almost entirely taken up in conversing with anxious inquirers. He thought that another day of Pentecost had come. Week after week awakened souls came forward to seek baptism. Again and again were all conversed with; diligent inquiries were made respecting their character and conduct. Out of a still greater number, 729 persons, having given satisfactory evidence. of having passed from death to life, were baptized and added to the church.

Space would fail to narrate the mighty power of the gospel, as applied to the consciences and hearts of ment by the Holy Spirit, in enlightening their minds, turning them from superstition and vice, to truth and holiness. At nearly all the stations of the mission it was made manifest. The testimony of one of England's most excellent philanthropists, who visited Jamaica in the early part of 1840, may, however, be given, Mr Joseph John Gurney, in his " Winter in the West Indies," thus writes: "The Baptist missionaries in Jamaica, for many years past, have been the unflinching, untiring friends of the negro. No threats have daunted them, no insults or persecutions have driven them from the field. They are now reaping their reward in the devoted attachment of the people, and the increasingly prevalent acknowledgment of their integrity and utt." Speaking of the general improvement of the island, Mr. Gurney thus writes, "But while these points **** fessedly of high importance, there is a fourth, which u once embraces and outweighs them all, I mean the dif fusion of vital Christianity, I know that gros, gyps hensions were entertained, especially in this country, on the cessation of slavery, that the pyroom would broad away at once from their masters and their miniature. But freedom has come, and while their music have h been forsaken, their religious teachers have

dearer to them than ever. Under the banner of liberty the churches and meeting-houses have been enlarged and multiplied-the attendance has become regular and devout, the congregations have, in many cases, been more than doubled-above all, the conversion of souls (as we have reason to believe) has been going on to an extent never before known in these colonies. In a religious point of view, as I have before hinted, the wilderness in many places has begun to blossom as the rose; "instead of the thorn has come up the fir-tree, and instead of the briar has come up the myrtle-tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.””

CHAPTER VI

«Dim through the night of these tempestuous years
A Sabbath dawn o'er Africa appears."

MONTGOMERY.

AT the Annual Association held at Brown's Town in 1840, it was resolved to depute Mr. Knibb to repre sent the missionaries and churches at the great AntiSlavery Convention about to be held in London. He was also requested to bring before the Committee di we Baptist Missionary Society the importance of commente ing a mission to Western Africa, and all you wh best efforts to obtain an additional namber & misco aries and teachers to meet the requiremente di dunava, for the labourers were still too few to gain a V, M ing harvest.

Mr. Knibb promptly engaged a preavage, word wah wi for England, accompanied by two walk mutuan, she Barret, a deacon of his own cuutta, me Mr. Voxtort, a deacon of the church at Coutar, Gray,

rowly escaping shipwreck, they earns this gradatir tion in the mouth of May, but va jahka May walang k annual meeting of the body. A ganin makluky Work, however, called at Exeter Han, not for winny worlig boot friends received an extovéiwtio,

The committee Gentry on dark 'n wad App3, Sphe additional misizarea y) bowl, wady My AAJ JOY mission to Africa

Mr. Clarke, of ieito, wwa taifinado y Sud Padded

and as his stations in Jamaica were efficiently supplied by the Messrs. Merrick, he was requested by the committee to proceed to Western Africa, with a suitable colleague, to ascertain where a new mission could be best established. Dr. Prince, formerly of the island, and a member of the church at Hanover Street, Kingston, cheerfully consented to accompany him. They left England in October, and reached Fernando Po on the 1st January, 1841, where they were welcomed with great joy by the rescued slaves settled in that island, to whom a passing missionary had proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation, and who were consequently anxious to be more perfectly instructed in the truths of the gospel.

Mr. Knibb, during his brief sojourn in England, attended 154 public services, travelled 6000 miles, and addressed about 200,000 persons. His appeal for missionaries was heartily responded to by devoted men and women who, one after another, came forward crying, "Here am I; send me." He collected a large sum of money for their outfit and passage, for the commencement of the African Mission, and to liquidate a heavy debt resting upon the Society.

In the meantime Messrs. Henderson and Millard came out; the former to take temporary charge of Mr. Knibb's stations, and the latter to be associated with Mr. Abbott at St. Ann's Bay, Ocho Rios, etc.

In November, 1840, Mr. Knibb left London in the "Reserve," Captain Hoseason, accompanied by three missionaries and two schoolmasters, with their wives, and five female teachers. They arrived in safety at Rio Bueno on the 7th January, 1841.

The following month the Association was held at Mr. Knibb's station at Falmouth. On this occasion it was reported that, during the past year, 4648 persons had been baptized, and that after deducting

deaths and exclusions, the churches numbered upwards of 27,000 members.

The newly arrived missionaries were located at various stations; Mr. May, at Bethsalem, in St. Khanz beth's, Mr. Cornford at Rio Bueno, and Mr. Woolley at Gurney's Mount. Mr. Bloomfield took charge of the day school at Refuge, assisting Mr. Knibb in supplying the station; and Mr. Armstrong occupied a similar position at Brown's Town, which he afterwards resigned for the pastorate of the churches at Guy's Hall and Monengue,

Mr. William Hume also arrived, and after assisting Mr. Phillippo for some time, he accepted an invitation to become pastor of the church at Fullersfield. Mr. Dalliwell came out to labour at Annotta Bay; Mr. Williams to occupy stations formed by Mr. Phillippo at Porus and Mendeville, in the Parish of Manchester, and Mr. Lloyd to be co-pastor with Mr. Burchell at Montego Bay.

Affliction, however, soon appeared, and reduced the newly-arrived band of earnest labourers in the mission field. Miss Black, who entered on the work of teaching at St. Ann's Bay with enthusiastic ardour, fell a victim to her zeal a few weeks after her arrival. The devoted wife of Mr. Cornford was attacked with fever at Calabar, near Rio Bueno, and a few days after she died rejoicing in Christ. Her remains were removed to Kettering, where she was buried.

Three months after his arrival, Mr. Dalliwell was smitten with the same fatal malady, and his life, so full of promise of usefulness, was terminated. He died under Mr. Day's roof at Bareffe Hall, and was buried in the chapel ground at Oracabessa. Other members of the mission were brought to the borders of the grave during that sickly season, but God mercifully restored them.

In the year 1842 the Jubilee of the Baptist Mis