Over this space there stands pre-eminent, amidst an amphitheatre of mountains, that lofty peak, honoured by geographers with a name in the category of earth's notable heights. The traveller, beating the plain with his face towards the west, sees the distinguished elevation, looking like a presiding genius, often covering his head with a cap of clouds, and as often laying it bare, as if to show himself, again and again, claimant of the domain which bears his own signature of "the Blue-Mountain Valley."

This tract of country is well watered. In riding to our chapel, which stands not so far as midway, my fordings average a stream per mile. It is, of consequence, fertile, attractive, and populous. A number of fine sugar-estates are there, some of which are still kept in cultiva tion, notwithstanding the unfair competition of slave-holding Cuba, hard by, and Brazil, farther off. Others, I am sorry to say, have ceased to be worked, among which is a noble property called Garbrand-Hall, whose labourers were mostly our members. But let me speak of the Valley as to its spiritual affairs.

Deep in the interior stands an Episcopal chapel-of-ease, in which there officiates a man of God and faithful Minister, such as our colonies have often been indebted for to the Church Missionary Society. Nearer to ours is a chapel, the place of the Rev. J. Andrews, of the London Missionary Society, our friend and fellow-helper in all that pertains to the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours. But this Valley, as I have said, has a large and increasing population, and intercommunication is not always easy. I dwell not far from my work there, yet at short intervals of time am compelled to ask, for my life's sake, "Is yonder river too much swollen? Has any one crossed it lately? Can you show me the safest fording?" How difficult, then, for feeble women and children seeking contact with a Minister, or visiting his place of preaching! Our own Mission should, properly speaking, take its date as anterior to both the others. At least thirty years ago, the Gospel was preached upon the Valley estates by your venerable Missionary, the Rev. James Horne. Numbers of the people there were enrolled as members of our Society here at Morant-Bay. And these were afterwards formed by the Rev. James Atkins into a distinct congregation for Sabbath worship in their own neighbourhood. The Rev. James Rowden suc

son.

ceeded in purchasing a site, and caused a large booth to be erected with the view of building a proper chapel there. The walls of the intended chapel were in time got up by the Rev. William HodgThen, Jamaica, already falling, was precipitated by that tariff-blow, which, however intended, was instantly understood by the slaver to be the signal for his triumph and our fall. His Havannah was illuminated on the night after the news had come from England that produce made with death-driven slaves might claim countenance, the same as the produce of free labour. It soon became a difficulty how to build, or even to roof, a chapel, when planters were ruined, and labourers had no hire.

Having been appointed to the station in 1848, I found in the Valley a Society of about three hundred and fifty persons, with a large and well-attending Sabbath congregation. They had a good report from all the Missionaries who had from time to time been over them in the Lord; and, to my eye, they soon appeared to be a more pleasing specimen of the island population than some others I had known. But the frail booth was no longer fit to shelter them, and nothing was more certain than that this congregation must be scattered, and the ministry among them cease, unless a place could be found for them to meet in. Some would have enrolled their names with our distant Societies; but the bulk would have been left without churchfellowship, and the immediate neighbourhood deprived of the means of public worship and instruction. I felt keenly this peril of souls committed to my care. I made my moan to you, and you kindly caused it to be heard by friends of Missions, who, one and another, contributed to relieve the case.

These kind contributions had a double value that of their own intrinsic worth, and as an encouragement to the Valley people to do for themselves what would have been left undone through despair of reaching the point of covering-in their chapel. The people, when I announced help from others, began to help, too, in their own small way. They brought me money, as much as I could expect from their circumstances, and they helped me with manual labour. The happy result of all is, the opening and occupation of their house of worship, which I have now the pleasure of reporting. The chapel is, indeed, not finished; but it is comfortably tenantable, and puts far from us the dread of quenching that light in the

lovely Valley which is seen wherever religious assemblies are statedly held. There is, too, a school-gallery in the lower end of the building, which speaks a hope of obtaining instruction for the children of the congregation some day.

Every man's sphere is his world, and each man will excuse another if his heart be filled with thoughts of his own place, however small and obscure. For my own part, these things, occurring on my station, have so engaged my mind, that when, in my frequent visits to look after the work, I one day caught the sight of this chapel, with its roof completely covered-in since my preceding visit, it required the influence of my judgment, telling me that bodily gestures are only a small part of devotion, to restrain an impulse to leap down and prostrate myself upon the gravelly bank of the river, that I might give thanks to Almighty God, who had brought into existence this means of preserving a religious community, as such, and given me to see it first from that spot.

And how can I sufficiently thank those gentlemen in England to whom, under God, we are indebted for this benefit ? Would that I could convey the pleasure of benevolence successfully applied, to J. C. Elliott, Esq., of London; to T. A. Shillington, Esq., of Portadown; to A. Stewart, Esq., of Glasgow; and to those other donors whose names I am not permitted to know. I very much wish for a clue to find the giver of that largest sum, without which, humanly speaking, we could not have accomplished our object yet, that, at the risk of being thought an intruder on the privacy which he prefers, I might thank him

personally for myself and the people, as I hope to be allowed to do to some other donors.

To the Committee I beg, also, to tender our thanks. I sometimes take that other form, besides the form of a Missionary, which belongs to me as one of the people; and I must confess, that a feeling about your late di-couragements from the West Indies makes me hang down my head, and wish no more to show my face. Yet, I will venture to say, that no member of your very large Missionary Society, or of its Committee, could have beheld the opening of BlueMountain Valley chapel on the 1st of this month without making the remark, "It is far from being all discouragement, while we have specimens of our Mission work like this!" I speak as one whose mind carries the compass of a matter, and not merely the impression of a holiday. Here is a Society, none the fewer in numbers since I knew them nearly three years ago. They show a will, though they have little power, to give to the cause of Christ. For if an estate should go into work, and scatter a little money among them, it would be known by a better contribution the next Sabbath. Here is a large congregation of adults and children, over the whole of which is spread a face of decency and order and attention. They show constantly a love for the habitation of God's house. We cannot but see hope for their souls. And how much of all this would have existed, if it had not been for such evangelical agencies as your Mission has supplied? I pray God to secure to you an ample share of the joy promised alike to them that sow and to them that reap.

observations relative to our general proceedings:

:

1st. It was the wish of His Majesty that all Haytians should be considered as entirely free and unrestricted on the subject of religion, and that all should be at liberty to adopt whatever religious creed they might prefer. On this subject the Secretary laid great stress, and seemed to wish that it should be fully understood that His Majesty was favourable to the most entire toleration on the subject of religion.

2d. His Majesty had been informed that we had lately given money, to induce individuals to adopt our religious

views. His Majesty wished it to be understood that such proceedings could not by any means be allowed.

3d. His Majesty had heard that we had gone into the country places, and occasioned disorder, by our efforts to win over the people to our views by means of money; and His Majesty therefore wished us to confine our labours to the towns.

Such were the remarks made to me officially by the Minister of State, in the name of the Emperor.

With regard to the first of these remarks, I, of course, did not fail to express the thanks which I felt to be due.

With regard to the second, I observed to his Lordship, that it refuted itself; for, if we thus gave money, we should certainly have the people after us by hundreds, if not by thousands, who most assuredly would not fail to surround us for the sake of gain. On the contrary, as I explained to his Lordship, those who joined our churches were expected to support, by voluntary contributions, the cause which they had adopted; so that, instead of receiving, they gave.

On the latter remark I explained to the Secretary that no proved disorderly person could remain a recognised member of our communion; and that it was not as a simple matter of policy, that our people respected the authorities, but as a matter of conscience, and as a religious duty.

It may, perhaps, be remembered, that in some of my former communications it was stated that the ebullition of intole rant feeling which has lately taken place in this country was much more Romish than Haytian. In proof of this, we have now the Emperor's own declaration on the subject of religious liberty. There is not the slightest doubt that the Secretary's communication in the aboverelated conversation on the subject of religious freedom is the sincere expression of His Majesty's feeling on that subject, and of the feeling of the whole nation. Long experience has taught us that the Haytians themselves are a tolerant and liberal people. They, how. ever, have had the misfortune to fall under the yoke of Rome in religious

matters; and if the same scenes that have lately disgraced the Church of Rome in Madeira have not been repeated in Hayti, we know that it is not because Romish power and influence have been more liberal here than there, but rather because the Haytians were too far advanced in their views of religious liberty to be guilty of such outrages on the rights of conscience.

The

It is indeed to be regretted that the country places are shut up from us; but, if we have access to all the towns, we shall still have a wide field open; for there are several where the Gospel has not yet been introduced; and even where we are established there is still much, very much, to be done. towns, thoroughly saturated with the spirit of the Gospel, would inevitably open the way ultimately to the interior; indeed, already we have some country places that we have long been in the habit of visiting. Nor do we infer from anything that has been said, that what is done is to be undone, or even discontinued. Even the restriction that has already been intimated cannot be of long duration; for His Majesty will and must ultimately see that he has been deceived, and that we have been calumniated, by the enemies of pure Christianity. Nor are we to forget that Hayti is in the hands of Providence, and that it is easy for Him to turn the hearts of men, and to make use even of their political errors for His glory.

I am thankful to say that our congregations are now beginning to assume their usual appearance as to numbers; and the cause of God is going on encouragingly.

Our school by no means diminishes in interest. Our subscriptions are not quite what they were; but it must be remembered that, for some considerable time past, the whole country has been suffering in its commercial and financial affairs.

Our people at Jérémie, as may be supposed, are all joy and gratitude at being able to finish their chapel.

Mr. Hartwell, I am thankful to say, is recovering, though slowly, from the severe attack of sickness which he has lately experienced.