liberality of the ladies in the Connexion the number of things sent far exceeded our expectations. The sale will take place about the middle of October, and if any of our readers can send a few articles suitable for the poor, we are desired to state they will be found very saleable. All communications to be addressed to Mrs. Wake, Jersey Cottage, Cheltenham. SION CHAPEL, LONDON. SUNDAY AND BRITISH SCHOOLS.-On Sunday, October 12th, two Sermons will be preached on behalf of the above schools, in the morning by the Rev. J. Thomas, B.A., minister of the chapel; in the evening by the Rev. J. C. Hine, of Park chapel, Sydenham. Appropriate hymns will be sung by the children. On Thursday, October 9th, the annual meeting and the old teachers and scholars' meeting will be held, when several ministers and friends will address the meeting. LONDON. AUTUMNAL LONDON DISTRICT.-The next District Meeting of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion will be held at Canterbury, on Wednesday, October 8th, when the Rev. T. E. Thoresby, of London, is expected to preach. All ministers and managers of chapels_are respectfully invited to attend, and to communicate with the Rev. J. G. Carpenter as early as possible. WESTERN AFRICA. BOMPEY, Sherbro Country. Our excellent and zealous missionary, who resides at Bompey, seems to be indefatigable in his efforts to promote the spiritual good of the poor and degraded African people among whom he is placed. And we cannot doubt that the Lord will own his labours by the conversion of many of his countrymen, so that, instead of worshipping dumb idols, they shall be brought to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall "crown him Lord of all." In the reports which he has forwarded to the missionary Committee, he has given very affecting accounts of the benighted condition of the inhabitants of the Sherbro country. He has also furnished some encouraging statements, relating to the intimations he has had of the Lord having been with him and his colleague in their work, and their reasons for believing that they have not laboured altogether in vain in that dark and distant land. NATIVE FUNERALS. One day, when returning to Bompey from a distance, he states that, as he approached the entrance to the town, he saw a great multitude of people crying and making most pitiful lamentation. Being aware of the heathenish customs which were common on such occasions as had brought them together, he says, when he saw the assembly his heart melted within him, and he appears to have felt something like the Psalmist when he exclaimed "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they kept not thy law." At Bompey there is a separate burial ground, which is not the case in many towns of that part of Africa, and as he drew near to it, he found that there were three corpses ready to be laid in graves. At the interment of two of them he was requested to perform a religious service, which he did the same afternoon. But the third body was kept until the following day, that the idolatrous ceremonies of the country might be observed over it. During the whole of the night the people continued making most frightful noises, which were followed by the heathenish customs of dancing the Purrah, and what is called Bordon, accompanied by violent shouting and frequent firing of guns. Similar superstitious practices were carried on for some days, and then the clamorous multitude made their way to the river, and embarking in their canoes, departed to their different places of abode. DELIVERANCE IN TIME OF Danger. As the assistant Preacher, who had visited Bompey to conduct Divine service, and who had to return to a neighbouring town, was going up the Bandasumer river in a small canoe, accompanied by some of the boys belonging to the school, they perceived a large alligator which appeared to be making towards them, they therefore paddled as fast as they could to endeavour to get on shore, which they succeeded in doing before the mighty monster reached them. The Preacher advised the boys who were to take the canoe back to tarry all night and return to Bompey the next morning, lest the alligator should attack them in their passage down the river. One of the boys, whose name is Moses, replied "No Sir, we need not stay, God will protect us; for we do not want to be absent from school to-morrow." They therefore returned the same evening, but either the same or another alligator pursued them on their way. They were greatly alarmed, for only the previous week a man who was conducting a timber raft had been killed by one of those animals. Moses, however, endeavoured to comfort the other boys by saying "Fear not, God will protect us. We are now his children, for we belong to the school, and He will not let the alligator harm us." Making good use of their paddles they therefore pursued their way, cheered each other by singing a hymn, the alligater disappeared, and they arrived in safety at their place of destination. INDICATIONS OF USEFULNESS. In a recent communication from Bompey our missionary states, "I am happy to give you some account respecting the advancement of the cause of God at this station. It appears as if the Lord is about to work upon the hearts of the people here, for they are more concerned about the truths contained in the word of God. The natives generally attend the chapel before the hour of service. They are pleased when they hear the bell ring, and you may see them immediately hastening to the chapel. Sometimes they come and ask me when the service will begin, and seem eager to attend the house of God. When preaching to them I find them very attentive, and some will come to my house afterwards that I may converse with them. I have always a good congregation, but there are generally more females present The people are mostly very poor, and some who wish to attend the chapel cannot for want of clothes. A woman who has lately come to reside at Bompey attends the services regularly. One sabbath day when I was preaching from Isaiah xlv. 20, 22, she seemed to be very much affected, and shed tears. After the sermon she said to some of her friends, "I never heard such words as these before they are very sweet to me." "From this day," she said, "I than men. will always endeavour to come that I may hear more." At another time when preaching from Isaiah i. 11, I was much encouraged by the remarkable attention of the people, and by the pleasure which, from their countenances, they appeared to feel, especially when I spoke of the invitation in the 18th verse "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' After the sermon was concluded, an old woman, addressing some of her friends, said, in her native tongue, "I am much thankful that the Lord does not require any sacrifice from us! What more do we want, for the minister tells us that God only requires the heart?" We hope to give the concluding part of this interesting report in our next number. BEQUESTS TO LADY HUNTINGDON'S CONNEXION. We have been applied to by some of our friends to insert in our magazine a form, by which property may be bequeathed to any of the Institutions belonging to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. We most readily comply with this request, and assure our friends who may be thus inclined to aid us in our several benevolent objects, that their property will be faithfully applied to the purposes for which it is intended. Form of Bequest to either of the following Societies belonging to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. I give and bequeath to the Treasurer, for the time being, of the Countess of Huntingdon's Missionary Society for the spread of the gospel at home and abroad, the sum of £- ; to the Countess of Huntingdon's College, at Cheshunt, the sum of £; to the Countess of Huntingdon's Provident Fund, for assisting aged and infirm ministers, the sum of £- -; the Countess of Huntingdon's Educational Society for assisting poor ministers in educating their children, the sum of £; the Countess of Huntingdon's Scripture Readers Society in Ireland, the sum of £; to be paid within six months after my decease, free of legacy duty, out of such of my personal estate as shall not consist of chattels real, upon Trust to be applied to the use of the said Society. In Aid of the Countess of Huntingdon's Missionary Society during the month. NOTICE TO OUR READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. Communications during the month have been received from the Revds. J. Thomas, B.A.-G. Jones-J. C. Wallace-E. S. Hart, M.A.-H. Rogers-B. S. Hollis, and Mr. Harris. We have been obliged, for the want of space, to omit several communications, but shall hope next month to furnish our readers with an interesting statement respecting the new Church in the Connexion, at Sandown, Isle of Wight; and also an account of the farewell services recently held at Maidstone; a brief memoir also of Mrs. Putney, teacher in Sion Chapel School, London— also of Mr. Potter, an aged member at the same place, we are compelled to postpone. We especially invite our ministers to favor us with information suitable to our pages. It is cheering for one congregation to hear what of interest is transpiring in connection with another. All letters to be addressed to the Rev. A. H. New, Leamington; Advertisements to Mr. Allgood, 47, Broad Street, Worcester. Ministers supplying during the month of October.-Malvern: 2nd and 5th, Rev. J. Wood, of London; 9th and 12th, Rev. T. Roberts, of Gloucester; 16th, 19th, 23rd and 26th, Rev. G. Jones, of Tunbridge Wells; 30th, Rev. T. Noyes, of Bath. Maidstone, for the month, Rev. G. L. Smith, late of Sion chapel, London. THE HARBINGER. NOVEMBER, 1856. MEMOIR OF THE REV. SCIPIO ROBERTSON WRIGHT, OF AFRICA. SCIPIO ROBERTSON WRIGHT was the son of Moses Wright, an original Nova Scotian, who arrived in this colony from Nova Scotia on its first Settlement in March, 1792. Scipio was born in Freetown, about October in the year 1808. In early life he received a plain education of reading and writing, but nothing to distinguish him as a man of literature: not having rich friends, he was prevented receiving a higher education, such as was then imparted to others of better means in the colony. In his boyhood he was gay, thoughtless, and giddy; his mind, however, became seriously impressed with religion in the year 1828, and decided for Christ, amidst the scoffings and mockings of his young companions. His first awakening to pray was on account of the death of his eldest brother, Samuel, whom he loved greatly. Afterwards he dreamt a dream, in which he thought he saw a man who sent for him to judgment, and on proceeding he thought another person pleaded for him to be left to take care of the family, so he awoke and found that it was a dream. This worthy servant of Christ was once wonderfully delivered from slavery. When a boy, on being sent to schoool, he ran away from his parents, and proceeded up the country; after being there for awhile with some friends, he was kidnapped by a Madingo, who sold him as a slave. He travelled very far into the interior of the Madingo country, with a load on his head, with his new master. He went so far that he declared he heard the roaring of lions, and there saw mountains of iron rocks. As they stopped on their journey, he providentially met with a female friend, Chloe Moore by name, an old Nova Scotian, who knew him, and expressed much surprise at meeting him so far into the country. On being questioned how he came so far, he was at a loss to give an account of his journey, being then ignorant of his situation. The woman, on making further inquiry from those who accompanied him, then learnt that he was sold as a slave by a Madingo. They refused to give him up until the full value of redemption money was paid back to the parties; and this she did not hesitate to pay. Thus was this servant of Christ wonderfully and miraculously delivered from bondage. How wonderful are the ways of Providence! During Mr. Wright's absence, his friends, not being able to account for his long and unusual stay from home, gave him up for dead, and went into mourning many months; but he was again restored to his friends, safe and sound. Shortly after his conversion, the elders of the church of Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, which he had joined, perceiving the grace of God in him, his zeal, and close attachment to the house of God, his serious and christian deportment, appointed him an exhorter. He at first shrunk from undertaking the duty; he gave himself to prayer and the study of the bible; and after many entreaties, consented to undertake the office. The satisfaction and the blessing which attended his labours gave full proof to all that he was called by God to the ministry; and he was therefore promoted to a local preacher, in which office he continued till his death, steadfast without wavering, travelling on foot to the out-stations in the villages, 21 miles apart, without receiving a fraction of salary. He gained the affection of all who knew or heard him preach, so much so that inquiries would be always made where he would preach next, even by those who belonged to other societies. Old Mr. Ellis, the first pastor of the church, was so much delighted with this young disciple, that he further appointed him to be secretary of the Connexion and a class leader, the duties of which he gratuitously performed with great satisfaction. On the death of Mr. Ellis, he gained throughout the Connexion the name of a true, zealous, and devoted servant of God, and would undertake important missions in the villages and in the neighbouring heathen countries. In the year 1851, he was the second preacher in the Connexion, and next to the Rev. A. Elliott, who could not discharge any duty of importance without him. In the year 1852 the friends of Lady Huntingdon's Connexion in England requested that two persons of good character should be sent to England, one to be trained as a preacher, and the other as a schoolmaster. Mr. Wright was unanimously chosen by the whole Society to fill the office of a regular minister, and he willingly consented, and with the young man John Williams embarked for the mother country, on board the merchant barque "Margaret," Captain Locke, on the 21st April, 1852, accompanied to the place of embarkation by numerous friends from Freetown and the villages. Scarcely had they left the land, before they perceived that the vessel had lost her rudder, when loading with timber up the river. The captain was intreated to return, but he would not; he made a temporary rudder of spars, which however could not keep the vessel in a proper direction. After being beaten about for many days, they encountered a heavy gale, which blew the sails of the vessel into ribbands; and their provisions, being only for thirty days, were by this time almost exhausted, and obliged them to be put on stated allowance. A collier very providentially hove in sight, to which they made a signal of distress, and hav |