SIERRA LEONE, IN JAMAICA.

41

but sweet voices proceeded; and when they ultimately knew, they were at a loss what to make of them. After Service, they attended my Bible Class; and here the surprise of my scholars was even increased, on hearing both the men and their wives read, and upon seeing them fall into our plan, as if they had been attending for a long time. One of my own scholars was afterward heard to say, “As soon as these people begin to read, him heart fail-him cannot go on." Nor was the reading alone commendable in them; but their answers to my questions proved that they were well versed in the Bible, and, in short, that they had been brought up in the Church Missionary Society's Schools at Sierra Leone.

Their general Christian Conduct.

When first engaged, these people entered on a term of approbation for three months, and agreed, during that time, to work for 1s. 6d. per day. These three months having passed, they made a permanent agreement with their employer; whom they were unwilling to leave, having nothing of which to complain. They continue to receive 1s. 6d., the Headman 4s., and a constable under him 2s., for every day they work; with some other allowances, such as a house and ground. At first, they bought their provisions; but now they are to cultivate ground for themselves, and settle down. The character which their employer gives them is above praise. They keep to themselves, and behave in a most orderly and quiet manner. Whenever they make a joyful noise, it is in an evening, when they all sit together in the mill-house, singing hymns while they cook their supper. They are most conscientious in the performance of their duties, regularly working nine hours a-day, and refusing every farthing which is not due to them.

Instance of Kindness and Religious Feeling in the Headman.

I could adduce sufficient proof of this; but in order to give you an insight into their character, I will mention but two instances, which are descriptive of their confidence, kindness, justice, and the pleasing but rare fact here, that they are actuated by religious principles.

Their employer made it a rule to pay them regularly every Friday evening. One week he sent a messenger to town for money, who had not returned when the people came from the field on the Friday evening. He expressed his regret to the Headman, adding, that he could not help it. The Headman asked him how much money he would

42

LIBERATED AFRICANS IN JAMAICA.

require. He replied, "About 51. would do," and left him, never for a moment thinking that the question had any meaning at all. But how surprised was he, when, about fifteen minutes afterward, Johnson came up to the house, placed 5. in cash upon the table, and said, “Here, Master; if you please, you can pay the people; and when you get your money you can return it to me." This was more than his Master had experienced from any Negro. He had lived in Jamaica forty-five years, and moved in the dif ferent situations of Book-keeper, Overseer, and Proprietor; but such an act of generosity and disinterestedness he had never before witnessed. This, however, is not all. The money arrived the same day, although too late to return it; nor would the Gentleman, being a conscientious Jew, defile his hands by counting it on Saturday, his Sabbath. On Lord's Day, however, his first day of the week, early in the morning, he got the money ready, and called his Headman, saying, Here, Johnson, is your money: I am much obliged to you for it." But what did Johnson do? He smiled, and said, “ Never mind, Master; this is my Sabbath: let it be there, if you please: to-morrow I can take it." I paid them a visit on the following Monday. I saw the parcel still lying on the sideboard; and the Gentleman declared to me that he had never seen nor heard the like during his long residence in Jamaica. I replied, "This is the blessed result of a religious education; and the praise is due, next to God, to the indefatigable labours of the Church Missionaries at Sierra Leone. Here you see the effects of slavery on the one hand, and those of freedom and Religion on the other."

66

Their Love for their Teachers and the Missionary Cause.

The other instance is equally affecting, and manifests their love for their Teachers, and the value which they attach to religious instruction and the means of grace, by which they have become what they now are. Two of their number were to return to Sierra Leone, as delegates in the service of the Emigration Agents. The day before they were to leave, the whole of them, men and women, wrote Letters to their friends; and in the evening they had a Meeting among themselves, and a Collection for the Church Missionary Society at Sierra Leone: it amounted to about twenty dollars, which the two men were to take with them, and deliver to the Missionaries. This last instance needs no comment, It is a proof of the power of the Gospel, which,

ORDINATION OF THE REV. J. MÜHLEISEN.

43

whether it be in a White Man or in a Negro, makes him .abound in every good work, so that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ORDINATION OF THE REV. J. MÜHLEISEN, AT JERUSALEM. In our Number for June last, p. 71, a short account was given of the admission of Mr. J. Mühleisen to Deacons' Orders, by the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, at his first Ordination in that interesting city. After his Ordination, Mr. Mühleisen, while preparing for Priests' Orders, was licensed to take part in the regular Services of the Chapel, on Mount Zion, frequently preaching in German. He was also engaged in studying Hebrew, Arabic, and Amharic. Circumstances having rendered it highly important that Mr. Mühleisen should avail himself of facilities which offered themselves for proceeding to the scene of his future labours, the Bishop kindly consented to hasten the period of his admission to Priests' Orders, and the Ordination accordingly took place on the 31st of July. The Bishop observes

The occasion was, if possible, still more affecting and interesting than the first, when he was admitted Deacon. I am sure it left a lasting impression on him and on all present.

A more detailed account of the solemn tranactions of this remarkable occasion shall be given in Mr. Mühleisen's own words, as contained in a Letter dated Alexandria, Aug. 17, 1842:

On the 31st of July I was ordained Priest, in the Chapel of St. James. It was a day of much thanksgiving, and many fears. I retired to spend the morning in prayer and supplication, and communion with God in Christ; but, as for words, I could but utter one Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy upon us!) after the other. Had it not been for the blessed promise, My grace is sufficient for thee, I must have refused to enter the sacred office. I could, however, lay hold of this divine word in full assurance of faith; and thereupon my tears were changed into thanksgiving, and my Kyrie eleison into Te Deum laudamus (We praise Thee, O God)! I went to the Bishop, with whom his Clergy were assembled. As I had no bands, the Bishop kindly

44

ORDINATION OF THE REV. J. MÜHLEISEN.

offered me a pair of his own, presented to him, on leaving for the Holy City, by Christian friends-I believe of Southborough. The Bishop observed, that a Scripture reference was marked on them, and supposed it might be a suitable text for the day. It was found to be that beautiful passage in Isaiah lxii. 6, 7. We rejoiced. The Bishop wished me to take the bands to East Africa, for which kindness I returned His Lordship hearty thanks. We ascended Mount Zion, and I was set apart; prayers being read by the Rev. J. Nicolayson. The Rev. G. Williams, the Bishop's Chaplain, preached the Ordination Sermon, from Eph. iv. 8. After the Sermon, I was presented to the Bishop by the Chaplain, according to the most excellent Form of our Church, in the Ordination of Priests. The Litany having been said, the Bishop read the Epistle, and I the Holy Gospel. After the most solemn exhortation and heartsearching examination by the Bishop, and silent prayer, his Lordship and the Congregation engaged in that beautiful and holy prayer of our Church, with tears and broken voices, Veni Creator Spiritus (Come Holy Ghost)! On the act of Ordination I need not comment. I believe we all had a deep impression of the most gracious presence of the Holy One in Israel on the Mount of His holiness. As on the occasion of my first Ordination, so also at this time, the Holy Communion was of substantial comfort to me. I trust to go in the strength of that meat and drink all along my future Missionary journey.

On the 2d of August Mr. Mühleisen left Jerusalem, and reached Alexandria on the 14th. On the 25th of October, in company with the Rev. Messrs. Krapf and Isenberg, his fellow-labourers in the East-Africa Mission, he left Alexandria for Aden; and subsequently, on the 29th of November, reached Zeila; at which place the Missionaries were waiting, when the last accounts came away, for an opportunity of proceeding to Shoa.

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIGUA.

OUR Readers will probably have heard of the dreadful earthquake, which, on the 8th of February last, visited Antigua, St. Kitt's, and several other of the Caribbee Isles. From a Letter written by Rev. G. W.Westerby,

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIGUA.

45 a Moravian Missionary stationed at Lebanon, Antigua, we extract a few particulars of this calamitous event. On the day preceding the earthquake he and Mrs. Westerby visited Gracehill, another Station of the Moravian Missionary Society; and on the morning of the 8th, accompanied by some other friends, ascended Monk's Hill, on the summit of which is a fort. Mr. Westerby thus describes what then occurred :

It was a lovely morning, and the prospect around was most delightful. We were all upon the ramparts, watching the approach of the steamer from England; and I was in the act of steadying a telescope on one of the great guns, when -I felt it begin to vibrate. I knew at once what was coming; and seizing my wife by the hand, and calling to the others, I immediately rushed from the ramparts. We had not gone far, before the motion of the earth became so violent, that we were no longer able to walk, and were obliged to hold each other to keep on our feet. It was a most awful moment, and our lives were in great peril. At a little distance from us the houses were falling; just above us, on a rising ground, a heap of cannon-balls were heaving and rattling in the most fearful manner; and, on our right, the high signal-staff was bending from side to side, and threatening every moment to fall upon us. I believe the shock lasted about three minutes. When it had subsided, we looked over the island, and toward Montserrat; and in every direction we saw clouds of dust ascending—a sign of the widely-spread ruin. I then took the telescope, and looked for Lebanon; and you may imagine what my feelings were, when I discovered that the south gable of the Church, just over the School-doors, was down. I knew that about 140 children would be in the School, and how many of these might have perished! As we descended the slope of Monk's Hill, we perceived a strong smell of sulphur. We immediately set off for Lebanon; and, as we went along, it was quite distressing to observe that the mills, boilinghouses, and negro-houses, were nearly all down. We soon met some of the children from our School, who brought the mournful tidings that three of their companions had been killed by the falling of the Church, and others more or less injured. On arriving at home, I found the roof of the Church indeed standing; but the greater part was a mass of