they are happy in a pure and salubrious air; in uninterrupted peace; in a moderate supply of their wants; and in contentment. But still Bermuda is not a paradise. Sin is found there, and this produces many sorrows. It is divided into nine parishes, and is generally supplied with three clergymen. There was also a Presbyterian congregation before the introduction of Methodism there.

In 1798 a letter was sent from a sea-faring gentleman to the Methodist missionary committee, requesting a missionary might be sent to Bermuda. And after the receipt of a second letter, Mr. John Stephenson, a native of Ireland, was sent upon this mission, and reached the islands on the 10th of May, 1799. But it was immediately circulated that he was from Ireland; the inference was, that he was an Irish rebel; and that such a missionary would promote disaffection and rebellion among the slaves. And had not an enlightened and prudent magistrate befriended him, he would not have been permitted either to preach or to land. He said, he should not be banished without being heard; and that one puncheon of rum would put more evil into the heads of the slaves than Mr. Stephenson would all the days of his life.

Mr. Stephenson waited upon the governor, and offered to take the oaths of allegiance, and to qualify according to the law. The governor replied, "There is no occasion, Mr. Stephenson. I know his majesty allows liberty of conscience; and I know Mr. Wesley and his people were always peaceable and loyal subjects."

Prejudice, in many, produced considerable opposition: notwithstanding which, in a few months 59 persons were joined in society.

In April, 1800, the society consisted of 74 whites, and 30 blacks. The congregations were

increased, and about £300 had been subscribed towards a chapel intended to be built. But this prosperity produced enmity and opposition. Men in power sanctioned others, and a storm was created. But they soon found that they could not succeed against this church without a persecuting statute. And on the 24th of May, 1800, the colonial legislature passed the following edict, in order to silence Mr. Stephenson :

"An act to prevent persons pretending, or having pretended to be ministers of the gospel, or missionaries from any religious society whatever, and not invested with holy orders, according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, or the Church of Scotland, from acting as preachers or school-masters. Such was the title

of the law, and its contents were accordingly.. The purport is, "That no man shall preach, exhort, lecture, write, speak, or in or in any wise propagate any doctrine to any collected audience, public or private, who is not ordained according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England or Scotland."

The penalty to be inflicted was, £50 and six months imprisonment for every offence; which pains and penalties applied, not only to the preacher, but also to the person in whose house he preached.

Mr. Stephenson made an ineffectual attempt to prevent the passing of this law: and when it was passed, he thought it his duty to disobey it. His ideas and conduct resemble those of the persecuted apostles, Acts 4, 19. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." He therefore continued preaching for a month longer, till, on the 24th of June, he was apprehended, treated with contempt and insult, and committed to the

common gaol, to take his trial in the December following. Mr. Pallais also, in whose house he had preached, was committed to prison. But after being in gaol about a fortnight, Mr. Stephenson procured bail, as Mr. Pallais had done before.

A petition was now prepared, and signed by nearly 500 persons, and sent to Dr. Coke, to be presented to the king. To this, a more particular memorial was added by the missionary committee, and presented to the king in council. But though the application was treated with attention and politeness, the act was not negatived by the king till nearly three years had elapsed.

Early in December, Mr. Stephenson was put to the bar, and sentenced to " be confined six months in the common gaol, to pay £50, and to discharge all the fees of the court." In June he was liberated, with his health injured, and constitution broken. But though he could not venture to preach, the society kept together better than might have been expected. In 1802 he was recalled, and the society was left without a guide.

It was not till April, 1808, that another missionary was sent to Bermuda. In that month, Mr. Joshua Marsden came from New Brunswick hither. The governor and attorney-general received him with much civility and respect: but the people in general displayed evident marks of disapprobation. Of the fruits of Mr. Stephenson's labours, he found but few who retained their seriousness. He had, therefore, to begin the work afresh. But early in 1809 a subscription was set on foot in the island to erect a chapel; and notwithstanding the hostility and universal scarcity which prevailed, £180 were contributed towards it.

In 1809 Mr. Marsden had a commodious chapel to preach in, and a congregation consisting of some hundreds. And the more respectable part of the inhabitants now looked upon the mission with an eye of favour; and there was now a society of one hundred members.

The annual report of 1812 says, "The principal obstacle which this mission has to encounter at present, arises from the sea-faring life of the general mass of the inhabitants. A considerable portion of these live on the water, and are only transient visitors of the land. While on shore with their families, they readily attend public worship, and frequently receive serious impressions. But on going another voyage, they too often lose sight of their condition and resolutions, and retain nothing but a recollection of the vows they have broken. Many of the blacks are also employed on an adjacent island, called Turk's Island, in making salt, and this prevents them from attending on the means of grace with regularity. In the principal town, the congregation in general amounts to above three hundred, of whom two hundred may be reckoned among the most respectable white inhabitants of the place. Among these may be reckoned some principal persons who cordially join in partaking of the Lord's Supper, though they do not belong to our society. Those who attend on public worship behave in general with the greatest decorum; and such as profess themselves members of our church, adorn the gospel of God their Saviour. Many happy deaths have already taken place, since the gospel was first introduced into this settlement; and a still greater number of living witnesses may now be found to testify that Christ has power on earth to forgive sins. The number

now is 135.

In

In the report for 1813 it is remarked, these islands, as in most of the West Indies, the members of our society fluctuate in number, through the deplorable degradation of their civil condition. As a great majority of them are in a state of slavery, they are entirely at the disposal of their masters; in consequence of which, they are frequently taken from their accustomed abodes, and sold to other masters in distant parts to which we can have no access. But notwithstanding these unhappy circumstances, we have not lost ground throughout the Bermudas. The gracious Lord has fully supplied the places of such as have been removed, both by human authority and by death. The work has taken a more general spread, so that in several different places besides St. George, we have many who make confession of the true faith. Our whole society at present amounts to about 140."

The report of 1814 says, " At present many, both rich and poor, attend the preaching of our missionary, and a door is opened for the reception of the gospel in almost every parish throughout the islands. But we are sorry to say, that there - are some persecutors. In our last return the number in society was 134.”

I have now made my tour through the West Indies. I have not mentioned every island, because in sundry of them, alas! there is no mission, and I fear, little or no religion. This observation will apply to St. Domingo, Cuba, Porto Rico, Martinico, Guadaloupe, and several others of less size and importance. The reader will bear in mind, that I have given the preceding accounts of different islands in the West Indies, on account