paid, (I am not saying that it can be avoided,) and help is afforded to the rebuilding of the chapel there. All very right; but we look for a little help, too, on our newly-formed country stations. Coonghul is an important place; and the Lord will, I have no doubt, prosper the work of our hands there, and on our other stations also.

Mr.

Gostick is quite in his place at Coonghul, and is working well. He has made very creditable progress in the language, and promises to become and that ere long, too-an efficient, without-book, Canarese Preacher. Do, I beseech you, let us have some more of them, without much further delay. My paper is full, and I must therefore conclude.

FRESENT STATE OF THE MISSION.

IN the Sierra-Leone station, which is divided into three Circuits,-Freetown, Hastings, and York, we have thirty places of public worship. Five of these are of stone, and are good substantial buildings; fourteen of wood, constructed chiefly of the timbers and planking of slave-vessels, which have been condemned and cut up in the colony: the remaining eleven are merely wattled and covered with mud, the roof thatched with grass. In Freetown there are eight chapels; three only of which are built of stone. The largest place of worship in the colony (excepting St. George's, the colonial church) is our chapel at York, called Brunswick Chapel, which will contain nearly one thousand hearers. According to the Sabbath and week-day plan of preaching, there are no fewer than seventy- - one sermons preached weekly; besides the other regular and stated means of grace, and occasional street-preaching. In all the chapels there are public prayer-meetings every morning at five o'clock, which are well and faithfully attended. For the full discharge of so much work, God has himself provided. We have between fifty and sixty Local Preachers and Exhorters, who fill both Sabbath and weekday appointments. In December last, the number of persons meeting in class was three thousand seven hundred and fifty-five; an increase, for 1844, of four hundred and seventy-four. The number

of Class-Leaders was one hundred and fifty. But the work of the Lord has much prospered during the present year, and the numbers are very much increased. Fifteen day-schools, with about two thousand scholars, besides two thousand three hundred and eighty-four Sabbath scholars, chiefly adults, form a delightfully pleasing portion of a Missionary's labour. And what indeed can be so important, as to train up children for God? they are the embryo of the future church.

It must be evident to every discerning mind, that with the scanty supply of English Missionaries, those who are engaged in that work are in "labours more abundant;" and when we think of the overwhelming care which devolves upon the three or four men, with nearly four thousand members, and more than six thousand hearers, when we take into account the baptisms, marriages, burials, &c., with every other pastoral duty, and add to this the effects of a malarious atmosphere, well may Sierra-Leone be called the "Missionary's Grave!" Yes, and it must continue to be so, unless the labourers are more commensurate with the labour. O that the great God of Missions would, in some way or other, give us the means for the employment of more labourers!

IMPORTANCE OF SIERRA-LEONE.

Sierra-Leone, as a Mission station, presents one of the most desirable, and one of the most important, positions in

the wide-spread and still-extending field of Missions. As a colony it maintains the first rank ; and its chief town, Freetown, is certainly the metropolis of the Western Coast of Africa. For Mission

ary operations, the Colonial Government is in every possible way favourable; there are no obstacles; we have the uncontrolled range of the whole colony, and a people everywhere disposed to hearken to the words of Christ. The importance of Sierra-Leone, as a Mission station, will be seen on three very uncommon, but exceedingly favourable, accounts: the first is,

Density of population.-Freetown itself contains fifteen thousand inhabitants; and the colony, which is within a circuit of only thirty miles, contains fifty thousand souls. Is there another spot on the Western Coast, where such a swarm of human beings is contained in so small a compass? There is not. We have not, therefore, to travel hundreds of miles to visit the people of our charge; nor to follow in the track of unsettled and wandering tribes.

Multiplicity of nations.-It must be remembered, that this mass of people, these fifty thousand, compose not an individual nation. Our labours are not confined to a tribe, but extend to many nations, and to many tribes; not fewer than thirty different nations are thrown together and brought under the sound, and, blessed be God, many under the power, of the Gospel and it does seem as if God was about to constrain "the wrath of men to praise him," by taking these poor liberated slaves, preparing them by his grace, and then employing them as instruments in the complete and entire regeneration of the whole continent. And thus the curse of slavery, though undesignedly by its cruel agents, will, by God's blessing, be made to subserve the most glorious and beneficent purposes; and then will the world be convinced that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." This is a peculiar aspect in which SierraLeone ought to be viewed, and which gives to it a prominence claimed by no other part of this long-neglected country. Redeemed from the blood-thirsty grasp of slavery, and released from those floating dungeons, the slave-ships, are natives of almost every part of Africa: Akus, Iboes, Mokos, Housas, Bormons, Popos, Calabars, Congoes, Mosambiques, Sherboos, Sussus, Mandingoes, Kossos, &c.; and thus, in some sense, we are Missionaries to thirty different nations of Africa.

The use of the English language throughout the colony is another important and striking circumstance.-As soon as ever the Missionary sets foot on shore, he enters at once upon his labours. The whole of these thirty different tribes are open to his efforts: he has not to sit down for many long and tedious days in acquiring language to prepare himself for his great and glorious work. As soon as ever a slave-ship disgorges her living cargo on the shores of SierraLeone, the happy, emancipated beings enjoy at once the blessings of English protection and English law; and it is truly astonishing with what rapidity they acquire a sufficiency of the English language to enable them to express their wants. And is not this very circumstance a remarkable providence of God,⚫ and designed by him to accomplish that happy event, when "Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands" to heaven in prayer and praise? And, O, what blessed results may not justly be expected from such a state of things as this? Is not Sierra-Leone a grand nucleus from whence the rays of sacred light and truth will diverge, and penetrate into every part of Africa? Have we not this result already? For an instance, -the establishment of a Mission at Badagry. The Africans composing that Mission were members of our society in Sierra-Leone; they were brought to a knowledge of the truth under our own ministry there; and have thus carried the Gospel with them to their far-distant home and country. Nothing is more common in Sierra-Leone, than to hear those who have experienced a saving change of heart exclaim to their Missionaries, "O that my people, in my own country, knew that Jesus Christ died for them!" "Why don't you go and preach to our countrymen? We will go with you, and stay with you, and work for you, if you will but go." Will it not cheer every Christian philanthropist to know, that there are hundreds of converted Africans who are ready and prepared, and anxious to bear the message of mercy to the very places from whence they were torn by torturing oppression? The question may be asked, "Why have they not returned to their own country already?" swer is plain: As there is no protection in their own country, they would run very great risks of being re-sold into slavery. But it is not only highly presumable, but certain, that, from the influence which a Christian Missionary exercises, were they to return to the land

66

The an

of their fathers accompanied by him, there would be no hazard, they would be safe; and there are many who would gladly accompany a Missionary, and would prove most valuable auxiliaries, in carrying out the great design of restoring this deeply-degraded country.

SLAVERY.

In the suppression of the slave-trade, England has acted nobly, has acted vigorously; and, as far as physical force is applicable, she has done her utmost to extirpate this monster evil. But does not past experience teach us, that, of itself, physical force is insufficient; and that even civilisation itself is not the first step to be taken in its suppression ? * Could there have been a more signal proof of this, than the melancholy termination of the Niger Expedition? a scheme fraught with benevolence, and under the immediate auspices of a noble Prince. If Africa is ever to be elevated and restored, it will be, it must be, by the Gospel of the ever-blessed God! Christianize them, and you civilize them. Slavery will fly before the unfurled banners of Calvary; for we have irrefutable proof, that, wherever Christian Missions have been established, there slavery has become extinct. And it must be plain to all, that Christianity is the only cure, the only remedy, of the slave-trade. O, if British Christians could but see this in its proper light, could they but behold the real workings of our Missions, and their bearing upon the slavetrade, they would at once line the whole length of the West African coast with Missionaries, and give, by this means, a decisive and eternal death-blow to slavery.

OPENINGS.

Hitherto the operations of the Mission have not extended beyond the precincts of the colony; and for this very obvious reason, that the workmen have never been equal to the work in hand; and although call after call has been heard, yet nothing has been done but a bare promise of help at some future indefinite time. O how many precious souls have perished, who once had a promise made to them of spiritual aid! They just caught a sight of a ray of mercy beaming upon them; but it passed by, and they were left in denser darkness; left to perish in hopeless despair.

Those calls are still heard, they are louder than they ever were, "Come over and help us ;" and there is scarcely a part of the coast where a Mission might not be established. To say nothing at present of the many gracious and special openings, where, unquestionably, the hand of God is manifest,-at those beautiful and elevated islands called Isles de Los, about eighty miles north of Sierra-Leone, we have been importuned, again and again, to send a teacher of the "white man's religion;" and if we proceed on the principle of going, not only to those who want us, but to those who want us most, then we ought to go at once, and plant our standard on these islands. They are under the colonial government of SierraLeone; they are close to the main land, and thus would furnish immediate access to a new field of enterprise. ford's Island should be selected as a residence, as it occupies a very central position, The Rev. T. Dove visited these islands in the month of February last he writes, "The people are : tremely anxious for a Missionary. The natives offer to build school-houses, and a house for a Schoolmaster, without any expense to the Parent Society." The healthiness of these islands would prove a valuable desideratum in cases of affliction in our Mission families. Had we the means of supporting them when there, we have native agents; men who are fitted and ready to enter upon the work.

Craw

ex

Slavery, widely as it extends, is not destined to continue. Those who are engaged in it in Africa, I mean the natives, see and feel the evil of it. Many are ready to give it up at once; and we have every possible proof that the Gospel is the only thing they want in order to draw them from this nefarious traffic, and to turn their attention to the cultivation of the soil and legitimate commerce. When the cruel man-trader is willing to yield his grasp in human blood and bones; when hardened Chiefs are willing to receive, as little children, the Gospel of the Saviour; when one door after another is opening around us, and presenting field after field ripe already to harvest; when we see this, O how agon izing is the thought, that souls are left to sink down into eternal woe, and no one stretches out his hand to save! British Christians! lovers of Africa! give us but the means. We will carry

with us that precious boon, the Bible; and with such a lever, we will raise Africa, dark and degraded as she is, to eminence and to honour in the earth.

NATIVE AGENCY.

A native ministry must be raised. So far, we have only just skirted along the shores, while the vast interior is wholly unprovided for. And who but native agents are able to penetrate the country, and carry out the great design of Africa's salvation ? Has, then, a sickening climate presented difficulties in the conversion of Africa? Those difficulties are passing away. Providence has raised up Preachers on the spot; the language and the climate are their own; and with the manners and opinions of the people to whom they preach, they are perfectly familiar. If the Holy Spirit pour upon these agents plentifully of his sacred influences, then, as a writer on Missions has observed, then "each one of them will become, as an itinerant and a Preacher, equal to ten English Missionaries." The gifts of some of these native helpers are very respectable. They preach with great fluency, and their labours have greatly succeeded. But, in order to multiply these agents, and to render them still more efficient, it was found necessary to bring them under some plan of preparation; and, in 1842, the Institution at Freetown was commenced. Many and great were the difficulties which at the first presented themselves, for want of suitable buildings. The facts of the case were brought before the Missionary Committee and the Christian public. A sum of money was granted. Friends of Africa came forward; among whom ranked J. Wright, Esq., of Birmingham, and T. Clark, Esq., of Walworth, who contributed munificently towards the erection of a convenient building.

Just at the time we were planning and preparing for building, a remarkable circumstance occurred. A very large and commodious building was offered for sale. For situation, for convenience, for magnitude, it was everything we wanted. It had been used as a naval depôt; and is said to have cost £7,000 in erecting, under the superintendence of a French architect. It was bought at public auction for three hundred guineas. Perhaps, excepting the Castle at Cape-Coast, it is the best and most substantial building on the Coast; sufficiently large for a Mission family at each end, and the students in the centre. Was not the hand of God in this?

We saw it, and with gratitude we embraced it. We were thus, by a remarkable providence, put in possession of premises every way adapted for our purpose and we at once entered upon the work, which was the commencement of a new era, and will lead to incalculable and untold blessings to Africa. The next thing that exercised our solicitude was the furnishing of a suitable library for the use of the students, and with requisite educational books, maps, &c. It is intended, however, that the library shall be open to the Local Preachers and Exhorters, to whom it will be an invaluable blessing. While we offer our grateful acknowledgments to several friends for donations of books, we would earnestly bring before the friends of Missions, friends of Africa, the pressing wants of the Institution. We want books; school-books, works on divinity, theology, history, science, general information, &c. Addressed, for the "Sierra-Leone Institution," and forwarded to the Wesleyan Mission-House, in London, they would be thankfully received and acknowledged.

None but decidedly pious young men are admitted as students. We have no funds, and therefore most rigid economy is pursued. They have no shoes: their clothing is coarse and very common. They labour a portion of every day in the grounds, and they have far more privations than they ought to have; and yet, what are we to do? We have no funds. We are assured that they are wholly devoted to the work; for they are willing, yea, anxious, to go to any part of Africa, to which the Committee might appoint them.

Another great benefit to be derived from the Institution is this, we shall educate our own Schoolmasters, and thus secure uniformity of discipline, and of teaching, in all our schools: a most important and desirable object.

Who can calculate the amount of good which will result from a native ministry? Have we not every prospect of training men for every part of Africa? Already we have men in readiness to be sent out as Preachers and Teachers; and we could, immediately, supply other Mission stations on the Coast with as many Teachers as they might require. Especially must it be known, that in Sierra-Leone we have at the present time four young men who are well qualified as Preachers, and might at once be employed as Assistant Missionaries, and sent to any part of the Coast.

And now, with these facts before us,