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north-west part of the Colony and the Orange river-1817.Barnabas Shaw, Edward Edwards, Missionaries.-Jacob Links, Native, Assistant Missionary to the Bushmen.-James Archbell, Appointed to this Station. Mr. Edwards joined Mr. Shaw on the 24th of January, of last year. He will be thereby enabled to enlarge his plans. Of Jacob Links, a Namaqua, who is about 19 years of age and one of Mr. Shaw's Interpreters, the Committee say " Mr. Shaw having very strongly recommended this converted Hottentot, as a Teacher to the Bushmen; and a copy of one of his Sermons having been sent home, from which he appears to have very clear views of Christian Doctrine and a happy method of explaining it; Jacob has been received as an Assistant to the Mission in South Africa." Mr. Edwards, says, on his arrival-I was surprised to find so comfortable a place. Brother Shaw must have laboured early and late. Here we have a neat little house, and a fine garden." A chapel has been built, chiefly by the personal labour of the Missionary. Of his proceedings the Report states-" He is instructing the people, among whom he has fixed his residence, in agriculture and the useful arts; and the Committee have, from time to time, sent him such articles as might be serviceable to the Mission in these respects. Above all, his labours appear to have brought many of the Natives to a just knowledge of God; and to have affected their hearts with a deep sense of sin, and a desire to become acquainted with the only Saviour. Mr. Shaw lately took rather a hazardous journey, to establish a communication with the Bushmen. He had the opportunity of removing a prejudice from them against Missionaries, produced by a report of the Boors, that their object was to collect the Natives and sell them for slaves; and resolved, as soon as his fellow-labourer should arrive, to attempt to reclaim this ferocious race from their wander ing and predatory habits; to teach them "to till the ground for subsistence, and to look up to Christ for salvation." About 30 have been baptised. Many others have been cured of their idle habits. A forge, and iron, having been sent thither, six ploughs had been equipped by the Missionaries for the Natives, and other implements of husbandry supplied. Great advantage will accrue 66 were to the whole body of the Natives by this introduction of agricul"All our people" says Mr. Shaw, ture among them. anxious to see the forge. When the bellows were put in action, and Brother Edwards began to exercise his hammer, they stood astonished: and, as the Greeks bemoaned the unhappy lot of their ancestors, who by death had been deprived of the sight of Alexander on the throne of Darius; so our people seemed to bemoan the fate of those Namaquas who had not lived to see a forge erected in the midst of their camp." Thousands of oxen belonging to the Dutch farmers had died for want of grass and water, owing to a long and excessive drought. Mr. and Mrs.

Shaw were in a weak state of health, and were proceeding on a visit to Cape Town. The Governor had granted permission to form a new Settlement, about two days' journey from Khamies Berg, which will afford access to a body of Bastard Hottentots.

MEDITERRANEAN.

In this Division of our Survey, we enter on a scene far different from that which we have just left. We have there seen Manwild and savage-struggling under the influence of the Gospel and guided by the instructions and example of his more enlightened Brethren, through the first gradations of civilization, into the blessings of social and religious life. Here-along the northern shores of Africa, and the southern coasts of Europe; and all through the vast Continent of Asia, the centre of whose western boundary pushes into these seas-we see TWO THIRDS OF THE HUMAN RACE prepared, by the knowledge and the increas ing love of Letters, to receive every measure of instruction which Christians can communicate to them, by Education and by the rapid and powerful influence of the Press. The importance of the Mediterranean, as a medium of access to a considerable portion of the great scene of action to which we have just alluded, will be felt by all who duly appreciate its situation and its present circumstances. "Examining a chart of the Mediterranean," says Mr. Jowett, "I was struck with observing, that, if the line of the surrounding shores (including the Black Sea) were spun out in length, it would encircle half the globe-180 degrees. And these shores communicate with solid continent: scarcely any part of them is at a greater distance than three weeks' sail; not to mention the numerous Islands," The Missionary Institutions, at present in action on this field of labour, are the Church Missionary Society and the London Missionary Society. The Malta and the Smyrna Bible Societies are coming powerfully in aid of the great object. The journeys of Mr. Jowett and Mr. Burckhardt, and a further journey of this last gentleman, which terminated in his lamented death; with the travels of Mr. Jowett in Egypt and elsewhere, on which he has just entered-all these will contribute to place this sphere of Christian labour in its just point of view. Dr. Pinkerton is about to pass through the Mediterranean, in his way back from this country to Russia; and we are well assured that his tried intelligence and zeal will greatly help forward the cause of Christian Truth, and that his communications will more than ever convince us of the wisdom of direct

ing our exertions to those quarters.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Malta. A British Island in the Mediterranean, containing, with the neighbouring Island of Goza, about 110,000 inhabitants.

These are chiefly Natives, and of the Roman-Catholic Religion. In 1810, and some few years before and after that period, there were generally 40,000 foreigners in the Island; of whom 12,000 were Greeks, and 6000 or 7000 Jews. The Greeks are reduced to a very small number; and the Jews to 15 families, consisting of 60 or 70 persons.--1815.-William Jowett, Dr. Cleardo Naudi.-The Rev. James Connor, who was appointed to assist in this Mission, has proceeded to Constantinople. The reasons for this measure will be stated under the next Division of our Survey. A journey in Egypt and other countries on which Mr. Jowett and Mr. Connor had designed to enter, was delayed by their state of health. Mr. Connor was obliged to retire for a time, to the vicinity of Naples. Mr. Jowett, on his own recovery, left Malta, at the end of April, on a voyage to Smyrna and other places, with a view to promote the objects of the Bible Society. He visited Smyrna, Haivali, Scio, Athens, Hydra, Milo, and Zante; and returned to Malta on the 4th of July-" a very fruitful journey," he says. "It was a very delightful and effective tour." The Committee are about to establish a printingpress at Malta. The advantages of this measure will be very great. Mr. Jowett has it in contemplation to circulate information, by a small monthly work-beginning with French, Italian, and Modern Greek; and adding, in the course of time, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, and whatever may be printed in Hebrew Characters. Dr. Naudi has compiled from the Fathers, a useful Tract, enforcing the d of reading the Scriptures. It is in Italian. Of this Tract 1000 copies have been printed, and are now in circulation. He is engaged in the preparation of further Tracts, for the diffusion of Christian Knowledge. The translation of the New Testament into Maltese, mentioned in the last list, was finished on the 6th of September-"I have marked the day," says Mr. Jowett, "as a kind of festival in the year." The Maltese can now read, for the first time, the wonderful works of God in their own tongue wherein they were born. Giuseppe Cannolo, a man of humble life, but of considerable attainments in the language of his country, has been engaged in this work under the direction and revision of Mr. Jowett. This translation will be a great assistance in the attainment of the Arabic spoken on the northern Shores of Africa. Mrs. Jowett is forming a number of Maltese girls to habits of industry and neatness unknown to them before, and is leading them forward in the knowledge of the Scriptures. The Missionaries are precluded from exercising their public ministry in Malta; but, by social exercises, both in English and in Italian, they labour to cherish and diffuse the spirit of devotion. Important communications were made to Mr. Jowett, by the late Mr. Burckhardt, and by Dr. Richardson who accompanied Lord Belmore in the Medi

terranean. On the 1st of December, Mr. Jowett left Malta for Alexandria, on his intended journey through Egypt and Syria.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Malta.-1816.-Isaac Lowndes.-Mr. S. Wilson has lately sailed for Malta. As soon as he is qualified for the work in that island, Mr. Lowndes will proceed to Corfu or Zante. During his residence in Malta for the acquisition of Italian and Modern Greek, he has taken every opportunity of preaching and of distributing Books and Tracts. The Governor granted him the use of a house, in which he has preached four times a week; not without apparent usefulness. About 50 attend on Sunday morning, and 100 in the evening. Beside the Scriptures, nearly 7000 Tracts, in Turkish, Italian, French, Spanish, and Modern Greek, have been distributed: of these, more than 3000 were Italian.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

First Anniversary of the Bath Association.

PREPARATORY to the First Annual Meeting of this Association, Sermons were preached, on Sunday, January the 3d, by the Rev. Archdeacon Digby and the Rev. John Richards.

On Tuesday, the 5th, the Public Meeting was held at the Guildhall; the Vice-Patron of the Asciation, the Right Hon. Lord Gwydir, in the Chair. The Meeting was very numerous, and highly respectable. Between forty and fifty Clergymen were present. The recollection of the extraordinary circumstances attending the first establishment of the Association probably contributed to increase the attendance. The Assembly was, however, composed of the various classes of Society: some worthy persons, from warm affection to the great objects of the Institution, are known to have walked many miles in order to participate in the sacred pleasure which usually accompanies such Meetings; and which was, in truth, eminently manifested on this occasion.

The Noble Chairman, in addressing the Meeting, adverted, with great effect, and in a truly Christian spirit, to the circumstances which had occurred. This Address cannot but give pleasure to every Christian reader. We, therefore, insert it at large:

The great object of our Parent Society has been so often and so eloquently explained, that it is quite unnecessary that I should trouble you, at any length, on so important a topic.

"Nevertheless, in the lamented absence of our Right Reverend and much respected President, I may perhaps be permitted, in

this our infant state, to make a few observations on our own particular views.

"We meet this day to record our First Anniversary, and to report our earliest proceedings.

"We do not meet to discuss controversial points of Doctrine, or legal questions of the Common or the Civil Law: nor to make any comment on the conduct of other Protestant Societies, having the same pure and pious objects as ourselves.

"We rejoice that such Societies exist. We admire their zeal, and sincerely wish them success..

"It is out of my power to enumerate the Institutions which appear in this most charitable city, to anticipate the wants of almost every human misery. We have added another most important link to that extended charitable chain. Long, long may the whole shine-a noble emblem of good will to all men.

"We have been reproached with want of dignity in our proceedings, from our attempting to embark with us the Poor and the Humble in one common cause. Dignity to ourselves makes no part of our object. Our object is the fulfilment of a great Christian Duty; and, where Christian Duty is concerned, deep humility should be its leading feature.

"The high, the low, the rich, the poor, all are equal in the eye of God. Nay, the contributions of the Poor are held supe rio: God forbid that they should be held less in the eyes of

man!

"To the Messengers sent by John, our Blessed Saviour gaye us the last great proof of his own Divine Mission-To the Poor, the Gospel is preached. Who, by a Christian Mind, can be considered poor, if those are not so considered, who have long continued and still exist in utter ignorance of God? Let it be remembered, that it is not the fleeting interests of mere worldly concerns that are here at stake: it is the eternal interests of the world to come--everlasting life or death, it may be, to millions that now-exist, and millions yet unborn!

"If the Bible be true, if Truth be the day-star of the Christian Religion, the Gospel must at some period be preached to every nation and people of the earth.

"From the precepts, mercies, and promises, held out by that Religion, we may, with trembling hope, conclude, that it will be happy for that nation which may be found most zealous in this great work of Faith; and that the exertions of the poorest individual in so holy a cause, will stand recorded by Infinite Good

ness.

"Let us therefore proceed in this great work, in the humble hope that our children, and our children's children, may persevere to the end; when, assuredly, the triumphant banner of our Lord shall be fully displayed on the ruins of idolatry."