SURVEY OF MISSIONARY STATIONS. WESTERN AFRICA. THE principal sphere of Missionary labour within this Division is the Colony of Sierra Leone, with its vicinity. In this labour the Church Missionary Society has the chief share. Its Mission in this quarter is one of peculiar difficulty; arising, in some measure, from the insalubrity of the climate to many Europeans, but chiefly from the ruinous influence of the Slave Trade. That iniquitous traffic has revived of late with redoubled fury, and has compelled the Society to abandon attempts among the natives, in which it had persevered for many years. Its disappointments, however, of this nature, are abundantly remunerated by the increasing success of its labours among the liberated negroes assembled within the Colony of Sierra Leone. In these labours and successes, the Wesleyan Missionaries take their share. The restoration of the French settlements of Senegal and Goree has been hitherto injurious to the best interests of the natives. There are some appearances, however, of the introduction of the British system of education into Senegal; and it is not to be believed, that, by the surreptitious contravention of public treaties, the French settlements will be allowed to continue the desolating traffic in slaves. The intercourse recently opened from the Gold Coast among the Ashantees, the prospect of success which is opening from Tripoli into the interior of the continent, the perseverance with which researches are made into its actual condition, the plans of the Americans for colonizing people of colour on this coast, with the determined zeal wherewith the friends of Africa contend against the infamous traffic in slaves-all conspire to awaken hopes of better days for this injured country. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Sierra Leone-A Colony belonging to Great Britain. Under the unwearied care of Governor Mac Carthy, this colony is rapidly improving. Eight parishes have been formed; with various negro towns, in which many thousand negroes, liberated from slave ships, are placed under proper superintendence and Christian instruction. The Society has undertaken to provide for the education of the children. The grand total, at the beginning of March, of adults and children attending schools throughout the Colony, was not short of 2000. The Colony and the Society have suffered severe loss, in the death of the first chaplain, the Rev. Wm. Garnon, who departed July 29th of last year, full of holy and humble joy. The death of the Missionary Wenzel on the 1st of August, and that of Mrs. Collier and Mrs. Decker, have been further trials. Embarked on board the Echo, for this station, Captain Rowe, Nov. 20th.-Schoolmasters, Thos. Morgan, Chr. Taylor, G. S. Bull.-Schoolmistresses, Mrs. Morgan, Mrs. Taylor. Embarked on board the Mary, Captain Bissett, Jan. 8, 1819, Schoolmasters, Thomas Jesty and Henry Barrett. Mrs. Jesty, Schoolmistress. Leicester Mountain, in the Colony of Sierra Leone, about three miles from Free Town. --John Godfrey Wilhelm, Minister.-John Brereton Cates, Schoolmaster.---John Maxwell, Native Usher. It will probably be necessary to put the "Christian Institution" of the Society on a new footing. A plan is now, indeed, in contemplation for rendering it a superior Seminary, for giving a better education to the most promising youths throughout the Colony. The number of children in the schools here was, by the last advices, 202. A Monthly Meeting is held for Prayer for the success of Missions, when the negroes attend from the neighbouring towns. Kissey Town, a town of liberated negroes, in the Parish of St. Patrick, Sierra Leone, 1816.-Gustavus Reinhold Nylander, Minister. Stephen Caulker, Native Usher. Mr. Chris. Taylor and Mrs. Taylor, who sailed in November, are appointed, as Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress to this station. Mr. Nylander, having given up the Bullom Mission, accepted the invitation of the Governor, with the concurrence of his brethren, to supply the loss of the Rev. C. F. Wenzel at this station. Mr. Wenzel died, worn out by age and infirmities. Regent's Town, a town of liberated negroes, in the Parish of St. Charles, Sierra Leone, 1816.-W. A. B. Johnson, Minister. The Church has been frequently enlarged, and will now accommodate about 1200 persons, which number of liberated negroes frequently attend. Nearly 100 negroes are communicants, and many more were to be baptized at Christmas. The adults are making rapid progress in learning; and several of them are becoming very active in the religious instruction of their countrymen. In June, there were 499 Scholars in the Schools, of which there were, boys 127, girls 108, men and youths 184, and women 80. Here the triumphant influence of Christianity, in rapidly civilizing and blessing rude and ignorant men, is remarkably displayed. Gloucester Town, a town of liberated negroes, in the Parish of St. Andrew, Sierra Leone, 1816.--Henry During, Superintendent--Mrs. During, Schoolmistress. Mr. During was to be ordained according to the rites of the Lutheran Church. His prospects are encouraging. Several have been baptized. The place where the negroes met for public worship, which contained about 200 persons, has been found far too small. A large stone church, capable of containing 800 negroes, is now erecting. Leopold Town, a town of liberated negroes, in the Parish of St. Peter, Sierra Leone, 1818. Melchior Renner, Minister. Mr. Renner, having withdrawn the Mission from the Rio Pongas, was fixed at this place by the Governor, on the 12th of June, 1818. It contains about 300 negroes. Bathurst Town, in the Parish of St. James, lies above Leopold Town; and Charlotte Town, in the Parish of St. John, lies below it. Mr. Renner has, at present, the care of those three Parishes. Sixty children, who came with Mr. Renner from the Rio Pongas, are settled here under his care. Wilberforce Town, a town of liberated negroes, in the Parish of St. Paul, Sierra Leone, 1817.-Henry Charles Decker, Mi nister. The pressing wants of the Christian Institution having called Mr. Cates away from this place, Mr. Decker, who arrived with Mr. Collier on the 24th of January, was soon after appointed to the Station. Gambier, among the Bagoes, 70 miles N. W. of Sierra Leone. Jonathan Solomon Klein, Missionary. James Brunton, Native Schoolmaster. Emanuel Anthony, Native Usher. Mr. Klein made excursions in April, May, and June, of last year; and preached, with acceptance, in 23 of the native towns. He has prepared Catechisms, and has made considerable progress in the translation of the Scriptures into Susoo. He hopes to finish the Version, and fully to revise it, in four years. VOL. VI. N. 8. F The Isles De Loss, at a short distance from this settlement, having come under the protection of the British government, and Governor Mac Carthy requesting the Society to place Mr. Klein there, he has been directed to remove. The Stations at Canoffee, Yongroo, Pom oh and Goree, have been given up by the Society. SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL. Cape Coast, a British settlement under the African Company. The Rev. Wm. Philip, Chaplain to the Company, received a salary of 50l. per annum from the Society, as Missionary, Catechist, and Schoolmaster to the negroes. We are sorry to report that he is dead. Mr. Philip had promoted a Bible Society, in connexion with one established at Sierra Leone. WESLEYAN MISSIONS. Sierra Leone-John Baker. John Gilleson. Messrs. Baker and Gilleson, appointed by the last Conference, sailed on the 16th of December. Mr. Davies, who was at Leopold Town, and in charge also of Bathurst and Charlotte Towns, returned home on account of his health. Mr. Brown, under whom, at Free Town, the work is rapidly advancing, will also leave when Messrs. Baker and Gilleson arrive. Mr. Davies reports considerable success at Leopold Town. The Chapel, which would hold between 200 and 300 people, was far too small. He baptized about 70, and married 30 couple. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. INDIA. Extract of a letter from the Rev. Richard Knill, dated Madras, 5th August, 1818. 6 For many months before I was laid aside, I felt weak and poorly, but I was not willing to feel. Every thing around me seemed to say, Watch-Pray-Preach; and whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.' I was anxious to obey, and presumed that through the blessing of the Lord, I should soon overcome all my weakness. About Christmas I took cold, and my body was not strong enough to resist its course; and from that time to the present, I have never quite recovered. I have had two physicians; one here, and another at Cuddalore; and finding that I did not increase in strength, I became anxious what to do. I trembled at the thought of being a Cumberer in the Lord's vineyard. I felt a wish to go to Otaheite, or any place which they thought more suited to my constitution. I knew that the uttermost parts of the earth are a part of Christ's possession, and I could dwell in one place as well as another. [He then relates particularly the opinion of the medical gentlemen on his complaint; that he could not live where the thermometer was above 80, and that removal was essential to his recovery; he then adds-] In this state of things, I knew not what to do. China, Malacca, Bangalore, were recommended; but a letter from brother Mead is so much to the point, as it respects the climate, and the prospects of usefulness, that I have now determined, by the grace of God, to go to Cape Comorin, and join Mr. Mead (in the Travancore mission). I shall set off in a day or two. My conveyance is an open boat: the distance 500 miles. I shall go from a place and people I dearly love; and it will ever afford me a subject for gratitude and praise, that God, in his love, sent me hither. My dear brother and sister Loveless, and our congregations, will feel a mutual pleasure with me in reviewing the scenes that are passed, when we worshipped the Lord together in his temple, and felt his presence precious to our souls. Yes, heaven will be the sweeter to us all, in recollecting the times of refreshing we have had from the visits of our adorable Master; and though his Providence seems to me dark in removing me from such a scene of labour, yet, ultimately, it will be found, I trust, that the Directors did not send me here in vain. Madras has a thousand attractions. I would not change my station, from choice, for any other in the world. Every thing belonging to our mission is interesting. Eleven schools; three English and one Tamul congregation; a Bible and Missionary Society; Prayer Meetings, when and where we please; some tokens of the Lord's presence. No man would spend his strength for nought here, if his soul were right with God. Every way in which a minister could make himself useful in London, is opening to him here also. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, yea, hundreds of thousands, are open to him, to whom, if he had strength and ability, he might prove a blessing. O Madras! Madras! how large are thy fields! How great thy harvest! but, alas! the labourers how few! I am not troubled with languor, stupor, or lowness of spirits. My mind is as active and vigorous, blessed be God, as ever it was; but I am shut up in a cage; my weakness will not let me give vent to the ardour of my soul. O for a colder climate, and invigorated strength, to labour for my blessed Saviour a few years longer! Let not, I beseech you, my going to Travancore, prevent an |