opened to him a prospect of such support, as will, in future, lessen the great but unavoidable expenses of this important Mission, and probably secure to him a permanent residence. He had providentially met with a respectable and pious English family at Macao, (Mr. Morton's,) who brought letters from Mr. Loveless; and shortly afterwards, he entered into the conjugal relation with Miss M. whose brother, an interesting ́youth, received his first serious impressions from the conversation of our Missionary, Read, at Ceylon. He had afterwards been greatly assisted, when at Madras, by Mr. Loveless, and by reading the works of Alleine and Doddridge. He immediately attached himself to Mr. Morrison, and was very desirous to devote himself wholly to the Lord, and the study of the Chinese language, with a view to Missionary labours. We cherish a hope that this youth will prove a great help to him; and at Mr. Morrison's recommendation, we have empowered him to receive Mr. Morton into the service of the Society, if his perseverence, piety, and suitableness, should be manifested as he advances in years and experience.

The following extracts will afford an interesting view of the state and progress of the great work in which our beloved Brother is engaged; and of the unabating piety which supports and animates his mind, under a privation of the outward means and ordinances enjoyed in Christian society.

1808-"At the close of this year, I bless the Lord for his great goodness manifested towards me in ten thousand instances. I bless him for a large portion of health, for the light of his countenance, and for success in my studies. I have not to rejoice over any brought from the error of their ways, and from their dumb Idols, to serve the living and the true God; yet I have to bless the Lord that he has granted me considerable success in the attainment of the language. I trust that the period of acquiring it thoroughly is by no means so distant as I once supposed it would be. In the grammar, dictionary, and Scriptures, and essays on the Christian religion, which are proposed, I see an extensive field of labour that may be cultivated with advantage on the confines of this empire; and whilst that is effecting, the Lord may prepare the hearts of civil governors to open to us a great and effectual door.

"Should you not have written to me as to what extent you will accredit me in publishing the grammar and dictionary, or any part of the Scriptures, I hope you will be very particular in your next communications on that head; and in contemplating the extent of their circulation, include the nations of Japan and Cochin-china. I hope considerable be. nefit will accrue to your future Missionaries from the grammar and dictionary, and from the collection of Chinese books which I have made at your expense.

"The grammar is prepared for the press, and the dictionary is daily filling up. The MS. of the New Testament is in part fit to be printed. All these, however, are deferred till I shall be more deeply versed in the language, that what shall be done may not be hasty and imperfect.

"The whole expense for the first year, including food, house-rent, books, tuition, domestics, and the expenses of removing to and from Canton, was upwards of 5001. The danger of incurring still greater expense, prevents any steps being taken at present towards printing. Indeed nothing can be done till I be instructed to what expense I may go. "I have said above, that at present I have no prospect of entering the

empire; and indeed, unless it were with great freedom, it is not desirable. The works I propose, and my personal assistance to your future Missionaries in the acquisition of the language, will be much better accomplished where I now am, or at Penang, than in China; and are, moreover, likely to be, by the blessing of God, productive of much greater good than even a residence at Pekin. An aversion to all foreigners is a leading feature in the disposition of this people.

"But we raise our eyes to Jehovah our Saviour; we shall not be discouraged, but go forward. Nothing is too hard for God. Hath he spoken, and will he not do it? O no; all the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn to the Lord, and the kindreds of the nations bow before him! Farewell!

Yours in the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ

our Lord,

ROBERT MORRISON."

NORTH AMERICA.

MR. PIDGEON appears to have been industrious in his evangelical labours at New Carlisle, and at Restigouche near the Bay of Chaleur, where his ministry has been well received, and seems to have been useful. He thought it, however, expedient to spend the last winter in Prince Edward's Island, where he arrived with his family in September. "Here,” he says, “I am diligently employed in preaching the glorious gospel of the blessed God, and here I find an ample field for making known the savour of that name which is above every name. I expect to abide hero during the winter, and should prefer remaining here altogether, should it meet the approbation of the Directors." It is probable that he will return to his former station for the summer. He describes both places as greatly needing many more labourers, the people being very destitute of instruction, yet earnestly desirous of obtaining it.

Mr. Pidgeon informs us that Mr. Mitchell, formerly our Missionary, is settled at Amherst, where he is diligent in preaching the word of life; and, he believes, also along the coasts of New-Brunswick and NovaScotia.

A supply of Bibles, Testaments, and other books, which were sent to Mr. Pidgeon, have been gladly received; but many more are wanted in that destitute part of the world, and the Directors have lately ordered a new supply.

DEMARARA, TOBAGO, AND TRINIDAD.

THE information received in the course of the year from the different stations in the western world, continues to be encouraging. The Society has, indeed, to lament the removal by death of one of their warmest and most useful friends, Mr. Post, a gentleman of Le Rousevenir, in the colony of Demarara. Through his good offices, our first Missionary, Mr. Wray, was gladly received, and for a long time boarded in his house. Every possible facility was given to the instruction of his slaves, and those of the adjacent plantations; and a commodious chapel built, chiefly at his expense, for their accommodation. It is impossible to ex press the obligations under which the cause of religion in the colony was laid, by his influence, contributions, and exertions. But, in the midst of his usefulness, and when his example was likely to prove of the greatest advantage, it pleased the Sovereign Disposer of life to take to VOL. IV. No. II.

himself that excellent man: he rests from his labours, his works will follow him, and the Society will long cherish the memory of their generous benefactor, while they indulge a hope that the recollection of his pious zeal will stir up others, both at home and abroad, to emulate so worthy an example.

Mr. Post, desirous that the people might continue to enjoy the benefit of evangelical instruction after his decease, has generously secured to this Society the chapel which he erected, together with a dwelling-house for the minister, (not then finished,) a garden, and the sum of 1001. annually towards the minister's support, so long as the Society shall continue to provide a Missionary who preaches the doctrines of the reformed church; but in case of their ceasing to do this, the provision made is to be transferred to a society in Scotland.

The last letters received from Mr. Wray, state that the cause of Christ continues to prosper, and that many persons, both old and young, are anxious to hear the word of life. His journals, (extracts from which appear in No. XXI of the Missionary Transactions,) contain many pleasing instances of the power of divine grace on the hearts of the negroes, both male and female; the alteration also produced on their moral conduct is such as recommends the gospel of Christ. Mr. Wray, referring to the Christmas holidays, says, "What a great and glorious change has taken place among them since the last year! Instead of following their vain amusements, numbers have turned to the Lord, sing his praises, and glorify his name. They now hate the things which they once loved, and delight in the things of Jesus, of which many of them never heard till lately. O thou blessed gospel, what hast thou done! Thy glories have won the hearts of many. Thy simple truths have subdued the most stubborn sinner, enlightened the darkest mind, changed the lion into the lamb, the swearer into a man of prayer, the child of wrath into an heir of heaven, and the sons and daughters of Satan into the children of God." Mrs. Wray also is diligent in the instruction of the female slaves and their children. From 16 to 20 children attend almost every day to learn to read; and generally in the evening a great many women. On the Lord's day, 50 children frequently attend. It is hoped that the preaching of the gospel will hereafter be more widely diffused in the colony, as some of the owners of estates seem disposed to permit the instruction of their slaves, having observed the good effect produced on those who have already been taught.

Mr. Adam, who accompanied Mr. Purkis to Demarara, not finding im mediate employment as a Misionary there, and anxious to enter upon his work, left the colony in the month of August, 1809, and proceeded to the island of Trinidad, having a recommendation to some gentleman there. He has received a considerable degree of incouragement to preach the gospel to the white inhabitants and people of colour, By permission of the governor, he obtained leave to preach in the Freemason's Hall, in the town of Port of Spain, where three or four hundred persons have attended his ministry. Several persons, desireous of regu lar preaching, have subscribed about 5007, towards the erection of a chapel. The Directors do not consider this object, however desirable in itself, as that to which their Missionary should direct his principal attention, or to which the Society should contribute any considerable sum : they have grounds for believing, however, that by obtaining the counte nance and support of persons of influence in the island, access will

be the more readily procured to the negro slaves, who are very numerous, and for whose spiritual instruction they have strongly recommended Mr. Adam by all means to use his utmost endeavours, considering all other objects as of inferior importance.

In Tobago, Mr. Elliot continues to preach to the slaves, permission being kindly granted by the owners of several estates, on some of which he collects about 40, on others 80 or 100 hearers. He does not speak in very sanguine terms of his success in the conversion of the negroes; yet there is reason to hope that his labours are not in vain. On one occasion, he says, "It was delightful to see with what eagerness these poor creatures heard the word of God; and more so to find that some of them understand what they hear, and practise what they know." At another place, where he preached to about 90 slaves, he says, "All seemed to receive instruction with thankfulness. The manager thinks that much good has been done among them, as far as it respects their morals, and speaks very highly of them indeed: this is the more encouraging, as they were formerly deemed a very bad gang." The Directors are peeuliarly gratified by this remark; for they trust, that when the gentlemen of the West India Islands perceive that the slaves become more moral in their conduct, more docile in their temper, and more industrious in their business, in consequence of the evangelical instruction which they receive, they will afford every facility in their power to the efforts of Christian Missionaries, and also contribute to their support.

Mr. Elliot likewise preaches statedly once on the Lord's day, to the white and coloured inhabitants of the town of Scarborough, who assist in his maintenance, and thereby lessen the expenditure of the Society in behalf of this Mission. Concerning his hearers, he says, "There are two or three white persons, who appear to be concerned for their souls; and I rejoice to say that, instead of meeting with persecution, Mrs. Elliot and myself are treated with the greatest respect by the first persons, as well as by the poor, in the island. It has even been proposed to the council and assembly of Tobago, that a salary should be allowed me by the colony; and although my friends have failed in their kind efforts for this purpose, yet perhaps their wishes may eventually be accom. plished."

MISSION TO THE JEWS.

THE Directors stated, in their last Report, that not conceiving themselves to be discharged from their duty by the withdrawment of their principal agent, they designed to persevere in their efforts with increased assiduity. They have therefore continued the lectures to the Jewish people who were disposed to attend at the chapel in Artillery-street. Their attention, however, to the lectures on the Lord's-day was so discouraging, that the Directors have lately been induced wholly to decline them. They have, however, resorted to another method, the effect of which has been more pleasing. They requested the assistance of many of the ministers of the gospel resident in and near London, by whom a course of lectures on appropriate subjects was carefully arranged, and which have been preached every Tuesday evening, from November last to the present month. These lectures, they are happy to say, have been very numerously attended, and apparently with much interest and improvement. The congregations have certainly consisted chiefly of professed Chris. tians: but they have the satisfaction of knowing that some Jews also attended; with what effect, they are not able to determine ; but by several

letters received from individuals of that nation, they perceive that a spirit of inquiry has in some degree been excited.

From past experience, and the most deliberate consideration of the subject, the Directors are still of opinion that the best, if not the only, means of promoting the conversion of this people, is by the preaching of the gospel, and the circulation of religious tracts.

The Directors have printed, and dispersed among the Jews, many thousand tracts, which they conceive were well adapted to engage their attention, additions to which will probably be made from some of the lectures which have been preached. The concluding part of Mr Ewing's Essays for Jews is just received, and will be printed without delay.

SEMINARY.

THERE are now at the Missionary Seminary at Gosport seven young men, who are pursuing appropriate studies, with a view to the great work to which they are devoted, and who, it is hoped, will prove useful Missionaries of Jesus Christ. Those who left the Seminary about a year since, have, we trust, reached the several places of their destination ; and the Directors feel much satisfaction in the prospect of their proving valuable labourers in the work of the Lord.

We have now presented to you, Christian brethren, with as much brevity as we could, the state of the several Missions in which we are engaged; and we have reported the various degrees of success with which it has pleased the Sovereign Ruler of the church to favour them. The whole, we trust, will afford occasion of thanksgiving to Him, who it is our highest ambition to serve and please; and who, we hope, will accept our feeble but sincere endeavours to promote his glory, and to extend his kingdom in the world.

We are bound to acknowledge, with gratitude, the liberality of those of our Brethren in the country, who, on receiving the intimation of the great excess of our expenditure last year beyond our annual income, immediately procured, in their congregations, contributions towards our funds, by which they have been materially benefited. Nor ought we to omit the honourable mention of a distinguished benefactor, the late Mr. Thomas Hawkes, who, after giving, for several successive years, a handsome donation to the Society, (concealing his name, except from the treasurer,) presented, a few days before his sudden death, the sum of a thousand pounds. In addition to this, he has bequeathed to our Institution two thousand pounds stock in the four per cents., which, by the liberality of his executors, has already been transferred to us. With this princely generosity did Mr. Hawkes communicate of that substance which he had acquired by the blessing of God on his affairs, and he has thereby exhibited to the Christian world an example of pious munifiSecence, which it is hoped will be imitated by many of the affluent. veral other persons have also, by their legacies, devoted a portion of their wealth to this Institution, by which, though dead, they yet contribute to the cause of Christ, and the happiness of mankind. These instances of benevolence will not, we trust, tend to relax the exertions of our Brethren in town or country, but rather excite them to greater zeal and diligence; for as our Missions are multiplied, and many more labourers are called for, especially in South Africa and in the east, the Society will require, notwithstanding the utmost economy in the management of their