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each, and many a fall over the cradle hills amongst the light snow since morning, we were quite fatigued, weary and faint, without food, fire, or human friend. Our only resort now was to take up our lodgings in a camp near to the river, in which some wood-men had lived during the summer. The first thing we thought of was, what shall we do for a fire very providentially Mr. S. had a piece of flint in his pocket, with which, the back of a pocket knife, and a piece of punk, (a soft furzy substance which grows upon trees, which if once on fire will not go out until all consumed,) after many a struggle we succeeded in getting a fire. Our concern then was, what shall we get to burn, for we have no axe? looking around we found some short pieces of logs, an old barrel, and a sort of table, upon which the wood-men had eat, and to our great joy, they had left upon it a few potatoes; those we carefully preserved, and though as hard as stones, we roasted them, sucked some snow, and if ever we were thankful to God in all our lives, it was for that, though coarse, but very seasonable repast. We also found under the snow some hay; of this, when dried before the fire we made our bed; we then sung an hymn, each went to prayer, and found that "God was in the wild waste, as in the city full." We then by turns for half an hour each, kept watch until morning, und at an early

dawn, united in the praises of God, and imploring the Divine presence, we again resumed our journey, travelling down the river which was then frozen hard, upon which we soon met two tall Indians with their fire arms, and fishing spears, who directed us to the place where their party lived; and proceeding about two miles further, we entered their little village of wigwams. Having agreed with them to put us over to the harbour, they launched a canoe, having to break the ice to make way for the little vessel, composed of thin laths, covered over with birch bark, and in that state we laboured from nine o'clock in the morning, until three in the afternoon, obliged to sit as still as possible, lest the ice should cut through our frail vessel, and in one minute launch us into the eternal world. But "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end," was verified in our protection and safe arrival on the desired shore. If we had to have gone a little further, the relater of this mercifu! deliverance, would in all proba bility now have been in another state of being, for the bark of the cance, a substitute for board, by the friction of the ice was just rubbed through!

I thank God I feel a sense of his love and enjoyment of his favour, and increas ing desires to live in the spirit of my calling, and to be useful in my day and generation.

WEST INDIES.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. BINNING, to Mr. JOHN PURDON, Hull; dated Montego Bay, Jamaica, April 11, 1819.

As to the Mission in this island, various are the states, privileges, and prospects, of its different societies. In Kingston, during the last year much good has been done. They purchased a large and commodious building, which is now converted into a chapel, having received the sauction of the gentlemen in their application for a license, and preach in both places at one bour. Yet notwithstanding this additional room, there are no less than seven hundred even in society who could not be accommodated, supposing all were to attend at one time. At Spanish-town, we have a very excellent chapel, a people devoted to God, and who are on the increase. Here too, in all our applications to the higher powers we have been received in a most kind and respectful manner, and the favours desired readily granted At Morant Bay, the work has been, and I believe is sull going on rapidly. Last year they had many new openings in its vicinity, an increase of between

us.

four and five hundred members, and have now succeeded in establishing a Sunday school. This institution has met with the marked approbation of the Custos; a teacher is regularly employed by him, and he has submitted the superintendance of it to Messrs. Horne and Underhill, in conjunction with the minister of the Esta blished Church. At Grateful-hill, which was my station, the hand of the Lord was over us for good; though the congregations, compared with those in the above places, were small, yet we had an increase of near 60 members, and many who had previously tasted of the good word of God, made evident advances in the Divine life, and are still growing in their attachments to every thing virtuous and praise-worthy. At Falmouth, we have met with every encouragement. The Hon. Mr. Stewart, who is the Custos, has shown us very marked approbation; Mr. S. laboured in this parish during the last year. I made application to the quarter-sessions

held in Falmouth, February 9th, and was kindly admitted by the honourable gentleman above mentioned, and his associate judges, to qualify for acting in conjunction with Mr. S. in this part. We have also two places in the country, where our congregations, though not large, are respectable and attentive. The greater part of our hearers in this parish are white people; they approve of our doctrines, and treat us very politely; but I am sorry to say notwithstanding, that little good seems to be done Though they have enjoyed the Gospel for several months, we have still to take up the prophet's complaint, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" However, we shall esteem ourselves highly honoured, if we are but made the instruments of opening the way to better days, in laying a foundation on which to raise a superstructure that will appear to praise and honour, and glory, at some future period.

Jamaica needs the extension of the truth of God; much has been done, for which we acknowledge the indulgent hand of heaven, but much remains to be done. The moral condition of the greater part of the population is most alarming, even the free people of colour, many of them are deeply sunk into different species of heathenish superstition; but the state of the majority of the Negroes is most deplorable. The reformation wrought since the introduction of the Gospel, is certainly visible to all; but there are many places which its enlighting rays have not as yet penetrated, consequently, comparatively speaking, they are still enveloped in all their original ignorance and superstition. Of the departed, many of the living have the greatest horror imaginable, and would perhaps a thousand times sooner offend those with whom they still associate, than do or say any thing that they imagine would displease a deceased friend or relative. Their funeral processions, their proceedings at the grave, their annual visits and presents, and their prayers to the dead, shew the superstitious veneration they have for them. Their funeral processions are attended with all the noise and riot that ignorance and superstition can invent. Eating, drinking, drumming, and daucing, are their funeral solemnities; in short, every kind of tumult and festivity, which was pleasing to the deceased in his life-time, is practiced at his funeral. Their proceedings at the grave are equally as ridiculous, putting the corpse into the grave, they dance, beat their drums, and make a feast about it, offering a part of

what they have to the dead, with some of those liquors the person loved most during his life, at the same time speaking to the deceased as though he were still alive and present with them. These ceremonies many of them repeat for some time, and generally at Christmas, taking to the grave poultry, or hogs fattened for the purpose, and other provisions, with such liquors as the deceased was partial to when living. These, with their practices of Obiah, are calculated at once to affect the human mind, and to excite in every bosom, an ardent zeal to extend to this degraded race of men, that light which is alone sufficient to dissipate these clouds of ignorance and superstition, to correct their judgment, and bring them from this state of mental darkness; and lead them to Him, who has said, "He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." This is possible even with this degraded and superstitious race of beings, for the "Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all that believe;" and these, though ignorant of the nature of faith, &c. are ready to receive the message, and to the uttermost of their power, comply with its requisitions, that they may be saved. Of this I have had occular demonstration; I have beheld them at the throne of grace, urging the sinner's plea, rejoicing in the evidence of their acceptance, aud afterwards manifesting their attachment to the gospel by an humble, obedient, and persevering attention to its sacred precepts.

As is respects myself, thank God, I am well, though by a late sickness I have been somewhat reduced, yet upon the whole, my health has been as good as when at home. As to trials, I have been favoured far above many of my worthy predecessors; their lot has been the lot of extreme sufferings and opposition, whereas I, in all my applications, have succeeded without the least difficulty. Though I have been but little more than one year in the Island, Providence has been so favourable, that I have obtained legal authority to act in my ministerial function in five distinct parishes. With respect to my situation, work, &c. upon the whole things are gratifying; I find myself so far from regretting my leaving home, that I rejoice that ever I was called to preach the gospel in the torrid zone. It is true, that we are panting under the extreme heat of the tropical sun, while you are enjoying the refreshing breezes of a temperate clime; and we are destitute (at least in a good degree) of that suitable society with which you are ever surrounded. But it was at the call of

God, that I at first hasted to erect the standard of the cross on this burning soil, and this, connected with the aid he affords, the promises he hath given, and the hope of being at least of some service

to my fellow-mortals, reconciles me to the whole, and stimulates to a patient perseverance in the great object of saving souls from death.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. WHITWORTH, dated Tortola, June 20, 1819. I have lately paid a visit to the Danish all blessings flow," &c. I endeavoured Island of St. Thomas, where our society to be very short, that I might speedily is forbidden by the colonial law, the dismiss them. benefit of a publick ministry by one of their own Missionaries. The following are extracts from my journal written when there:

May 28. Arrived safe at the Island of St. Thomas.

29. Reported myself, according to custom at the office of the judge. He knew. my person; for in one of my former visits with brother Jackson, he summoned us to appear before him: but only asked how long we were going to stay. To-day he asked the same question. I answered, only one or two days: to which he made no reply. This I took to be a tacit permission to visit the people.

In the evening I met one class, and found that but few had experienced the pardoning love of God. I laboured to point them to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.

Sunday 30. Ten days ago, a proclamation was made by order of the Commandant, that no store should be opened or any business done upon the Sabbath. One person opened his store, and another sold something privately; but they were heavily fined the next day.

Here is a synagogue, a French, a Danish, a Dutch, and a Moravian church (in which Divine service is performed in low Dutch,) out at each end of the town; but there is no English church, though there are far more English (chiefly from the neighbouring islands) than there are of any other nation: yet these can go to, no place of worship!

At ten I read prayers and preached to the society from Rom. vii. 16, 17. We had purposely kept my coming down as secret as possible, that we might not be crowded with people, and thereby be suspected of holding illegal meetings. It was my design to meet no more than 40,, which the judge had formerly allowed; but it was impossible to hinder the people from coming. Such was their hungering after the word, that, before the time, the house and yard were crowded. 'We did not sing till the last, when we closed our worship with, "Praise God from whom

After sermon I met another class, many of whom gave satisfactory evidence of a change of heart. In the evening I met a third class, with several of the other members, who had stolen in to hear the word. I commended them to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build them up, and to give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

Having conversed with every indidual in the society, except two or three who are absent, I am able to form a tolerably correct opinion of their state of grace. The leaders are pious, sensible, and prudent women. They have quietly kept the people together in the most troublesome times; and such has been their deportment, that they have met with no tindrance, but have conciliated the affection of their neighbours, which are chiefly French and Spaniards.

to keep

When the preachers were obliged to abandon the society here, these women determined to quit the country, and go to an English island, where they might enjoy the blessings of a Gospel ministry; but Providence seemed to hedge up their way, and would not let them leave; and now we see the design of God was to make them the means of keeping together those who were determined themselves unspotted from the world.Many of the society prove that they are the disciples of Jesus, by the testimony of their experience, and the holiness and uniformity of their lives. Others are seeking their Saviour. O, when will it please the Lord to turn the captivity of this people, and thereby to fill their mouth with laughter, and their tongue with singing; then shall the heathen say, the Lord hath done great things for them.

Monday, 31. I wished very much to get a passage to Tortola, but was disappointed. I walked through the town, and was surprised to see the number of residents from the Windward Islands, most of whom knew me, and all of whom once enjoyed the ministry of salvation.

Printed by T. CORDEUX, 14, City Road, London.

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