they afforded them a kind reception, and treated them as fellow-labourers in the common vineyard of the Lord. The shades of difference which subsisted in opinions were lost in nobler views, that they were evangelical ministers of Jesus Christ.

Antigua was the first scene of missionary exertions among the Methodists. It was here that the work first took root. From hence a variety of branches have spread themselves into other colonies; and the event has been, that many thousands have been turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

In the year 1760, Nathaniel Gilbert, Esq. a resident of Antigua, heard the gospel in England, and felt something of its saving power. Upon his return home, he began to exhort on Sundays in his own house. He had instant and visible success. This induced him to enlarge his sphere of action and though he was no less a person than the speaker of the house of assembly, he waxed bold in the cause of Christ, and zealously preached the gospel to the negroes. This brought on him the contempt and insults of some, but none of these things moved him. He soon joined about 200 in christian fellowship, most of whom manifested that they had not received the grace of God in vain.

In this way, Mr. Gilbert continued to labour without abatement of ardour or success, till he died, and went to receive his reward. His spiritual children were then left as sheep without shepherd. Some turned back to perdition; some grew lukewarm; while others held fast the beginning of their confidence.

In 1778, Mr. John Baxter, a shipwright in the royal dock at Chatham, was sent by govern

ment to work for the king in English harbours. He had been a member of the Methodist society about twelve years: and he had been a class-leader and an exhorter for some time previous to his going to the West Indies.

His own account of his arrival in Antigua, I shall here insert:

"On Thursday, April 2, 1778," says he, "I arrived at English Harbour. On Friday, the 3d, I went to St. John's and waited on Mr. H. who received me kindly. The next day Mr. H. went with me to see our friends. The work that God began by Mr. Gilbert is still remaining. The black people have been kept together by two black women, who have continued praying and meeting with those who attended, every night.I preached to about thirty on Saturday night: on Sunday morning to about the same number; and in the afternoon of the same day to about four or five hundred." He informed Mr. Wesley, "The old standers desire that I would inform you that you have many children in Antigua, whom you never saw. I hope we shall have an interest in your prayers, and that our christian friends will pray for us. Last Saturday I again visited St. John's, and preached to a fashionable company of white women, while the back room was full of blacks, who are_athirst for the gospel. On the following day I preached to a large concourse of people, that filled both the house and the yard."

Mr. Baxter being daily employed in the dock yards, had no whole day at liberty for the work of the ministry, except the Sabbath. But he travelled out in the evenings, and preached on the different plantations, and then returned home through those heavy dews which are so pernicious

in that climate.

And he had also to endure reproach for the sake of Christ.

At this time Antigua was in a state of great calamity. There was no rain for some months; the ground was parched up; there were scarcely any crops for three years: the negroes had not a sufficiency of even water to drink; and had nothing allowed them to eat, but a pint of horsebeans a day. But with many of them the affliction worked for good. Six hundred of them joined the society, and were earnest in the use of the means of grace, some of them coming three or four miles, after the labours of the day, to hear the preaching at 8 o'clock on the week-day evenings; and on Sundays many came seven or ten miles bare-footed to meet their classes.

Mr. Baxter appointed a day of fasting and prayer for rain; and while they were assembled and calling upon God, he poured floods upon the dry grounds and abundantly refreshed their souls at the same time.

In sundry parts of the island, the Lord opened doors for the preaching of the gospel.But the work of religion was deep but in very few, though visible in many.

In 1783 Mr. Baxter opened a new chapel; and Mrs. Gilbert, returning from England to Antigua, greatly helped him in the work of the Lord. And this was the more important, as for a number of years Mr. Wesley could not send any missionary thither. But by an extraordinary providence, a family was brought thither from Ireland, the father of whom was useful in leading classes and exhorting. And through the superintendence of Mr. Baxter, the assistance of Mrs. Gilbert, and the help of the old Irish emigrant, the work went on prosperously; so that they had under their care more than a thousand members, chiefly blacks, who were in earnest to be saved,

In this way things went on till the year 1786, when Dr. Coke and three missionaries, on a voyage to Nova-Scotia, were driven by stress of weather, and adverse winds, to Antigua. One of the missionaries, indeed, Mr. Warrenner, was designed ultimately for this island. After landing in NovaScotia, he was intended to take shipping for this island..

It is mentioned elsewhere, how the Doctor and his companions landed at St. John's on Christmas-day, and met Mr. Baxter in the street, going to perform divine service. Here the Doctor seemed to be quite at home; and was much pleased with his congregations, and more especially with the appearance of the blacks. The negro-women," says he, "were dressed in white linen gowns, petticoats, handkerchiefs, and caps; which, from their unsullied whiteness, formed, when compared with the jetty complexion of the wearers, a most singular contrast. The negro-men were all dressed nearly as neatly; and discovered a degree of taste and elegance, which could only be expected from men in a more exalted sphere of life.

While Dr. Coke was now in Antigua, he and the missionaries received cards of invitation from the merchants of St. John's, to dine with Prince William Henry, now Duke of Clarence, who then happened to be in the island as captain of a frigate. The Doctor, Mr. Baxter, and one of the missionaries, went. And, while they were at dinner, a respectable gentleman intimated to the Doctor, that if five hundred a year would detain him on the island, he should not leave it. The Doctor thanked the gentleman for the gener. ous intimation; but praised God, that so many thousands a year would not seduce him from his line of duty and sphere of usefulness in the church of Christ.

The providential compulsion which brought Dr. Coke to Antigua at that time, led to the establishment of a mission; to the introduction of the gospel into other islands; and to the firm and lasting establishment of many christian societies in those remote regions.

In February, 1789, the Doctor again visited Antigua and at that time there were 2800 members of the Methodist society, and 2000 belonging to the Moravians. He found the congregations to be large, decent, and solemn, while many enjoyed genuine christianity. And during the three years he had been there, Mr. Warrenner had been so useful as to add not less than a thousand members to the society. The society loved one another, and were pitiful and tender-hearted one towards another.

In February, 1793, Dr. Coke paid his last visit to Antigua, and held a conference of five days with the missionaries of that and the neighbouring islands. The resolutions then made have since proved very useful.

By the returns which were made at this conference from the different islands, the total number was 6570; and of this number 2470 resided in Antigua. Of this company in Antigua, 36 only were whites, 105 persons of colour, and the rest were blacks. The blacks, through all the islands, almost uniformly constitute the chief part of the converts: they pay the greatest attention, and get the greatest blessings.

and

The good work continued to prosper, chiefly under the superintendence of Mr. Baxter, till God called him to a better world, in November, 1805. He was a holy, zealous, and useful man of God.

In the year 1808, the number in society in Antigua was 20 whites, and 2809 coloured people and blacks.