PETERSFIELD, June 4
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. — The annual meeting of this society was held on Tuesday evening last, in the National School-room, the Rev. J. M. Sumner in the chair. The rev. chairman, in opening the proceedings, remarked that there never was a time when this country had a greater call to the missionary work than at present. A new door had been opened in China; the peculiar state of India called for increased exertion in behalf of the christianising of the dense masses of that country; and Dr. Livingstone’s late discoveries had opened up a way for the missionary work into the centre of Africa. Englishmen enjoyed the happy privilege of having the precious light of God’s truth; let them, then, send it forth to enlighten the darkened mind of the heathen, and to release them from the chains and fetters of ignorance and superstition under which they were bound. The Rev. Mr. Candy, who attended as a deputation from the parent society, and who has been engaged in the missionary work in India for thirty-eight years, gave a touching account ot the progress of the Gospel in that important country. The rev. gentleman strongly condemned the present Government system of prohibiting the Word of God in their schools, and showed its dangerous and fatal effects upon the inhabitants. He contrasted the Government system of education with that of the Society, which laid down the Word of God as their basis to work upon, and illustrated the superiority of the latter by many affecting examples. The meeting was also addressed by the Revs. M. A. Smelt, W. Sealey, and T. Floud. The finances of the society seemed from the report to be in a very flourishing condition: the Petersfield branch has sent between £50 and £60 during the past year.
Hampshire Independent - Saturday 04 June 1859
PETERSFIELD.]—CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—On Sunday last three sermons were preached in Petersfield Church on behalf of the London Missionary Society, and on Tuesday evening a public meeting was held in the National School to advocate the cause of this invaluable institution. We are happy to state that liberal collections were made at the close of each service.