To her beloved pastor she thus wrote

"Gosport, January 16th, 1816.

"We are now waiting for Him who commands the winds and waves and they obey Him, to commission them to be favorable, and waft us to our desired port.

"Did we not believe that an over-ruling Providence orders all things for the best, we might be inclined to murmur at being sent out in a transport vessel, (for we find that the convicts are a desperately wicked company, they have made several disturbances already, and threaten mutiny on the voyage,) but we know that we are in the hands of God, that He has the hearts of all at his disposal, and renders all things subservient to His own glory; therefore we cheerfully go forth, assured that if the Lord has any thing for us to do among the heathen, we are safe until our work is done. We rejoice that our minds are kept stayed on God; and we can say with our dear missionary sister, 'Onward, in the strength of the Lord, is our motto.' Indeed, the hope of being useful among the convicts animates, us, and reconciles us to the prospect of danger; but why do I talk of being exposed to danger? if our Savior be at the helm, we need fear no evil, rather let us say

'Christ is our pilot wise,

Our compass is his word;

Our soul each storm defies,

While we have such a Lord :

We trust his faithfulness and power,

To help in every trying hour.'

But we are aware that we need great grace, to enable us to walk wisely, and as becometh the gospel of Christ, that we are only safe while kept by the mighty

power of God; and that if left but for one moment, we fall into sin. I hope we shall be constantly looking to Jesus may we be found in him, when we shall meet you again, not in this sinful world-not in these mortal bodies, which clog our devotions, and chain our spirits down to earth when they would fain soar to heaven— but at the right hand of our heavenly Father, in a world where sin and sorrow can never enter, clothed upon with immortality, in a body like our dear Savior's, and shall join with all the ransomed to sing his praises for ever. Surely we can say, if we had a thousand souls and bodies, we would devote them all to the service of Him who hath done so much for us."

CHAPTER II.

Peculiar encouragement to Missionaries on embarking for a foreign stationArrival off Madeira-Employments at sea-Providential mercies at Rio Janeiro-Kindness of friends at New South Wales-Visit to New ZealandInterposition of divine Providence on the island of Rapa-Arrival at Tahiti -Passage to Eimeo-Reflections-Advantage to Missionaries of the time spent at sea.-Favorable circumstance under which Mrs. Ellis entered the missionary field-Interesting state of the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands.

THE period for final embarkation at length came; it was on the morning of the Sabbath, the Missionaries were accompanied to the ship by three of their esteemed brethren, one of whom was the Rev. Charles Mault, who has long labored in Travancore; another is in the Mediterranean; and a third, after a few short years, finished his course, and entered into rest.

Parting scenes are peculiarly trying to the finest sensibilities of our nature; they naturally bring all the impressive views which the Scriptures present of eter nity into intimate association with ourselves, and those from whom we separate; and they require the exercise of faith, to enable the Missionary to pass through them with cheerfulness. But whatever can be regarded as needful for this, is amply provided by Him in whose cause he embarks. In every light in which it can be viewed, the Missionary has decidedly the advantage over every other called to bid adieu to home and country. No one leaves for an object so transcendently glorious. No one embarks in an enterprise, the issue of which is ultimately so certain; and no one has encouragements so numerous and appropriate. How many of the youth of Britain exult at leaving their

native land, to fill a civil, or military, or mercantile appointment in a foreign land! Notwithstanding all the fearful risks attending it, the mere prospect of realizing rather more speedily a little larger portion of this world's wealth than could be accumulated at home, or contributing to the advancement of knowledge and science, silences all objections: yet how incapable of comparison are the considerations by which the minds of individuals going forth for such objects are sustained, with those that influence the Christian Missionary. The views and sentiments of the subject of this memoir were derived from the word of God; and though her feelings were strongly excited, and she was called to rend asunder, as she supposed for ever, some of the tenderest of human ties, her prayer was, that she might have faith in God; and he who is the author and finisher of faith in his children, did not suffer her's to fail.

The contrast between the society she had left, and that with which she was now associated, was striking, and the latter was at first far from prepossessing, though the inconveniences of the early part of the voyage were less than had been apprehended. It was the first time that Mrs. Ellis, or any of those who were her fellow passengers, had been at sea, and, though not exempt from sea-sickness, she experienced less than others of the unpleasantness and illness from the atmosphere, the incessant and often violent motion of the ship which is to some peculiarly distressing. This was a circumstance of great mercy to one who was afterwards so often called to traverse the tossing and heaving surface of the deep; for although the effects of the motion, &c., are in subsequent voyages less than at first, many persons experience a return of

predilection for the work, a vague indefinite inclination to enter the missionary field, was not deemed sufficient; information on the practical details of missionary pursuits was diligently sought, and its requirements, both in regard to what must be given up and what missionaries might be required to endure, as well as what they might be called to attempt, were matters of earnest and persevering inquiry, and deliberate attention. Two considerations appear to have caused Mrs. Ellis much hesitation. The almost overwhelming responsibility of a station, in which it was requisite that she should be not only a teacher but a pattern as it were of the gospel; and the fear that health would be unequal to its labors and trials. The records of her feelings in reference to the solemn trust connected with the missionary office, shew, in an impressive manner, the deep hold this view of the subject had taken of her mind, and the difficulty it presented was only overcome by the exercises of faith in the Divine promises, and reliance on the Spirit of Christ. Though some of her friends feared that her delicate frame would scarcely sustain the voyage, and her own mind was much perplexed lest she should prove a hindrance rather than a help, yet as her health was chiefly affected by the severity of the winter, and as the kinds of illness to which she was predisposed were of a nature that were alleviated by a warmer climate, the opinion of her medical friends was decidedly favorable to her engaging in the sacred enterprise. Difficulties being thus removed, after frequent and special prayer, with the approval and encouragement of her beloved minister and friends, her decision was made, in depen dence on the Divine will, to engage in the work.