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direct;-Let it be remembered, that the eyes of Christians (of other sections of the Church are upon us, to see whether the liberal principles on which the Association is founded will be productive of pecuniary liberality;-Let all the preachers exert themselves to induce all our friends to do what they can ;-Let love to our Connexional principles be excited and made manifest; and let us all preachers, and other officers, and members, be resolved to diffuse as extensively as we possibly can, the glorious blessings of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,-remembering, that "he that converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and cover a multitude of sins."

JAMAICA.

WE hope, that by the good providence of God, our much esteemed brethren, Messrs. Pennock and Baxter with their wives and the children of Mr. and Mrs. Baxter, have ere this arrived at the Island of Jamaica. Previous to, and in connexion with, their departure from Liverpool, some very interesting services were held; a brief account of which will not, we believe, prove unacceptable to our readers.

On Tuesday, the 28th of January, a public tea meeting was held in the School-room of our Chapel in Pleasant Street, Liverpool. It is computed that upwards of 500 persons sat down to tea. The ladies of Liverpool furnished the tables at their own cost, and the produce of the sale of the tickets of admission to the tea, was devoted to the Missionary Fund. After the tea, the company went into the chapel, where were laid out a great variety of articles presented by friends in different parts of the country to the Jamaica Mission. Mr. David Rowland was requested to preside on the occasion, and after an opening speech, he called upon the Rev. Messrs. J. Kelly, Independent ; -Cook, New Connexion; and D. Rutherford, to address the meeting; after which, Mr. R. presented Mr. Pennock with a gold watch and appendages, the joint gift of Mr. Patchett, Miss Booth, Miss Sharpe, and another young lady.

Mr. Patchett is the gentleman, who offered our Missionaries a passage to Jamaica, in his own vessel, and to contribute the amount of the passage money to our Missionary Fund.

The Chairman having called upon the Rev. Thomas Pennock to address the meeting, he rose, and was received with loud applause :—

"MR. PENNOCK said, he had often heard of their tea meetings before he left Jamaica. He had heard a great deal about them since he came to England, but he never was at a tea meeting in the whole course of his life before. That was quite a new kind of meeting to him. Having been informed it was to take place, and that he was to be present, and to take an active part in the proceedings, he was led to inquire what sort of proceedings these would be; how the affair would be conducted; and what he

should have to do. He soon found that after a social cup of tea-in the partaking of which he felt no difficulty to act his part-he soon found that after that matter was discussed to the satisfaction of all present, that there was to be some speechifying, and that he should have, amongst others to make a speech. He began to ponder in his mind as to what sort of speech would suit the occasion. He had made speeches till he was almost tired making them, and he did not know what sort of a one would do for that meeting.

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However, the Chairman, in his opening speech, was kind enough to mark out for him an outline. He had thrown out a kind of track for him to step onward in. He was aware that if he entered that track he would find in his progress ample materials; therefore, he would observe, before he entered on it-if his feelings would allow him to enter on it all-he would just observe, that when he looked at the scene before him-when he connected with this, the gifts of the friends which were spread out, they excited in his mind, emotions to which he found it impossible to give expression. Were he to view these things as a manifestation in behalf of the missionary cause generally, it would excite in his mind emotions of the most joyous character; but when he viewed all this scene, when he looked at all these efforts, and on all these results as especially connected with and made especially for the island of Jamaica, his heart was too small for his words, if he might use such an expression. From what he had seen in his journeyings throughout the various societies, he felt fully persuaded in his own mind that in every society in every circuit, similar scenes to this would have been brought forth into view, had the same invitations been given and the same means employed. He felt the scene now before him, and the proceedings connected with it, as a specimen or sample of that sound feeling which pervaded the entire Association in the land of Great Britain. (Applause.) He was a missionary-a Christian missionary, an insignificant one he might be,but he gloried in the name. God knew his heart and feelings were in the work of the missionary. He felt it to be his meat and his drink to do the work of his God, to the utmost extent of his abilities, in that department of labour into which his divine finger directed him and he felt no little pride in being a missionary connected with the Wesleyan Methodist Association. He was the Association missionary, and he felt himself identified with them in a sacred oneness. They had known a little of him, and he hoped they would never find out any thing in him or of him which would lead any member of the Wesleyan Methodist Association to be ashamed of Thomas Pennock's name standing on their list of missionaries. He boasted not of talent in any point of view; he had that

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measure of it which God had given, and he endeavoured to improve it to the utmost of his opportunity; but if attachment to the Association principles entitled him to the respect of the Association, he had, that attachment. If a willingness to suffer for Association principles entitled him to the respect of the Association, he had that feeling. He was not speaking in the language of effervescent feeling,-he was not talking about things which might not happen,-he was willing to shed his blood in defence of the truth which God had called him to proclaim. (Applause.) He did not know how it was, but the position of his mind had always seemed to him to be of a most peculiar kind. He had had difficulties to contend with, and he saw difficulties before him still, but they did not intimidate him. It had always been the case with him, when he had seen a difficulty he had felt something like a longing desire to grapple with it, to know the worst of it, and to do the best with it. There was something, and he hoped he was not speaking the language of boasting;-he was speaking to his English brethren in the Association for the last time; but he felt something like holy ambition to suffer in the cause of God and the advancement of his glory. He was about to quit his native land; his heart was affected when he coutemplated that he was on the eve of his departure. (Hear.) He scarcely dare trust his feelings to take up the word farewell into his lips. It involved so much of that which was kind, that which was binding, that which was sacred, that which touched the finest feelings of their nature. He had twice had the painful feelings of separating from his relatives and his native land, to go into the missionary field. He was about to be subjected to that trial again; and with all his delight in the work of a missionary, with all the ambition he felt to live and die in that work, with all his earnest desire to promote the glory of God-with all these Christian feelings, he likewise felt as a man. He felt now that he was now severing the ties of relationship for the last time. He never expected to see England again after he quitted it now. He was going back to his scene of labour with the full expectation of labouring in it so long as God should give him life to do and then, "laying down his charge, cease at once to work and live." (Ap

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plause.) Standing in the position which he did, and under the influence of those tumultuous feelings which now occupied his mind, he felt almost at a loss how to proceed in anything like a connected speech. He had felt that his mind had been entirely relieved from the pressure of anxiety which rested on him whilst labouring on the mission in Jamaica; but now having to look back on the nature of his labours, and being about to step into them, the responsibility and care connected with these labours again rushed on his mind. Whilst he felt every confidence in that God who had called him to be what he was, and in that which he was doing, he felt his mind to tremble under the awful responsibility which was now rolling back upon him: but scenes like these, and having manifested feelings of a similar kind, though in a different way, in almost every circuit of the Association, feeling that he had an interest in their sympathies, being assured that he should have an interest in the prayers of the church of Britain, these considerations cheered his mind in no small degree. As to the Association mission in Jamaica, it was his fixed conviction that it occurred in the order of God. Much as he had had to encounter with, he had always had the full conviction in his mind that in the step which he took, and which led to the results which had followed, he was guided by the councils of divine wisdom. They had had to suffer much and to do much in the establishment of their principles and of their society. There was this peculiarity in the case of the Jamaica Wesleyan Association. It was well known that the Association agreed in the step which under God he had taken. Previous to his fully taking that step his mind had for a great length of time been under very serious, painful exercises. The same views and

feelings presented themselves to his mind which occurred to the societies at home. But the peculiarity which he had alluded to was this, that during all the time he was struggling with these feelings, and with those feelings which ultimately led to his coming out in the cause, he did not know of the agitation and commotion which was going on in Britain. He was not aware of the principles which were adopted, and the course which they pursued, until the time he had fully made up his mind to do what he did, secede from the body to which he belonged. Just

about that time their leading principles came to his hand. He was struck with the similarity of feeling between his mind and theirs. He approved at once of their principles; they were adapted to the views he had partly formed in his own mind, and be at once avowed those principles to the world as those on which he should take his stand, and on which, should it be the will of God, he would form a society. This led to the course he had since pursued. God had smiled on the humble undertaking. He had crowned their efforts with his blessing, and their success had been great. It had already been stated that the first Association Society in Jamaica was formed on the 24th June, 1837. On that day they commenced with 100 members. Through God's blessing on their efforts, they now, according to the last accounts, numbered nearly 5000 members. (Applause.) And they had in those 5000 a large mass of genuine piety. Their object was not a mere party one; it was not the mere formation of a society in opposition to another; but their object was to found a church based on what they conceived to be correct Scriptural principles; to preach the pure doctrine of the gospel as they found it in the divine volume; and to promote the growth and to establish the doctrines of true religion, -the conversion of sinners to God,and the building up of his people in their most holy faith. These were the objects they most steadily kept in view, and they saw the fruit of their labours in this respect in the piety of their people generally,- -a people generally devoted to God, living in his fear, in the enjoyment of his love, and through grace to the fulness of righteousness, which was the promise of the Gospel. They had not only had great success up to the time he left, but the latest accounts they had received opened out prospects of future good. Applications were making from several new places, and they had more invitations to occupy new ports than they could attend to. He rejoiced at this prospect, and he hoped that God would soon raise up instruments, in ministers, in that part of the world, to spread the pure religion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Chairman had adverted in his opening speech to their native ministry. He had set out with a fixed decision, as soon as God should open the way, of trying to raise up native ministers. This had always seemed to him as one of the

legitimate results of the gospel of Christ, and it seemed to him to be on that plan that by the Divine blessing the whole world was to be converted to God. The idea of sending out missionaries from Britian, or from any other country under heaven, to evangelize the whole of the heathen world, seemed preposterous. If the world was not to be evangelized until Britain and another country or two should send sufficient missionaries, it would not be evangelized for years almost without number. But let the gospel have fair play; let a wise and careful superintending care be exercised over the efforts of the gospel missionaries ; let the hand be fixed on those whom God may point out as fit instruments in the land, in which they were formed, and soon an abundance of instruments would be raised up for the advancement of the gospel every where. In every country it would raise up its own instruments to propagate its own doctrines. He could not but view the culture of native talent in the island of Jamaica, as something like the fixing of a lever which was to move the world. Look at the geographical position of the island of Jamaica,near it they had the two islands of St. Domingo and Cuba. There was nothing of religion there but Popery in its worst forms. Look again, they were within two or three days' sail of the large continent of South America, with its millions of inhabitants in a state of ignorance and idolatry. If they viewed Jamaica, in reference to these parts of the world alone, it was a most important station to every church which had missionaries established on it, and there was no doubt that every church which had gained ground there has conceived the idea of raising up ministers. But when they viewed Jamaica, in connexion with Africa, he had no doubt the time would come, though perhaps he would not live to see it, when the sons of Africa would be going out from Jamaica, qualified of God as the missionaries of his church, bearing with them as the best compensation that could be offered to deeply injured Africa, the glad tidings of full and free salvation through the Saviour. Jamaica had already sent one missionary to the interior of Africa. Though he (Mr. P.) had been a missionary for 23 years, he had learnt a lesson from that noble-minded man which he would never forget. Talk of sacrifices, wants,

and privations! When he looked at the conduct of that man, he blushed at any thing connected with his life being styled as sacrifices. The person he alluded to was a black man, who was stolen from Africa and brought to Jamaica as a slave. By his good conduct and industry he purchased his own freedom. He (Mr. P.) did not know whether they had any brethren present of the Baptist persuasion, but he owed it to that body to say that he was a member of that church. (Applause.) This good black brother bought his own freedom. He had got his soul converted to God, and his heart burning with love to Jesus and the souls of his fellow-countrymen. The first use he made of his liberty was to find a ship just going to sail for Sierra Leone. He got on board it, without any outfit, worked his pasaage, and then, with his bundle of clothes, and his staff in his hand, he commenced his journey, along the banks of the Niger, into the centre of Africa, whence he had been stolen. There he was, good man, to this day, preaching the gospel in its simplicity, and he believed in its power, to his countrymen in their native country. The Rev. Mr. Knibb had a letter from him a short time before he (Mr. P.) left the island, and he told him he commenced in his simple way preaching Christ, and had drawn some of his countrymen to Christ. This poor black man would perhaps be forgotten in the books of the church's history, but that good brother was the first missionary who had carried the sound of the gospel into the centre of Africa. Jamaica, through the assistance and superintendence of Christian churches, and he hoped the Association amongst the rest would, by and by, send many of the descendants of Africa abroad with a like spirit. There might, perhaps, be some more fully qualified to proclaim Christ in Africa; but he thought if they took one thing into consideration-the possibility, the strong possibility of men being raised up, inured to Africa's clime, capable of undergoing its fatigues and dangers-a better return could not be made to Africa for the wrongs she suffered from England. They had a native ministry efficiently employed, a ministry highly acceptable not only to their own people, but to all who attended their missions. They were young men who were savingly converted to God. They spoke the

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English language as fluently as he did. He hoped that the explanations which had been given of their society in Jamaica, and the history of its affairs which had been recorded in every place where he had been, would fix an interest for Jamaica in every heart throughout the Association. If he making the least effort to do something for Jamaica before he quitted these shores, he would write Jamaica on every heart. He would send Jamaica into every pocket, and raise a voice that would whisper in the ears of all from morning to night, from January to December, "Remember Jamaica, and through Jamaica, and in Jamaica, pity poor Africa." (Applause.) He had been delighted in his travels in witnessing the interest excited in behalf of missions, and of Jamaica especially. Wherever he had gone he had had crowded congregations, and had received the deepest attention and excited the deepest interest, the people resolving almost unanimously to do all in their power for the advancement of the missionary cause,-Jamaica among the rest. When he was sitting there, and looking around, he was asking himself what would their good old sons in Jamaica think if they could see them to-night. He was fancying to himself what they would say if they could look into the vestry, and look into the chapel. They would say, "All dem pretty lady, all dem pretty gentleman, dem all come together to-night; they make all them fine things;

they do all this for our massa." But if he were to tell them that all these things were intended for Jamaica, they would say, "De Association of Jamaica must stand; it cannot fall; God make the people help it; it will never fall." (Applause.) After a few general remarks on the kindness he had met with here, and returning thanks to the donors of the watch and appendages, Mr. Pennock sat down.

A valedictory service in connexion with the departure of the brethren Messrs. Pennock and Baxter, for Jamaica, was held on the 31st of December last; the service commenced at nine o'clock, and was conducted in the following manner-after the singing of an appropriate hymn, Mr. D. Rowland engaged in prayer. Another hymn having been sung, the Rev. M. Baxter gave an account of his conversion to God,-call to the ministry, present experience, and his views and feelings in reference to the solemn and important labours into which he was about to enter as a Missionary. After which, the Rev. Thomas Pennock gave out another hymn, and delivered a solemn and impressive address. Several brethren engaged in exhortation and prayer until a few minutes before twelve o'clock, when the whole congregation knelt down in solemn silence until the coming in of the new year, when the interesting services of the occasion where closed by singing the new year's hymn, and prayer by the Rev. J. Mollineux.

Mr. Rowland, as Corresponding Secretary, begs on behalf of the Connexion, to express sincere thanks for the very great number of articles sent as presents for Jamaica, to be disposed of by Mr. Pennock.

Of many of the packages received, no information has been sent of their contents, nor of the names of the persons by whom they have been presented; and some of those packages, from their bulk, appear to be of considerable value. Since the departure of the brethren for Jamaica, a parcel from Bury, and one which came by way of Falmouth have been received. No letter of advice has come to hand.

The following is an account of articles sent as presents for the Wesleyan Methodist Association Mission in Jamaica :

Liverpool.-Miss M. Bew, 18 bags, 36 huswifes with needles, and 36 pincushions with pins. Miss Ann Thorpe, 8 work-bags, 8 pair of scissors, 12 thimbles, and 12 tape needles. Miss Sarah Cook, 12 bags and 1 apron. Miss Margaret Evans, 36 bags, and 19 pincushions and needle cases. Miss Mary Burnett, 24 pincushions, 44 small books, and 1 bag. Miss Martha Jane Morris, 11 work bags, 11 needle cases, and 1 pincushion. Miss Hiles, 96 pincushions, 18 needle cases, 6 work boxes, 12 fancy bags, and 3 dressed dolls. Miss Eliza Cook, 12 small books. The Teachers of Wapping Sunday School, 240 pocket handkerchiefs. Teachers and Children of Hill Street Sunday School, 192 pincushions, 236 needle cases and needle books, 219 thimbles, 144 bodkins, 76 bags, 25 huswifes, 5 pocket handkerchiefs, 5 boxes of toys, 2

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