ignorance in which they, their parents, and their ancestors have been so long involved. The old notions concerning the Deity and the transmigration of souls they have for a considerable period set aside. In short, the Priests of the favourite idols are complaining that many of their devotees neglect to render the homage they carefully paid them in former times. The rites and ceremonies which numbers of these persons once were accustomed to celebrate, are already fallen, or will be permitted to fall, into disuse. So, although with a slow progress in appearance, Christianity is eclipsing Hinduism.

The whole of the good which has resulted from the distribution among the people of Catavelly of religious tracts, which are messengers of glad tidings, and silent monitors, cannot be estimated from present appearances. With the exception of the north part of Alvay, these are sent throughout the whole parish.

With unfeigned and heartfelt thanks for the tracts you were pleased to send

me,

I remain, well-esteemed Pastor,
Your most obedient and
humble servant,

JOHN WHITE.
Rev. Edward Robinson, Jaffna.

WESTERN AFRICA.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Charles Knight, Native Missionary,
dated Wellington, Sierra-Leone, March 21st, 1850.

HAVING just heard that a vessel will sail for England to-morrow, I embrace the opportunity, with mournful heart and heaving breast, to write you these few lines, which a short time ago I thought of writing with pleasing coun tenance and cheerful heart.

You are fully aware that, after spending the past year in the Native Institution at King Tom's, I removed therefrom to the Hastings and Wellington Circuit, according to the appointment of Conference. The people were exceedingly delighted that I am again appointed to labour among them, especially those at Wellington, where I fixed upon to reside; a great many of whom, hearing that my things were coming by a large boat, came down into the wharf to bring them up gratis; but unfortunately the boat, through adverse wind and tide, did not reach in time: so, after a long waiting, they retired.

When I and my family got to Wellington, we were most heartily welcomed by the people; and for more than one week we have had constant visiting from them; not only our own people, but many Church men and women honoured us with their visits. The presents they gave us consist of eatable things, such as beef, fish, yams, plantains, cassada, &c.

When I and my dear late wife left King Tom's, it was with a full determination to lay ourselves out afresh to the benefit of those among whom we are sent, and more than ever to spend a life of usefulness in that part of the Lord's vineyard to which He has appointed us.

The general hearty reception we met, and the great affection exemplified towards us by the people, so fired our zeal and increased our resolutions, that, before we were quite settled, she commenced teaching the girls needlework, and other useful arts, which I deeply regret she was not permitted long to do. In addition to my numerous other engagements, I, too, soon commenced an evening school, under my own tuition, for a Bible-class of adults, which is now doing remarkably well, with eighteen scholars; some of whom, I trust, will soon be qualified to exhort their fellow-countrymen to flee from the wrath to come. This is one of my principal objects in thus devoting a portion of that scanty time I can spare, from the ministerial duties of this large and extensive Circuit. I have also introduced special services here. We began the first week of special services on the first Sunday in February last; during which many were deeply convinced of sin, and upwards of seventeen persons professed to have obtained a sense of the divine favour. On Sunday morning, February 17th, I preached, and baptized nine adults and eight children, in the presence of an imposing congregation, at Hastings; and in the evening, the chapel was more than filled with attentive hearers. After addressing them from Prov. iii. 33, I commenced a short prayer-meeting for those that were pricked in their hearts, and are seeking for mercy. Before we concluded, eight of them professed to find peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to arrangement, we held the Auxiliary Meeting of the Wesleyan Missionary Society on Tuesday, Feb. 26th, 1850. Many of our respectable and influential friends from Freetown attended. It was indeed a very interesting one; and the proceeds were about three or four pounds more than those of last year.

O, how true it is that all our enjoyments in this life are mixed up with sorrow, and that in the midst of life we are in death! While we were, a few days ago, rejoicing together for the glorious manner in which the Lord is pleased to carry on His own work in our hands, how little did we think He would so soon mingle our joys with sorrow, and separate us from each other!

And now, very dear Sirs, it becomes my painful duty to communicate to you the distressing news of the lamentable death of my dear wife, the partner of my joys, toils, and trials, for the last fifteen years and three months. Now she has left me to toil and suffer alone; but I comfort myself in this, that she is gone to rest with Jesus. When the Missionary Meeting to which I referred was held, she exerted herself so much in attending and providing for the friends that came from different parts to help us, that, before they had all returned home,

she was forced to bed by a most violent head-ache, which soon brought on the fatal yellow fever, by which she was soon carried off, after some restless days and sleepless nights. I herewith enclose a copy of the brief memoir that I have hastily sketched out for her funeral. She died on Saturday morning, March 9th, at half-past four o'clock, at Wellington. On the news reaching Freetown, many of our respectable friends there came up, and took her mortal remains to Freetown, where they were buried in the new burialground on Sunday morning, March 10th, in the presence of a very large and respectable assembly; and on the following Sunday evening, the 17th instant, her funeral sermon was preached in three chapels in Freetown; namely, at Bathurst-street, Ebenezer, and New-TownWest chapels; all of which were so much crowded, that many persons stood outside during the service. Next morn

ing, I returned to my Circuit with my children, and resumed my duties. I do indeed feel the loss of my dear wife here in every thing: it requires grace to bear it. So I am looking up to our heavenly Father for His supporting and comforting grace in this my afflictive bereavement. I beg an interest in your faithful prayers.

WEST INDIES.

ANTIGUA-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. William Fidler, dated Antigua, July 22d, 1850.

As no doubt you will have heard, before this can reach you, that this island has been visited, as well as others, with rather a severe storm, improperly designated in one of the newspapers here a hurricane, I hasten to apprize you, that there is not much damage done ashore, where people exerted themselves to provide against destructive consequences by refastening shutters and doors, which fly open at such times. The Missionpremises in this island have suffered very little, and the expense of repairs will augment the general chapel and house account for the year by only a few pounds. We are thankful to God that we have escaped so well. Owners of vessels have suffered more in proportion, as the sea was high, and the wind adverse to their getting away in some cases, as we learn from the papers. Only one large vessel was materially injured here. Several small ones went ashore, and one was seriously injured. Great, however, as the loss may be to indivi

duals, a high wind or a smart thunderstorm is no small blessing in these latitudes in purifying the atmosphere, and making the islands more healthy,-the towns particularly.

In the great work in which myself and colleagues are engaged, we have encouragement as to spiritual results in the edification of believers, and additions to our numbers. We shall have to be very indulgent to many of our members in these times, as to the cause of their absence from class-meeting, and the partial, or indeed entire, suspension of payment of class money. The gradual decline of receipts, which commenced last year, continues, so far, during the present; and may justly be expected to become worse, rather than better.

I am glad to see that you are alive to these matters, and have introduced them to public notice on certain fitting occasions, no doubt with good effect in some quarters. We owe this much of interference in West India affairs to the tens

of thousands of our people here who are suffering, and to the Missionary Society itself, in reference to its obligations and interests in this part of the world. May our adversities be sanctified, that evil may be overruled for good in the support and extension of our Redeemer's kingdom! In St. John's we have no diminution of numbers during the last quarter, though several removals, and deaths, &c., had occurred. Thirty-three were found on trial, and more in other parts of the Circuit; making, in all, over seventy. Yet it is not likely that we shall have an aggregate increase in Antigua this year, as I now judge, borne down as our cause inevitably must be for some time to come. What part of the trials we have, in these islands generally, may arise from the unrepented sins of past and present generations, is not for any of us to determine; but certainly Divine judgments may be feared in all the earth on this ground; and, if so, what may we not fear, "where sin has abounded?" This is to me the most agreeable island of all I know in the West Indies. Its religious, and, in respect to many of its inhabitants, its high toned moral, character, is deserving of notice; as also the catholicity manifested by the several churches of Christ; neither envying nor vexing one another,

but all engaged in the good work of the Lord, in a way which must prove beneficial to the souls of men, and promotive of the truth among such as are living in error and sin.

You will be gratified, I am sure, to learn that I feel myself at home in this new station, with its various important and engrossing duties and interests. My health is sufficient, as is also my strength proportioned to my day. Thank God for His loving-kindness to me, and to mine also! As the time of my probable removal from the West Indies seems to draw near, my twenty years having expired last November, I feel as if I could not leave at all. The climate I never liked; but the Missionary work is my highest gratification and delight. Family considerations may justify a change; and I can only say, that when the time comes to re-enter upon the work at home, if spared, it shall be my study there, as it always has been in this part of the world, to spread scriptural holiness through the length and breadth of my sphere of labour, in conjunction with you and the Conference, being equally bound, in my degree, with yourselves, to uphold the essentials of " Methodism as it is." I wish my humble name could have been in the late Declaration of the Ministers.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

CHINA. Here with you have an order on the agents of the regiment (59th) for the amount specified opposite to each man's name in the margin, for a Wesleyan Missionary for China. Please to accept of it as a thank-offering for being preserved from cholera on board H.M.S. "Apollo," on her way out for this colony, during a period of eight months. Some give as a thank-offering for longsuffering mercies. There is a good work going on here. On the 5th instant, being the Lord's day, I witnessed a most pleasing sight in the Chinese chapel, three Chinese baptized by the Rev. Dr. Legge, of the London Missionary Society. Service commenced at seven o'clock, P. M. Dr. Legge gave out the hymn, a Chinese read it, then the whole congregation (about one hundred and thirty) joined in singing, led by a Chinese who leads at the English service in Union Chapel. A good number of Chinese attend even there, mostly youths. Dr. Legge then prayed, and preached on Christian baptism, all in the Chinese

language. How apparent are the signs of His coming, who is the " Alpha and the Omega,' "the brightness of His Father's glory, and the express image of His person!"

I find in no Society such an economy as our class, prayer, and fellowship meetings. Lord, grant they may soon appear in China, to help forward the ark of the Lord!

There arrived here from America, within the last three months, a considerable number of Baptist and Independent Missionaries, nearly all of whom I heard preach in Dr. Legge's chapel, "Union," previous to their departure for their appointment. This appears to be the headquarters for the different Societies.

The Bishop, with his staff, arrived here last month; and our esteemed Colonial Chaplain took his departure for England. His Tuesday evening prayermeetings did me good.

There are some native agents, both under the Church and connected with Dr. Legge. He (Dr. Legge) is a hard

working, truly evangelical Missionary. When he preaches in his Chinese chapel, one of the other Missionaries officiates in the Union chapel.

A few of the soldiers meet in my room, on Friday evenings, for prayer. We attend Union chapel regularly when duty permits.

If you can let me have the "Notices" in which this money is mentioned, you will very much oblige; not for my information, but for the sake of others, and to stimulate them at another time.. Colour-Sergeant John Ross, 59th Regiment, Hong-Kong, May 18th, 1850.

BANGALORE. The brethren Sanderson and Hardy are out on a Missionary tour to the extreme limits of the Mysore Territory. They appear to have met with much to encourage them, and will, I hope,

send you a full account of the whole. Mr. Sanderson writes to me in his last note, "Nobody could have been with us yesterday and to-day without remem bering it to the last hour of his life. The interest is sometimes overpowering. I cannot attempt a description of it by letter. I wish I had time to write a full journal of all our doings; but I can only snatch a moment now and then for dottings."

I should be glad to hear that we were soon to have some additions to our num. ber, which would enable us more frequently to engage in such tours, and carry the Gospel to the many thousands in this province, who, I fear, are not likely for a long period to have a Missionary settled among them.-Rev. John Garrett, Bangalore, July 1st, 1850.

BALANCE-SHEET OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOR 1849.

AMONG other important details connected with the general proceedings of the Society, during the past year, this Balance-Sheet came under the consideration of a very large and highly-respectable Meeting of its friends, assembled, according to annual usage, from almost all parts of the kingdom, in the Centenary-Hall of the Mission-House, on Tuesday, July 30th, 1850. To this Meeting the grossly false and calumnious misrepresentations and insinuations which had been circulated in certain quarters, respecting the financial management of the Society's affairs, gave a more than wonted interest; and with a view to these circumstances the Report of the Auditors had been prepared with special care and minuteness. It was presented and largely explained to the recent Meeting; and was received with all but unanimous manifestations of satisfaction and confidence. From a more extended narrative of the proceedings which we find in the "Watchman" newspaper of that week, we deem it right to publish here a brief extract.

After the usual religious exercises,

The PRESIDENT OF THE CONFerence, the REV. THOMAS JACKSON, said,-We are brought nearly to the close of the meetings of our Connexional Committees, which are usually held preparatory to the commencement of our Annual Conference. I have been accustomed to attend the Conference, and many of these Committees, for nearly fifty years, and I believe on no former occasion was such a spirit of unanimity manifested as has been experienced in all the Committees that have now been held. (Applause.) There has not only been amongst us a oneness of mind and oneness of judgment, but a remarkable oneness of heart. (Applause.) Now, if there be any department of our work which is calculated, eminently calculated, to unite all hearts, it is

our Mission work. (Hear, hear.) There is something connected with that work that is peculiarly adapted to inspire Christian people with a fixedness of purpose, and an ardent zeal, that nothing can move. I have no doubt that the same spirit of harmony, and holy love, and godly zeal, will characterize our present Meeting. (Applause.) In order that you may have some adequate conception of the present state of our Mission-work, and what has been done by the Managing Committee in the course of the past year, I will now call on the Secretaries, as usual, to read the Minutes of the Committees that have been held since the last Conference, from which you will be able to judge what further efforts are requisite for the maintenance and extension of that work to the end of the earth. (Loud applause.)

The Minutes of the General and Finance Committees to the end of December, 1849, were read by the REV. DR. BEFCHAM and the Rev. E. HOOLE. Most of the subjects to which they related have been made known to the public.

JAMES HEALD, Esq, M.P., who was greeted with loud cheers, rose before the reading of the accounts had been concluded, and, after some general observations, addressed the Meeting to the following effect :I come at once to a subject in which I have taken some humble part, and in which we all feel a deep interest, and by a careful consideration of which I venture to express my belief that the interests of this great Society will be considerably advanced. (Applause.) You will anticipate that I allude to the annual Balance-Sheet of the Society's accounts for the past year, and especially to the audit of the accounts which has taken place under the careful and able superintendence and investigation of gentlemen who were appointed to the especial office in this important year of our history. (Hear.) I had the honour of being requested to associate myself with these Auditors, in the first instance, in a careful consideration and determination what should be the principle and extent of the audit, and I felt a little anxious to be present when they made their Report; and I shall be prepared to join them in giving any explanation which may be considered necessary by the Meeting; and I have no doubt on my own mind, that the more ample the explanation shall be, the more unmixed will be the satisfaction of all present. (Hear, hear.) I am not aware what will be the best form of entering into this portion of our proceedings; but perhaps I may at once proceed without any formality or ceremony to make a few prefatory observations. (Hear.) The Auditors are present. Mr. Smith, of Sheffield, who came up purposely to meet them before they took a single step in the prosecution of their duties, is also present. I am prepared to say, that the result of the audit will prove to every man of business, that it has been conducted on such a principle that it will bear comparison with the most careful and judicious audit of any accounts of similar magnitude in connexion with any other kindred Society. (Cheers.) I will venture to say, that the Auditors-both the gentlemen officially appointed, and those who were called in to concert with them the best plan of an audit-ultimately agreed upon a plan to be observed with respect to the investigation of the accounts of the Society for 1849. (Hear, hear.) This Balance-Sheet, as you will find in the first place, is made up of two sides-debtor and creditor. Now, as to the income of the Society, I don't think we need spend much