conduct. She is greatly beloved by the people, and by all of us. Mrs. Saker's case is a most distressing one: she deserves and needs your most tender sympathy. The child will, I fear, not live to reach England, nor her husband to see her return. He is however bearing up well."-It affords us pleasure to add that these friends have arrived, and that their health has been in some degree improved by the voyage.

VISIT OF THE DOVE TO JAMAICA.

It was not finally determined at the date of our latest advices, but from their tenor there appears to be a strong probability that the Dove has sailed ere now for the West Indies. The health of some of the natives of Jamaica who settled at Fernando Po is declining, and it is thought desirable that they should return; and Mr. Clarke says, "Before this reaches, you will have returned, I hope, after accomplishing much good, and I may be on the way to the shores of Jamaica. This is, however, still uncertain. We are going on quietly, though greatly tried by affliction. The captain cannot stand it much longer; and if the Dove is not allowed to depart, he will probably have to leave her for a season to seek restoration to health. Brother Duckett is again ill with his complaint, and a voyage to Jamaica might be blessed to his restoration. Brother Phillips is here with his sick wife, and wishes on her and on his own account to return. Mrs. Clarke is very feeble, and often very ill. I am shaken by anxiety and toil; and though the departure would be leaving the mission very low, still, a speedy return would I hope revive it greatly. I do hope an increased good would be done to Jamaica, for God can work by the feeblest instrumentality. Brother Saker is really more like a man near to death than a labourer fit to remain; but such is the state of Cameroons, and his right feeling towards it, that he cannot think of leaving at present."

FERNANDO PO.

Dr. and Mrs. Prince continue for the present at Clarence, and the Doctor has received from the governor, Captain Becroft, written permission to remain there. Dr. Prince says, Feb. 26th:

I have advised you that Miss Vitou is at present continuing her residence at the late Mr. Sturgeon's. Should that house be tenanted by Captain Becroft, then Miss Vitou will reside at the teacher's cottage, within a few yards of my dwelling, and formerly occupied by Newman.

She will continue those services in the day and Sunday school for which she was engaged by Mr. Sturgeon, and will, I have no doubt, be blessed as a spiritual instructor to many of the adult and growing females as she has already been. She will also do what she may be able in the superintendence of Mrs. and Miss Johnson, the teachers of the infant school. Mrs. Prince is also intending to give private instructions in the English language, and other elements of a plain education, to those two young women, and will assist them to the understanding and practical use of the book, "The Infant School Teacher's Guide." Miss Vitou will require some assistance in the day-school from one of our more intelligent male members of the church, and I expect

that William Smith, who formerly accompa nied brother Merrick to Cameroons, will render it, and be other ways very serviceable to me, both in church and domestic affairs.

I truly hope and prayerfully desire your minds may be impressed with the propriety of supplying a duly qualified schoolmaster to this station, and that you will speedily act out the conviction.

On Wednesday afternoon we had a joyous festive meeting with 150 children. Twenty pounds of flour were converted into plum-cake, and they were well drenched with richly sweetened tea. The place of rendezvous was gaily decorated by Captain Milbourn with shrubs, flowers, and flags. Twenty-two monitors and as many good scholars, were rewarded out of such things as we had suitable as gifts to boys and girls. The merriment was great.

On Wednesday morning I met brethren Saker, Clarke, and Milbourn to converse on the subjects of the disposal of the property at Clarence and the going of the Dove to Jamaica,

WEST INDIES.

JAMAICA.

Our brethren in this island are suffering from a new source of alarm and anxiety, in consequence of a despatch received by the Governor from the Secretary for the Colonial Department, Earl Grey, proposing the re-establishment of compulsory labour for the negro children, under the name of education in Industrial Schools. His lordship suggests that "in countries where food is so cheap as it is in the West Indies, and labour so dear, there must be peculiar facilities for enabling industrial schools to pay a proportion of their expenses, unless the children be taken from them at a very early age ;" and that it would be exceedingly desirable that besides gardens and provision grounds, there should be "some ground cultivated in canes or other staples of exportable produce, so that the children may be exercised in that species of cultivation in which it will be generally speaking most expedient that they should be afterwards employed." He rightly judges that this industrial system would probably obtain "the support and assistance of some parties who would not be equally quick to discern the more general bearings of education upon industry;" expresses his "hope that the legislatures of the colonies will acknowledge the paramount importance of causing such schools to be established, and will make such provision as may be required for the purpose ;” declaring that he should not object, on the part of the Crown, to a tax for this purpose falling directly upon the people at large, or "be averse to any well considered law which should constrain the parents of children, not exceeding a specified age, to send such children to school, under a penalty for neglecting to do so, unless for cause shown, and to pay a specified sum for their schooling." Respecting this scheme, one of the senior missionaries says, " You will see at once that if the proposed plan be carried out, the liberties of our people, and especially of the rising race, will be completely swept away." Another says,

This scheme will increase taxation, fetter the mind of the rising peasantry, and be destructive to every principle of manly independence. It will prove disgustive, a secret hatred will be felt towards education. As it will be thus conducted, compulsion, fine, taxation, are to be the chief elements to be employed in the carrying on of this scheme. The fathers of the rising generation were slaves compelled to toil in the cane-field against their will, the children are to be compelled, not by their natural guardians, but by their assumed protectors, to learn the elements of lettered instruction, and to submit to a training that shall degrade them into mere machines to be ready to be used for any political purpose, or for the advancement of the state religion.

The state church is silently but effectually spreading its network over the island of Jamaica, and will do so until not a nook or corner is left without its cankering, corroding influence.

At Montpelier, near Mount Carey, Lord de Walden, before he left the island, prepared his plan to upset, if possible, dissent in that

district. At a recent vestry meeting in this parish, £300 was proposed and carried towards the building of an episcopal church on his lordship's estate, ten voting for it, ten against it, the casting vote being given by the chairman. This is the beginning. If once a place is to be built, if the vote had been only £10 this year, another sum would be required next, and the parish have a perpetual burden, even from generation to generation.

To show the recklessness with which the state church supporters proceed, one of the members of the vestry board showed that in the parish and immediately contiguous, there were

Ten Baptist places of worship, seating 10,500
Five Presbyterian, seating..
3,150
Four Episcopalian, seating

2,700

Four Methodists, seating

2,000

One Moravian, seating

600

Three Roman Catholic, seating
One Jewish, seating......

250

150

19,350

This accommodation is good for a population of about 25,500, and yet in its face we are to have a new episcopal place in a district

BAHAMAS.

It affords us pleasure to learn that the health of Mr. and Mrs. Littlewood is sufficiently improved to have permitted their return to New Providence. Mr. Capern writes, May 1st:

HAITI.

Two natives of Haiti have been baptized by Mr. Webley in the Grande Riviere, at a spot a representation of which, as sketched by Mrs. Webley, is prefixed to this sheet. The following is Mr. Webley's account of the interesting transaction :

stating that a great uproar had been occasioned by a vast concourse of persons assembled by the baptism. around our dwelling.

At five o'clock we held a short service in

With this I left him. Determined, how the chapel, which was crowded almost to ever, not to be foiled in my attempt to gain suffocation. After this we set out for the my point, I proceeded to one of the Conseil des Notables, and made known to him my appointed place of baptism in the Grande design. Happily he received me more favour- Riviere, followed by a multitude of people, ably, and told me that there was no reason another short service, in which I implored the perhaps not less than a thousand, where I held why I should not carry it into effect; that divine blessing, read some parts of scripture though in the previous case the Secrétaire | d'Etat had been written to, he had assured referring to the ordinance, and gave an address bim that order was preserved, and that there explanatory of the rite, after which I proceeded the matter ended. He told me, moreover, Lord's supper to the candidates, and to the two to baptize. In the evening I administered the that I must give a written declaration of my who had previously been baptized, as well as determination, that he would sign it on behalf of the Conseil des Notables, and that would, to the mission family. At this service we had in all probability, secure the permission of the a larger number than has ever been seen in our little place of worship, for within and without the chapel it is supposed there were more than three hundred people. This, amidst all our privations, was a hallowed season, and I have reason to believe that upon the minds of most a favourable impression was produced. Thus ended this happy day. 0 that this may be an earnest and a pledge of what God is about to do with us!

General.

This proved to be the case, but after his permission I had to obtain that of the General de l'Arrondissement, as well as that of the Commissaire de Police. Having succeeded with all these, I returned home in triumph to await the coming day. In the morning we were aroused, à la bonne heure de trois heures,

The letter which furnishes this information is dated Jacmel, April 22nd. Mr. Webley speaks of himself and his female coadjutors as pressed beyond measure with increasing demands on their time and attention. Miss Harris and Miss Clarke, who have now sixty-four scholars, begin to find their health affected by their onerous duties. He has also been unwell himself, and has found it necessary to suspend some of his engagements. There is a fine opening for a good boys' school, he states, and it is important that one should be established. "A good school," would almost infallibly secure our stay on the island, such is the thirst for education among high and low."

he

says,

HOME PROCEEDING S.

PUBLIC ANNUAL MEETING.

As space could not be afforded in our last number for the resolutions passed in Exeter Hall on the 29th of April, Joseph Tritton, Esq., in the chair, it will be convenient that they should be recorded here.

The Rev. E. Hull commenced the service, by giving out a bymn and engaging in prayer. The chairman having addressed the meeting, and the Secretary having read the Report of the proceedings of the year, and S. M. Peto, Esq., a statement of the treasurers' account, the following resolutions were adopted unanimously.

On the motion of the Rev. D. Katterns, of Hackney, seconded by the Rev. John Stock, of Chatham :

bestow upon the Baptist Missionary Society and est to the progress of the mission in parts of India, kindred institutions, and adverts with special interand to the commencement of missionary operations in connexion with the Society at Madras.

The Rev. C. M. Birrell and the Rev. Joseph Angus, secretary to the Society, being of called upon by the chairman, gave a report their visit to Jamaica, after which,

On the motion of John Sheppard, Esq., of Frome, seconded by J. L. Phillips, Esq., of

Melksham :-
:--

I. Resolved, That the Report, of which an abstract has been read, be received; and that this meeting offers grateful acknowledgments to the God II. Resolved, That this meeting, on receiving of all grace for the success which he continues to their beloved brethren, the Rev. Joseph Angus, the

secretary of the Society, and the Rev. C. M. Birrell, after their visit to the churches and missionaries connected with the Baptist Missionary Society in the West Indies, takes occasion devoutly to express beartfelt gratitude to Almighty God for the preservation of their lives, and of their health, and for the

protection afforded them in their various journeys

and voyages, and for those valuable offices of Chris-
tian sympathy and love which he enabled them to
discharge, so greatly to the comfort of those whom
they visited.
The meeting also would offer to their
brethren the most affectionate congratulations on
their return to their native land, with the assurance
of augmented esteem and love. Nor can the meeting
omit to refer, with a deep sense of obligation, to the
generous munificence of that distinguished friend of
the Society by whom the deputation were entrusted
with so large a sum from which to minister to the
pressing necessities of some of the Jamaica pastors,
and by whom the expense of the deputation has
been guaranteed. And in conclusion, that this
meeting reviews with satisfaction the steps taken
by the Committee in the appointment of the depu-

tation, and ventures to express its earnest hope and belief that the benefits resulting from it will, under the divine blessing, continue to be experienced for many years to come.__

On the motion of the Rev. W. Fraser, seconded by W. H. Bond, Esq., of Truro :

III. Resolved,-That the cordial thanks of the Society are due to William Brodie Gurney and Samuel Morton Peto, Esqrs, the Treasurers, to the Rev. Joseph Angus, the Secretary, and to the members of the Committee, for the services they have severally rendered to the Society during the year; also to the Ladies', Juvenile, and other Auxiliaries which have contributed to its funds, earnestly entreating them to continue these efforts, and, wherever practicable, to increase them.

The meeting then sang a hymn, and, the Rev. Dr. Steane having pronounced a benediction, adjourned.

ARRANGEMENTS ON BEHALF OF JAMAICA,

It will be remembered that a part of the duty confided to the deputation which recently visited Jamaica was "to confer with the brethren there on questions which have arisen since the independence of the churches." These questions related principally to the nature and degree of connexion to subsist between the ministers and churches there and the Society. Our friends in the island were anxious that the Society should exercise influence there, in ways which seemed to the Committee to be inconsistent with that perfect independence to which selfsupporting churches are entitled. The deputation found accordingly a prevalent and strong conviction that it would prove injurious to the churches if the Committee were to leave them at present to their own guidance, and withdraw the superintendence and protection which they feel to be still needed. When Messrs. Angus and Birrell were about to leave the island, a general meeting of missionaries and pastors was held, at which their views were embodied in a series of resolutions to be forwarded to this country, with an earnest request that the Committee would accede to them. They were these:

1. That the Deputation be requested to represent to the Committee the desirableness of placing those missionaries who have been sent out by them between January 1840 and April 1845 on the same footing as those who were sent out previous to that period; and as the same is defined in the Resolutions of the Annual Meeting of April, 1845.

2. Some doubt having arisen as to the position of brethren in this island who were accepted by the Society, and sent out to aid in supplying stations as preaching schoolmasters at the request and charge of individual missionaries; and the Deputation having stated that the Committee could not regard them as having any pecuniary claim on the Society,-Resolved, "That in all cases where such brethren are pastors of churches, with the consent of the Committee, they be regarded by the brethren generally, as occupying a position as honourable as their own; and that so far as their position in reference

to the Committee is concerned, the Committee be requested to consider them (should the proposed Widows' Fund be formed) as eligible to all the benefits of that fund, on the terms that may be laid down for other brethren."

3. The question being raised whether in case the health of any one of the missionaries fail, and he be compelled to relinquish his labours in Jamaica, the Committee regard the Society as responsible for the expenses of his return to England. The Deputation explained that the practice of the Society in such cases is to meet as much of the expense of a missionary's return as may be necessary; but that whenever the church over which he presides is able to meet all the expense, or part of it, the Committee rely on their help. Resolved, "That this explanation be regarded as satisfactory."

4. The question being raised whether in the event of the churches in Jamaica being unable or unwilling to support their pastors,