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An evangelical pastor has been established in this commune, at whose house we were located, and with whom we visited all whom we could meet with at their respective homes. To my great joy, I found the Bible or the New Testament in every house we called at, and I am convinced that these copies of the sacred volume are not kept shut, for they all bore marks of frequent use. I was also assured that this was every where the case, with the exception of a few solitary families, where the Curé still exercises a little influence. Thus nearly the whole of an extensive commune is to be seen, in which, thanks to the colportage, the Holy Scriptures are in the hands of the inhabitants, and nearly of all of them; and where, scarcely two years ago, none of them, without exception, knew what the Bible was. Such a result will doubtless fill you with gratitude and wonder, and will yield some amends to your society for the heavy sacrifices which it makes in behalf of France; and when you gather, from what I now write, that the fruits of reading the sacred volume are rich and numerous in this locality, you will unite with me in blessing the Lord for the encouragements which he is pleased to grant us. A young woman, the daughter of an affluent farmer, addressed us to the following effect: "Oh, gentlemen, how sweet is the gospel! The more I read in the New Testament, and the more I understand it, and the more I hear of it, the more consolation and comfort does it yield to my heart." Persons of both sexes, and nearly of every age, thanked us, in the most affecting manner, for having sent them, in the first instance, a colporteur,

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In continuing our journey our colporteur related a fact which afforded me particular pleasure. "Do you see that pretty spot a little lower down?" asked he. "Well," he continued, "we have a number of good friends there; but the manner in which we acquired them is well worth noticing. When I first visited the village, I met with but a cold reception. I succeeded, however, in selling one New Testament to a female; and the following are the adventures which I was afterwards told my little volume experienced. The woman who had bought it of me showed it to the Curé, who forbade her reading it, telling her, at the same time, that it was only fit for being cut up. On this assurance she gave it into the hands of her little girl, together with a pair of scissors, to be cut to pieces for her amusement. The child immediately fell to work, and in a very short time destroyed seven or eight pages, when she became tired of the monotonous employment. The following day, having occasion to visit a sick neighbour, who was confined to her bed, the Ichild took with her the mutilated Testament, intending to cut out some new devices during her stay. The invalid happened carelessly to take up the book of her little visitor, cast her eyes on the first page that presented itself to her, and was perfectly astonished at what she found there. In short, the more she read, the more she became interested in its contents; so that, at last, she determined, if possible, to obtain possession of what still remained of the volume. This was soon effected, to the satisfaction of both parties, by her making the child a more agreeable present. From that moment she could find no pleasure but in reading the New Testament. The Lord was pleased to touch her heart; the truths of salvation were revealed to her; and she became a missionary among the neighbours around her. A quick search was made after the colporteur, who was soon found, and a goodly number of perfect copies of the sacred volume were purchased of him; and from this small beginning has resulted a movement which is obtaining daily more consistency, and by which many soul's are being led to the foot of the Saviour's cross."Bible Society's Extracts.

VOL. XXV.

MISSIONARY MAGAZINE

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BURNING OF PHILIPTON CHAPEL, KAT RIVER.-Vide page 610.

SOUTH AFRICA.

EFFECTS OF THE CAFFRE WAR IN THE KAT RIVER

SETTLEMENT.

WHILE, with devout gratitude, we acknowledge the preservation of the lives of our Missionary brethren and their families during the recent hostilities between the Caffres and the Colonists, it is deeply painful to contemplate the effects of that calamitous event on many of our Mission Stations. The Kat River Settlement, from its proximity to the invaded frontier, has more especially suffered under the scourge of war; and the losses sustained by the industrious inhabitants in cattle and other property-the fruits of their laudable exertions for nearly twenty years—are deplorable in the extreme. Our venerable brother, Mr. Read, and his son, have also largely shared in the general losses; but they count all their trials as nothing compared with the derangement of their christian labours and the almost irreparable injuries inflicted on the Mission. Amongst these, they have had to record the destruction by fire of the place of worship at Philipton. This lamentable deed was probably perpetrated by the Caffres in the rage of indiscriminate revenge against the Colony and its defenders, but in no instance during the war have they committed an act more ungenerous and inexcusable. The details will be found, with other statements as to the destructive consequences of the war, in the following communication from Mr. Read :—

"WHEN I Wrote last (he states), our chapel had not been burnt; and, as it had stood so long, we trusted it would be spared; but our hopes were vain. In the beginning of the war, four or five houses on the Station were burnt down; and then a time ensued, during which all was left uninjured. But two days before the chapel was burnt, one of the best houses was fired and consumed. We then began to fear; and I requested that a party of soldiers might be sent to protect it. This was kindly conceded, and the men were despatched, and only arrived a day too late. In the night a great light was seen by the guards in the direction of Philipton, (p. 609), and fears for our chapel were immediately entertained. It was too soon discovered that our apprehensions were well grounded. It was found to be in ashes. This was felt as a crowning calamity. The sorrow of many was unbounded. They said that all other losses were as nothing compared with the loss of the house of God. There was general wailing and dismay.

"The first part of our now ruined sanctuary was built a year after we came to Kat River. It had been the birth-place of many. It was a Bethel indeed. The whole place would no doubt have been burnt down, but thirty men were sent to protect it. The reason the Caffres assign for burning the chapels and missionhouses in Caffreland is, lest the English should make military posts of them. This could not be the reason for burning our place of worship; but we suspect it was done by some strange wandering Caffres from a feeling of revenge, several having been shot a few days before near the place in an attempt to drive some cattle from the Colony.

"We have reason to be very thankful for many mercies in this war. Our circumstances, it is true, have been painful in the extreme. We have had to witness

again the ruin of our people; their places abandoned; their gardens, orchards, and fields laid waste; in many cases their houses burnt, or otherwise demolished; their live-stock, either taken by the enemy, or dead from want of grass; the men taken from their homes, and daily doing military duty as Burghers, without pay, for eleven months. My son and myself have lost our little all in live-stockhorses, cows, and nearly all the sheep we had; and other property. Our people have been obliged to live in miserable huts-5000 persons, men, women, and children-on which account sickness and death have raged; and we have followed many to the grave. We are under great obligations to the Commanding Officer at this Post, for his attention to us and our families, and his impartial behaviour to the people of the Settlement. We have had free access to our people. We have lived in the midst of them. Daily preaching has been kept up, and I have almost every Lord's Day, for some time, preached to the English Soldiers. Thus, while the Caffreland Missionaries have been separated from their flocks altogether, we have been thrown in the midst of ours; and although our ministry has not been crowned with success as formerly, and as we could have wished, we trust our presence and influence have not been unimportant.

"With the 5000 individuals concentrated at this Post, there were about 12,000 head of cattle. We were surrounded by Caffres day and night. Being in the immediate neighbourhood of the Amatola Mountains, where the great body of Caffres lay, not a horse nor head of cattle could be out of sight for a moment without falling into their hands. In this way, they plundered us of vast numbers, though never attempting to make an open attack but once, and then they were repulsed with considerable loss. The loss of cattle, however, was owing not so much to the Caffres, as to the want of grass, so many being collected in one place. A severe drought followed, and then the cattle died by hundreds, yea, by thousands. The losses of our people are estimated at about £30,000, exclusive of those involved in the failure of the last harvest, amounting, perhaps, to £10,000 or £12,000 more; and the large sacrifices of daily earnings by the woodcutters, sawyers, smiths, carpenters, wheelwrights, &c., &c., in consequence of their time being employed in military service and other employments arising out of the war.

"The Hottentots are considered the best force against the Caffres, and they feel their superiority. They are very bold, and understand thoroughly the mode of warfare to be observed. Government ought to feel the importance of the Missionary Stations, which in successive wars have supplied an immediate force to oppose and subdue the enemy. The men of Zuurbraak, Bethelsdorp, Pacaltsdorp, Avontuur, Dysalsdorp, Hankey, Theopolis, Kat River, and the Bushmen Station, all belonging to our Society, have cheerfully come forward to assist Government in this war. Many have also gone from the congregations of Uitenhage, Port Elizabeth, Graham's Town, Somerset, Graaff Reinet, Cradock, and Colesberg.

"The value of the service rendered by our people is now fully appreciated. 1000 men were immediately under arms at the breaking out of the war, and effectually prevented the inroad of the Caffres to the Colony through this part of the country, so that the farmers of the important district of Winterberg and the Konap attribute their safety to the activity and valour of the Hottentots of this Settlement. Had it not been for the severe drought, and the necessity of supplying contingencies for actual service in the field, they would have saved the greater part of their property.

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"It has been no small grief to us to see our Hottentots employed in such a service; but there was no alternative. Their conduct for loyalty and bravery has been highly commended. The Kat River Legion was really renowned. This, on the one hand, was gratifying, but the moral effect of their being thus engaged has, on the other, been most injurious to religion. Such was the state of confusion into which we were thrown, that the public means of grace were greatly neglected, and we were obliged to suspend the administration of the Lord's Supper, and exercise discipline. This has had a beneficial effect with many, so that we have commenced our regular services again. The means of grace are better attended, and we have had seasons, we trust, of the special presence of the Lord. The first time we administered the Lord's Supper after ten months was a day long to be remembered. We could only compare it to the scene of Ezra's reading the Law. The people shed tears, and some wept aloud. Notwithstanding this, we fear the bad effect of the war, in a religious view, will be long felt; and we need the sympathy and earnest prayers of our friends in England.".

PORT ELIZABETH.-ABANDONMENT OF AN OUT-STATION. ONE of the interesting outposts connected with our Mission at Port Elizabeth has also been laid waste by the Caffre war. It was a sphere of labour in which the Divine presence had been signally manifested, and where the fruits of righteousness abounded. But the enemy came, the alarmed inhabitants fled for their lives before the arms of their barbarous invaders, and they have exchanged the peaceful and comfortable homes they so lately enjoyed for a state of the utmost distress and destitution. Our brother, Mr. Robson, writing in July last, thus relates the circumstances of this painful case :

THE out-stations are broken up, and many of the female converts have fled to this place for safety; the men being employed by Government. The interesting station at Congo's Kraal is desolate, and without an inhabitant. I visited the place last Christmas, though labouring under the influenza, and had no reason to regret the time I spent there. I received four members into the church, baptized four children, married six couples, preached, and administered the Lord's Supper. I trust the Lord was with us, preparing our minds to meet the coming trials.

On approaching the place on Christmas Eve, I heard the praises of Jehovah proceeding with animation from almost every house, and the night being calm and quiet, the melody could be heard at a distance. Early next morning, at dawn of day, the people assembled for praise and prayer; after which, I met the members of the Church, and had sweet communion with them. The people came far to hear the Gospel, and many a cheerful salutation and hearty shake of the hand I received.

The church during divine service was crowded to excess, and many surrounded its walls, listening to the Word of Life, who could not obtain admission. The men sat on forms that were placed against the walls, and the women were packed together on mats upon the floor. The deepest and most breathless stillness pervaded the assembly, and the big silent tear, stealing down the tawny cheek, bespoke the feelings of the heart. The Lord was indeed with us. I preached from Isaiah ix. 6, 7; and little thought that the place and neighbourhood were so soon to be thrown into confusion by the ills of war. After hostilities began, I suffered much from anxiety about the people, many of whom, chiefly females, had no means of bringing their few articles of property with them. They at last arrived with their children in safety, having left nearly all they possessed behind them. Though I have often seen smoke arise in the neighbourhood, their houses are not yet burnt. I feel much for the people, for their privations are great. The Lord send peace!

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