to build the Temple, because he was a man of blood; but the honour was re

served for Solomon. Perhaps the genera tion actually engaged in the Slave Trade, may not be permitted to effect much: they may collect the materials, and form the plans; but it may be reserved for their children, to see the spiritual edifice arise in all its beauty and perfection. Let the aged Members, however, of the Society remember that it was good that it was in

their hearts.

We ought not to be discouraged by our losses in Africa; since, even on the prin

ciple of justice, we should be very liberal to that country. For what has influenced the public mind so much as the interesting accounts communicated respecting THAT COUNTRY? I firmly believe that threefourths of the zeal for Missions now evident among us was first excited by THE STATE OF AFrica. Go and tell of rains, of fevers, of graves, of deaths, of Missionaries dead, of Missionaries dying, of Missionaries fainting under the burden and heat of the day-tell of the good already done, and that others are panting to enter into this very field-these things will produce even more beneficial effects than ever they have yet produced: they will produce sufficient funds for the support, not only of the African Mission, but of the WHOLE. Such a Labourer as this is surely worthy of his hire an Advocate so touching, so eloquent, so successful, should be well repaid. In fine, notwithstanding the Society's expenditure upon Africa, Africa is an advantage to the Society-a creditor, and not a debtor.

Climate of Western Africa.

On the subject of the Climate, however, the Committee beg to state that much misapprehension prevails: partly, from the exaggerations which have appeared; and partly from the fatal effects of a want of strict and watchful attention, on the part of new comers, to the requisite rules and cautions. The Colony, it is said, is not subject to the usual proportion of deaths occurring in the West Indies, while it has greatly the advantage of those Islands in its freedom from hurricanes and contagious dis

sons, and of the Schools, which contained 2104 Scholars, are given in a subsequent part of this Number. The National System has been introduced into all the Schools.

The arrival of Messrs. Morgan, Taylor, Bull, Jesty, and Barrett, with Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Jesty, was stated at pp. 220 & 371 of the present Volume.

Of the Improvements in the Colony the Report thus speaks:

The Roads and Public and Private Buildings are in a state of rapid increase and improvement. In a survey of these improvements which has appeared in the Sierra Leone Gazette, it is said, in speaking of those which were carrying on in the Country Parishes

They have been achieved by the labour of Liberated Negroes alone, under the direction of their respective Ministers and Superintendents. The Royal Munificence and the National Liberality have pursued, with great cost and perseverance, the generous object of the deliverance and civilization of the once-devoted victims of barbarism and bondage; and we can anticipate, with delight, the sublime gratification which the friends and supporters of this great cause will derive from seeing, so soon, such excellent practical confirmations of their hopes and reasonings-such benign fruits of their zeal and exertions. We trust, that, as Providence has blessed most of the illustrious leaders of that Great Cause with length of days to behold this heavenly harvest of their toil and devotion, they all-and if we might name any one in particular, Mr. Wilberforce especially-may be long preserved to enjoy the permanent and constantly increasing glory, which must result from so ample and solid a commencement of social and religious good as these Liberated Negroes exhibit in the bosom of Africain the favoured seat of that vast engine of African Degradation and Desolation, the Slave Trade."

eases.

Sierra Leone.

The Official Returns of the Population, amounting to 10,014 per

the payment of which the Society is ladependent on the growth and the moral bouring to take a share, is most intimately energy of this Colony.

Society.

At the Annual Meeting of the Auxiliary Bible Society for the Colony and its Dependencies, held at the Court House, on the 6th of January, his Excellency the Governor in the Chair, his Excellency 'stated that he was fully convinced, that very great and essential benefits had already been derived to the Colony from the Society; and was confident that it would extend more and more, and unite men of all religions and denominations in brotherly love and Christian Charity.

It appeared from the Report, that the Committee had visited, according to the suggestion of the late lamented Secretary of the Society, the Rev. William Garnon, from house to house, in Freetown, to ascertain the want of the Scriptures and the ability to read them: of 240 Christian Families which had been visited, scarcely one was found without some one who could read, and above 400 Bibles and Testaments were ascertained to be in use among them: this visitation had nearly doubled the number of subscribers: the most respectful attention was shewn to the objects of the Institution; and the Committee, to use their own words, "in witnessing the domestic comforts and good habits of the people, rejoiced to behold the beneficial influence of the Divine Book, affording the strongest inducements to all classes to aid its more ample diffusion." In little .more than two years, considerably more than 300/. had been contributed.

The Chief Justice addressed the Meeting at considerable length, and in a manner well adapted to promote the enlargement and the local influence and benefits of the In

stitution.

Extracts from this able Address of the Chief Justice are printed in the Appendix.

Sierra Leone Church Missionary Society.

The Committee have much pleasure in reporting the formation of a Missionary Society in Sierra Leone, in aid of the Pa. rent Society. At a Meeting of the Mis'sionaries, held in October, this measure was resolved on, when it was determined 'that each Missionary should endeavour, -so far as he might deem it prudent, to col.lect contributions at his Station. The sum of 68l. 4s. 11d. has been paid to the Society, as the first contributions of its Labourers and their Negroes. It is a most

Excursions among the Natives.

The Governor has expressed his wish that the Colony should become "a focus of Christianity," for the benefit of the neighbouring Tribes. The Committee rejoice to see that it is beginning to answer to this character. At is, indeed, highly desirable, as the late Mr. Garnon urged, that "there should be not only a sufficient number of Labourers for the different Towns in the Colony, but two or three Supernumeraries, in case of sickness or death; and to enable one another, by turns, to push forth, in the Dry Season, among the Natives, to preach the Gospel to them."

Two excursions had been taken, with view to examine the state of the districts bordering on the Colony.

In the first, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Cates, accompanied by William Tamba, one of the Communicants at Regent's Town, and other Natives, walked about 140 miles. William Tamba several times addressed his countrymen, with much effect, in their native tongues.

The Journal of this Excursion is printed in the Appendix.

The Report proceeds—

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Cates were so satisfied of the advantages likely to result from the Natives being addressed by their Countrymen, in the manner in which Wil

liam Tamba had addressed them, that both he and William Davis were taken, by the Missionaries, into the service of the Society. Mr. William Randle, an Englishman, who gave the most satisfactory evidence of right principles and character, was engaged as a Schoolmaster.

A Second Journey was in contemplation. It was intended that Mr. Cates, accompanied by William Tamba, William Davis, and others, should travel down the coast as far as the Bassa Country, about 400 miles from the Colony. William Tamba speaks all the tongues used in the greater part of this route, and William Davis is himself a Native of the Bassa Country.

The Society will, doubtless, highly approve these Journeys. It is by the con

stant repetition of such excursions, that the surrounding Tribes must be brought gradually acquainted with that best blessing of man, which it will be the glory of Sierra Leone to be the medium of communicating to them.

And let it be considered for a moment how remarkably the Providence of God seems to be preparing instruments for this service, by over-ruling that wicked traffic in human beings to subserve the purposes of His own glory. "We have converts," Mr. Johnson writes respecting his Christian Negroes at Regent's Town, "of almost all the nations about us; even from the banks of the famous and unexplored river Niger-some from various countries beyond Tombuctoo." The Slave Trade may endanger the safety of Natives in these Journeys, unless accompanied by Europeans; nor would it be prudent, for the present, that Natives should travel without Europeans, till they have acquired experience: but the time is not far distant, as your Committee hope, when the country will be open to the labours of wellinstructed and able Native Teachers. In the mean time there is no difficulty in these Journeys of investigation. "I am fully persuaded," Mr. Johnson writes, "that an European, accustomed to the climate, may go through any part of Africa, if he go as a BEGGAR, and give no presents an evil that has been too much countenanced."

Character of Missionaries.
On this point it is observed-

The state and circumstances of a Missionary in Western Africa require a truly devoted spirit in Missionaries. The Committee quote, on this subject, the very just sentiments of one who enters into the true dignity and spirit of this holy calling:

"One of the greatest dangers, perhaps, to which we are exposed in Africa, is the loss of that heartfelt desire and expectation of seeing the Heathen converted, with which we set out. O Sirs! pray for all whom you have sent or may send to Africa, that we may not fall into such a dreadful mistake, as to think that Conversion is to be looked for only at a remote period, and that Civilization is all that can be at present expected.

"There are two things, which are perhaps not generally so much regarded as they should be, in the character of a Missionary or Schoolmaster: the one is that he gives a decided preference to the em

ployment in which he is engaged, before all others, however honourable or easy they may be: the other-that he be convinced that the sum allowed him for salary is far better for him than more. Had these two qualifications been possessed by all who have been sent to Africa, how many of the evils which we have now to deplore would have been prevented!”

The Report then states the modifications adopted in the School and Ship Funds, of which notice has already been given at pp. 132, 133, 179, and 264 of the present Volume.

Freetown Schools.

The care and charge of these Schools have devolved on the Society since the beginning of last year. Till permanent and adequate arrangements could be made for them, the best assistance was called in that circumstances allowed. Mr. and Mrs. Garnon, and Mr. and Mrs. Collier, rendered every aid in their power. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan entered on the charge of these Schools on the 1st of January, and have been succeeded therein by Mr. and Mrs Jesty, who are assisted by George Fox, a Native Teacher.

On the 14th of December a Public Examination of the School took place at the Court House, before the Governor and the principal persons of the Colony. Both Boys and Girls were found to have made great progress under the National System, which had been introduced in the last year. There were present 301 Boys and 183 Girls: the absentees, from sickness and other causes, were eighty Boys and sixty Girls; making a total of 574. Forty Lads had left School, and thirty-nine entered twenty Girls had left, and an equal number joined: making a decrease of one since the last Annual Examination. His Excellency closed the Examination by an affectionate Address to the Children, and expressed his satisfaction at the state of the Schools.

Christian Institution, at Leicester
Mountain.

An important, and, as the Committee trust, a beneficial change has taken place, on the suggestion of the Governor, in the arrangements at the Christian Institution. Twenty-five of the most promising Boys have been retained, for the purpose of receiving a superior edu

After a full consideration of this plan, the Committee cordially adopted the suggestion of Governor Mac Carthy, as entirely falling in with the ultimate views and wishes of the Society with respect to Africa, and offering the best hopes of more speedily realizing those wishes. The diffusion of True Religion will be still the one great object of the Institution: while, therefore, pious and promising Youths will be trained up for Christian Teachers among their Countrymen, it will be found not a little conducive, under the blessing of God, to the main purposes of the Society, with reference to Africa, to afford a good education, in sound princi-ples and useful knowledge, to such Youths as may be designed for situations in the Colony, and who, it may be hoped, will thereby gradually augment both its intellectual and moral strength.

It is added

The consideration which now most strongly presses on the Committee in reference to this subject, is the providing of competent Teachers for the Institution. Mr. Bull, as has been already stated, is now assisting the Rev. J. G. Wilhelm, at Leicester Mountain: but it is requisite to make provision, with all despatch, for affording every measure of education to the Youths now there, of which they may be come capable. A Clergyman of classical attainments, acquainted with Hebrew and Arabic, of mature judgment and experience, accustomed to the instruction of the young, and, above all, animated by an earnest desire of contributing to the rescue of Africans from the bondage of Satan, and the translating of them into the kingdom of God's dear Son-such a man has now before him an opportunity of assist ing in this work of Heaven, to an extent incalculable in its ultimate consequences. Every provision will be made for his comfort and usefulness, which such a man would desire and your Committee do earnestly press the consideration of this subject on such Clergymen, in different parts of the kingdom, as may have made

the requisite attainments, and have felt deeply for the salvation of Africa.

Of the objects to be chiefly pursued at the Institution, it is stated—

In connection with the supply of the best means of Education, it will be a great object to make adequate provision in the Institution for perfecting and printing the works already in preparation in Susoo and in Bullom; and ultimately for supplying the numerous tribes on the Coast and in the Interior, both with living Instructors, and with Elementary Books and the Scriptures in their various tongues.

In Susoo and in Bullom much has been already done; by Messrs. Renner, Wilhelm, and Klein, in Susoo; and by Mr. Nyländer, in Bullom: and Mr. Wil. helm and Mr. Klein are still prosecuting translations into Susoo.

Further advances may be made in the grammatical knowledge of Susoo and of Bullom, and some acquaintance formed with Timmanee and other tongues, by means of the Liberated Negroes who speak these Languages. Some idea may be formed of the extent to which these labours may, in time, be carried, by consi. dering the fact, that, in Regent's Town alone, there are Natives of twenty different nations, all varying from one another in language, but now holding intercourse among themselves and with their Christian Teachers, by means of that common tongue which they have imperfectly acquired in that state of freedom to which they have arrived. At present, indeed, their knowledge of English is too limited to render them competent instructors of their own languages. For the accurate acquisition of these tongues, particularly in the pronunciation, it will be necessary to travel frequently, or to reside some time among the Natives where the respective languages are best understood and spoken. As the Native Tongues shall, by these means, become well understood, and shall be reduced to writing on fixed principles, and able Teachers of them provided, then will the Christian Institution come into most important action, in the preparation and printing of Elementary Books and the Scriptures, and the supply of competent Teachers to the different Tribes.

The cultivation of the Arabic Language will be another important branch of laNatives well bour in the Institution. prepared in that tongue will be received with respect in all parts of the country,