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father, and all good English people do. Then would you be happy; then would your people follow your example; then would Almighty God bless you; your cattle would increase, your fields be covered with houses and cultivation; then would you bless the English through that great God Almighty who brought

them among your people. Do this, my
son, and you will live to thank your
father, and to hope for eternal life and
happiness hereafter.
(Signed) H. G. SMITH.

I have sent Fynn back to you, as you desire.

BECHUANA MISSION.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev.
Bechuana Country,

My journey from Graham's-Town to Natal is likely to occupy much more time than I had intended or calculated upon. It is now nearly eight weeks since I left my family, and I have yet a long journey before I can reach PieterMauritz Berg, to say nothing of our return-journey through Kaffraria. The cause of our delay is, that the season has proved unusually unfavourable for travelling there have been very frequent rains and thunder-storms, not usual at this period of the year; hence the larger rivers have become impassable, and we unavoidably suffered great detentions at and near our Kamastone station, which is situated in the forks of the great streams which form the highest sources of the Orange-River; or, as the farmers here call it, the Great-River, par excel lence. The Orange-River, where we crossed it at last with our waggons and oxen, was as broad as the Thames at Westminster-bridge, and perhaps thirty or forty feet deep. We crossed over on a float or punt.

Mr. Shepstone joined us at Kamastone on the journey to Natal. After considerable detention, we reached Thaba Unchu on the 2d instant, where we found Mr. Cameron and his family, all well. Thaba Unchu is the chief settlement of the Baralong tribe, with which Messrs. Hodgson, Broadbent, and Archbell established our first Bechuana Mission. This is now by far the largest native town in British South Africa: there cannot be less than from eight thousand to ten thousand inhabitants. The town has a very picturesque, but wild-African, appearance. I was much pleased with the very extensive improvements made by the people in the erection of stone walls around various parts of the town, forming excellent court-yards to their conical-shaped dwellings, most of which are kept very neat and clean. Mr. Cameron's labours are efficient here. There is a considerable church of native converts, a day and Sunday school, and all the elements of usefulness in full ope

William Shaw, dated Plaatberg,
May 8th, 1848.

ration; but there are two great wants on
this station: First, a large place of wor-
ship, large enough to accommodate a
congregation of from six hundred to
nine hundred people; and, Secondly,
another Missionary should reside with
Mr. Cameron. It is of great import-
ance that two Missionaries should always
be stationed here; but, hitherto, we have
rarely been able to accomplish this,
owing to the want of men. Do consider
the importance of this station, and send
out a Missionary without delay, married
or single, with express directions, that
he or another is to be placed as the
second Missionary at Thaba Unchu, and
nowhere else, whatever the openings may
be. With such an instruction, our con-
sciences would be relieved as to the sup-
ply of other places, and Thaba Unchu
would be properly provided for.

We left Thaba Unchu on the 4th, in the evening, and arrived at Plaatberg at noon on the 5th instant. Here Mr. Giddy resides, and continues to labour diligently to promote the welfare of the people. This is a settlement of great capabilities of an agricultural kind. The village is greatly improved since I was last here: the people have built themselves very good and substantial houses, after the colonial fashion. A large number of gardens and orchards are well enclosed; and hundreds, if not thousands, of fruit-trees give the whole a very interesting rural appearance. Yesterday the chapel was well attended by the inhabitants, who are chiefly Mulattos, and speak the Dutch language. There is a considerable number of members belonging to the society, and the whole population of the village may be regarded as nominal Christians. I attended the Sunday-school in the afternoon, and was much pleased with the manner in which the Catechism was recited, and the Scriptures read, in the Dutch language, by a very numerous class of young women, and another of young men. The cross-examination showed that they were not merely learn

ing by rote.

Mr. Giddy also has a class who are being taught the English language, they read part of two chapters, and gave viva voce translations of various sentences, when required, with the greatest readiness and fluency. A small congregation of Basutos was also addressed by Mr. Impey, after the Dutch service was over; and Mr. Shepstone preached in Dutch in the evening.

This morning we proposed to proceed on our way through Lishuani, Umpukani, and Imparani; but the weather has again become decidedly unfavourable for travelling with ox-waggons: hence I obtain time to write to you, and give some account of our proceedings up to this time.

You are aware that Sir H. Smith lately proclaimed the whole of the immense territory lying between the OrangeRiver and the Vaal-River to be placed under the protection of Her Majesty the Queen this was done with the full consent of Moshesh and Moroko, the prin cipal native Chiefs, whose rights and interests will by this measure be secured. The Dutch farmers settled in most parts of this country also assented to the arrangement with apparent cordiality. However, these last-named people, ever dissatisfied with the rule of the British, are now stirring up a rebellion, and talk of resisting the authority of the Magistrates appointed by the Governor. were told, as we were on the road, that the Boors would turn us back again, as they are generally very hostile to Mis

We

sionaries. However, so far, though we have mixed a good deal with them, I must do them the justice to say, they have treated us with civility, and at two or three places I had opportunities of preaching to them.

News is now spreading through the land, that the refractory Boors are forming a camp at a spot which lies in our direct route. We must not permit ourselves to be turned aside from our purpose by rumours; and therefore we will go forward, trusting in God that we shall be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men; but you must not be greatly surprised, if the next news you hear from this country is, that war has broken out between the emigrant Boors and the British Government, and that we are detained as prisoners. I hope we may escape that fate; but as all the native tribes will probably be either neutral, or take the side of the British, the Missionaries are specially hateful to the Boors. We will, however, endeavour to go quietly and unobtrusively on our way; but we shall not be beyond the reach of interruption, till we reach PieterMauritz Berg, which is a journey from this place, with waggons, of about sixteen or eighteen days.

I have written two or three communications from this country to the Governor, which I hope will be useful in securing the rights in the soil of the native tribes in this part of South Africa, under the new arrangements which he is introducing.

RECENT MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

JAMAICA. I have witnessed a few blessed displays of God's power in the sanctuary since the District-Meeting. On a moderate calculation, I think about forty persons have been awakened; and some of these professed to have found peace with God at Manchioneal and Fair-Prospect within the last three months. The spirit of mourning and prayer is on the people, and expectation is raised high. O that we may go forward in all the paths of duty and privilege, till the Lord shall "do for us exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think!" It has been remarked by members of our society, as well as by myself, that the conversions here, since the District-Meeting, are very deep and genuine. The fact is, a preparatory work was going on in their minds for some time; and now that a larger measure of the Spirit is given, old and young, as if with consentaneous voices, say,

"Nay, but I yield, I yield;

I can hold out no more:

I sink, by dying love compell'd
To own thee conqueror!"
-Rev. Alexander Foote, Manchioneal,
May 4th, 1848.

JAMAICA. Our Circuit has sustained a severe loss in the death of our only Local Preacher, Barrack-Sergeant Sturridge, who died at Stoney-Hill barracks, on the 14th ultimo. He was a native of Bath, Somersetshire, England. His youth was spent in forgetfulness of God, and in his seventeenth year he enlisted in the army. He was brought to the knowledge of the truth about eleven years since at Gibraltar, and received his first ticket of membership from the Rev. William H. Rule. He was a man of singular piety and usefulness. His upright walk and conversation secured him the respect and regard of the officers

and men of his regiment. He rose to the rank of Colour-Sergeant; and, had not his education been defective, it is probable he would have obtained a Commission. His efforts to promote the spiritual welfare of his comrades were eminently successful, both at Gibraltar and in Jamaica. His zeal for God, and liberality to his cause, were unbounded. Himself the fruit of Missionary labour, he ardently loved the Missionary enterprise. I may probably say that he was

THE MOST LIBERAL CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR MISSIONS IN THE WORLD! With a large family dependent upon him for support, he was accustomed sacredly to set apart one day's pay per week, or one-sixth of his entire income, to the cause of Christian Missions. May the Lord dispose others to imitate so noble an example! His end was peace.—Rev. G. Savery, Grateful-Hill, May 22d, 1848.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE: COLESBERG. Some two months back, I visited a newly-established town about ninety miles from this, (Colesberg,) whither two of the members of the church here had removed. I found, to my gratification, a strong and general desire among the European population for the estab lishment of our ministry in the place. On the Sabbath which I spent there, I

preached twice to the English, and once to the Bechuanas, of whom there are a number employed as labourers among the tradesmen. I also named a TrustBoard to collect funds for the erection of a chapel. Since then I have received several communications from the members there, all of whom are anxious for the establishment of regular services among them. All that can be done for them at present will be on my part quarterly visits, with occasional services from other Ministers.

The state of the society in Colesberg, especially with reference to the natives, is most cheering. Seven or eight new members have been added during the last quarter: and deeply affecting are the statements which they make in the weekly class-meetings. Though the number of our members in this place is not large, yet we can with great truth say, "He causeth us to triumph in every place, and maketh manifest by us the savour of his knowledge." For even among those who continue to resist the saving operations of the Spirit of God upon their hearts, we have the most conclusive testimonies that the truth which we preach is made manifest unto their conscience.-Rev. P. Smailes, Colesberg, May 24th, 1848.

SWITZERLAND.

MR. GALLIENNE has lately returned from an interesting Missionary excursion into the Canton of Neuchâtel. From his letter, dated Lausanne, July 15th, 1848, which, from unfortunate circumstances, has only just reached us, we cannot now extract more than a few sentences. They are the following:

I RETURNED last evening from a journey in the Canton of Neuchâtel, where I visited the Val-de-Travers, Chaux-de-Fonds, Locle, Les Ponts, and other places, and was received with much affection. I have been pressingly invited to repeat my visits.

By the following extract of a letter just received from the Waldensian Valleys of Piedmont, you will see how touching are the appeals from that quarter also:"We ask of God that He may so engrave upon your heart the remembrance of your visit to us, that you may have no rest until you return again. We surely have no need to say how pleasing it would be to us, and how necessary also to the cause of God."

We are thus mercifully surrounded

with openings which will have the effect, on the one hand, of extending our labours on the north towards Germany, and on the south in the Italian States; and, on the other hand, of securing to our society an important position in the centre of Europe, in case of our labours being interrupted in the Canton de Vaud.

There is nothing new in our circumstances here; except, however, the fact of the petition of our Stewards to the Council of State for the re-opening of our Lausanne chapel, having obtained the support of the Municipal authorities of the town. The issue we leave in the hands of our Master. We have little care what men may do, nor do we desire to lean on an arm of flesh. We wish to look higher, and to proclaim Jehovah-jireh !

LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON SQUARE.

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