In 1803 Mr. Brownell wrote to 'Dr. Coke as follows:-"There has been a great ingathering of souls since this time the last year, at Basseterre, Old Road, and Sandy Point. And what may be deemed remarkable, the whites and coloured people chiefly have found peace with God. Many of them experience redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins, and bring forth the fruits of a real conversion, in a holy life, and heavenly conversation. There is a visible growing in grace; and not a few blacks relate what God has done for their souls, with such plain, such artless simplicity, as immediately reaches and affects the hearts of those that hear them."

At this period, it was believed, that genuine religion flourished in this island more than in any other in the West Indies. The number in society in 1805 in St. Christopher's was, whites, 35: coloured and blacks, 2473.

In 1807, the number returned was, whites, 34: coloured people and blacks, 2325.

In 1808, whites, 28: coloured people and blacks, 2299.

In 1809, whites, 26:

blacks, 1925.

In 1810, whites, 26:

blacks, 2053.

coloured people and

coloured people and

In 1811, whites, 31: coloured people and blacks, 2322.

In 1812, whites, 26: coloured people and blacks, 2093.

In 1813, whites, 30: coloured people and blacks, 2132.

In 1814, whites, 40: coloured people and blacks, 2652.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S.

This is one of the Charaibee Islands, and is situated about 30 miles to the north of St. Christopher's. It is about 24 miles in circumference, and has a convenient harbour. Its chief products for exportation are drugs, lignum-vitæ, tobacco, cassava, and limes. In 1785, the French ceded this island to the Swedes, who still retain it. It lies in 17. 56. north latitude, and 63. 10. west longitude.

It was not till the 17th century, that any attempt was made by Europeans to colonize the little island of St. Bartholomew. This was done by some French people. Fifty French families went from St. Christopher's, in 1648, and were the first inhabitants of St. Bartholomew's. And from the period of its discovery to the year 1785, it belonged to the French.

As to religion in this island, I find no traces of any, till about the year 1797, when the Methodists formed a small society, and began to build a chapel. Shortly after the society amounted to 130; 109 blacks, 20 people of colour, and 1 white man. Persecution would have raged, but that the government did not countenance it.

The

Swedes tolerate and protect all sects of christians. In this island, the ministers of every denomination are permitted to baptize, marry, and bury, and to perform whatever belongs to their office. But the keeping of a school in this island was a condition imposed by the governor on the missionary residing in it. This was useful; but it so confined the missionary that he could not sufficiently extend his labours to the inhabitants of the country parts of the colony.

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The common variations attended the society; but upon the whole, it continued to flourish. And this would have been abundant had it not been for the following circumstance:-The island being originally peopled by France, and afterwards ceded to Sweden, most of the inhabitants speak the languages of these two nations. French is almost wholly spoken in the country; and in the town, that and Swedish are spoken promiscuously. Those who speak English are but few; yet it is to these that the society and congregation have been confined; which affords a sufficient reason why neither of them have been much enlarged.

When the British forces took possession of this island in 1804, they occupied the chapel with their troops for several months; by which the society and the school were nearly ruined. The chapel was so damaged as to be unfit for publie worship, without a thorough repair. The colonel of the troops promised a certain sum of money as a recompence, but in performance he was deficient.

Religion, however, continued to flourish; and many of their meetings were times of refreshing.

The invasion of the island had reduced the society to 50 or 60 members; but in 1806 the number was augmented to 200. But after this, the being afflicted with a hurricane, and want of rain for two or three years, brought the inhabitants into such distress, that hundreds of them left the island; some died for want; and most of the rest were greatly impoverished. The society declined in number, though without sinking in respectability. The congregation was considerably blessed, and the society was reduced from 200 to 117 members. To those their afflictions seemed to be sanctified.

Some time after this, the society greatly increased in this little island; so that the return to conference in 1814 was, whites, 16: blacks and coloured people, 530: total 546.

I now come to what are called the Virgin Islands:

And here first, TORTOLA,

These are about 40 in number. Several of them belong to the English, and the rest to the Danes and Spaniards.

These islands were discovered by Columbus, in the year 1493. But being thought of little value, they were immediately abandoned.

This irregular group of islands lies in about 18 degrees of north latitude, and between 63 and 64 degrees of west longitude from London.

In the year 1580, Sir Francis Drake sailed through these islands.

In 1648, the Dutch Buccanniers made a settlement on the island of Tortola, and erected a fort for their protection against hostile assailants. Of the island and fort they kept undisturbed possession for about eighteen years.

In the year 1666, another banditti, more powerful than the former, attacked them, seized their possessions, and drove them from the island.These last adventurers were English, who pretended to secure the island for the British crown. How far they acted by authority, is uncertain.— The English government, however, claimed the island as a conquest, and it remained a British colony.

In 1756 the inhabitants amounted to 1263 whites, and 6121 blacks. But it was not till the year 1773, that they obtained the establishment

of a proper civil government, and then upon condition of paying four and a half per cent. upon all goods, commodities of the island, which should be exported.

In that year, the governor-general of the Leeward Islands issued a proclamation, for convening an assembly, a house of representatives of the British Virgin Islands. They established the four and a half per cent on the colony for ever; and granted an annuity of £400 currency towards the salary of the governor-general of all the islands.

The whole extent of the present population of Tortola is about 11,000; 1300 are whites, and the rest more or less of African colour, and are chiefly slaves.

It is an undeniable fact, that nothing was ever attempted by the government of this island, in its legislative capacity, to instruct the people in the way to heaven. Not one building was ever appropriated to divine worship, nor one minister ever appointed, from the commencement of the colony to the present hour. The negroes, of consequence, remained in heathenish darkness, and most of the inhabitants lived without hope and without God in the world.

Dr, Coke, being apprised of the condition of Tortola, as to religion and morals, took the first opportunity to endeavour to establish a mission there; and, accompanied by some missionaries, he landed in Tortola, in February, 1789. The prospect appeared very favourable, the fields being white unto the harvest. A similar prospect opened in the neighbouring island of Santa Cruz, which belongs to Denmark. And it was immediately determined, that Mr. Hammett should for the present divide his labours between those two islands. In Tortola, a large and flourishing society