THE JUBILEE SERVICES OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. HELD IN LONDON IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1844. BV 2361 .L8 L73 1844 INTRODUCTION. THE concluding year of the first half century in the history of the London Missionary Society appeared to the Directors a period so interesting and important as to demand special observance-a season peculiarly suitable for reflecting on the past, and for anticipating, by appropriate preparations, the events and claims of the future. In reviewing the prominent occurrences which, under the Divine government, had marked the Society's onward course, the Directors felt constrained to do honour to the memory of those Christian philanthropists, by whose judicious counsels and animating efforts its formation, under God, was accomplished. They felt also a sense of infinite obligation to the exalted Head of the church for that body of faithful men (in number exceeding four hundred) whom He has from time to time sent forth as the agents of the Society, and whom He has richly qualified for the diversified and arduous labours which they have been called to discharge. Gratitude and praise were no less demanded for those various and invaluable blessings which these faithful servants of Christ have been honoured to bestow upon the world, in the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the languages of many pagan nations-the promotion of civilisation and knowledge among savage and degraded tribes-and especially in the actual conversion of multitudes of the heathen to the faith of Christ. Equally striking and conclusive were the proofs of the Divine favour on the Society at home, in the increase of its devoted friends, the extension of its influence,—and the augmentation of its annual income, now nearly double the amount of the aggregate receipts during the first ten years of its existence. In looking forward to the future, the Directors also could not be insensible to the ever-enlarging claims that must be anticipated from the Society's past labours and growing success. Extensive fields for benevolent enterprise, once inaccessible, are now open to the faithful missionary-tribes and nations, once insensible to their misery, are now raising their loud and piteous cries for help-and almost in every part of the world the circle of missionary effort is widening, and the prospects of success are growing brighter and more certain. Under the influence of these views and sentiments, the Directors of the Society invited their constituents, -the long-tried and generous friends of the Institution, to signalise the year of its Jubilee by special efforts, appropriate to the occasion, and worthy of the cause. The appeal was received as they anticipated, with great cordiality and Christian kindness, and preparations were accordingly made to commence the fiftieth year of the Society's operations by a series of appropriate services in the metropolis. The results of these arrangements are presented to the Christian public in the following pages. These records will doubtless be read with deep attention and lively feeling by multitudes who had not the privilege of a personal attendance on the Jubilee solemnities; and by future generations they will probably be regarded with affectionate veneration, similar to that with which we now review the first missionary productions of our departed fathers, the founders of the Institution. The objects proposed by the Directors to be accomplished by the special contributions of the Jubilee year are of the very first importance, and cannot fail |