7th. I went out this afternoon, and bled two men in the large fortress. I then walked on to Aho Mee, whom we found in his house, earnestly reading his alphabet: many were about him, but he appeared quite unmindful of them.

Sunday, 10th. This morning at the Foui, several renounced Heathenism, and acknowledged the Lord to be God, by bowing their knees before him and in his house. Among these were two Matabules (or minor Chiefs) named Mataele Talikai, and Tofoa. My heart rejoiced this morning in looking round and seeing them in the house of God for the first time in their lives, and bowing their knees to our We hear that one all-conquering Lord. who had intended to lotu, that is, worship, was prevented by an old persecuting Chief; but, God be praised, his power is fast passing away. Jesus reigns, and shall for ever reign!

12th. This afternoon I went to the Foui to meet and catechise the candidates for baptism. There are nearly thirty men and women; they have been under instruction, and there appears no objection to these also being baptized.

So

Sunday, 17th.-The Matabule that the old persecuting Chief prevented from embracing religion last Sabbath, came this morning, and for the first time bowed his knee to our all-conquering Lord. again "the triumphing of the wicked is short." Every Sabbath, for some time past, the Lord has given us some tokens of his favour and blessing; for which we do most heartily thank his blessed name.

769

19th. This morning Mr. and Mrs.
Tucker came down from Nukualofa.
This afternoon Mr. Tucker and I went
out to see Aho Mee, the Chief who has
lately embraced religion. He is not well,
but we found him reading. He is very
anxious indeed to learn; so that sitting
or lying he generally has his book at
hand.

20th.-About two o'clock, P. M., Mr.
Tucker and I went to the Foui. Mr.
Tucker preached, after which I catechised
We then
the candidates for baptism.
proceeded to baptize them in the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and in
the presence of a great concourse of peo-
ple. It was a most interesting occasion;
and several heathen Chiefs witnessed all
the ceremony. We hope it may prove a
cause of real good to them and many
others. We baptized forty-one men,
women, and children; and married two
couples.

Sunday, 24th.-A blessed Sabbath.
This morning a woman with her children
came to our chapel, and bowed the knee to
our God and King. She is the wife of a
young Chief who embraced religion on
He is called the son
Wednesday last.
of Aho Mee; and being a respectable
Chief, and a young man, the Heathen
have been hoping to retain him as the
support of their tottering, falling cause;
but they have lost him, and they grieve.
O for that day when every prop shall
fall, and the abominable system of Hea-
thenism cease to be!

VAN-DIEMEN'S LAND.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. William Simpson,
dated Launceston, October 31st, 1837.

THE little society at Port-Arthur, I
believe, is doing well. Though there are
but very few united in church-fellowship,
yet those few are consistent in their de.
portment, and are apparently thirsting
On this settlement,
after full salvation.
more good is effected than is evident.
Many are brought under serious impres-
sions who do not join our society, and
who, in consequence of reformation of
conduct, are removed to other parts of the
colony, where doubtless they are ren-
dered a blessing. Numbers made appli-
cation to me for advice and assistance
under the deepest distress, on account of
sin; and I have no doubt but it will be
seen, in the day of God, that our success
is much greater than we calculate upon
from the number in society. One fact I
would mention, as it speaks highly for
the discipline of the place, as well as for

the effect of religious instruction. The
fact I allude to is, that, during a resi-
dence of eighteen months on the settle-
ment, I did not hear more than three or
four profane oaths from the men; a fact
which must astonish, when we consider
that here are from eight hundred to a
Moreover in our schools,
thousand of the most degraded of our
fellow-men.
several have been taught to read who,
when they arrived on the settlement,
could not tell a letter in the alphabet;
and many others, who could read a little,
have greatly improved, and have also
been taught to write. The Commandant
is of opinion, that, though the number of
men is increasing, yet crime among them
is diminishing; and there are not near
the number of corporal punishments
there were formerly. To God be all the
glory!

MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA.

SIERRA-LEONE.-It affords us much satisfaction to announce the prosperous state of the Mission in this colony. In this as in other parts of Western Africa, the persevering faith of the church has been severely tried by the early removal of many valuable labourers to their eternal reward. They have, however, in general witnessed a degree of success which has cheered them even in the prospect of death having lived to a valuable purpose, they have finished their course with joy. It is with great thankfulness we report the health of the Missionaries at present in Sierra-Leone. It will be seen that additional agency is required for the oversight of the increasing society, and to enter on the openings for further usefulness. It is hoped that the vacancies will soon be supplied, and that where the harvest is so great, there will not be wanting labourers to enter into it. (6 May the Lord of the harvest send forth labourers into his harvest."

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Thomas Dove, dated Freetown, June 30th, 1838. I AM happy to inform you, that our health, upon the whole, continues very good. We feel ourselves strong to labour, and we are truly happy in our work. During the past month, we have been attending to the Quarterly Visitation of the classes, and we hope to make a finish in about a fortnight hence; and I am persuaded that we shall find a considerable increase in the society.

After examining the class-books, I find that we have now nearly two thousand who regularly meet in class. Of late we have been under the necessity of dividing and even sub-dividing some of the classes, and appointing several additional Leaders. We have now fifty-four Leaders among us, most of whom I have the pleasure of meeting every Saturday afternoon. I am happy in being able to state that they are men of sterling piety, and they are truly zealous for the Lord God of

hosts. The reading of the Rev. E. Grindrod's excellent addresses has been the means, under God, of stirring up our Class-Leaders to duty, to diligence, to fidelity, and zeal. We have great peace among ourselves, and the God of peace dwells among us; we know the blessedness of brethren dwelling together in unity. I believe that our Local Preachers, Exhorters, and Leaders, have no other end in view but God's glory in the salvation of the perishing sons and daughters of Ham; but we greatly need more help. "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few." We are praying for and expecting more; for we feel anxious to get into some populous places in the colony of Sierra-Leone, namely, York, Regent, Kent, Charlotte, and Bathurst. The people are crying, "Come over and help us ;" and I hope ere long their hopes and desires will be fully realized.

MISSIONS IN THE WEST INDIES.

THE attention of the Christian public is now directed with intense interest to the West Indies. It is justly felt, that the immediate welfare of the Negroes will be much affected by the spirit and conduct of themselves and their masters, on entering a state of entire freedom on the 1st of August last. We are assured by letters from nearly all the islands, that the religious Negroes were looking forward to the occasion as one on which God should be especially acknowledged; that they were anticipating with devout thankfulness the enjoyment of increasing means and opportunities of moral and mental improvement to themselves and their offspring; and that there are cheering prospects, that the anxieties and liberality of the Christian public shall be repaid by a great extension in the islands of the blessings of civilization and Christianity. We hope to take an

early opportunity of furnishing the particulars which we are promised from our various stations in the West Indies. Meantime we present our readers with three letters which they will read with pleasure.

The first is from Jamaica: where, notwithstanding much painful opposition, there is great prosperity.

The second is from Nevis, and happily proves the willing ability of the wealthier portion of the community, and of the Negroes, to afford their aid towards the support of the ministry among themselves; and their zeal for the extension of the blessings of the Gospel to other lands more destitute even than their own.

The last is also from Nevis, being the Report of one of the schoolmasters recently sent to the West Indies to take charge of the schools established there by Government aid.

JAMAICA.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Messrs. Edmondson, Bleby, and Inglis, dated Kingston Circuit, July 7th, 1838.

We are happy in being able jointly to address you under circumstances favourable to ourselves, and which, we have no doubt, will be gratifying to you. The Lord continues to gladden our hearts, and to encourage us in our labours in this Cireuit, by delightful indications of his presence and blessing. From the beginning of the year we have rejoiced in witnessing a decided enlargement of our public congregations, and weekly additions to our societies; and in the hallowed influence which has generally attended the ordinances of the sanctuary. We are happy to say, at the close of the second quarter, that this pleasing state of things still continues: a delightful spirit of peace and harmony pervades all our societies in this city; all our services are well attended; a holy unction accompanies the ministra tion of the word of life; and in the goodly number brought into the fold of Christ, we have the best and strongest proofs that the Lord is with us. The interest which has been excited by the open-air preaching continues undiminished; and every Sabbath, except when the weather is unfavourable, we preach in the streets, to thousands, that Gospel which is able to make them wise unto salvation. We have also open-air preaching in different parts of the city, once or twice on other days of the week; and the attention with which we are listened to, by many who never go to the house of God, is most pleasing. A considerable number of instances have come to our knowledge in which the street-preaching has been blessed to the hearers, and led them to renounce the error of their ways. Our quarterly schedules show that we have a net increase of members in this Circuit, during the last three months, of about two hundred, and that about two hundred and forty have been received on trial. Glory

be to God, who overrules the devices of the wicked for his own glory, and causes the wrath of man to praise him!

Unwearied efforts are made to promote the unhallowed cause of agitation and strife; but, thank God, without success. Consulting the wishes of our faithful people, as well as our own inclinations, we maintain unbroken silence towards the opposing party, and do not even go out of our way to contradict the shameless falsehoods which they send forth to the world. The miserable success which they desire can only be promoted by agitation; and we best defeat their object by pursuing the even tenor of our way, regarding them with perfect indifference, and giving ourselves to the great work to which we are pledged,—the work of saving souls. And this by the grace of God we intend to do; confiding in, and looking for, the blessing of Him whose we are, and whom we serve. It may not, however, be amiss for us here to observe to you, that whatever statements respecting their success in Jamaica may be put forth by that party, they are to be received with extreme caution. Only last week an advertisement appeared in one of the island newspapers, stating that the members of our society, in Kingston, are going over to the Association, as they call themselves, at an average of nearly twenty per week. The state of our schedule, as abovementioned, will show you that, instead of this being the case, we have been receiving persons into society in nearly that proportion. We mention this only to show you to what they can stoop to support their unworthy cause, and that you may know how to appreciate their statements, should any of them come under your observation.

We are looking forward to the ap proaching 1st of August with much in

terest. The island Legislature has passed the Act for the abolition of the apprenticeship on that day; and the Governor has issued a proclamation for all places of worship to be opened, and the day to be observed as a day of thanksgiving. On several properties the apprentices have already been made free, and are doing well;

nor do we anticipate any thing like confu. sion when all shall pass into unrestricted liberty. It will be a day long to be remembered; and we are making arrangements to celebrate it with services suitable to the occasion, and which we hope to make interesting as well as profitable.

NEVIS.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Robert Hawkins, dated July 12th, 1838.

I TAKE up my pen to give you a short account of the recent Missionary Anniversary held in this island. It was my intention not to have written until after the glorious 1st of August, when the day of entire freedom will burst upon our Negroes; but as the Meetings have proved somewhat of an interesting and encouraging nature, I think a few particulars will not prove altogether unaccept

able.

Preparatory sermons were preached on Sunday, the 8th, at Gingerland and Newcastle. The collections were all good, compared with the receipts for the past year. On the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, according to announcement, we held the Annual Meetings. That in Charles-town was held on Monday. The chair was taken by the Honourable George Webb, the Chief Justice of the island. That gentleman opened the business of the Meeting with a speech replete with sentiments of the highest approbation of the Wesleyan Missions generally, and of those in Nevis particularly. In the course of the Meeting I had the pleasure of introducing on the platform a little Indian basket filled with precious metals, of which I gave the following account:

Collected by Mr. Coffy Tolin,

an apprenticed labourer

Collected by

Mrs. C. Hamilton..

Miss Maria Reap

Mrs. Tummingham

Mrs. Archibald

Miss C. Lydus

Misses Ferrier

Mrs. Anjelizique Smith
Misses Isles

Total

...

....

£ s. d. 0 12 0

1 16 0

0 0 2 2 0 4 4 6

5 9 3 615 0 10 15 6 23 17 0

£57 11 3

N. B. In the large sum named above, collected by the Misses Isles, I feel a pleasure in informing you that two-thirds of that sum was collected from the Negroes on the estates. I can also assure you that those excellent Collectors named

in the list which I have just given, have
had many a long walk in the sun; from
estate to estate have they journeyed in this
good work. I then introduced the fol-
lowing sums, which have just come into
my possession :—

Collected at five Missionary £ s. d
prayer-meetings........
After sermons in town
Mrs. Isles's subscription......
Mr. B.'s..

Mr. P. T. H.'s

Mr. Nicholson's
Friend to Wesleyan Mission..
From a young man in humble
circumstances...

4 3 0

8 66

1 0 0

1 0 0

2 5 0

] 7 0 1 7 0

090

£19 17 6

The above sums, thrown together, make a sum total of £77. 8s. 9d. ; the whole of which formed the contents of my little Indian basket, in hard cash, consisting of gold, silver, and copper. To the above sums we have to add the amount of the collection at the Meeting, which was £28; which will make the whole amount, as far as the town stations are concerned to the present time, £105. 8s. 9d. There are several annual subscriptions to come in, which we hope will swell the amount considerably before the District-Meeting.

On the Tuesday we journeyed to the Gingerland part of the Circuit, where we had an interesting Meeting. His Honour the Chief Justice kindly presided on this occasion. The chapel was well attended, and the presence of God was powerfully realized while we were together. The proceeds of the Gingerland Anniversary are as follows:£ s. d. Collections at sermons ......... 900 Ditto at Meeting 30 7 0 Collected by Collectors, &c... 29 8 5 Or about £31. 3s.

On the Wednesday morning we prepared for Newcastle. The people began to assemble about dusk, and we then opened our Meeting, and proceeded to business. The total sum collected was

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Samuel Hunkin, dated Gingerland, June 24th, 1838.

THE following are a few particulars, extracted from letters recently received from the West Indies. They relate chiefly to the anticipated emancipation.