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Remarks on an anticipated Reduction of

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miles N.W. of Sierra Leone, was formed three years afterwards; and, about the same time, Schools were established in Goree, an Island off Cape Verd. A revival of the SlaveTrade, that inveterate bane of Africa, rendering the presence of the Missionaries in the country obnoxious to the Chiefs and people, measures of a most nefarious description were resorted to, in order to expel them from the coast; and all hopes of succeeding in the object of the Mission being for the present destroyed and the lives of the Missionaries exposed to hazard, the Society was reluctantly compelled to abandon, one after another, these oncepromising Stations. Bashia was given up in 1816, and Canoffee, Gambia, and Yongroo Pomoh in 1818; about which time Goree was restored to the French, and the Schools of the Society, in consequence, discontinued. Thus ended, for a season, the labours of the Society in the territories of the Native Tribes of Africa; though not without one instance, at least, of the Divine Blessing attending them, in the conversion of a Youth, named Simeon Wilhelm, who was educated in the School at Bashia, and a Memoir of whom, published in 1817, is probably well known to many who take an interest in the Society's proceedings.

The painful, though necessary measure, of retiring from the territories of the Native Tribes, was greatly compensated by the important sphere of Missionary Labour presented by the Colony of Sierra Leone; where the objects of the Society could be prosecuted beyond the influence of the Slave-Traders. To this point, therefore, the Missionaries successively retired; and to this spot the efforts of the Society in Africa have since been almost entirely confined. Sierra Leone having been made the depôt for those Natives who were rescued from slavery by his Majesty's cruizers, great numbers of Africans, of many different tribes and dialects, have been brought hither, liberated from the slave-chain, distributed into villages,

and humanely maintained and clothed by Government till able to support themselves. The ignorance and superstition of the people, and that depression of the whole man which is the direct consequence of slavery, have thrown no inconsiderable difficulties in the way of the Mission: in dependence, however, on the grace of God, the Society's Missionaries and Schoolmasters entered on their work; and, by His blessing on their exertions, a decided and beneficial change in the habits and manners of the people has been generally produced; and, as far as man can judge, very many have experienced the power of true religion on their hearts.

The Colony of Sierra Leone was divided into 14 parishes; for each of which it was the object of the Society, according to an arrangement with His Majesty's Government, to provide an efficient Minister; but the sickness and mortality which have prevailed in the Colony have rendered this impracticable: and, owing to the inadequacy of their number, the Missionaries have been compelled, within the last year, to relinquish, for a season, one of the three Districts into which the Colony had been recently divided. While the frequent reduction in the number of Labourers, by death, removals through ill-health, and other causes, has necessarily circumscribed the operations of the Society within a much narrower sphere than the limits of the Colony, the regions around have been left almost untouched; and, though some considerable tracts of country have been placed under the authority of Great Britain by the Chiefs and people, and an advantageous opening thereby made for the introduction of the Gospel among some neighbouring tribes, the Society, from these causes, has not had it in its power to avail itself of these opportunities of extending its labours.

The difficulties, with which the Missionaries have had to contend, have been further increased by their having been charged for some years with the

duties of the Chaplaincy at Freetown. By an arrangement made with the Government in 1824, the Society pledged itself to the preparation and maintenance of all the Clergy within the Colony, whether stationed at Freetown or in the country parishes. This arrangement, which, under more favourable circumstances, might have been the means of supplying the Colony with duly-qualified and spiritual Teachers, eventually proved burdensome to the Missionaries, as their number decreased; and this burden, under which they have so long laboured, has only recently been removed, by the appointment to the Chaplaincy of the Rev. David Morgan, who left this country for Sierra Leone at the end of November last. While the Society has thus endeavoured, by the appointed instrument, the PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL, to promote the spiritual interest of Africa, it has not been unmindful of the important subsidiary aid afforded by CHRISTIAN EDUCATION; and has, from time to time, taken measures for affording the benefits of such an education to the children in the Colony. The children, those excepted who lived with their parents, were placed under the care of the Society's Labourers, from the time of their being landed from the slave-ships; they were taught to pray, to keep holy the Lord's-day, and to reverence the Name and Word of God; and, while some have received early religious impressions in the Society's Schools, which have been matured in afterlife, many have become respectable and well-behaved members of society, even where evident proofs of real conversion to God have not been subsequently afforded. The system originally pursued by the Society with respect to the Schools, in fulfilment of its arrangement with the Government, was adhered to till January 1827; when the then Governor introduced a new plan, which, in effect, entirely altered the relation which had subsisted between the

Schools and the Society. The Missionaries had hitherto had the entire controul over the Schools, appointing to the charge of them such persons as they deemed duly qualified for the situation; but, at the time above mentioned, the Governor assumed the charge of the education of the people, and engaged persons of colour to undertake it; the Society's Labourers being invited to visit the Schools during the hours allotted to instruction, for the purpose of examining the Scholars, with the liberty of advising and admonishing the Teachers, if they deemed it necessary; but having no power to make any improvement, should they think it advisable, in the mode of conducting the Schools, without reporting to the Governor, and obtaining his sanction. The Missionaries finding an efficient superintendence of the Schools impracticable on this principle, felt it their painful duty, after experiencing its injurious effects, to relinquish the superintendence altogether, and to establish Schools, maintained at the Society's expense, of which they could have the entire regulation. These were accordingly commenced, in 1828, at two of the Stations in the Mountain District, in addition to an Infants' School previously established.

The care of the Colonial Schools in Freetown had also been committed to the Society's Labourers, and they continued the superintendence of them after relinquishing that of the Schools in the country parishes. A School was also established, in 1822, out of the Colony, in the Plantain Islands; but has since been given up.

Besides the education of the great body of African Children in the knowledge of the Gospel, it has ever been a principal object of the Society's solicitude to train up Native Labourers, whose constitutions, inured to the climate, and whose acquaintance with the native languages, would qualify them, should God call them by His grace, to become the

instruments of conveying the Gospel to their countrymen. With this object in view, a Christian Institution was commenced at Leicester Mountain, near Freetown, in 1815; in 1820, it was removed to Regent; but the successive removal of the Teachers, by sickness and death, was a fatal obstacle to its efficiency, and, in 1826, led to its dissolution. Early in 1827, the Rev. C. L. F. Haensel arrived in the Colony with the special purpose, should God permit, of devoting himself to this important work; and the buildings at Regent, which had been appropriated to the reception of the Students, having fallen into decay and requiring a large sum to be expended in repairs, Mr. Haensel made Freetown his temporary place of residence, and in the month of April in that year re-opened

the Institution.

An opportunity subsequently occurring of purchasing some land and buildings at Fourah Bay, about a mile and a half from Freetown, which were

in many respects desirable for the Institution, the purchase was made; and Mr. Haensel and his pupils removed thither in February 1828. By the gracious providence of God, he has been enabled to continue his labours.

While Mr. Haensel has been stea

dily pursuing his object in the Colony, Mr. Raban, whose state of health rendered a residence in England necessary, has been similarly occupied in this country, and has had the charge of three African Youths, who resided with him at Brixham, for the purpose of education. They have since returned with him to the Colony.

We shall now proceed to give some account of the Society's proceedings at the Stations occupied by the Missionaries in Sierra Leone, extracted from their latest despatches, dated in September.

FREETOWN.

Mr. Betts has continued his MINISTERIAL duties both at St. George's Church and at the Jail, though with little encouragement. The average at

tendance of Europeans at St. George's has not exceeded 4 persons; but few of the coloured population have attended; and sometimes the whole adult part of the Congregation has not exceeded 12 or 14 persons: the attendance of the School Children has been proportionally small. The number of Communicants has been 7. The dilapidated state of the Church, which admits the rain, to the great inconvenience of the Congregation, in a great measure accounts for the smallness of the attendance. Of his Congregation at the Jail, Mr. Betts writes

I have generally found the prisoners attentive; and I would rejoice, that though it is not my province to open the prison to them that are bound, yet that I may proclaim spiritual liberty to the cap

tive, and the acceptable year of the Lord.

Mr. Wilhelm, who, as well as several of his Congregation, has suffered from fever, has been enabled, with some interruptions, to continue his services at Gibraltar Chapel, where there has generally been a good attendance when the rains did not prevent: the number of Communicants is 8. After noticing a trial which he had met with in the misconduct of one of his flock, Mr. Wilhelm mentions the following case of another, an aged Christian, whose conduct, during an attack of sickness, filled him with joy: of this individual, Mr. Wilhelm writes

The grace of our Saviour appears to have wrought in this poor African such a simple resignation to the will of the Lord-such child-like confidence in His mercy and goodness—such gratitude for every relief and comfort experiencedsuch faith in the atonement and righteousness of Christ Jesus, and love to Him, as afforded him a large share of peace and joy in believing, whatever his outward circumstances were.

He afterwards adds

There may be more such characters in my Congregation, and in others, though their number be unknown to us. Let us go on sowing the seed, the precious seed, and praying for the blessing on which the harvest depends. The Lord