friends. The first three were East Indian chaplains. HENRY MARTYN, whose name is universally accorded the first place in the ranks of English missionaries, was Senior Wrangler, and curate to Mr. Simeon at Cambridge. He offered himself to the Society at a time when an avowed missionary was not permitted to land in British India, and his friends advised him to accept a chaplaincy there instead. But he was a member of the first C.M.S. Corresponding Committee at Calcutta. So was DANIEL CORRIE, the real founder of C.M.S. work in North India, under whose auspices the first Mission was begun at Agra by Martyn's convert, Abdul Masih. He afterwards became the first Bishop of Madras. CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, another Calcutta chaplain, was the first to advocate, in a pamphlet written at the Society's request, the establishment of the English Episcopate in India; also to evoke sympathy for the ancient Christian Churches of the East, which led on to the Mediterranean and Travancore Missions. He preached the tenth Annual Sermon. SAMUEL MARSDEN was for forty-five years a chaplain in New South Wales, and is justly termed the Apostle of New Zealand. He persuaded the Society to send out men to venture among the dreaded cannibals; he took them there himself; he preached the first Christian sermon there, on Christmas Day, 1814; and he made the voyage thither six times, to direct and encourage the missionaries.

In the lowest row we see four most valuable and influential labourers, who come on the scene a little later in time. ADMIRAL LORD GAMBIER, indeed, was a Governor from the first, but it was not till 1811 that he became the first President. EDWARD BICKERSTETH was Secretary from 1815 to 1830, first with Pratt and then in succession to him. No man did more, both by praying and by working, for the Society's cause. He went to Africa and established the Sierra Leone Mission. He trained many of the earlier missionaries, who resided in his house as students. He travelled all over England founding local Associations. And at the Jubilee Meeting in 1848 he delivered his last great missionary speech. DANIEL WILSON, the elder, was an early member of the Committee, and, as Cecil's successor at St. John's, Bedford Row, where most of the leading Christian laymen in London then attended, he exercised important influence. He became Vicar of Islington, which parish from that time to this has been a centre of C.M.S. interest. And as Bishop of Calcutta he did a noble work for the spread of the Gospel in India. His is the only name that appears twice on the list of preachers of the Annual Sermon, in 1817 and 1846, the first time as presbyter, the second

OUR TREASURER.

URING the eighty-three years of the Society's existence, it has only had two Presidents and three Treasurers, and in the case of the latter, the three periods of service cover the whole of the eightythree years. The first was Henry Thornton, whose name occurs in the preceding article, on the Society's Founders Thornton, was appointed, who held the office for forty-six years. and Early Friends. On his death, in 1815, his nephew, John He died in 1861, and was succeeded by the present Treasurer, Captain the Hon. Francis Maude, R.N.

Captain Maude is in his eighty-fourth year, although his quick and elastic step is that of a man twenty or thirty years younger. He was the youngest son of the first Viscount

Hawarden, and was born in 1798. There can scarcely be another man in England who can boast that his grandfather was born in the reign of Charles II., more than 200 years ago; or that there are now living 450 descendants of his father, that is to say, his own family and those of his brothers and sisters and their children, besides 110 who are dead! The genealogy has been printed, and a very remarkable document it is. Captain Maude well "Dr. Colenso affirms says, that since Moses and Aaron were only the fourth generation from the time of Jacob going into Egypt, the Israelites only increased at the rate of four generations during their sojourn there, and therefore an army of 600,000 fighting men was an impossibility. So, as I am only the second generation from Charles II., therefore this nation has only increased at the rate of two generations, and one-half of those present at a recent large dinner-party were amongst the impossibilities -were, in fact, myths!" Francis Maude entered the Royal Naval College in 1811, and went to sea in 1814. He had, however, been afloat before that, for when only eight years old, in 1806, the year after Trafalgar, he was three months with his brother-in-law, Lord W. Stuart, in H.M.S. Lavinia off the coast of Spain. Another reminiscence he sent only two years ago (June 30th, 1880) to the Editor of the GLEANER :-"This day sixty-five years ago, June 30th, 1815, I sailed (it was long before steam was invented) from Spithead for India with three sets of despatches-Buonaparte's escape from Elba, the Battle of Waterloo, and the Peace."

time as Bishop. Lastly, THOMAS FOWELL BUXTON, upon whom fell the mantle of Wilberforce, and who followed up the abolition of the Slave Trade by obtaining the abolition of Slavery after many years' struggle, was a warm supporter of the Society, especially in its West African work; as his son and grandson, the late and the present Baronet, and many other members of his family, have been ever since.

We wish we could also have given portraits of others: of W. Goode, at whose church, St. Ann's, Blackfriars, the first sixteen Annual Sermons were preached; of Legh Richmond, author of the Dairyman's Daughter, who preached the ninth Annual Sermon; of Charles Grant, father and son, and James Stephen, father and son, who used their official and political influence for the cause, and were constantly consulted by successive Secretaries; of Bishop Ryder, of Lichfield, the first Bishop to patronise the Society; of William Jowett, the first University graduate to go out as an actual missionary, the founder of the Mediterranean Mission, and afterwards Secretary of the Society; not to speak of many less known clergymen and laymen. But their record is on high, and their works do follow them.

Captain Maude has nearly completed half a century of service for the Church Missionary Society. He became a member of the Committee in 1833; and after his appointment to the Treasurership in 1861, he for many years acted as Chairman. The Society has had no stauncher supporter-no truer friend.

THE SOCIETY: ITS ORIGIN AND GROWTH. A CONVERSATION.

BY THE REV. HENRY SUTTON.

OHN-So you are going to have a meeting for the Church
Missionary Society, are you? Well, I know you are very
fond of that Society. I believe you think the letters
C.M.S. the best in all the alphabet. I wonder why.

Mr. Story. Well, you see, I like the work the C.M.S. does, and the way in which it does it. I approve both of its principles and practice. I often think its history a wonderful illustration of our Lord's assertion, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed into the depths of the sea, and it shall be done."

John.-Indeed! how so? I should like to know a little more about it. Who started it, and when did they start it? What made them think of it?

Mr. Story. That's rather a string of questions, but I'll do my best to give you a clear and short answer to each. You have often heard of John Venn, Rector of Clapham. He lived from 1759 to July, 1813, and was the friend of many good and famous men, amongst them being Richard Cecil, the eloquent Incumbent of St. John's, Bedford Row; Thomas Scott, once a sceptic, afterwards a zealous clergyman, author of the valuable Commentary on the Bible; William Wilberforce, who devoted his life and talents to the liberation of slaves, and doing away with the slave trade; Henry Thornton, the well-known banker, who set an example of liberal giving, at that time rare indeed; besides others. These were the men who started the C.M.S.

John.-When?

Mr. Story.-Well, the first meeting was held at the Castle and Falcon, Aldersgate Street, on Monday, April 12, 1799.

John.-What made them think of it ?

Mr. Story.-I suppose that most of these good men must have often wished to do something for the heathen; but what seems to have brought matters to a head was a paper read by Mr. John Venn, at a meeting of what was called the Eclectic Society, on March 18, 1799. Its subject was, "What methods can we use more effectually to promote the knowledge of the Gospel amongst the heathen? Fourteen members were present. Mr. Venn opened by insisting on the duty of doing something for the conversion of the heathen, and then went on to give reasons why the clergy could not join the London Missionary Society, which had been founded four years before.

John. Do you know what those reasons were?

Mr. Story.-Well, the report of the meeting is very meagre, but no doubt the main reason was that the London Missionary Society was not formed as a Church of England Society. Mr. Venn was a good Churchman, though not High Church. He believed that our Church system is in full accord with Apostolic teaching and practice. He wished the Gospel to be carried to the heathen by those who can heartily subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles, who approve of both the doctrine and discipline of our Church.

John. But had the Church of England no Missionary Society at that time? I always thought that the S.P.G. and S.P.C.K. did missionary work long before the end of the last century.

Mr. Story. The best answer to that question is to be found in the second resolution passed at the first meeting of the C.M.S., which, as I have already told you, took place on April 12, 1799. It runs thus:-"That as it appears from the printed Reports of the Societies for Propagating the Gospel and for Promoting Christian Knowledge that those respectable Societies confine their labours to the British Plantations in America and to the West Indies,* there seems to be still wanting in the Established Church a Society for sending Missions to the Continent of Africa or the other parts of the heathen world."

John. You said when we began this conversation that you liked the principles of the C.M.S. I often hear that sort of thing. I wish you'd tell me what they are, and how they came to be what they are.

Mr. Story.-In his paper the Rev. John Venn laid down these principles as those which ought always to be kept in view. (1) Whatever success is expected must be expected entirely through the influence of the Spirit of God. His agency must enlarge the hearts of Christians. His providential guidance must lead the way and open the door. God's providence must be followed, not anticipated. (2) All success will depend upon the kind of men employed. They must be men of the apostolic spirit, such as Brainerd, men not careful about the things of this world. (3) It is far better to commence a Mission on a small scale, and let it grow according to circumstances, than to make great attempts at first. He added, "One important point to be considered respects the general character of the Mission. It ought to be founded on the Church principle, *The only exception was the Danish Mission at Tranquebar, then under the care of S.P.C.K.

not the High Church principle." Just as the flower depends on the character of the root planted, so does a Society on the principles laid down by its founders. Thank God, the C.M.S. has always been carried on in accordance with the principles enunciated by Mr. J. Venn.

John.-Well, all that he said seems very reasonable, and in accordance with what we read in the Bible.

Mr. Story. It was the Holy Ghost who said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." It was the Lord " who opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things spoken by Paul. The apostles did not come to Europe till they had a special call "Come over and help us "-and then they assuredly gathered that the Lord had called them for to preach the Gospel unto them.

John. I suppose that in these days we may consider the special opportunities for doing the Lord's work as a call from the Holy Ghost. I should like to know how the principles thus laid down were carried out in practice. Even Mr. Story. It was not without difficulty, you may be sure. the fourteen good men and true who heard Mr. Venn's address were not all ready to take immediate action; and the inaugural meeting of the Society, on April 12, consisted of only sixteen clergymen, and nine laymen. What a contrast to our meetings now! Now we can hardly find room for those who come. We are obliged to limit the number of tickets. Clergymen from every part of England-we might almost say from all parts of the world-are on our platform. Archbishops, bishops, deans, and other dignitaries come as speakers or hearers. So crowded was the platform last May, that one bishop stood for a long time on the stairs leading up to it. Laymen of the highest standing, peers, judges, M.P.'s, are present as speakers or hearers. Verbatim reports are taken of all the speeches. These are read in remote country parishes, in far-off lands, by those who help forward the work by their contributions, by those who have given their own lives to the work. Yet never was there a more important meeting than this of April 12, 1799.

John. I quite agree with you. But men of the world would have thought it a very poor business, and indeed it did seem rather a wild project. Were there no Bishops or other great men to give the thing a good start?

Mr. Story.-Not a Bishop, nor a Church dignitary of any sort. At the meeting in 1799 the first Committee was appointed, viz. :-Rev. W. J. Abdy, Curate and Lecturer; Rev. R. Cecil, Minister of a Proprietary Chapel; Rev. E. Cuthbert, ditto; Rev. J. Davies, a Lecturer; Rev. Henry Foster, a Curate and Lecturer; Rev. W. Goode, a City Rector; Rev. John Newton, ditto; Rev. G. Patrick, a Curate; Rev. Dr. Peers, a suburban Rector; Rev. Josiah Pratt, a Curate and Lecturer; Rev. Thos. Scott, Minister of a Proprietary Chapel; Rev. John Venn, a suburban Rector; Rev. Basil Woodd, Minister of a Proprietary Chapel. John.-Were those thirteen clergymen all?

Mr. Story.-Except some laymen, whose names I'll tell you directly. Even of these, two had soon to resign through ill-health, Mr. Cecil and Mr. Patrick, and they were replaced by Rev. S. Crowther and Rev. H. G. Watkins, two City Incumbents.

John. Samuel Crowther! Why, he's the black Bishop, isn't he? Mr. Story.-Yes; the Bishop of the Niger's name is Samuel Crowther. But, of course, the name is English, and he got it from this good clergyman, who was so soon elected a member of the Committee. John. I should like to know about the laymen.

Mr. Story. Of them there were eleven:-John Bacon, R.A., an eminent sculptor; John Brasier, merchant; W. Cardale, solicitor; Nathan Downer, merchant; Charles Elliott, in business; John Jowett, in business; F. Ambrose Martin, banker; John Pearson, surgeon; Henry Stokes, merchant; Edward Venn, in business; William Wilson, in business. None of them, except the sculptor Bacon, men of special note. The kind of man he was you may gather from this fact. He had erected monuments of great celebrity in the Metropolitan Cathedrals: to Lord Chatham, in Westminster Abbey; to Dr. Johnson, in St. Paul's; to Henry VI., in Eton College; to Judge Blackstone, in All Souls', Oxford; but he ordered by his will a plain tablet for his own grave, with this inscription:

WHAT I WAS AS AN ARTIST
SEEMED TO ME OF SOME IMPORTANCE
WHILE I LIVED;

BUT

WHAT I REALLY WAS AS A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
IS THE ONLY THING OF IMPORTANCE TO ME
NOW.

John.-Ah! that was a right sort of man. I don't so much wonder at the success of the C.M.S. if men of such a spirit started it. But what did the Committee do when it was formed ?

Mr. Story.-I think we must put off that subject till to-morrow. John. There are two young fellows in my oflice-Wilson and Wardwho never will come near a missionary meeting, and rather laugh at me for attending. I should like them to hear what you have to say about the history of the C.M.S.

Mr. Story. Bring them here by all means. If I invited them to tea do you think they would come?

John. I'm sure they would, gladly.

(Next Wednesday the three came to the Rectory. After tea John at once began to speak about the C.M.S.)

John. Now, Mr. Story, I wish you would tell us something about the C.M.S. My friends here don't much believe in Foreign Missions.

Wilson.-Oh, it's too bad to say that. The fact is, I've never thought much about the matter, and I confess I think missionary sermons and missionary meetings generally dull affairs. The preachers seldom tell one much about the work, only exhort us to give without showing much cause why we should give.

Ward.-Well, I'm bound to say that I don't like Missions to the heathen. I see plenty of heathen here, and till they are converted it seems absurd to go abroad.

Mr. Story.-I wonder how it would have been with England if your ideas had always prevailed? But, of course, as you don't care about converting the heathen abroad, you are very active about converting the heathen at home?

Wilson.-Ah, as to that, I'm afraid neither Ward nor I do much. John, here, does help in the Sunday-school, the night-school, the special services, and I don't know what, but we-well, the least said soonest mended.

John.—Any way, Mr. Story, I wish you would tell us how the Society began its work. I have already told my friends what you told me.

Mr. Story.-If you young men won't think it tedious I will answer that question by reading you a few sentences from the first "Report of the Committee delivered to the Annual Meeting held May 26th, 1801, at the New London Tavern, Cheapside.

"Information and knowledge in the members of the Committee being absolutely essential to the wise discharge of the trust reposed in them, their first step has been to procure those publications which relate to the history of Missions, which point out the difficulties encountered, or display the success obtained, in the various attempts made to propagate the Christian faith; or which describe the nature of the country in which Missions may be established, and the religions, prejudices, and customs of their inhabitants. By the increase of books of this kind a valuable Missionary Library will be formed."

John.-So that was the beginning of that big Library I saw in the C. M. House, Salisbury Square, last time I was in London?

Mr. Story-Yes; but this was not all. To get information was one thing; but they wanted to stir men up to active co-operation. The Report goes on to say

"Their next object has been to engage the attention, prayers, and cooperation of a number of fellow-labourers in their important work. For this purpose they have opened a correspondence with a very considerable number of pious clergymen in almost every part of this kingdom. From these they hope to receive advice and assistance, and by these they trust that proper persons will be recommended as missionaries, men who have lived under the eye of their pastors in Christian sobriety and vigilance, and approved themselves as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ."

Ward. At any rate, whether the work was worth doing or not, the Committee showed good sense in the way they set about it.

What

Mr. Story-Don't you think God the Holy Ghost must have guided them? Why should they have cared to enter upon such work? worldly end had they to gain? Now the work is a big work, and it is in some degree fashionable. Not so then. Who inspired them with quiet wisdom? Who gave the spirit of patient waiting? Who enabled them to form sensible plans? Surely we may see God's hand in all.

Wilson. I have always been rather sceptical about special providence, but I like to see how a big thing grows from a small beginning, and Í should like to hear more.

Mr. Story. They next point out the need of knowing the language, if missionaries are to do much good. They saw the importance of the press, and determined to print in different languages parts of the Scriptures, and tracts conveying in a popular way the rudiments of Christian knowledge; and they began with Susoo, an African language not as yet written.

Ward. But I should like to hear how the Society began direct missionary work. When were the first missionaries sent out ? Where did they go?

Mr. Story. It was not easy to know where to begin. I look back with wonder to those first reports. A Committee with hardly any money, no men, and at first no place to send them to, if they had both men and money! What could it do? It could but go on step by step, following God's guidance.

for wrongs done to the chiefs by the master of the vessel. China was shut, for in China the foreigner was hated. Of Africa how little then was known! Krapf and Rebmann had not yet startled geographers by news of snow-clad mountains in that land of the burning sun. Grant and Speke, Livingstone and Stanley, had not yet taught the world that in Africa there are to be found dense populations, where ignorant geographers asserted all was a barren waste. Only ten years before the Society was founded had Alexander Mackenzie, a clerk in the North-West Fur Company, explored the river which now bears his name, and so gained some acquaintance with the remoter parts of North-West America. Japan, of course, was absolutely closed against the foreigner.

Wilson.-Doesn't all that make against your notion that God's providence was leading the way?

Mr. Story.-Wait a minute. There was one place to which attention at this time had been specially drawn. The efforts of Wilberforce to stop the slave trade had drawn attention to the West Coast of Africa. The Sierre Leone Company had published a Report in 1794, giving an interesting "Account of the Native Africans in the Neighbourhood of Sierra Leone." The Committee thought that amongst these tribes it would be well to begin the work. Accordingly, in 1804, Messrs. Renner and Hartwig went forth to labour amongst a tribe called the Susoos, the same people whose language the Committee had been working upon. Afterwards a Mission was begun amongst the Bulloms. But both these had to be given up, owing to the hostility of the slave-dealers, by whom some of the Mission buildings were burnt down.

Wilson.-Then, after all, it does not seem as if God had opened the

way.

Mr. Story-Yes, it does; for the missionaries were thus led to concentrate their efforts upon Sierra Leone, where great numbers of the slaves rescued by British ships were gathered together. There the missionaries had British protection. There they had liberated slaves from a vast variety of tribes. There they began a work which has resulted in blessing, not only to the people of Sierra Leone, but to tribes in remote regions of Africa.

John.-But you must tell us how the money was got.

Mr. Story.--At first it was little enough. The early balance-sheets are rather amusing. And yet they showed what I wish we could always show now, a balance on the right side. More was got than was spent. But I find that in the sixth year the balance was pretty low. However, year by year there was a steady increase up to the year 1813, when the total income amounted to £3,046. In 1814 the income was £10,793.

John. What a jump! How do you account for such a sudden rise? Mr. Story. The year 1813 was a remarkable year in the history of Missions. In that year news came to England of the death of Henry Martyn. No man ever did more to rouse enthusiasm for Missions than did he by his self-denying life and martyr's death.

Ward.-Martyr's death! How was he a martyr?

Mr. Story. He fell a victim to his intense labours, which had greatly weakened a naturally feeble frame; but the final touch was given by the long journey through Persia and Armenia; and when he lay down to die by the roadside none could regard him as less than a martyr. But not only did his death awaken attention to Missions and quicken zeal. In the same year the Rev. John Venn was called to his rest. But more important than all in that year, vigorous efforts were made to remove the restrictions which had hitherto prevented the free access of Christian missionaries to the heathen millions of India.

John. You don't mean to say that missionaries were not allowed there before that time?

Mr. Story. They were not at that time. For many years the East India Company had excluded them jealously. The few who were there were obliged to keep in Danish territory. But in 1813 no less than 837 petitions were presented in the House of Commons in favour of the introduction of Christianity into India. Lord Castlereagh introduced resolutions in accordance with these petitions, and spite of fierce opposition, they were affirmed by a majority of 53.

Ward. I don't see how that bears on the large increase in the Society's funds.

Mr. Story.-Ah! how God works. When He gives opportunity, He gives men power to take advantage of it. Whilst the death of Martyn had stirred men's hearts, and the open door in India was causing many to think what could be done there, a new plan for getting money had been devised, just when needed. The Society, though in 1813 it had only three stations and six missionaries, yet had got into debt to the amount of £3,000. How could it face the future? How could it enter into the open door in India? Not by sitting still, but by prayerful effort. And it was in this year that our system of Associations was commenced. John. What do you mean by an Association?

• Mr. Story.-Well, the word in some degree explains itself. A number of persons band themselves together to promote the interests of the C.M.S., and thus form an Association. A properly constituted Association has a Committee, President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Up to 1813, nearly all (Continued on page 46.)

OUR PRESIDENT.

HE Church Missionary Society began its career without a President. It was resolved at the very first meeting to ask William Wilberforce to accept the office; but he preferred being a Vice-President with others, and the Presidency remained unoccupied until 1811, when Admiral Lord Gambier was appointed. He died in 1832, and for nearly three years the post was vacant. Then the Earl of Chichester accepted it, and he has held it ever since.

Lord Chichester has been emphatically a working President. He has only missed one Anniversary Meeting of the Society (in 1866) in the forty-seven years, and he has presided on every other occasion except twice, in 1848 and 1869, when Archbishops Sumner and Tait respectively took the chair, on the occasion of their attending for the first time after their elevation to the Primacy. He has also been a frequent Chairman at the meetings of the Committee, and also of important Sub-Committees. He has not only again and again headed deputations from the Society to the Government, but has constantly conducted more private correspondence with the Foreign and Colonial Ministers and others. His counsel has been of great value on many occasions of difficulty. In the prolonged Ceylon controversy, for instance, he throughout took a leading part. We cannot better describe our honoured chief than by extracting some sentences from his speech at the Annual Meeting last year. Referring to the deaths of Mr. Wright and others, he said :

"These losses speak with a peculiar solemnity and warning to old men like myself. I cannot expect to be long amongst you, but I do sincerely hope that there are many young men among you who will come forward to fill up these gaps, who will be prepared to enlist in this great

THE RACES AND PEOPLES

To whom the Church Missionary Society sends the Gospel. HE picture opposite is an attempt to represent in one group the "nations and kindreds and people and tongues" among whom the Church Missionary Society carries on its world-wide work. India naturally occupies the foreground, seeing that it absorbs nearly one-half of the Society's men and means. Its various types of inhabitants are seen in the centre and on the left. The Hindu ladies seated in front we have been obliged to bring forth from the seclusion of the Zenana for the occasion. Certainly they have never been in the presence of so many men And not less unwelcome to them would be the low-caste

before!

service, and to become indeed and prominently soldiers of the Cross, fighting under Christ's glorious banner, and carrying on this most important work of preaching the Gospel to the benighted heathen. And I would remark that missionary work has always been, and probably will always be, more or less a 'sowing in tears.' There will always be bereavements and losses; there will always be a conflict between the world and the devil; there will always be difficulties, arising from our own infirmities and from the perversity, perhaps, of some not very wise persons in raising controversies which sometimes have a very deadening effect upon our zeal and love. But if we sow in tears' we shall also reap in joy.' We have God's promise that we shall do so; in His own good time we shall reap in joy,' that deep joy which consists in knowing that, through the grace of God, we have been instrumental in bringing some souls-it may be only one soul-to Christ for salvation."

The Earldom of Chichester was created in 1801, the previous peers with that title being viscounts. The present Earl, Henry Thomas Pelham, is the third. He was born in 1804.

that "land of the morning," the the Japanese proper behind.

Beyond all these rises prominently the typical Negro, heading a large group of Africans of various races and tribes: the Yoruba priest with his square cap; the Foulah, with his curls; and various figures from East and Central Africa, including Waganda warriors with their shields. Beyond again, turning a corner, come some Maories of New Zealand; and then, in the distance, Red Indians of different North American tribes, with the Esquimaux last of all, emerging from a scene unmistakably Arctic.

From all these varied races of men we hear the old Macedonian cry, "Come over and help us"; and from almost all has the Church Missionary Society been privileged to bring souls to God. It may well say in the Master's own words, "Behold, I, and the children which Thou hast given me."