out of the church of their fathers, and of their choice. Reference having been made in the communication of his friend to Mr. Wilson's connection with Sunday-schools, it may be proper to state that his labours as a Sundayschool teacher commenced near the time of his admission into the Methodist Society in the old Orphan-house; and that about two or three years after that period, he was called to fill a more important position in the Carpenter's Tower Sabbath-school, in which he was an active and efficient officer for fifteen years. In his connection with the Sunday-school Union, he very frequently visited Sundayschools in the towns and villages around, at a distance of eight, ten, or more miles, occasionally extending his mission to Alston, Weardale, and other parts. In the language of a friend and companion in labour, "his services were always and everywhere appreciated, and salutary; himself as if unmindful of sacrifices of money, time, and strength, communicating the resources of a wellstored mind, to promote the intellectual, moral, and religious advantages of both teachers and scholars, who hailed his visits among them as that of a messenger of mercy and joy." Mr. Wilson was for many years a subscriber, and one of the two Secretaries to that valuable Institution, the Royal Jubilee School for Boys, in Newcastle, for educating the children of the poor at a nominal charge; and continued as such secretary up to the time of his death. Great was his joy to witness many young men educated in that humble seminary of learning, rising from it to become valuable members of civil and religious society. In the midst of these labours of love, -which were perpetuated until disease arrested him in his career, he was ever mindful of his own heart; frequently also pressing upon his fellow-labourers the necessity of personal piety as essential to safety and usefulness. During his severe three years' continued affliction, and especially during the trying surgical operation which he underwent in Edinburgh in the month of July, 1851, he dwelt with deep feeling upon the succours vouchsafed to him; during which not a complaining word was heard as uttered by him. A friend, R. S. Stanley, who was in Edinburgh at the time, has often been heard to express the wonder and joy which he felt at witnessing the abounding grace which cheered the heart of the sufferer in that fiery trial. After his return from Edinburgh, he continued, when able, to attend his class; and his leader bears testimony that both he and his members had frequently to admire the grace of God they saw in him, and that a special unction always attended the utterances of his experimental emotions, which were felt to be utterances of power, conveying instruction and blessing. The writer of this account, as well as other Christian friends who visited him in his late and long affliction, occasionally found him with a mind overshadowed with gloom, which seemed to be associated with the nature of his bodily sufferings; but though this was the case, there was always that connected with it which characterised the room to the Christian spirit as a place "Privileged beyond the common walk of virtuous life, Quite in the verge of heaven." To one friend, at least, he fully revealed the one great sorrow of his heart, while in converse they dwelt upon the mysterious dispensations of God: yet on every visit he had the assurance that the sufferer's heart was ever submissively bowing to the sovereign will of his heavenly Father, and trusting alone for salvation on the merits of that decease accomplished at Jerusalem for him, and for all. Abounding grace eventually and glori ously triumphed over every feeling of nature; and to his sorrowing, and now bereaved wife, on her asking him the state of his mind, he made answer with his then breathing, and now closing lips, the joyful accents, Happy, happy!" These were his last words. The following morning, June the 17th, in the year of our Lord, 1853, his "Happy, happy" spirit took its flight from its exhausted tenement to a better land above, aged fifty-three years, and 254 days. We shall meet again there; and there, we trust, he will also meet his dearly-beloved partner, and four surviving sons. The remains of Mr. Wilson were committed to the tomb, there to lay until the heavens be no more, on the 20th of June. A number of teachers from various schools voluntarily attended the procession; and on Sunday evening following, the solemn event was improved by the Rev. Thomas Rowland, in the Reform Chapel, New Bridge-street, to a large congregation under R. S. S. deep and gracious influences. MARTHA MASTERS was born at HortonKirby, in the county of Kent, April 21st, 1842. She was of a very kind and affectionate disposition, consequently, was beloved by all who knew her. At a very early age she was taken to the house of God, and became a scholar in the Sunday-school at Sutton-on-Hone. She readily received instruction, so that she soon learned to read, and the Bible was the book of her choice. She committed sacred poetry to memory, and sang the verses to her friends, instead of spending her time in childish games. It was evident from her conduct that a work of grace had commenced in her heart; and the time was soon to come when she must exchange mortality for life, and enter upon a state congenial with her spirit and desires. Naturally she was very timid, fearing almost everything; but her fears gave way before faith in Jesus, and she was happy. A few days before she died, she said she did not wish to live; and that if she died she should go to heaven, where she should sing, which now she could not do on account of her affliction. At length came "the last enemy," and Martha's friends were alarmed; but with a pleasing voice she said, "Never mind, never mind;" and in a few minutes bade earth adieu, at the age of seven years and six months. The teachers of the school witnessed her burial, and though sorrowful, yet they rejoiced because another saint had been taken into the arms of "the good Shepherd." Poetry. THE THREE PREACHERS. BY CHARLES MACKAY. THERE are three preachers, ever preaching, Each with eloquence and power: One is old, with locks of white, And he preaches every hour, And a bigot's fiery scorn: "Backwards, ye presumptuous nations; The second is a milder preacher; High he lifts his fair white hands: While his stirring accents fall: "Standing still is childish folly, To affront us by his might; "Lo! the world is rich in blessing; For the service of mankind. And her power and scope shall grow, "Onward!—there are ills to conquer, Error intertwined with thought; Evil was not made to last! Onward, and all earth shall aid us. Ere our peaceful flag be furl'd." And the preaching of this preacher Stirs the pulses of the world. The Wesley Banner, AND CHRISTIAN FAMILY VISITOR. SEPTEMBER, 1853. Essays, Articles, and Sketches. SKETCHES OF JAMAICA. BY A RETURNED MISSIONARY. VERY interesting and attractive are the history, scenery, and people of Jamaica. It may be safely said that few ever lived long in the island without loving it. Considered afar off, as a land of heat and fever, it seems more repulsive than alluring. Casually visited, and hastily inspected, it may be deemed an undesirable abode; but every man who shares its hospitality, surveys its towns and coasts, climbs its hills and traverses its plains, studies its culture and productions, reads its history, and examines till he appreciates its magnificent, beautiful, and indefinitely-varied landscapes, must cherish its memory and desire its welfare. "None know thee but to love thee, Viewed from the vessel's deck, the island is most imposing and impressive, especially in approaching it from the east. Its cloud-clapt and extended mountains, studded, thousands of feet above the sea, with the habitations and "works" of the coffee cultivators; its plains dotted with dwellings and with other buildings for the manufacture of sugar, commonly called "sugar-works," and clothed with the rich and beauteous verdure of the sugar-cane, Guinea grass, and Indian corn, or adorned in the season with the yellow-flowered ebony-trees; the elegant and graceful palms waving on its shores, shading its villages, or lining its avenues; together with towns and villages variously situated along its coasts; all compose a panorama on which the eye delights to rest, and on which a stranger to the tropics cannot gaze without surprise and pleasure. Nor will familiarity with details, and thorough exploration after landing, destroy the agreeable prestige. You note the great variety of complexion-the easy pace or careless lounge-the light and loose attire-the visage bedewed with perspiration-the constant piazza or verandah of the houses, with the jalousies to admit the air-the strange appearance of the market and the table, with fruits and vegetables so unlike the productions of northern climes-you feel oppressed with the heat, and apprehensive of perpetual suffering; but familiarity modifies the aspect and the taste of everything, and even greatly diminishes the discomfort of the temperature; or a trip to the mountains transfers you to a land of tempered heat, of commanding positions, and of calm retreats, where inevitably "You'd feel, if there's peace to be found in the world, A heart that was humble might hope for it here." And now, safely housed amid the warm-hearted and hospitable inhabitants of "the isle of springs," there is leisure for a rapid survey of the past. Bryan Edwards'"History of the West Indies," or Bridge's "Annals of Jamaica," will lead you back to that prince of maritime adventurers, Columbus, by whom Jamaica was discovered; and to that "uncrowned king," Cromwell, under whom it was added to our empire. Columbus discovered the island on the 3rd of May, 1494; and in June, 1503, he was both shipwrecked and sheltered on its northern coast. Exactly 161 years from its discovery, or on the 3rd of May, 1655, it was taken from the Spaniards by the English, under Admiral Penn and General Venables. The first general legislative assembly was summoned by Sir Charles Lyttleton, in 1663, eight years after its conquest. The next year 200 planters, in addition to 400 previously, landed from Barbadoes. Nine years afterwards the population was, of whites, 4,050 men, 2,600 women, 1,712 children, and 9,500 negroes. In 1728, coffee was introduced by Sir Nicholas Lawes. In 1738, a peace was established with the Maroons, the descendants of negroes left by the Spaniards, and increased by runaways. In 1774, the very valuable and luxuriant Guinea grass, which now abounds throughout the island, was introduced. "A cage of African birds had been presented to Chief Justice Ellis, of Jamaica, and with them was sent a small bag of their native food, the wild-grass seed of the coast of Guinea. The birds died; the seeds, carelessly thrown into a hedge, quickly grew and spread, and the eagerness of the cattle to reach it called attention to what has since become one of the most valuable productions of the colony." In 1745, a negro girl confessed a conspiracy of the slaves, because they refused to spare her mistress' infant that she herself had nursed. 1748, the murder of a slave was declared a capital offence. 1762, the King's House, or governor's residence, in Spanish-town, was finished, at an expense of 30,000l. 1767, another horrible conspiracy of the slaves in Kingston was disclosed by a negro girl to her master. 1782, Admiral Rodney prevented the junction of the French and Spanish fleets, and, by signally defeating the former, preserved the British West Indies; two of the fine guns that he captured, inscribed with the motto, "Ultima ratio regum,' ," and a marble statue, by Bacon, that cost 3,000 guineas, in the square of Spanish-town, commemorate Rodney's achievements. 1782, a ship from Asia to St. Domingo was captured by Rodney, and a valuable collection of exotic plants was thus introduced into Jamaica, including the mangifera Indica, or mango, which now abounds throughout the island, and which is not only a beautiful tree, but yields an abundance of wholesome and palatable fruit. 1794, Captain Bligh brought the bread-fruit, China orange, and other valuable plants, to Jamaica. 1796, the Bourbon cane was introduced into the island; the same year, 500 rebellious Maroons were removed to Sierra Leone. 1798, nearly a million of money was raised in the island, by voluntary subscription, to aid the military operations of Great Britain. August 1st, 1834, slavery was abolished; and August 1st, 1838, the apprenticeship of the negroes was abolished, and full and equal civil liberty was established throughout the island. Among its best governors have been the Earl of Mulgrave and Sir Charles Metcalfe. One great fact that often emerges in the history of this island, is the uncompromising maintenance of their rights and privileges by the representatives of the people. Neither the weakness nor the cleverness of any governor has ever succeeded in wresting from them a single constitutional right. In this respect they have proved themselves true sons of England. Their chief fault, perhaps, has been excessive liberality in granting supplies. Jamaica extends from 17° 35′ to 18' 30 north latitude, and from 76° to 78° 40' west longitude; lying about ninety miles west of St. Domingo, and about the * The last reason of kings. same distance south of Cuba It is about 150 miles long, and 55 broad; or its greatest length 170 miles, and its greatest breadth 58; and contains a population of about 400,000, eleven-twelfths of whom are black and coloured. It is shaped like a turtle, whose head is the west end, and whose back is the north side. ~ A range of mountains runs through the island, longitudinally, from east to west, declining seaward; on the north side more gently and beautifully; on the south side with greater boldness and abruptness, and sometimes in the form of huge spurs. Most of the island is mountain and upland; the chief plain is on the south side, called Liguanea, under the mountains of St. Andrew, and on it the city of Kingston is built. The principal rock is a white limestone, and in the parish of St. George there are vestiges of a volcano. The Indian name, Xaymaca, denotes a land of springs. There are several rivers, of which Black River is the deepest and gentlest. The chief harbours are five, besides several bays, roads, and shipping stations. The spacious harbour of Kingston, on the south side, is well protected by a narrow neck of land, called the Palisades, extending from Rockfort, eastward of Kingston, to the entrance of the harbour, where its termination forms the site of the town of Port Royal. The whole island is divided into three counties, Middlesex, Surrey, and Cornwall, and these counties into twenty-one parishes. The heat of Jamaica is greatly tempered by the sea breeze, sometimes termed "the doctor," which sets in about ten o'clock in the forenoon, and by the land breeze at night; the former especially renders the climate less sultry than that of similar continental latitudes. "In the plain of Liguanea, about three miles from Kingston, and 212 feet above the level of the sea, the thermometer generally rises during the warmest weather to 89° or 90° of Fahrenheit, and during the cooler to about 85°; it has been occasionally seen as high as 93, and as low as 60°. The barometer, kept at the same situation, does not fluctuate during the year more than two-tenths of an inch." In Spanish-town, the capital, a few miles inland on the Rio Cobre, the thermometer has been found, in January, 73° at sunrise, 83 at noon, 77° at night; in March, 72° at sunrise, 84° at noon; in May, 84° to 86° at sunrise, 90° at noon, 88° at night; in July, rising for several days in succession to 92°; in September, night and daybreak, 78°; in October, between 76° and 78° in the morning; in December, at sunrise from 68° to 72°, sometimes ascending to 80° at noon. In the hottest months, July and August, the thermometer sometimes rises as high as 100° in the shade, and sometimes it falls in the mountains as low as 49°. Far up in the hills, and in the sun at midday, I have been glad to button up a cloth coat; but in the plains it is perpetual summer. With such care and prudence as are requisite in all countries, the the climate of Jamaica is decidedly fine and healthy. From the strong sea breeze of the coast to the most distant inland places, where the land breeze alone is felt, and from the base of the hills to such elevations as Abbey-green House, in the Port Royal mountains, 4,233 feet above the sea level, there is a very great variety of climate, and there is a suitable atmosphere and temperature for almost every variety of constitution and condition; and for invalids, Jamaica is, on many accounts, preferable to Madeira. Many deaths of Europeans in Jamaica have arisen from intemperance and recklessness, instead of climate; and many reinvigorations, on returning to Europe, are more attributable to the voyage than to European climate. For several years the yellow fever has been scarcely known in Jamaica, and not at all as an epidemic. Its present prevalence appears to be chiefly in Kingston and among the shipping, and to have been introduced from other islands. One fatal case, that occurred a few years since, was the result of neglect and indiscretion, in opposition to good counsel. The island has certainly suffered most severely from earthquake, hurricane, flood, fire, and pestilence. But what country has not so suffered from some of these and kindred causes? The last really harmful earthquake was in 1812; but the earthquake that destroyed the town of Port Royal, with 3,000 of its inhabitants, in 1692, deserves particular notice, and is thus described in Bridge's "Annals: " "About midday a mysterious roar was heard, in the distant mountains. The |