WHEN intelligence of the persecution in Jamaica reached England, the deepest solicitude was felt by the whole Christian church. Special prayer-meetings were held throughout the kingiom, on behalf of the missionaries and their coLTETA Mr. Kaito arrived in the begin ning of June, 1852, and received a cordial welcome from the friends of the slaves. On the 21st of the same month he appeared on the platform of Spafields Chapel, at the Annual Meeting of the Baptist Missionary Society. He thrilled the vast assembly with the narrative of the persecutions which he himself and his brethren had endured, and the more terrible sufferings of the Christian slaves, and declared it to be his solemn conviction "that the Society's Mission could no longer exist in Jamaica without the entire and immediate abolition of slavery." "He had received a previous intimation," says Dr. Cox, "from the Secretary of the Society, to be moderate in the expression of his indignation, but he manfully declared that he could not restrain himself from speaking the truth." The Christians of Jamaica, he said, had always been quiet, and never had he there expressed an opinion on slavery, nor would he now have spoken, but that their

persecutions had taken from them their religious privileges. But amidst all their wrongs and sufferings, the piety and affection of the Christian slaves had supported the missionaries, and they confidently anticipated spending an eternity with them where none could offer molestation.

He had for nearly eight years trod the burning soil of that island. Often had the brethren at home been gratified with the tidings of success, but all this had now passed away, and they hung their harps on the willows. Axes and hammers had demolished their chapels; a Colonial Church Union had been formed, the ministers were threatened with destruction; and infidels, clergymen, and magistrates had combined to banish Christianity from the island. He could assure the meeting that slaves would never be permitted to worship God till slavery had been abolished. At that instant the secretary, apprehensive of his committing the interests of the Society, considered merely in its religious aspects, pulled the speaker by the coat. It was a solemn moment, and the man was made for it. He paused, gave a lightning glance at the awful atrocities of the past, the glorious possibilities of the future, the grandeur of his own responsibilities, standing on the brink of immortal fame or disgrace; then concentrating all his energies of thought, feeling and voice, he exclaimed:" Whatever may be the consequence, I will speak. At the risk of my connection with the Society, and all I hold dear, I will avow this, and if the friends of missions will not hear me, I will turn and tell it to my God, nor will I desist till this, the greatest of curses-slavery-is removed." The enthusiasm of the meeting was raised to the highest pitch, and the result was decisive of the downfall of slavery. An excitement was created which nothing could suppress, and Dr. John

Campbell declared that that gut would be selebraset for hundreds of years to come as the commenrement of a new era in the moral history of the wond Suonly after this Mr. Kabb was summoned to appear before committees of the Houses of Lords and Commons, to be examined on the subject of Couorial Savery. His examination lasted from the 15th to the 29th of July.

His evidence is said to have been complete and unassailable, and to have contrionted largely to the impression that slavery must be forowite woolisted

Large meetings in different parts of the country were likewise held to Heten to Mr. Kai's statements and appeals. In September Mr. Burttel arrived frota America, and writing to his brother he said, “My health seems perfectly restored, so that I hope to render some assistance in advocating the cause of our much calumniated mission, in clearing from reproach the memory of our poor murdered people in Jamaica, and in pleading the cause of those who survive, but who are still the victims of savage oppression and persecution I have no wish for revenge, as I cheerfully forgive my bitterest and most cruel foes for all they have done to me, but the iniquitous system of slavery must be overturned and abolished, and my utmost exertions shall be contributed to hasten the accomplishment of this great object."

It was in this spirit that these two noble men, Burchell and Knibb, resolved to consecrate themselves to the holy cause of the abolition of slavery throughout the British dominions.

Mr. Burchell visited Scotland, and in many of its principal towns told his thrilling tale of missionary successes and suffering. Afterwards he and Mr. Knibb traversed England from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Land's End, with surprising rapidity, and with indomitable zeal.

Mr. Knibb was especially called upon to vindicate himself and brethren from the attacks and calumnies of the West India party, preferred through their hired advocate, Mr. Borthwick, which he did with triumphant success. He also visited Scotland while Mr. Burchell was engaged in various parts of England pleading the cause of the slave. Long will it be remembered with what wondrous energy and sanctified passion they literally stormed the hearts of their countrymen, until they aroused them to demand the total abolition of slavery in the British Colonies.

For many years Clarkson, Wilberforce, Buxton, and a host of devoted men, of all sections of the Christian Church, had been instant, in season and out of season, in their efforts to induce the government and people of England to do justice to the oppressed children of Africa. But now the set time for the accomplishment of their object had come. The political party, which a quarter of a century before had abolished the slave trade, was again in power; a reformed Parliament was returned, the members of which, for the most part, were pledged to emancipation. The Christian Church was aroused to action by the events which had occurred in Jamaica, and by the burning eloquence of Knibb, and other missionaries, who had been witnesses of the negroes' sufferings. The people at large were appealed to by their sense of justice, and their love of liberty; and the tide of public feeling in favour of emancipation rolled on daily, acquiring new strength until it became like a resistless torrent, and petitions from all parts of the country, and from all classes of men, were poured into the Houses of Lords and Commons, praying with an importunity that would take no denial, for the total and immediate abolition of slavery.

In the middle of May, 1833, Mr. Stanley (now the

Earl of Derby), Secretary of State for the Colonies, introduced into the House of Commons An Act for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Colonies, for promoting the industry of the emancipated elares, and for compensating the persons Eitherto entitled to their services." It gave satisfaction, however, to neither the advocates nor the opponents of emancipation. The West India party opposed it because they alleged that it robbed them of their property, although the government, to secure them from ios, proposed to advance them £15,000,000 sterling, to be repaid out of a portion of the negroes' earnings; the regimes themse.res to be held as apprentices for twelve years three-faria of their time to be employed for their masters, and onefourth only to be their own, for which they would receive wages.

The anti-slavery party, on the other hand, contended that it would be the height of injustice to compel the slaves to pay for their own freedom, that the haveholders had no right to compensation, that the appren ticeship would be nothing better than slavery under another name, and that the negroes should at once be placed in full possession of full and perfect liberty,

Space would fail if we attempted to detail the efforts of the friends of the slaves to free the Abolition Bill from its objectionable appendages. They, at length, succeeded in inducing the Government to shorten the apprenticeship to six years, and to insert a clause in the Bill to secure to the apprenticed negroes the full use of the Christian Sabbath, and liberty to attend any place of worship they chose without any denial or interruption whatever. To meet the requirements of the slave-owners, and to secure their co-operation in carrying out the abolition, the Government changed the loan of £15,000,000 into a grant of £20,000,000.