concluded, and Mr. Jones himself had taken up his residence at Tananarivo.]

When we had succeeded with Radama, the British agent returned to the Isle of France, and, a few days after his return, Radama placed with me three scholars to be instructed in reading and writing. There were no missionaries at that time in the district where the capital was situated, and there was only Radama and one of his servants who could read and write a little in the Roman character. The next day the three scholars were increased to five. I did not know the language, and I had neither lessons nor the means of instructing my pupils; and I was therefore obliged to exert my ingenuity, and devise some mode of teaching them the alphabet. I placed a board with some white sand, and began with the letter A, and they wrote it with their finger; and, after they had learned it, we proceeded with letter B, and so on till we got to the end of the alphabet; after which we taught them to spell and sound b, a-ba, &c. We found it impossible, however, to write with sand, and, as we had neither slates nor pencils, we were obliged to invent something else. This contrivance consisted of a piece of board, eighteen inches long and twelve inches broad, one half of which was burned in a flame, and then rubbed over with grease and covered with white sand. The scholars had a pencil given them, and, by writing over it, the letters appeared black at the bottom of the board. In this manner we proceeded to instruct several hundreds of scholars at Madagascar, before we received slates from England. As soon as we had acquired a knowledge of the language, we composed a catechism, and also translated some chapters of one of the gospels, and dictated to them that wrote. They thus proceeded until they learned to read the Bible through, and then they committed portions of it to memory. In this manner we promoted instruction in the schools among the inhabitants of Madagascar; and, while they were taught to read and write, they were also daily instructed in the principles of the Christian religion. Two of the boys were sons of priests, but it is only to one of them to whom I mean to allude particularly. At that time we had in the school only ten scholars, and the boy to whom I wish more particularly to allude was brought to see the vanity of idolatry, and he began to cry out in the school that his father's idol was nothing but a piece of wood, wrought into some kind of representation, and that he had no faith in it.

As

soon as his school-fellows heard what he said, they also began to despise the idols, and embrace the instructions which were communicated to them in the schools. A remonstrance was once made in one of the schools against the boys abandoning the

religion of their fathers, and embracing the new religion. One of the boys on this said, "How is it possible that we can believe in your idols? We have been taught in school that it is very sinful to tell a lie. Now in our hearts we do not believe in your idols; and do you wish us to say with our lips that your blocks of wood are gods, when our hearts say they are no gods?" There are now in Madagascar (though we commenced with only three scholars), I may say without exaggerating, between 8 and 10,000 persons who have been taught to read, but who were unable to do so in 1820. At the same time, I must observe that among so many thousands there are many who cannot read fluently. The gospel is preached there constantly by the missionaries, and also by some of the natives, who have been brought up in the schools. These youthful native missionaries are now teaching the New Testament (which has been translated into the Madagascar tongue) in the schools in the vicinity of one of the chapels. They read portions of Scripture, and endeavour to explain them, and make known to others the truths, a knowledge of which they have themselves attained. The idolaters in Madagascar have what is called a Sikidy, for which I do not know that we have any English word; but the priest consults it as an oracle, and they conceive a charm to be connected with it, and wear it around the wrists.

[Here Mr. JONES exhibited one of these charms, which the wife of one of the first ministers of her Madagasse majesty presented to him on his departure for Europe, as a mark of her respect, and to keep him from harm on his journey.] Mr. JONES then proceeded as follows:

The converts to Christianity, however, did not ask the priests for a sikidy to tie around my wrist, but assembled themselves together in the house of God, and held a prayer-meeting to offer up their petitions to the true and living God, to protect my family and recruit my health. With regard to the sikidies, I may remark, that one of the natives who placed faith in them, and was attending to them, went one day to hear the gospel in the chapel, and it seems that God met him. He was convinced of the folly of idolatry and superstition, and, as soon as he reached his house, he declared that these gods and charms were worthless, that Jesus Christ was the only Saviour, and he would trust in him. He endeavoured to impress this on the minds of his friends who ridiculed and scorned him, because he had abandoned those things which brought him so much money. "Well, (said he) if a man were to fall into a deep river, and another was to throw out a cord to him, do you not think he would try to lay hold of it and escape?" They answered, that a man in such circumstances would not hesitate a

moment to do as he had said. "Well then, (he replied) I have seen myself falling into a deep river and almost perishing, and a rope has been thrown out to me [alluding to the gospel method of escape from future misery by Jesus Christ], and I, with the hand of faith, have laid hold of this cord to be saved." I have since been informed, by letters received from Madagascar, that his wife has also become a convert to Christianity, and that now both husband and wife are busily occupied in persuading their neighbours around them to attend the preaching of the gospel. In this manner our missionaries are labouring there at present; and there are likewise young preachers who go to superintend the schools, and to declare the glad tidings of salvation in the different villages, and thus the grand work is carried on.

I might also mention what has been done there with regard to the civilization of the country. "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." When the missionaries went there, the inhabitants were far from observing cleanliness in their houses or propriety in their dress; but there is now a considerable improvement in these respects. The little girls who were taught in the schools to read and write, have been also instructed in needlework and to embroider; and they have found out a sort of grass of which they make hats and bonnets for themselves. By means of the artisans, which the society sent out, there are now, at the capital of Madagascar, blacksmiths and cabinet-makers, the latter of whom make tables and bedsteads; there are also tailors, shoe-makers, and soapboilers. Several of the arts and sciences have been introduced into Madagascar. Thus evangelization and civilization are going on together. Now, in order to conclude, I would ask the question: If we have gained so much upon the territory of the prince of this world in the Island of Madagascar, are we to give it up, or are we to support the missionaries there, and those young men who go from place to place teaching the knowledge of Christ to their fellow subjects? Onward! onward!" is our motto. There are schools now established in the province of Ancova [in which the capital, Tananarivo, is situated], and they have also extended to the province of Betsileo, and some are instructed in reading and writing in many parts of the island, so that tracts can be distributed amongst them. Therefore "onward" we must go until every one in the Island of Madagascar knows how to read, and Christian churches are raised up, and till the natives can go to preach in the different provinces. It is very insalubrious all around the coast, and it is impossible for European missionaries to

settle there; but when there are faithful preachers of the gospel, raised up from among the natives, they may venture there with safety. The missionaries are building up a spiritual temple, and it is for you to help them in the work. Let every one render his aid according to his influence and talents, until, not only Madagascar, but all "the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever!"

The Rev. JOHN DYER, Secretary to the Baptist Missionary Society, moved the third Resolution :

III. "That the cordial thanks of this meeting be presented to William Alers Hankey, Esq., for the valuable services which he has rendered to the Society during the sixteen years in which he has honourably and effectually sustained the office of Treasurer; that Thomas Wilson, Esq., be requested to undertake its duties, and the Home-Secretary to continue his services to the Institution."

The Rev. Mr. DYER then spoke to the following effect:-Before I advert to the object, which it is my intention to treat with great brevity, and, I hope, in that spirit of prudent caution, recommended by the gentleman to whom I have already referred, I feel it would be out of taste and altogether unnecessary for me to enlarge upon the subtance of the resolution. The society has, for sixteen years, enjoyed the valuable services of the gentleman named in the former part of it, who, while he has had to conduct extensive affairs of a secular nature, and such as are, of course, very diverse from those of the society, has given up much of his time to take an active share of the labour of conducting its affairs. I am not wholly ignorant of the nature of those duties which devolve upon the person sustaining such an office; and I may, therefore, take the liberty to say that, not only the society, but the Christian public at large, are greatly indebted to Mr. Hankey for the close and arduous application of mind, and consumption of valuable time, to which he has submitted in the discharge of the duties of treasurer of the society. Our Missionary Institutions are now placed upon elevated ground; they are looked at throughout the world, and often with an unfriendly eye, so that the least deflection from the proper course will be sure to be marked and animadverted upon. The most arduous duties, therefore, devolve upon an official character like the treasurer's; and, when one has fulfilled these duties for sixteen years, in the manner in which your late treasurer has done, you must all feel that he is entitled to your cordial thanks. I derive no small degree of satisfaction faction, I am sure, fully shared by yourselves in perceiving that another respectable

a satis

gentleman has consented to take the burden upon his shoulders; one who for many years has been known to take an active part in promoting Christian instruction in our native land, and who, now that his head is whitening with age, has ventured to enlarge his diocess and taken in the whole world. He has been employed in raising Christian temples with as much zeal as other agents have been elsewhere employed in pulling temples down-and that is saying much for his zeal. My earnest desire and prayer to God for him is, that he may be spared to watch over the interests of the institution, and discharge his important duties as treasurer, for an equal length of time with his respected predecessor. I am sure my dear and much-valued brother behind me (Mr. Dyer here alluded to the Home-Secretary), will believe me when I say that I do most cordially extend all these good wishes to himself -that he may long continue to discharge the weighty duty which has devolved on him.

But to advert to the object which has been so kindly touched in your last resolution, and which has been introduced in a manner almost to overwhelm my feelings and incapacitate me from saying a word to you. I will not now, for very obvi

ous reasons, go into details; I may, 'however, intimate to you that we do not ask you to suspend your judgment on behalf of the injured men, whose cause has been introduced to your notice, because I conceive that the facts already known are amply suffi cient to show the kind hand of God in vindicating the innocence of the missionaries, and making manifest the wickedness and malignity of those by whom they have been unjustly accused. Mr. Liefchild has alluded to the melancholy destruction of our chapels, thirteen or fourteen of which have been levelled to the ground, involving a loss (as I find it stated in a memorial circulated in the island) of £16,000; I apprehend this is currency which is about £10,000 sterling. The committee have felt that houses erected for the worship of God, should demand and have the protection of the government; and they have, therefore, tendered a memorial to the proper authorities, praying for redress for this wanton outrage; but in case this application should fail, the committee may deem necessary to appeal to the Christian public. We regard this as our common cause. We had to sympathise with you in behalf of your martyred Smith, and now that God has permitted us, and our Wesleyan brethren, to be sharers with you in calamity, it is refreshing to see that we all regard ourselves as members of one body, and that when one member suffers, all suffer with it. With regard to the sentiments of our persecuted brethren, I will quote one sentence from a letter which may be regarded as embodying the sentiments of all our brethren, whose

it

"If, after being

lives are in jeopardy. honoured with a Missionary's life, we be honoured with a martyr's death, only let God be glorified, and his cause promoted, and all will be well."

The Rev. J. DIXON (of the Wesleyan connexion) seconded the resolution, and spoke nearly as follows:-Before I proceed this day, Sir, I wish to fully identify myself with your particular Society. I desire to consider myself as a member of the London Missionary Society, and of the Baptist Society, as well as a member of the Wesleyan Missionary Society; I wish to be considered as belonging not to a sect, but to the general Christianity of this country, of Europe, of America, of Asia, of Africa, and of the world. And I, for one, sympathise-sympathise entirely with those bold, and manly, and noble, and, let me add, Christian sentiments, which have been to-day uttered on this platform, and which have been responded to by the whole assembly. Yes, I believe that the state of our Christianity at home will have a very powerful influence upon the destiny of our Christianity abroad ; and if it be true, as has been said on this platform to-day, that our home Christianity is in a growing and prospering state, we must argue, from this consideration, that it must be rendered vigorous and prosperous abroad; for though I make no pretension to a knowledge of anatomy, yet I have just as much common sense as leads me to believe that if the heart be healthy, and its pulsations vigorous and strong, the extremities of the body will be warmed, and the glow of health will appear on the countenance. And if it be true that our Christianity is in a healthy and vigorous state in Britain, it must follow that the great missionary efforts, now in progress, will be sustained by that Christianity which stands in the rear of the noble army marching into distant countries, to fill up the places of those soldiers who fall in the front of the battle. And, let me say, that I think the crowded state of our public meetings, instead of being, as some have imagined, indicative of a feverish feeling on the subject of missions, may be taken as a good index of a healthy state of mind in the religious public. And I will also ask this question if there be not a great, and deep, and permanent sympathy in the Christian church, in reference to missionary objects, in the day in which we live? I think God has so constituted both nature and religion as to identify the best feelings of the human heart with all that is good; he is not a sound philosopher in nature who would say that man was born to nothing but toil and duty. Is he not born to view the beautiful landscape?-to walk by the side of the murmuring stream?-to derive pleasure, I was going to say, even the feelings of enthusiasm, from the grand spectacles of nature,

particularly the sun, and the spangled firmament of night? That man is no philosopher who would say that nature only ministers to toil, and teaches man his duty; and that Christian is no proper Christian who says that Christianity is so constituted as only to engage us in a round of duty. It is intended to minister to the highest pleasures of our nature; and the missionary form of our Christianity tends more to promote these holy joys than any thing in existence besides. How delightful the thought that, in the languages of China, and Burmah, and Hindostan, and Africa, and the South Sea Islands, and of the swarthy sons of America, that this moment the Scriptures are read, and the praises of God are being offered as pure incense to the eternal throne!-that men of all grades, and classes, and colours, are at this moment kneeling before the Christian altar, and offering up their incense of praise and prayer to the God we adore! Sure am I, that the good feeling and piety of this assembly will feel a perfect sympathy with this delightful state of things.

Again, there are some minds so constituted that they must have something besides pure Christianity to satisfy their tastes. Many, whom I am ow addressing, to have their tastes gratified must have letters with Christianity. Has any thing, I would ask, done so much for letters as missionary societies? Has Oxford, or Cambridge, or any European university or Dissenting academy-has any of them done so much for literature as those excellent men who have gone abroad, and collected scattered languages, and translated the Scriptures into barbarous tongues? Has any class done so much for literature as Carey, or Ward, or Marshman, or Morrison? I should like to have a Polyglott Bible, comprising all the translations of the Scriptures that have been made by missionaries of different denominations. Surely the lovers of literature must sympathise with all our barbarous exertions-for we are considered to be quite ignorant, poor barbarians, not lovers of knowledge, but of ignorance; our missionaries are represented as idle men, who go abroad for no good purpose, but only to promote ignorance and other evils! Mr.

Jones has told us a different story to-day; and, if missionaries from other Societies had been present, they would have told a different story too. Why, if one of the literary or scientific societies had only just done what your missionaries have done in the South Sea Islands, I am sure of this, the fame of that institution would have been trumpeted forth in innumerable newspapers and periodicals; poets would have sung of it; orators would have described it in beautiful and glowing language; and I should not have been surprised if its praises had been proclaimed even by the orators of the Houses of Lords and Commons! All this would have been

done- that is, it would have been done if-if it had not been effected by the London Missionary Society!

Further, some men must also have freedom and liberty associated with their religion, or it would not be perfect. There are many forms of slavery. In truth, there is not a tribe of men on the earth which has not received Christianity, but is in a state of slavery of some description—in a state of mental, or ecclesiastical, or civil slaverythat is unquestionable. Now, I think it would be easy to trace the progress of literature in America and Europe, in the track of pure Christianity. Who were the first men in this country who dared to open their lips on the subject of general liberty (I allude not to the present times, my question is purely historical)-who, I ask, were the first advocates of liberty? They were the Puri. tans, the nonconformists, the ancestors of your societies and congregations. Who planted the tree of liberty in America? Expatriated nonconformists. Whence did the tide of liberty roll back to Europe? From America; and I confess, for my own part, that in order to complete my own view of what is perfectly good, there must be, in addition to piety, liberty and freedom.

I wish to add one remark to the excellent observations of my brother Dyer, viz., that the events which have taken place in Jamaica are not at all new. We have been in the field there for nearly fifty years,* and during that time I think we have had more than twenty missionaries imprisoned, and our chapels in Kingston shut up ten or a dozen times, and sometimes for a long period; but it will gladden the hearts of this assembly when I say that, in the midst of all this opposition and persecution, our missions there have prospered more than any where else. And there is also consolation from this, that, in the midst of all the opposition and opprobrium we have met with in the West Indies, we have never met with any from negroes-we have had no opposition from Africans.

I will just further observe, that I find, from the excellent speech of the ex-Treasurer of this Society, that you have some very considerable anxiety respecting the state of your funds, for it seems they have fallen short some few thousands; I regret this in one view of the case, but not in another view, for it affords your new Treasurer an opportunity of exercising his benevolent feelings and wise superintendence the Directors an opportunity practically re-considering the whole ques

* Our Wesleyan brethren, as a separate Religious Connexion, sent out preachers from England to the West Indies, during many years prior to their forming themselves into a Missionary Society, for sending out missionaries to the heathen.-ED.

tion, and your Auxiliaries an opportunity of giving a fresh zeal and impetus to their exertions. Every man then to his postevery man to his duty-and let every one not only to-day, but every day, and throughout the year, and every year, faithfully, affectionately, and zealously, discharge the offices entrusted to him, and I am sure the debt will be discharged, and the Society still continue to prosper.

W. A. HANKEY, Esq., came forward and said, that while both gratitude and respect forbade him to receive the vote just passed in a silent manner, every thing dictated that he ought to refer to it with very subdued feelings. That which was done by a human being for the last time had in it special importance, for it seemed to seal up every thing which had gone before, with a seal not to be broken until that day when the final judgment upon it shall take place before the impartial Judge of all. That it had pleased God to allow him, for the long space of more than onefourth of his life, to serve his cause in connexion with this Society, was a great honour, and he could not but be very thankful for it. It did not become him, who putteth on the armour, to boast; he, in putting it off, had no inclination to do so, for he was too sensible of the imperfections which had accompanied his discharge of the duties of the office he had now resigned. The excellent Cowper had a beautiful sentiment, "Praise only belongeth to God, and I would as soon covet praise as I would receive divine honours. The sentiment honoured him, and it ought to be impressed on every one who professed to be a follower of Christ. In laying down his office, he had a strong assurance of having done right, inasmuch as the cause did not exactly originate with himself; whatever feelings he had as to the propriety of that step, so far as they related to himself, they were comparatively light when put in the scale with what he felt towards the Society. He was, on his own behalf, truly grateful that God had been pleased to allow him, at the present period, to retire from the arduous duties he had so long been engaged in; but in so retiring, it was with undiminished affection, and undeviating attachment towards the objects of the Society itself. And he humbly prayed that He who had enabled him, with any measure of fidelity and usefulness, to discharge the duties of his late office, would pour down upon his successor every requisite qualification and blessing. He thanked them both for the matter and manner of the vote he had just received, and, if he might be allowed, in conclusion, to make a further reference to a subject on which he had slightly touched before, he would advise some well-meaning persons not to judge of things prematurely. If they see the providence of God leading any of his servants

VOL. X.

into circumstances which may appear, to themselves or others, undesirable, not hastily to conclude that God cannot enable those individuals to glorify him in such situations; or that God cannot extricate them, in his own good time, by any other means than such as those judges, in their wisdom, think the fittest. Let all presumptuous feelings of this kind be put away, and then it will appear that God, in his own way of dealing with his servants, is more glorified, and his cause better sustained and promoted, than it could be by their interference.

The CHAIRMAN rising, said:-I hold in my hand a paper containing a check for £50 from W. Strange, Esq.

The Rev. JOHN CLAYTON, Jun., now rose and said I will take the liberty of stating another circumstance, which will not fail in gratifying the present company. A young gentleman, who has attained the age of thirty, has informed me that he has never yet burdened himself with the cares of domestic life, and, therefore, he thought it his duty to attempt some saving during the past year. The result has been the sum of £10 10s., which he now presents to the Society. The sum is comparatively small, when placed by the side of that which has been just announced; but the assembly will agree with

me,

that if this example were imitated by all young persons, of each sex, who have reached that age without being burdened with domestic cares, it would cause no inconsiderable addition to our funds.

THOMAS WILSON, Esq., rose and said :I think it proper thus publicly to assure you of my acceptance of the office of Treasurer. I dare say many of you think, as I thought, that it was very imprudent in me to hearken to the suggestion of my friends, when they expressed their wish that I should undertake this duty. I was one of the Directors of the Society at its commencement, eight and thirty years ago, and it appeared to me that it was my duty not to take any more public work on my hands. I have consented to accept of the office of Treasurer, however, at the urgent request of many of the Directors, and to prove that my zeal continues as warm as ever. I have also been encouraged, by being informed that I shall have the aid of the Finance Committee; and, therefore, I shall not have so much of the arduous work of the office to perform as fell on the hands of my predecessor. Nobody regrets more than I do the withdrawal of Mr. Hankey from the office of Treasurer, for I know his efficiency. Now, however, that the Society has a new Treasurer, I hope they will devise " liberal things" in support of the Institution, and then offer up their prayers continually, that God will grant his blessing upon their pro ceedings-that so the earth may be filled with the glory of Immanuel!

We have heard of distressing events in 2 D