MR. WOLF, I may venture to say, has cleared the way to these modern Jews, and himself succeeded, in great measure, with them. RABBI MINDEL, the most learned Rabbi of the present age, did not refuse to meet MR. WOLF and his brethren, nor to converse and be friendly with them: they were besides well received by all the other Jews,' "Under these circumstances, your Compostpone the adoption of effectual measures mittee have felt that they ought no longer to for carrying on the good work at Jerusalem. Accordingly, they have determined to establish a permanent Mission in that venerable city, and directed MR. LEWIS to proceed thither without delay." We congratulate this Society on the hopeful character of its prospects; and heartily offer the prayer which, in the conclusion of the Report, was solicted on behalf of the Committee, from "all who love Israel, and Israel's GOD,that the Spirit of wisdom and understanding may be poured out upon them, and the Spirit of grace and supplication on the House of DAVID; that so all Israel may be saved, and the Redeemer glorified in their salvation." 6. LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, May 8th, the MARQUIS of LANSDOWN in the Chair. The other Speakers were, the EARL OF ROCKSAVAGE, the HON. E. STANLEY, M. P., LORD BARHAM, the HON. C. SHORE, the Hon. G. A. ELLIS, M. P., the REV. DR. THORPE, LORD GAMBIER, the REV. E. IRVING, J. E. GORDON, ESQ., the HON. BAPTISTE NOEL, the REV. ROWLAND HILL, LORD LILFORD, &c. The following is a brief Abstract of the principal statements in the Report. Day-Schools. "The Society has in Ulster 326 Day-Schools, containing 31,702 scholars; in Leinster, 31, containing 2,665; in Connaught 204, containing 18,271; and in Munster 92, containing 8,749. Of these schools 188 are in connexion with Noblemen, or Gentlemen resident in the country, 274 under Clergymen of the Esta. blished Church, ten under Dissenting Ministers, twenty-six under Roman Catholic Priests, and 574 without the benefit of local superintendance. No fewer than 101 schools, and 9,548 scholars, have been added to the list of last year. children in Sunday schools, which, generally speaking, may be regarded as duplicate at71,554: three fourths of this number are children of Roman Catholic parents. tendance. This will leave the number of Scripture-Readers. "Twenty-two Itinerant Scripture- Readers were stated to be in connexion with the Society last year; the Committee now report an addition of thirty-eight in the course of the present: total sixty. Circulation of the Scriptures. "In the circulation of the Scriptures, the Society has made a steady progress. The number of copies issued from the Depository in the course of the year amounts to 2005 English Bibles, 12,297 English, and 2000 Irish Testaments; presenting an increase of 890 Bibles, and 2,358 Testaments, upon the distribution of the former year; and a total of 108,902 copies since the commencement of the in stitution." General Remarks. The Committee report a very general and increased favourable disposition upon the part of the clergy and gentry of the country to support schools and form Auxiliary Societies. Even in Limerick, schools, containing upwards of 2000 children, have been connected with this Society within the last few months. The Report refers to the increasing oppo sition of the Roman-Catholic priesthood; but, it is added, in justice to the character and the dispositions of the Irish peasantry, that the plan of the Society is universally scceptable to those for whose benefit it was designed; and that the advantages which it proposes to confer are eagerly accepted and gratefully appreciated to the fullest extent they have been offered. Funds. The Committee of last year reported a balance of £3000 in favour of the institution; which, in consequence of the increased demand of the year, has been reduced to £2,200. The list of contributions for the present year, presents a total of £7,338, of which about £2,890 were contributed in Ireland. 7. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. Abstract of the Report. "The Central Schools in the Borough Road are in a very prosperous state, and have supplied education, since their first establishiment, to 22,680 children. A public examination which took place on the 2d of April was highly satisfactory. Twenty-two persons have learned the system since the last Annual Meeting, and fifteen Schools have been supplied with Masters. The Scripture-Lessons are about to be published in the Modern Greek language. În Ireland, Scriptural Education is advancing with gigantic strides. Upwards of 1100 Schools are connected with the Society for promoting the Education of the Poor in Ireland, and they contain 79,287 scholars. From France and Spain the accounts are unfavourable. In the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Malta, and the Ionian Islands, the British System is rapidly proceeding. It is in contemplation to send a Master shortly to Greece. Successful efforts have been made to communicate the blessings of Education to the Colonial possessions of this country, particularly the Isle of France, the Cape of Good Hope, Nova Scotia, and Canada. The British System is also extensively spreading in the United States of North America. In the South American Provinces it is patronised and supported by the existing Governments, and numerous Schools have been established in Buenos Ayres, Columbia, Chili, and Peru, in which the Scripture Lessons of this Society are used. "Thirty years have not yet elapsed since the System of Mutual Instruction was first promulgated by Joseph Lancaster. Within this period, it is supposed that several millions of children have received the benefits of a Scriptural Education," Speakers. The Speakers, besides the Royal Chairman, were LORD JOHN RUSSELL, T. F. BUXTON, ESQ. M. P., WILLIAM EVANS, Esq. M. P., J. J. GURNEY, Esq., LORD MILTON, the REV. DR. MORRISON, T. SPRING RICE, Esq. M. P., the REV. W. GURNEY, WILLIAM ALLEN, Esq., Jos. FOSTER, ESQ., EDWARD PHILLIPS, ESQ., the REV. W. A. EVANSON, the REV. FRANCIS ELLERBY, MR. MILLAR, the REV. JAMES MILLER, the REV. GEO. CLAYTON, and the REV. J. M. CRUMP. We subjoin an Extract from the Speech of MR. BUXTON, "His motive in coming before that Meeting, was rather to make a confession, than to make a speech. He had not been an enemy, indeed, to the Society; but, what was almost as bad, he had been a cold, suspicious, doubting, inactive friend; and as doubts had appeared to him, and different views prevailed in his mind, perhaps he should not do amiss by showing how he had differed, and in what manner those differences became removed. The object of the Society, as far as education was concerned, had always been his favourite object; but in its diffusion, he certainly had entertained an opinion which circumstances had since changed. He was once much with a gentleman, who always told him that there were three things detrimental to the poor, and that those three things werereading, writing, and arithmetic. If ever any petty theft was committed in the parish, he used to exclaim-" There! see the fruits of education-that comes of teaching the poor to write!" Or if ever husband and wife were known to fight, he would say "What wonder is it? why, they can both read!" There was one thing, however, he (MR. B.) used to say, which a man who could not read and write could never do-he could never keep accounts. "Look at my bailiff," said the Gentleman, in reply," he can neither read nor write, yet he is the best accountant I have ever found." As the Honourable Gentleman was anxious to learn this curious method of book-keeping, which seemed to possess considerable novelty in its plan, he went to the person's house, who showed him his journals, ledgers, and wastebooks, curiously manufactured in all respects, and with the same materials as a chest of drawers. These he examined, and found in one corner a number of peas, in another beans, here a few corns of wheat, and there of barley-which were the symbols and records of the state of accounts between his master and his tradesmen. Well, all went on right enough, alas! on one unlucky day, a rat got into the and his fame as a calculator flourished; but books, and made desperate havoc with the cash accounts, memorandums, and balance sheets of our accountant, and all the fine fabric of horse-bean mathematics became deposited in the belly of the rat. This catastrophe not only destroyed the accounts, but destroyed the old gentleman's theory too, and compelled him to admit that there were worse things in the world than pen, ink, and paper, and that a steward was not altogether disqualified for his office by having received the benefits of education. "The Honourable Gentleman proceeded to observe that he had greatly doubted whether this Society gave the most important instruction. Mere education, without religious instruction, appeared to him to be of little use. He had certainly thought that the British and Foreign School Society did not give religious instruction. He long remained of that opinion, and, like all prejudiced persons, made no inquiry, but rested satisfied with what he had heard. In that state of mind he would have probably continued till the present moment, had not some friends of the Society requested him to attend the public examination of the children, and to ascertain for himself whether or not they were properly instructed. He had now to state the result of that visit. It was not only most gratifying, but most astonishing. Important questions, on several religious subjects, were proposed to the children; and so marvellously well did they answer, that he confessed his only anxiety was lest the tables should be turned, and the children become the examiners. He was now fully satisfied that this institution combines a religious with a general education; and that, in supporting the British and Foreign School Society, he was advancing the great cause of Christianity throughout the world. Yet, feeling the highest degree of satisfaction at what had been done, it was impossible to forget that much remained to be accomplished. Not only among barbarous nations, but even in favoured Europe, there are tens of thousands uninstructed. only in Europe, but in England itself, and even within a few miles of the place of meeting, thousands of individuals, capable of receiving heavenly truth, yet remain ignorant. On these grounds, therefore, he urged the necessity of more strenuous exertions, and expressed his hope that the Society would continue to prosper and prevail." Not LIEUT. J. E. GORDON.-The Collection at the Meeting amounted to £100. 3s. 2d. besides £71. 12s. then received in Donations or New Annual Subscriptions. Issues of the Year. 8. NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY. THE forty-fourth Anniversary of this most interesting and useful Society was held on Tuesday, May 11th; the EARL of RODEN in the Chair. The Resolutions were moved, seconded, &c., by LORD GAMBIER, LORD BEXLEY, the EARL of ROCKSAVAGE, the REV. J. W. CUNNING- Bibles and Testaments HAM, MAJOR-GENERAL ORDE, MAJOR PHIPPS, CAPT. BAZALGETTE, R. N., the Rev. H. M'NEILL, CAPT. FRANKLIN, R. N., the REV. H. BINNEY, of Cape Breton, the REV. JOHN LEIFCHILD, CAPTAIN BELL, R. N., the REV. R. C. DILLON, the REV. Jos. PARSONS, and Funds. Receipts of the year Expenditure 4200 £2277 7 9 2324 7 1 ciety, which amount to £600. But this sum "There are also unpaid claims on the So is less by £600 than was owing at the same period of the last year." 9. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. THE Annual Meeting was held on Tuesday morning, May 11; JOSEPH BUTTERWORTH, Esq., M. P., in the Chair. Interesting speeches were delivered by the Chairman, and by the REV. DR. MORRISON, the REV. J. D. PEARSON, from Chinsurah, the REV. S. HILLYARD, MR. Jos. MAITLAND, the REV. S. CURWEN, the REV. JOHN BLACKBURNE, the REV. MR. HINE, the REV. GEO. COLLISON, the REV. MR. GOULTY, and the REV. JACOB STANLEY. -The Report contained very gratifying statements, respecting the progress of Education generally, and of SundaySchool Education, in particular, in various parts of the world. We extract the following miscellaneous information. Grants, in Money or Books. These have amounted, in the year, to the sum of £175. 3s. 11d. State of Sunday-Schools in London and its Vicinity. The following is a sketch of the state of Sunday Schools in London and its vicinity: Schools. Teachers. Scholars. 1,276 14,141 South 120 East West with the Report of North 78 1,328 13,649 last year, is an addition of 364 34339 47,314 As this Society is frequently confounded, both by its friends and its foes, with other Institutions, whose objects, though kindred, are not the same, it may be necessary to state, that it was established soon after the memorable Abolition of the British Slave-Trade in 1806, and has hitherto directed its efforts chiefly to the measures found necessary for enforcing the strict and full execution of the Abolition-Act, and for inducing other countries to concur in the prohibition of the diabolical traffic in human flesh. Its ulterior object is, to promote the civilization and improvement of Africa, and thus to make some compensation to its much-injured inhabitants for centuries of oppression and wrong.-The Annual Meeting was held on Tuesday, May 11. In the absence, through indisposition, of the President, his Royal Highness the DUKE of GLOUCESTER, the Chair was occupied by the MARQUIS of LANSDOWN. The other Speakers were, LORD CALTHORPE, LORD HARVEY, D. SYKES, ESQ., M. P., JOHN GURNEY, ESQ., J. JOSEPH GURNEY, of Norwich, Esq., SIR R. H. INGLIS, BART., M. P., LORD GAMBIER, T. F. BUXTON, Esq., M. P., the REV. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, the HON. BAPTISTE NOEL, and W. EVANS, ESQ., M. P.-The statements of the Report, as to the dreadful activity with which the SlaveTrade is still carried on by France, Spain, and Portugal, were most afflictive. But the Meeting was cheered by the important information that the efforts of the Committee had been successful in inducing, at length, his Majesty's Ministers to introduce a Bill into Parliament, declaring that the SlaveTrade, when proved against British Subjects, shall be treated as an Act of Piracy. To this we have already alluded, in our Retrospect of Public Occurrences, p.471. -The Receipts of the Society, for the year, were reported to have amounted to 1006. 16s. 11d.; and its Disbursements to £769. 9s. 3d. N. B. We regret that we are unable to complete, in this Number, our notice of those of the London MissiSketch of Recent Anniversaries. Some onary Society, the Baptist Missionary Society, the Sunday School Society for Ireland, &c., we intend to introduce as soon as possible. |