In the evening I attended a missionary meeting in Dr. Adams’s Church.  It was the anniversary of the New York and Brooklyn Auxiliary to the Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and embraced about thirty churches.  I expected great things.  When I entered they were singing.  The place was little more than half-full,—­say 500 persons.  Three gentlemen were sitting in the pulpit.  These were Dr. Adams, Dr. Cox, and Mr. Storrers.  I looked around for the negro pew.  There it was on the left of the organ, and five sable friends in it.  The first speaker was Dr. Adams, who delivered a well-prepared oration of half an hour long.  The Rev. Mr. Storrers, a young man, the pastor of the “Church of the Pilgrims” in Brooklyn, was the next speaker.  His preparation and delivery were of the same character as those of Dr. Adams.  But he possesses great mental power.  He occupied exactly half an hour.  Both speakers complained bitterly of diminished confidence and contributions.  I forget the exact amount announced as the contribution of this auxiliary; but it was small.  Dr. Cox, of Brooklyn, was the third speaker.  He told us that the last meeting he had attended in England, a few months before, was the missionary meeting in Birmingham.  It was held in the town-hall, a magnificent building, and well filled.  He pronounced an eloquent eulogy on John Angell James.  He described the missionary breakfast in Birmingham; but, in mentioning such a thing as a “missionary breakfast,” he felt it necessary to make some apology.  He assured them it was not attended with the evils they might be apt to imagine would be inseparably connected with it.  The fact is that missionary breakfasts are altogether unknown in America.  Dr. Cox stated that he had often been asked in England how they managed missionary meetings in America, that the people of England held them in high estimation, that in England they depended chiefly for the support of the missionary cause upon legacies, stock, &c., while they in America were content to say, “Give us day by day our daily bread.”  He also mentioned Dr. Chalmers’s eulogy upon them.  While in England, he (Dr. Cox) and another had waited upon Sir Stratford Canning, to commend their mission at Constantinople to his kind notice, and Sir Stratford had spoken in very high terms of the American people.  Thus, even at the missionary meeting, incense must be offered to national vanity.

LETTER XXVIII.

A Visit to Mount Vernon—­Dr. Robinson—­Welsh Deputation—­Queen Anne and New York—­The Sabbath—­Preaching at Dr. L’s—­Afternoon Service at Mr. C——­’s—­Tea at Dr. L——­’s—­Evening Service at Mr.——­’s.