Contribution List. From January the 20th, to February the 21st, 1834. ASSOCIATIONS IN AND NEAR LONDON. Cumberland: Carlisle, including 51. for I.N. F.S. and 47. 38. for Dis. Miss. Fund, 68 12 0 Whitehaven 5 0 0 12 9 3 41 10 3 150 0 0 13 7 0 South Shields. Buckinghamshire: Iver Cheshire Congleton....... 35 3 8 East Cheshire Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland,83 49 Houghton-le-Spring............ 66 7 6 1 .............. 41 9 Sunderland.............. 50 0 0 Runcorn 54 5 1 133 13 0 **The Committee beg to acknowledge the receipt of a Parcel, containing Fancy Articles from Friends at Nailsworth; a Box of Ditto from Ladies at Poulton. Sundry Articles for African Schools, from Mrs. Holcombe and Friends at Chelmsford, by Mr. Brown; and a liberal supply of Clothing for New Zealand, from Manchester, by the Rev. R. Frost. 0 8 6 Penryn, Cornwall.. 200 Church Missionary Record. No. 3.] MARCH, 1834. Biography. [VOL. V. ACCOUNT OF BILLY, A BLACK BOY, IN NEW HOLLAND. In the account of the journey of the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society from Sydney to Wellington Valley, it was stated (p. 218, Vol. 1833) that a little Black Boy, named Billy, had died on the way. It will be interesting to our Readers to have the detailed narrative of the Rev. W. Watson; which would have been sooner given, but that his Journal did not arrive till after the printing of the more brief narrative of Mr. Handt. Mr. Watson appears to have had his Christian sympathies strongly drawn out toward this youth: and our Readers will agree with us in considering the exercise of a tender and patient spirit as being, above all other means, best calculated to impress the savage, the untutored, the youthful, and the sickly, with kindly feelings toward Christ and His blessed Gospel. Much discrimination may, indeed, sometimes be needed, in judging how far-especially on a harassing journey-an invalid should be pressed, or yielded to: but when death has closed the scene, we never repent of having shown too much gentleness; especially when that gentleness may have been the means of winning one fainting soul to Jesus. With these preliminary remarks, we give from the words of Mr. Watson the following brief account of-we hope-a true Christian Convert among the Blacks; one of the lambs whom it was his charge to feed. He relates There was one circumstance connected with our journey to Wellington, that will make it ever memorable to me; namely, the death of Billy Black, a Native Black of about 9 or 10 years of age. The first time I saw him was when the Rev. R. Hill and I were passing through the Barrack-yard, in Sydney, where he was playing. He was then under the care of an officer of the 39th. In the month of July, the regiment to which this officer belonged embarked for India. Previously to his embarkation, I received a letter from the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, intimating, that as the officer was about to leave the Colony, he thought I had better take the boy. I RECORD, March, 1834.] accordingly waited on the officer; and it was agreed, that, on his leaving Sydney, the boy should be committed to my care. He informed me, that about twelve months before, when he resided at Bathurst, the tribe to which Billy belonged came up to that place; and that, after their departure, he was found loitering about the premises, and apparently anxious to remain. The officer took him into his family, clothed him, and kindly put him to school; where, I have since been informed, he was the greatest tyrant to all the other children. Afterward, when the officer came down to Sydney, he brought Billy with him, and placed him at the school for the children of the military, where he remained up to the time of his coming to me. He went on board with the soldiers, when they embarked at Sydney, and remained on board all the night, which was very cold, and I believe rainy too. That night, I think, he caught a very severe cold; for on his coming to the Rev. R. Hill's, who was so kind as to G take him to his house, he had a violent cough, which he never lost to the day of his death. When he came to us, he was exceedingly filthy, though well clothed. Mrs. Watson cut his hair, made him wash himself well all over, and, as the best means of getting him clean, she burned his linen. On the day preceding our projected departure from Sydney, I took him with me to the Government Garden, to assist me in bringing up some medical herbs, roots, &c. which I had selected to take with me; but instead of his being of service to me, I was often under the necessity of waiting for him, because he walked so slowly, which I thought arose solely from an indolent habit, but which I now think was occasioned by a severe affection of the lungs. On the road, he was not able to walk so as to keep up with the dray, and therefore rode upon it. I gave him medicine, and applied a blister to his chest; but all my attempts to remove his complaint were ineffectual. Sometimes he appeared considerably better, but he soon experienced a relapse. His appetite in general got gradually worse, and he would often say to me, Look at my poor legs and arms, how small they are!" but never did a murmuring word escape his lips. His remarks on the death of Christ, and on Heaven, were sometimes truly affecting. He remembered what Mrs. Watson had said to him in Sydney, when she read and endeavoured to explain the Bible to him; and he mentioned it to me more than once. which was evident in his saying his prayers has often affected my mind: his uplifted hands and eyes appeared to convey the idea, that, with him, it was not a mere form. He was very careful of some little books, given to him by the Rev. R. Hill, or as rewards at the Sunday School, as well as of a few tickets which he got there. He always carried them wrapt up in his hat, and would constantly have them under his head, or by his pillow, when he slept. He suffered a very great deal, with the greatest patience, especially during the last week of his life. When his happy spirit had left the cumbrous clod behind, though I felt assured of his felicity, I could not forbear weeping and sorrowing exceedingly, for I loved him as a brother or a son; and it was with the greatest difficulty imaginable that I got through the Funeral Service over him.-The ways of God are mysterious, but, I am persuaded, always full of wisdom and mercy. O that Billy Black may be the forerunner of very many of the Aborigines of New Holland to the realms of light! An instance of the preciousness of Religious Ordinances to this feeble, dying youth, is related, in a very simple but feeling manner, by Mr. Watson, under the date of September 4th: he states Poor Billy very sick and ill to-day. I said to him this evening, "Billy, you are very ill you had better go to bed." He No prayer to-night, Massa?" and I could not persuade him to go to bed before family prayers. 66 replied, Several times when I was ab sent from the camp, when any of the carriers or stock-keepers, who had come up, swore, he told them that God would not love them if they said those bad words, but they would go to hell. One of our company told me that he was surprised to hear him talk about Religion-that he spoke like an old man. On one occasion, when speaking with a Black Native Boy who had been some time in a religious family, he said, "You are not a Christian : I am not a Christian: I have not been baptized." One Lord's-day, his cough was so violent, that I thought it better for him not to come into the tent during Divine Service, he expectorated so much. He was sitting at some distance; but no sooner did he hear that we had commenced Service, than he came into the tent, and laboured, by every means, to suppress his cough, during the whole of the time. The appearance of devotion and reverence The account of the last few days of his earthly existence, and of his peaceful departure, is thus related by Mr. Watson: - Sept. 14, 1832-Poor Billy is much worse he is scarcely able to walk. A Black-fellow who came up gave him part of an opossum, which he relished very much. Sept. 15-Billy no better this morning; though his blister has risen very well. I bled him, and such blood I never saw before; it was one coagulated solid mass throughout. He groaned heavily this morning: every person, except myself, thought he was dying. He revived a little toward evening; and when I talked to him about God and Religion, he expressed himself in a very pleasing |