then revived again. Yet upon the whole, their success in this island has not been so great as in many other places.

In January, 1789, when Dr. Coke was on his way to visit the United States of America for the third time, he took the West Indies in his way, and on the 19th of that month, landed at Port Royal, in Jamaica. Some years before this, Methodist societies had been formed in several others of the West India islands. But the missionaries had been so few in number, that they were unable to extend the work as it has been since. A more enlarged plan was now determined upon. An increase of missionaries was become necessary in all the islands where missions were established. Dr. Coke so stated the matter, that Mr. Wesley entered heartily into the undertaking, and engaged the whole body of preachers to unite in promoting it.

When Dr. Coke paid this visit to Jamaica, the form of godliness was scarcely visible in that island; and its power, except in a few solitary instances, was totally unknown. The exertions of the Moravian Brethren were quite inadequate to the field which lay before them. Iniquity prevailed and abounded in all its forms; and whites and blacks were living without hope, and without God in the world. The Doctor made but a short stay at this time in Jamaica; but he preached four times in a gentleman's house in Kingston, to small but increasing congregations.

On the 5th of January, 1791, he again visited Jamaica, when, under the divine blessing, he opened a door for the gospel in Montego Bay. He had no previous intention of making the trial, but being unable to get his boxes out of the ship for some days, and always being "about his Father's business," he with difficulty procured a

commodious place to preach in; he preached several evenings to large and increasing congregations.

During the following year, the Methodist Chapel in Kingston was completed, being 80 feet long, 40 broad, galleried on three sides, and capable of containing 1500 people.

In the year 1792, the Doctor again visited Jamaica. Between this and the last visit before, Mr. Hammett had been appointed missionary to this island. His labours had chiefly been confined to Kingston, though not entirely, for he had gone wherever a door opened. His preaching had benefited and offended many. There were many adversaries; and the chapel before mentioned was erected in the midst of danger and surrounding storms. The prosecutors gave full evidence that they loved-darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; and some instances of their wickedness and brutality were too disgusting to be mentioned. Mr. Hammett was involved in great difficulty and danger. To flee from persecution was to flee from duty, as well as to abandon the chapel; to go on in the usual course was to hazard his life; and to apply for justice, would only add insult to wrong. Mr. Hammet repaired from

preaching after it was dark; but this did not prevent the mob from making a violent assault upon the chapel near midnight. They were, however, dispersed, and the magistrates reluctantly afforded some protection.

While the Doctor was in Jamaica at this time, he tried an experiment upon a poor negro, who was blind, and declared incurable by two physicians. He got his hair shaved off the crown of his head, to about the size of a crown piece, or rather more; and applied a poultice of the yolk (only) of an egg, beat up with salt, to a proper consistence to the shaved part. On the second

day after, another such poultice was applied over the first and on the third day, a third poultice was made as before, and applied over the other two. On the fourth day the whole was taken off, and the part dressed after the manner of a blister. And in a few pays the negro recovered his sight. As this was not the only instance in which the Doctor recommended this remedy with success, and may afford an useful hint to some person, I thought it right to mention it.

The Doctor also mentions the following interesting circumstance:-Mr. Hammett had two or three interviews with a young African prince, a son of the King of Mundingo. This was the second time he had come to the West Indies, to seek for his sister, who, many years before, had been stolen, and sold for a slave. To their mutual surprize and joy, he found her in Kingston, a member of the Methodist society, and married to a free black, a class-leader and exhorter. The prince promised Mr. Hammett that he would send two slaves from home, as the purchase of his sister, that she might return to her native country, and bring her husband along with her. The return of this couple to Africa may possibly be a means of introducing some knowledge of the gospel in those almost unknown regions of the globe. And should nothing more be effected at present, it may tend in some meas sure to prepare the way for a future mission in that neighbourhood..

Before his return home from his fifth voyage to the continent of America, he made his last visit to Jamaica, landing at Port Royal in March, 1793. A malignant fever had put a period to the life of Mr. Werrill, who was succeeded by Mr. Fish, who spent many years in the West Indies, with great approbation and usefulness. He has

now been for some years in England; but the Methodists in Jamaica much wished for him to return to them, especially as he was so much respected by the public, which circumstance might be of singular service in their present embarrassing and persecuted circumstances.

When Mr. Fish arrived in Jamaica, the number in society amounted to about 170, including those on three or four plantations in the mountains. The violence of the persecution had somewhat abated; but no attempt had been made to renew the preaching by candle-light; and the society rather enjoyed peace than prosperity. Mr. Fish having no colleague, was so full of employment, that he was necessitated to abandon Montego Bay. The gospel now made a rapid progress among the people of colour; but the white inhabitants were inattentive to its charms.

Mr. Fish enjoyed peace; his labours were much blessed to many; a considerable number was added to the society, while many others were so far humanized and civilized, that from barbarians they were transformed into men. The magistrates took against the rioters, and

"Returning justice lifted aloft her scale."

The following comparative estimates will shew the success of Mr. Fish's labours. When he arrived in 1792, we have stated that the whole of the societies amounted to only 170 members; but in July, 1794, the number amounted to 280.

It is a necessary observation, which will apply to the other West India islands, as well as Jamaica, that in general, the regular congregations are five or six times as large as the societies; and much more in several of the islands. In many of the societies, there are several local preachers and exhorters, who are employed on the sabbaths.-

And in all the societies there are class-leaders, who generally have each a class of from twelve to twenty members. These class-leaders also hold prayer-meetings in dwelling-houses in the towns and villages.

On the 6th of June, 1795, about two o'clock in the afternoon, a dreadful fire broke out, near the centre of the town of Montego Bay. How it originated was never clearly ascertained; but it raged with the most violent fury. In five hours a great part of the town was in ashes. The damage was very great; and the disorder and confusion beyond description. But it is a fact, which none can disprove or deny, that not a single house belonging to a member of the Methodist society was injured, though the flames occasionally came near them. An infidel may ascribe this to chance; but a christian will see, acknowledge, and adore the hand of God. A pious young woman had removed out of the part that was destroyed, only a few days before, somewhat in the way that Lot fled out of Sodom, before fire descended from the Lord out of heaven, only with this difference, he had notice, but she had none. Had this not been the case, her property must have met inevitable destruction, except it had been protected by the same power which preserved the three Hebrews in the burning fiery furnace.

In the height of the confusion occasioned by the conflagration, a person, called a gentleman, was swearing most horribly, when a pious negro, who heard him, said to him, "Ah massa, no use curse and swear now; cursing and swearing do all this."

This calamity was followed by another still more destructive, the Maroon war. The haunts of these people were at no great distance from Montego Bay. Neither night nor day could pro