Great attention has been paid to education, and with the usual success. Many of the adult slaves have learned to read, and there is a general desire for education. The societies, which, some time ago, had in some degree diminished, are increasing. 24 St. Eustatius, P. French. Numbers-Whites 8; Blacks 274.

A strong desire for acquaintance with the Scriptures, and a disposition to hear the word, at present prevail throughout the island.

25 Nevis, 1789.-J. Bace, J. Marshall. Numbers-Whites 18; Blacks 977. This island has now its full supply of Missionaries. The declension in the Society, arising from the want of Missionaries, has been arrested; and the work is extending to every part of the island; some districts of which were not till lately visited.

26 St. Bartholomew's, 1797.-Daniel Hillier. Numbers-Whites 12; Blacks 338.

A Missionary Society has been lately formed in this island, which promises to send a considerable sum annually to the Mission. They have experienced there the value of the gospel, and have liberally contributed to send it to others. Several of the leading persons in the island are among the subscribers.

27 Tortola and the Virgin Islands, James Whitworth, George Jackson. Another to be sent. Numbers-Whites 64; Blacks 1679.

Education is much attended to. Upwards of 120 children are taught on Sundays. A considerable number of Negroes, liberated from slave-ships, who were landed at Tortola, have received religious instruction. The societies are in a good state, and the Sunday school on the increase.

28 Dominica. Numbers-Whites 4; Blacks 638.

In two successive years, the Missionaries appointed to Dominica have been called away by death, and the people left as sheep without a shepherd. Mr. D. Jones, appointed to that station, also died lately at Antigua, and it is at present vacant.

His Excellency Governor Maxwell, who distinguished himself, while Governor of Sierra Leone, by his benevolence, grants here also his countenance and support to the attempts to benefit the population under his authority.

29 Anguilla, J. Hodge. Numbers-Whites 9; Blacks 160.

A prosperous society has been raised up at this place, by the exertions of Mr. Hodge; who has extended his labours to the neighbouring French island of St.

Martin.

30 St. Vincent, J. Mortier, S. Swinyard, S. Brown, W. Ames. NumbersWhites 10; Blacks 2585.

31 Tobago, J. Rayner. Numbers-Whites 10; Blacks 140.

This is a new and hopeful Mission.

32 Barbadoes, M. Raynar. Numbers-Whites 10; Blacks 44.

This Mission has been revived after a considerable suspension. A new chapel has been begun, towards the erection of which a very handsome subscription has been made. In the list of subscribers are the names of some of the principal persons in the island.

33 Grenada, W. Shrewsbury, W. Goy.

At the request of a principal person, and proprietor of slaves in this island, an additional Missionary was lately appointed. Beside St. George's, the Missionaries visit not less than sixteen estates; and by catechising, reading the Scriptures, and preaching, have already produced a favourable change in the views and habits of many of the before neglected Negroes. A new and larger chapel in the town of St. George is now erecting.

34 Trinidad, S. P. Woolley. Numbers-Whites 7; Blacks 241. Opposition to Missionary efforts in this island has considerably counteracted their success; and we regret to state that several injurious restrictions still continue. 35 Demerara, G. Bellamy, M. M. Thackrah. Numbers—Blacks 1170.

A Missionary Society has been formed, in aid of the General Fund, which soon promised upwards of 1001, per annum. Several of the slaves subscribe. When one of the Missionaries asked them whether they could afford to give any thing, they replied, "Sir, we ought, of all persons, to help our poor fellow-creatures. Once we had not the gospel; but the people of England have sent it to us, and we ought to help in sending it all over the world." A female slave said, "God has given it to me, and his gospel besides; and, as it is my own, I have a right to give it to help to carry de gospel to my fellow-creatures; for I sure de gospel have done much for my soul, and I wish all de world to feel de same.'

Mahaica, a new station, was lately visited, and a society of 40 members has been

formed. A chapel has also been erected in this place; where, before the visits of the Missionaries, the inhabitants were involved in vice and ignorance.

JAMAICA. 1791.-36 Kingston, G. Johnstone, O. Adams. 37 Spanish Town,
W. Binning. 38 Morant Bay, W Ratcliffe, J. Hartley. 39 Grateful Hill,
J. Underhill. 40 Falmouth and Montego Bay, J. Shipman, John Hudson.
41 Port Antonio, J. Horne.

The work rapidly advances, both where societies have been long formed, and in new places, to which the Missionaries have been invited to extend their labours. The increase of members of society in Jamaica for the last two years is 1028. An additional new chapel is erecting in the town of Kingston; and the Mission, generally, is establishing itself in the good opinion of many, who formerly, under mistaken views, were unfriendly to it.

BAHAMAS, 1800.-42 New Providence, R. Moore. 43 Eleuthera, J. Turtle. 44 Harbour Island, W. Wilson. 45 Abaco, J. Davis. Numbers-Whites 539; Blacks 317.

A Missionary Society has been formed in aid of the general fund. The restrictions imposed by the legislature upon religious assemblies have greatly counteracted the usefulness of the Missionaries, and injured, for the time, the societies. We hope, however, that as one of those acts has been disallowed by the government at home, the remaining restrictions will be speedily abolished.

HAYTI, 1817-46 Port au Prince, J Brown, sen. J. Catts. 47. Cape Henry,
W. W.Harvey, E. Jones.

48 Bermuda, 1799.-W. Sutcliffe. Numbers-Whites 26; Blacks 62.

BRITISH AMERICAN COLONIES.

CANADAS.-49 Quebec, J. Hick. 50 Montreal, R. L. Lusher. 51 Kingston, vacant. 52 Fort Wellington, T. Catterick; J. de Putron, French Missionary. 53 Melburne, R Williams. 54 St. Armands, R. Pope. 55 Bay of Quinte, J. Booth. 56 York, H. Pope.

NOVA SCOTIA AND NEW BRUNSWICK, 1786-57 Halifax, J. Dunbar; W. Black, Supernumerary. 58 Liverpool, W. Crosscombe. 59 Shelburne, J. Knowlan; J. Mann, Supernumerary. 60 Yarmouth, T. Payne. 61 St. Stephen's, D. M'Coll. 62 St. John's, S. Bamford. 63 Fredericton, W. Birt. 64 Annapolis, S. Busby. 65 Cumberland, J. Priestly. 66 Ramshay, G. Miller. 67 Horton and Windsor, W. Bennet, R. Alder. 65 Newport, A. C. Avard. 69 Lunenburg and Petit Riviere, G Orth, German Missionary. 70 St David's, vacant. 71 Charlotte Town, Prince Edward's Islands, J. Fishpool. 72 Tryon and Bedique, John Strong 73 Murray Harbour, vacant.

In the British Colonies of North America, the additional Missionaries who have been appointed, have enabled the District Meetings to enlarge the number of stations, and to supply the want of religious ordinances to many living in situations where they were entirely destitute of them. They have been very gladly received by the inhabitants, and have entered on their work with the best appearances of success. From the late appointment of a Missionary to preach in the French language in Canada, (the language of a large portion of the inhabitants,) the Committee anticipate much good. The ignorance of the Catholic population in that province is truly deplorable They are not only without the Scriptures, but ignorant of their contents, in some instances, even of their most important facts. Mr. De Putron not only preaches in French, but diligently circulates the Scriptures; and has, in many places where he has itinerated, been heard with great attention, and with some

success

NEWFOUNDLAND, 1786.-74 St John's, J. Bell; G. Cubit, Supernumerary. 75 Carbonear, J. Pickavant. 76 Blackhead and Western Bay, J. Walsh. 77 Island Cove, Perlican, and Hants Harbour, T. Hickson. 78 Port de Grave, N. Barr. 79 Harbour Grace, J. Hickson, 80 Bonavista and Catalina, R. Knight. 81 Trinity, W. Ellis; 82 Grand Bank and Fortune Bay, J. Haigh. 83 Burin, J. Lewis.

The increase of the Missionaries in Newfoundland has also been followed by the opening of new places; and religious instruction, and the ordinances of divine worship, have been supplied to many of the coves and harbours in that extensive settlement, which were before but occasionally visited, or wholly destitute of the ministry. The distresses of that island have been very severe. The failure of their fishery, the depression of commerce, and seasons unusually severe, have produced great sufferings among the inhabitants in general; but, in the midst of trouble, they have sought and found relief in the consolations of religion. The spirituality of the societies appears to have advanced, and their numbers have increased.

The total number of Missionary stations, occupied by the Wesleyan Missionary Society, is 81; and the number of Missionaries, exclusive of the four Catechists, employed in Ceylon, 122 Of these, the greater part are employed in the most difficult part of Missionary labour, administering to the Pagans in our West Indian Colonies, in Africa, and India. This extended Missionary Institution is again commended to the consideration and support of the Christian public. Already have effects the most interesting to humanity and piety been realized among the slaves of our Western colonies. Their minds have been enlightened, their morals improved, and their sufferings consequently mitigated; marriage has been introduced, and the hut of the slave raised into a home, where the relations of life are acknowledged, and sobriety, order, neatness, and comfort, exhibited. More than 20,000 negroes and people of colour have been united in the islands, collectively, into religious societies, where they enjoy the constant care, instruction, and superintendance of the Missionaries, and other persons of experience and piety; and from the increasing encouragement of the proprietors and others in the West Indies, there is now reason to expect, that if the work be liberally supported at home, the light and the blessings of Christianity will annually diffuse themselves to a greater extent through the negro population of the West Indies; and that the many thousands who yet remain sealed up in African ignorance, superstition, and vice, will be recovered, and united with their Christian brethren in the enjoyments of the knowledge and felicity of the true religion. Prosperous and extensive as the West India Mission is, it must, however, be considered as still in its infancy, when, probably, considerably more than half a million of slaves remain in their Pagan darkness; and it still therefore depends upon continued zeal and liberality to render it commensurate with so great a want. Equally interesting are the Missions to West and South Africa; though with them, as well as other Christian Missions on that continent, it is yet the day of "smali and feeble things." From the Christian colony of Sierra Leone in the West, and the various Missionary establishments in the South, the improvements of civilization must ultimately be diffused through the various tribes of the now degraded descendants of Ham; but it belongs to Missionary exertions alone to diffuse along with them the knowledge of Christianity, which only can sanctify improvements in the civil condition of Africa, and render them truly beneficial.

With the benighted millions of India, the religious public of our country have sympathized so deeply, that Christian Missions, which are the only means of bringing to an end the "abominable idolatries" of that quarter of the globe, must experience a constant and enlarging support. So many miseries of outward life, as well as spiritual darkness and deprivation, present themselves there; and vices so gross and disgusting are so uniformly seen in the train of the idolatries of our Eastern empire, that whilst those who profess the name of Christ at home retain any concern for the honour of God, and compassion for man, they must feel that a most powerful appeal is made to those principles, in behalf of Missionary exertions, by the disclosures which are constantly making of the real character and effects of Indian superstitions. The Wesleyan Missions in the East form a part of the general Mixsionary system now in operation for accomplishing the great purpose of Christianizing India. Their continental stations are, at present, but two, Madras and Bombay; but they have regarded their Missionary establishment in Ceylon as deriving additional importance from its connexion with the spread of religion in India. The language of the north part of Ceylon is the language of many millions in the maritime provinces of the opposite continent; and as the intercourse is constant, the progress of Christianity in this part of Ceylon will train up the agents for dispensing, in the same tongue, the knowledge of Christ; besides the advantage which the neighbouring coast may derive from the Wesleyan establishment now in progress at Jaffna, for the printing of the Scriptures and other books in the Tamul language.

But Ceylon is, in itself, and independent of any such ultimate effect, of very great importance as a Missionary station. The Paganism of that island, whether Hindu, or Budhu, or mixed, is of the same character as that of India-equally gloomy, oppressive, sanguinary, and demoralizing; with the painful addition of a fact cal culated to rouse the pity and zeal of every Christian, that the numerous natives professing Christianity are, in point of fact, with scarcely any exceptions but those recently recovered by Missionary labours,-not only the worshippers of Budhu and Vishnu, but addicted to the awful system of Devil worship, which there universally prevails. The Missionaries now employed there have organized a most extensive

school establishment, with which the natives most readily concur; and have now under constant tuition, in useful knowledge and Christian principles, near four thousand native children

For the support of these extended exertions this appeal is now made to the public. To provide means for the supply of the Christian ministry to the destitute nations of the world, is one of the special duties which Providence, by affording so many opportunities for it, has devolved upon Christians of the present day. This is their vocation. The conversion of the world is the end to which they are steadily to look; and every exertion by which that great result can be forwarded is now to be regarded as entering into our imperative duties, and as a main branch of the work by which we are" to glorify God." And who is there who can contemplate these cheering prospects, and behold these signs of the Son of Man" accomplishing his purposes of mercy in the recovery of a dark, alienated, and wretched world, without exultation and thankfulness? And who is there who will not give his personal aid to swell the tide of that glorious and successful agency which is now, in so many directions, transmitting blessings to the nations of the earth, which, in their influence, shall be felt through every future period of time, and reach into eternity itself?

DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES.

Messrs. Hume and Allen, appointed for Ceylon, and Mr. Fletcher, appointed for Bombay, took leave of the Committee, on Monday, March 22d, when they were solemly commended to God in prayer. They have since sailed. These three Missionaries had been detained some months in town, for the purpose of being fully qualified to teach on the plan of the British and Foreign School system, which they go out to introduce into all our flourishing Mission-schools on the island of Ceylon, and, as circumstances will admit, into those established by Mr. Horner, at Bombay. The Committee have sent out by them every thing needful to carry the system into full operation; and they are most earnestly recommended to the prayers of the thousands whose hearts ardently desire the instruction and salvation of the rising generation among the heathen.

DAWN of day! thy twilight dress
A mantle seems of holiness,
Dropt by Him who fashion'd earth,
Ere the morning stars had birth;
Ere the womb of shapeless night
Heav'd creation into light.

Dawn of day! how pure to me,
Is all thy fresh-born fragrancy;
Of odours, that from night-fall rise,
A yet untainted sacrifice:

From God's footstool to his throne-
Oh, that I could waft mine own!
Dawn of day! how rapt thy hush,
Of stillness, ere from brake or bush
Beast do rustle, bird take wing,
Or noise of any sarthly thing

Break in upon that holy calm,

Which seems to breathe a heavenly charm.

Sweet, ah sweetest dawn of day!
Like all that's sweet, how brief thy stay:
For now the sun, in beamy spread,
Tips eastern clouds with garish red;
And gathering sounds the ear steal on,
Dawn of day! thy charm is gone.