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of Dikco's men were returning from a hunt, they had to cross the same plain; in doing which, it being a cold day, three of them died.

16th. We left Tingwani's immediately after breakfast, and arrived at Buntingville about four o'clock.

I should think the distance from the new station to Buntingville by Tingwa ni's is about seventy miles; but, in consequence of crossing both the Tina and Tsitsa near their junction with the Umzimvubu, the road is dreadful; some of the hills are at an angle of from forty-five to fifty degrees, and of the whole seventy miles we could not ride more than thirty. The waggon-road will be much better, though somewhat longer; but as this is the road by which the people will generally travel with the post, and the only one in which they can find inhabitants, I preferred taking it, so as to connect Buntingville and the new station, taking Tingwani as the connecting link. Though the journey was the most tiresome one I ever took, yet I do not regret it. The boldness of the mountain-scenery is grand beyond description; and the general appearance of the country is so beautiful, that it fully compensates for the additional labour connected with travelling through it.

To give you some idea of the locality of the new station, I would observe, that, by the waggon-road, it will be about eighty or eighty-five miles north-east from Buntingville, and about one hundred miles from Morley.

17th. We arrived at home, and found all well.

These various journeys have necessarily taken me much from home, which I the more regret, as the late Catechist of this station has removed during the year; and, his successor not having arrived, this station has been left without any European upon it except Mrs. Palmer. I made the best arrangement I could: the Native Schoolmaster conducted the school under the superintendence of Mrs. Palmer; and from her I learn, that the persons I had appointed to preach to the people did it in a very acceptable man

ner.

During the last month, one of the members of our society, Mary Thomas, died happy in God. She was one of

the first persons who came to reside in this village; and, together with her hus band, has been a member for several years. Her conduct, upon the whole, has been good, except that at times I thought her too worldly-minded; and I often expressed to her a fear that it would prove a snare to her soul. However, in her last sickness, she was fully delivered from it; she seemed to have no thought about the world, or even any anxiety about her husband and child; and so completely did grace triumph in her, that she seemed to have but one desire, namely, to depart and be with Christ. On one occasion, when Mrs. Palmer went to see her, she found her full of thankfulness for what God had done for her, for the comfort she received in her affliction, and for the superiority of the consolation afforded by the Holy Spirit to any that could be derived from the things of this world; and, in reply to the question, "Have you hope?" she answered, "Yes, great, great hope! Mrs. Palmer says, her feeling seemed to be that of the poet, when he said,

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"Tears of joy mine eyes o'erflow,

That I have any hope of heaven." At another time, when I asked her how she felt in her heart, she replied, "I see no path before me but one; that is, to my Father in heaven." I then inquired, "Have you a good hope that if death takes you, you shall be received into heaven?" and received for answer, "Yes; that is what I mean, when I say, 'I see but one path.' I know I shall die; but, through Christ Jesus, I have hope, and see my path to heaven: I am not afraid." After this, on hearing that she was worse, I went to see her again; but it was too late, her speech had failed, and she was just about to leave this vale of tears. Her attendants informed me that she had spent the greater part of the night in prayer. Her death was so different from that of the Heathen, who have nothing to comfort them in that solemn hour, that I trust it will produce an impression on the minds of some who are strangers to religion. I heard one intelligent native say, "Though people may say that God's service is nothing, when they are in health; yet in death we see that it is something."

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. William Impey, dated D'Urban, Kafferland, August 16th, 1841.

WE were favoured with a more than ago, on the occasion of the administration ordinarily impressive season a little time of both sacraments, baptism and the

Lord's supper. We had twelve candidates for baptism: two of these were (greatly to their disappointment, I believe) unavoidably absent, and therefore wait for another opportunity. Kama, the converted Chief, arrived the previous evening to spend the Sabbath with us; and I was exceedingly glad of his presence on our "high occasion," judging truly that it would prove to him a time of great and hallowed enjoyment, on witnessing in so many others a confession of that faith and doctrine which he himself has so long and so brightly adorned. Besides this, I was anxions to avail my self of his services as a Preacher of the Gospel; and visiting us on the station, as he occasionally does, I never allow him to do so without employing him in that capacity. Could you but hear him, though understanding not a word, from his countenance beaming with affection towards his yet benighted brethren, and his voice trembling with emotion, you would feel that he spoke with power, and that his ministration of the truth was attended with an 66 unction from the Holy One."

On this Sabbath, at our early morning service, Kama preached; and at our Monday service, I endeavoured to explain the nature and obligation of baptism and the Lord's supper, and to enforce the duties connected with them. Ten adults were then baptized in the presence of the congregation; the usual questions contained in the baptismal service being put to them, and satisfactorily answered. All seemed deeply affected, several to tears; and at the close of the service, including the ten just baptized, we numbered twenty-two communicants at the table of the Lord. Thus, in the regions of heathen darkness, do the followers of the Lord Jesus" show forth his death until he come." These services gave rise to some railing on the part of the

opposers of the Gospel. Now," said they, "you are no longer men: you have ruined yourselves this day :"-a very general notion prevailing, (from what cause arising, I cannot tell,) that they who unite themselves to the society of Christians will die much earlier than they otherwise would have done.

In our catechumen-class, I am glad to observe an increasing concern among its members for the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins; and, instead of (what is so frequently the case) the expression of vague desires after the "right path," many are beginning the earnest inquiry, "What must I do to be saved?" One of them told me that he had been thinking of the love of God on this wise: "God gave his only Son: men did not ask this Son. God freely gave Him." O how this infinite love commends itself to the heart of man, the wide world over! God gave his Son; and will he not with him also freely give us all things? Shall we not yet see the day when it shall no longer be said, "One of a tribe, and two of a city;" but when the "little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation; "when" the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs;' " and when they for whom the Lord, "unasked," gave his only Son, shall, with bounding hearts, receive Him as their Saviour and their Lord, and, experiencing his saving grace and power, shall exclaim, "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift ?"

I am sorry to say, that the small-pox has broken out in the Fingoe settlement. We have had upwards of forty cases, and five deaths. All we can do is, to introduce vaccination as extensively as possible; and, happily, virus, procured from the Mauritius, a fortnight ago, has succeeded.

POSTSCRIPT.

Wesleyan Mission- House, Bishopsgate-Street-Within, London, February 15th, 1842.

CHRISTMAS JUVENILE OFFERINGS,

FOR THE YEAR 1841.

WITH the liveliest emotions of gratitude to Almighty God, and to the children and young people of the Wesleyan congregations, we announce the cheering fact, that the request, addressed to our juvenile

friends for some special pecuniary assistance to the cause of Missions, during the late Christmas festival, has been nobly and munificently fulfilled, not only in all the metropolitan Circuits, but in the greater portion of those in the country; and that, much to their honour, several Circuits in Ireland have, unasked, contributed liberal sums. The aggregate amount thus raised (including the liberal contributions of two English Circuits, in which it was thought that the particular methods elsewhere adopted could not well be carried into operation, but in which other means were kindly devised for the same general object) very much exceeds the original calculation, being £4,721. 7s. 4d. This truly noble contribution will materially aid the accomplishment of a purpose, which the Committee felt to be of great importance, and which they were most anxious to secure, by all practicable and proper means,-that of making the income of 1841, as nearly as possible, equal to the expenditure of that year, so that little or no addition might be made to the heavy debt, accumulated in the three preceding years. Without the Christmas donations, this object could not have been attained. With them, in conjunction with various other operations, (also very successful,) there is reason to hope, that the balance-sheet, when completed, will exhibit an encouraging improvement in the Society's financial condition, during the year lately terminated. Scarcely less gratifying than the pecuniary result of the Christmas effort, are the spirit and tone of many of the communications by which the remittances were accompanied. The anticipation of the Committee, that this movement "would be found, on a fair trial, to be both pleasing and, in various ways, profitable and beneficial, to the young contributors and collectors themselves," has been fully realized by the fact. Never, probably, was so handsome a sum, under all the circumstances, raised with greater cheerfulness, or with stronger feelings and acknowledgments of the honour and pleasure conferred on the parties who were employed to raise it, by the service which they kindly undertook. In various quarters, a hope has been expressed, that they may be permitted again to crown the year" by similar proofs of pious benevolence, when God shall again crown it with his goodness." Whatever may hereafter be deemed necessary or expedient in that respect, "it is well that it was in the hearts" of our juvenile fellow-labourers. To them,—to the Ministers, the local Committees and officers, and to all who have taken any part in this effort, but most of all to Him "from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed," the Committee return their heartfelt thanks. And they conclude this article, by the expression of their earnest request, that the young friends, who have so essentially aided them in a time of special need, will further evince their good-will to our great cause, by enrolling themselves, if they have not already done so, as stated and regular Collectors, during the whole remainder of the current year, in connexion with the Juvenile or Branch Societies which exist, or shall yet be formed, in their several localities. They will thus render it the best and steadiest kind of support; and may God graciously accept and succeed their labours, and greatly "bless them and make them a blessing!"

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The lists of some of those Circuits from which Christmas offerings have been received, and of the amounts of their several contributions, were entered on the covers of the "Notices" for February. The

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remainder, for which we greatly regret that, on account of the large list of regular District remittances, we cannot now find room, will be published on the cover of the "Missionary Notices" for April.

ACCOUNTS OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1841.

We are concerned to state that, owing to the lamentably late period at which some of the balances and accounts of the District Auxiliaries were received, it is not yet in our power to announce, with perfect accuracy and confidence, the amount of income for 1841. We have reason, however, to believe, that even in a period of extraordinary commercial distress, it will be found to have very considerably exceeded that of 1840, or of any preceding year;-that the large increase has been occasioned, very principally, by an augmentation of the regular contributions from the Auxiliary Societies, both in Great Britain, in Ireland, and in the foreign stations ;-that the expenditure has been materially reduced, partly by the temporary retrenchments occasioned by the almost general postponement of the necessary re-inforcements to the Missionary stations, but also very considerably, and, it is hoped, more permanently, by the increased efforts of the older Missions to make a larger local provision towards their own support;-and that, by the combined operation of these causes, aided by the Christmas offerings, the probability is, that no material addition will be made for 1841 to the previously-existing and embarrassing debt of the Society. All this is very cheering to the Committee; and excites their wonder and devout gratitude. But we cannot even thus generally announce the pleasing fact, without reminding our friends,

1. That the OLD DEBT, as it stood at the close of 1840, yet greatly impoverishes us, and impedes our operations. It must now be vigorously encountered, by some simultaneous and genera! exertion for that specific purpose; and the Committee intend speedily to prepare, and submit to their friends, at home and abroad, a plan for the accomplishment of an object so great and indispensable. Such an application, they know, has not only been authorized by the General Annual Meeting, and by the Conference, but is generally and kindly expected by the public. In the meantime, the Committee are encouraged by the fact, that some generous persons have anticipated the formal application, by voluntarily forwarding their contributions towards the extinction of the debt, and that, in this way, an encouraging commencement has been made, as announced from time to time in our monthly reports.

2. That, however thankful for the results of the efforts of every kind made during the last year, we must not on any account relax in our exertions for the year 1842, and for each successive year. The augmentation of our income, absolutely required for the continuance, and much more for any enlargement, of our Missions, is obviously a claim, not of occasional or temporary character, but ccntinuous and permanent. Not only the same efforts which have been made during the past successful year, but still greater and more extended exertions will be necessary, if we are to maintain and improve our present position. As many of the Missions must now be reinforced, in order to supply vacancies occasioned by sickness and death, the regular expenditure of

1842 will almost inevitably be larger than that of 1841, and will require to be met by a larger income. If any plan be adopted for obtaining and properly preparing a greater number of native agents, (which it is now the prevalent conviction of all reflective persons that we ought soon to attempt,) such a plan, though eventually most beneficial, and even economical and saving, will, for a considerable time, involve additional expense; for it can be carried out, and brought into operation, only by degrees. The late Administration judged it necessary, on public grounds, to give official notice to our Society, and to all other similar institutions, that the Parliamentary Grant for Negro Education will be this year partially reduced, and will gradually but finally terminate in but a few years hence; so that our external aids from that quarter will soon cease, and for them we must substitute new resources of our own for maintaining our educational department in due efficiency. On these and other grounds we conclude, that the process of obtaining a sufficient addition to our former income, though most auspiciously commenced, is as yet far from complete, and must be zealously and indefatigably prosecuted.

On the whole, however, we once more "thank God, and take courage." The religious community to which we belong, and for which we have the honour to act, aided by the kind contributions of liberal friends in other Christian denominations, have furnished delightful indications of their attachment to the Missionary cause, which amply prove that their principles and consciences will not allow them to consent, as far as our Society is concerned, that "the ignominious and unwonted note of retreat shall be sounded," and "many places, already nobly won and occupied for Christ," be wholly or partially abandoned, "to the dishonour of our holy religion, and at the expense of the best interests of our perishing fellow-men." Instead of "retreat," the general voice of an approving church, in unison with that of imperative duty to God our Saviour, and with the loud and piercing entreaty from various regions of a yet almost unevangelized world, plainly speaks to us that we should and must persevere, and “ go forward."

DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES.

JAMAICA MISSION.-The Committee have despatched to Jamaica such a partial reinforcement of Missionaries as the circumstances of the Society appeared to warrant at the present time. Messrs. Thompson and Savory sailed by the West-India mail-steamer Medway, which left Falmouth on the 3d of February; and Mr. Sinclair has embarked at Southampton, by the steamer Tiviot, this day (Feb. 15th). By this improved mode of conveyance, it is expected that the Missionaries will arrive in Jamaica within a month after the date of their embarkation; and, while they may thus afford earlier help to the Mission, they will also have the advantage of the healthy season, before the commencement of the rains.

We record with much pleasure the powerful effect produced by the letters from Jamaica, contained in our Notices for January; and have especial gratification in calling attention to the liberal contributions of £78. Is. Od., from Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Bart., E. N. Buxton, Esq., and other members of that honoured family;-of £50 from

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