1856.] LIGHT INCREASING. 55 there reached the Station, from Severn and Trout Lake, a most interesting group of Indians, who had visited him three years previously, and had been very urgent with him to baptize them, but he had thought it right to defer doing so until they had received more instruction. They now came greeting Mr. Mason with a hearty shake of the hand, with sparkling eyes, and smiling countenances, and expressing the happiness they felt in their hearts at seeing him once more; and great was their joy when he invited them, during their stay, to attend school twice a day in order to receive Christian instruction. Some extracts from his journals will show how this opportunity was improved by them. July 25-I had the Severn and Trout-Lake Indians with me for instruction twice, morning and evening. Eighteen expressed their earnest desire for baptism. Mrs. Mason assisted me, and we taught them, after reading and endeavouring to explain the gospel to them, to repeat from memory the Lord's Prayer, the Belief, &c. They paid the most profound attention, and some were affected even to tears. July 26-The Severn and Trout-Lake Indians were in attendance for five hours. They read St. John's gospel exceedingly well, have committed to memory the Lord's Prayer, the Belief, and are now learning the Ten Commandments. I went over the history of our blessed Lord, and explained His errand of mercy to this our world. I learn with sorrow that some of the Severn Indians are Romanists, wear crosses, count their beads, and on the voyage home have prayers apart from the Protestants. The priests have books in the syllabic characters, printed in Canada, highly ornamented, interspersed with paintings of gorgeous colours, which are evidently intended to attract the untutored mind of the poor Indian. The paintings are principally those of the Virgin and canonized saints of the Romish church. Although a few make a journey to Albany, to receive absolution from the hands of a man, together with these fine-looking books, with beads and crosses, yet the majority are Protestants, and prefer the pure word of God. I hope the progress of Popery will now be effectually stayed, and that soon they will have a teacher to guide their feet into the paths of righteousness and truth. Ten out of the two boats' crews from Trout Lake are candidates for baptism. None in that quarter have gone to the priest; and I hope a good beginning is now commenced, and a foundation laid that souls from thence may be brought to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Christ. The position is central, and hundreds of poor benighted Indians would hear the gospel, and gladly receive it, should a Protestant teacher be sent to Trout Lake. This evening I had full service with all the Indians, and preached to them on the value of their souls. All present paid great attention, audibly assenting to the truths advanced, while tears suffused their eyes. They evidently listened as for eternity, and I trust impressions were made on their minds which will never be effaced. They are well acquainted with the first principles of Christianity, and they are so earnest, so attentive, so very desirous of obtaining all the information necessary, and anxious for the happy day to arrive, when, by the solemn rite of baptism, they will be admitted into the fellowship and communion 56 MISSIONARIES FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. [MAY, of Christ's militant church on earth. Surely the prayers of God's people at home are heard and answered, for there are evident marks that the good Spirit of God has commenced His work of grace in their souls. They all love to hear God's word, and ten read "the great book." A pleasing instance of their abhorrence of sin, and their zeal for the glory of God, was manifested by two of the Severn Indians while they were with us. Some of the Indians from Oxford House were inebriated. They were seen by the Severn Indians, to their great surprise. A gentleman at the time saw two in earnest conversation, and afterwards they fell on their knees, and began to pray for their poor fellow creatures, whom they beheld overtaken by their most easily besetting sin. The gentleman, who communicated this incident to me soon after it occurred, assured me that he had no doubt of the purity of their motives. They have long ago thrown away their idols and old superstitious notions, and for years past have been worshippers of the only true God, and they diligently read the books printed in their own characters. One of the Indians baptized by the Romish priest paid me a visit this evening. He said the priest told him to come and tell me that he had baptized him, if he found me at York. Poor man! he can neither read nor write, yet he has the cross and his beads. "The priest at Albany," he said, "has sent for me to come and tell all the sins I have done since he last saw me, that he may wipe them away for me." But his faith in man's power to forgive sins committed against God was soon shaken when I opened the word of God, and read to him those passages which clearly show that none but God can forgive sins. When he could make no reply, I told him not to seek salvation from man, but from the Lord Jesus Christ, and to trust in Him alone for the pardon of his sins. May this conversation be blest to the salvation of his soul! It has not been in vain. One of the four who had not been baptized came forward as a candidate, and, under the circumstances, I promised that I would baptize him with the rest of his brethren. On Sunday, July 29, the baptisms took place. The candidates, twentynine in number, distinctly responded to all the questions, and I baptized them in the name of the Holy Trinity, as they meekly kneeled upon their knees. May they be as lights shining in a dark place, and spread the knowledge of the Saviour's love amongst their poor countrymen, until "the people that walk in darkness" shall "have seen a great light," and that light shine on them, "that dwell in the land of the shadow of death!" Soon, it is to be hoped, we shall hear at least of native catechists placed in charge of the little Christian congregations at Severn Fort and Trout Lake. MISSIONARIES FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. THE fruits of Missionary labours are now presenting themselves in the interesting aspect of stirring up the Missionary spirit among the natives themselves. Converted Sandwich Islanders have already gone forth to spread the gospel in other islands of the North and South 1856.] A VOICE FOR THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 57 Pacific. At a recent Missionary meeting at Hilo, a native, about to go forth to this work, used the following language in a stirring speech to his countrymen-"I do declare to you that the cause of my going out on this Mission is my exceeding great debt to the kingdom of God. I have land, and cattle, and horses, and parents, and brethren; and I have looked on all these, but they will not cancel my debt. Therefore I give my whole body and soul, without reserve, for this salvation. Because this treasure was freely given to us, therefore we freely give, without murmuring." Many of the native converts are fired with a similar love and zeal, and will go forth proclaiming— Wake, isles of the south, your redemption is near!" A VOICE FOR THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. To ask your alms, dear reader, now I write : He knows the means of each; He reads the heart; Think of His words so gracious, "Inasmuch as ye E. A. S. ( 58 ) MISSIONARY MEETING AT IGBEIN, ABBEOKUTA. [MAY, It is always encouraging to hear of the growth of Missionary interest amongst our native converts in various regions. It is of first importance that Missionary meetings should be held, and that subject, of which they are themselves the living fruits, be vividly brought before them: not so much for the purpose of calling forth pecuniary contributions-for many of them may well say, "Silver and gold have I none"--but to call forth their sympathies, and enlist them as fellow-workers with us in communicating the gospel to their heathen countrymen around. So soon as converts are made, and congregations formed, they should be quickened into Missionary action, and, in however simple and humble a manner, led to do something for the heathen; and this for their own good, and growth in grace, and healthful continuance in the faith. If their knowledge be not thus exercised, it must decay, and lose its influence and power; and, permitting themselves, in the first instance, to be careless about their kinsfolk and acquaintance, they soon learn to be careless about themselves. Igbein is one of our stations in Abbeokuta, where there is a church and native congregation, and here we rejoice to perceive the stirrings of Missionary interest, as communicated to us by our native Missionary, the Rev. Thomas King July 30, 1855-I held a Missionary meeting to-day at Igbein. Having brought the subject before them on the 21st instant, the necessity of coming forward with their subscriptions in aid to the good cause, the next day I preached from Luke xvi. 8,9; and yesterday from Luke xix. 8. To-day being the day for the meeting, I commenced at half-past four P.M. After singing and prayer, I gave a short address from Matt. ix. 36-38. I dwelt on the compassion of Christ on the multitude for want of light and knowledge; that it was this that yearned in the minds of the people in England, so that the darkness and ignorant state of the people here were taken into account. I referred them to fifteen years ago, to reflect on what they were then and what they are now. After this, eight of our church members rose up, one after another, and spoke with life and animation, to the joy and encouragement of all present. My heart was too full for what I heard and felt. Were the friends of the Africans to be here, I am confident they would feel more in witnessing and hearing what mighty deeds and wonders their charity and prayers, in God's hand, have wrought. How much would their hearts be overflowed with gratitude to the great Head of the Church in hearing these trophies of almighty grace, these monuments of divine mercy, bearing testimony to the goodness of God, and the happiness that Christ's gospel imparts. The first that rose up exhorted his friends to liberality as follows-" My friends, hear what is now brought before us. Remember, whatever we possess now-money, clothes, &c.-will all be auctioned and scattered when we die. Let us consider, that what we give now to Jesus shall be ours for ever, but what we leave behind us shall be for others. Therefore, let us show our love to Jesus according to the means each one possesses. Remember the words, He who soweth 1856.] MISSIONARY MEETING AT IGBEIN, ABBEOKUTA. 59 sparingly shall also reap sparingly, but he who soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully.' Consider what great sum of money was laid out in bringing the gospel to us: how much of the money perished in the sea, and at the landing-place. Now, if they had not sown bountifully, could the news reach us amidst all these?" Another spoke to this effect, as he stood up in the middle of the people-"Before I say any thing, allow me to come and stand before you, that all may see me. Do not you all, who are here present, know, don't you remember, what I was, what I have been? Was there any so bad and wicked as I was? But see what Christ, by His gospel, has effected in me. Let us show our thankfulness to God for His mercy. Just as if a man going to the forest, who, after clearing the thickets, felling the trees, he puts his seeds in the ground. But he must clear the weeds from the plants, else it will come to nothing, for this is as necessary as the clearing the ground of its forest. So faith without charity is dead, for charity is one of the proofs of its growth.* We cannot be saved by it, but we evidence the sincerity of our faith by it. We readily put ourselves in pawn to bury our dead relatives, which I will never do; but I am quite willing to put myself in pawn to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, if it is needful, for what He has done for me:" with more such touching saying. Another rose up and said—“ Let us be active in doing what we are called upon to do. If the people in white-men country had not taken it up actively it could not have reached to us; therefore let us hold it actively, that our children may meet the same." Another said, if he were able he would support a teacher to be sent into the interior to tell the people of Christ. I cannot commit all to writing. A dozen more might have stood up and borne their testimony, had we not been compelled, by the approaching night, to close the interesting meeting. I trust their contributions will correspond with their expressions. The results of this meeting, so far as pecuniary collections are concerned, are mentioned in the subjoined paragraph. Aug. 11-Had a meeting this evening for the collections in aid of our Society, which was postponed last time. We commenced at one P.M. After singing and prayers, I gave a short address from Eccles. xi. 1. After this a few of them rose and spoke to the meeting of the Lord's merciful dealings with them, to the great interest of all. This being over, the collection began. The eagerness of the people to give their help was very encouraging to witness. They thronged each other almost in coming forward to the help of the Lord, notwithstanding my repeatedly telling them to come one after another. Their request, in saying, "Fi oruko mi sille, fi oruko mi sille"-" Put my name down, put my name down"—was so much, that, had I got six hands, I could not go fast enough with them. To make it speedier, I called the schoolmaster to my assistance in taking their names down, and what they would contribute. Many of them, in giving for themselves, subscribed for their children The speaker evidently means that they themselves were as the cleared forest, amongst whom the seed of truth had been sown and sprung up. But now they must be careful to clear the growth of all weeds, which might prevent it yielding the blessed fruit of charity, without which faith is dead. |