ed, that they would soon have no need of drivers, for the slaves would be obedient without them.

Our indefatigable Missionary, Mr. Wray, continues his labours "in season and out of season," even beyond his strength. The intervals of three public services on the Lord's day, have often been filled up with the necessary and laborious work of catechizing, and evenings of other days are employed in similar services. On this subject he says, "I feel at present very weak and unwell; catechizing the negroes who cannot read is very laborious; it requires patience, strength, and a great deal of time to teach five or six hundred persons: but I hope God will strengthen me to persevere in the work." And he mentions it as his decided opinion, that catechizing is the principal method that is likely to be useful to them-without which, they cannot understand what is delivered in a sermon.

Through the medium of a friend at Stabrook, who promises to be a great blessing to the Missionary cause at Demarara, he had been introduced to Mahaica, a village on the coast, twenty-five miles from town, in the vicinity of several estates, from which great numbers of people appear willing to attend the preaching. The gentlemen residing here, expressed a great desire to have a Missionary to instruct them; are very anxious to build a place of worship, and have already subscribed 1000 7. towards it.

On this pleasing prospect, Mr. W. thus expresses himself, "The opening at Mahaica for the preaching of the Gospel is likely to be a great blessing to the Missionary cause in this country, as it will be supported by the first people in the colony. The chapel will be built principally for the white gentlemen and ladies, and the free people of colour; but it will open a way, I trust, to instruct all the negroes on the many estates around, and on other parts of the coast. And I hope in time preaching will extend all the way to Berbice."

On the state of the Mission at Resouvenir, he observes, "I take this opportunity of sending some account of the work of God among the poor negroes. I trust he is daily revealing his arm among them, and causing many of them to believe the glorious report of his Gospel; they are as anxious to hear as ever; the number of hearers increases, and many are inquiring. What must we do to be saved? In about three weeks, six more will be received by baptism within the pale of the visible church. I administer the Lord's Supper every first Lord's day of the month in the afternoon, instead of preaching. We experience these to be times of refreshing from his presence. I often feel much

affected and filled with joy, when sitting ruond the table of the Lord with these poor black people, seeing tears of joy How from their eyes, and hearing them mourn on account of their sins. Their very souls rejoice in this ordinance; they always appear to be greatly affected. One woman, of the name of Asia, being sick the week before it was administered, wept a whole day because she thought she should not be able to come to the table. What a blessing, that these poor people are so desirous to hear the Gospel, and that the Lord has opened the hearts of so many of them to attend to his blessed word; and what an encouragement for the Missionary Society to go on in the great and glorious work in which they are engaged, of sending the Gospel to the heathen."

In an other communication he remarks," Several of the negroes have learned to read, and from reading, as well as from memory, some of them are become good catechists, and begin to assist me. One of them told me, that 113 had come to him to be instructed; and I am sometimes astonishcd to find how correctly they learn the catechism from one another. About 200 attend public worship regularly, several of whom, having learned the tunes, can conduct the singing without the assistance of white people; and many begin to pray in our social meetings with great fluency, and it is remarkable, they pray much in Scripture language."

On the death of several of his friends, in the course of the last year, he remarks, "All are now gone who have been the most constant attendants on my preaching since my first residence in this country, and especially those who have been the most useful-what need to be plain and faithful, lest any should be lost through our neglect."

Another circumstance is worthy of notice, mentioned in a letter recently received: A party of Indians, who reside at the distance of six weeks journey in the interior of the country, visited Stabrook, consisting of the king and principal men of the Caribbean nation. When in town, they vis sited Mr. Davies, and were induced to attend divine worship, though they did not understand a word of what was said: their steady behaviour during the service was astonishing; they were afterwards spoken to through an interpreter; the king expressed great desire to be instructed, and that some person should go to his country to instruct his people. He is said to be king of eight other nations besides the Caribbean. Possibly this may prove an opening in Providence for the introduction of the Gospel into the interior of that vast continent. A young man of liberal education, a native of Scotland, already in the colony, has written to the Directors, offering himself for a Missionary to this benighted people.

The whole of this letter, dated 18th December, appears very encouraging; he had visited several new places, where the people appeared ripe for instruction. Respecting Essequibo, he says, "This is an excellent field of labour, and there is every reason to believe a Missionary would meet with the greatest encouragement from respectable persons; the negroes are extremely attentive." He also observes, Mr. Davies appears to be going on well in town, and to be doing much among the people who attend his ministry; the school is also in a very flourishing state.

TRINIDAD.

MR. ADAM still continues his Missionary labours at this place, with increasing prospects of usefulness among the slaves. Some delay has taken place in the erection of the chapel at Port of Spain, mentioned in our last; the subscriptions, however, have increased to 7507. exclusive of 100%. voted by the Direcfors, and a committee of gentlemen has been appointed to carry the design into effect. In the mean time, divine worship is regularly carried on in a room hired for the purpose, where from 150 to 200 persons attend, some of whom are slaves. In the course of the year he has repeatedly visited several estates on the coast. A gentleman of considerable influence appears particularly favourable to the design of the Mission; he has invited him to his own estate to preach to his slaves, and appears to be anxious that they, as well as others, should enjoy the means of salvation: he has also obtained permission from the Governor, for Mr. Adam to act as he might think best for spreading the Gospel in the remoter parts of the Island. Several of the proprietors having expressed a wish to have their people instructed, he has access to eight estates, containing about 2500 negroes. This encouraging prospect has induced him to request that another Missionary may be sent to his assistance. As many of the slaves, it appears, understand only French or Spanish, he has begun to apply himself to attain these languages. He has commenced a lecture once a fortnight to children, which promises con: siderable usefulness, as 70 or 80 of them constantly attend: He has likewise begun the instruction of the negroes, for which purpose they meet twice a week. He says in one of his letters, "The Gospel, I trust, has been made the power of God to the salvation of several individuals; some have died rejoicing in its blessings, and a few are, I trust, living. examples of its power and grace on their souls."

TOBAGO.

MR. ELLIOT still continues to labour at Tobago, not only at Scarborough, the principal town, but in various parts of the Island, among both the whites and the negroes. In a letter lately received, he states, that appearances of success are more favourable than they were some time since. He preaches at Scarborough on Sunday mornings at six, to about twenty or thirty persons; to about the same number at Plymouth, at eleven; and to about sixty or eighty in the evening again at Scarborough. A good number of persons attend the Missionary prayer-meeting once a month, and a meeting for improvement in psalmody every week. Some who formerly discovered a dislike to the word, now attend diligently, and observe the Sabbath as they never did before. Many of the negroes kept the last Christmas in a manner that differed much from their former customs; some of them are evidently much reformed, and a few appear to be seeking, in good earnest, the salvation of their souls.

This Mission, like others in the West-Indies, is very expensive; the articles of life being at times exceedingly dear. Bread was two shillings per pound when Mr. E. wrote last.

NORTH AMERICA.

MR. PIDGEON spent the greatest part of the last year at Prince Edward Island, where, it appears, his labours have been acceptable. He speaks of this situation as being well calculated for Missionary exertions. The people are numerous and glad to hear. In the summer season fresh arrivals are continually taking place. The island being in the centre of the Gulph of St. Lawrence, affords facilities for visiting other places in the neighbourhood.

An application has been made to the Directors by a number of persons, chiefly British, who settled about the year 1784, in the district of Johnstown, in Upper Canada, near Lake Ontario, and whose principal residence bears the name of Elizabeth Town; they have been enabled to surmount the difficulties which settlers in a wilderness generally encounter, but continue destitute of any stated Gospel ordinances. After applications for assistance to other bodies of Christians, in which, for many years, they have been painfully disappointed, they determined to apply to this Society. Their petition expresses a very earnest desire to enjoy the means of grace, and a dread of wholly losing that sense of religion which they took with them from this country. Their appli

cation was truly affecting, and was signed by more than a hundred names. The Directors could not hesitate a moment; and although the applicants were not heathen, they hoped they might claim regard as being part of "an enlightened nation." Mr. Smart, one of the Missionary students, was recommended by his tutor, as suited to the intended station, and he is about to sai! immediately for Canada. The Directors trust that he will be made the instrument, not only of instructing and edifying our British brethren, but of extending the knowledge of the Gospel to many of the neighbouring Indians.

THE JEWS.

Ir will naturally be expected that the Directors should notice their late efforts in behalf of the Jews; and while it is with great diffidence that they can speak of the apparent issue of their endeavours, they can assure the Society that they have faithfully employed such means of awakening the attention, and impressing the feelings of the Jewish people, as were, in their judgment, consistent with the nature of the object in view. The Gospel has been affectionately proposed to the consideration of their adults, both from the pulpit and the press; the benefits of education have been offered gratuitously to the young; and Christian benevolence has been extended to the afflicted and necessitous. Other means than these the Directors concluded it was not their duty to employ, and from these they did not desist, while, by the attendance of the Jews upon them, a prospect of their being efficacious remained.

The second part of the Essays addressed to the Jews, written at the request of the Directors, by the Rey. Greville Ewing, has been published, copies of which have been distributed; and the Society enjoys the satisfaction of having produced, in that work, an admirable mean of introducing the Jewish people to a clear and compendious acquaintance with the Christian dispensation, whenever their attention shall be seriously awakened to that momentous subject. Soon may that happy period come! and, in the success of every suitable endeavour to advance it, whoever may be the honoured instruments, the Directors will sincerely rejoice.

SEMINARY.

THERE are now in the Seminary, at Gosport, six young men of promising abilities, two of whom, from the Island of VOL. IV. No. XII.

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