parents, and obey them without murmuring: they are no longer seen acting disgracefully in the streets. I must now request a fresh supply for our worthy neighbours, the Curates stationed round us; and, assuredly, you will not suffer the work, which has been so successfully begun, to be impeded. May the Lord give prosperity to the undertakings of this respected Society, to which you will please to tender the assurances of my warmest gratitude! -My parishioners have obtained the New Testament by means of your generosity; but the copies belonging to the children are worne out, from their being so much read at school and at home. Besides this, the Curates in this town have applied to me for copies; and if you accede to my request, I shall distribute a good number, conformably with the intentions of the Venerable Society. Several of my Clerical Brethren were opposed to the circulation of the New Testament; but, after having seen your edition, they have been convinced that the perusal of it ought on no reasonable grounds to be prevented, seeing that a thousand reasons may be adduced, on the other hand, to prove its general usefulness. His protection to this work; for little children, boys, old people, and those who are uneducated, all want to know what the Lord has taught for the welfare of mankind. I never witnessed such anxiety before; and it certainly is a presage of the good which these laudable distributions will accomplish. A Member of one of the Prison Commissions bears the following testimony: I must again appeal to your generosity for a fresh supply of the Testaments of Jesus Christ for our Prisoners and their children. I have reason to rejoice in having obtained these books for these unfortunate people to read. Swearing is which formerly occurred in the cells, beno longer heard; and wicked practices, ing to gain information, are now abanfore the prisoners were employed in seekdoned. They bear their present lot with patience and resignation; and are now submissive and respectful toward their superiors. Whenever I pay a visit to the prison, I have the satisfaction to find all the poor people engaged in reading the New Testament, or hearing it read. In short, I am convinced that nothing tends more to improve, or to effect a greater A Roman-Catholic Layman, who change in their character, than a due apis Nephew to a Bishop of that Church, writes Since you have sent me Testaments, I am besieged daily by poor small farmers and peasants, who come from a distance of six leagues in order to obtain a copy. The inclement season, and the distance, does not hinder them: they are all anxious to possess the Sacred Volume. A worthy old man, aged 70, walked four leagues for the purpose of obtaining the Gospels: "The reading of them," said he," will make me young again, inasmuch as it will afford me strength and patience sufficient to support my infirmities." -A family, consisting of eleven persons, who never lived in harmony together, agreed to meet together in order to read the Scriptures in the evening; and, ever since, peace has reigned among all its members. This example will produce the most gratifying effects on the minds of the inhabitants. Accept my thanks for the good which you enable me to do. In returning thanks for copies of the Scriptures which had been sent to him, a Protestant Minister says It really appears that God vouchsafes plication to the Sacred Volume. Western Africa. Gambia. WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. MR. Marshall thus speaks of the assistance which he receives from Promising Native Labourers. Five of our Young Men have begun to preach in Jaloof. Though my own knowledge of the language is not sufficient their abilities or improvement, yet I am to enable me to express an opinion of informed, by one who is able to judge, that they speak well, and make considerable improvement. This I can say, that the earnestness of their manner testifies that they only preach for souls. At the end of February he adds They give me great satisfaction. Their that they are growing in grace, and in conduct is unblameable; and I believe fitness for Ministerial Usefulness. I have lately assisted them in their studies, by meeting them, to converse on the Doclending them books; and occasionally trines and Evidences of Christianity. I think there is every reason to expect that Men of Colour will speedily be raised up, in West Africa, as Preachers; but some time must elapse before the Mis sionary Work can be entirely entrusted to them. We have some very promising Young Men, who have not yet begun to preach, but are likely to do soon. Should the Committee think of increasing the number of Labourers in this field, and I hope they will, there are two of our Local Preachers whom I would recommend, as likely to be very useful Assistant-Missionaries, and who might be employed immediately. The two Natives here spoken of are, John Cupidon, the Interpreter, and Pierre Sallah, a Slave belonging to a Lady in Goree, who asks about 50l. sterling for his freedom: of Pierre Sallah, Mr. Marshall says— A few months ago he was sent for by his Mistress. We felt much at parting with him; his deep and unaffected piety, and his earnestness in preaching the Gospel, having endeared him to all. Being commended to the grace of God by the prayers of his Brethren, he went, fully persuaded that the event would turn out for the glory of God. When he arrived, he commenced preaching in Jaloof, and teaching a few men to read. The Lord has so far blessed his labours, that five men appear to be awakened to see their lost condition, and have begun to meet in class. One person, alarmed at such heretical proceedings, the people being principally Papists, made a complaint to his Mistress, and desired her to prevent him from preaching and teaching. But she, so far from this, encouraged him to go forward, and teach all who were will ing to attend. To Mr. Marshall, who afterward visited Goree, this Slave's Mistress -spoke of his conduct in the highest terms of approbation; and said that, since he had come home, there had been a visible change among her Slaves. She never before had such good conduct, or such respect from them, as now: she, therefore, felt it her interest, as well as her duty, to encourage him to proceed. Mr. Marshall mentions an Opening for a New Station. There is a vast population of Jaloofs in Goree and the surrounding country; who are, generally, on the main land, Mahomedans, and, in Goree, Catholics. In a conversation [with two friends] on the best means of introducing the Gospel into this Country,they both thought that one of our Native Preachers was the most likely person to make the commencement, as he would not be liable to the same suspicions as a European; and, for the place, they proposed Dakaro, a town about five miles from Goree, on the main There are several towns in the land. neighbourhood, which might be visited; and a Native House and School Room might be put up for about 107. As it is quite uncertain how long Br. Sallah may continue at Goree, I think some steps should be taken to carry on the work which has been begun. This might be done by Br. Cupidon being Goree once a-week; and would have an stationed at Dakaro: he could easily visit opportunity of introducing the Gospel to several places, and of continuing it where it is begun. Should you think of doing this, the Station could without difficulty be superintended by the Missionary at St. Mary's, as there are vessels going thither every week. Our Brother Cupidon might be engaged for about 40%. per annum. Sierra Leone. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. A REPORT of the Mission for the Year 1829 has been drawn up by the Missionaries, which enters into a minute and judicious view of the shall extract some of the general circumstances of the Mission. We statements of the Report; and subjoin some Notices of the proceedings at the several Stations, down to the end of March. Difficulties arising from Native Character. On comparing the population of the Settlements under our charge with the attendance at Public Worship, we perceive that about one-fourth of the inhabitants are in the habit of attending Divine Service on Sundays. We may fairly presume that all these are ready to assume the Christian Name, and will desire to be sworn on the Holy Scriptures, if they have to take an oath in a Court of Justice; and even this proportion would, no doubt, be much increased, were we to lower our standard of requirements in those whom we admit to the Church. The fact is, that the Idolatrous Superstition of the African Tribes has in it so little that is fixed and exclusive, that it will comport itself with, or even give way to, any new superstition or outward rite that may be plausibly offered. We are, indeed, strongly inclined to believe that the whole of the heathen population of the Colony would press to the Baptismal Font, if we would receive them there on an understanding that Baptism is of all Greegrees the best. Excitability of Africans. In our endeavours to convey to the inquirers who are still pretty numerousright notions of the Religion which they profess themselves anxious to embrace, and in our addresses to the Congregations generally, we have found them very susceptible of an excitement of feeling, leading even to considerable agitation of the frame. A mode of preaching calculated to produce such effects seems to be great ly liked by them, and much preferred to an appeal to their understandings. While we would wish to become all things to all men, we apprehend that a sound work of conversion is not, in any case, dependent on such excitement; whereas there exists considerable danger lest an individual should mistake the vehemence of bodily agitation for an evidence of the inward grace. Such a mistake seems to prevent the subject of those excitements from seeking after clear views of Gospel Doctrine and requirement; and though we would not say that without clear views on these matters the individual cannot be the subject of Salvation, yet we are convinced that his Christian character rests on an insecure foundation. Standard of Admission to Baptism. It will be our duty and endeavour to raise the standard of qualifications for Church-Fellowship; but in this endeavour we shall have to encounter difficulties of a very peculiar kind, and which would hardly be supposed to exist in the infant state of Christ's Church in this Colony. We wish to act with all becoming consideration of the circumstances in which the people under our charge are placed, their means of instruction, and capacities; and, being desirous to descend as low as may be justifiable in our requirements, we should like to find out what degree of knowledge in religious matters is the very lowest to be allowed in those individuals whom we admit to Church Membership. We find, among the Members of the Church who present their claims to the privileges, and have also acquired a certain devotional phraseology, numbers from whom we cannot elicit any thing like an account of their faith, though we endeavour to keep within the narrow compass of their language and their train of ideas. We have asked ourselves whether persons can be fit subjects for Baptism who do not possess an acquaintance with those facts of which our Church Formulary requires that they should express their stedfast belief: and, as we can hardly answer this question in the affirmative, we are led to the conclusion, that, previously to their admission, we are bound to minister to the people such instruction as shall bring them to a fuller understanding of their Baptismal engagements. Want of Native Teachers and Students. We consider it as one of the most trying features of the work in this Colony, that, after fourteen years' labour by the Society's Missionaries, with direct controul, during most of the time, over Public Education, we should not be able to count more Native Teachers. It is also matter of regret, that we have not been able to increase the number of Students beyond its present state. Perhaps this requires some explanation. The Colony-born Children in the Villages are, generally, too young to afford sufficient evidence of love for better things than the world affords; give good promise of becoming fit for adthough there are not wanting those who mission at a future time: the LiberatedAfrican Children supported by Government, who were taken notice of by us previously to our declining the inspection of the Schools, have since been apprenticed out; and, on our re-assuming the charge of those children, we found quite a new set, young in years, and backward in their studies: it will be some time before any of these can attain to a fitness for admission. We have had opportunities of observing that the Institution is an object of great interest to our Village Youth, in those parts which have been dant with his Pupils, as well as in those occasionally visited by the Superintenfrom which children have occasionally been allowed to go on a visit to Fourah Bay; and that the Parents, also, would set a higher value on its advantages for their children, were it consistent with its design to open it for more promiscuous admission. General State of Schools. We are naturally led here to turn to our School Establishments; and we look on them, we confess, with greater satisfaction. Persons practically acquainted with the difficulties which we have to contend with in conveying instruction to a population but imperfectly acquainted with a language, would, we hope, admit that the success of our Educational Endeavours in Day Schools, Evening Schools, and Sunday Schools is sufficiently encouraging. But we must earnestly entreat our friends in England not to form comparisons in their minds between the acquirements of our pupils and those of the scholars in similar Schools in England. Such comparisons must inevitably lead to conceptions far higher than the real state of our Establishments justifies. A degree of proficiency must reasonably encourage us in this Colony, which would not be sufficient to produce the same effect in England. We apprehend that a great proportion of public opinion respecting our success in Schools has been raised unwarrantably high, by general statements which ought to have been understood with reference to the previous ignorance and degradation of the persons educated; which has led to so much the greater disappointment, when inquiry was made, on the spot, by persons not previously disposed in our favour, and taking their standard, to judge by, from the progress of Education in Europe. What we call 'sufficiently encouraging,' amounts to this, that we have reason to hope there will go forth from our Schools a succession of individuals who have acquired sufficient knowledge to read their Bible and Prayer Book with facility, and a sufficient knowledge of English to understand very plain addresses, and to grow, by attentive waiting on the Means of Grace, in an acquaintance with the meaning of Scripture Expressions and a knowledge of Christian Doctrine. Some will become sufficiently expert in writing and readiness of expression, to write an intelligible note; and in Arithmetic, to manage their little village concerns: some will attain a somewhat higher degree of information at the Christian Institution, where every branch of School Instruction is further pursued, with reference to the future usefulness of the Students, as Teachers of common Schoollearning and Religion. We look to that Seminary with hopes that we shall draw from it a succession of useful Assistants in the Schools; and we desire to be patiently waiting, with earnest prayer to the Giver of all good things, for the time when one or other of the Youths trained up in it shall become sufficiently matured in judgment, grounded in Biblical Knowledge, established in the Faith, and adorned with humility to allow of his being employed in the office of Native Teacher. It will require MUCH patient waiting; for we have had experience of the injurious effect of premature advancement. In our School Instruction, we have generally endeavoured to make that use of the Infant System which seems most likely to awaken and nourish in the youthful mind a love for that which is good, for the sake of its conformity to the example and precepts of the Saviour. We think ourselves bound, as Christian Missionaries, to encourage this, in preference to the motive of emulation; though the latter, addressing itself to the pride of a corrupt heart, is found to work more rapidly. In the keeping of Sunday Schools, we have not effected all that we have wished and anticipated: the difficulty of finding a body of well-qualified Teachers, willing to do the work for the love of souls, is much greater than was supposed. There are some long-established Villages, in which hardly any persons are found who have acquired as much learning as to be able to read their Bible intelligibly; and, among those few, it is difficult to meet with any who will lend their help without payment. This was discovered in the case of the Sunday-School Teachers at Gloucester: their zeal lasted so long as they had an expectation of getting remunerated for their services; but that being disappointed, they dropped off. Review of the Past Year. This year has delivered the Mission from many hindrances to its prosperity; and it stands now on a better footing than it used to do formerly: this calls for our grateful acknowledgments, and awakens our hopes. We have already received, and still look forward to, such an addition to our number, as promises a great increase of efficiency to our labours. We ought to entertain a persuasion, that, with this addition of numerical strength, our body will obtain a corresponding increase of spiritual vigour of gracious adornments of brotherly love; but we have experienced in ourselves the imbecility of the human mind, which naturally seeks for a common level, and soon drops down, from the excitement of new scenes and high-flushed hopes of large usefulness, to the leaden langour of that every-day routine to which Missionary Duties,like every other effort of man, may be reduced: and we think it the more brotherly part towards our newly-arrived Fellow-labourers, and the more sober improvement of experience gained, on this occasion to view the enemy's camp and our own, to point out his strong-holds and our vulnerable places, and to call one another to a watchful soldier-like carriage against him. Conclusion. We feel that this account of the state of the people to whom we are sent differs considerably from the general opinion of our friends in Europe; but we have thought it our duty to give a plain tale, being convinced that the prayers of our Christian Brethren on our behalf will be the more effectual, the more fully they are informed of the real state of things. And we would not have them believe that we lose sight of, or undervalue, the good that has really been done: the Good Shepherd has sought here a sheep, and there one, out of the various Tribes of Africa, and brought them back into His fold; they are a witness to the labours of the Society's Missionaries in this Colony; they are a comfort and support, under many trials, to us now serving in this part of God's Vineyard; and will, we doubt not, prove a crown of rejoicing, to some now resting from their labours, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at His coming. * : simplicity in our preaching, in our private instructions, in our Schools, in our Meetings for Business and for Prayer; if our Directors be guided to send to our aid, from time to time, men tried and approved for soundness of faith and for aptness to teach, and who know how they ought to behave themselves in the House of God; the field, we doubt not, will amply reward the labour bestowed on it. We desire still to be favoured with the privilege of carrying to Africans the offers of free salvation, and of seeing many more embrace them, and obtain deliverance from Satan's bondage, in meek submission to the yoke of Jesus. From the communications of the Missionaries and Catechists we collect the following Notices concerning the Congregations and Schools at their respective Stations. FREETOWN. Services at Gibraltar Chapel twice on the Sunday, and once in the week: Communicants 11: average attendance of Scholars-Boys 276, Girls 147. I was lately called, on a Sunday, to attend one of the Discharged Soldiers, not a Communicant, on a bed of sickness, from which he was soon released by death. I found his companions and friends assembled in the larger room of his grass-house, and himself on his bed in the smaller room. It seemed too late for asking him questions and setting him talking: I therefore addressed myself to his compassionate friends; telling them, that though it was not adviseable to speak much to their sick brother at a time when the fever was so strong on him, yet, if he can believe, we can do something. God has promised, that if we call upon Him in trouble, He will hear us, and will deliver: the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he have com This Mission has been established only about 14 years. In consequence of illnesses and deaths, it has had to contend with numerous interruptions to the measures which were from time to time put in progress: the many changes in the agents for carrying on the work have hitherto rendered it impracticable for them to come to any thing like a uniform plan of proceeding the insufficiency of their number for the work before them has, up to this time, frequently prevented them from assisting each other with help in seasons of difficulty, and with advice in matters of perplexity. Let all this be well weighed; and let it be taken into conside-mitted sins, they shall be forgiven him. ration, that they have been men frail and fallible; and the charitable Christian will wonder that so much good has been done, rather than feel surprised that no more should have been effected. And, notwithstanding all the trials with which we continually meet, we are of opinion that the Society has abundant encouragement to go on in the work. If God give us grace to act with Gospel Thus, if the Lord see not good to raise him up for this life, He will do something better; He will save his soul, and deliver him at once from all the miseries of this world." Here the poor sick man most agreeably interrupted me, by exclaiming "Oh yes, Master! do, I beg you, let us pray!" This ejaculation put life into our prayer, and, I hope, proved an encouragement and comfort, not only to |