The Rev. JOSEPH JOHN FREEMAN then ascended the pulpit, and delivered the following Address :

Upwards of two years have now elapsed since I was permitted to appear in this place, on the occasion of a Valedictory Service then held, when I was commended by the prayers of many to the care of Divine Providence for the work on which I was then entering. Those prayers were heard. In answer to them, I am permitted to appear again among you, and with grateful feelings to acknowledge, that, "having obtained help of God, I continue unto this day."

It would be impossible for me, on this occasion, to enter into a minute detail of all the circumstances connected with my visit to the Churches and Institutions related to our Society in South Africa. But it is due to you, as the friends and supporters of this Society, that I should present, at any rate, a brief outline of my course, and of the things to which my attention has been directed during this fardistant and protracted journey. My Report, touching important matters of business, is presented, of course, to the Directors, and perhaps some fuller account than the present may find its way before the public.

I reached the Cape of Good Hope, as the first point of my destination, in February, 1849, and there found our venerable friend Dr. Philip, in a very enfeebled state of health, in the 75th year of his age, but still fully alive to the interests of our Missions, and the cause of God throughout the world. And one of the earliest objects of my attention was the adoption of some plan by which our aged and devoted friend, whose shoulders could no longer bear the burdens he had so long and so well sustained, might be relieved, according to his own expressed desire, from the labours and responsibilities of office. This, I think, has been satisfactorily accomplished. New arrangements have been entered into for conducting our Missions in that part of the world, and Dr. Philip has felt at liberty to retire to another part of the Colony, where, in the bosom of the surviving members of his family, and near the ashes of those who have departed, he may tranquilly pass the remainder of the evening of life, waiting his summons, and ready to depart and be with Christ.

It was during my stay in Cape Town at this time, that much excitement prevailed on the subject of sending convicts to that colony, and of making it a penal settlement a measure that must have proved fatal to our missions; and which, therefore, in common with Dr. Philip and numerous friends, I did what was in my power to resist, and am thankful that the united energies of the colony succeeded in defeating the measure. There are men-I need not name them-to whom not only the Cape, but all the colonies of Great Britain are vastly indebted, for gigantic efforts put forth during as arduous a moral struggle as history records.

Having been occupied about three months in Cape Town and its vicinity, in various matters pertaining to our missions, having much daily intercourse with Dr. Philip, and corresponding with the missionaries whom I expected shortly to visit, I completed my arrangements for the journey, and proceeded to the Institutions and other stations situate at the southern part of the colony, and lying between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. This gave me an opportunity of seeing our valuable Institutions at Zuurbrak, Pacaltsdorp, Dysalsdorp, Hankey, Bethelsdorp, and, at a little distance beyond these, Theopolis. By Institution you will understand something more than a missionary station. It means the spot, with all its apparatus, where a missionary resides, on a piece of land originally granted by the Colonial Government for the use of the natives or aborigines. These latter were in danger of being driven wholly from the soil, or at least of having no

fixed dwelling-place or permanent interest in it, and must have been either expelled, or forced to labour under some humiliating, vexatious, and degrading Vagrancy Laws. Instead of this, they now find a home, and care and instruction, counsel and protection. 100 or 200 families reside at each of these Institutions; obtain their livelihood partly from the lands, but more generally as labourers for the surrounding farmers, and as carriers to and from the ports and neighbouring towns. In these Institutions our Society has been greatly honoured, and a vast amount of good has been accomplished. Many hundred Hottentots and their descendants have been, or are still, members of the Churches, and their children are trained up in the mission schools: many have been saved that were ready to perish.

It would seem almost invidious to select any one of these institutions to describe to you, in preference to another, especially as I found all our brethren who have the care of them indefatigably engaged in promoting their welfare. But I may take Hankey on this occasion, as having some peculiarities. There we have a large and industrious population, and there is much agricultural industry. A large quantity of land is brought under artificial irrigation by means of a tunnel, which this people, so often scorned and despised as idle and useless, have themselves cut out of the solid rock, under the guidance of our late missionary there, a son of Dr. Philip, and by which a portion of the stream of the Gamtoos River is conveyed over many an acre of land, now smiling with fertility, which else had yielded little to the service of man. There, too, I found the people contributing towards the erection of a new and spacious chapel-asking but little aid from the Society; there an excellent village is rising up in place of the cottages destroyed by an inundation that occurred some short time before my arrival. It was in that inundation that the affecting incident occurred, of which you may have heard when the news of the calamity reached this country. I went to visit the spot. The waters rose suddenly and violently: several native Christians fled to the highest ground in the vicinity, and felt themselves secure; but the waters still rose: they were seen by their friends, who stood mournful spectators at a little distance; but no help could be afforded them-the torrent swelled and rose higher and higher; they sung the praises of the Saviour, their voices were heard on earth by their friends, and in heaven by that Saviour—their faith was accepted— their hearts were filled with peace-but death was approaching, and ere long they were engulphed, and perished in the stream.

Liberal contributions were made in this country to aid the survivors, and the place again wears the aspect of prosperity; and in virtue of new arrangements, it is confidently thought that a similar calamity will not again occur.

After spending a little time at Uitenhage and Graham's Town, I proceeded to British Kaffraria, that portion of Kaffreland now being annexed to the colony. I spent a pleasant and hospitable Sabbath at each of the towns just specified. At Uitenhage our congregation consisted wholly of the coloured people; I found them harmonious, zealous, and affectionate, and contributing liberally of their substance towards the support of the whole interest there. There and elsewhere I found a strong and laudable desire to relieve the Parent Society of the burden of supporting them. But they labour under difficulties-wages are low, and few of these people are elevated above the condition of domestic servants or agricultural labourers. At Graham's Town there is an excellent English congregation, under the pastoral care of Mr. Thompson, some time since our Missionary at Philippolis. They worship in a chapel which they have erected at their own

proper cost, and which would not disgrace our metropolis. There is another congregation in connexion with our Society, of coloured persons, under the zealous and efficient care of Mr. Smith. These people require encouragement and aid, for they must enlarge the place of their tent. I preached in these two chapels on the Sabbath, and saw, with these eyes, what God had wrought for them. I rejoiced with them in their prospects; nor shall I soon forget the visit I paid to this principal town of the district of Albany, including a large public meeting held during the week, to express their kindly feeling towards your deputation, and at which not a few members of the Wesleyan and Episcopalian bodies were present.

I then passed by Fort Beaufort into British Kaffraria. I wish I could report with all fidelity that great things are doing there in relation to the kingdom of the Saviour. Perhaps, taking results in the aggregate, and looking at the whole in comparison with former times, and remembering, too, the calamitous effects, morally as well as socially, of repeated wars, there is much encouragement. But the Kaffres, as a people, have not embraced the Gospel. Those among them who have embraced it, have laboured under great disadvantages and difficulties, from the opposition of their chieftains and the established usages of the country. But yet there are pleasing results and many promising indications for the future. Our missionaries feel encouraged, and this itself is much: they do not despair of the cause of missions in Kaffreland; they are not cast down; they are sanguine of success; they would rather die there in the service of God than quit that field for another. "I'll never forsake it," said good old Mr. Kayser; " and if I die, let me be buried among the people of the land-the Kaffres!"

I proceeded from thence to a station among the Bushmen, in what is termed Madoor's Country. It is an out station visited by our friends at the Kat River; and from thence I came back over the Winterberg range of mountains, after visiting the Moravian station at "Shiloh," to the stations of the Kat River settlement, and found a hearty welcome and an agreeable home in the residence of our excellent friend, Mr. Read, some time since in this country with Andries Stoffles and Jan Tzatzoe.

Here, among the locations or settlements of the Kat River, I remained altogether nearly three weeks, visiting all the out-stations and schools, preaching to old and young, attempting to say a little in Dutch and more in English, and rejoicing among them that were rejoicing, and sympathising with others who were suffering.

Our missions in Kat River Settlement greatly need aid and encouragement. They want a good Normal School. A printing press they have; but a printer they have not. The press is unworked, and that which might be as a spring of healing waters, is a fountain sealed; and if the motto of the leading journal of South Africa, as adopted from Dr. Johnson, be true; namely, that "Where there is no Press the people must be barbarous," the sooner we send out a printer to work the press, the better.

It was during my visit to these stations in the Kat River Settlement, that I had the gratification of attending the Ordination Service of a native pastorone of the first services of the kind our Society, after fifty years' labour, had held in the colony. It was the ordination of a good man, of the name of Ariè Van Rooyen, a good man possessing the confidence and affection of the people and of the missionaries. He had long and diligently laboured among them as a teacher and evangelist, and they were now most anxious that he

should take the oversight of them in the Lord as co-operator with Mr. Read, jun. They strongly urged it, and promised to raise an amount annually, about adequate to his support. The matter appeared to be of God, and who and what was I to withstand it? Not only could I perceive no adequate reason against it: there appeared to me every reason to justify and encourage it. I am aware there were some who looked on with misgivings, lest the stamina of the native character should not ultimately be found sufficient to sustain with honour and advantage to the cause, the burden of office, and of office so important and so responsible. But I thought the experiment ought to be made, and that such a public recognition of augmented responsibility might be among the means of creating that very strength of character that was demanded, and of developing resources that might else have remained latent.

Certain it is, I apprehend, that the time must come when the native Churches must be provided with native pastors, and the sooner all appropriate measures are in course of adoption towards that consummation, the better.

The service took place at Tidmanton. We had a happy day there. The weather was fine-the attendance was large-the spacious chapel was crowded. Many of our own Missionaries were present, as well as two brethren of the Wesleyan and Scotch Societies. The impression was good,-a devout and earnest spirit prevailed. It was encouraging and animating to our coloured friends. It was a demonstration that we were not anxious to retain all authority and office in our own hands,—that we had no petty jealousies of colour,-that we wished to see the people advancing, and capable of holding important offices in the Church, and of self-government in the management of their affairs. They were seeking it in political matters, and we were not willing to be the last in reference to ecclesiastical matters.

My next visit was to the towns in the colony along my route to the Orange River. At several of these our Society occupies important stations, such as Cradock, Somerset, Graaff Reinet, and Colesberg. Into the detail of my visit to these places I need not enter. I pass on at once across the river, where, by means of advancing civilization, the difficulties of crossing are much fewer than they were in the time of Mr. Campbell, the African traveller. In his well-known volumes, full of interest and incident, a plate represents the perils of crossing that river, where neither boats nor bridges were provided. A towing barge is there now. Wagons, with oxen and all, are easily and safely conveyed across, and I found myself presently beyond the colonial boundaries, and in the midst of the Griquas, for whom the Gospel has done much. I was met by some of them in a horse-wagon, and rapidly conveyed to the first station of our Society there across the river-Philippolis. We have a large congregation there of Griquas, and also of Bechuanas. There must have been 700 present on the Sabbath; and at the Lord's table I sat down, I presume, with about 400 communicants.

We held a noble missionary meeting while I was there, to revive and reorganize their auxiliary to our Society. A magistrate from the neighbouring district of Bloem Fontein kindly and efficiently presided, and seemed to enjoy the chair of a missionary meeting more than the chair of a court of justice. Many of the people spoke on the occasion. The language was Dutch, but the sentiments liberal and evangelical. Promises of contributions were made to the extent of about £100, including some donations of sheep and cattle.

It is very delightful to see the sympathies of people called forth in the cause of God. The Chieftain was there, giving willingly of his own substance, and re

commending his people to give also,-not compulsorily, as with a rod, but in the spirit of meekness and of love.

Time would fail me to proceed with each station in detail. I left Philippolis, and went forward to Ramah and Griqua Town. At the latter place I had many pleasing interviews with the Chief, Waterboer, whose intelligence, energy, and eloquence surprised, a few years ago, the inhabitants of Cape Town, when he paid that part of our colony a visit.

There is a station of considerable importance between these two towns of Philippolis and Griqua Town, called Guahanop, instead of which euphonious, though non-English name, we gave the appellation of Backhouse, out of respect to our excellent friend in this country, who has kindly and liberally aided the people there. An effort was being made to lead out a portion of the waters of the Vaal River, for the purposes of artificial irrigation. This would afford lands for about 500 families. It might cost £1000. But the people seemed prepared to meet the outlay, if they had the assurance of scientific men, after due measurements had been taken, that there existed a reasonable prospect of a successful issue to the undertaking. This matter was under careful consideration when I left. I am not without hopes, but I have also my fears, lest the fall into the river should not be sufficient. There are beautiful and rich lands, and a noble stream always flowing; but to give the former the benefit of the latter, is the work and the difficulty.

We advance, however, to the Kuruman, the station of our well-known and honoured Missionary, Robert Moffat. I found him there, and his family and colleagues waiting to receive me, and prepared to give me a welcome. The frontispiece to his volume of scenes in Africa contains a good representation of the spot. There I passed several days, and saw what God had wrought by the persevering labours of our brethen. Their dwelling houses and gardens are fit residences for worthy and devoted men. The chapel is an honour to South Africa, and would be no disgrace to the environs of London. It is substantial and commodious. The inhabitants of the village itself are not numerous. They live scattered in places where they can tend their cattle. But we had good congregations, and a large number are church communicants. And there, too, is an active printing. press a press hard at work in the interior of Africa, nearly 1000 miles away to the north of Cape Town, among a people once darkness, now light in the Lord, walking in the fear of God, and adorning a profession of the Gospel. These are our epistles, that may be known and read of all men, not excepting explorers of lakes and South African hunters; and these men bear willing testimony to the elevating influence of Christianity over the savage mind and the savage life and institutions.

I was very glad I succeeded in prevailing on Mr. Moffat to accompany me to other stations of our Society in the still further interior. We traced our way up to Dr. Livingston, a man of great energy, enterprise, and excellence; and who had lately returned from the discovery of the Lake. Neither oxen, nor time, nor season, permitted me to pay the Lake a visit; but an attempt has been since made to revisit and ascertain the number and state of the tribes in its vicinity, Difficulties have occurred for the present, but further attempts will be made; and, if practicable, something will be done to carry the lamp of immortal truth amidst, the nations there.

That was my farthest visit to the North; and then, having visited some other stations on my way back, at some of which I found a great and good work on the