INTERESTING CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY. AMONG the Contributions received by the Society in the month of October last, was one of a pleasing character, and well worthy of imitation. The sum was 31. 7s., paid by Captain Slade, R. N., being a contribution of ls. each from 67 men holding allotment-gardens in the parish of Uley, Gloucestershire," in grateful acknowledgment to the Lord, who has provided so valued a privilege, and granted His abundant blessing on their late harvest." HYMN FOR THE Lord's day. THOU glorious Sun of Righteousness, On each celestial blossom there; Destroy each bitter root of sin, And make Thy garden fresh and fair! In spotless robes Thy priests be clad; And make Thy chosen people glad! Give him his heart's desire to see; Shall hail the Day-spring from on high! Shine on, shine on, Eternal Sun! Pour richer floods of life and light, That glorious day which knows no night! [From Hymns for a Week. No. 4. CHURCH MISSIONARY GLEANER. APRIL, 1843. VOL. III. IMPORTANCE OF SIERRA LEONE AS A MISSIONARY STATION. For many years after the Church Missionary Society commenced its labours in West Africa, its chief operations were carried on at a considerable distance from Sierra Leone, in the territories of the Native Tribes. When the Rev. E. Bickersteth visited the Mission, in 1815, there were Stations among the Susoos at Bashia and Canoffee, on the Rio Pongas, upward of 100 miles north-west of Sierra Leone; and at Gambier, on the coast, about 70 miles from the Colony in the same direction. There was also a Station among the Bulloms at Yongroo Pomah, and another in the Island of Goree. In consequence, however, of the hostility occasioned by a revival of the Slave Trade, which took place shortly afterward, it was found necessary, in 1818, to confine the labours of the Missionaries within the limits of the Colony. But it is the glorious prerogative of God to bring good out of evil. importance of these labours, carried on in the peculiar sphere presented by Sierra Leone, might be regarded as fully compensating for the comparative narrowness of the field in which they were carried on. In the Report of the Hibernian Auxiliary for the year 1819, the subject was thus referred to: The The Slave Trade, which, like the Upas, blasts all that is wholesome in its vicinity, has, in one important instance, been here overruled for good. It has been made the means of assembling on one spot, and that on a Christian soil, individuals from almost every nation of the Western Coast of Africa. It has been made the means of introducing to Civilization and Religion, many hundreds from the interior of 38 IMPORTANCE OF SIERRA LEONE, that vast Continent, who had never seen the face of a White Man, or heard the name of Jesus. Some of the points here noticed were more largely dwelt upon in the Instructions of the Committee to the Rev. Messrs. Collier and Decker in 1817: Sierra Leone, in its present circumstances, gives every promise of becoming a Station from which the light of true Religion may be diffused over the whole Western Coast of Africa. Should there be found among the re-captured Negroes, as we trust there will be, some who manifest an earnestness and persevering concern for the salvation of their neighbours, a wise use of means for the attainment of this end, and a steady and consistent character, we trust that you, and all our friends in the Colony, will be on the watch to notice such men. Endeavour to bring them forward; and give them, if necessary, at the expense of the Society, such means of instruction as may qualify them to become useful Teachers of their countrymen. We hope that it may soon be practicable to make use of such men, in establishing Schools in different native towns, either among the Susoos or in the more immediate neighbourhood of the Colony. It is reasonable to expect more steadiness and decision, in the conducting of Schools in the manner now proposed, from adult persons than from youths. In consequence of the preaching of St. Paul at the great city of Ephesus, all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus. The exemplary conduct of the primitive Christians at Thessalonica also enabled the same Apostle to say, From you SOUNDED OUT the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also, in every place, your faith to Godward is spread abroad. We hope and pray, that, in a few more years, something of this kind may be reported respecting that Colony to which you are going. Connected with these views, the maintaining of the original languages of the re-captured Negroes is of much importance. When they are brought to the Colony, they are associated, as we apprehend, in some cases, as at Congo, Kosso, Kissey, Portuguese, and other Towns, with their countrymen; but there are other towns where Natives of various nations are mingled together; and in all the towns the Negroes speedily learn a broken kind of English, as a common medium of intercourse. This is a most interesting state of things; and may, we doubt not, with proper attention, be turned to the greatest AS A MISSIONARY STATION. 39 advantage. Some of these advantages we will enumerate. 1. It affords great facilities for learning almost every native language which prevails along this part of the coast. 2. It offers many advantages for reducing the languages to writing, and fixing their grammatical construction. 3. The Scriptures may thus be translated into all the languages of the coast, at little risk, and with great advantage to all succeeding Missionaries. 4. As the Negroes themselves see and feel the value of the Gospel, they may be trained up and sent forth as Teachers, with Elementary Books and the Scriptures in their hands, to establish Schools and prepare the way for Missionaries. There are many indications, afforded by the present condition of Sierra Leone, that these anticipations were well founded. The fact that several Natives have for many years laboured most usefully among their own countrymen as Schoolmasters and Catechists within the Colony-that many of the Liberated Africans are now returning to their own native countries and that one of their number is at present in England preparing for Holy Orders-encourages the hope that some of the expectations referred to in the foregoing Extracts may, by the blessing of God, be soon realized. LIBERATED AFRICANS, FROM SIERRA LEONE, IN JAMAICA. THE following details are extracted from the Rev. J. F. Sessing's Report of his Station-Birnam Wood, Jamaica-for the Quarter ending Michaelmas 1842. They present, in a very interesting and encouraging point of view, the effects produced, through the grace and blessing of God, on the Liberated Africans in Sierra Leone, by the labours among them of the Missionaries and Catechists of the Church Missionary Society. Since I wrote my last Report, a very pleasing circumstance has taken place, which, as it throws great credit upon the labours of the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society at Sierra Leone, I must not omit to mention. Their Arrival, and Motives in choosing an Employer. A vessel with emigrants from Sierra Leone came into Annotto Bay some months back. A neighbouring Proprietor, 40 LIBERATED AFRICANS, FROM a friend of ours, endeavoured to obtain some of them; but, as there were so many applicants, he doubted of being successful. He had, however, an opportunity of going on board, before they landed, or had had any negociation with others. In conversation, he asked them if they knew me, as I had been at Sierra Leone. On hearing my name, they all thronged around him, and inquired where I was, and said that they had a Letter for me. No sooner did they hear that my Chapel was situate only a few miles from this Gentleman's property, than all desired to go with him. He engaged a gang of thirty-two people, with a man named William Johnson at their head; and although, afterward, several more advantageous offers were made to them, they declined them all, saying, “We have given our word already.” Their Visit to the Missionary. About eight of them soon paid us a visit, and delivered a Letter from our old friend, the Rev. J. W. Weeks : their appearance was most cheering. There was not that shyness and suspicion in their looks which is stamped, as it were, upon the face of almost every emancipated slave, as the consequence of the old system; but they smiled at us with confidence, as people do who have never seen or tasted actual slavery. We were at once translated, in the spirit, to Sierra Leone, our old happy sphere of labour; when, in conversation with them, we touched upon every object of dear remembrance. We thought we had long been forgotten by them; but they gave us sufficient proofs that we had not. They brought us presents of neatly-worked mats and palmoil, which is not produced in this country; and was relished by us in a "palaver-sauce" as much as, some eight years ago, on the African Coast. The whole gang proved to be inhabitants of Bathurst, one of the oldest Missionary Settlements in Sierra Leone. About two-thirds of them had been baptized; but none as yet admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Their Attendance at Church and the Bible Class. The following Lord's Day about twelve of them attended my Chapel, being neatly and cleanly dressed, and bringing their Bibles, Prayer-Books, and Hymn-Books, with them. At first, they were not noticed; but when they began to give the responses in their accustomed slow and solemn voice, a general sensation was created among the congregation. Every one was anxious to learn from whence these strange |