"I am no Methodist; I never heard one of them preach in my life; but I cannot sit in silence and hear John Wesley reviled; for I am sure he was a man of God, by the benefit I have derived from reading his Commentary on the New Testament." She also adduced some passages from the book, which convinced several present that he did not hold the heretical opinions ascribed to him.

When the army was reduced, after the general peace which followed the battle of Waterloo, many good men, ignorant of the revival of religion which God had effected in the army during the war, were afraid lest the disbanded soldiers should diffuse a moral pestilence through the land. But God disappointed their fears, and made these brave defenders of their country, in numerous instances, the means of correcting the tone of public morals, and of exciting formal professors to seek the salvation of their souls. Shetland, in common with other parts of the United Empire, shared these blessings through the instrumentality of John Nicholson, "a devout soldier." This man, after receiving his discharge, retired to his native islands in the north; and, being grieved to see the people so forgetful of God, and so destitute of the power of godliness, he, with the resolution of one accustomed to difficult and daring enterprises, exhorted, entreated, and warned the people to flee from the wrath to come. God owned his word; sinners were converted from the error of their way; a deep impression was made on the minds of the people in favour of Methodism; and, after repeated solicitations for help had been made, Dr. M'Allum was appointed to visit the islands, and report to the Conference of 1822. No man could have been better fitted for this mission than the Doctor. Being a native of Scotland, he felt a deep interest in the people's welfare; while the suavity of his temper, the kindness of his address, his various knowledge, and the rich vein of evangelical argument which ran through, and characterized, his discourses, made him a favourite with all classes, and a worthy representative of the community to which he belonged. The impression which his ministry made was deep and permanent; the applications which he received for the establishment of the Wesleyan ministry in the islands were numerous and importunate; and the report which he presented to the Conference was, in substance, that "the people needed our ministry, and were prepared to receive it as life from the dead." The Rev. Messrs. S. Dunn and

J. Raby were forthwith appointed to the station; with instructions to correspond, on all subjects respecting the Mission, with Dr. Clarke. This was a happy arrangement, both for Shetland and the brethren appointed in succession to labour there. It is, indeed, difficult to say, whether this venerable man rendered greater service to the cause by the liberal subscriptions which he obtained for its support, or by the judicious counsels, and timely encouragement, which he condescendingly communicated to the young men on whom the labour of carrying it on devolved. His name is embalmed in the affectionate remembrance of hundreds in the islands; and he now reaps the reward of his disinterested endeavours in the joy of his Lord.

of our

The labours and successes Preachers in Shetland having been detailed in the pages of the Magazine, as they occurred, they need not be repeated on this occasion. I will, therefore, proceed to give a survey of the work as it exists at present.

On Wednesday, May 13th, the Preachers from the several Circuits met in Lerwick, to transact the business of the District. It is rather remarkable that none of the Wesleyan Ministers who have been stationed in Shetland have died either in the islands, or since their return, though thirteen years have elapsed since the Mission was commenced. To the brethren themselves, and to all who are acquainted with their numerous hair-breadth escapes, by sea and land, it must be evident that this preservation of life can only be accounted for on the ground of a special providential interference in their behalf. On the morning of Friday the sittings of the Committee closed; the religious, moral, and Methodistic character of all the brethren stood clear; their grief on account of the comparatively small success which had attended their labours during the year was great; and their solicitude for the revival of the work became the disciples of Him who wept over Jerusalem, because her inhabitants refused to be gathered under the wing of his mercy.

The islands are divided into four Circuits, which are worked by six Preachers; and I am satisfied that no advantageous alteration can be made, for some time at least, either in the boundaries of the Circuits, or in the residences of the Ministers. Indeed the judgment displayed in the formation of the Circuits, the choice of the preaching stations, and the general procedure of the brethren, as far as they came under my observation, excited my grateful surprise, and impressed me

with the conviction, that, from the beginning, they had been blessed with the guidance of a gracious Providence. The first Circuit in order and importance is LERWICK.This Circuit extends about forty-eight miles; and the two brethren who are stationed in it have four chapels, three school-rooms, and eleven cottages, on their plan. One of them is always in the town of Lerwick, while the other itinerates among the country societies; all of which they continue to visit once a month, except those on one or two distant islands, which can be approached only during the summer months. The congregations in all places are encouraging, and in some crowded; the majority of the members are in a justified state; and a few consistently profess to enjoy the blessing of entire sanctification. Lerwick society consists of one hundred and fifty members; the congregation is the largest and most respectable in the islands; and our disciplinary arrangements are established among them much as in our English Circuits. The Preachers are esteemed by the inhabitants generally; and, with a few exceptions, the members have, from the beginning, adorned their religious profession.

The

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are not blessed at present with what we term a "revival;" but the society cannot be said to be in a state of decay. Some young people have been recently converted; and many of the old mcmbers are pressing after a full salvation. The chapel is a plain, substantial building, capable of containing about four hundred hearers; the pews are nearly all let; and the erection of a gallery is imperiously called for by the permanent increase of the congregation. This necessary measure received the sanction of the District-Meeting, on condition, that thirty pounds be raised by the Trustees; the remaining expense to be provided for by the appropriation of the interest of the moneys allotted for "the repair and enlargement of chapels in Shetland." The Preachers' house is joined to the chapel, and is included in the same trust. It is large, commodious, and well-built; and, with a small sum laid out in annual repairs, it will last for ages. The furniture, I am sorry to say, is in a very shattered state; and the sum of ten pounds, at least, is required to repair what is decayed, and replace what is fairly worn out. The premises stand in "Baker's Close;" so called, because the only baker in the islands has his "bakehouse" in the lane.

The Sunday-school contains about one hundred and sixty children. They are

taught by fourteen Teachers, who, for punctuality and general competency, would reflect credit on any similar institution in the kingdom. There is a small library, belonging equally to the school and congregation, which has done great good; and which the "Friends of Shetland" should be careful to support and enlarge. The following incident may, perhaps, stimulate some to assist in this good work. The day after my arrival in Lerwick, a box full of books from England, addressed to Mr. Catton, was brought in, with several smaller packages for the other Circuits. There was no letter with them; but from the character of the volumes, and the manner of their presentation, we concluded they were intended to replenish the library. As soon as the contents of the box were examined, Mr. Catton proposed that we should sing a hymn of praise; after doing which, we kneeled down and gave God thanks for the talents and piety of the men who wrote the books; for the "Tract Society," which had published them in so cheap and portable a form; for having put it into the heart of our unknown friend to devise things so liberal in behalf of poor Shetland; and we concluded by imploring Heaven's richest blessings on the head of our benefactor,-praying, at the same time, that God would make the various volumes the means of life and edifi. cation to all their readers. Never can I forget the eagerness and exultation with which the brethren examined and praised these volumes. Many of the books be longing to the library had been perused to tatters; others were lost; and they were afraid that the extinction of the lending system would be the lamentable result. But here were fifty volumes, great and small, presented without money and price; and, coming at such a crisis, they were reckoned indeed a "God-send." On the following morn ing a letter arrived, informing us that we were indebted for the treasure to the Rev. William Wears, and friends in Sunderland. There is not a bookseller's shop within the precincts of Shetland; and were there many, the country-people are so poor that they could make no purchases. Mr. Catton, on one occasion, asked a young woman, of about nineteen years of age, who had been his guide for several miles, whether she would have a sixpence, or a New Testament, for her trouble? The question evidently threw her into considerable perplexity; but, after a pause, she replied, "I never had a sixpence of my own since I was born; and you may be sure I should like to

have one now; but the New Testament is the book of God; and therefore, if you please, I shall choose it."

The DUNROSSNESS society contains one hundred and forty-four members, who, for simplicity and fervour, very much resemble our people in Yorkshire. Their chapel is built on a sterile eminence, from which may be seen both the German and Atlantic oceans; and were it not for the "house of prayer," which sanctifies the soil, one might imagine that God has, in judgment, "stretched out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness." But though the chapel is built in stony places," it is nevertheless surrounded with a numerous population, many of whom have received the seed of the kingdom into "good and honest hearts." The chapel will hold about five hundred persons, and is in good repair; but the vestries, which are built at one end, are going to ruin: their roof, which is nearly flat, has been covered with tarpawling, instead of slates, which proves a very inadequate defence against the Shetland storms. There is a species of economy which good men sometimes adopt, that in the end proves as expensive as extravagance itself. Mr. Catton engaged to get the vestries covered with slates without delay; and as a considerable space of the adjacent ground belongs to the chapel, we thought it desirable that the whole should be enclosed with a wall, before the boundary line was quite obliterated.

In no part of the islands has our ministry been crowned with greater success than in this neighbourhood. One old

man said, "It was a bright day when the Methodists came to Dunrossness; the brightest that we or our fathers ever saw." And his wife, who was standing by, added, "Before they came we were dark, and knew nothing; but now we know the true God, and Jesus Christ. We have now a remedy for our griefs; and though we are still poor, we are not near so poverty-stricken as we formerly were." "The good Being sent the Methodists here," said another, "as truly as Christ sent his Apostles to the Gentile world. Before they came every second Sabbath was a silent Sabbath; and these days were spent in an evil way, especially by the young but now we have no silent Sabbaths at all, at all; and the Gospel which is so fully preached is the power of God to our salvation." I spent a sacramental Sabbath among this sim. ple, loving people; and felt my soul unusually happy in all the services of the sanctuary. The day was stormy, and

the rain fell in torrents; but, in spite of all, they came up in crowds; and if tears, if ascriptions of praise, if wrestling prayer, if spontaneous testimonies in honour of sovereign grace, are signs, the word did indeed come with power. The greater part of the people, I was told, could read; and the eagerness they manifested to obtain tracts, &c., indicated their delight in the exercise. The Bible is wholly wanting in some families; and in others only fragments of it are found. The cottagers think themselves rich indeed, if, to a Bible, they can add a Wesleyan Hymn-book. In nine instances out of ten these, together with the Shorter Catechism of the Church of Scotland, are all the books they possess. They are upwards of twenty miles from Lerwick; yet some of the women have been known to walk this distance to obtain a second-hand Hymn-book. The Superintendent of the school, who is also an Exhorter, informed me, that the only Commentary on the Scriptures he possessed was the Hymn-book; and that he was indebted to the Poet of Methodism for the meaning of many a text. He said he was greatly at a loss to explain those passages which referred to the manners and customs of the countries in the east; and modestly requested, that if I knew of any book which treated on these subjects, I would endeavour to procure it for him.

Within a few miles of Dunrossness chapel stands Fitful, one of the boldest promontories in Shetland. It rises perpendicularly from the sea, to the height of eight hundred feet; runs in a northwest direction for about two miles, and terminates at each end in abrupt and precipitous crags. The caverns of Fitful

formed the residence of the witch "Norna," as described by Sir Walter Scott, in the Pirate; and it must be admitted that no scenery in the world was better fitted to generate demon thoughts, or fire the imagination of a poet. To the east lie the ruins of the old parish church, which, on account of the encroachments of the sea, and the spreading of a sand-flood, that threatens to cover the surrounding farms, has been long abandoned. In the churchyard human bones are strewed about in appalling abundance; and the armorial bearings of some families of distinction are still visible on several of the tomb-stones,-publishing in expressive silence that the fashion of this world passeth away."

6.

The SANDWICK society consists of about eighty members, and the chapel in which they worship will hold about two hun

dred and fifty hearers. It is in good repair, is finely situated and well attended. There are a faithful few at Sandwick, who walk worthy of God unto all well pleasing, and who refuse to rest till the righteousness of Sion go forth as bright ness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. But the spiritual interests of the society generally are low, the classes are too frequently neglected, joint supplication has been restrained, petty disputes have caused a shyness among those who are one in Christ; and the consequence is, conversions for the last twelve months have been few, and far between. It is only when believers are all one, as the Father is with the Son, that the world can be expected to believe. When will the friends of Jesus sufficiently consider the intimate connexion which exists between their Christian consistency, and the conversion of the unbelieving multitude?

Having had to walk about twenty miles, through pathless wastes, on the day I preached to this people, I did not arrive till considerably beyond the time announced; but they showed their regard for the message, by waiting perseveringly, if not patiently, for the messenger; and I trust they forgot their former fears, as I am sure I did my fatigue, while I set before them the nature, advantages, and means of attaining true godliness. Three days before this we had observed, from the tops of the hills, the mail packet, steering her course towards Lerwick; and much we longed to know what accounts she brought concerning our dear relations, and our beloved Connexion. Knowing, however, that wishes were vain in a country where no post runs, we suppressed desire, and fortified our minds for the endurance of the fast till we had finished our route. But Mrs. Catton, aware of the worth of a "Watchman," in Shetland, and of the exhilarating power of the effusions of friendship, shortened our trial by forwarding our portion of the "close packed load," to the house where we were appointed to lodge. Every rose has its thorn, and grief generally treads on the heels of joy; for, while we were cheered by the intelligence that certain friends were well, and that the good cause was prospering in many places, we were surprised and grieved to learn that the Rev. Valentine Ward was no more. The scenes of Sandwick will ever be associated in my mind with the painful intelligence of the death of my father and my friend.

The BURRA ISLE society consists of twenty-one members. The chapel will contain about one hundred and eighty

hearers, and it is generally well filled. Its roof has been lately covered with slates instead of thatch; and it now forms, in appearance at least, a respectable rival to the small parish church, which stands at a little distance. The family with whom we lodged, not only welcomed us to the best they had, but showed, in many nameless ways, that they thought it a privilege to have us under their roof. They assured us that the people generally were greatly improved in their morals and habits since the coming of the Methodists; and that both the Clergyman and schoolmaster were much more attentive to their duties than they formerly were. After inviting about fifty persons, collected on a very short notice, to Jesus, the rest of the weary, I retired, sufficiently fatigued, having been walking or sailing nearly the whole day. On the next morning I spent an interesting hour upon the summit of the majestic cliffs which here grace the waters of the mighty Atlantic; and which, by their proud elevation, fully sustain the character of the ocean to which they form a boundary. I was particularly struck with one huge rock, which, like a wall of adamant, stretches out from the parent cliff at least two hundred feet, rising at the same time to a great height, in which there is a rude arch, about forty feet high, and twenty broad, through which the waves dash with awful impetuosity. After being feasted with this sublime scene, and having shared in the provisions, and joined in the worship, of the cottage, two of our people rowed us across the sound, to the Mainland. In the kind assiduities and intelligent discourse of these simple people, I found ample proof of the high estimation in which they hold their Preachers, and the great profit they have derived from their ministry.

The FAIR ISLE, which forms another station in this Circuit, is distant from Lerwick about forty-eight miles. It lies at the confluence of the German and Atlantic oceans; and is, on this account, inaccessible, except in calm weather. It was on the precipitous shore of this small island that the Duke de Medina, Admiral of the Spanish Armada, was wrecked, while seeking a northern passage to Spain, after his signal defeat by Lord Howard. The remains of his stately ship, the Formidable, are still visible when the bosom of the deep is untroubled. The inhabitants of this island are about three hundred. They are remarkable for their industry, sobriety, and love for their native soil. About fifty of them meet in class, though the Preachers are unable to visit

them oftener than twice in the year. There are a kirk and a school-house on the island: the schoolmaster is diligent in the performance of his duty, and is a blessing to the people; but the Minister has been known to neglect them for three years together. Some time ago he thought meet to forbid the Methodist Ministers the use of the unused kirk; and showed his zeal by calling them "locusts from the bottomless pit ;" "wolves in sheep's clothing; "adding some other equally honourable appellatives.

The other societies in the Lerwick Circuit are small; they have been formed by means of village-preaching; and their increase is prevented by the want of Sunday service, experienced Class-Leaders, and more commodious places of worship. But, from all I saw and heard, I had reason to believe that the conduct of the members of even these minor societies was exemplary, and exerted a salutary influence on the surrounding population. The total number of members in the Circuit is five hundred and seventy-three.

The remaining Circuits I had no opportunity of visiting; and am indebted for my information concerning them to their respective Ministers, and to Mr. Catton, who visited them repeatedly as Chairman of the District. This will account for my comparatively brief outline of their affairs.

The WALLS AND SANDNESS Cin. CUIT contains a large, but widely scattered, population. The preaching stations lie on the west side of the Mainland, and on two or three small islands, stretching in the same direction. The Preacher resides at Walls: the house is rented, and is, in Shetland phrase, a "hall-house;" that is, a house with two or more stories. It is sufficiently large for any family, but is out of repair, and badly furnished. The word of life is dispensed to a simple and grateful people in five chapels and seven cottages; in all of which the congregations are encouraging. The number of members in this Circuit is about three hundred and twelve, three-fourths of whom enjoy a sense of the divine favour, through faith in the blood of the Lamb; and several rejoice, from day to day, in the rest of a full salvation. They are divided into eighteen classes, and their regular attendance on the means of grace proves that they love to "lie down in green pastures," and to be led "beside the still waters." One of the Leaders is a Local Preacher, of good natural abilities; and several others make themselves useful by reading sermons when the people are deprived of the regu

lar ministration of the Gospel. The only Sunday-school is at Walls: it contains about forty children, a considerable portion of whom can repeat the whole of the second Conference Catechism. As an auxiliary to this, the Preachers' wives, for several years, have taught the young women in the neighbourhood in needlework, &c., on week-days, in their own house. This labour of love calls for constant self-denial on the part of the good women who carry it on; but they feel themselves amply rewarded in witnessing the improved manners, the cleanly habits, the diligence, and, in some instances, the deepening seriousness, of those who are the objects of their care. Here, as in the other Circuits, the want of books is severely felt; and the chief reason, I was told, why there is only one Sunday-school, is, because the children have not, and cannot obtain, Bibles or other suitable books.

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The NORTH-MAVIN AND DELTING CIRCUIT was nearly destitute of the means of grace previously to the introduction of Methodism in 1822. The kirk being built at the south-west extremity of the parish, which is very large, many of the parishioners were obliged to walk on the Lord's day from sixteen to twenty miles over high hills and through swampy valleys, or submit to a total privation of public worship. Such a Sabbath-day's journey, through such country, during the dark and stormy months of winter especially, was sufficient to wear out the most robust; and, as for the young, the aged, and the infirm, their attendance was absolutely impossible. In consequence of this mournful state of things, a general forgetfulness of God, and a profligacy of manners not common in Shetland, characterized the majority of the inhabitants. station a Minister here was true charity; and while the appointment was joyfully hailed by the people, it has been manifestly owned by Him who "would not have one wretched sinner die."

To

Though this Circuit includes the most mountainous and romantic part of the Mainland, it is, nevertheless, one of the most compact and comfortable in the islands. The Preacher has one chapel and fifteen cottages on his plan; the population is about two thousand five hundred, a great majority of whom regularly attend his ministry. The scholars in the Sunday-school amount to sixty; their progress in religious knowledge is rapid, and a number of them exhibit satisfac. tory signs of a work of grace on their hearts. The number of members is one