The receipts of the Wesleyan Missionary Society for the year ending Dec. 31, 1852, were £105,381 19s. 6d., being an increase of £2,650 19s. 9d. over those of the preceding year. There is a decrease in the large donations received at the Mission House amounting to £2,441 10s. 11d.; but in increase on the receipts of the home districts of £1,854 9s. 6d.; the additional increase is found in the miscellaneous receipts; the Christmas offerings showing an advance of nearly £400; and the contributions for China being nearly £1,000 in advance. The total Ordinary Receipts at the ... ... £. s. d. 66,076 8 5 3,949 13 3 5,528 5 3 1,225 1 10 £105,381 19 6 The expenditure of the year has been £110,337 Os. 11d, being £4,955 ls. 5d. more than the income. This excess added to the previous deficiency leaves a balance of £24,691 9s. 2d. to be provided for. ... ... ... 362 2,984 The General Summary of all the Wesleyan Missions, was as follows:Central or Principal Stations called Circuits, occupied by the Society in various parts of the world Chapels and other Preaching Places in connexion with the above-mentioned Central or Principal Stations, as far as ascertained Missionaries and Assistant-Missionaries, including seventeen Supernumeraries Other Paid Agents, as Catechists, Interpreters, Day School Teachers, &c. ... Unpaid Agents, as Sabbath-school Teachers, &c. Full and accredited Church Members, (including Ireland) On trial for Church-membership, as far as ascertained ... ... ... ... CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. - At the fifty-fourth Annual Meeting of this Society, on the 3rd of May, the chair was taken by the Earl of Chichester. The income for the year, it appears from the report, has amounted to £120,932 83. 11d.; being £6,382 13s. Od. more than last year. The gross expenditure has been £118,257 16s 1d. The stations are 116, and the following is the account of the agents: COALVILLE, &c.-On Lord's day, Feb, 13th, the annual sermons in bebalf of the Foreign Mission were preached at Coalville, Hugglescote, and Ibstock, by brother Staples of Measham. Missionary meetings were also held the three following evenings in the above named places. Brother Josiah Pike attended instead of his father. Collections much as usual. BARROWDEN.-Lord's-day, April 17th, the annual sermons in behalf of the Foreign Missions were preached at Barrowden and Morcott, by brother Yates of Hugglescote, The following evening was the Missionary meeting. Brethren Orton, Yates, and a Particular Baptist Minister, addressed the assembly. On FLEET.-Lord's-day, May 22nd, the Foreign Mission sermons were preached at Fleet, by brother Yates; at Spalding by brother Jones, and at Bourne by brother E. Stevenson. Monday evening the Missionary meeting was at Bourne; brethren J. B. Pike, E. Stevenson, T. Yates, and a Wesleyan Minister, were the speakers. On Tuesday the Missionary meeting was at Fleet; brethren Chamberlain, E. Stevenson and T. Yates were the speakers. Brother Stevenson preached also on Tuesday afternoon. Between that service and the evening there was a tea meeting. SPALDING-On Wednesday evening the Missionary Meeting was at Spalding; brethren Jones, Stevenson, Simons and Yates were the speakers. The attendance at all these meetings was pleasing, and a good impression was apparently produced. in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, thou art my people." The attendance at this service and during the day was very good. THE eighty-fourth Annual Associa- | thy mouth, and I have covered thee tion of the General Baptist churches of the New Connexion, was held at Lombard-street chapel, Birmingham, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, June 21, 22, and 23. On the Monday afternoon a considerable number of delegates and friends having arrived, a devotional meeting was held, when several brethren implored the Divine blessing on the churches and institutions of the denomination, and on the meetings of the delegates which were about to take place. The reading of "the States" of the churches commenced on Tuesday morning at seven, and was continued with the intermission of an hour for breakfast, until twelve o'clock, | when the following brethren were chosen to act as Moderaters, viz., Rev. J. Sutcliffe, of Staleybridge, and H. Wileman, Esq., of Longton. The Rev. J. Wallis, the Tutor of our Academy, then read an extended and excellent address on the responsibility of the Association, which was listened to with deep interest, and appears on our pages in the present number. The business of the meeting was proceeded with until tea time. The Rev. H. Hunter, of Nottingham, preached in the evening, from Isa. li. 16,-" And I have put my words in On the following morning the usual business of the Association was proceeded with until nine; and at eleven public worship was celebrated. Rev. J. C. Jones, M.A., of Spalding preached on reconciliation with God, from 2 Cor. v. 19. In the afternoon a very animated and useful Home Missionary meeting was held. Mr. J. F. Winks presided. Reports were read by the Secretaries of the various branches, and effective addresses were delivered by Revds. J. Salisbury, of Longford, B. Wood of Salford, J. Batey, of Burnley, and W. Stokes, of Birmingham. There was a good attendance. During this afternoon the annual meetings of the Foreign Missionary and of the Academy committees were held. At the former the minutes of the proceedings of the past year were read and confirmed. The gentlemen who supply the place of those who retire from the committee by rotation, were nominated, and the annual report was adopted. At the latter, which commenced at four o'clock, the proceedings of the Academy committee were read and confirmed; the Report of the Secretary adopted; and those of the Examiners received. At this meeting two applicants were received on the customary probation; and it was reported that four now retire from the Institution. Mr. O. Hargraves, to labour at Hinckley, Messrs. J. J. Goadby, T. Goadby, and E. Davis. The latter young friend purposes to pursue his studies at the London University College, and Mr. T. Goadby, assisted by the Committee, at the special recommendation of the Examiners, will prosecute his application to learning at Glasgow. The Secretaries and Treasurer were requested to continue their services to the Institution; and some suggestions were thrown out as to the future examinations. The crowding of these two committees on the Wednesday afternoon, was found inconvenient, and will in future be avoided. In the evening of this day the annual meeting of the Foreign Missionary Society was held. Our devoted friend, H. Wileman, Esq., who had presided at the above committees from two o'clock until six, presided also at this meeting, which was crowded to excess. The Secretary read an abstract of the Report, and the crowded assembly was addressed by Revds. Dr. Burns, J. Buckley, (Missionary) J. B. Pike, J. Goadby, J. C. Pike and Mr. Winks. The address of Mr. Buckley was listened to with deep interest, and it is fondly hoped that the visit to his fatherland will not only recruit the health and vigour of Mr. Buckley and his beloved partner, but that their stay in this country will very materially subserve the interests of the Mission. The sittings of the delegates recommenced on Thursday morning at seven. After breakfast the business of the Academy was attended to, when in addition to a general confirmation of the proceedings of the committee, and the appointment of Rev. G. W. Pegg, of London, to write an address to be prefixed to the forthcoming Report, a discussion was taken as to the propriety of erecting college premises in one of our Midland towns,-Leicester, Nottingham, or Derby. The money proceeding from the sale of the Academy property in Nottingham, with subscriptions to be obtained from friends of the Institution, to be devoted to this purpose. A committee was appointed to direct their attention to this project, and after doing all they can to forward its accomplishment, to report to the next Association. The Association Letter by Rev. J. B. Pike, on the Inspiration of the Scriptures, was read, approved, and ordered to be printed in the Minutes. In the afternoon the monthly periodical was brought before the meeting. The Report of the auditors of the accounts intimating that there was a balance of more than thirty pounds against the publication, and there being also fears, lest, after all, the auditors accounts of sales &c., as presented from year to year, did not give the exact financial position of the Repository, and therefore that the deficiency amounted, in reality, to a much larger sum, a reduction of the expenses of producing the work, or some serious change, became imperative. Dr. Burns having intimated that he did not wish to be any obstruction to this process, it was agreed that in future there be one editor only, and that Mr. Goadby be that one. It was also agreed to farm the work in future, that is, to put it in the hands of a printer who should pay the Association a fixed sum for the work, and himself take all the responsibility of the sales, &c., thus, in the most business-like manner, relieving the Association from the various responsibilities of the present THE ANNUAL ASSOCIATION. system. A committee was appointed | Among the resolutions of a general nature which were adopted by the Association, we may allude to the following:-A protest against slavery; a direction to the Chairman to inform Mrs. H. B. Stowe that the F. W. Baptists, our friends in the United States, were ever free from the guilt of slavery, and will not fellowship a slaveholder an honour she gives only to the quakers-a condemnation of the Government measure of Education:-a memorial to the Queen relative to the persecution of the Baptists in Germany. The sittings of this meeting were brought to a close about nine o'clock on Thursday evening. Having given these notices of the meetings of the Association, there are a few other particulars that are deserving of attention. There was a special train arranged for Wednesday morning, by which a considerable number of friends arrived, and as apparently this expedient answered the end of the projector, Mr. Cook, it may be expected that a similar arrangement will be made in future, only it would be well if it should arrive on Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday. The States which were read at this meeting, did not present so cheering an aspect as is to be desired. Several churches having rather declined than advanced in their numerical strength, a real increase however was reported of one hundred and fifty. The various business was generally conducted with order and propriety, and the discussions, though charac 347 terized by earnestness, indicated very few or slight deviations from the christian temper. The sermon of Mr. Jones, junior, on reconciliation was recommended to be printed, it being considered by many, sound, seasonable, and useful. It is now twenty years since the Association was held in Birmingham, which last was also twenty years after the previous one; thus 1813, 1833, and 1853, present to the mind periods during which great changes have come over our country, and our Connexion. In 1833, it was observed to the writer, how few ministers were present who were there in 1813. And in 1853 he noted that of thirty-two ministers present in 1833 only nine appeared; and that fifteen were gone to their reward. Of these the names of Thomas Rogers, Joseph Jarrom, Thomas Stevenson, James Taylor, Joseph Goadby, John Bissil, William Pickering, Richard Ingham, William Butler, James Peggs, John Derry, Francis Beardsall, John Underwood and Adam Smith were well known. So time removes our fathers and our friends! May we be admonished to work while it is day. The esteemed pastor of the church at Lombard street, has seen three annual meetings at an interval of twenty years each in his own place. Rev. J. Cheatle was ordained in 1813, after the Association, by Rev. Dan Taylor, and others, and he only of the ministers present at the last gathering was present at the first. The numerous ministers and friends who attended this Association from a distance, all spoke with grateful pleasure of the kind and hospitable manner in which they were entertained by the christian public in this large town; and this, with their obligation to the Lombard street friends for their kindness and assiduity in providing accommodation, was acknowledged by a vote of the Association. The next Association is to be held at Byrom Street chapel, Leeds; the | Nottingham, who was requested to Rev. J. Buckley was chosen chair- write it. Rev. J. G. Pike of Derby, man, Rev. J. Carey Pike Secretary. and J. Lewitt of Coventry, are apThe subject for the circular letter is, pointed to preach, and in case of "The working classes," which was failure, Revds. I. Preston and S. C. proposed by Rev. W. R. Stevenson of Sarjant. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ANNUAL ASSOCIATION. AN ADDRESS READ AT THE OPENING OF THE ASSOCIATION IN THE progress of the denomination These and other reflections having passed through our mind, we have been led to select as the subject of our address the responsibility of our annual association; a topic which, though practical, will not be unwelcome to those who love the Saviour's name, and to whom the permanence, increase, and honour of the denomination are objects of intense desire. After a brief remark on the general theme, our limited aim will be to advert to the grounds of this responsibility, and to the way of meeting . it. We think it of some moment to observe, that the sense of responsibility does not exist alone in the chris tian mind, as a mere legal emotion, unconnected with those movements of a higher life which arise from faith in Jesus, and with gratitude for redeeming love. It is associated with a disposition to enquire after the Divine commands, and with delight in the performance of them. It is a feeling of moral obligation sustained by faith in the Saviour, by a spiritual discernment of his great salvation, by the hope of pardon, acceptance, and an interest in the promise of life through his mediation, and by the constant appreciation of divine benefits. Reliance on the mercy of God, as revealed in the gospel, not only deepens the sense of obligation and gives it supremacy, but is connected with the spirit of prayer, and with power given in answer to prayer for the discharge of that obligation. It thus produces a willing, a cordial response to the general call of duty, and an enquiry as to what in particular "the Lord would have us to do." Now this sort of responsibility attaches to christians, not only as individuals, but as churches and associations. It is one which will be recognized in heaven, and which there will be loyally and joyfully met. Our annual interviews have usually been marked by much harmony, and many reciprocations of fraternal regard. But whether we are to be as much praised for our efficiency and enterprize, as "The writer has omitted two or three sentences and has inserted one or two additional ones." |