lency for his condescending permission and cautionary recommendations, and resolved to pay every deference to them. We have, therefore, hired a respectable house in the Fort, and have our preaching at half-past six in the evening; so that the whole service may be concluded, and the soldiers have time to return to the barracks, and answer to their names, when the gun fires at eight o'clock. Last Wednesday, the 1st inst. we opened our place of worship. Brother CLOUGH prayed, and Brother HARVARD preached from Acts viii. 8, "And there was great joy," &c. We suppose nearly two hundred hearers were present; and many went away for want of room. Several backsliders were present, and their frequent tears shewed they felt the remembrance of past joys. May they return, with full purpose of heart, to Him from whom they have deeply revolted. Our new chapel in the Pettah of this place, is in a great state of forwardness, and will, we expect, be roofed in a very few weeks. The carpenters are now laying the floors in our new house; and we hope to take possession of both of them in the name of the Lord, some time about the beginning of March next. Our Sunday School goes on well; we have nearly 300 names in our entrance-book; and with a little help from us, smaller Sunday Schools are establishing in the country places. Our printing-press is fully occupied, and we are in want of another. Believing you will approve of it, we have drawn out an order for Messrs. Fry and Steele, Letter-Founders, for some new printing materials: and the amount of it we beg you will be so kind as discharge By and by we hope our MissionPress will be able to provide for its own wants from its own treasury. At present we are but young beginners, but our press will preach when we have ceased to labour. for us. We must conclude, begging an interest in your prayers, and assuring you we are, Very dear and Rev. Fathers, Your obedient and affectionate W. M. HARVARD. God my health is good, and I feel resign ed to his dispensations. I received a letter lately, from Madras, signed by five serious persons, who appear to experience the power of religion. They have received much light into the doctrines of the Gospel, by reading Messrs. Wesley's and Fletcher's Works, and most earnestly request one of us to visit them: at present, it is not in my power, for want of sufficient help." Extract of a Letter from Mr SHAW, to The Eclipse, in the British Channel, REV. AND DEAR SIR, HAVING had suflicient proofs of your regard (as a Member of the Missionary Coinmittee) for the comfort and improvement of those who engage in preaching "Christ crucified" in heathen lands; and as in the most excellent Address given to us at Queen-Street, Dec. 18, every Missionary was requested to keep a Journal, &c. I take the earliest opportunity of transmitting to you some extracts from mine. "Dec. 19. The brethren, Carver, Callaway, Broadbent, Jackson, and myself, took breakfast at Mr. Benson's, which was the last breakfast we had in London. He had selected a few sermons in his own hand-writing, which he distributed amongst us, as so many marks of his regard for those who are sent "to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ." At half-past one we took coach for Gravesend, and next day went on board the Eclipse, commanded by Captain Burford. The ship net being ready to sail, I and my wife returned to Gravesend. Here our three affectionate friends, Messrs. Wood, Buckley, and Bunting, who had accompanied us thus far, took their leave of us and departed. How many such trials have I lately experienced! especially after preaching my last sermon at Birdlington Quay, when bidding farewel to my aged parents and other relatives, and leaving the dear people of God in the various places where I had laboured; but this last parting with these our friends, who attended us to the ship, brought all those former seasons to my recollection-increased the rising sigh, and rendered more poignant that grief, which a seperation from friends, country, and all that is dear, naturally excites. Of these things I had been told before by those to whom I had spoken my mind, previous to my offering to go abroad as a Missionary; together with all the dangers of the sea, climate, &c. but, I thank God, "none of these things moved me," for, in some measure, I have "counted the cost.". Though I love my parents, my friends, all the people of God, and every circuit where I have laboured; yet I also love the words of Jesus, some of which are, "If any man love father, or mother, &c. more than ine, he is not worthy of me." And if I love the word of Jesus, I shall delight in attending to that word. If I love the Redeemer and his Word, I love those whom he has redeemed: and has he not redeemed the Hottentots? Has he not redeemed the Indians? Yea, has he not, 66 by the grace of God, tasted death for every man?" I believe he has. I believe he has "given himself a ransom for all," and that the will of God, as revealed in the Scriptures, is that the "good news" of salvation should be published "among all nations," "to every creature." And the idea of taking up my residence amongst the dejected sons of Ham; of labouring day and night to teach them the method of salvation; of surmounting trials and difficulties for the sake of those who are ready to perish; of being exposed to hunger and thirst, to cold and heat, and all the hardships of a Missionary warfare, together with the hope of seeing many brought to the “Knowledge of the Truth;" counterbalances every rising sigh; calls me to dry up my flowing tears, to exert my dormant zeal, and to look forward with anxious expectation to the shores of Africa, the place of my destination. It having been published for me to preach at Gravesend this evening, I went at the appointed time, and delivered a sermon to an attentive congregation, perhaps the last that I may preach on the island of Britain. I I know that thousands of holy men of God are daily lifting up their hands in our behalf, and in behalf of all who are engaged against the armies of Satan; and so long as our fathers and brethren in England continue with uplifted hands, we shall conquer. Having this confidence, often picture to my mind an immense multitude of the sable race drawing near to the bloody banner. I hear an ambassador from heaven, crying with a loud voice, "Turn ye to the strong Hold, ye prisoners of hope." I then suppose that I hear an host of the dejected Sons of Ham answer, "Lo! we turn! Lo, we Ethiopians now stretch out our hands unto God?" I then think of the labours of Wesley, Whitefield, Coke, and many of the first Methodist Preachers. I then think of the Yorkshire Missionary Meetings, and the last Manchester Conference, when so many were singing praises to God in the open air: from these considerations, I am led to anticipate a plentiful harvest of Hottentots, who shall one day join at an African Conference, in singing, "Our conquering Lord, These reflections may appear enthusias- Extract of a Letter from Messrs. SHAW, CARVER, &c. to Mr. BUCKLEY. Eclipse, Island of Madeira, Jan. 15, 1816. MY VERY DEAR SIR, The letter sent you on the 7th of January, by a Swedish vessel bound to Cadiz, (from which place we understand packets regularly sail to England,) contained a brief extract from the Journal of Brother Callaway down to the 31st of December. According to your repeated request, we now embrace the present opportunity of sending you an abstract of the principal events that have occurred since. Sunday, Dec. 31.-All the passengers are in perfect health. Recollecting the many solemn seasons we have enjoyed at watch-nights, at the end of several years past, we almost regretted that we were not on shore. What is our life? a vapour, that passeth away! Monday, Jan. 1.-The weather is seldom milder in May than it has been most of this day. We have made but little progress, as there has been scarcely any wind. In the evening the wind blew fresh, and from a more favourable point than before. Wednesday, Jan. 3.-This morning the wind became fair, and blew moderately strong: we sailed at the rate of ten miles an hour. About four o'clock in the afternoon, we plainly saw the English coast, about Plymouth, possibly for the last time. Friday, Jan. 5.-A good breeze impelled us forward at the rate of eight or nine miles an hour. Although we are in the Bay of Biscay, considered so exceedingly rough, yet the air is at present mild, and less tempestuous than when we were in the British Channel. The seamen, who have frequently passed here, assure us they never experienced more agreeable weather. Saturday, Jan. 6.-We are now about three-fourths through the Bay. To-morrow night we hope to clear Cape Finisterre. The vessel has had much unpleasant motion to-day. Sunday, Jan. 7.-Blessed be God, we are now nearly clear of the Bay of Biscay, having in general been favoured with good weather and a fair wind. The moon is shining most delightfully; and in three or four days more we hope to 'arrive at Madeira. Our sickness has been inconsiderable. Thursday, Jan. 11.-This morning, at six o'clock, we held our first class-meeting since we came on board, in brother Carver's cabin. It is calculated that we are now directly west of the Straits of 'Gibraltar. Saturday, Jan. 13.-Every morning, 'after breakfast, we meet to read the Scriptures; and in the afternoon, to read Oriental works. It is with difficulty that we can always attend to our rules. From five in the morning until dinner, is the best time we have; afterwards, the large cabin is occupied by the other passen BAHAMA Extract of a Letter from Mr. RUTLEDGE, to Mr. BUCKLEY. New Providence, Bahamas, Jan. 23, 1816, In the town of Nassau, we have now two chapels open at the same hour twice every Sunday. The happy effects of this good plan appears to all; by this we have added another class of whites to our eastward society; and our chapels are as full at east and west, as one of them used to be before we adopted this plan. Multiundes flock to hear, whose faces were seldom, if ever, seen in either church or chapel. Two preachers are now absolutely necessary for New Providence; with only one this work must fall. We also attend the good Attorney-General's plantation, according to my last to Mr. BENSON, So that our field for usefulness opens wide: the whole glory be ascribed to God alone! Our public meetings are mightily owned of the Lord: His presence we feel,-His blessings we enjoy,-and His power is manifested to his people:-glory be to his ever-blessed Name! Our Christmas was a pentecost, our chapels were little Bethels: the shout of a King was heard gers until late at night; so that we are obliged to retire either into the boat at the stern of the ship, or sit in our cabins, exposed to much interruption. We feel ourselves at a loss for suitable books and tracts to distribute among the sailors. Most of them are openly profligate, but many are sometimes disposed to listen to divine things. If the Committee would furnish future missionaries with Bibles or Testaments, or other religious publications, they would be rendered very useful. You will be pleased to present our kind acknowledgments to all the members of the Committee; to the different families, where we resided when in London; and to the several friends to whom we are indebted for their kind attention. Assure them, that we continue one in Christ Jesus, and that "mountains rise, and oceans roll, to sever us in vain." May the God of all grace give us everlasting consolation, and make us ready for every good word and work. We remain, Your's, in the bonds of divine love, MISSION. throughout our camp. God is truly working for his glory. Two ladies of consiin less than a month's time, leaving as derable respectability have gone to glory clear an evidence of their being fully saved by grace, as any have read of in our Magazines these seven years past; both these were brought to God under my ministry: but I tremble while I write, till I give the glory to my Divine Master; then I feel in my own place. Brother Ward goes forward in the work with great steadiness and success; he is a brave labourer. Many will have to bless the day that ever God called him to the ministry. He is an acceptable preacher, and ever on the wing with a truly christian spirit. He will be a great blessing to these islands, as he is more capable of enduring the toils of travelling them than any Missionary I have seen in the Bahamas. We rejoice greatly at the arrival of cur junior brethren, Moore and Head, both possess a truly Missionary spirit, and their preaching is inuch approved of; and God has already owned their labours. Dear Sir, I remain, with every sentiment of esteem and Christian affection, your's, &c. JOHN RUTLEDGZ. Printed at the Conference-Office, 14, City-Road, London: T. CORDEUX, Agent. |