stayed-and many, very many, of the devoted victims of sin and folly were rescued from present misery, and future eternal ruin.

"In a recent communication from Mrs. Gill, you will have had a short account of that pleasing season; and I am happy to state that, up to the present time, we have good reason to hope that, of the hundreds who then were brought to make confession of sin, and profession of faith in Christ, the majority will stand firm. In many of our previous letters you have witnessed our anxiety on behalf of the rising generation. The fathers who first received the words of life have died. Since the early days of the Mission, daily instruction has been given to the young. This instruction has been attended with evident good, in a social and moral point of view; but still our hope, our only hope, for the future spiritual welfare of Rarotonga, has been a change of heart experienced by its favoured population. God has not left us without a witness for good. Since the formation of the three churches of the island, in 1833, more than fifteen hundred members have been admitted to communion, one half of whom have died in the faith, whose early years of youth and manhood were devoted to idol-worship, and sunk in all the vile degradation of cannibalism. Between seven and eight hundred are now living among us as consistent members of Christ's body, our joy and our crown. During the past year a hundred and twelve members have been admitted to communion at the three stations. These are fruits of past labours; and, in two or three months hence, we hope to receive a goodly number of those who, in June and July last, gave themselves to the Lord by public profession. Encouraged by these and other tokens of the Lord's favour, we desire to enter on the engagements of the new year in the spirit of gratitude, confidence, and zeal. He hath been mindful of us-He will bless us. Not that we expect to be exempt from trial, or to be able to escape difficulties. But we find that every past trial and difficulty gives an increase of experience, patience, and hope,that hope which maketh not ashamed.

"Yesterday, the first Lord's-day in the new year, was a day of mournful interest to us at Arorangi, occasioned by the recent death of the wife of our young chief, Sete

phano. She was a daughter of our principal chief at Avarua; and her years of childhood were advantageously spent in the family of our beloved friends, Mr. and Mrs. Buzacott. Every attention was paid to her moral, intellectual, and spiritual welfare by Mrs. Buzacott; and her decided superiority in mind and manners above others, was very gratifying to us all, and led to the hope that her future influence would be most salutary. She had a good knowledge of the English language, in which she could read, write, and converse with much freedom. About ten years ago, she married our young and excellent chief of Arorangi. During the first six years after marriage she proved a clever and an industrious woman; but we looked in vain for a change of heart. A conscious superiority, without the influence of subduing grace, led her to manifest a haughty spirit; and, for some little time, a shadow of inconsistency clouded her domestic life, and we feared for her future safety and usefulness. God, however, blessed the efforts made for her salvation. Personal affliction, a parent's death, and a mother's affectionate counsel, were made the means of subduing her proud heart, and of leading her to the cross of Christ as a guilty sinner, and to seek from him alone pardon, peace, and sanctification. About three years ago she joined the church at Arorangi, and ever since has been a consistent and useful member. Her former advantages were now brought out, and used for the welfare of her household, and began to tell, for good, on the female population of her settlement. Every day she was an active superintendent in the girls' school, and we all thought her course would be long and beneficial. But in an hour of unlooked-for calamity, the opening flower of promise is cut down. After a short illness of three days, she was called to join the number of the redeemed in glory. Her sickness was of such a nature as to preclude much converse. We needed not, however, her dying testimony to sustain our hopes; and she needed not dying consolation to prepare her for the change. Most of the time of her illness was occupied by prayer and singing. At the close of one of these exercises, she sighed Amen! and her spirit fled, leaving us to mourn her loss."

addresses. On Friday evening, also, we had a service at Collins-street Chapel. Sabbath, the 9th Nov., three of us were at Launceston, and three at Hobart Town, where we were all engaged preaching at various places of worship, English and Scotch; and although the weather was unfavourable, we had good congregations to hear us at each place. On Monday, a juvenile meeting was held at the Rev. F. Miller's chapel, at which three of us gave addresses to the youthful audience. On Tuesday, according to appointment, the Revs. F. Miller and D. Darling went up the country about thirty miles, in order to hold a Missionary meeting at a place called Green

Ponds, where a small Independent interest has been established, and a minister settled. Mr. Law met Mr. Darling there, on his way back from Launceston, and both attended the meeting in the evening; and we hope a Missionary feeling was created.

"On the return of the brethren, we held our last meeting with the friends at Hobart Town, on Wednesday evening. It was considered more especially a devotional farewell service. Two of us gave addresses, and returned thanks to the Christian friends for all the kindness shown us since our arrival in the colony; and thus we took leave of them."

"Mr. Law accompanied us as far as Launceston, where we had a series of interesting services on the Sabbath morning, at the two Independent Chapels. In the morning Mr. Law preached for Mr. West, and I preached for Mr. Price. In the afternoon we had a gathering of the children and young people from the various congregations of the town. Mr. Price's chapel was well filled, and the children listened with deep interest to the statements of all the Missionaries. In the evening, both Mr. Law and I addressed the united congregations in Mr. West's chapel, and Mr. Gill was engaged to preach somewhere else. The collections of the morning and evening were for the Colonial Home Missionary Society, and that of the afternoon for the London Missionary Society. We had a good meeting on the Monday evening. The friends were much interested in the subject of Native Agency, and I hope will obtain subscribers for one if not two teachers, at the rate of £10 each per annum. We were much pleased with the kindness of the people here, as at Hobart Town: they appeared to enter warmly into the object of our visit. The

same night, about eleven o'clock, we went on board the City of Melbourne steamer, which left about 2 A.M., sailing down the Tamar, a distance of forty miles, to George Town, on the sea coast, where we had to wait some time. We had a number of steerage passengers starting for the Gold Diggings, and all had to undergo a strict examination by the government officers. Our vessel we found a very dull sailer; but, having a fair wind to aid the steam, we crossed the straits in a shorter time than usual. We arrived at Melbourne on the evening of the following day. The people were taken by surprise, but, through Mr. Hopkins's valuable assistance, they were soon set to work. Our meetings were advertised in the papers, and large hand-bills posted up in various places in the city. Mr. Gill preached the next day (Thursday) for Mr. Odell (Independent), and I preached in the Wesleyan Chapel on Friday evening. We were appointed to preach alternately, in the two Independent places, morning and evening, on the Sabbath, but it rained so much in the morning as to deluge some of the streets, so that Mr. Gill was prevented from fulfilling

his engagement. In the afternoon we had a gathering of children in Mr. Ramsay's Scotch church: the place was well filled, and the children very attentive. The next evening (Monday) we had an overflowing meeting held at the Mechanics' Institute, a commodious apartment. Rev. Mr. Close (Presbyterian) in the chair. It was kept up till 10 o'clock, but no one appeared anxious to move till the meeting closed. Next morning set sail for Geelong, and arrived there about 1 P.M. Our friend Mr. Hopkins had preceded us, and made all necessary arrangements for a public meeting the same evening, which was held in a public room; this was filled to overflowing, the Rev. Mr. Love in the chair; and the proceedings were kept up with great animation to a late hour.

hearted friends of the Redeemer, both willing and able to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty. We met with a very warm reception, and our appeals with a hearty response; for, while some cautious friends would not sanction our going on this tour, lest the collections should not cover the expenses, I believe the Society will be more than £100 gainer after all expenses of travelling, &c., are paid, to say nothing of the interest in Missions excited, and the sympathy and prayers of the people of God in these parts, and which they themselves also say, and I firmly believe, will, by its reflex influence, produce a great amount of good among themselves. They have thus consecrated the first-fruits of their increase unto the Lord, and hereafter we may expect a portion, at least, of the gold from the 'Diggings' will be laid upon the altar of our God. We proceeded to Sydney in the Shamrock steamer, and arrived at that port the day after the John Williams."

"On the 13th November we left Hobart Town; but, owing to the wind being unfavourable, we did not reach Sydney until Saturday, the 22nd. On the day following, which was the Sabbath, some of us preached; but we did not commence our Missionary meetings until Sabbath, the 30th November, when two of us preached at Dr. Ross's chapel, and two at Redfern, the second Independent chapel. The Rev. J. Beazley, lately from Van Diemen's Land, is the minister. Collections were made after each of the sermons. In the afternoon we had a juvenile meeting of all the children belonging to the two congregations, and they were highly delighted with the proceedings.

"On Monday evening, December 1st, we held a public meeting at Dr. Ross's chapel, which was very full. The Doctor, who took

the chair, gave a short report, and addresses were delivered by the Missionaries and other friends.

"Two of our number preached in Sydney on the 6th, and on the 8th two of us went to Paramatta, at the request of Mr. Carey (grandson of the late Dr. Carey, the Missionary), who has become pastor of a small Baptist congregation there. He wished us to have a meeting at his chapel on behalf of our Society. On the 10th, we held a meeting at Mr. Beazley's chapel, before mentioned, about a mile and a half from Sydney. The congregation at this place offered to support two Native Teachers in the islands, and Dr. Ross's Church have promised to support four others. You shall hear more of these engagements another time."