three months, been made in the national church; now a storm of hate has broken forth against the Bible of the Protestants, and then against those who are said to have changed their religion. And often has it been said, that those who are capable of being traitors to their religion by changing it for another, are capable of being traitors to their country also. Then again, at other times, it has been insinuated that the Bible has preceded British power in the South Seas, and that it is still holding millions in slavery both in India and the United States. Harangues of this description, as may be easily supposed, would prove exciting, especially in a country where by far the majority are Priest-ridden, and sunk in the deepest superstition; and where even those who do reflect are in danger of being led away by bigotry and narrow views. You will not, therefore, be surprised to learn, that some slight outbreak of feeling has taken place against us; and that several of our members have been sent on board men-of-war, not indeed from any avowed motives of religious persecution, but on the plea that men were greatly needed for the formation of a navy which is now on foot. This might pass very well but for the prominent peculiarities of the case, which cannot be misunderstood: for even in the severest impressments, it was never known that men already under military service should be unceremoniously sent on board ships of war to serve as sailors, unless they had been guilty of some misdemeanour; nor has it been at all customary for masters of public schools to be hurried off to serve as sailors. These things, however, in this case, have been done; and, I regret to say, that our school at Port-au-Prince was shut up for nearly three weeks, and that the one at the Croix des Bouquets has been closed from the 24th of March to the present time.

It would answer no purpose to enter into all the details of an unworthy attempt at persecution, of which all are now ashamed; but it is infinitely to be deplored that the present authorities of the country should have suffered themselves to be influenced by a priesthood who never did anything for their longsuffering country, but kept it from generation to generation in the most deplorable ignorance. Let it, however, be said, to the honour of the Haytian nation, and of the Haytian authorities, that there is nothing persecuting in their character. They, left to themselves, are perfectly tolerant, and of this we have latterly had the

greatest proofs. Let it not be supposed that we have preached the Gospel in the public streets of this capital by Romish toleration : no, this has been allowed only by the nobler spirit of the Haytian people. But, alas! even Hayti is capable of learning intolerance from Rome, whose insinuation of themselves into civil and political power she nevertheless fears, and justly deprecates, and long has steadily and studiously opposed. But Romish hate and bigotry are the same in Hayti as elsewhere: truth is making a slow, but sure and steady, march here, and Rome is restlessly jealous. Above all, she dreads our schools, and therefore the blow has been principally aimed there. Eight of our young members have been sent on board; and, notwithstanding the strong disavowal of religious persecution, they were forbidden to pray together, and their Bibles and other religious books were taken from them. These are indeed painful circumstances, and have given rise to all sorts of rumours, and, amongst the rest, that the women were to have their share also, in some way or other, in what had befallen the men. I am, however, thankful to say, that matters have been carried no farther, and that our people have shown both firmness and prudence during the threatening storm; and the strong disavowal of any intention to persecute gives reason to hope, that the matter will end where it is for the present.

Rome has thus given us a painful lift; for that good will ultimately result from what has transpired, there can be no doubt. True, the cloud was dark and threatening, and it is not yet quite passed away; but it has placed Romanism and Christianity in juxta-position with each other; and while the hateful intolerance of the one has been afresh held up to view, the mildness and forbearance of the other have been rendered more con. spicuous.

And this is yet more evident with regard to Jérémie. At that place, I regret to say that innocence and truth are suffering. The building of our chapel, which was begun there in the latter end of last year, and which was more than half finished, has been arrested in its progress by the local authorities of the place; who, it is to be feared, have suffered themselves to be controlled, and even led to the violation of the constitution of their own country, by priestly influence and intolerance. Thus does Popish influence, for the moment, triumph over the liberal laws of a well-intentioned people, who long had given entire freedom to religious worship.

The fact is, that at the above-named place, every kind of hate has long been vomited from the Romish pulpit; and there can be no doubt, that the building of our chapel has, in consequence, been suspended by high authority. Obloquy of every kind is cast upon our interesting and worthy people of that place; but they stand fast, and silently adorn their profession.

The circumstances through which we have passed in this country, and through which we are still passing, and which may even continue beyond our expectations, although painful in the extreme, are by no means surprising; for, setting aside all consideration of the restless powers of darkness that are ever armed both against God and man, it must not be forgotten that our aims and motives are not only difficult to be understood, but difficult to be believed, by those whose corrupt hearts blind their intelligence, and make them willing to believe a lie. To suppose that we have nothing else in view but the present and eternal happiness of our fellow-beings, is very difficult for an uneducated and narrow-minded politician, whose weak imagination pictures in the far future some frightful and ulterior results; which, together with the settled hate of a corrupt Clergy, bent on anything but the diffusion of light of any kind, renders it truly remarkable that we should have been so long allowed peaceably to make inroads upon ignorance and superstition. Although, as in all other Popish countries, plain, unadorned, and unincumbered Christian truth that is to say, the Gospel and nothing but the Gospel-is regarded as

another religion, as, indeed, truly it is to that of Rome; yet we must not lose sight of the fact, that for now upwards of thirty years Hayti has had an opportunity of seeing and judging what evangelical religion is; nor are there wanting those in this country, both in and out of power, who are quite capable of appreciating pure Christianity; and we may confidently expect that Satan will in this, as in all other cases, defeat his own purposes, and that the wrath of man shall be made to praise God.

It has been truly gratifying and encouraging to observe that, not withstanding all that has occurred, the parents of the children that attend our school have manifested, and do still manifest, their decided attachment to this institution. That we should have lost some, might have been expected; but I am not aware of any that have left us in consequence of the finger of scorn having been pointed at us, although this may possibly have been the case, for our numbers are not quite what they were. There is, however, nothing discouraging with regard to our school at Port-auPrince; but the one at the Croix des Bouquets is closed, and its worthy and respectable master is still held on board, more as a prisoner for some crime than otherwise.

There are now in this harbour three American men-of-war: the object of their visit has reference to financial claims on the part of the American Government, which there is every reason to hope will be amicably arranged.

I am thankful to say that we are all pretty well in the District.

tention paid to the wants of the people, so very different from the floating "black holes" from whence they had been taken. It was at once a pleasing and a mournful sight. It was pleasing to think that so many rational and intelligent beings had been rescued from the horrors of slavery: it was mournful to think of the many thousands who, every year, are stolen from their native land, and are not so highly favoured as to fall into the hands of our British cruisers. Among the number I saw persons of all ages, from the little lisping infant to the hoary head bowed down with the weight of years. Such is slavery! it has no pity, no compassion. Ah! it is an accursed system, and must, sooner or later, draw

mind with awe and wonder. Vessels are seen very distinctly passing almost every day; and as the ocean comes quite near to the "Elbow," they sometimes come very near to the land. Our people are poor, and can do but little towards the maintenance of the Gospel among them; but of their little many do of their diligence gladly to give of that little. We have already referred to the drought of last year; and but for the assistance of the Local Government in a supply of provisions, their sufferings would have been extreme. Their poverty may be inferred from the amount of the collection at the Lord's Supper for the poor being but 2s. 2d. My endeavours have been very much turned toward the young, ever since I have been here; and I hope God may save some by my mouth.

At Cherokee Sound we have added several to the church during the quarter; but while we rejoice in an augmentation of our numbers, we cannot report a corresponding increase in the receipts of the Circuit income. Those who are awakened to flee from the wrath to come are not only poor, but very poor. Lewis Pearce, an old and faithful labourer in

the Lord's vineyard, has been called to his reward since the last time I visited. Mr. Pearce was for many years an acceptable Local Preacher at this settlement, and was well-known to the Missionaries who have laboured in this part of the field. For years past he was unable to do any pulpit labour whatever; but his little strength was exercised in meeting his class. His end was peace.

At Marsh-Harbour we are encouraged at the improvement in the spiritual state of our members. Two were added at our last visit; but the great difficulty is to get the people to attend the house of prayer. In visiting them at their houses, and listening to the excuses as a cause of absence from the public worship of God, their business pursuits are found to be the all-absorbing concern; and although a few assemble every Lord's day, and meet and worship, who are indeed a little, little flock, others cannot be prevailed on to come to the place where prayer is wont to be made.

At Green-Turtle Cay we have our hopes frequently blighted: the seed often springs up; but, alas! it is as soon choked or withered.

By the present express, which has lately arrived from York-Factory, I hasten to inform you of a few particulars which have occurred since I last

addressed you. The blessing of Almighty God still continues to rest upon us, and we feel encouraged to go forward, labouring to the best of our ability to bring souls to Christ. Early in September last I paid a second visit to Oxford, for the especial purpose of fixing upon the most eligible situation for our intended Mission. We were favoured with journeying mercies, and, during our absence, our habitations were kept in peace; for which we are grateful to God. After making every inquiry, both from the Indians and the Company's officers at Oxford, and carefully examining the place, I decidedly think the west bay preferable to the south. The west bay, near the Sucker River, possesses excellent fisheries, which have never been known to fail, is a beautiful situation, has a southern aspect, well screened from the north and north-west by high lands and dense forests, and there is abundance of wood and soil. A baptized Indian

has a house already built, near the site, and his son-in-law was commencing to build another this fall. On our arriving at Oxford, I was glad to learn that Mr. Hargrave the chief factor in charge of the district, had given orders that Mr. Robertson should get timber cut, and hauled home, for the Mission premises, this winter; and that, early in the spring of 1850, a carpenter would be sent up to erect the necessary buildings.

The newly-appointed Bishop of Rupert's Land is exceedingly zealous, a holy man, liberal in his views, and benevolent and kind to the poor. He arrived here, on his way to the settlement, on September 23d, paid us a visit the following day, accompanied by his Chaplain and the Rev. James Hunter, from the Pas, and the Rev. J. Hunt. He was much pleased with what he saw he examined the elder school-children in sacred history, and they replied correctly to most of his questions. The whole party expressed their delight on hearing them sing, and Miss Anderson kindly promised to send them some presents on the arrival of their goods from York.