A MEMOIR OF THE REV. JOHN JENKINS, LATE A WESLEYAN MISSIONARY In the Island of Jamaica; INCLUDING Characteristic Notices of West Indian Slavery, &c. &c. BY GEORGE JACKSON. "The most beloved on earth Not long survives to-day; So music past is obsolete, And yet 'twas sweet, 'twas passing sweet, Thus does the shade In memory fade, When in forsaken tomb the form beloved is laid!" KIRKE WHITE. SECOND EDITION. 1832. LONDON: SOLD BY THE REV. J. MASON, 14, CITY-ROAD, AND 66, PATERNOSTER-ROW; BY LOMAS, BRISTOL; WOOLL, HASTINGS; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS. PREFACE. MANY were led to expect a Memoir of Mr. Jenkins, about twelve months ago, from the pen of the Rev. Mr. Beal; a gentleman whose name excited such expectations as place his present biographer in very unfavourable circumstances. The question, "Why, at this late period, is it sent into the world by one whose name is scarcely known?" appears to be so natural, and so reasonable, that it deserves a serious reply. This is found in the facts that, twelve months after the death of Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Beal was obliged to return the papers from which materials were to be collected, his other engagements rendering it impossible for him to redeem his pledge; and, owing to a short acquaintance having existed between the present writer and Mr. Jenkins, his amiable widow pressed him to engage in the undertaking with an importunity which he found it impossible to resist. It was urged that about 600 subscribers had given in their names for copies of a Memoir of Mr. Jenkins; and that, in general, this was from pure affection to him, and not from any regard to the known ability of his supposed biographer. These friends Mrs. Jenkins felt desirous to gratify; and, as she was pleased to place some confidence in the person whose name appears on the title-page of this Memoir, though he had no prospect of paying either immediate or uninterrupted attention to it, and consequently must compose it under great disadvantages, yet, rather than Mrs. Jenkins and the friends of her deceased husband should be entirely disappointed, he very reluctantly consented to engage in the undertaking. He knows that his work will meet the eyes even of the subscribers under every disadvantage. Many of their minds are chilled by disappointment; all have been subjected to unreasonable delay; and, of course, on him is imposed the onerous task of suing for indulgence, where he ought to have met with regard. Could he not plead their affection for their departed friend, and their wish that some one should be employed as his biographer, he should despair of success; but, as he can sincerely urge these powerful pleas, he feels some degree of hope, though, owing to circumstances over which he has had no control, he is obliged to throw himself on their indulgence. The Memoir must stand or fall by its own merits ; and therefore he feels it to be useless to say much to gain it acceptance, or avert its condemnation. He has endeavoured, as much as possible, to make Mr. Jenkins his own historian, though he has also inserted such remarks of his own as appeared to him to be required for the purpose of either comment or correction. Having himself been a Wesleyan missionary in the West Indies, he felt a solemn anxiety to convey correct information, especially at a time when misrepresentation and persecution put the friends of missions so fully on their defence. This he hopes will be regarded as a sufficient reason for what some may perhaps consider an occasional digression, and for the volume being larger than was at first intended. He has endeavoured to bear in mind that he was writing the life of a Missionary; and, as every man is in some degree what circumstances make him, and can only be fully known by his powers of compliance, resistance, or control, as occasion may require, he has made such remarks on the state of West Indian society as Mr. Jenkins's papers seemed to demand, and his own observation had furnished; and such as he hopes will increase the interest of the volume. He has frequently felt much gratification and profit while engaged in the work of compilation; and he sincerely hopes and fervently prays that his “ labour may not be in vain in the Lord." Hastings, August, 1832. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION. ALTHOUGH the Author has no pecuniary interest in the circulation of the above Memoir, he cannot but feel grateful that a Second Edition is so soon required, and that, on its publication, he is able to refer to the following RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FIRST EDITION. "From a Preface more modest than the performance warrants, we learn that this Memoir was to have been prepared by another gentleman. But the most important feature of this volume is that to which it is indebted from the circumstance of both the author and the subject of the Memoir having been Missionaries in the West Indies. On this account we are very glad that it fell to Mr. Jackson's lot to prepare this volume for the press; because, in addition to his general competency, he was peculiarly well qualified. Mr. J. has produced a book, creditable alike to his judgment as a compiler, and to his skill in composition, and as complete and satisfactory a demonstration of the fact that West Indian slavery is the horrible thing which, now, almost every body believes it to be, as ever we read in so small a compass.”—Christian Advocate. "The life of a Missionary who has of late years spent much of his time in the West Indies is generally an article of considerable interest. In this biographical sketch, the author has exercised a degree of literary prudence which many of his |