esteems itself highly privileged to be permitted to lay it all at his feet. This, this is what we want.

During a voyage made in the "Camden," in the spring of 1841, the existence of the desire in question was most satisfactorily as certained. This voyage was among the New Hebrides, Loyalty, and New Caledonia groups; in the latter of which alone, the chiefs of five different islands had communicated their earnest wish to the teachers on the isle of Pines, to be furnished with native teachers or missionaries. On New Caledonia, one of the five, we placed two teachers, and found it exactly as it had been represented by the teachers on the isle of Pines. The chief and people of the district were waiting to receive us, and received the teachers with every expression of grateful satisfaction. At Loyalty group also, on one of the islands of which teachers were placed, we had information of seven or eight belonging to the same group, all of which were reported as being in a peaceable state, and on all of which teachers would, in all probability, be as gladly received as they were on the island where they were placed. Nor, if we except Erromanga, does there appear any very great difficulty among the New Hebrides. I might mention many more islands and groups, about which I have had information more or less satisfactory, but I forbear. It is perfectly manifest that, in many cases, the heathen are prepared to receive us. A very general feeling of dissatisfaction seems to obtain, together with a desire for something which they do not now possess ; and what is this but a feeling after Him in whom they live, and move, and have their being? What is it but an intimation that they are waiting for His law? What is it but an appeal to us to hasten to their aid, and furnish them with that something after which they are groping? And O what an appeal! Hear by what language it is made! See by what scenes it is enforced! And O can we turn away from it? O my fellowChristians, permit me to urge on you the consideration of the claims of those on whose behalf I plead. I have seen their deep degradation, their revolting moral pollution, and their consequent misery and wretchedness; I have seen the eagerness with which they receive the heralds of salvation; and I have seen the efficacy of the ever-blessed gospel to raise them from their degradation, to cleanse them from their pollution, and fit them for the world of purity and bliss. And, I entreat you, O withhold not from them the gospel! O deny them not that precious boon, which it is in your power to impart; and without which they must continue in their present deplorable condition, and must, ere long, sink into a hopeless eternity. O how momentous are the conse

VOL. XXI.

quences that depend on your movements! and how vast the responsibilities that attach to those high privileges that have been conferred on you!

The next consideration relative to these islands to which I would invite attention, is, the facility with which agents can be obtained to begin and carry on, to some extent, the work of evangelization.

At home there is often no small difficulty in obtaining men, and when these are obtained, they must be conveyed to distant countries, and there supported at a considerable expense. All know also what ra

But

vages disease and death are continually making in the missionary field; how few comparatively are permitted to labour for any considerable time; how many are cut off ere they have well begun their labours; and how very few see anything like old age. I would not be understood as meaning that foreign labours can be dispensed with. Many years must elapse ere this could be. what I wish to urge is, the importance of availing ourselves to the utmost of native agency, both as assistants in old fields, and pioneers in new; since that can be obtained so much more easily than foreign. The expense of supporting native teachers in the South Seas is almost nothing, and of course there is no waste of life occasioned by change of climate, except in cases where they may be placed in a climate sufficiently different from that of their native islands to affect their health, which is not often the case. I cannot but express my conviction that the importance of native agency, especially as assistants, has been too much overlooked in the past history of the South Sea missions, and that that is a main reason why the old missions stand so much in need of foreign reinforcements at the present time. In the more recently-formed missions this subject is receiving considerable attention; and what is mainly needed now is, the means of conveying our teachers to the destitute islands around us, and of paying them periodical visits. We have at the present time very many on Rarotonga, and on Samoa, and, I should think, also on Huahine, who are not only willing, but earnestly desirous, of being employed as evangelists. A number are under special training with a view to their being so employed, and, had we the means of conveying them to the destitute parts to which our attention is anxiously directed, the respective churches to which they belong would gladly support them; so that there is only one obstacle in the way of native agency being employed on all the accessible fields around us. We want additional aid in the way of shipping. We want another vessel to be employed, either in whole or in part, among these islands; and this we must have, or the work of evangeli2 U

zation must be interrupted, must be at a stand. We have gone as far as we can with one vessel, and now we are anxiously looking for additional aid. And where shall we look for such aid? Who will be likely to furnish us with the means of conveying to the poor forlorn islanders around us the precious news of a Saviour's love? Who will be likely to respond to our call? What heart will be likely to melt at the consideration of their helpless, hopeless misery? O ye who love the Saviour-you who have yourselves tasted his love, who have, in your own happy experience, proved the riches of his grace and the efficacy of his precious blood, and whose bosoms swell with the hope of a glorious immortality, will not you pity the dying heathen? Will not you impart to them the knowledge of that precious name which to yourselves is so dear? O, my fellow Christians, consider, I beseech you, their circumstances and claims in connexion with what God has done for you, and promptly extend to them your aid.

Another consideration that calls loudly on us to bestir ourselves on behalf of these islands is, the present movements of the Roman Catholics.

It is well known that the emissaries of the Romish church have been endeavouring, for years past, to wrest from us, and from other bodies of Protestant missionaries in these seas, fields of labour which they have long occupied. Among these are the Marquesas; Tahiti; Tonga, occupied by the Wesleyans; New Zealand, occupied by the Church Missionary Society; and the Sandwich Islands, occupied by missionaries from Ame rica. But it is not perhaps so well known that they are now extending their efforts to new fields, and that they have actually succeeded, in several instances, in possessing themselves of such fields. Within the past two or three years they have established themselves on Wallace's Island, Horne's Island, and Gambier's Island; and it is reported that they have purchased a vessel to be employed in sustaining and extending their missions in these seas. What then ought to be the effect of their movements on us? Surely increased efforts to retain what is now in our possession, and to get possession of those fields that are now unoccupied. If we get the start of the enemy, we have not so much to fear. If we can only get fairly to work, and get the people in some degree enlightened, there is little fear but that we shall be able, by the Divine blessing, to maintain our ground. Darkness has always been the congenial element of Popery, and so it continues to be. It may live for a time, but it cannot greatly thrive in the light. Hence the vast importance of our being in advance of our adversaries. As matters now stand, we have, in

almost every respect, the advantage over them. We have got ourselves firmly estab lished (I speak not of the agents of our own society only, but of all the Protestant missionaries belonging to different societies, now labouring among these islands,) on several of the most important groups; we have the experience of the past to guide us; we have a numerous native agency at work, and a still more numerous one at our command; we have the blessed volume of inspiration complete in two dialects, the Tahitian and Sandwich Islands, and nearly so in several others; and, above all, we have God working with us - most evidently working with us. What then have we to fear? Nothing but our own supineness! Nothing but our own want of liberality! Nothing but our own want of prayerfulness and thorough devotedness to the work. Let us only avail ourselves of the facilities now afforded us; let us only vigorously employ the means with which God has graciously furnished us, and we have nothing to fear. Led onward and aided by the Captain of our salvation, our enemies shall flee before us; and victory upon victory reward our toils. But if we linger-if we falter and hesitate while we ought to be employed in vigorous action, we have everything to fear. We may be well assured the enemy will not sleep, and if we permit the baneful system in question to overspread the islands and groups now unoccupied, our difficulties will be increased to an extent of which it is difficult adequately to conceive. In confirmation of this remark, I might refer to the Spanish territories in South America and other parts similarly circumstanced. Who would not, with far greater hopes of success, attempt a mission to the wildest pagans, than to those who have been brought under the influence of this mystery of iniquity? Alas, such is its bewitching nature, that when men are once fairly brought under its dominion, their rescue is hopeless indeed, especially when their former condition had been that of heathenism. The introduction of Popery among a hea then people only rivets their chains; as what it gives them in exchange for their Paganism really very little, if at all, increases the probability of their salvation, while it vastly increases the difficulty of making them ac quainted with the pure gospel of the grace of God.

But I must not dwell longer on this subject. I would only ask, May it not have been one design of Providence, in permitting this destructive system to make its appear. ance among these islands, to quicken the zeal of Protestants, and rouse them to more vigorous and energetic action? At all events, we will do well to make this use of it.

The last thing I would notice in the pre

sent address, as a reason for increased effort for the evangelization of these islands, is the conduct of masters and crews of vessels from different parts of the world, who come among these islands for purposes of traffic, together with persons of the same class, resident among the natives.

I allude to persons engaged in whaling, to such as go in quest of sandal-wood, seasnails, tortoiseshell, &c., &c. There are some happy exceptions among whalers, and some few also among those differently employed; but it is notorious that the great body of the persons in question are anything but friendly to the natives; and that they are the determined opposers of whatever tends to the amelioration of their condition. They go among them determined to serve their own interest, and whatever opposes the carrying out of their plans and intentions, (no matter how unjust and unreasonable these may be,) they seem to think themselves quite justified in opposing. They are generally bent, moreover, on the gratification of the vilest passions, and cannot brook the slightest restraint. Indeed, their insatiable avarice, their utter disregard of all law and justice, their cruelty and oppression among the natives, and the degree to which they abandon themselves to work all manner of abomination, are such as would hardly be credited by those who have not had the unenviable satisfaction of seeing for themselves. Now it is obviously important that Christian missionaries should, if they cannot get in advance of these characters, follow as speedily as possible in their track. Wherever we can get before them, let us by all means do it; where we cannot, let us lose no time in pursuing after them. Whatever may be their intentions, the mournful results of their intercourse with the natives are just the exact reverse of what are the legitimate results of missionary labours. In proportion to their numbers and influence, the natives melt away before them; or, they become tenfold more the children of the devil than they were before. I speak strongly, but facts will abundantly bear me out. What then is the obvious duty of the friends of missions? Surely to endeavour to bring the remedy for these evils to bear on them as speedily as possible. What that remedy is, those whom I address need not to be informed. They know that if anything can save the poor natives from the destructive influence of their rapacious, cruel, and licentious visitors, it is the glorious gospel of the blessed God. This can do it, and nothing else. And the writer is happy in being able to adduce the testimony of his own experience in confirmation of this. He has seen the influence of such persons completely destroyed by the influence of the gospel; and themselves compelled either to

abandon their evil courses, or betake themselves to some land of darkness, where they might find a moral atmosphere more congenial to their depraved taste. Of all the remedies, either for keeping such characters away from the islands altogether, or for keeping them in check when they have obtained a footing on them, none is half so efficacious as a high state of moral and religious feeling among the natives. To secure and perpetuate this, then, let our best efforts be employed, and doubtless this, like all other obstacles that oppose the spread of the gospel, will be overcome. The cause of truth and righteousness shall triumph. "He shall reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet." What then is to be done? What is the specific object at which this address aims? It is to induce those, who have the ability, to furnish the means of sustaining and extending our missions among these islands, to afford us their aid to an extent proportioned to the exigencies of the case, and to put it in our power to improve, to the utmost, the present juncture. What is most urgently needed at the present time is a ship of considerably larger dimensions than the "Camden." Without further aid in this way, we cannot effectively follow up the work already begun, much less extend our labours to new fields. It is with you to decide, (I address the friends of missions generally, and those of the London Missionary Society in particular;) it is with you to decide what is to be done. The matter is before you, and on you rests the responsibility of deciding, whether the glorious work of evangelizing these islands is to go on, or to be interrupted; whether we are to impart to their perishing thousands the knowledge of the Saviour, or leave them to perish in their sins. Our native converts are ready to go; the heathen are waiting to receive them; the eyes of your own agents are anxiously directed to you to furnish them with the means of conveying their blessed message to the perishing thousands around them. What then say you, Christian friends and brethren? Do you start at the idea of having two vessels employed under your auspices in missionary work among these islands? O why should you? I feel perfectly assured that the day is not distant when there will be a very different feeling in the Christian church. And why should not that feeling begin with us? Think, I beseech you, how many vessels constantly plough the seas in search of the poor trifles of this passing world. See how we send them forth, by hundreds, to all parts of the world, for commercial and other purposes. Our ships of war, our vessels of discovery, our whalers, our merchantmen, push their adventurous way to every region of the known world. They brave every danger,

zation must be interrupted, must be at a stand. We have gone as far as we can with one vessel, and now we are anxiously looking for additional aid. And where shall we look for such aid? Who will be likely to furnish us with the means of conveying to the poor forlorn islanders around us the precious news of a Saviour's love? Who will be likely to respond to our call? What heart will be likely to melt at the consideration of their helpless, hopeless misery? O ye who love the Saviour-you who have yourselves tasted his love, who have, in your own happy experience, proved the riches of his grace and the efficacy of his precious blood, and whose bosoms swell with the hope of a glorious immortality,-will not you pity the dying heathen? Will not you impart to them the knowledge of that precious name which to yourselves is so dear? O, my fellow Christians, consider, I beseech you, their circumstances and claims in connexion with what God has done for you, and promptly extend to them your aid.

Another consideration that calls loudly on us to bestir ourselves on behalf of these islands is, the present movements of the Roman Catholics.

It is well known that the emissaries of the Romish church have been endeavouring, for years past, to wrest from us, and from other bodies of Protestant missionaries in these scas, fields of labour which they have long occupied. Among these are the Marquesas; Tahiti; Tonga, occupied by the Wesleyans; New Zealand, occupied by the Church Missionary Society; and the Sandwich Islands, occupied by missionaries from America. But it is not perhaps so well known that they are now extending their efforts to new fields, and that they have actually succeeded, in several instances, in possessing themselves of such fields. Within the past two or three years they have established themselves on Wallace's Island, Horne's Island, and Gambier's Island; and it is reported that they have purchased a vessel to be employed in sustaining and extending their missions in these seas. What then ought to be the effect of their movements on us? Surely increased efforts to retain what is now in our possession, and to get possession of those fields that are now unoc cupied. If we get the start of the enemy, we have not so much to fear. If we can only get fairly to work, and get the people in some degree enlightened, there is little fear but that we shall be able, by the Divine blessing, to maintain our ground. Darkness has always been the congenial element of Popery, and so it continues to be. It may live for a time, but it cannot greatly thrive in the light. Hence the vast importance of our being in advance of our adversaries. As matters now stand, we have, in

almost every respect, the advantage over them. We have got ourselves firmly estab lished (I speak not of the agents of our own society only, but of all the Protestant missionaries belonging to different societies, now labouring among these islands,) on several of the most important groups; we have the experience of the past to guide us; we have a numerous native agency at work, and a still more numerous one at our command; we have the blessed volume of inspiration complete in two dialects, the Tahitian and Sandwich Islands, and nearly so in several others; and, above all, we have God working with us - most evidently working with us. What then have we to fear? Nothing but our own supineness! Nothing but our own want of liberality! Nothing but our own want of prayerfulness and thorough devotedness to the work. Let us only avail ourselves of the facilities now afforded us; let us only vigorously employ the means with which God has graciously furnished us, and we have nothing to fear. Led onward and aided by the Captain of our salvation, our enemies shall flee before us; and victory upon victory reward our toils. But if we linger-if we falter and hesitate while we ought to be employed in vigorous action, we have everything to fear. We may be well assured the enemy will not sleep, and if we permit the baneful system in question to overspread the islands and groups now unoccupied, our difficulties will be increased to an extent of which it is difficult adequately to conceive. In confirmation of this remark, I might refer to the Spanish territories in South America and other parts similarly circumstanced. Who would not, with far greater hopes of success, attempt a mission to the wildest pagans, than to those who have been brought under the influence of this mystery of iniquity? Alas, such is its bewitching nature, that when men are once fairly brought under its dominion, their rescue is hopeless indeed, especially when their former condition had been that of heathenism. The introduction of Popery among a hea then people only rivets their chains; as what it gives them in exchange for their Paganism really very little, if at all, increases the probability of their salvation, while it vastly increases the difficulty of making them sc quainted with the pure gospel of the grace of God.

But I must not dwell longer on this subject. I would only ask, May it not have been one design of Providence, in permitting this destructive system to make its appear ance among these islands, to quicken the zeal of Protestants, and rouse them to more vigorous and energetic action? At all events, we will do well to make this use of it.

The last thing I would notice in the pre

sent address, as a reason for increased effort for the evangelization of these islands, is the conduct of masters and crews of vessels from different parts of the world, who come among these islands for purposes of traffic, together with persons of the same class, resident among the natives.

I allude to persons engaged in whaling, to such as go in quest of sandal-wood, seasnails, tortoiseshell, &c., &c. There are some happy exceptions among whalers, and some few also among those differently employed; but it is notorious that the great body of the persons in question are anything but friendly to the natives; and that they are the determined opposers of whatever tends to the amelioration of their condition. They go among them determined to serve their own interest, and whatever opposes the carrying out of their plans and intentions, (no matter how unjust and unreasonable these may be,) they seem to think themselves quite justified in opposing. They are generally bent, moreover, on the gratification of the vilest passions, and cannot brook the slightest restraint. Indeed, their insatiable avarice, their utter disregard of all law and justice, their cruelty and oppression among the natives, and the degree to which they abandon themselves to work all manner of abomination, are such as would hardly be credited by those who have not had the unenviable satisfaction of seeing for themselves. Now it is obviously important that Christian missionaries should, if they cannot get in advance of these characters, follow as speedily as possible in their track. Wherever we can get before them, let us by all means do it; where we cannot, let us lose no time in pursuing after them. Whatever may be their intentions, the mournful results of their intercourse with the natives are just the exact reverse of what are the legitimate results of missionary labours. In proportion to their numbers and influence, the natives melt away before them; or, they become tenfold more the children of the devil than they were before. I speak strongly, but facts will abundantly bear me out. What then is the obvious duty of the friends of missions? Surely to endeavour to bring the remedy for these evils to bear on them as speedily as possible. What that remedy is, those whom I address need not to be informed. They know that if anything can save the poor natives from the destructive influence of their rapacious, cruel, and licentious visitors, it is the glorious gospel of the blessed God. This can do it, and nothing else. And the writer is happy in being able to adduce the testimony of his own experience in confirmation of this. He has seen the influence of such persons completely destroyed by the influence of the gospel; and themselves compelled either to

abandon their evil courses, or betake themselves to some land of darkness, where they might find a moral atmosphere more congenial to their depraved taste. Of all the remedies, either for keeping such characters away from the islands altogether, or for keeping them in check when they have obtained a footing on them, none is half so efficacious as a high state of moral and religious feeling among the natives. To secure and perpetuate this, then, let our best efforts be employed, and doubtless this, like all other obstacles that oppose the spread of the gospel, will be overcome. The cause of truth and righteousness shall triumph. "He shall reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet." What then is to be done? What is the specific object at which this address aims? It is to induce those, who have the ability, to furnish the means of sustaining and extending our missions among these islands, to afford us their aid to an extent proportioned to the exigencies of the case, and to put it in our power to improve, to the utmost, the present juncture. What is most urgently needed at the present time is a ship of considerably larger dimensions than the "Camden." Without further aid

in this way, we cannot effectively follow up the work already begun, much less extend our labours to new fields. It is with you to decide, (I address the friends of missions generally, and those of the London Missionary Society in particular;) it is with you to decide what is to be done. The matter is before you, and on you rests the responsibility of deciding, whether the glorious work of evangelizing these islands is to go on, or to be interrupted; whether we are to impart to their perishing thousands the knowledge of the Saviour, or leave them to perish in their sins. Our native converts are ready to go; the heathen are waiting to receive them; the eyes of your own agents are anxiously directed to you to furnish them with the means of conveying their blessed message to the perishing thousands around them. What then say you, Christian friends and brethren? Do you start at the idea of having two vessels employed under your auspices in missionary work among these islands? O why should you? I feel perfectly assured that the day is not distant when there will be a very different feeling in the Christian church. And why should not that feeling begin with us? Think, I beseech you, how many vessels constantly plough the seas in search of the poor trifles of this passing world. See how we send them forth, by hundreds, to all parts of the world, for commercial and other purposes. Our ships of war, our vessels of discovery, our whalers, our merchantmen, push their adventurous way to every region of the known world. They brave every danger,