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A Missionary Association is beginning to act. The sum of 31. 10s. was contributed, last year, by the people.

In March, of last year, Mr. Wilhelm reported in reference to those under his charge

We humbly hope that the Lord has attached to us the hearts of some of our people, with whom we can take sweet communion; and some at least do trust that we are come among them to build up and not to destroy. We have, however, enemies also; who show a dislike to all order and religion, as much as we feel a dislike to Devil's fashion; and who do not even think proper to conceal the enmity of their hearts, and the bitterness of their mind and spirit.

We had Twelve Communicants this month; some of whom are Soldiers and Soldier-Women, who have given fair proof of a new heart and a right disposition, by having first come forward to be lawfully married together: confessing the sins in which they had lived, they have plainly declared that they have learned to fear God, and to hate those sinful fashions which in their ignorance they counted their pleasure and joy. They desired me to baptize them and their Children, that thus they may keep company with the people of God, and live with them on the same mercy .and hope in Christ Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners.

At Midsummer, Mr. Wilhelm reported—

About 28 persons (Men, Women, and Youths) appear concerned for the salvation of their souls. May the grace of God help them forward in this great concern! Their knowledge is but very partial, and they are exposed to much temptation to wander from the paths of righteousness and peace.

Forty Women, newly liberated, are added to the Girls' School, to learn English, before they can be allowed to marry. In the last communications received from Mr. Wilhelm, he writes

We have now nearly 500 Souls around us; to be taken care of both for body and soul. Though most of them are still very ignorant, yet they love us; and often express themselves thankful, that, by the good providence of God, they have been rescued from Slavery and brought into our hands. May the Lord bless His word of Grace to their souls; and bring them into the way to draw grace for grace out of the fulness of Christ Jesus, to make them wise unto salvation-fit for His service and for His heavenly Kingdom!

From a Report of a Journey, made by some. Gen

tlemen round the Peninsula in September, and printed in the Sierra-Leone Gazette, the Committee extract the following honourable testimony to Waterloo, which the Meeting will hear with much satisfaction:

Nothing during our tour gave us greater pleasure than the appearance of this Village, established little more than two years. The extent of cleared country, in a state of cultivation, is almost incredible. We measured 76 square acres of rice, some of which was ready to cut, in the immediate vicinity of the town.

The town is well laid out: the houses are rather superior to any in the other villages on the Peninsula: the Rector's House and the Girls' and Boys' School-Houses are neat and commodious.

The greatest credit is due to the worthy Rector, the Rev. J. G. Wilhelm; and not less to Mrs. Wilhelm, for her assiduity, in the instruction of the Girls placed under her protection. It is but a short time ago since these promising Girls were relieved from the galling chains of Slavery, and put under her guidance; and now to behold them, reading their lessons, repeating their prayers, or busily employed at their needle, excites the most lively and gratifying reflections; and produces a thorough conviction of the unbounded blessings which may be bestowed, by a strict attention and constant assiduity in the education and civilization of the most superstitious and barbarous tribes.

Hastings.

William Davis, one of the Native Teachers, has, for some time, attended, at the request of Mr Reffell, Chief Superintendant of the Liberated Negroes, every Sunday, from Regent's Town, to hold Divine Service with the people of this place; who are about 200 in number, chiefly Disbanded Native Soldiers. The people have voluntarily come forward to build a Place of Worship: Mr. Reffell has offered them every assistance to forward that object; and states that the morals of the Soldiers have much improved.

Kent.

The removal of Mr. Renner to this Station was mentioned in the last Report. His death has been already stated. After upward of seventeen years' service in Africa, having landed on the 14th of April, 1804,

He was

he died on the 9th of September last. affected with a jaundice, and a bowel complaint. In consequence of the distance of his Station from his Brethren, none of them were present at his death. Mr. Beckley was appointed to succeed Mr. Renner, while Mrs. Renner was left in charge of the Females. The Official Return of Scholars, in January 1821, was 35 Women, and 58 Men and Boys. The large building mentioned in the last Report has been finished: it is of stone, and has a fine appearance from the sea. The Liberated Negroes are making progress, and cultivation is extending.

The inhabitants are about 300. There are among them Ten Communicants, who walk consistently: a Meeting is held with them on Saturday Evenings.

Charlotte.

From Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, the Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress at this Station, the Committee continue to receive satisfactory information. Of the majority of the people, indeed, consisting, by the last Return of 268, but since increased by new arrivals, a favourable report cannot be given, in respect of their religious state; but some manifest true piety. Seven had been baptized, and had become Communicants; and there were Five Candidates for Baptism. Daily Worship was attended by about 250 persons.

Of his first convert from among the Natives, whose baptism was mentioned in the last Report, Mr. Taylor has sent home a very satisfactory and instructive account, and has stated various instances of the power of Divine Grace in the reformation of open and daring sinners*. Of one Woman, he writes—

Divine Grace has been magnified in turning a lion into a lamb. It may be truly said of the Woman to whom I refer, that she was as a lion in time past; but now, like Mary, she is. sitting at the feet of Jesus, and hearing His words. Her husband was continually troubled with her before, for she seemed to make it her daily study to work iniquity with greediness; and

* Particulars on these subjects have been printed since the Anniversary, in the Missionary Register for July, pp. 299–301.

not her Husband only, but every one who came near her, was troubled by her, in some way or other. In short, she cared neither for God nor Man; until it pleased God to call her, by His Grace, and reveal to her the hidden evils of her heart; when she came to me, with the burden of a troubled conscience, and bowed down to the dust under a sense of her sins.

A Meeting is held on Saturday Evenings, for religious edification and prayer; and Prayer Meetings, at seven o'clock on Sunday Mornings and on Wednesday Evenings. On the first Monday of every month a Missionary Prayer Meeting has been established. These Meetings have been the means of great good to the people. Of their influence in raising the tone of feeling and piety among the Converts, the Committee will extract an instance from Mr. Taylor's Journal.

I had occasion, one evening (he writes) to speak sharply to one of the Communicants, who had been led away by covetousness to an act dishonourable to the Gospel, and for which I forbad his attendance at the Saturday Evening Meeting. The next morning he looked very sorrowful, and his swoln eyes testified how he had been employed all night. In the afternoon he came to my Wife, begging her to entreat for his admittance at the Evening Meeting:-"Suppose somebody," said he "have a child, and that child do bad and he punish him, he no turn him out of his house-he must keep him in his house. Me do bad, for true-Massa been punish me very much; but where must I go?-what must I do?" When the other Members and Candidates came in the evening, he came with them. I asked him why he came, when I told him he should not come; but he was speechless. I read that part of the Fifth Chapter to the Ephesians, which respects covetousness, and then left it to the other Members to decide whether he should still be allowed to meet among them or not; giving them thereby an opportunity to shew what spirit they were of. I was much pleased to observe the manner in which they treated the offender-at once manifesting a hatred of sin and pity to him who had fallen into it. One said, "We all sinners: we know what it is to be tempted; the devil come and tempt we, softly and easily; and we fall into sin before we are aware, or consider the consequences." Another spoke in a similar manner; adding, "I hope this will be a warning to him, not to go the same way again." One was rather severe; and said that the man had been reproved for covetousness before: he was rather averse to his being retained; but he was the only one who was so inclined. He was, therefore allowed still to attend.

At these Meetings, the people will frequently express their sense of the working of sin in their hearts in a lively and natural manner.

One said

My sinful heart trouble me. Me stand the same like a man that take bill-hook, and go to bush, and cut big tree: he cut little and little, till, by and bye, he throw it down. So me stand: sin cut me little and little, till, by and bye, it throw me down into hell. Another said

Me stand like big ship in the middle of the sea, that can see nothing but water: for me wicked heart on one side, and covetous heart on the other, and nothing but trouble and sin. All the bad me do in my country now come upon me; and me in the middle of sin, like ship in the middle of the sea.

The Missionary Association contributed 77. 3s. during last year. At the Anniversary in May, the attendance was large, and the spirit excellent; which seemed to arise from the Monthly Prayer Meeting of the Association having been held in the morning. Several Christian Natives addressed the Meeting*: the sum of 17. 15s. 3d. was collected.

The Official Return of Scholars was, in January of last year, 152: at Midsummer, the number was 253; and, at Christmas, 240. This last number consisted of 58 Boys and 74 Girls, in Day Schools; and 88 Men and Youths and 20 Women, in Evening Schools. A considerable part of the increase in the first half of the year, had arisen from newly-liberated Slaves; but many of these soon died, in consequence of the hard usage which they had received on board. The sickly and emaciated state, especially of the poor females, was truly pitiable and distressing.

At the close of the year, a part of the Scholars in the Men and Youths' Evening School, disliking the restraint and the labour of learning, and understanding that their attendance would not be enforced by authority, about half the number withdrew, though some of them would soon have been able to read, It may be hoped that they have, before this time, obtained a better sense of their interest and their duty.

* The Addresses of three of these Natives have appeared, since the Anniversary, in the Missionary Register for August, pp. 323–325.

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