fury around us, and though some have escaped, others have fallen, to rise in a purer sphere, and shine as "stars for ever and ever." The yellow fever has raged in Kingston and Spanish Town within the last three weeks, and numbers (prin cipally white people) have sunk under its maliguant infiueuce. Among them was the Rev. Mr.Humberstone, who came from England about nine months ago, to officiate as curate of this parish: he was an excellent man, and a very eloquent, pious preacher. During the few months he laboured here, he was the means of raising a stronger sense of religion in the minds of his congregation, than had ever been witnessed before; almost the last words he was heard to say were, "God sent his Son into the world to die for me," "The memory of the just is blessed." On the 14th inst. our dear sister Horne left this vale of tears and sickness, and entered into paradise. The power of true religion was remarkably displayed in her; her invincible patience and great fortitude, the happy frame of her mind, and the sweet refreshing testimonies of the compassion and revealed love of Jesus, have made a strong and I hope useful impression on numbers who witnessed her closing scene. Brother Horne has been graciously supported during this season of heavy trial, though he is but weak in body, and looks pale and thin. To the preceding mournful accounts, I have now the painful task to record the death of Mr. Adams. On the 18th, Mr. and Mrs. Johnston went to Spanish Town to watch the last moments of this excellent Missionary, and from Mr. J. I received the following note the next day. "MY DEAR BROTHER, "Mr. Adams's warfare ended in com plete victory about eight o'clock last night: Mrs. Adams saw him in the forenoon, and was fully resigned to the Divine will. She received the news of his death with much composure. His corpse is to be interred precisely at four o'clock this afternoon. G. JOHNSTON." Brother Adams was seized with the fever on the 12th; medical aid was procured instantly. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, he was very ill indeed; on Monday, the symptoms were more favourable, the fever was much abated; but, alas! it soon returned: on Tuesday he became delirious, but even then, the happiness of his, mind was evident; sometimes he was engaged as though delivering with his trembling hands the elements of the Lord's Supper; at other times, attempting to sing some of our hymns. In the first part of his sickness, he was screne, and re signed to us who knew him, this was according to our expectation. He un formly walked with God, and the cheering light of His countenance beamed upon his servant, whilst treading the vale of affliction and death. The following high testimony of the character and worth of brother Adams, appeared in the Royal Gazette, of Spanish Town, and in the Kingston Chronicle. "In Spanish Town, on the evening of the 18th inst. of the prevailing fever, the Rev. Obadiah Adams, of the Methodist persuasion, aged 28 years, leaving a disconsolate widow to lament his premature death. He commenced his religious pursuits at the early age of 19, and only arrived in this island in January last. The truly unaffected piety this gentleman evinced during the short time he has been resident in this community, and the diligent and successful discharge of his Mission, have endeared his memory to an extensive circle, who will long regret the loss of so worthy and excellent a man. The liberty granted him by his honour the Custos in April last, to preach and teach the gospel has never been more deservingly used by any, and it can justly be said, that were such characters allowed to dispense instruction to the unenlightened throughout the island generally, that no alarm need be entertained, that any improper doctrines would be disseminated among that class of persons. Indeed he was formed in every view for the arduous duty of working that change in the minds of the slave population, so ardently desired by his Majesty's ministers, as well as by the legislature of this colony." Wednesday last I went to Spanish Town to preach a funeral sermon on the melancholy occasion; my text was taken from 2 Tim. iv. 6, 7, 8. I had the pleasure of knowing this excellent man when he resided at Groombridge, and cannot tell half what I felt whilst endeavouring to improve this afflictive dispensation. The congregation appeared much affected, pected and beloved pastor. and wept aloud for the loss of their res Brief, alas! his useful day. Death bath quench'd his lustre soon; These mourn the active, wise, and good: Who calm'd their fears and taught them rest, By virtue of the Saviour's blood. "The fiery chariot" bears him through the air, The palm of victory to wave; Beyond the reach of storms and sickly care. And crown'd by him who liv'd and died to save. Extract of a Letter from Mr. JoHNSTON, dated Kingston, Sept. 2, 1819. With feelings of great sorrow I hereby inform you of the death of our dear brother Adams, who, I before observed, was apparently in the last stage of a putrid fever, on the 16th of August. In that stage of his affliction he was not able to bear the smallest disturbance, in consequence of his head being dreadfully affected; but his heart was filled with the peace of God in so glorious a manner, as to prevent his bodily pains from interrupting his happiness. He said he had no hope of life, but felt his mind perfectly resigned to life or death, as God should think fit. My wife and self visited him again early on the 18th, and found him evidently sinking. His head was so much infected with the malignant contagion, that his reasoning powers were much interrupted, but so far as he had power to think and speak, he gave evidence to all the attendants, that he possessed the joyful hope of eternal life. He often spake in a kind of whisper, and smiled, and pointed upward. At one time he imagined himself in the act of dispensing the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and mentioned the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with great fervour. He was often engaged in fer vent attempts to pray; and one time said, Brother Adams is worthily lamented by all who knew him, and the society at Spanish Town is almost inconsolable at their loss. How wonderful, and how infinitely beyond the ken of mortals, are the ways of God; truly his ways are not as our ways, but he doeth all things well; and it will be the happiness of his saints to see and adore to eternity. Sister Adams, who was in the fever, was able to come down stairs and see him the day before he died; she bore the whole with amazing fortitude, and observed that " our Lord said to the daughters of Jerusalem, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.' Thank God, there is no need to weep for him, but for me and the church." She will return to England the first opportunity. FRANCE. We have great satisfaction in stating, that Mr. OLIVIER, the public exercise of whose ministry at Cherbourgh, had been limited to 19 hearers, has had this restriction removed, and has been regularly authorized to preach as a Protestant minister, by a decision of the Minister of the Interior. "We have," says Mr. Olivier, in a letter to Mr. Toaze, dated Sept. 16, 1819, "a room that will hold about 200 people, where we expect to begin next sabbath. The Lord be with us." IRISH MISSION. Extract of a Letter from Mr. BAILEY, dated Church Hill Mission, June 18, 1819. I have the pleasure of informing the Committee, (through you) that the work of the Lord still prospers on our Mission. I never closed a year with more peace and harmony, with a more pleasing prospect of growing piety. Though our people are poor, extremely poor, their sincerity, their fervent love to the preachers and to one another, more than compensates us for all our privations. Since my last, we have opened a Suuday School in this place; we have 190 children, formed into 14 classes; they are taught five hours on the Sabbath day, and one circumstance which makes this school more interesting, is,that two-thirds of them are Roman Catholics. A friend and Mrs.Bailey went from house to house, particularly to the Catholics, and invited them to send their children to the school. Among the female teachers, we have two respectable Catholics, who attend at prayer, and read the Scriptures with pleasure; some of the scholars are 16, 18, and 20 years of age, who did not know a letter until they came. They are delighted with the thought of being able to read the Prayer Book and the Holy Scriptures. We have formed another school lately on this Mission, in Bellaghy. We have 300 children regularly taught; we have written to the Committee of the Sunday Schools for Ireland, and have obtained the promise of books, &c. &c. We have had a remarkable sonversion of a young woman lately, named Mary Slans, originally a Catholic. She now meets in society, and walks worthy of her profession. We insert with pleasure the following Extract of a Letter from Mr. Reynalds, dated Hull, June 26, 1819, and doubt not but that the hints it contains will have their effect upon many masters of vessels belonging to our different ports. As the Committee for conducting the Missionary Society (under the direction of the Conference) condescended to attend to my communications formerly respecting the mission to Port au Prince, this emboldens me to write to them again on a subject connected with the cause and success of missions; and that is, Auxiliary Socie ties; but not of such Auxilary Societies as are already in existence. My mind has been for some time impressed with the importance of missionary exertions; and this has led me to write to you on the subject The necessity and usefulness of Ladies' Associations and Juvenile Missionary Societies have been shown, and they have been adopted and encouraged: but little has been said, or any hints given, for the formation of Marine Missionary Associations! I have thought, and do think, that the committees and members composing Auxiliary Missionary Societies in the different sea port towns in the United Kingdom, might recommend the forming Marine Missionary Associations on board of ships during their respective voyages; and I have little doubt on my mind, but that pious masters of vessels, who have felt the blessed effects of religion in their own hearts, would readily come into the measure. I am persuaded there are great numbers of pious masters of ships, and their pious crews, who only want such a plan suggesting to them, in order to their adopting it on their going to sea: especially if they were informed that there are 800,000,000 of Pagans and Mahometans, whose idolatry and superstition have involved them in midnight darkness, and who are calling, like the man of Macedonia, "Come over and help us :" and that there are only about 400 Christian Missionaries sent as yet amongst this great multitude, which is only one Mis sionary to 200,000 souls, perishing for lack of knowledge! If there be only one pious seaman on board (I know by experience) it is possible to form such associations, and how much more practicable will it be to those masters who have several pious seamen in their crews, as is the case in some of our Greenland ships, where the ordinances of God are regularly observed; and, I believe, in divers other ships belonging to this port; and. I am persuaded, in vessels belonging to other ports likewise. Whenever I have proposed such associations, I found my seamen always ready to come forward with their mite to the help of the Lord against the mighty hosts of Heathen idolatry and superstition; and I have only to lament, that I called them so seldom to so glorious a cause, as to help to send Mis. sionaries to turn the Heathen from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God; and thus to rescue them from their abominable idolatries. I know it is difficult, and, perhaps, in some cases, impossible, when a pious master has a decided reprobate crew to deal with, to form any such association: but even in such a case, with a view of this description, I have formed Bible and Religious Tract Societies: But as I have observed above, if there be only one pious seaman on board, a Marine Missionary Society may be easily established. I have had a Marine Missionary, and Bible Society formed at one time, and all my people were subscribers to both, and took a pleasure in it; we had our treasurer, committees, &c. in due form. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. The fourteenth Report of this Institution has been recently published, and we are happy to observe by it, that the operations of the Society are vigorously extending themselves, not only at home but abroad. In connexion with the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and the extension of Foreign Missions, this Institution is fulfilling an important part of the designs of Providence in raising the human mind from its ignorance, and preparing it to receive the principles of religion. The following extracts from the Report, as to the extension, of education abroad, will be read with pleasure. Respecting France, your Committees of the two preceding years have furnished the most gratifying information: which may now be added, that the great to work still proceeds with undiminished rapidity and success, and all the reports received from that country agree in the assurance, that its salutary effects are, in many places, already evinced, by a very striking improvement in the condition of the rising generation. The active zeal of the Society for Elementary Instruction in Paris, aided in its benevolent labours by men of power and influence, continues successfully to contend against the obstacles, which prejudice and selfishness oppose to the instruction of the lower classes. Upwards of 1200 Schools on the new system are already bestowing incalculable blessings upon the youth of France. The system has been introduced into a great number of schools connected with the army; and the Minister of War has signified his intention of extending its benefits, in the course of the present year, to all the corps without exception. Your Committee have received intelligence from Spain, that the School, founded in the preceding year at Madrid, under the superintendence of Captain Kearney, continues to flourish; and that measures have been taken to extend the system throughout the kingdom of Spain, under the sanction of the King The seed is sown, and will not fail to spread itself, in due time, over the naked and barren field. In Russia, your Committee had reason to expect a rapid progress of the good cause, and their expectations have not been disappointed. Though the four young Russians, mentioned in the last Report, had not yet returned to St. Petersburgh, when your Committee heard last from that capital, yet his Imperial Majesty had not delayed to take active measures for a wider diffusion of knowledge amongst the subjects of his extensive dominions. The excellent order of some regimental schools, on the British system, formed among the Russian contingent of the army of occupation in France, has been noticed on former occasions with due praise. Your Committee have lately been informed, that the establishment of similar institutions is in progress in other divisions of the Russian army. At St. Petersburgh a school, on the British system, was opened in the course of last year; and the inost confident expectations are entertained of its successful progress, under the immediate auspices of the Emperor. The school at Homeln, the estate of Count Romanzoff, Chancellor of the Russian empire, in the government of Mockilow, alluded to in the last Report, was opened on the 9th of December last. For some time previous, 50 scholars had been prepared by Mr. Heard, a young man, who, after having received a liberal education, devoted several months to the study of the British System in your Central School, and was engaged by his Excellency for the purpose of introducing it in his domains, which are said to contain a populationof 14,000 souls. A building is nearly completed, capable of lodg ing 200 children, and furnishing accommodation for 400 during the time of instruction. The former number will be selected from those families who reside too far from the school for the children to attend it daily; and they will be entirely supported and clothed at the expense of the Count. Besides reading, writing, and arithmetic, which will be taught entirely according to the British System, and for the first of which, selections from the Holy Scriptures will, as in the British Schools, supply the lessons; the children will also receive instruction in the most useful handicrafts and agricultural occupations; near the principal buildings, workshops of various kinds are erected, and a large piece of ground has been allotted for a kitchen garden. It is the noble founder's intention to make such regulations, that, in a short time, every village may have at least one man of skill and experience, in every trade requisite for the improvement of rural and agricultural life. In Germany, Mr. Hyrdess, mentioned in the Report of last year, has been removed, by the Grand Duke of Weimar, from Eisenach to Ruhla, as a place which furnishes an ample scope for a School on the British System Your Committee have been much gratified by intelligence, that a School Society has been established at Florence, under the sanction of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Mr. Tartini of that city, who, after having acquired in Paris an intimate and practical knowledge of the new method of instruction, paid a short visit to this country, and attended the school in the Borough Road, assured your Com. mittee, that the preliminary steps for the erection of a large school had been already taken, and that he hoped, immediately upon his return to his native city, to be enabled to open it. When the important work is once successfully begun, it promises to spread its beneficial efforts over a great part of Italy. A school on the new plan has been established at Sartizano, in Piedmont, at Naples; and one for 200 scholars at Bastia, in the island of Corsica. Extract of a Letter from Philadelphia. With us the system is every day gaining friends; it has already exerted the happiest influence upon the morals and conditions of the objects of its care, in some of the sections where the population was most irregular and depraved, and where of course we could not soon expect to witness evidences of reformation. We are rejoiced to discover the most distinguished melioration in the condition of the children, as well as their parents; in short, I shall be greatly disappointed and deceived, if it be not ultimately proved, that the universal education of the indigent, is the mean which Divine goodness regards with especial favour, as conducing to the welfare of his accountable beings, through the instrumentality whereof the blessed principles of Christianity will be diffused and rendered permanent in the hearts of mankind. To act the humblest part in so great and good a work, who would not be solicitous. Extract of a Letter from Malla. I hope by the next I write I shall be able to inform you, that a school, on the British system, is established at Malta. I have written to the Secretary of the School Society, at Florence, for the lessons, which are translated into Italian, without which I should be at a loss. I do not doubt, if subscriptions continue as The rules and regulations of the Society are founded on the most liberal basis. It suffices at present to say, that it proposes to itself a double object; viz. firstly, to assist and improve existing schools, and to establish and support any new schools and seminaries, which may be requisite; with a view to the more general diffusion of useful knowledge amongst all descriptions of the inhabitants of India, especially within the provinces subject to the presidency of Fort William: secondly, to select pupils of distinguished talents and merit from elementary schools, and to provide for their instruction, in seminaries of a higher order; with the view of forming a body of well qualified teachers and translators, who may be instrumental in enlightening their countrymen, and improving the general system of education. The Committee consists of 24 members, of whom 16 are Europeans, or their descendants, and eight natives of India; and, ofthe four secretaries, two are always to be natives. The founders refer, with great propriety, in their first address, to the 4 they have begun, we shall succeed.— The inhabitants of Valetta are anxious not only for a boys' but likewise for a girls' school; and I can assure you that a girls' school is very much wanted in this city. If one was opened capable to contain 500 girls, it would soon be filled. sentiment, of late repeatedly expressed by the highest and best authorities, that the only successful method of introducing real improvement and civilization into the countries of the East, and indeed into any country, is a judicious education of the rising generation; and they allude to the numerous applications for the esta blishment of new schools, as a clear proof of the increasing desire of instruction amongst the natives of India. The principle, so frequently urged by your Committee, of encouraging those, who are to derive the chief benefit from these institutions, to share in their formation and support, actuates the Calcutta School Society, and will be brought into operation by the establishment of Auxiliary School Associations. The secretary informed your Committee, that the early establishment of twelve Bengalee Schools was anticipated; six in the very centre of the native town, and six on its skirts; all under effiçient superintendence; and further, that the managers of the Hindoo College, most of whom are subscribers to the Society, and one a member of the committee, bave agreed to admit twenty select Hindoo boys in their school, at half the usual expense, and that they have requested the committee of the School Society for the time being to act as visitors and examiners of their institution. There is also a School Society formed at Bombay, which has published its plan in the Persian, Hindoostanee, and Guzarettu languages. The number of children reported to this Committee who are taught in the native |