most malignant calumnies were circulated against them) in the simplicity of conscious innocence they laid their case before Parliament. Their doctrines, discipline, character, and history, were scrupulously examined, in committees of both houses, and a bill, exempting them from taking oaths and bearing arms, was carried with the unanimous consent of the bishops: indeed, all opposition to it was abandoned after the final investigation of their olaims.

When the Moravian refugees, on Count Zinzendorf's estates, scarcely amounted to 600 persons, when they had only just found rest from suffering, and were beginning to build a church and hab itations, where there had previously been a desert-so great was their ardent piety and zeal for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, that in the short period of eight or nine years they bad sent missionaries to Greenland, to the Indians in North and South America, to many of the West-In dia Islands, to Lapland, to Algiers, to Guinea, to the Cape of Good Hope, to Ceylon, and subsequent ly to Labrador, to Tartary, to the Nicobar Islands, to Persia, and to Egypt. In 1732, pitying the condition of the Negroes in the West Indies, two brethren sailed to the Danish Island of St. Thomas; and such was their devotedness to the work, that having heard that they could not have intercourse with the slaves uniess they themselves became slaves, they went with that full purpose, that they might have the opportunity of teaching the Africans the way of deliverance from a far worse captivity than that of the body, the captivity of sin and Satan. Although this sacrifice was not eventually required of them, sacrifices scarcely less painful were cheerfully endured for many years, during which they had to maintain them

selves by manual labour under a tropical sun, while every hour of leisure was employed in conversing with the heathen. The fruits of their zeal and perseverance in due time appeared; and in the West Indies (Danish and British,) there are now more than 23,000 Negroes joined to their congregations, and a vast number have entered into eternal rest, steadfast in the faith of Christ. Not a step behind these in ardour and selfdenial were the first missionaries that went to Greenland in 1733. These were plain men, who knew only their native tongue, and who, in order to acquire one of the most barbarous dialects on the earth, bad to learn the Danish language first, that they might avail themselves of the Grammar of the Rev. Mr. Egede, a Danish missionary then in that country. Now, the principal part of the population of Greenland is become Christian, and the state of society wonderfully changed, and instruction, through the medium of the Danish as well as Moravian teachers, is at least as universal in that inhospitable clime as in our own country. In 1734, some brethren went among the Indians of North America. Their la bours, their trials, their sufferings, and their success, were extraordinary even in missionary history. Many thousands of these roving and turbulent savages, of all other perhaps the most haughty and untractable, were converted from the error of their ways, and adorned the doctrines of God their Saviour, both in their lives and by their deaths. On one occasion, ninety-six men, women, and children, being treacherously made prisoners by White banditti, were scalped and tomahawked in cold blood, & according to the testimony of their murderers, with their latest breath gave affecting evidence of their faith. At another time, eleven missiona

ries were burnt alive in their dwellings, or massacred and thrown back into the flames, in attempting to escape, by a troop of Indians in the French service. In 1737, George Schmidt built himself a hut, and cleared a piece of ground near Serjeant's River. Finding it impossible to learn the Hottentot language, he set resolutely upon the task of teaching the barbarians his own. He soon

so won the affections of these rude people, that many became willing scholars, and made proficiency in learning to read the Scriptures. In the course of seven years he baptized seven persons, who gave proof of their sincere conversion; but owing to some difficulties that arose at that period, he went to Europe, to obtain assistance and to procure pow ers from the Dutch Government to pursue his peaceful ministry. These were denied, and he was never permitted to go back to the colony. His heart, however, was among his Hottentots, till the hour of his death; he was accustomed to consecrate a part of every day to prayer to God in their behalf; and it is recorded, that he was at length found a corpse in the performance of this duty. Meanwhile, though his scholars and converts kept together for a short time expecting his return, they were in the sequel lost among their countrymen; and during fifty years, according to human apprehension, his labours seemed to have been in vain, and his earnest supplications on their behalf unanswered. But at the end of that interval the Brethren were enabled to send

three men of like spirit with George Schmidt to the Cape of Good Hope, with the permission of the Dutch Government. They found the spot which he had cul

tivated the ruins of his hut were

yet visible; but his garden had

run to waste, and the whole valley was such a baunt for wild beasts, that it was called Bavian's Kloof. (Baboon's Glen.) The new missionaries, however, took possession of it, expelled these intruders, gathered the Hottentots to hear the word of God, and taught their children to read it under the shadow of a magnificent peartree, planted by their predeces sor, which was still in full vigour and bearing. But this tree and its fruit were not all that remained of the good man's labours there an aged blind woman, who had been one of his converts, being traced out, produced a

Dutch Testament, which he had given her, when he left Africa, and which she kept as her greatest treasure, carefully wrapt up in two sheepskins. A young Hottentot woman was in the habit of reading occasionally from this book to her, and this young woman became one of the earliest converts of the three brethren. In that place (since called Gnadenthal,) there is now a flourishing congregation of Hottentots; and at a considerable distance another, (Groenekloof,) which is also greatly prospering. A third settlement has been lately begun, under the encouragement of the British Government, on the Witte Revier, near the borders of Caffraria. The two former, according to the testimony of both friends and enemies to missionary exertions, are like beautiful gar dens in the midst of the wilderness; the Hottentots themselves being as much changed in their habits, manners, and minds, as the face of their country has been improved by industry and skill. The change which has taken place in their hearts, the eye of God alone can see in all its aspects, and contemplate in all its issues; but it is sufficiently ob vious to all, that the love of

27

Near the Cape of Good Hope

1818

Coast of Labrador

Greenland

2331

1

}

7

1764

25

1733

16

1765

2

LONDON MISSION SOCIETY.

SOUTH-SEA ISLANDS.

THE following Letter from the Rev. W. P. Crook, one of the missionaries in Otaheite, was addressed to the Rev. W. Milne, at Malacca, and contains not only a confirmation of the former intelligence, but also several very pleasing particulars with which we had not before been acquainted We copy it from No 6. of the Indo-Chinese Gleaner, published at Malacca, in October last, which is just come to hand,

Wilks Harbour, Tahiti,

July 9, 1818.

My dear and highly esteemed Brother, Mr. Davies and I wrote to you from Eimeo last December. Since that time many important things have happened; we have been reinforced by additional labourers from England; our brig so long in hand, called the Haweis, is now at sea, removing the missionaries to their various stations. Eight of us are left at these two islands, and eight go to the leeward islands of the group. We have three missionary stations at this island, and one at Eimeo, with two missionaries at each station.

Mr. Bourne, one of the newly arrived missionaries is with me: he understands printing, and we are about to set up a press here, in addition to that which Mr. Ellis has removed to the islands below. The whole of this group of islands is now professedly Christian, and if we are to judge of their conduct by that of nominal Christians in general, they have vastly the advantage. Theft is almost unknown among them. Family prayer is set up in every house, and private prayer is almost universally attended to. These poor people look up to the missionaries as their oracle in all their troubles of body and mind, civil and religious. They were once the cruel slaves of Satan, destroying themselves and their infant offspring. Now, women are restored to their rank in society, a new generation of young ones is springing up beloved by their parents; and the face of things is marvellously altered, so that we are constrained to say, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is mar, vellous in our eyes.'

'We are endeavouring to bring them into regular habits, and to promote their comfort and usefulness. This, we trust, will be in time accomplished. Last May we held the anniversary meeting at Eimeo. All the missionaries, sixteen in number, and most of of their families, were present; and spent a most delightful day together, partaking of the Lord's Supper. But what is most remarkable, a Missionary Society was formed among the natives. The King is President, and the various Chiefs are Governors, with Secretary and Treasurer. Cocoa-nut oil, arrow-root, cotton, or pork, is to be subscribed, and the funds sent to England. It is supposed, that there will be scarce one inhabitant, that will not be a member.

'Reading is become general among this people, and they are diligently engaged in teaching each other: 3000 copies of Luke have been printed and sold for 3 gallons of cocoa-nut oil each copy. Many thousands are sadly disappointed that there are no more. We believe ten thousand might have been sold in ten days. We hope to get on printing and publishing the Sacred Scriptures 'A great concern is manifested for the islands around us, and those who were thought to be out of the reach of missionaries, are graciously and very providentially brought under the influence of the word. The fame of the Gospel has spread by means of the natives themselves. The inhabitants of some of the low islands to the eastward have cast away their idols, and many of them are among us, learning the word of God. The sound has reached Tubuai, and the high islands called Raivavae, and the people are desirous of missionI am sanguine in my expectations of the Marquesas, some

aries.

of whom have learned to read with us, and now others, natives, from hence are going. I have also some hopes of the Sandwich Islands, as the American Brig Clarion, by whom I send this, is bound thither and takes passengers, some natives of those islands who have been learning the word of God here. [Evan. Mag.

CHINA.

DR. Morrison, in a letter to the Secretary, dated March 3, 1819, says I have to-day completed a translation of Isaiah, and having diligently revised Exodus, Ruth, Joel, Hosea, and Amos, am about to send them with the prophet Isaiah's book to press, at Malacca. I have been much quickened and comforted by the translation of the evangelical prophet. The fitness of that book, humanly speaking, for the heathen in China, is amazingly striking. Every sentence seems to be addressed to them in particular, and immediately from heaven. May God accompany it by the powerful operations of his Holy Spirit!

'I have suggested to Mr. Milne to bind up the prophecy of Isaiah with one of the Evangelists and one of the Apostolical Epistles, for distribution. [Evan. Mag.

SOUTH TRAVANCORE. A LETTER from the Rev. Mr. Mead, dated Nagracoil, Oct. 26, 1818, enumerates ten villages, situated in the neighbourhood of Cape Comorin, in all of which are schools and places of worship. "At each of these places," he observes, "the word of God is read every Sabbath-day by a native catechist, who preaches likewise, as well as his measure of light enables him. It is the aim of the Missionary to instruct the