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board the Hadlow, on his return to this country, on the 31st of August, in a dangerous state.

Mr. Deininger (see p. 407) writes from Leghorn, on the 24th of October

I am about to depart, God willing, for Malta. Mr. Jowett writes from Alexandria, Aug. 30th, four days after his arrival there, that he was preparing to depart for Beirout, by a ship direct.

Letters have been received from New Zealand to the end of May, at which time the Settlers were all well. Mr. White had arrived to join Mr. Leigh, of the Wesleyan Society. Mr. Butler had sailed with them, in order to assist them in forming a Settlement at Wangaree (see pp. 389 and 390 of our last Volume), about 80 miles down the east coast, and 12 miles north of Bream Head. Shunghee and his party had proceeded toward the East Cape, on another fighting expedition, in February: nothing had been heard of them. The Settlers were living undisturbed by the Natives.

London Missionary Society. Many young friends of the Society having intimated their wish to present articles of

their own preparation, for the purpose of forming a Sale for its benefit in the ensuing Spring, the Directors have adopted the suggestion. The Sale will take place in April or May.

Sailed from Plymouth, on the 19th of October, in the ship Nepos, Capt. Trader, for the Cape of Good Hope, the Rev. A. Robson, late Student at Gosport; with Mr. and Mrs. Hughes of Manchester, and Mr. R. Edwards of Bury, Lancashire, artisans. Their ultimate destination is Kurreehane and Mashow, to labour among the Bootsuannas.

Scottish Missionary Society.

In May, an Association was formed at Bombay, in aid of the Society; preparatory to the arrival of Messrs Cooper, Mitchell, and Crawford, as Missionaries from the Parent Society. These Missionaries sailed, as we stated at p. 343, on the 5th of March. They wrote from Madeira on the 2d of April; and have long since arrived, it may he hoped, at their destination, where they would happily find a body of friends associated for their direction and assistance.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY,
From Oct. 21st, to Nov. 20th, 1823.

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Presented for the New Zealand Mission-from R. B. Foreman, Esq, 24 axes; from a Friend, 12 axes; from C. Williamson, 6 axes; and from Mr. Simmons, of Basingstoke, 583 metal spoons.

Of the snm of 96%., acknowledged at p. 328 as received from Knaresborough, 6el, was collected

by Miss Hutchinson for the Native Female Indian Schools,

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DECEMBER, 1823.

Biography.

CHARACTERS AND OBITUARIES OF FOUR NATIVE CHRISTIANS. Of the Converts to the Christian Faith whose characters and deaths are here recorded, two were Slaves, whose poor and depressed condition was strikingly alleviated and even dignified by the grace of the Gospel; and two were of that class of Heathens, who appear most strongly fortified, by their prejudices and habits, against the reception of the Truth. We rejoice to record these instances of the triumphs of Divine Grace; and trust that such instances, continually multiplying, will add vigour to the prayers and exertions of all Christians in behalf of the Heathen World.

LEA ELIZABETH, A FEMALE HOTTENTOT

SLAVE.

Mr. Evans, Missionary at the Paarl in South Africa from the London Missionary Society, sends the following narrative.

A Female Slave, whom I baptized, died lately, rejoicing in the hope of everlasting glory. It was most pleasant to witness her last days. After having been for some time troubled with doubts and fears, she was enabled, through grace, to put her whole trust in the Saviour, and to proclaim his praises to all around her.

Shortly before her dissolution, she, called her children; and spoke to them in such a pathetic and earnest manner, as drew tears from every eye. After entreating the blessing of Almighty God on each of them, she turned to her eldest, and said

Hitherto you have been the cause of great grief to me; for your heart is as hard as a mill-stone. All my advices have been in vain; yet still I do not despair. Very probably this is the last time your Mother will ever speak to you in this world, therefore, I pray you, consider your ways, and what their end will be. Death will call you shortly, as he is now calling your Mother; but consider how you would meet him, suppose he were to call you this day. Could you meet his deadly weapons, with that serenity and Dec. 1823.

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peace of mind which your Mother can? I fear not yea, I am sure not. And what is the reason that the fear of death is taken away from me? It is the Lord Jesus, who came into the world to seek

and to save that which was lost, who found me also, when I was travelling the broad road in which you are walking at present. Ile drew me with the cords of his love

out of the pit of corruption, and brought me to seek salvation through that blood which he shed on Calvary, to purify sinners from all iniquity. O yes! this is the fountain which is opened for sin and uncleanness; and the streams of these living waters now make my soul to rejoice in the midst of all tribulations, and to meet the king of terrors without fear or dismay. Therefore, my Dear Son, yea, all my Children, and all present, seek the Saviour' while He is to be found-call upon Him, while He is near. His blood cleanseth from all sin. He is able to save to the uttermost. He will in no wise cast out those who come to Him: His arms are open to receive You, as freely as He received an unworthy and sinful creature such as I am: therefore come ALL to Him. He knocks continually at the door of your hearts. I can assure you He is a good Master. He is the best King. You will never be tired of His service. But if you despise His great salvation, you will be for ever miserable. Oh seek Him now! seek Him Now! and do not delay a day longer: for He says Himself that His enemies shall be as chaff; and, further, 3 U

Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hands and no one regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsels, and would none of myreproof; I will also laugh at your calamity, and will mock when your fear cometh.

Together with these, she recited some other passages of the same chapter, which she could recollect. Thus she went on, as far as her strength would permit, either rejoicing in the Lord, or praying, or admonishing those around her, until her soul was loosed from the earthly tabernacle; and took its flight, as we have every reason to hope, to the regions of everlasting bliss.

She was possessed of a retentive memory; and, during the last months of her life, delighted greatly in religious conversation.

Some irreligious persons were heard to say, that Lea Elizabeth (for that was her name) must certainly be in happiness; for it was like a little heaven upon earth to be near her, particularly in her last illness. A more delightful scene can scarcely be conceived, than that which her appearance presented a poor and completely worn-out Slave, without any of the pomps and vanities of this world about her, sitting or lying on her mattress; yet, at the same time, an heir of an everlasting kingdom, and beginning to feel those joys which shall never cease, and about to participate in that glory which shall never fade.

One day, she said

Yes, yes, I am but a Slave on earth; but I have a good hope, through grace, that I have been made free indeed through the blood of the Lamb, and that hereafter

I shall sit with my blessed and glorious Redeemer in His heavenly kingdom, never to be separated.

I was quite astonished at the progress which she had made in the knowledge of divine things, and so were all who heard her.

HENRY COCHRANE, AN AGED NEGRO OF

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this life. The week before his death, when Mrs. Thwaites visited him, he told her that he had been looking back, and calling to mind seasons when he had been surrounded by temptations to sin; and how he had been enabled, by the grace of God, to resist and overcome-so that, from the time when he had begun to serve God, which was from his youth, he had been kept even to old age; and all his trials, which were not a few, toward the close of his life, had been made the means of bringing him to cleave more to God.

He was brought to the knowledge of the truth, by the blessing of God on the care of Mr. Nathaniel Gilbert, who devoted himself to the instruction of his Negroes; many of whom, he was the means of turning from darkness to light: on the death of Mr. Gilbert, these were as sheep without a Shepherd, till Missionaries arrived. A pious old man, named Quacou, belonging to the same Owner, but living on another estate, became the friend and counsellor of Henry, and offered to teach him to read he was rejoiced at the offer; and, though he had very little time, he learned to read well enough to enjoy his Bible, and Prayer-Book: one of his aged Sisters, who set out in the good way with him, says, that so great was his love for his book, that he used to carry it to the field in his bosom, and look into it at every opportunity*: when he had no candle, he would make a fire on purpose to read by; and his profiting soon appeared to all.

Henry laid himself out to be useful to his fellow-slaves; teaching several to read, as far as he was himself able: when Mr. Gordon sent out a Schoolmaster to teach the Young Slaves on dertake the like work among the his estates, Henry was induced to un

children on the estate on which he lived. It was his care of the little Negro Children, which first struck us so forcibly, as caused us at once to embark in the work of collecting and teaching the Young Slaves; and we time when we commenced, with the now look back with pleasure to the hearty co-operation of this good old man. Henry was also the most active

• This is very common, in the present day, among the children of the Sunday Schools.

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