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rocou, which they manufacture and carry to Martinique,. This also should be encouraged. The la pitte, or silk-grass, affords the strongest cords in nature, and the threads are so fine as to be employed in sewing cambric. With it they form fishing-lines.

Their language is by no means difficult to be acquired. The number of words are but few, sufficient to express the ideas of their savage life. Their language, like their natures, is harsh and dissonant. They speak with the utmost impetuosity, as if they were constantly in a passion; but the French language is very much spoken by

them.

SECTION IV.

Jamaica, February 3, 1789.

ON Friday, the 19th, we landed at Roseau, in Dominica, and found our former kind friend Mrs. Webley ready to receive us. She had been informed by one of our local preachers of St. Kitt's, who had lately made a visit to this island, of my intention to visit her soon; and accordingly with some other friends hired a large room for a preaching-place. After waiting on Governor Orde, who, I think, is as polite a man as ever I was in company with, I preached in the evening, and on the Sunday following: Mr. Baxter also preached two sermons, whilst I made a visit to my old friend Mr. Cherrurier, and opened a door or two among the blacks in his neighbourhood. Before we left the island, we formed a little society of twenty-four desiring souls, some of whom had been members of our connection in Antigua and

in a most unmerciful manner under the direction of one Isaac de Lion,* a black man, and an enemy to all righteousness-such a picture of Satan for subtilty and barbarity, never, I think, before did I behold. He is the great executioner of all the cruel edicts of the court for the persecution of the children of God.

The most famous or rather the most infamous edict which the rulers of this island have published, is as follows:

"That if any white person should be found praying with his brethren-for the first offence he should be fined fifty pieces of eight; for the second, one hundred pieces; and for the third he should be whipped, his goods be confiscated, and he should then be banished the island. That if a coloured man should be found praying-for the first offence he should receive thirty-nine lashes; and for the second, if free, he should be whipped and banished; but if a slave, be whipped every 'time."

This, I think, is the first instance known among mankind, of a persecution openly avowed against religion itself. The persecutions among the heathens were supported under the pretence that the Christians brought in strange Gods.Those among the Roman Catholics were under the pretext of the Protestants introducing heresies into the church. But this is openly and avowedly against prayer, the great key to every blessing. How such a diabolical persecution can be suffered in this liberal and tolerating age, is really surprising!

However, we ventured to baptize about one hundred and forty of our society. And even

*The very same man who received me with so much kindness on my former visit.

under this heavy cross and hot persecution, our numbers amount to two hundred and fifty-eight; and of those, we have reason to believe that one hundred and thirty-nine have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

On Thursday, the 1st of January, we hired a sloop to carry us back to St. Christopher's. But, behold! as soon as we began to sail, we found that all the sailors were entirely drunk, the captain excepted. In a little time, they drove the sloop against a large ship and damaged the boom and the yards of the main-mast. Soon afterwards, when

we came to the end of the island, instead of crossing the channel to St. Kitt's, the sloop was carrying us into the open sea in its shattered condition. We then determined to return; but there was no one to turn the sloop about, till with great difficulty my friends, the Missionaries, unacquainted with such business, brought it round: and after running against another ship, by which the rudder was broke, and the stern much damaged; and after bribing the captain with ten dollars, to save his own life as well as ours; we were landed again on the island of St. Eustatius.

This series of misfortunes which obliged us to return, appeared a loud call of Providence, for me to bear a public testimony for Jesus Christ: and therefore, lest any of our friends should suffer whipping, confiscation of goods, or banishment, by admitting me to preach in their houses, I hired a large room for a month, and the next day preached to a quiet and attentive congregation, and published myself for the Lord's-day following. All was peace till late in the evening, when the governor sent for Mr. Lindsey at whose house I was, and threatened him with terrible punishments.

In the morning, while we were at breakfast, the marshal of the court entered with great form, and delivered us a message from the governor and fischal, which was, that they required us to promise, that we would not, publicly or privately, by day or by night, preach either to whites or to blacks during our stay in that island, under the penalty, on default, of prosecution, of arbitrary punishment, (that was the very expression,) and

banishment from the island. We withdrew to consult; and after considering that we were favoured by Providence with an open door in other islands for as many missionaries as we could spare, and that God was carrying on his blessed work even on this island by the means of secret classmeetings, and that Divine Providence may in future redress these grievances by a change of the governor, or by the interference of the superior powers in Holland in some other way, we gave for answer "That we would obey the govern ment;" and having nothing more at present to do in this place of tyranny, oppression and wrong, we returned to St. Kitt's, blessing God for a British constitution, and a British govern

ment.

But let me intreat, let me implore, all those who read or hear this journal, to remember that dear persecuted people in their daily prayers, that the God who heareth prayer, may be graciously inclined, either to turn the hearts of the rulers of St. Eustatius to mercy and truth, or the hearts of their superiors in Holland to disarm them of their so much abused power.

From St. Kitt's we also made two visits to the island of Nevis. Here we were obliged to lie on the floor for two nights upon our hammocks, but God has opened in this island a wide door for the gospel. And the kindness of two or three gentle

men, particularly the judge of the admiralty to whom we are highly obliged, rendered our situation tolerably comfortable. We formed here a class of twenty-one catechumens, and left the care of the island to Mr. Qwens.

On Wednesday evening, the 14th of Jan. we set off for the island of Saba, which belongs to Holland. We had left at St. Eustatius, Mr. Brazier one of our missionaries, who had been raised under Mr. Hammet; and who had not been included in the wonderful message sent to us by the governor and fischal, there having been only three mentioned, Mr. Hammet, Mr. Meredith and myself. However, the governor of St. Eustatius, all on fire to persecute, soon found him out, and by his threatenings dislodged him. Mr. Brazier, by the advice of a gentleman of the island, a man in power, but a Nicodemus, removed to the island of Saba.

When we landed, we were obliged to walk up a rock a mile in length, which was in several places nearly perpendicular. Being informed that Mr. Brazier was at the house of the governor, we immediately went there, and were received with the utmost kindness and hospitality by him, his family, and the inhabitants in general.

The little island of Saba contains about one thousand whites and about two thousand blacks,' men, women and children included. For seventeen years that simple-hearted people have been without a regular minister. The governor, council and people petitioned that Mr. Brazier, who had preached three times in the church, (which is no contemptible building) might remain among them. I informed them of our economy, and particularly of our grand and indispensable custom of changing our ministers. They were willing to comply with every thing, to grant to our minister

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