"SIR, "On reading your paper of last week, I was much pleased with the information contained in a paragraph, said to be an extract from a "View of the Wesleyan Missions," by which I perceive that the long-neglected Aborigines of this land are become objects of Missionary concern to that communion of Christians. As I have frequently been taught to commiserate another's distress, and to weep with them that weep, so I now rejoice over them who have cause to rejoice, in the near prospect of some spiritual gift being imparted to (perhaps) the most degraded of human creatures. If those Gentlemen, "Philanthropus," "A Friend to Civilization," and "Amicus," who in the year 1810, under a plentiful share of sarcasm and derision, zealously advocated the pitiable condition of these Natives, be now resident among us, they cannot but be highly gratified to learn, that the matter which was then by many treated with neglect and scorn, has, after a period of 11 years, obtained the serious attention of the benevolent. And it is devoutly to be wished, that the Teacher appointed may have encouragements in his arduous undertaking. Who, indeed, would not encourage the endeavours of Missionaries to the Natives of New South Wales? How strong and urgent are their claims upon the kindness and compassion of Europeans! If any man be blessed by Heaven, is it not that he may be a blessing to others? If he be enriched and enlightened, is it not that he may enrich and enlighten others, and that through the mercy afforded him, others also may receive mercy? "The success which has, by the Divine goodness, attended the Taheitan Mission, is altogether marvellous in our eyes at this day; and, no less prosperity would I desire to crown the humane and pious exertions of those who may engage to labour for the improvement and salvation of our fellow-men in the Friendly Isles, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, the Isles of Solomon, New Guinea, New Holland, &c. &c., till all the Heathen become the REDEEMER'S inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth his possession.' "A FRIEND TO MISSIONS." "To the Editor of the Sidney Gazette." MISSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. BOSCHUANA MISSION.-Extract of a Letter from MR. B. SHAW, dated Cape Town, September 29, 1821. You will have discovered from a letter, written Sept. 22, 1819, and published in the Magazine for February, 1820, that we had then some thoughts of the numerous tribes of Heathens verging to wards the eastern coast of this Continent. We were stirred up to think of these nations by a number of persons, who, on different occasions, came from that part to visit our Settlement. In the year 1818, about ten of our Namacquas went towards that country, on a visit to their friends, where they remained about twelve months. On their return, in 1819, several of the natives came with them, who remained at or near Lily Fountain, about eight months. Some of them professed to have received considerable benefit to their souls whilst at our Institution, and one of them received the ordinance of Baptism in our chapel. One of these visitors having frequently travelled amongst the Manketsens, Boschuanas, and Marootzes, to the north and north-east of Griqua Town, gave us much more information respecting that country, than we ever obtained from any other quarter. In addition to this, he earnestly requested that one of us would accompany him to some of those nations, promising, at the same time, to render us every possible assistance with his waggon, oxen, and people, and to act as our guide and interpreter. Having previously engaged to visit Great Namacqualand, we could not then accede to his request, but parted with him, under a promise that, when we should obtain more help from England, we would most certainly exert ourselves in behalf of the tens of thousands of whom he spoke. ALBANY.-Extracts from the Journal of MR. W. SHAW, dated Salem, Aug. 27, 1821. JULY 11th, 1821.-Rode to Graham's Town; when I set off it was raining fast, but before I had half finished my journey, it came on the most dreadful hurricane I ever experienced. I never before this day had a full idea of the meaning of that passage,-"The rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew."Having gained half way towards the summit of a great mountain, and being by my elevation greatly exposed, it appeared to me impossible that I could escape being blown off my legs, and dashied to pieces in one of the terrific caverns below;-but by the good hand of God I arrived in Graham's Town, before the appointed hour of service. 14th. The rivers being so much swollen by the late hurricane, it was impossible for me to proceed round the circuit. I therefore returned home, where I found that my house had not indeed fallen, but if kind friends had not ventured out in the storm to prop it up, and to screen it from the driving wet on the weather side by canvas, my wife must have been buried in its ruins. 15th.-Letters received from Brother B. SHAW inform me that the Committee have acceded to my request, and have appointed an additional Missionary to this station. This greatly encourages me, and I trust we shall see much good on the arrival of the newly-appointed Brother. I have again memorialized his Excellency for leave to build a Chapel at Graham's Town, informing him that as I expect another Missionary, it can be supplied without any dereliction of duty on my part, in regard of the special work appointed me. 27th. The want of a little more money, and my determination not to burthen the Missionary fund, occasioned my refusal of a cheap offer of commodious and eligible premises for a MissionHouse in that place. I never regretted the want of money more in my life; but the LORD knows what is best. 30th. The long-expected ship which is to make the first attempt at anchoring and unlading at the Kowie, hove in sight. The success of the enterprise is very doubtful. It would be a great thing for the settlers, as at present there is no other harbour nearer than that of Port Elizabeth, which occasions a land carriage for all goods imported or exported of upwards of a hundred miles, reckoning from Bathurst. July 4th.-We held our Quarterly Meeting, and had much peace and unity. 9th. I preached at Graham's Town to a large assembly of people. I have taken a larger room, just in the centre of the town, which I shall open as soon as it is fitted up. 10th. I preached out of doors at Salem Hill; many more people attended than usual-they promise to build a small chapel. I set off for New Bristol immediately after having preached and baptized three children; arrived a little before sun-set; and preached at seven.The word seemed to produce effect. May it be lasting! 16th.-Ever since our arrival we have worshipped GOD in an old Farm-house; finding this place extremely inconvenient, and hoping shortly to have a little more leisure than we have hitherto enjoyed, the people were called together to know what could be effected. All are of one opinion, "A Church must be erected." Few possess money, and therefore each contributes his aid by actual labour with his hands and oxen. We shall begin to build, the first week in October, and I hope we shall succeed in raising a decent place without much expense. August 1st.-I received an answer from the Governor to my last memorial, in which his Excellency grants me full permission to erect a Chapel at Graham's Town. His sanction is given in unequivocal terms, and authorises the exertions of either myself, or any one in connection with me. Sunday, 5th.-1 opened our new room in Graham's Town; it is very commodious and was well filled. I read prayers and preached in the morning, and in the evening. I hope the LORD will own his word in this place, where truly it may be affirmed, Satan hath his seat. 6th.-I preached to a congregation of Hottentots this evening; they heard with deep attention, and towards the close of my address, were so much affected, that I could not help regretting that my limited acquaintance with their language did not allow me to enlarge on the subject with that freedom which I wished. As some of them are plainly desirous of serving the LORD, I hope shortly to form them into a class, for their farther improvement in the knowledge and love of GoD. Sunday, 12th.-Being the anniversary of the formation of our Sunday School, I embraced the opportunity of showing the importance of giving to children a religious education. My observations were founded upon what is said of Eli,-"His sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." I hope religious parents at least were benefited by this discourse. 14th. This day was appointed for a particular examination of the progress of the children belonging to the SundaySchool. Catechisms, with Scriptureproofs, several Chapters from the Holy Scriptures, and a number of Hymns, had been learned, and were repeated. The number at present on the books of the the School is fifty; several of the larger boys and girls learn writing, &c., on appointed days during the week. the whole I was highly satisfied with the state of this part of my flock, and all who were present joined me in ap On probation of the exertions of the Teachers. I preached to the children from, "Remember now thy CREATOR, &c.' In the afternoon they were regaled with plum-cake and tea, which may perhaps be regarded by our good friends in England as one evidence, that we African settlers are not in that starving condition which some would represent. 15th. I conversed with a person lately come down from the District of Graff Reynet; he gives lamentable accounts of the want of christian instruction, among hundreds, both of the Heathen and professed Christians, in that part of the Colony. He says a Missionary, who would take upon him the labour of itinerating, would be received with open arms. I have recently obtained permission for the visits of a Missionary to Somerset, where there are always a great number of Hottentot families, who work in the extensiveGovernment-farm at that place. But I am much disappointed in learning by a letter from the Brethren at the Cape, that although Brother HODGSON has arrived from England, I cannot yet have help, he having been sent out expressly for Cape-Town, and Brother KAY being gone to the Bootchuanas before his appointment to this station was known here. Surely when the friends of JESUS at home hear, that after all they have done, it is still true, "the harvest is great but the labourers are few," this will not discourage them; rather it will operate as an additional impulse to that noble zeal which has hitherto been displayed in such mighty exertions. 16th. I preached this evening on the death of MESSRS. BENSON, SAMUEL TAYLOR, and my beloved Brother JoSEPH, and read the account of the two former pious and laborious servants of JESUS CHRIST, from the Magazine. Many were affected;-may it prove lasting! Sunday, 19th.-1 preached twice this day at Graham's Town, to crowded congregations. 20th. I preached to the Hottentots; I hope good is done among them. How useful to them would a Missionary be, whose station was Graham's Town, which would enable him to pay them that attention which is entirely out of my power. 21st. I was at Salem Hill: 22d,at New Bristol : 23d, at Thornhill, a settlement at the mouth of the Kowie, named after the respectable and worthy family, at whose house I preach and lodge when here: 28th, at Standerwick. These places are not without promise of yielding an abundant harvest; only more time in each is necessary, than a single labourer can give them. 27th. This week I am at home, but I have sufficient employment to prevent my knowing much of leisure. Digging, planting, fencing, and building,-to all these, under the existing circumstances of the station, I must attend ;-first, to secure some desirable comforts and conveniences,-secondly, for the sake of economy,and, lastly, for the sake of example. I regret that so much of my time is necessarily employed in this way. I lament the sacrifice of my opportunities for intellectual improvement; I feel much more attachment to my books and my studies, than to these employments, which are indeed widely opposed to my early habits; but necessity is laid upon me, and I submit. But I console myself with the idea, that in the course of another year or two, such necessity will, at least on this station, entirely cease to exist. The state of the circuit in general is much the same as when I wrote last; many new doors for usefulness have been opened, but I cannot enter into them. A new town to be called Frederickberg, after H. R. H. the Duke of York and Albany, has been laid out on the Beika river, which is between the Fish river and the Keiskahamma; the settlers just located here are about 100 soldiers from the Royal African corps, with many of their officers; the regiment having been recently disbanded. This, with Fort Wiltshire, where there are many Hottentot soldiers, and which is on the bank of the Keiskahamma, shall be visited when practicable. We are about to have a fair, to establish mutual confidence, and secure the mutual interests of the Settlers and the Caffrees. It will be held near the lastnamed place; I think of attending, in order to vend, among the multitude of both nations, those wares which exceed all others in value,-to offer, without money and without price, to Caffrees, Hottentots, English, and Dutch, the blessings of the Gospel. I also intend very soon to go as far as Tuma, the residence of Geika, and the principal Kraal of the Caffres: the particulars of my journey you shall have in my next letter. WEST INDIA MISSIONS. DEMERARA.-We deeply regret to state the melancholy fact of the death of both the brethren on this station, within a few days of each other. MR. AMES died at Mahaica, on the first of November last, and MR. BELLAMY, at George Town, on the second. Both have left widows, and MRS. AMES has two infant children. They were very excellent and useful Missionaries. The last letter from MR. BELLAMY states his general good health. His mind was actively employed in devising new plans of usefulDess in the colony. A mysterious Providence has, however, bereft the large society, and the growing work of Gon there, of those under whose labours it had prospered; and they are left as sheep without any shepherd. To these dispensations it becomes us to bow with reverence, and with an unshaken trust in the LORD of the Churches, that though "he buries his labourers, he will not fail to carry on his work." BARBADOES.-Extract of a Letter from MESSRS. SHREWSBURY and NELSON, dated Barbadoes, November 8, 1821. In regard to the spiritual concerns of the Mission, we will endeavour to give you a succinct account of each place where we exercise our ministry, as the best means of presenting a view of the whole. Our first and most important station is Bridge-Town. Here all our members reside; they are divided into four classes, two of which are met by the Missionaries, one by MRS. NELSON, and one by an aged member of the Society. The state of the Society, upon the whole, may be reported to be good; yet there are some members whose neg ligence in meeting class, and general lukewarmness, are a great grief to us. The greater part, however, are ornaments to their profession. To provoke those who are under our care to love and good works, we proposed some months ago to establish a Society for visiting the sick; it was readily agreed to, by most of those who have health and leisure for such an employment, in which they have engaged with much diligence and zeal, and with some success. The average number of sick and distressed persons who have been visited weekly is about eighteen; and we have reason to believe that two or three instances of good have occurred through the instrumentality of these messengers of mercy, at the eleventh hour. Our evening congregations are large, and when compared with what they formerly were, they are serious and attentive. Our Sabbath-morning's congregation is rather on the increase. This looks well. Much prejudice is evidently removed from the public mind, and it seems to be decreasing more and more. The Sunday-School is in a gradually im proving state. We superintend it ourselves. At the commencement, we had 40 children, now we have 110; their behaviour also is much more decent and orderly than it was in the beginning. Lately, several steady and moral young persons have come forward and offered their services as Teachers, and their diligence in performing their duty therein merits the highest praise. Speight's Town.-Here we preach once the forenoon we attend service at the a fortnight on the Sabbath evening; in Church. This town contains about 700 inhabitants. The Slaves here are most awfully depraved; the oaths they utter oaths; nor do they use their dreadful are horrible; they are not common imprecations sparingly, they breathe the language of hell with almost every breath. Add to this, they will not come to hear the Gospel; but as often as the Sabbath evening arrives, there are two to which they flock in great numbers. or three public dances in the open air, Hence our congregation is almost wholly composed of free persons; two-thirds of them blacks and persons of colour, the rest the white inhabitants of the place. Our predecessors have often tried this place, and they have as often failed. Carlton Estate.-Here we preach in the morning of that Sabbath on which we attend Speight's Town in the evening. On this estate we now have from 40 to 50 hearers, and 17 catechumens. A few of the latter, we hope, have received some good, but the greater part both of hearers and catechumens are deplorably ignorant of spiritual and divine things. So far as we know, however, our catechumens have all forsaken outward sin. Buttall is the first estate we visit on the other side of the island. Here we generally have a large and attentive congregation, nearly all of whom are Slaves, part of them belonging to that Plantation, and part to the Plantations adjoining. Besides preaching on a Sabbath-evening, once a fortnight, we catechise about forty children, and instruct a class of adult catechumens, six of whom we have selected for baptism on the 18th of the present month. We believe they all" fear GoD and work righteousness;" we view them as the first fruits of this Mission amongst the thousands of Pagan Slaves who are living on this Island. From Buttall we proceed on Monday to Kendall Estate, on which there are nearly 400 Slaves, several of whom can read the Word of GOD. On an average not more than 70 or 80 adults attend our preaching. The number of children we catechise at this place is about 130. The next day we proceed to Searle's Estate, where our congregation amounts to about from 100 to 140 adults, chiefly Slaves, besides about 120 children, whom we catechise after preaching. The children on this estate are particularly apt to learn, nor are they wholly inattentive to the sense of the words they repeat, as the following incident will show. When they had repeated that part of the catechism which related to the day of judgment, they were asked several questions concerning it, and amongst others the following, "For what will JESUS CHRIST come at the last day?" After a little pause, some said, "to pardon us;" at which reply one child remarked with earnestness and singular propriety, "No, not to pardon us then." Every indication of good is cheering to a Missionary, especially in Barbadoes. You have now before you a particular account of our work, from which it appears that we preach, when in town, three sermons each week; when in the country three one week; viz. at Kendall, Buttall, and Searle; and two the other, viz. at Carlton and Speight's Town; and we have of children about 400, including those who are in the Sunday School. One other subject only remains to be noticed concerning this Mission. We have had a Missionary prayer-meeting established on the first Monday of the month for several months past. It is remarkably well attended, and the extracts which are read from the Missionary Notices, are listened to with uncommon interest and attention. ST. CHRISTOPHER'S.-Extract of a Letter from MR. MORGAN, dated Oct. 9, 1821. AUGUST 14th, Tuesday.-I went this think if it please me LORD, me stand afternoon on a neighbouring estate, to here long enough; me want to see de visit one of our members, who to all house in the heavens." appearance is near death. I was thankful to find, as on a former occasion, that she was enabled to witness a good confession, and suffer patiently her long and very heavy affliction. I gave her the LORD'S Supper, which she received in faith with thanksgiving. 17th, Friday. Many of the children repeated their tasks well this morning. The girl who repeated on the 27th ult. the 8th and 9th Chapters of St. John's Gospel, repeated on the 3d instant, the 10th and 11th; on the 10th instant, the 12th and 13th; and this morning, the 14th and 15th chapters. I was sent for about noon to visit one of our old members, whom I found near the gates of death. She was unable to speak, but her Leader said that she had walked humbly with GOD, for many years. I visited two more in the afternoon; one an old disciple, and well versed in the things of GOD; I found her very sick and very happy, longing to leave the world. " "Not," as she observed, "that I am weary of de world, but me 22d, Wednesday.-I went on two estates, to visit two of our sick people. The first I found much better, and greatly benefited by her late personal and family afflictions; the other very low and hardly able to speak. Unless a sudden change takes place, she will soon be "far from a world of grief and sin, with GOD eternally shut in." From her testimony on the 14th instant, when I gave her the LORD's Supper, there is hope in her death. Preached at Cayon in the evening with much liberty. September 3d, Monday.-On Thursday the 23d ult. I was taken ill with a fever, which has confined me to my room till now. I still feel very weak, but am gaining a little strength by degrees. During my sickness I felt a comfortable assurance that my SAVIOUR would take the unworthiest of his servants to himself, should he remove me from this world. I heard this afternoon of the death of Brother DACE, which took place yesterday morning at St. Bartholomew's. He was truly a man of prayer. His |