to sell honey at the market. He had never seen a missionary nor heard the gospel. Attracted by the people crowding to the Baptist Chapel, he thought he would also go. The place was full; unable to get in, he stood outside and listened. Mr. Mann was preaching from Ps. iv. 66 2, O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame ?" etc. The truth reached his heart; he thought every word was intended for himself, and he was filled with anxiety about his soul. After the service he set off on his journey homewards; but as the woman of Samaria left her water-pot, and went her way into the city to tell of Jesus, so he forgot his honey. His great concern now was to obtain salvation for himself, and to tell his friends and acquaintances the wonderful news he had heard. It was about this time that Mr. Bromley commenced the station at St. Ann's Bay. The slave applied to him for instruction, forsook his sins, and made a public profession of his faith in Christ by baptism. Constrained by the love of Jesus, he made known to his brethren in bondage the glad tidings of salvation, and invited them to accompany him to the house of God. For this he was sent to prison, set to work in chains, and flogged nearly to death. On his release, he found Mr. Nichols in charge of the church, and by his great importunity prevailed on him to go to Brown's Town, where the people were anxious to receive the gospel. He and his fellow-believers "hailed " all around them to come and hear the missionary preach. Many came and heard to their souls' salvation. On the death of Mr. Mann, the church at Falmouth invited Mr. Knibb to become their pastor. Mr. Burchell says, "I called a church meeting, when between four and five hundred persons were present, special prayer meetings having been previously held. I endeavoured to impress on their minds the necessity of being influenced by right motives; and having ad dressed them in as conscientious a manner as I possibly could, I proposed Mr. Knibb, and requested a show of hands. I never saw such a scene. The whole church, to an individual, simultaneously rose, held up both hands, and then burst into tears. My feelings were fairly overcome, and I wept with them. This, I said, is truly the Lord's doing."" Mr. Knibb complied with their wish, and removed to Falmouth. In April, 1831, the missionaries met at Falmouth and Montego Bay, when it was reported that the clear increase of the churches during the preceding year was nearly 2,000-making a total of 10,838, members. Several changes took place in the mission circle in the course of this year. Two new missionaries were ordained; Mr. Whitehorne, who took charge of the churches at Stewart Town and Rio Bueno, and Mr. Abbott, who became pastor of the churches at Lucea and Green Island, which had been for some time under the care of Mr. Hudson of the General Baptist Missionary Society. Mr. Gardner arrived from England to take charge of the churches at Savana-la-Mar and Fuller's Field in the place of Mr. Knibb. Mr. Burton removed to Manchioneal, where he formed a church also extending his labours to Morant Bay. Mr. Baylis settled at Port Maria, with out-stations at Oracabessa and Bagnall's Vale. About the same time Mrs. Cantlow died,* and her husband's health failed, compelling him * This excellent Christian lady was buried at Montego Bay. So strong at that time was the prejudice against colour, that black and brown persons were not permitted to take a prominent part in the funeral solemnities of a white. Mr. Burchell was anxious to destroy a prejudice which dared thus to intrude even into the presence of death, and the precincts of the grave. He therefore appointed the deacons of his church, black and coloured men, to act as pall-bearers at Mrs. Cantlow's funeral, which, as we are informed by one still living, awakened feelings of great indignation against him. The remains of Mrs. Cantlow were almost the first deposited in the Baptist burial-ground, "where, to leave the island. Mr. and Mrs. Burchell, and Mr. and Mrs. Phillippo, were necessitated to visit their native land, hoping speedily to return with renewed health to resume their work. Mr. and Mrs. Coultart, after many years of earnest and successful labour, carried on in much affliction, were at length obliged to relinquish their post and return once more to England. Mr. Griffiths was sent out by the Committee, and arrived with his wife on the 11th of July, but was only permitted to look on the field of labour; he died of yellow fever on the 20th of the same month, in Spanish Town, and his sorrowing widow had to return alone to her former home. Mr. Shoveller, a well-known and excellent minister, was sent out to take charge of Mr. Coultart's church in Kingston. He entered on his work with much ardour, preached to crowded congregations, added many to the church by baptism, and formed extensive plans for future usefulness; but he also was smitten with fever, and before the end of the year death terminated his labours. Notwithstanding these trials, the Mission wonderfully prospered. Thousands flocked to the sanctuary to hear the messages of mercy. “Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows ?" was the joyful exclamation of the Church of God. Zion had to lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes-to break forth on the right hand and on the left, because of the success of her children. Many a poor slave found a friend in Jesus, and was enabled to rejoice in that freedom which He alone can give. in a most delightfully melancholy spot, under the wide-spreading branches of the tamarind tree, they were deposited, awaiting the glories of the resurrection morn." Her grave is no longer a solitary one. It is surrounded with those containing the remains of the dear children of brethren who have been permitted to enter into the labours of the beloved Burchell. CHAPTER III. "A little while, along thy saddening plains, CAMPBELL. THE gospel of Christ and slavery could not exist together. It was seen and felt both by friends and foes, that the one must destroy the other. The Baptist missionaries (as well as those of all other societies) were strictly forbidden by the Committee in England to make any reference to the right of the slaves to liberty, or to say a word calculated to make them discontented with their hard lot, and were directed to inculcate the duty of submission to their masters, and patience under their sufferings. To this charge they were conscientiously faithful. Often, however, were they compelled to force back the indignation which struggled for utterance, when cases of injustice and cruelty were brought before them by their people; and the tear of sympathy or the look of displeasure often told what words were not suffered to express. It was well understood that they hated slavery, and were the friends of the slave. They were, therefore, feared and detested by the oppressor, and loved and trusted by the oppressed. Their own countrymen maligned, cursed, insulted, and opposed them. They would have silenced or driven them from the island, but they lacked the power. Their wrath, however, was poured out without measure on the slaves who had embraced the gospel. Terrible tales of suffering are handed down to us. Could they all be collected, they would form another "Book of Martyrs." For no other crimes than those of praying to God, and telling one another of his wondrous love to man, without regard to his colour or condition, they were imprisoned in horrible dungeons, worked in chains, cruelly flogged, and tortured even to death. It must not, however, be supposed that all the slaveholders were persecutors of the missionaries, or that the whole of the white population were opposed to emancipation. On the contrary, many proprietors welcomed the missionaries to their estates, and liberally aided them in their work; not a few individuals who possessed slaves were themselves brought under the power of the gospel, sought the salvation of their bondmen, and stood firmly by the missionary's side in times of trial and danger. There were also some who emancipated their slaves, and many more who sighed and cried for the abominations that were done in the land, longing and praying for the time when slavery should be destroyed. Many slaves heard from their overseers and masters bitter curses against the missionaries, whose object they declared was to get up a war for freedom, threatening that if it were attempted they and their flocks should be involved in an indiscriminate slaughter; and thus, no doubt, some slaves were led to entertain the idea of obtaining their liberty by force. There was, however, one of them who had often listened to conversations such as these at his master's table, and who, though he was too well acquainted with the Bible to believe that it would be right to do evil that good may come, yet felt that he ought to be free. The gospel had taught him this, and he had also by |