us to be continually on the alert, lest the contents of a piece, intended certainly for game, should enter ourselves. Every boy, from ten years of age and upwards, seems to shoulder his musket; and when we venture to reprove them for Sabbathbreaking, the reply invariably is, "We are French people, and have said our mass already." I cannot avoid saying to the Committee, that Trinidad should have more Missionaries. The question seems to be, whether this colony, with a population of sixty thousand, and daily increasing, should be left with three Missionaries, and three day-schools. Would not Christian benevolence say, "Send the bread of life to those who have not yet so much as tasted of it, before you furnish others with an absolute suffi ciency?"

I have pleasure in informing you, that, during the past few days, I have collected nearly £60 sterling towards the repairs and improvements required in our chapel in this town, of which I wrote in the former part of this letter. His Excellency Sir Henry M'Leod gave me, very cheerfully, £6. 6s. We are repair

ing the roof, putting up a new ceiling, plastering and rough-washing the walls outside, glazing, painting, &c.; which altogether will cost about £150, of which I shall raise about £90, and borrow for the present the balance.

I trust the Committee will be able to grant us a salary for a female Teacher in Port-of-Spain, as recommended by the Minutes of our last Meeting. Our excellent Teacher, Mr. Jordan, has fully one hundred boys, who give him work enough. There are fifty girls in daily attendance; and had we a female Teacher, we should have more. Some of the larger girls we were obliged to put out of the school at Christmas, it being time for them to begin learning the use of the needle. They wept on being obliged to leave. Many of them were subjects of serious and religious impressions; and they gratefully recognised the instrumentality which God had employed for their good, by clinging to us. O do give us £30 for a female Teacher, and many shall bless you at the coming of our Lord Jesus!

THROUGH the tender mercy of a kind and gracious Providence, we have been spared to the conclusion of our first quarter here. Not only have our lives been continued, but we have been blessed with the inestimable boon of good health. The language of our hearts is, "What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits to us?" We determine, by his grace, to live more to his glory, and to labour with greater zeal and diligence to save souls from death. O that God may succeed our humble exertions with his abundant blessing! We look to Him for a gracious out-pouring of his Holy Spirit. This we know to be his great promise to the church; the secret and the source of all spiritual prosperity. We endeavour to lay our hand on the promise, and to look for and to expect a revival of pure and fervent religion.

Emi

We regard our Circuit as one of pecu. liar interest and importance. grants are arriving every week from the old colonies, and a considerable increase to our rural population is expected from Sierra-Leone.

We are deeply convinced that more should be done for Trinidad. There are distant and thickly-populated parts

of the island that are never visited, or at most not more than once a year, by any Minister of religion. We think a harvest might be reaped, had we more labourers; but with only three Missionaries, it is impossible that we can go much beyond our present boundaries, without neglecting some part of the ground already taken in.

We regret that the Committee could not grant a salary for a Teacher at San Fernando, as pressingly recommended in the two past years.

We respectfully beg that the Committee would consider the circumstances of the Port-of-Spain school. Such a school, so large and effective, in a Popish country we regard with more than ordinary concern. There are almost two hundred children, from six to twelve years of age, fully half of which number can read the Scriptures of truth. This is indeed a pleasing fact to those who notice the advance of Protestant principles, despite of Popish intolerance and superstition.

Our Teacher is pious and intelligent. He exerts himself to the utmost of his ability every day in the week, and on the Sabbath too. But, having upwards of a

hundred boys, he has no time to devote to the girls; and, moreover, the girls require to be taught the use of the needle. We are unable to raise anything more in the Circuit; inasmuch as we have already to raise £60 to meet the Committee's £40; £100 being the amount of Mr. Jordan's salary. We believe that, if the Committee would be kind enough to give £30 for a fe

male Teacher, we could succeed doubly well. Many of the girls love our means of grace, and are attached to our chapel and school: these we must make up our minds to lose, if they be put from our school, to do which we shall be compelled, unless we can employ a female Teacher. We entreat the Committee to consider this case kindly and early.

You will doubtless be glad to learn that, during the past year, our feeble efforts in God's work have been crowned with signal success; and at no former period have we had such an increase to our funds, or addition to our society. The increase of local receipts amounts to about £40; and the addition to the society, after deducting for removals, deaths, and backsliders, is one hundred and fifty-nine. We have now five hundred and ninety-one members of society, scattered over a distance of forty miles in length, a field which promises a good compensation for labour, and which would fully occupy the time and energies of three devoted Missionaries. Last year we had two Local Preachers, and formerly, with two Missionaries, there were three, and sometimes four; but now our best and most effective one, Mr. Commissiong, has been removed to St. Lucia. In our three chapels, considerably apart from each other, five sermons ought to be preached every Sabbath; but now, not more than three services can be held without great effort; and, besides, our favourable openings, where many members have recently been gathered into the society, must be altogether passed by. As you will be furnished with the Society Report through the District-Meeting, I shall not further trespass on your time; but beg to observe, that my principal reason for introducing the above remarks is, to induce you to take Tobago into consideration, and send another Missionary as soon as your funds will allow,

Per

You will also have observed, that a strenuous effort was made, and £300 have been raised for the Mission cause. haps there is not another island in existence, which, for its size and population, has contributed so much to this fund; and, without a second Missionary, I fear a considerable deficiency for the present year. I pray that God may speedily extricate you from your distressing embarrassment.

I must not omit to express my grati tude for your grant to the Mount St. George and Mason-Hall schools; and I can assure you, that the majority of the Negroes duly appreciate the boon conferred upon them. From personal inspection I am satisfied as to the beneficial effects arising from such institutions, not only among the rising generation, but among many of the adults also. In fact, they are of the greatest importance in promoting the influence of vital religion, especially in country stations. I intend, through our District-Meeting, to request a grant for the establishment of a day-school in Scarborough, with which I hope you will be enabled to comply. With your aid, and an efficient Teacher, under the immediate superintendence of the Missionary, there is no doubt that it would become a nursery for the church of Christ. I should certainly have tried one ere this, had I not been already so deeply involved with the schools in the country. There was never a better time to commence, as the Mico schools have ceased to exist in this island.

saving grace, and are now meeting in classes which have been recently formed. I may also remark, that we have hitherto been much gratified by the general good behaviour and Christian integrity manifested by those who have been the subjects of this work. We are constrained to adore and to bless the name of our God, who has done such wonders in this small place, and who has honoured us with so many seals of our Missionary call and ministry. We cast ourselves at his feet; and prayers are daily ascending, that he may again visit his people, and pour forth floods upon the dry ground, that even the barren may become fruitful, and his holy name be more extensively glorified.

I will now call the attention of the Committee to the present state of our schools. In Charles-Town we have a large school, composed of boys and girls, which we call Charles-Town Wesleyan Infant-School. Three hundred and eighteen children belong to this institution. We have recently held an examination; and several received small prizes, for attainments in ciphering, writing, and reading, for good behaviour, and for punctual and regular attendance. This school has considerably increased in efficiency; and if we had a commodious school-house, we might still augment the number greatly. The decent appearance of the children is pleasing: each boy is obliged to have on a jacket and trousers: formerly they had only a shirt; but now the rule just mentioned is strictly attended to. From this school many lads have left who could write a good hand, who had advanced as far as the rule of three, and who were, also, well acquainted with our Catechismis; and had you been present a short time since, and heard them, when examined on certain points, you would have been much gratified. I now speak of boys who have learned all they know in these respects in this school. I have no hesitation in saying, there is no school in this colony that is worthy to be compared with it.

We have an adult night-school, containing some interesting people who are taught reading, writing, &c., on two evenings in every week. There are about fifty of them. Mr. Ingram conducts it, and has laboured very diligently in this work. I have not been able to do anything of moment in it myself, as I am always employed in other departments at the same time.

We have also in Charles-Town a large and flourishing Sunday-school, which,

by some recent regulations, has become more orderly, more numerously attended, and more efficient. This school is carried on every Sabbath afternoon for two hours; and it is truly a charming scene to see upwards of four hundred in attendance. This school has been made a great blessing; and I have no doubt it will be productive of still greater good, as we have taken some steps to increase the number, by the Teachers seeking for children on the estates.

I now turn to the case of Gingerland; where we have two excellent schools. The school, for building which we received some aid from the Parliamentary Grant, is advancing, and the Sundayschool is becoming so very numerously attended, that it is delightful to visit it. Mr. Pilcher and the Teachers have done wonders during the past year. In the time of the late Mr. Hunkin, there were about three hundred in attendance; but on the last Sabbath there were upwards of four hundred. Many of the young Teachers and the elder children have been brought to God during the past year. These schools are exerting an extraordinary influence all around the parish in which they are situated.

At Newcastle we have only a Sundayschool, containing about ninety children. We want, in this part of the Circuit, efficient agents. The school is superintended by the Preacher for the day. Things look more prosperous here at this time than they have before; and we hope that God will abundantly bless our exertions.

The Missionaries invariably inspect the above-named Sabbath-schools; which, with other things, keep us well employed all the day long. It is no uncommon thing for us to spend two hours on the Sabbath in this great and good work.

We labour under great inconvenience from want of room for our operations, both with regard to our schools and our societies. We need more suitable buildings, especially in Charles-Town; and it will be found necessary almost immediately to enlarge our Gingerland and Newcastle chapels. The congregations are large and increasing; and sometimes we have to resort to the plan of packing, as it is called in these islands, in order to provide accommodation for our flocks. More room must be had, or a fearful responsibility will rest somewhere.

The first Monday after Christmas-day, we had a general Meeting of our schoolchildren in Charles-Town; and, after an examination which gave entire satis

faction, we walked from the Missionpremises through the town. The children belonging to the infant-school went first. After the infant children had passed on, then came our Charles-Town Sunday-school,-about four hundred and fifty children and young people. Then followed the Gingerland Sunday-school, upwards of two hundred, who had come in about five miles, and the Newcastle Sunday-school, many of whose children came from places seven miles distant. They were all remarkably clean, and their countenances indicated much pleasure. The infant children took their places on either side of the street, opposite the residence of His Honour the President, and the children belonging to the three Sunday-schools passed between them. The President told me afterwards, that he was much pleased with what he saw and heard. If our Chris

tian friends in the mother country could only have seen what we saw on this occasion, and then called to mind what was the condition of the mass of these children and young people only a few years ago, before the system of slavery was abolished, they would have said, "This new state of things calls for our help, and our help shall be granted at once."

If we had only larger chapels and larger school-rooms at our command, it is impossible to conceive the amount of good which would result. But, alas! alas! we are cramped on every hand.

You have not a more important Mission in the world than the West-India Mission. I cannot forget India, West and South Africa, &c.; but I am still led to the conclusion that you have not a Mission, in any clime, better calculated to repay you speedily for all your hallowed toil.

THE Trustees, as well as myself, are anxious to hear from the Committee respecting another Missionary for this station. We are not forgetful of the difficulties in which you are placed, and the many urgent calls, from different parts of the great Mission field, for more labourers; but, from the peculiarities of this station, which extends all over the island, (indeed, our congregations and societies are situated on five different islands,) the travelling being often difficult and dangerous, it is absolutely impossible that one Missionary can attend properly to all the people and places. Though, perhaps, few enjoy better health than generally do, yet I have lately felt some symptoms which remind me that I am mortal. And many of my friends here have repeatedly urged me not to kill myself by overexertion. But what must I do? give up some of the places, and let the people, who have been benefited by our ministry, become a prey? or hasten my own end by excessive labours, and so put the Committee to a double expense? Other stations may be more important than this in presenting openings for Missionaries" in the regions beyond;' but I humbly ask, Are old stations, won by so much labour and expense, to be overlooked, in the laudable desire to extend mercy to others, in new and untried stations? Here we have five chapels, with large congregations, especially

in four of them; besides five other places where we regularly preach, and where we have societies. Our congregation at Hamilton is larger and more respectable than it has ever been. And though our chapel was enlarged a little more than twelve months ago, yet we have no spare pews. Several applications have recently been made; and had we many more, they would be let. It is pleasing to see our congregations on a Sunday evening. At St. George's, our cause suffers much from want of more preaching and pastoral care. I visit it once a fortnight; and almost the first question I am asked by the friends is, "Have you heard any thing yet from the Committee about another Missionary?" The Committee will further see the necessity of a reinforcement from the following circumstance. The room at Somerset, which we have hired for eleven years, was taken from us on the 31st of January. I intend building a chapel in a more populous part of the parish, and am now waiting to hear from a gentleman in Philadelphia, respecting a lot of land. Our society, and promising Sunday-school, are broken up and scattered for the present. A gentleman at the Floot's Village, about four miles from Hamilton, offered to give me a piece of land, on which to build a chapel, and a liberal subscription also; but, from want of funds, I was under the neccssity of declining the generous offer.