where a blank sheet of paper. But here it is obvious- ual. condition of our school, than in any of those ly different. Every Indian who comes to the mission matters with which my space has been filled. On is of the like character with the children. They not this most vital subject I deeply regret that my report only lie, and steal, and blackguard themselves, but must be very meagre. For part of the time during they teach the children to do it and each parent our sickness, we were obliged to omit our religious among them teaches his own children to do it. If you services either in whole or in part. That was indeed could be here six months, you would find out that I a gloomy time, when we could not have family woram not mistaken in these statements. For this rea- ship, and the children sat down to their meals withson we are not able to keep a supply of knives, forks, out any one to ask a blessing. I don't think we spoons, cups, plates, pans, or to keep the children failed to have our Sabbath services more than three well clothed. Our expenses are greatly increased by or four Sabbaths. For the rest of the time we had this means; but what is of vastly more importance, our regular meetings, though they were somewhat the progress of the children is greatly retarded, and dull, and not attended by any person out of the fama disposition to abscond, or after all to prefer the ily. In fact, I have not felt able to stand up to savage mode of life, is constantly fostered. We get preach for the last three months, and still retain the no help in any form, manner, or degree, from the sitting posture, even in our most formal services. tribes, though they know, and often acknowledge, During part of the season I was obliged to drop our that we are labouring for their good, and that our Sabbath evening meeting, which is designed especourse is the only proper one. The general deprav-cially for the children, partly on account of sickness, ity, and all-pervading and overruling selfishness, and partly on account of the shortness of the evenblind them to their true interests. Hence savage ings and the abundance of musquitoes. parents will steal from their own children to gratify The attention of our children to any address on present appetite, and sacrifice the true and perma- the subject of religion, which is sufficiently simple nent interests of the latter. To do anything here is, for them to comprehend, is very good indeed. They therefore, truly a warfare. Our work requires always seem to listen with solemn earnestness. If agents-enough of them to surround the children we attempt, by a direct examination, to find out how with a wholesome moral atmosphere-to prevent much they understand of what is said, their diffitheir own depravity from corroding them and out-dence is so great that one would think they knew wardly obtaining the mastery, and to counteract the nothing. But they often make remarks which show ruinous influence exerted upon them from without. that the good seed is far from being lost, though it For the same reasons, we find difficulty in con- may be buried under the ground. After all their trolling our scholars. If we try "moral suasion," evil traits are described, it may be said with truth we discover immediately that their pride is fostered that the subject of religion is much before their thereby; and it soon becomes evident that the chil- minds, and some of them at times are evidently condren think themselves the most important person-cerned about themselves. We have no evidence, ages in the world, and get beyond our control. If however, of the existence of those deep and abiding we draw the reins a little tighter, they think them- impressions which ordinarily make the crisis in the selves dreadfully oppressed. Work they must, when history of those who turn to God. The oldest scholar they leave us, or starve, and therefore we try to teach them to work by giving them something to do. This excites and brings out all the depths of their ill-nature. Everything is done with the utmost reluctance, or, if possible by any shift, is avoided. It is just so with their parents. They send their children to school either to relieve themselves of a burden, or to acquire a claim upon us. Instead of thankfulness for keeping them, except in one or two instances, we have never experienced anything at their hands but a disposition to get all they can. And for this purpose their wits are sometimes most wonderfully exercised. Their labour ordinarily cannot be procured for any price, or else is more of a hinderance than a help. They have not even any thing to sell that we can use, and if they had, they would want three prices. Upon a mission situated in the midst of such a people, there is therefore a constant demand. We are deceived incessantly, and can only preserve enough to supply our own wants, by hardening our hearts and denying their prayers. I give these statements, not because I have been discouraged by discovering their truth in my experience with this people; on the contrary, I have felt from the beginning that God only can renew the heart, and I cannot see why it is any easier for him to regenerate a soul in the city of New York, than it is in the village of the Omahas. They have an influence more on the expense of our mission, and the amount of help needed, than, other things being equal, on the question of our final success. For that reason I have referred to them.

The spiritual state of the Mission School.
You will naturally feel more interest in the spirit-

in school says, that he thinks a great deal about the things of religion. I know that he reads the Bible a good deal, and often seeks privacy for this purpose. He has enjoyed more advantages than any of the others, having been at the Methodist mission school, among the Shawnees, before he came here. He will be the first to settle in our village, and at present bids very fair to make a sober and steady man. We have had several visits from a young man called Joseph Ikasáhe, who spent several years in our family, but absconded with a young Pawnee named Timothy, last fall. I have been told by several persons, that Joseph conducted himself with a great deal of propriety after he left us. He says that he thinks a great deal about the things of religion. He talks quite good English, and is able to read the Scriptures for himself.

Hope in the death of a former scholar; its influence on the Missionary-Need of watchfulness. Timothy had been at school with Mr. Allis before

he came to us. He spoke good English, and was employed for a while as interpreter at Fort Kearney, on Great Island. For some reason, which I have not heard, he left the fort, and went to live with some Oberlinites, who are located on the river, about forty miles below this place. There he took sick and died. We have heard that the clergyman of the place, whom I esteem very much, thought that Timothy had experienced a change of heart before he died. The effect of this gleam of light on my mind, in the midst of surrounding darkness and spiritual death, I cannot describe. To think that one of our children was in heaven, I mean one who died at an age when he was able to choose for himself, brought that holy

and happy place nearer, at the same time that it Testament, given to them by Mr. C, or quote a brought before my mind even more distinctly than word, a sentence addressed to them by him. Our before, the true wants of these young immortals. missionary, with his pockets always filled with tracts, Father Kingsbury (of the Choctaw mission) used walks through the streets of G- meets somebody to ask me, if I did not think it one of the devices of whom he has formerly seen in some village, accosts the adversary of souls to save his kingdom, to over him, speaks with him about his soul, gives him a whelm the missionaries with secular cares and busi- tract. The man relates to his neighbour what has ness, and thus, in a measure at least, prevent their taken place, and Mr. C—, in his progress through ministry from becoming efficient. This tendency I the place, on some other occasion, finds two or three have experienced, to a considerable degree, and willing hearers, and thus it is everywhere. His conoftentimes feel greatly humbled by discovering how nexions with some Jansenists have introduced him the adversary has succeeded at times in drawing off into several Roman Catholic families, and by that my attention from things of eternal moment. This means he has obtained an entrance into many houses snare is peculiarly dangerous to missionaries, be- at G, in which the official pastor could never put cause their circumstances often require so much his feet. Besides, he enjoys the privilege of being attention to be devoted to the mere outside of their very welcome to the sisters of the hospital, and they operations. Of this necessity, our enemy avails him- afford him every facility for speaking even with self, illustrating the proverb, "Surely in vain is the papists, which is not allowed to the pastor. I have net spread in the sight of any bird." We sometimes seen the gladdening fruits of his almost daily visits wonder that it is so hard to accomplish anything in that place of suffering. The little church of good, and that so many difficulties must be removed H also has become very important. You should before "the kingdom of God" comes. Every labourer in some good sense can say, "without were fightings, within were fears"-yet it is only a part of that "tribulation" through which we enter into the joy of our Lord.

EUROPE:-MISSIONS IN FRANCE.

REPORT ON EVANGELIZATION: DECEMBER 7, 1852.

Illness of the Evangelist-Affection of his hearers
A Pastor's Testimony to his usefulness.
Not only is the summer, as is well known, an
unfavourable season for evangelization, but, more-
over, a serious illness has long confined to his room
our excellent friend and brother, Mr. C-
missionary activity is so successfully displayed in
that field of labour, the department of Isére.
On his recovery, he thus speaks of a visit made to
one of his stations:-"The Lord was so good as to
allow me to go to H- where the dear pastor

F

-, whose

was kind enough to accompany me. I will not try to describe what I felt on finding myself again amongst my dear children in the faith. I never could have thought that those dear friends were so attached to me. They shed abundant tears, whilst they pressed me in their arms. The good Cwas incessantly thanking his Saviour, with sobs, because he had heard his prayers, and had permitted him to see me again. O! how good is God, and how much he loves me! During my illness, I could take care only of a few invalids in the town, and of my good soldiers, who came to me whenever I was able

to crawl to the barracks."

We had thought for a while to send our brother C to another part of the department, where he would have been very useful; but the change was not found necessary. We feel happy that we are able to transcribe here what, on that occasion, the Rev. Mr. F wrote to us not very long ago:"Our brother Chas now been labouring at Gand its neighbourhood, these twelve years. But it is only a few years ago that he acquired the remarkable influence that enables him to carry on a work, humble indeed, but good, real, and lasting. How many struggles and trials, before he could have conquered that position! I confess, it is always to me a matter of wonder. I discover almost every day blessings which have accompanied that work, hearing, as I do, the name of Mr. C- - pronounced by country people whom I believed to be wholly strangers to the Gospel, and who show a tract, a New

have seen as I have, how much our brother Cis beloved and esteemed in that place. This little church, formed by his care, is progressing; the seeds which he sowed seem to spring up. The last time I was there, I preached to more than a hundred persons," etc., etc.

Piety of an aged Man-Notices of Pious Soldiers.

We see from a recent letter from this dear brother, still weak, and not able to take long walks. He had that his health is nearly restored, but that he is one, nevertheless, to V, to see an old man ninety-six years of age, who was ill, and of whom we have spoken in our former reports. It is a wonderful thing, says Mr. C, to hear him speak so well of the kindness and love of the great God his dear Saviour, (it is his favourite expression.) What good it does to the heart, to be witness of such wonders in the work of the Holy Spirit.

"I had the sorrow to part with one of my dear soldiers, who lately left G. For more than a whenever he could read the Gospel, and he confessed year his conduct was exemplary, he was happy with great meekness the name of his Saviour, among his fellow-soldiers. He wept much when he departed, and said to me: Is it not natural for a child to shed It is here that God made me be born again, and you tears on removing from the place where he was born. know the trouble I gave you to lead me from error into the light of the gospe!."

another soldier called M-
In a former report, we gave some particulars about
a chasseur of V,
whose faith and Christian behaviour rejoiced the
known to him. From that time this man continued
heart of our brother C, who had made the gospel
ill, saw him many times, and strengthened him more
publicly to show forth his faith. Mr. C, though
and more in his evangelical convictions, so that this
new convert has just realized the desire he had long
had, of announcing to others the salvation which
he had received for himself, and now acts as col-
porteur of the holy books. He obtained his dismis-
the neighbouring department. This is a beautiful
sal in the month of September, and colports
result of the labours of Mr. C—.

now in

et-Loire. Two principal reasons induced us to make self to the practices of his church. But he soon this change. One of the oldest stations, that of felt doubts about the doctrines of Rome. He enB-, formerly flourishing, had recently fallen into deavoured to acquire some light, and being acquainted a languid state, which made us feel the necessity of with a member of our flock, he got a New Testaplacing at its head a missionary full of zeal and ment, read it with zeal, and with a serious purpose experience, and we had none better calculated than of conforming to the instructions that he should our brother G- —, to instil new life into that impor- find in it He appears to me to be decided on jointant station. The second reason was drawn from the ing us. His conscience is remarkably upright; he wants of the station of V. Mr. Ghad for has a strong desire to do the will of God, whatever some time called our attention to the necessity of it may cost him, and his candour is admirable. having there a missionary who could at once be a "I have spoken sometimes of our friend Bteacher, and open a school. But Mr. G― had no He had worked for the last year in a paper factory, license for teaching. We have had a correspondence and in his leisure moments he read the gospel to the with him on that subject; and though he was grieved workmen. He returned there this year; the master to leave a flock which he had so long directed with of the house was glad to see him again, as he is an so much faithfulness, he did not hesitate to accept excellent workman; but, said he to the foreman, ‘I the new station which was offered to him. The forbid him to read his book aloud-no proselytism small and interesting flock was not abandoned, how-in my house.' But if B- could no longer read, ever, and it has now a leader who we may hope will be, with the blessing of God, a worthy successor of Mr. G. It is Mr. H, who has been for many years missionary and teacher at M- (Saoneet-Loire), and who settled in last October at V with his wife and children. He was very welcome there, and a letter of the brethren of that town, shows us that they are already attached to their new leader. He has displayed great activity; he has held several meetings, visited the members of the church of V-, many of whom reside very far from that town, and also those of T- and neighbouring villages. He has taken active steps for the speedy opening of a school, the want of which has so long been felt, and desired by many fathers of families, even among those who are strangers to the church. We hope the formalities will soon be over, and that the school will be opened in a few days. The Church at V.-Interesting Narratives of Grace. Here is what Mr. G- wrote us about the church of V, when he left that station:-"Allow me to recommend once more to your Christian solici- had obtained employment in London, as workman

tude, this little flock of V- These friends are not numerous; they are isolated among a fanatical and corrupt population; but their small number and their isolation, entitle them to your interest. There are infirmities amongst them, but, nevertheless, the life of Christ, solid and sincere piety may be found in most of them. There was no great awakening, no sudden and considerable growth, but every year some soul was brought to the knowledge of the truth; and though slow, this growth is not the less solid. The work is on a good footing. The fraternal meetings continue to be prosperous. The assemblies of sisters go on well; and as regards the assemblies for the preaching of the word, the seriousness and attention of the hearers, leaves nothing to desire. Among all the localities of the Isére, V—wears the more favourable aspect; it requires only to pursue what is begun.

The following fact shows that God hears our prayers. A man of thirty-five years of age, an engineer in a factory, came to me several times lately, to speak about the word of God, which he possesses, reads, and has taken as the rule of his conduct. Some years ago, this man spent six months at the hospital, in consequence of an accident. During that time, he reflected on his past life. His sins, his forgetfu ness of God, presented themselves to bis conscience; he understood that he was worthy of condemnation, and that a change was absolutely necessary. He resolved seriously to devote himself to piety; and knowing no better, he followed the directions of Roman Catholic priests, and gave him

he was able to speak; and one day having a discussion with one of his comrades, an infidel, the master listened to him for a long time, without being seen, and at last, coming to him, he said, 'Indeed, if it is in your New Testament that you learn such things, I was wrong to forbid you to read it. I am really surprised that the priests forbid it.' He was much more surprised when he heard that B- had never been to school, and had learned to read only at the age of thirty-six, almost without help; and he was so much satisfied with the conversation of our friend, that he manifested his intention to study also an old Bible which he possesses, and had till then neglected. This B- is about to undertake the colportage of the Scriptures."

MISCELLANEOUS.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. W. A. B. JOHNSON.

*

William Johnson was by birth a Hanoverian. He

at a sugar-refiner's in Whitechapel, a business al-
most entirely engrossed by German hands. The
year 1812 was one of very severe trial to him; the
high price of bread making his wages of eighteen
shillings a week altogether inadequate for the com-
starving, he threw himself on his bed; and, whilst
monest provision for himself and his wife. Almost
lying there in despair, a text which had been re-
markably impressed on him when a child recurred
to his memory-"Call on me in the day of trouble:
I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." He
thought upon his sins, and dared not call upon an
him unexpected temporal relief. He tried to pray
angry God. The next morning, however, brought
but "knew not how or what to say, lest he should
add sin to sin." His knowledge of English was at
that time very imperfect, and he naturally resorted
to the German church at the Savoy, then, as now,
under the pastorate of Dr. Steinkopff. A Moravian
Missionary was preaching "Is there a sinner here,
full of sin, and ready to sink under it? I bid, in
the name of Jesus, such an one to come unto Him;
for He has said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
The word was meant for him. It went home to his
heart. "I could pray-I felt my sins forgiven-I
felt 'joy unspeakable and full of glory.' I thought

A Memoir of the Rev. W. A. B. Johnson, Missionary in

Regent's Town, Sierra Leone, A. D. 1817-1823. With a Preface by
the Rev. W. Jowett, M. A. Seeleys. [We understand that this
New York.-ED.]
Memoir will be reprinted shortly, by Messrs. R. Carter and Brothers,

I could have gone to heaven at once; and at last,
like the eunuch, I went on my way rejoicing.'
."
About a year afterwards, he witnessed the dismissal
of some Missionaries from a chapel in Fetter Lane.
"There," said he, "I felt what I had never felt be-
fore. First, I saw the unspeakable privileges I en-
joyed, and what the Lord Jesus had done for my
soul; and, secondly, I saw the misery and wicked-
ness of the poor benighted heathen. Oh, what did
my heart feel! Oh, could I but go and help them,
and tell them of Jesus! how gracious and merciful
He is to poor sinners! I must see others go, but
shall I never go? I am married, and have no
ability; but still, if I could but go, and tell them of
Jesus! O Lord, to Thee nothing is impossible:
here am I, send me.' These were my feelings that
night. I was drowned in tears. I turned myself to
the wall, and gave free course to the fulness of my
heart. In this state was my mind for some time.
'Oh, if I could but go! Here am I, O Lord, send
me!'" (Pp. 9, 10.)

The breath was

communicants had reached 41.
evidently stirring the dry bones. The school-register
showed a list of 164 boys, 20 girls, and 50 adults.
The Governor found the church, built to hold 500
worshippers, so crowded on Sundays, that he desired
the erection of an additional gallery. And the
congregational singing, that striking outward test
of a people's devoutness, was a marked characteris-
tie of the converts at Hogbrook.

.

These tokens of the Divine approval had rested on Johnson's labours while he was yet a simple schoolmaster; just as the hand of the Lord was with those laymen of Cyprus and Cyrene when they spake unto the Grecians at Antioch, and "a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." "Excuse my taking the liberty of preaching," writes he to the Committee: "I am not sent out for the purpose, nor have been ordained to preach, and have no ability; but what can I do? My heart is full. If I were to hold my peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (P. 39.) There was no doubt of Johnson's In answer to his abounding prayers, obstacles, call to the ministry: there had been "prophecies apparently insurmountable, were gradually removed. going before on him;" and accordingly, the SecreIlis wife was brought to the knowledge of the truth. taries-and the letters of Messrs. Pratt and BickerHe was eventually introduced to Mr. Pratt by Mr. steth will be found some of the most valuable pages During, himself a very eminent instrument in pro- of the Memoir-announced to him the Committee's ducing the first manifest successes in the West-Afri- wish that he should be ordained. His efca Mission; and, having been accepted by the Com- forts were now, if possible, increased; and faith, mittee as a schoolmaster, landed in Sierra Leone on prayer, and straightforward simplicity, bore abunMay 1, 1816, where he met Mr. Bickersteth, then ondant fruit. Not a week, hardly a day, passed, which his tour of inspection of our Missions there, who fixed his future sphere of labour at Regent's Town, on the higher land-the "Mountain District"-in the interior of the peninsula. Regent's Town had been heretofore called Hogbrook, and no eye but the eye of faith could have seen one point of hopefulness there. "Oh, how have I been cast down this day," says Johnson, on his first arrival, June 14. "If ever I have seen wretchedness, it has been to-day. I was told that six or seven died in one day. These poor people may be indeed called the offscouring of Africa. But shall I despair? No. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.' Who knows whether the Lord will not make his converting power known among these poor depraved people? With Him nothing is impossible. Let me go and tell them of Jesus. His grace is sufficient for the vilest of the vile, for the chief of sinners. Yes, it is sufficient for the vilest cannibal. There are a very few of these people who can speak broken English: the greatest part have lately arrived from slavevessels, and are in the most deplorable condition, chiefly afflicted with the dropsy. To describe the state of Regent's Town would indeed be impossible. Oh, may the Lord hold me up, and I shall be safe under these difficulties which are apparently before (Pp. 27, 28.) The magnetic power of love, however, soon drew these poor naked, diseased savages round him: and then began that course of marvellous activity, whereby it was granted to William Johnson to change this desolate wilderness into a "garden of the Lord." The whole of the temporal care of near 2000 re-captured negroes fell then on the Missionary. Rations and clothing were served out by him. Schools gathered and grew. His house and piazza were crowded at daily family prayer. Buildings rose for education and public worship; and Johnson "went on speaking morning and night, and on Sundays three times," but saw, as yet, no fruit of conversion. But the time was not far distant. In the latter part of the year, Mr. Butscher baptized 25 converts there, and in January 1817 the

me."

did not bring several poor sinners, "with strong cry-
ing and tears," to the foot of the cross. There was a
marvellous awakening. The emotions of the congre-
gation often interrupted the service, and their pastor
was obliged to take precautions to prevent the mani-
festation of the strong sensibilities of the African.
(P. 54.) We are jealous, and rightly, of these
"awakenings" or "revivals." Excitement easily
supplants principle; hypocrites and self-deceivers
are sure to be found among those in whom a real
work of grace has commenced; and Satan is on the
watch to pervert high-wrought feeling, when enlisted
on the right side. But counterfeits do not exclude
the possibility of there being sterling coin. Rather
do they pre-suppose its existence. There would be
no fictions were there no realities. And the authen-
ticity of a "revival" in a dormant church, of an
"awakening" in a Mission, is to be tested by asking,
What means were used to produce it, and what re-
sults did it leave behind? In the present instance,
the application of these tests is most satisfactory.
The means employed were, the simple preaching of
sin and salvation, with much earnestness, directness,
and prayerfulness, "testifying publicly, and from
house to house, repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ." And the perma-
nency of the results mark the work in Regent's
Town to have been as truly God's, as the existence
of "the holy Church throughout all the world"
refutes the conclusion of the scoffers on the day
of Pentecost-"These men are full of new wine."
For the details of that work we must refer our read-
ers to the interesting volume, which we hope they
will be induced to peruse. It is replete with in-
stances of the power of the Spirit's grace upon the
converted heathen. It had to pass through many
fiery trials-sickness, opposition, "false brethren,"
backsliders-but the fire tried the work of what sort
it was. There was "hay and stubble," indeed, that
perished in the crucible, but there is no doubt that
the ultimate result was "gold, silver, precious
stones"-precious souls. Then began the Sick-Re-

1853.]

BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.

The

first beginning!" (P. 417.) The latest returns from the Mountain District report the communicants at near 900, and the scholars at 1477.

lief Societies, so simply described by one of their earliest members-"That is good, brothers: suppose one be sick, all are sick; suppose one be well, all Further down that same African coast, in the are well." Then those Missionary Associations commenced spontaneously among the converts, which kingdom of Congo, "mass was once performed in have now raised upwards of 73001. Then arose the the midst of thousands of negroes;" a church was first efficient Native Teachers-William Tamba, Da- built; there were two Romish bishops of the royal Where is it all now? Dr. Wiseman has vid Noah, John Attara, and others-themselves some lineage.* of the ripest fruits of this marvellous awakening. told us that the permanence of a Mission is the test The schools grew on and on; and in six years the of its reality. We accept the criterion. Truly, Johnson was a burning and a shining scholars were upwards of 1000, and the communicants 450. Tours were made throughout the promon- light; and the Christian might be well pleased to tory, and beyond it. The whole colony felt the exchange for his seven years of eminent usefulness vivifying influence. The city set on the hill could and "life in earnest"-he was but thirty-seven when not be hid. We have testimonies to this effect which he died-the longer span of ineffectual life often wasted here below. His example is specially seasonare beyond contradiction or impeachment. authorities at Sierra Leone expressed their satisfac- able. It shows us how many hidden gems there tion in a report made in 1819 to the British Govern- are, that the world knows nothing of, which are to ment "Not more than three or four years have glitter at the last day in the Redeemer's diadem; passed since the greater number of Mr. Johnson's it shows us what is the Missionary message which population were taken out of the holds of slave-ships; God authenticates and owns; and it shows us the and who can compare their present condition with style of man needed as evangelist to the heathen. that from which they were rescued, without seeing Preach free grace, and preach it fully, heartily, manifest cause to exclaim-The hand of Heaven is prayerfully, and you will not preach in vain. We in this !' If any other circumstance could be need such men for Missionaries now. Feeble, irresrequired to prove the immediate interposition of the olute, half-hearted men, with little experimental Almighty, we have only to look at the plain men and knowledge of their own hearts and Christ's lovesimple means employed. Does it not recall to mind these are not the "good soldiers of Jesus Christ." the first diffusion of the gospel by the Apostles them- It is in this view that we ask our friends to add selves? These thoughts will occur to strangers at William Johnson's outline to their gallery of Misremote distances, when they hear these things; and sionary portraits, when they wish to know the sort must they not recur much more forcibly to us who of men suitable for such a work. Here was a man have these things constantly before our eyes?" with a thorough sense of his utter worthlessness in (P. 133.) So again, at the Michaelmas Quarter God's sight, and of God's exceeding mercy in saving Sessions, 1822, the Chief Justice stated, "that ten him-"Why," says he again and again, "has the years before, when the population of the colony was Lord bestowed so much mercy on me, who am so only 4000, there were forty cases on the calendar for vile and wretched? Oh! why me, why me!"-a man trial; and now the population was 10,000, there of deep tenderness of soul for lost heathen, exuwere only six cases; and congratulated the magis- berant compassion, such as the cold worldling has trates and grand jury on the moral improvement of hardly dreamt of a man with unwavering faith in the colony. It was remarkable that there was not a his remedy-a man whose favourite text was, 'My single case from any of the villages under the super- grace is sufficient for thee,'-a man entirely self-forintendence of a Missionary or Schoolmaster." On getful, never self-sparing, absorbed in his work, the following May the 3d, it pleased God to call this single in his purpose, resolute in its prosecution, eminent servant of his into his more immediate with "a deadness to the world, and a devotion of presence. He died on his way to England. His last heart to the cause," which seemed likely, in Mr. thoughts were with his beloved flock. "Tell David Bickersteth's estimation-a hope amply realizedNoah to do his duty; for if Noah say, 'Because "to make him a blessing where God's providence massa dead, I can do nothing,' he must pray, and should place him." (P. 23.) Here was a Missionary We are sure that his biography will be We need God will help him, and so we shall meet in heaven." indeed! He rests from his labours, but his works do follow widely read and permanently valued. him. The workman was taken, but the work only add, to complete the character of this true "abode." Long was it before Regent's Town had evangelist, one other feature which marked him as again a permanent pastor. Again and again the of the genuine apostolic spirit. In the midst of his as usefulness, his thoughts were ever stretching forth climate broke the connection almost as soon 'Ah! and how far are formed; and "grievous wolves entered in, not to "the regions beyond." sparing the flock." At length Mr. Weeks, for a long our thoughts from those beyond the colony, just as season, Mr. Schon, and Mr. Denton, were spared to if there were no other heathen in Africa! Oh, my labour there successively, with remarkable diligence God! revive the spirit of missionary zeal among us. On the occasion of the baptism of For my part, I feel just like a bird in a cage. O twenty-three adults, in May, 1845, the Station was that the Lord of the harvest would open more effecvisited by the Secretary of the Mission. "The tual ways for the conveyance of the glorious gospel church was quite filled-indeed some were outside into the interior of Africa! I have reason to be with an intelligent and lively congregation, the sing- thankful, as the Lord has, through my weakness, ing and responses being loud and general, and the established a church in this place. I have indeed attention during the sermon intense and uninter- reason to rejoice that my labours have not been 'in rupted. I could not help thinking of the first vain in the Lord;' yet I feel uncomfortable: my batches of wild, naked, liberated slaves collected mind is wandering into the interior of Africa. Is at this place thirty years ago by the late Rev. W. A. this mere imagination? Why do these thoughts B. Johnson, when the station was first taken up by continually follow me? and why are so many hours the Society. What a great and good change has Regent's Town undergone, when compared with that

and success.

66

Vide "The Conquerors of the New World, and their Bonds

men."-Vol. i. pp. 73, 74.