and I judge from this, that such is their intention with regard to the other two. This is as it should be; and I trust the Wesleyan Body in England will not be behind their transatlantic brethren in this respect. Two European Missionaries, supported by a number of native Teachers on each location, may bring the whole population under immediate and efficient Missionary influence; and if ever a community required and demanded the labours of the messengers of the churches, the natives here are that community. Leave them to the influences which are growing up around them, without the Gospel, and they are a doomed race: give them, and that at once, the "glad tidings of great joy," which is for all people, and they will rise in the scale of human society, and thousands of them be the crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord, to those who shall be sent to labour among them. Will you not, then, reinforce our numbers? I trust you will. You have done well for Albany and Kaffraria, in having at the last Conference sent to that District, thinned as it was by deaths and removals, a supply of Missionaries; but Natal, where the door is wide open, and where, in an eminent sense, the "fields are white unto the harvest," has no increase of labourers. May the Lord of the harvest incline your hearts to send forth more labourers into His vineyard! I have almost filled my sheet without having said much as to my own immediate sphere of labour. I will write you more fully as to this station next time I write. I will now only say that our congregations are large and attentive; but I wish most earnestly to solicit gifts of clothing from our ladies at home. We have every Sunday an assembly of from two to three hundred native girls, of from six to sixteen years of age, and also of women, who are entirely in a state of nudity, excepting a belt made of cord and beads around their loins. It is repulsive to meet such an assembly, and more especially so to mingle among them in giving instruction in the school; and yet we have no alternative, for we have not wherewith to clothe them. I have spent all I can afford in meeting this case, in distributing calicoes and prints among them; but my means are very limited. I now appeal to our British female Christians; and beseech them, for the sake of humanity, to send me at once calicoes, and prints of any sort and patterns, and Mrs. Davis will readily become their almoner in this matter. We would prefer to have the materials unmade up, as Mrs. Davis can then instruct them in the art of making their own clothes. WEST INDIES. HONDURAS-BAY.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Joseph Webster, WE are in the midst of fearful excite- The The following account of the attack on Bacalar is reported by an eye-witness:-"At daylight on the morning of the 18th of April, the town of Bacalar was closely invested and set on fire in different directions by the Indians, who occupied an extent of about five thousand yards, and kept up an incessant fire, which was returned by the inhabitants. This exchange of fire continued for the space of three days. On the afternoon of the third day, on a signal given by two bugles and a drum, the Indians in a body left the bush in which they had been concealed, and assaulted the intrenchments, which they carried, the Spaniards having only time to give one volley, and they, being overpowered by numbers, were disarmed. Those who were able to escape took refuge in the fort; and the Indians, intoxicated with their success, inundated this beautiful town." The fort has since been surrendered to the Indians, who have dismissed the men in it, after shaving their heads. The Indians have, it is reported, been guilty of horrible atrocities: there is no doubt their minds are dreadfully excited; and it is quite certain they have determined to retain possession of the country, which they claim as their own. Great alarm has also been excited in the minds of the inhabitants of Belize, by the appearance of armed Indians in considerable numbers on the opposite side of the Rio Bondo, the river which forms the boundary of this settlement; a rumour also being circulated, that it was their intention to make an attack on Belize. A special public meeting has been held, agreeably to a special notice issued by His Excellency Colonel Fancourt, Her Majesty's Superintendent, to enable him to take such measures as the progress of circumstances may render necessary, by placing in his hands such enlarged discretion with respect to the application of the public funds, as shall be deemed commensurate with any exigency which may probably arise. The sum of £5,000 currency has been placed at the disposal of Her Majesty's Superintendent and the Executive Council, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of putting the settlement in a posture of defence against any apprehended encroachment on the part of an enemy, and of carrying on such defences, and prosecuting a defensive warfare, in case of aggression. His Excellency, in consideration of the alarm manifested by the inhabitants, has chartered a vessel, and sent to Jamaica for re-inforcements. We may therefore speedily expect that the settlement will be in such a position for defence, that the Indians (should they be so ill advised as to venture here) will meet with a reception which may teach them to remain within their own boundaries, so far as the British are concerned. I trust the present revolution in Yucatan will be overruled for good; and that it will be the means of breaking down those barriers which have so long been raised by the Spanish Roman Catholics against the introduction of the Gospel. I hope soon to be able to inform you that the way is open for Missionary enterprise in that long-degraded portion of Central America. I trust the time is not far distant, when Protestant Evangelical Ministers will be found labouring among the thousands of benighted Indians of Yucatan, and that the word of life will be circulated among them in rich abundance. I am happy to inform you, that our health continues good. Mr. Collier sailed for Ruatan last evening. I beg an interest in your prayers. HAYTI.—Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mark B. Bird, dated Port-au-Prince, April 29th, 1848. IT will perhaps have been perceived by one or two of my last communications, that Hayti was restless and uneasy. This, I regret to say, has been the case for some time past; and all parties seem to have feared an approaching storm, without being able to conjecture how or what it might be. Alas for the country that is filled and distracted with party feeling! On the 16th of April I commenced our usual morning service. Being the Sabbath, the congregation was good, and was apparently quiet. At two P.M. the same day, we opened the Sabbath-school and Bible-class; but shortly after we had commenced, the alarm-gun was fired, and the citizens were called to arms by trumpet and drum. A proclamation was also made by a military officer, stating that a considerable party had assembled in the south, and were in a state of insurrection. Shortly after this, we heard an irregular fire of musketry at the palace; and, knowing that a great number must be assembled there, as was usual on such occasions, I greatly feared what it might be: the whole city was thrown instantly into the greatest confusion; and, on learning that the passions of opposing parties had become excited, and that some had fallen victims under the discharge of the musketry already referred to, I instantly decided on putting my family under shelter, not knowing what might happen; and in a short time we were all on board the "Friendship," then lying in the harbour. My family being safe, I returned to the Mission-house, to secure a few articles of clothing and other necessaries. On returning to the boat, to go on board, I called upon a friend; and while at his house we heard a considerable discharge of fire-arms on the very spot where doubtless I should have been, and probably might have been shot, as were many others, but for calling upon this friend. "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee." My return to the vessel that night was not possible; and my poor wife remained until the next morning in painful suspense as to what might have happened to me, a suspense the more painful, as she knew that a fatal contest had taken place near the wharf where the boat was waiting for me. Nor was her own situation less remarkable; for it was her painful lot to witness the blaze of the firing on shore, and to be warned of her danger by the whizzing of the musket-balls over her head. "He shall give his angels charge concerning thee." The next morning I returned to the vessel, and was greatly consoled to find that Mrs. Bird had borne all with great fortitude. I, however, deemed it prudent for my family to remain on board several days, not so much from a fear of personal danger, as from the fear that the excitement and confusion that reigned would be too much for my wife: and, in fact, as it is, I begin to question whether she should remain in the country; for, during the last five years, we have had but little peace, and her nervous system has suffered greatly. Things, however, for the present, are calm; and I earnestly pray that our path may be made plain for us in all things. Hayti, then, is again suffering, and the friends of humanity may well weep over her; but why over her particularly? Why is Hayti pointed at both by the friends of liberty and the friends of slavery? Is it surprising that a nation almost wholly converted into one vast military camp, where envy and ambition reign, should be at times convulsed and confounded? What we see in Hayti is simply the operation of cause and effect, which in all ages and nations have worked in the same way, whatever may have been the colour of the men. Alas for Hayti! As a nation, she took her birth in the storm, and she has indeed been cradled in the tempest. Had the Gospel of Christ been brought to bear more powerfully and more extensively upon her, there is every reason to believe that her position and her character as a nation would have been vastly different; but it is to be deplored that the Christian church seems almost to have lost sight of this unhappy land. Up to these untoward events, all was more or less prosperity with regard to our general work; but it is a fearful cloud that is now passing over us. SWITZERLAND. WHILE we regret that circumstances not under our control have hindered the earlier publication of the following letter from the Canton De Vaud, we cannot even now withhold it from our friends. Its insertion, though late, seems necessary to complete the view given in several former Numbers of the state and progress of that “ great fight of affliction" to which our little flock in that Canton have been painfully exposed. We devoutly thank God that matters now begin to assume a more pleasing aspect, as far as our Missionaries are concerned. The intelligence communicated in the concluding paragraph of Mr. Gallienne's letter, respecting his visit to the Waldenses of Piedmont, is particularly gratifying. SWITZERLAND.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Matthew Gallienne, dated Lausanne, June 27th, 1848. I AM happy to be enabled to inform you that I have, this morning, obtained the renewal of my permis de séjour, until December 31st, 1852, should I be called to remain in the Canton to that period. Not the least difficulty was made; and the delay experienced since my demand was made in May, is only that which is usual in such matters. Thus far my providential path seems marked out. I cannot but consider this as a fresh token for good with regard to our cause in this country; and could, were it necessary, mention other instances of pro tection and help from on high since the commencement of the late persecutions. Our We continue to meet twice on Sundays, and at least once on week-days. Sunday-schools and class-meetings continue as usual without any difficulty. At Aigle we meet without any obstacle whatever, publicly, in our usual place of worship, and at the usual time! Such a fact proves that the spirit of persecution is not so general nor so bitter as might at first be supposed. Still we cannot doubt but that we continue to be greatly exposed; for although efforts are more particularly directed against the Free [Swiss] Church, yet other Dissenters have lately been condemned to exile and heavy fines. Our Stewards have long felt a desire to petition the Council of State for liberty to meet for worship in our chapel at La Palud, in Lausanne. They believe that did they not make the attempt, they would be remiss in their duty to the cause. Their request is founded on the supposition that the Government is disposed to tolerate all such meetings as are proved to be exempt from all political tendencies, and principles of hostility either to the Government or the National Church. Such our meetings may be clearly proved to be. Although I keep aloof from this petition, I have not felt it my duty to dissuade our friends. I have my doubts as to their success in the matter; but I believe, at the same time, that this declaration of Wesleyan views and feelings cannot but produce a good effect. I returned last week from my visit to the Waldenses of Piedmont, among whom I spent two profitable Sabbaths. My time was fully employed in visiting, preaching, and administering the Lord's supper. These occasions were times of much spiritual comfort. Considering the disadvantages under which our friends labour, of having no stated Minister to help and direct the revival, I was greatly to rejoiced to witness so much spiritual good among them. They very much pressed me to repeat my visit, and, indeed, to propose such an arrangement as would allow of their being visited once a quarter for the administration of the Lord's supper. They proved their thankfulness, by presenting me, notwithstanding the smallness of their means, with a small donation in favour of our Missions. I hope you will have no objection to accede to their request. They might be visited twice from Lausanne, and twice from the French Alps. I consider it a great honour conferred upon our Missionary Society, that we should be called minister to the wants of the Waldenses on both sides of the Alps, that is, both in France and Italy, and to be enabled to help in their time of need a people whose history is so remarkable and interesting. I am happy to inform you that I have also an invitation from the Canton de Neuchâtal, where, as you know, religious liberty has lately been proclaimed. I hope to visit, in a few days, the people who have requested our ministry, and shall forward you particulars in due time. I would not be too sanguine; but perhaps the time is not distant when your two Missionaries will be insufficient to meet the wants of the Circuit enlarged both in Switzerland and Italy. May we be filled with the spirit of prayer and expectation! RECENT MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. JAMAICA. In my last I expressed a desire to accede to the wishes of a number of our people in connexion with our Duncan's society, and of others not in our society, to open a preaching-place in a mountain-district south-east of Duncan's. After seriously and prayerfully considering the matter, visiting the locality, I had every reason to believe it a providential opening; and as a suitable building, at a moderate rental, in an eligible situation, was offered just at the time, we have engaged it; and on Sunday, the 9th instant, I opened it for divine worship, preaching from John viii. 12. We had an overflowing congregation, many being obliged to sit outside on the grass, under the burning rays of a tropical sun. The distance from Duncan's is about eight miles; and, being at that distance, the new station will not draw away so many members from Duncan's as would have been the case, had we fixed upon a nearer spot; while, at the same time, it gives our aged and infirm members in that quarter an opportunity of hearing the Gospel; and, I have no doubt, will also be the means of reclaiming some backsliders, and gathering many wanderers into the fold of Christ; and as the road to the place is good from here, it can be easily supplied. The necessity of this measure had become doubly apparent: 1. To attempt the establishment of a Wesleyan station where one was much needed; and, 2. It appeared the only hope of retaining in connexion with us those members who have not yet (as vast numbers have) dropped off from attendance, on the plea that the distance was too great for them to attend at Duncan's. Rev. Henry B. Foster, Duncan's, April 26th, 1848. LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. |