and my children; and take care of them!" "But God has promised," I said, “to be a husband to your wife, and a father to your children, in the event of your death." This comforted him a little.-"But is this all that lies heavy on your heart-the care of your wife and children ?" no! I have done too much evil; but I hope I have repented.". "God has promised to forgive the penitent, for the sake of what Jesus Christ has done and suffered for them." He said, Amen! I believe, by the help of God. O Jesus, Jesus!"

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Feb. 27, 1837-Went to see the sick person whom I saw yesterday; but found him so weak and delirious, that I did not speak to him much. I recommended him to the mercy of God, in prayer. I also saw several of my scholars, whose parents I visited. I have been informed that the sick man died in the night.

In the following passages, Mr. J. Warburton describes his visits and intercourse with some of the inhabitants of Kissey. His remarks concerning those who have passed from their former state of idolatry to the possession of Christian privileges are worthy of particular notice:

Nov. 4, 1836-Visited a sick, and apparently dying, backslider, who appeared to be sensible that he had but a short time to live; and, what is more satisfactory, expressed contrition for his past transgressions, and earnestly desired to be taken again into communion with the Church, from which he had been separated. He had not hitherto requested this privilege, he said, because sickness had prevented him from attending the means of instruction. I expressed my satisfaction at his request; and exhorted him to remember his sins, and earnestly to seek the forgiveness of God, as I thought he would not be long in this world. He replied, That he did not expect to recover;-that he prayed to God to save him for Jesus Christ's sake; and that he hoped in His mercy. His wife also told me that he frequently prayed to God to save him. I had visited him before, but never perIceived in him so favourable a state of mind as on the present occasion.

Dec. 1-The person mentioned above is dead. From what I have witnessed in my conversations with him, and from all that I have heard from others who have visited

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him, I entertain a strong hope that he was convinced, by the Holy Spirit, of the error of his ways; and was led, by faith, to cherish a hope in the mercy of God, through his dear Son Jesus Christ. As death drew near, he continued to express a sense of his sinfulness, and of his hope in God. He looked, he said, "before and behind, but could find no Saviour but Jesus." He was thankful for the visits of Christian friends and a short time before his death, he sent for several of his companions, and exhorted them to attend to the things that belong to their peace. The following is a copy of his will:"I beg Society to take my two sons John and Robert into their care for me. I cast my soul into the hand of Jesus, the Great Saviour, to forgive my sins. I am a great sinner. I know Jesus can save me. leave my two sons into the hand of Society-take them to Fourah Bay for me."

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Jan. 18, 1837-I examined five persons who desire to receive religious instruction. On these occasions, it is my custom to ask the reason that induces them to come forward; when some of them give a satisfactory statement; while others appear to be ignorant of the corrupt state of the heart, and of the nature

of sin. It is remarkable, that in these persons we seldom discover that deep sorrow for sin which we might expect in those who have been idolaters, and who are not backward to confess other sins. This may, perhaps, be owing to their carnal notions of God, and imperfect knowledge of the divine law; for according to the clearness of our perception of Divine Truth will be our conviction of sin. One of the above-mentioned persons made the following statement:- "When I lived in my heathen country, I served wood and stone. Thanks be to God! He brought me to this country, to hear the Gospel. My heart tells me to pray to God. heart tells me, that if I die I shall go to hell. I have cast away my idols. I wish now to serve God, that when I die I may go to heaven." Another said: "I was brought from my own country, and sold to the Portuguese. An English ship fought the Portuguese, and brought me to this land. When I came on shore, I was sick, and had to creep like a little child. God raised me up from sickness. God has given me a house, and clothing, and food, and three children. Every Sunday, when I go to the house of the Lord, my heart tells me that I must

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serve God. If I serve God, I shall go to heaven: if I do not, I shall go to hell."Another said: "I have lived long in this country. Church lives there; Minister lives there, and preaches all time. never remembered that I have a soul to be saved. If I do not pray to God in this world, there is no more time for me to pray for my soul I lived in a heathen country, where we sell one another. I thank God that He has brought me to this land. If I do not think upon His I shall lose my soul; so I wish to serve God with all my heart." I said: "You have lived many years in this village, and never cared for your soul: what causes you to think of your soul now?" He answered: "I have to die."

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Feb. 17, 1837-Examined four persons who applied to be taken under religious instruction. One of these persons gave the following brief relation of himself:-"I have no ears (would not hearken to advice) in my country. I do bad: my father talk; I no hear him. One man in another town owe my brother money. I go to take (steal) his gun: they catch me, and sell me. I do bad in Guinea Country; I do bad here. I come to hear God's

Word. I confess my sins. I pray to God to forgive me."-On his observing, "Suppose I hear (hearken to) my father, I no come to this country;" I asked him whe ther he desired to return to his own country; when he said: "Suppose Father (God) save me, and carry me back to my own country, I thank Him.”—Another person related the following interesting circumstance respecting his child, one of our day scholars, who died a few months ago; and which appears to have made a serious impression on his mind. One day, after returning from his labour, his little daughter, Maria, called him. He went to her bedside; when she opened her eyes, and said, "I want to go home; I want to go to Father (meaning, to heaven). You must try to pray; because if you do not pray hard, when I die, you cannot meet

regard of many to their old pagan usages. We have collected a few instances of these, evincing their Fond Attachment to Greegrees, Witchcraft, and other Superstitions.

Mr. Schön, writing from Bathurst, relates

Sept. 17, 1836-I was told this evening, that a child of one of my neighbours had a large greegree (charm) hanging round her neck. As the parents were connected with the Church, I was not a little surprised at hearing it. The child being near, I sent for her, and found the statement, to my grief, correct. The father and mother saw the child brought to me; and, supposing what it was about, instantly employed their tongues against me. The former came quite in a rage; and when I took the charm from the child's neck, he abused me not a little. I called it a greegree; to which name he objected, because he had not bought it with any intention of killing or injuring any person, but as a medicine to cure the child, and most likely to secure it against the influence of witches. It was, in his opinion, just as if he had given some medicine to the child, or had vaccinated her. On opening the charm, I found that it was stuffed with dry grass and a piece of paper, on which were some words in Arabic, and some singular figures. When the father saw it, he became cooler, and softened his expressions. Now and then discoveries of superstitions still existing are made; and the present was one which grieved me much, because the parents were formerly in the Church, and can read the Word of God; and, likewise, belong to the more respectable of the place.

The following similar passages are from Mr. J. Warburton, at Kissey:

Oct. 14-One of my Helpers came to inquire the meaning of the word witchcraft. After explaining the word, I inquired whether there were any persons in Kissey who were supposed to possess the power of bewitching. He told me that there were several; and that one of the Candidates for Baptism was charged by a person in the class of Backsliders, with having practised this art upon her, to the injury of her health. When the parties were called, it was surprising and painful to perceive the hold which this

superstition had on the minds, even of persons long resident in the village, and who have for years attended the means of instruction. The accused denied the charge; but it was evident, from the agitated appearance of the other, that she believed herself to be suffering under an evil influence, though she seemed to be a little ashamed of it. The apprentice of the latter person stood to it, most firmly,

that he and the accused went nightly unseen-for they are considered to have the power of rendering themselves invisibleinto the house of his mistress, through the roof, and "sucked her blood," which caused her illness; and that unless the accused gave her a certain medicine, which she alone could administer, the other would not recover. It is lamentable to find such an instance of superstition in one connected with us; but the inquiries which I have made on the subject convince me that the darkness is more and more passing away, and that the light of God's Holy Word is gradually enlightening the minds of the people. One of them says, "Formerly we believed in witchcraft, and were accustomed to put the Bible under our pillow, to drive the evil spirits away; but we do not do so now."

Feb. 28, 1837-I observed, in a distant part of the village, a party of heathens engaged in a country-dance, and went to them.

One of them, who was dancing for the amusement of the company surrounding him, was partly dressed in woman's clothes, with a wooden mask of rather ingenious make, representing a human head covered with a helmet, which had for a crest, a snake in the act of killing a bird. This personage, whose motions were accompanied by the noise of two wretched drums, when he saw me coming, endeavoured to make off; but his companions prevented him. After I had mounted the drummer's bench, and had obtained silence and attention, I began to address them; but as soon as they understood that I was speaking against their superstition, they raised such a loud and continued noise, that I was obliged to desist, and could not again obtain a hearing. I then went into the hut where the dancer had taken refuge while I was speaking to his companions, and found several other persons dressed in a similar manner, endeavouring to conceal a number of masks of a more frightful form than the one I have described. I searched the hut, but could find no idol; though I was

informed that a sheep had been sacrificed the evening before.

In the accounts of the Missionaries we find the following instances reported of their

Occasional Intercourse and Conversations with Mahomedans.

Mr. Schön relates the following affecting circumstances concerning

two Mahomedan Youths :

March 10-The illness of my child rendered it necessary for us, in order to be near our medical attendant, and to try a change of air, to leave for Freetown. We preferred going by water, to the fatiguing and inconvenient journey by land. At twelve o'clock, we left Hastings in a comfortable boat; but were soon called to witness a dreadful scene. We met a canoe with two Wellington men, heavily laden with green fence-sticks. The sea was rather rough, and we soon discovered them to be in danger; when we hastened to their assistance. The people themselves seemed not, at first, to be apprehensive of any danger; but when we were within twenty yards of them, the canoe sunk, and both were left to the mercy of the waves. We providentially saved one, but all our endeavours to save the other were in vain. He was seen to stretch his hands out twice, but very soon disappeared altogether. What an awful thing is it, to be called to another world so suddenly! May the Lord be pleased to sanctify this event to all who were witnesses of it; and cause them not to rest secure, but to be in constant preparation for another world! The one whom we took into our boat is a nice boy about fourteen years of age. I wished very much to speak to him, but could not while we were in the boat. When we got near Wellington, he was put on shore; when he turned his face toward us, made a bow to thank us, and looked toward Heaven to implore a reward on those who had been the means of saving his life, while tears ran down his cheeks. I was truly glad to see it, as he had appeared rather insensible before. I purpose to call for him, on my first visit to Wellington.

March 11-I left Freetown in the evening for Wellington, as I wished to spend part of the Sunday at that place. Mr. Collins was kind enough to send for the boy above mentioned; and his master, a Mahomedan, came with him. Both of them thanked me; but we endeavoured

to make them understand to whom all praise and glory belonged. The boy promised to endeavour to serve God, who had spared his life; and his master said, too, that he wished him to learn "English fashion," or Christianity. His own way he calls "Mahomedan fashion," or the fashion of his country; and is fully convinced that either of them will lead to heaven, if strictly observed. He was calmer while we reasoned with him than the Mahomedans usually are. He spoke highly of Christ, but still thought Mahomed higher than Jesus.

The following passages refer to the same subject :

Feb. 14, 1837-Kept Morning Prayers in the Chapel, at half-past five. I met a Mahomedan in the street, whom I had seen before. I said, "Whom do you worship?" He replied, "God only.""What is God?" "I do not know. I

will fetch my Minister, and he will tell you all.--" But," I said, "you certainly ought not to be ignorant of the object of your worship; or you worship you know not what. God, who is an Eternal Spirit, infinitely wise, holy, good, and just, sent His Son Jesus to teach us the knowledge of Himself; and you reject Him, to your condemnation." He replied: "Mahomed was born before Jesus, of the same family he was a man like yourself: he was cousin to Jesus: he was a good man, and has 121 names." I said, "Then he was a man of like passsions with ourselves; he had the same propensities to sin as ourselves; he had the same corrupt nature as ourselves; and had the same need

of an atonement for his sins as we need." He replied: "What is a Christian?" "We are so called on account of our heartily embracing and openly professing that religion which Jesus taught;-that all mankind by nature are sinners against God, in thought, word, and deed; and without repentance, and a true faith in the Son of God, we cannot see eternal life." He said: "I believe that Jesus is the Son of God; but I do not pray to Him as you do. I believe Jesus gave all His people to Mahomed; and God may give Mahomed power to save all His people." [Mr. W. Young.

Feb. 10-I spoke to a man to-day, at his house, about the state of his soul, and the approach of death; but he seems to be too much confirmed in his own groundless hope of eternal happiness without Christ, the only source of true and everlasting

happiness. He fancies that he is safe, because he is a Mahomedan: he hopes to be saved when he dies, though he does not give a good reason for the hope that is in him, but rather boasts of his own good works. He says, that if he does not lie and steal, curse and swear, &c., but gives alms to the poor, and does other charitable deeds, there can be no doubt of his being saved. I endeavoured to convince him that his hope at present is that of a man who builds upon a sandy foundation, which building will not stand in time of rain and wind. In order to get rid of me, he said he would try to come to our Church; but to this day he has never put a foot in it. [John Attarra.

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While those who might, in many respects, be accounted better able to preach the Gospel to the Heathen, yet do not go forth for that purpose, it will be observed, with much interest, how it pleases God to raise up, among the Natives themselves. instruments for his own work. following narration, by the Rev. C. F. Schön, exhibits the Providence of God in sending to the Natives of Africa one of their own colour to speak to them concerning Jesus Christ; and although his speech be with stammering lips, here a little and there a little (Isaiah xxviii. 10, 11), yet it may justly be asked concerning his humble endeavours, Who hath despised the day of small things? Least of all should they be despised by those who have more ability, but less good-will for this holy work.

Mr. Schön adds some very useful remarks; and the whole will serve to lead our Readers to think with earnest prayer concerning the

Propagation of the Gospel in the Interior of Africa.

Dec. 14, 1836-Married three couples at Hastings. There was another who wished to be married, from Waterloo; but as his name was not correctly entered, I could not solemnize the marriage. One of their companions showed a great concern for the young party; and inquired, several times, how it could be arranged that they might be married soon. On asking the reason of his anxiety about it,