80

PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL IN NEW ZEALAND.

above, July 1, 1841, Mr. Williams gives the following account of a journey which he had just completed through a part of his District:

-

In visiting the various places on the coast, at which Native Teachers are stationed, as far as Hicks's Bay, I found that the people generally were attendants on Christian Worship, and that a very large proportion were under special instruction, with a view to baptism. These, amounting in the whole to about 1300 persons, were closely questioned, in classes of ten individuals; and from among them 622 were admitted to the rite of Christian Baptism, besides 306 children under six years of age; the elder being left to take their course for adult baptism, should the grace of God dispose their hearts to seek after Him. Among this number were a goodly portion of grey-bearded old men, who now, at the eleventh hour, have cast off their allegiance to Satan, and become professed disciples of the Lord Jesus. It may perhaps be thought by some, that an injudicious haste has been shown in admitting so large a number at one period into the Church of Christ-that it would have been better to test the sincerity of their profession by a longer trial. It has, however, been my universal practice to keep back as much as possible, to allow time for proof that the profession made is not merely that of the lips. I passed none, not even the hoary sire of three generations, who did not appear to possess a clear understanding of the grand truths of Salvation: and of the people generally I can safely affirm, that I never baptized any party of Natives who possessed, on the whole, more information. The Natives of the East Cape have, if I may use the expression, quite a propensity for attending school: and having committed to memory the Catechisms, which contain a concise summary of Christian Doctrine, it is seldom that a plain question can be put without its being answered; so that it becomes necessary to vary the interrogations, in order to ascertain that the truth is really understood. The sincerity of the profession made is yet to be seen; but the blessing of God appears to rest upon the work.

THE MAROONS OF ACCOMPONG, JAMAICA.

IN our Numbers for February and March, some account was given of the Society's labours among the Maroons of Moore Town, and of the remarkable blessing which had rested upon those labours. Similar efforts were made to provide the means of religious instruction for Accompong, a town inhabited by the same race of people; but for a long period of time these efforts met with very different success. So completely hardened did they appear to be in their sins, so thoroughly wedded to their superstitions, that, after they had resisted the offers of the Gospel made to them by several successive Teachers, it was deemed necessary to abandon the Station for some more hopeful field of labour. When Mr. J. Gillies, who laboured among them as a Catechist for upward of sixteen months with earnest prayer and with sorrowful disappointments and despondency, was removed to Old England, he left them under the impression that no man had regarded his message. But how true is that saying, One soweth, and another reapeth. A few months afterward, Mr. Gillies received a Letter from the Rev. H. L. Dixon, who was in charge of a neighbouring Station, from which the following is an extract :

Let me thankfully remind you, that at Accompong you are not forgotten. No! many intelligent and deeply pious Christians have been the source of extreme joy to me during the last half year, in the humble, simple-hearted, yet decided manner in which they have come forward to speak on their spiritual concerns, and to present themselves as candidates for the Holy Communion. My Church Book is left at Siloah; but I should not hesitate to say, in the absence of actual research, that at least TEN persons, with whom I have been much pleased, have told me that the first impressions they received were in consequence residence among

them.

of

your

82

FAVOURABLE OPENINGS FOR EXTENDING

A very similar instance is recorded in the life of the Rev. T. Scott. Speaking of his labours in a parish of which he had been the Curate, he says:—

I remember complaining, in a New Year's Sermon, that for a whole twelvemonth I had seen no fruit of my preaching; yet it appeared, within the course of the next twelvemonth, that not less than ten or twelve had been brought to consider their ways during that discouraging year, besides others, I trust, that I did not know of.

What affecting illustrations are these of the faithfulness of God-My word... shall not return unto me void! How strong is the encouragement which they hold out to the desponding Labourer to obey the precept, Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good!

FAVOURABLE OPENINGS FOR EXTENDING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL.

NEVER were the opportunities for extending the knowledge of the Gospel so numerous as at the present time. In almost every direction, inviting spots may be discerned presenting favourable circumstances, and peculiar facilities, for that purpose. To one or two of these spots reference is made in the following Letter, written from Bombay in December last, by the Rev. J. Tucker, who returned to India by what is termed "the Overland Route," by Malta, Egypt, and the Red Sea. Oh! when will England awake to her solemn responsibilities and her exalted privileges!

My mind is more deeply impressed than ever with the work to which God calls us in His Providence, the openings on every side, and the comparative feebleness of all our present

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL.

83

efforts. To say nothing of the Mediterranean, and that truly basest of the kingdoms-Egypt-as I passed down the Red Sea, Africa and Asia each had its tale to tell, and its demand to make. I learnt, that, in addition to the openings in Shoa, the Ruler of Abyssinia had addressed a Letter to the Queen of England, to ask for intercourse and protection. We had on board a Military Officer, who was on his way to Zanziber, where he has a commercial establishment, and is on very friendly terms with the Imaum of Muscat. He assured me of his desire to promote Missionary objects there, provided they were for the present confined to education. Zanziber is an important place for opening a communication with the interior of Africa, to the North of our Cape Settlement.

Again, the day we were at Aden, the hostile Sultan, despairing of gaining any advantage over us by treachery and arms, came to the British Political Agent, to surrender himself, and make a treaty of commerce and peace; bringing with him his two sons, we were told, to be left as hostages. If it be so, would that the Church would take these boys under her care, and teach them the truth! The interior is rich and well cultivated, and the inhabitants anxious for intercourse. A Christian friend and fellow-sojourner, who visited the town, saw 300 camels coming in laden with grain; and the trade of Mocha will, in all probability, flow into this channel.-When we arise and shine, Nebaioth and Keba, and Seba and Sheba, shall bring their camels and dromedaries, and flocks and gifts, as offerings to the Lord. At Aden is an Officer of the Honourable East-India Company's service, preparing to go to Abyssinia. I understand he has procured a supply of books from Salisbury Square, and is working hard at languages.

I do not mention Aden and Zanziber with any hope that you would even deliberate about opening Missions there; but I find it good for myself, and I infer therefore that it may be so for others, to be put in acquaintance of that to which we and our Country are called, that we may know and be humbled for our weakness; and may lay it more to heart, and commit the whole cause, with more enlarged desires and stedfast faith, to our LORD, in prayer.

SCRIPTURAL ILLUSTRATION.

DEUT. XI. 10.

If you were to watch the gardeners watering the Mission garden [Madras], you would understand the meaning of being watered by the foot. The well in the garden has the usual low wall nearly round it, and into this is fixed a picotta, i.e. a strong upright piece of wood, at the top of which a long pole is fastened in the middle, so as to swing up and down. One end of this pole is much larger than the other; and to the smaller end an iron bucket is suspended, by means of a slip of bamboo twenty or twenty-five feet long. One man climbs up the upright piece, and, placing himself on the middle of the horizontal pole, treads alternately backward and forward, by this means raising and sinking the bucket; while another stands on the ground, ready to empty it into a channel cut to receive it. I ought to have told you, that the garden is divided into beds and borders by small shallow channels; and through these the water is conveyed over the whole garden by a third man, who guides it aright, by opening or closing a passage for it with his foot. The gardens are watered in this manner every evening; and the soft and pleasant song of the gardener, as he fearlessly paces up and down in his insecure position, is doubly welcome at the end of a sultry day, when, borne on the evening breeze, it tells you that you may now throw open your doors and windows without fear of a scorching blast. [South-Indian Sketches.

THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

O Thou! in whom we all are one,

If faithful found and true;

Thy will on Earth by each be done,

As each in heav'n might do.

To Thee, ourselves we first would give

Live to Thy glory, while we live

From step to step on Thee rely,

Then, in Thy service die.

[James Montgomery, Esq.