sitting, and it may be, sleeping out the hours, and returning home as they came! Surely, surely even a degree, yea, a great deal of enthusiasm, is better than deathlike insensibility. Such godly fear has come upon the people, that scarcely a single instance of intoxication, or any approach to it, has been observed in the whole multitude assembled, whereas formerly the prevalence of this and the quarrels it engendered brought dishonour on tent-preaching, and in fact extinguished it. Special instances of good done are naturally called for. Many memorable cases can be produced. Selection is difficult. A woman from Airdrie was observed by a few around her to be much impressed while Mr. W. C. Burns preached. She at length left the field and retired for prayer. After a little she was followed by some praying people, who conversed with her. She seems to have undergone a complete change, and went away in a composed frame. A young gentleman from Glasgow, with whom I and Mr. Brown conversed, who had come with some indefinite notion of good or of being pleased, went home a new man in Christ Jesus. I know several cases of whole houses being really converted. Mrs. H. has been converted in a very wonderful way. She had been a very passionate regardless character, who with her husband and family spent the Sabbath day in drinking, and other similar enormities; two pious women, unknown to each other, had called upon her, telling her that they could get no rest till they came to warn her of her sin and danger. The poor woman thought with herself, if these two are so concerned about me that they cannot get rest, what should be my concernment about myself? She attended a prayer meeting, came home at midnight, and roused her family to tell them of her change of mind. There seems a very remarkable work of grace with the husband, and other branches of the family. A. B., collier, aged fifty, a month ago, was upon the road side on the way from the church in great agony of mind when I passed homewards, I at first thought he had been in drink: but it turned out that he had been, Hannah-like, pouring out his heart before the Lord, having got a sight of his sinfulness; he went to his Bible and prayed; got heartening, as he expressed it, from the thought that had come to him, "Shall I be a castaway?" Enabled to lay hold on Christ as the Ransomer, and as having paid the debt, he said, "Come life. come death, I will depend on his merits and mercies;" resolving to be with Christ henceforward. On receiving his token, he said, "I used to run from you, but am now happy to meet. I served Satan fifty years: I am now the Lord's." His two companions, J. S. and T. A., gave very satisfactory accounts of their change of heart, and are also communicants. The accounts of other cases more detailed and interesting must be deferred. I add a very few words in the way of inference. 1st, Prayer united, as well as secret, for the bestowal of the Spirit's influence, is most important, and will sooner or later be heard. 2nd, Extra means should be used to bring those without the pale of any church to hear the Gospel. The preaching the former summer in the church-yard once and again, and the late frequent addresses in the market and field, have most certainly brought the word near to many who might have remained to their dying day without hearing it. Assuredly these means must be used, otherwise our newly provided churches will remain unoccupied, and in a great degree useless. 3rd, There is a close connexion betwixt Missionary work and revivals. Our newly organized Missionary Society, in January this year, has been marked by several people as an era. No church can be in a lively state when nothing is done for the heathen. 4th, The social nature of man is an important element in his constitution, and exerts a powerful influence on the state of the church and of the world. There are those who view the weavers' shops as objects of unmingled aversion, as hotbeds of anarchy; but when a good influence is made to bear upon the minds of the operatives, the facilities for good are proportional to those for evil, the reviving interest spreads much quicker than in a rural district. Let every minister of the gospel, and every Christian patriot keep this steadily in view, and ply the workshops with every good and generous influence. Never let us cease in good times and bad, to essay to do good, in the morning sowing seed, and in the evening withholding not our hand: thus are we to sow beside all waters. God give the increase! THE AFRICAN WITNESSES.* Ir will be in the recollection of the friends of the Society, that the Rev. Dr. Philip returned to this country in the spring of 1836, for the purpose of attend"to consider what meaing a committee of the House of Commons, appointed sures ought to be adopted with regard to the native inhabitants of countries where British settlements are made, and to the neighbouring tribes, in order to secure to them the due observance of justice, and the protection of their rights, to promote the spread of civilisation, and to lead them to the peaceful, voluntary reception of the Christian religion." Dr. Philip was accompanied by two natives of South Africa, both intelligent and Christian men, who had for many years enjoyed the benefit of instruction by Dr. Vanderkemp and other Missionaries in their native country. These intelligent Africans availed themselves of the return of Dr. Philip to visit England, for the purpose of making known the state of the nations to which they respectively belonged, and exciting greater interest in their behalf. Andries Stoffles was a Hottentot nearly 60 years of age, about the middle stature, stout but active, with a countenance remarkably intelligent and expres sive. He was admitted to the fellowship of the church in 1815, and for six years previously to his leaving for England had sustained, with great benefit to the people, the office of a deacon in the community of Hottentot Christians at the Kat River. His family had been among the first settlers at the Kat River, and for the prosperity of that settlement, his experience, influence, and efforts had been constantly employed, especially in promoting education, and extending to every location the advantages of religious instruction. Jan Tzatzoe is one of the chiefs of the Amakosa Caffres, who amount to about 230,000 souls. Their country borders on that formerly belonging to the Hottentots. In early youth Tzatzoe was placed by his father under the care of Dr. Vanderkemp, by whom he was ever regarded with peculiar affection and solicitude. At twenty-four years of age there is reason to believe he became a decided Christian. In 1816 he accompanied the Rev. Joseph Williams, the Missionary, to Caffreland. For the last eleven years he has been associated with Mr. Brownlee, at the Buffalo River, and has proved an able assistant in the Mission. In the late disastrous war between the Colony and the Caffres, Tzatzoe espoused the cause of the English, and led forth his men to their aid; yet when hostilities ceased, and he returned, he found his house and the cultivated grounds which he had stocked with fruit-trees, taken possession of by the Government, and he was directed to fix his dwelling in another and an uncultivated part of his own hereditary land. To obtain the restoration of these, or some compensation, and to solicit further assistance in promoting the moral and spiritual improvement of his countrymen, he was induced to accompany Dr, Philip to this country. Early in the summer of 1836, Dr, Philip and his companions were repeatedly called to appear before the Committee of the House of Commons. The engraving which accompanies this account, represents the appearance of the African Witnesses before the committee, The scene is in one of the rooms where the committee, of which T. F. Buxton, Esq. was chairman, held its sittings. Tzatzoe is in the act of giving his evidence. At the opposite end of the table is the Rev. James Read, jun,, who acted as interpreter of the chief, who spoke and wrote before the committee in the Dutch language. Dr. Philip is seated in the foreground, on the right, and Stoffles occupies a chair behind the table at the end of which Tzatzoe is standing. The Rev. James Read, sen., is standing behind the chair on which Stoffles is seated. Andries Stoffles delivered his testi * Abridged from an article in the "Christian Keepsake," for 1838. mony with great animation and feeling, but evident sincerity, and the Chief gave his evidence with that simple dignity and frankness which a consciousness of the truth of his own statements, and a confidence in the integrity and justice of his auditors could not fail to inspire. But the testimony of Tzatzoe and Stoffles before a section of the British Senate was not the only important object accomplished. Besides the incalculable advantage to the native tribes of Africa, of their appearing before a committee of the British Parliament as witnesses for their countrymen of the wrongs they had endured, their visit to England and Scotland afforded to multitudes satisfaction of the highest order, and will be attended by the most lasting benefit to the ⚫cause of Christian Missions throughout the world. The impassioned eloquence of the Hottentot, in particular, produced impressions on the minds of many whọ listened to his addresses, that will probably never be forgotten. In the autumn of 1836, it became evident that the health of Stoffles would not allow of his continuance in England, and he embarked for his native country, in The voycompany with the Rev. James Read, jun., on the 7th of November. age was beneficial, but he suffered a relapse while at Cape Town, and died on the 18th of March, 1837, at Green Point, on his way to the Kat River. His end was peace, A "brief memoir of Andries Stoffles" appeared in the Missionary Magazine for April, 1838. Dr. Philip, the Rev. James Read, sen., Tzatzoe, and other friends, embarked on the 25th of November, 1837, for the Cape, where they arrived on the 6th of February, 1838, and in the course of the summer the Chief rejoined his family and tribe, who had long and anxiously expected his return. INCREASING LIBERALITY OF THE FRIENDS OF THE SOCIETY. THE Directors continue to receive the most gratifying accounts from the numerous friends of the Society, of their efforts to contribute their respective proThe portions towards realising the proposed annual income of 100,000l. committee of the Bath Auxiliary report as follows : crease in those of the friends present had been suggested, and the consequence was that all in the room immediately doubled their annual contributions; he had no doubt, when other friends in the Committee heard of this fact, they would follow the example, and he would suggest, to the annual subscribers present, to double their contributions; if, however, they could not do this, he was sure they would all assist to the extent of their power. The total receipts of the Auxiliary during the year have been 5587. 4s. 6d., one of the most striking items of which is a contribution of 857. from a Juvenile Association, which was formed only a year since. The annual remittance to the parent Society had been 5317. Mr. Owen stated that while the local committee were determining on that passage of the Report which had reference to an increase in the amount of individual annual Subscriptions, an inA friend in Hampshire writes as follows:Never have I sent you a remittance with so much satisfaction, as at the present time. I think that the event clearly justifies my anxiety to have a full deputation. We used to raise with difficulty 107. per annum, or The Secretary of the Essex Auxiliary I have great pleasure in forwarding to you a copy of a resolution which was unanimously adopted by our committee yesterday:That the Secretary be instructed to make the necessary arrangements for obtaining the Rev. Richard Knill, as a depu thereabouts. Since we have had deputations, we have increased from year to year; 1837, 271.; 1838, 327.; 1839, 51%. This is the true criterion of Missionary zeal. says:— tation from the London Missionary Society, to visit every congregation in the county that will consent to receive him, at as early a period as possible with a view to increase the amount of contributions to that Society." I beg your prompt attention to this interesting matter, and hope that you will soon favour me with a line informing me when our good brother may be willing to undertake the tour of useful agitation in Essex county. I sincerely hope that the matter of the £100,000 "will stand." Several other equally interesting manifestations of zeal and liberality have been received, some of which it is intended to publish in the next number of the Missionary Magazine. SINGAPORE.-LETTER FROM LEANG AFAH. THE following translation of a letter from our Chinese brother, Leäng Afah, written to the Foreign Secretary in the beginning of March last, while it exhibits that familiar knowledge and apposite application of Scripture which may be frequently observed in intelligent converts from heathenism, shows at the same time, that those who in distant lands have been made partakers of the heavenly gift, through the instrumentality of British Christians, are not unmindful of the kindness which sent to them the everlasting Gospel of peace. It is satisfactory to be able to add, that the indisposition he mentions in his letter has been nearly removed, and that he has deferred his intention of returning to China, until Providence shall open a way for his public exertions for the spread of the Gospel there. Leäng Afah writes as follows: TO THE REV. MR. ELLIS. Presented with respects. The prophet Isaiah, in the thirty-second chapter and eighth verse of his book, says, "The liberal deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand." From the preceding ten years until now, although I have been preaching the doctrines of the Gospel, exhorting and instructing the men of the middle country, (China) yet those who have been led to believe, of the common people belonging to my country, are few, not more than two or three every year; and of the rich, not one. Thus no man has contributed towards my sustenance. And had not those who "devise liberal things" of your country assisted me, I should not have been able to preach the Gospel to the men of the middle country. Wherefore, ye men of benevolence and love, belonging to one of the estimable benevolent Societies, to you is applicable what is written in the third epistle of John, fifth to eighth verses; "Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church; whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well: because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth." Moreover, every year I have been engaged in printing the Holy Scriptures, and religious tracts, and distributing them among the Chinese. And at present, though there are but few who believe and obey them, yet the seed of the Gospel has fallen into the minds of the men of the middle country; and we wait till afterwards, when our heavenly Father will kindly confer the Holy Spirit's grace, to regenerate the hearts of the Chinese; then the seed must spring up, and bring forth much fruit. Thus, how is it not true (in regard to you) as written in 1 Thess. i. 8, "For the word of the Lord from you has sounded out, not only to the nations around, but also into every place of the middle country." Two years ago I came to Singapore, and lodged in the house of the American Missionaries. During the week days I have been engaged in revising and correcting Medhurst's and Gutzlaff's version of the Scriptures; and on the Sabbath, in preaching the Gospel, and instructing the Chinamen who lived with the Missionaries. From the 15th day of the third month of last year, [according to our reckoning, that is, 15th March, 1838,] I have lived in Mr. Stronach's house; and have been employed in the same way as when I lived with the American Missionaries. Since the 25th day of first month of this year, [i. e. 25th January, 1839,] the two Messrs. Stronachs and I have gone, every Friday afternoon at five o'clock, to distribute various kinds of religious tracts through the streets of Singapore; and at six o'clock, before the gate of Mr. Tracy's house, I have preached the Gospel, exhorting the men of the middle country. Every Friday evening about thirty or forty men come and listen to the preaching of the Gospel; and we pray our Heavenly Father, widely to extend mercy towards the thousands of |