are 885,163 who can neither read nor write! With these facts before them, the Committee did not hesitate to commence the effort contemplated, although they did not receive those extensive contributions which the great importance and sad necessity of the case led them to anticipate. They have now nine agents in the province; six of whom are at present located at Castlebar, one at Sligo, one at Gurteen, near Boyle, and another at Roscommon. Several of these conduct their ministrations in the Irish language, which gives them ready access to the cabins of the poor, and secure for them the willing attention of the people to their instructions. "There are many," says one of them, "nominally in the ranks of Popery, as in the days of Luther, and at other periods, who are in heart and principle opposed to the dogmas of their church; and, that however appearances may be against the truth, there is an under current which will, at some future period, burst forth into a flood, which will, by Divine grace, sweep from the face of poor Ireland all her refuges of lies." Encouraged by these circumstances, the Committee would gladly increase the number of their agents, which, did the funds of the Society admit, may be done to an almost indefinite extent. A statement having been inserted in the Patriot newspaper to this effect, a letter was received from a benevolent lady, of which the following is an extract:

"I am sorry to see by your letter in the Patriot, that the Connaught mission has been so feebly supported. I wish to say, that if any person or persons will, within the next two months, give £200 towards the employment of additional missionaries there, I will give the like sum."

The Committee are exceedingly anxious that this noble offer should be met with corresponding generosity. By the terms in which the proposal is made, it must be special contributions which alone can be appropriated to the object. Had the regular income of the Society been adequate, "additional missionaries" would long since have been sent. The state of the funds forbade the Committee incurring greater responsibility; and the additional agents cannot therefore be sent, unless the friends of the Society respond to the Jiberal offer now made. The Committee under these circumstances make their appeal with confidence to the friends of the Society, and to all who are concerned for the evangelization of the sister country. Shall such an offer be made in vain? Can our British churches, or those who compose them. who may be entrusted, by the providence of God, with the riches of this world, be informed of the benighted state of the district in question-of the willingness of the people to listen to the instructions of the agents -of the opportunity now afforded of increasing the number of the faithful men employed, and not be ready to aid an effort that may at once be made, and made with such a gratifying prospect of success? The Committee cannot believe this to be possible, and they therefore feel nothing more to be necessary than to have given this plain statement of the case, confidently believing that they will be enabled, by the prompt and generous contributions of their friends, to effect the object proposed by the truly liberal offer, which is the ground of this appeal.

Donations will be thankfully received by the Treasurer, T. M. Coombs, Esq., 14, Ludgatestreet or by the Secretary, Rev. T. James, at

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Second Letter of Rev. J. Roaf, of Toronto, to the Secretary.

THIS letter, full of fact, truth, sense, and feeling, is addressed to the Secretary. He has carefully read it, and now asks with respectful earnestness that his brethren and the churches would read it too-secure, that if they will do this, the same earnest desire will spring up in their minds as in his, for increased vigour, and new enlargement in the great work of Colonial Missions :

66 Toronto, 28th Aug., 1846.

"Dear Sir, I wrote to you a short time back with a view to the drawing forth your energies on behalf of colonial missions; allow me to do this again, and to ask a few moments' regard to the situation of the colonial populations.

"It seems not to be fully recognised by the Christian public of Britain, that the connection of our provinces with the United Kingdom prevents christianizing efforts for them being made by the churches of other countries. For instance, we on the north-western side of America are five colonies from which the Home Missionary efforts of the United States are excluded, though one Home Missionary Society there employs about 1000 agents. Were we not dependencies of Britain, the moral wants of these Provinces would receive attention from our neighbours; as it is, every application that we make to them is promptly and decidedly negatived, and we are directed to seek aid from England. Then, on the other hand, because we are British, and not foreign, your general missionary societies will not notice us; for say they, our efforts must be directed to heathen and other unenlightened nations,' but colonists are Christians, and thus on one side of our field. Well, to provide for your so-called Christian population you have Home Missions, but not a thought in connection with them ever extends to colonies. Thus shut up from the sympathies of other nations, and refused aid from all your own societies, the British colonies must be made objects of special and systematic regard by British Christians, or be destitute. Surely it is not supposed, that if left to themselves, they will spontaneously put on an evangelical character; and, in distinction from every other portion of humanity, show a natural tendency to Christian holiness. Your care generously marked our feeble commerce by giving our produce an almost free admission to yo

markets; you have generously aided us to open up the entire length of our province, by guaranteeing a loan of £1,500,000 advanced to us by capitalists; and surely it is not in the matter of rel gion that we are supposed to be sufficiently powerful and zealous, and need no sevistonces

"Here are six or seven hundred them and people speaking the French language, divided, (with few exceptions) into the classes of the superstitious and the infidel. Then, an immense population of cur emigrants are from Ireland, and few indeed of the Protestants amongst them are better than the Roman Catholics. There are also coming in rapidly a eclcured (African) population, mostly fugitives from slavery, and al fugitives from contumely and oppression in the United States. In this city are many herdreds —it is said, sixteen hundred-of this degraded class; and with all the intellectual, moral, and social effects of slavery upon them, they are spreading themselves over this western region. The Indians, too, the Red-race, are scattered amongst us, while there are numerous tribes throughout the uncultivated lands to the north and the west of us. (Indeed it is a noticeable circumstance, that here three cut of the fre great sections into which the human race is divided, are in contact; namely, the white, black, and red, or the Circassian, African, and American)

Well, my dear Sir, is it to be expected that a mass like this, expanding with all the rapidity promoted by illimitable room, and means of subsistence, aided by a pauper emigration of thirty or forty thousand a year, will of itself grow up Christian and holy? Is it not rather to be feared that it will eventually exhibit the spectacle of superstition debased by barbarism and of barbarism corrupted by superstition? Many of the friends of a voluntary support of religion, in distinction from state provision, seem to confound that voluntary support with abandonment; the state leaving evangelization to the churches, with the churches leaving it to the world. Now, if we Christians beg the civil government to let us see to the interests of religion, we are thus self-bound to the duty of adequately providing therefor. Say, some of our brethren, Way, American churches support themselves, and propagate the gospel, and why should not colonial churches do so too, and thus be independent of us in England? The answer is, that American churches, like colonial, and like all churches through past times, were missionary in their origin; they had to be established by more they could be sustained; and when colorisi churches have been nurtured into some maturity, they will not come to Britain for help.

"If, my dear Sir, you meet with the objection, that your emigrants bring out Christianity, and help for its diffusion, just direct the objectors to the emigrant ports, and emigrant ships, and yea will hear no more of the objection. Why, were you entirely to overlock the existing population of the colonies, your emigrants would justly claim at your hands a large system of missionary operations; every thousand emigrants should be accompanied by a minister of Christ, with provision for his support for several years. The seps

rations (generally final) between relatives at the points of embarkation surpass in anguish what mere imagination can depict. And then, when the last waving of hands between the shore and the ship has taken place, and there is no more communication with the land, and the distance is increasing; and it is felt that all that is receding from view will be seen no more, and past misfortunes, (perhaps, too, past errings,) come up to the heart already too sad and gloomy, and the misery of all around is seen, and the night comes on, and sea-sickness too, and all this between the decks of a ship; it is as much as human nature can bear, and presents to my mind the strongest claim on Christian sympathy, with which I am acquainted. The sorrows of the passage, tco, are many, and severe; and with all, there is often the charge of tender ones coming cut to strange and rugged scenes, and an entire uncertainty as to the course to be pursued, and many doubts as to coming fortune, together with the self-distrust which is commonly er gendered by the circumstances which have rendered emigration necessary. A book composed in the steerage of an emigrant-ship, and containing the histories and present feelings, and prospects of its inmates, would be more affecting than any Lovel. Upon their arrival at port, poor, feeble, uncertain as to their movements, emigrants are indeed objects for a genercus regard. Even wealthy parties 'know the heart of a stranger, seeing they were strangers in the land,' but the common passenger who ecmes from the hold of a ship, exhausted, bewildered, friendless, is still quite a different object. And, then, the doubtful movements that for a long time they make, their mistakes, their encounters with new modes of living, their unsided struggles with the unshaped materialities of nature, the comparative solitude and seclusior, and comfortlessness of their early settlementall together put these people out of the question in respect of aid to the building up of Christ's cause, and call for the gratuitous supply to them of the consolations, and refinements, and guidance, which can be furnished only by men who are the members of Christ indeed. To such classes of men the gospel experimentally and practically taught, is the well-head of all that is elevating and delightful,—it is sentiment, it is philosophy, it is poetry, it is for this life, as well as for the life to come, salvation! The minister of Christ, (and he is something more than a lecturer on divinity,) on a visit to a settlement in the Canadian-wilds-even if he go on a weekevening, and once in a few weeks-gathering together those who probably would not otherwise meet, leading them into the sublimities of Christian praise, and the depths of Christian supplication, and disecursing to them on the themes of redemption, brings the spiritual world, as it were, into the midst of the hard and dark, the merely sensible and debasing scenes of this new world. Do not send us emigrants—or send e's the ministers of Christ.

"With all esteem,

Your's ever truly,

J. ROAF."

be affected and inpressed by it. We have proofs of this in the increase of our church. Eight persons were proposed at our last church meeting-there are three to be proposed next. Our church has now been formed about twelve months. We then numbered 20; now about 50. In this increase we greatly rejoice, praying that the future may be as the past, and much more abundant. Our Sunday-school also is in a pleasing state. Our great difficulty is want of room to accommodate the children. We are obliged to refuse admission to numbers of appli cants on that account. Within half a mile of our chapel there are at least 2000 or 3000 children, who seem to be growing up in entire ignorance. Would that we could do something to remedy this state of things; but at present it is beyond our power. The neighbourhood in which our chapel is located is becoming increasingly populous, and the means of grace more needful than ever; and I am sorry to state that there are thousands who, though they live close to the sanctuary, never cross its threshold. Nowhere in Great Britain could the Directors have placed an agent with greater propriety. We are certainly making inroads upon the darkness and the depravity around us. Many who never attended the house of God are now found within its walls, and we look for still greater things."

The Missionary's Desire.

"The time is come for me to furnish you with an account of my station and labours. I am happy in being able to say, my work is my delight. I serve a good Master, labour in a good cause, and feel myself honoured in being connected with the Society.

"I have always considered that justice to the cause requires the strictest regard to truth in relating its progress. I never take up my pen to write upon this subject, without trembling for my responsibility in these communications. If the desire of my heart be accomplished, every member of my respective congregations will know Him, whom to know aright is life everlasting; every individual in the district will be a follower of the Saviour. But the time thus to favour our town is not come. The hardness of heart, the blindness of mind, the unbelief, the indifference to eternal things, the exhibition I behold of the deeply-fallen state of man from day to day, cause me to say with David, 'Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law.' At, the number who attend continue much the same; very encouraging, serious attention is generally manifested in listening to the word of life. I venture with due caution to assert, that it does not present a less, but I hope, a somewhat more favourable appearance than formerly. I am invited by the sick and dying around us to visit them in their affliction, and administer the consolations of the gospel. The villages present an encouraging aspect, and though I have at present nothing very remarkable to mention, there is ground for concluding, that the amount of good done may be as great, as if particular instances of an extraordinary kind were to be pointed out. Publicly, and from house to house, preaching and distributing tracts, and praying with the people, I regard to be my proper work as a missionary. And although I feel I cannot

labour, nor succeed to the extent of my wishes, yet thanks be to God, that amid trials and afflictions, he has afforded me tokens of his blessing on my humble efforts in this part of his vineyard, which needs moral culture not less than the most destitute in heathen lands.

"It would be very pleasant to have it in my power to say, we could assist the society without being a burden to it; but since this is not the case, and while Providence has afforded to others the blessedness of giving, it is ours to cherish gratitude in receiving."

Clerical Opposition not always successful.

"When I first came to --, in April, 1845, the average number of hearers was about 100. There were sixteen members in the church, one of which died a peaceful happy death, in December; now there are twenty-eight. There were no village stations; I immediately commenced domiciliary visitation, and began to preach in four villages. In one which I visited, I could not get a cottage, through Church influence; but when the weather permitted, I held open-air services, to which the people came, and seemed to enjoy the word. In another village, the door has been shut against me. The Parson's nephew has bought all the houses he possibly can, and has strictly prohibited any of his tenants having religious services, threatening them, if they do, that they shall be turned out of doors. Thus through fear again, I am shut out from preaching the gospel there. In the summer I went, and the people assembled in the open air; and I trust, through the blessing of God, my labours have not been in vain. It is not by might nor by power, that the work prospers, but by the Spirit of the Lord. There are several who appear to be deeply convinced of their awful state as sinners. O may that conviction end in sound conversion to God! We have our discouragements, chiefly arising from the Puseyite Clergyman, but we can rejoice, for God is with us, and blesses us. May we experience more of his Divine presence and assistance. Pray for us!'"

IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.

MISSION TO CONNAUGHT.

It is now nearly two years since the Committee directed their attention to the province of Connaught, in needing more than any part of Ireland, the efforts of Christian zeal for its evangelization. Inquiries were instituted which brought to view a deplorable picture of the moral and spiritual condition of the people, and of the necessity for a more vigorous effort than had ever yet been made, to dispel the gross darkness in which that portion of the sister country is enveloped. The province, comprising the counties of Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo, contained, at the period of the last Parliamentary Census, 1,418,859 souls; a large proportion of which understand only the native Irish language; and nine-tenths of whom, it may be fairly assumed, are devoted Papists. It was also ascertained, from Parliamentary documents, that there are 1,228,776 persons above the age of five years, the period at which it is calculated education commences; and that of these, there

are 885,163 who can neither read nor write! With these facts before them, the Committee did not hesitate to commence the effort contemplated, although they did not receive those extensive contributions which the great importance and sad necessity of the case led them to anticipate. They have now nine agents in the province; six of whom are at present located at Castlebar, one at Sligo, one at Gurteen, near Boyle, and another at Roscommon. Several of these conduct their ministrations in the Irish language, which gives them ready access to the cabins of the poor, and secure for them the willing attention of the people to their instructions.

"There are many," says one of them, "nominally in the ranks of Popery, as in the days of Luther, and at other periods, who are in heart and principle opposed to the dogmas of their church; and, that however appearances may be against the truth, there is an under current which will, at some future period, burst forth into a flood, which will, by Divine grace, sweep from the face of poor Ireland all her refuges of lies." Encouraged by these circumstances, the Committee would gladly increase the number of their agents, which, did the funds of the Society admit, may be done to an almost indefinite extent. A statement having been inserted in the Patriot newspaper to this effect, a letter was received from a benevolent lady, of which the following is an extract:

"I am sorry to see by your letter in the Patriot, that the Connaught mission has been so feebly supported. I wish to say, that if any person or persons will, within the next two months, give £200 towards the employment of additional missionaries there, I will give the like sum."

The Committee are exceedingly anxious that this noble offer should be met with corresponding generosity. By the terms in which the proposal is made, it must be special contributions which alone can be appropriated to the object. Had the regular income of the Society been adequate, "additional missionaries" would long since have been sent. The state of the funds forbade the Committee incurring greater responsibility; and the additional agents cannot therefore be sent, unless the friends of the Society respond to the liberal offer now made. The Committee under these circumstances make their appeal with confidence to the friends of the Society, and to all who are concerned for the evangelization of the sister country. Shall such an offer be made in vain? Can our British churches, or those who compose them, who may be entrusted, by the providence of God, with the riches of this world, be informed of the benighted state of the district in question-of the willingness of the people to listen to the instructions of the agents -of the opportunity now afforded of increasing the number of the faithful men employed, and not be ready to aid an effort that may at once be made, and made with such a gratifying prospect of success ? The Committee cannot believe this to be possible, and they therefore feel nothing more to be necessary than to have given this plain statement of the case, confidently believing that they will be enabled, by the prompt and generous contributions of their friends, to effect the object proposed by the truly liberal offer, which is the ground of this appeal.

Donations will be thankfully received by the Treasurer, T. M. Coombs, Esq., 14, Ludgatestreet or by the Secretary, Rev. T. James, at

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Second Letter of Rev. J. Roaf, of Toronto, to the Secretary.

THIS letter, full of fact, truth, sense, and feeling, is addressed to the Secretary. He has carefully read it, and now asks with respectful earnestness that his brethren and the churches would read it too-secure, that if they will do this, the same earnest desire will spring up in their minds as in his, for increased vigour, and new enlargement in the great work of Colonial Missions :

"Toronto, 25th Ana., 1846.

"Dear Sir, I wrote to you a short time back with a view to the drawing forth your energies on behalf of colonial missions; allow me to do this again, and to ask a few moments' regard to the situation of the colonial populations.

"It seems not to be fully recognised by the Christian public of Britain, that the connection of our provinces with the United Kingdom prevents christianizing efforts for them being made by the churches of other countries. For instance, we on the north-western side of America are five colonies from which the Home Missionary efforts of the United States are excluded, though one Home Missionary Society there employs about 1000 agents. Were we not dependencies of Britain, the moral wants of these Provinces would receive attention from our neighbours; as it is, every application that we make to them is promptly and decidedly negatived, and we are directed to seek aid from England. Then, on the other hand, because we are British, and not foreign, your general missionary societies will not notice us; for say they, our efforts must be directed to heathen and other unenlightened nations,' but colonists are Christians, and thus on one side of our field. Well, to provide for your so-called Christian population you have Home Missions, but not a thought in connection with them ever extends to colonies. Thus shut up from the sympathies of other nations, and refused aid from all your own societies, the British colonies must be made objects of special and systematic regard by British Christians, or be destitute. Surely it is not supposed, that if left to themselves, they will spontaneously put on an evangelical character; and, in distinction from every other portion of humanity, show a natural tendency to Christian holiness. Your care generously marked our feeble commerce by giving our produce an almost free admission to your