as a part of the Negombo Circuit, about which I had been anxious on many accounts; but particularly, as it was one of the reasons for the additional help afforded to this station. Not that the occupation of Chilaw was essential to our full employment; for the Circuit already extends as far into the interior of the country, as Chilaw would extend it on the coast: but my hopes were very sanguine relative to that place, as you well know from what I stated at the Conference. I am therefore sorry to add that, for the present, we are quite prevented from carrying our intended arrangements respecting Chilaw into execution, by the awful visitation of the small-pox, which rages there, as well as at Negombo, with uncommon violence. Our kind friend there, however, does not forget our engagement; nor does he intend to relax his efforts in the cause, when divine Providence shall please to remove the existing obstacle; than which we can hardly conceive one more powerful, from the trembling alarm of the poor people in every direction. I have also had, since I wrote last, many anxious fears relative to our important little station in the Kandian provinces. Our assistant visited the school the other day, and found it in as encouraging a state as we had any reason to expect; and thinks with me that it ought to be continued. Schools suffer through the prevalence of the small pox, &c. Our schools have all suffered more or less from the dreadful prevalence of the small pox; and two of them, I regret to say, were obliged to be discontinued for a season on that account. One of them is re-opened; but the other continues closed still, as no one will come near it for fear of the contagion; and what auds to our affliction, we have had the misfortune to lose the head-master by that fatal disease. This is the man whose public baptism is recorded in the Negombo letter, April, 1818. Of his final salvation I hope very fervently, though in his last illness he was carried to a dewalla, and offerings were made for his recovery. As soon as the report of his affliction, and of his being carried to the dewella, reached me, I hasted to see him, and to ascertain the truth of the report; he assured me, with death fully before him, that it was as follows: that he was taken there by ignorant and heathen relatives while he was in a delirium, in which he continued a long time. When he recovered, and found where he was, he insisted on being carried back, which was complied with; and he declared to me, that his only hope and reliance was on JESUS CHRIST the SAVIOUR of the world. He suffered dreadfully from the disorder, to which he was a complete martyr; and lived only two days after my interview with him. His last words were, Magey Dewiyannahansey langata dan mama yanowaya—Now I am going to my GoD. My young colleague, I am happy to say, continues to grow, both in knowledge and grace; and to secure my best regards by a deportment every way worthy of his holy vocation; embracing every opportunity either of acquiring or of communicating instruction, with a zeal which will, I trust, make him instrumental of much good. Our assistant brother and his wife are also comfortably situated; and, I hope, will be very useful, conducting their little household in the fear of the Lord.-I am happy to add, that the chapel is now just finished, and is both a credit to the workmen who have built it, and an ornament to the town. It is pleasing to observe, by the way, that Sir Edward Barnes, Lieut.-Governor, Sir Hardinge Giffard, our Chief Justice, and Mr. Justice Byrne, visited the chapel as they lately passed through Negombo; and expressed their high satisfaction at the erection of such a building in this place, and at its handsome appearance. The latter gentleman, with whom we were invited to dine, came up to the bungaloe, and took some refreshment. After inspecting our school, which was appointed to meet them there, they declared themselves surprised and delighted with the proficiency which the boys had made in the different departments of educacation. Advantage of Missionary PrayerMeetings at our Mission Stations. Our little missionary prayer-meet MISSIONARY NOTICES. ings have continued to be a source of real enjoyment to us, and I doubt not They will be a lasting benefit. have been well attended since the Conference, by the pious soldiers who are occasionally here, who, with about 60 others, are marched to Their offipreaching every sabbath. cers also all attend. At our last sacramental opportunity, our number was increased to 23, including the Commandant and six of the pious soldiers. Their short residence here has en Most larged our sphere of exertion, and VAN DIEMAN'S LAND. The following extract of a Letter from Mr. CARVOSSO, giving some account of the moral and religious state of this infant colony, will (we are persuaded) be read with interest and commiseration by all those whose hearts are overflowing with love to GoD and his creatures. We are now on our passage from Van Dieman's Land to Port Jackson. My mind being impressed with the moral condition of the colonies on the island from which we have just departed, I seize the first opportunity to lay their state before you, not doubting but you will send the bread of life to a land where there is truly a famine of it. Extent, &c. of the Island. Extract of a Letter from Mr. CARVOSSO, dated May 10, 1820. As the island is so remote, and so contains about 1500 inhabitants, and has several populous settlements within * 2N2 * 20 or 30 miles of it. The destitute state of the Colony as to Governor Lovell, and kindly offered religious instruction, &c. A chaplain has resided in this town for several years. But he is so far advanced in life, and labours under so many bodily infirmities, as to be able to do but little for the good of souls. On the Dalrymple side there has been no minister at all, till about three months ago; although the settlement has been formed many years. And at a settlement, about 15 miles from Hobart-town, in the Pitwater Dis trict, containing about 400 souls, public worship has never been attempted but once! Within about 20 miles is the Norfolk settlement, containing some hundreds of souls, but equally destitute of any opportunity of hearing the word of GOD. A settler from this department told me that the general occupation on the settlement is Kangaroo hunting. In many other small settlements they are literally as sheep having no shepherd. When we consider the former character of the greater part of the colonists, and their present destitution of the means of grace; what can we expect but a conduct most offensive in the sight of GOD? May the Head of the Church speedily send some one to preach deliverance to these captives, and to open the prison-doors to these inhabitants of the far country. A few of the Colonists are wishful for religious instruction, and the local authorities appear desirous to faci litate such instruction. There are among them a few who would gladly be instructed in Divine things, and who are deeply affected at their awfully destitute state. Nor is it likely that a pious minister, of any denomination, would meet with any obstructions from the civil government, but, on the contrary, that he would receive every encouragement. Here it maybe proper to introduce my proceedings in reference to my preaching here, while the ship lay at Hobart-town. As soon as Mrs. C. and I went ashore, having a parcelf or W. H. Humphry, Esq. the police-magistrate, we called on him, and enquired if he thought I might preach in the street. Mr. H. advised me first to wait upon Lieut. At the to introduce me. His Honour was to them for the last time; when the company was much greater than ever. Some of them, we were informed, had been present on the spot waiting for the commencement of the service for upwards of an hour and a half. Many expressed their sorrow that I was not to remain with them. After we had parted with them, two decently-dressed men followed us to some distance, and then accosted us very respectfully. With much simplicity, and apparent deep concern, one of them said, he had a large family growing up, and was very desirous that they should be instructed in the things of Gop. He also stated, that they had been talking with some of their neighbours, the evening before, about sending a petition to the Governor, requesting him to interfere and get me, if possible, to remain on the Island, seeing they were so much in want of ministers. I told them any attempt of the kind would be useless, as my plan, from which I could not deviate, was laid down to proceed to Port Jackson; but that I would certainly do my endeavour to get them a minister from our connexion, and if, in a future day, I had a convenient opportunity, I would gladly return to them. One evening, after preaching, a man of the name of Field made himself known to me. He had served seven years in the army in India, and had been converted to GOD by means of brother Squance's preaching in Ceylon. For some time he had been a member of our society in that place; but being at length freed from the army, he came hither, and now resides some miles in the interior. He acknowledged that since he had been on the Island, he had suffered great spiritual loss, principally through want of Christian fellowship. He said he had resided nearly two years on the Island, and had made diligent search, but could not find one individual with whom he could have religious communion. I mentioned to him a respectable settler, who, from his conversation, as I thought, was piously disposed. He said that he once was in company with him, and was inclined to think him somewhat acquainted with divine things; and that he afterwards walked fifteen miles for the express purpose of having some conversation with him; but that on his arrrival at his farm, he had the mortification to find him profanely swearing in the midst of his servants. The relation of this and other circumstances, all shewing the sinful state of the colonists in general, filled me with grief and sorrow on their account. I could not but with sighing say. May the LORD thrust forth labourers into his harvest! While I write, I cannot forbear shedding tears on account of their wretched condition. May GoD move the hearts of his ministers and people in England to pity and relieve the moral destitution of these colonists. Oh could I now get among some of our pious Local Preachers of any calling whatsoever, if they had a spirit of enterprize in things temporal and spiritual, if they had any ambition in saving souls, as well as getting the things that pertain to this life, methinks I could easily persuade them to emigrate to this land. Here, here, surely GOD would bless them, and make them an abundant blessing. One day as Mrs. C. and I were walking a few miles into the country, a man of decent appearance followed us a mile and a half from the town. Coming up with us, he presented a letter of introduction written by himself. He was sent as a convict to New-South-Wales, where he was brought under religious conviction, and, for some time, was a member of our society in Sydney. he has been on this Island, he has married, and is doing pretty well in a temporal way. Finding that he had backslidden from God, and lost the power of religion, we had a long and close conversation with him, and were enabled to deal with him in a very faithful manner. We called on him a day or two after this, and he appeared thankful for our first interview. He said that he had taken the advice given, and had since commenced family worship. As a further token of his sincerity, when we were coming away, he presented us with several articles for the comfort of our voyage. There is so great and awful a want of the means of grace in almost every part of the Island,—and so much lewdness, profaneness, intoxication, and dishonesty throughout Since every settlement, that many of all descriptions of people would, with great joy, hail the approach of a missionary. Even some of those who are most deeply immersed in crime, seem to feel a desire for instruction. When the state of this people was fully laid before me, and I heard so many beseeching me not to leave them, it was, I assure you, dear Fathers and Brethren, with great reluctance that I left the Island, and had I been at my own disposal, I would with joy have remained, and have bestowed my labours among them. Blessed be God for so providential an opening, and for so extensive a field for preaching the unsearchable riches of CHRIST. Animated by the example of the great WEST Apostle of the Gentiles, I felt a strong AFRICA. Extract of a Letter from Mr. HUDDLESTONE, dated Sierra Leone, Being informed that a vessel may sail for London to-morrow, I embrace this opportunity of mentioning a few circumstances in my brief missionary history, which, I trust, are instances of that divine goodness which is to give to the LORD JESUS CHRIST "the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession." This will make the blind, polluted, and uncivilized hearts of Africans burn with divine love as ardently as their hills and their vales burn with the vertical rays of the natural sun at Sierra Leone. Mr. and Mrs. Huddlestone's depar ture from Liverpool. Saturday, Sept. 30, I and my dear wife left Liverpool in the Hannah, and felt much at leaving our happy country. Miserable indeed would have been our feelings, surrounded by a gloomy atmosphere, and stunned with the sound of howling winds and roaring waves; if the smiles of our LORD had not beamed on us, and communicated to our hearts light and peace. Mr. and Mrs. Huddlestone's arrival and reception at Sierra Leone. On the 8th of November we arrived safe in Sierra Leone river, and about four o'clock P. M. I had the pleasure of seeing Brother Baker at the Mission House in perfect health. At |