their future services among their and most important end; and, for countrymen. The Committee would thus have you ever bear in mind, that they view the Colony not only in reference to its local wants, but to the evange lization of the whole of this part of Africa: nor can they consider that remarkable Providence, by which Native Representatives have been brought from so many different nations in every part of a country, of access so peculiarly difficult, from climates so unhealthy to Europeans, of languages so numerous and never yet reduced to writing, without cherishing the lively hope that some of these Natives will become instruments of making known the Gospel among their own tribes. Let this ultimate result of our labours never be lost sight of. Individual Native Teachers may disappoint expectation: particular attempts may fail: but there are now in the Colony the elements of the future diffusion of the Gospel through Western Africa. It is a most reasonable expectation, that our African Schools and Congregations will prove to be the seedplots of future Missionaries-the nursery, from which shall be transplanted those trees of righteousness, which, when the Spirit shall be poured out from on high, shall make the wilderness a fruitful field. The more experienced Native Teachers are anxious to engage in this work; and evidence has been already giveu, by some of them, that, after due preparation and under efficient superintendence, the happiest results may be expected, under the Divine Blessing, from their labours. The time may, indeed, be distant, when Native Teachers can be sent among their countrymen, especially in more distant parts, of such intelligence and firmness as Christians, as to be left with confidence to form a permanent establishment without the aid and direction of Europeans: yet, to this, the friends of Africa must ever look as an ultimate this, the way must be gradually prepared, by attempts near the Colony, and under the direct control and superintendence of the Missionaries. Such of you as are proceeding as Schoolmasters must occupy, under the sanction of the Governor, those Stations, which shall be found, on your arrival in the Colony, to be most in want of Teachers. The Masters of the Freetown Schools will be paid wholly by the Society; but, wherever any Layman is charged with the Superintendence of a town, the arrangement which has hitherto been followed will remain, until, as before stated, a Clergyman also shall be placed in such town. The Committee wish to state, in reference to the Schoolmasters, that the Freetown Schools and the Christian Institution at Regent require immediate attention. The Seminary at Regent has seriously suffered from its unavoidable want of Teachers. Freetown, with Regent and Gloucester, being in most pressing want of assistance, you are appointed, w, RABAN, under the concurrence of the Governor, to take charge, for the present, of the Clerical duties at Freetown; and you, MR. BROOKS and MR. KNIGHT, under the same concurrence, will respectively act at Regent and at Gloucester: whenever Euro pean Superintendants shall be appointed under you, the Society will be responsible for your whole Salary; but, while you may be called to act in the character of Superintendants as well as Ministers, it will pay that portion of your stipend which it has been accustomed to do in like cases. These arrangements with respect to Regent and Gloucester may, perhaps, hereafter be modified. When Mr. Norman shall have been prepared for Holy Orders, and shall have been admitted thereto, his knowledge of the people at Regent, and the mutual affection which subsists between them, may point him out as the proper person to be entrusted with that charge. On your arrival, a Meeting of the Missionaries should be immediately held, at which all these objects should be taken into consideration, and the best arrangements in the power of the Meeting should be made. You may confidently apprise your fellowlabourers, that the Committee will use every practicable exertion, to send out an annual supply of Missionaries and Teachers, which may not only prove adequate to the wants of the Colony, but may enable you to act on the suggestions before given with regard to the Natives without the Colony. There are some points, of a more secular nature indeed, but of great importance in the present circumstances of the Liberated Africans, to which the Committee wish to call your serious attention. Though the immediate and most weighty duty of a Missionary respects the communication, to the people among whom he labours, of the spiritual blessings of the Gospel; yet is he bound also to use his best endea vours to promote their civilization and temporal welfare. The present state of the Colony renders it peculiarly necessary for the Missionary to devise, and steadily to carry into execution, such measures as are best calculated to advance the Liberated Africans in the useful arts and in productive industry. It is by this test that many will estimate the value of the Missionary's labours: and the fairness of the criterion cannot reasonably be objected to, if applied with a candid and impartial consideration of all the circumstances of the Missionary's situation; for the Scriptures recognise industry in a man's calling as an indispensable obligation on converts to Christianity. So far as the Society's proceedings in Sierra Leone have gone, they fully attest the operation and beneficial effects of this principle. The Committee have derived much information from the Quarterly Reports of each Station; and they beg that these may be rendered as full as practicable, and be punctually delivered. But they wish, in addition to these Quarterly Reports, that, at Christmas in each year, a General Report of the state of the whole Mission, and of the proceedings throughout the year, should be drawn up and sent home by the first conveyance, that it may arrive in sufficient time to be of service at the Annual Meeting of the Society. This Report should not repeat the details supplied by the Quarterly Reports of each Station; but should rather take a general view of the whole Mission, including the Ministry at Freetown, that being placed, by the new arrangements, under the charge of the Society. The Committee wish the Annual Report to detail the difficulties, trials, wants, and success of the Mission; with such suggestions as the Missionaries may think it desirable to bring before them in relation to it: and also, that it should furnish a view of the state of the Liberated Africans, both in respect of their religious and civil condition: with reference to their civil state, it should furnish the amount of the population of each Parish, distinguishing males and females, adults and children-the kind and quantity of produce sold, and the price and amount for which it sold-the number of acres cultivated by the people, on their own account-the number of stone houses erected by the people for their own use-the number of gardens-the number of individuals occupied in agriculture, trade, and fishing; distinguishing each classand the number of marriages, births, and burials: with all other information which may tend to bring the Committee acquainted with the state and prospects of every part of the Mission. With the view of furnishing such a Report, and of rendering the Quarterly Reports full and accurate, the P Committee wish particular attention to be paid to the keeping of the Journal at every Station; in which occurrences and conversations, with remarks and suggestions, may be recorded as they arise. You are now sent forth, Christian Brethren, on the part of the Society, as its first representatives, in fulfilment of the agreement lately entered into with His Majesty's Government. It is probable, indeed, that this arrangement cannot be immediately acted upon in any part of the Colony but in Freetown, and perhaps at Regent; for, until a sufficient number of Europeans can be sent to Africa, to provide for each of the Country Towns both a European Minister and Layman, the one in charge of its spiritual and the other of its temporal concerns, the system hitherto acted on must still be pursued-that is, the European in charge, as Superintendant, of the entire concerns of the people, will receive, as such, the usual stipend from Government; the Society making that addition, on account, if a Minister, of his attention to the spiritual concerns, which it has been accustomed to do: but whenever both a Minister and a Superintendant shall be established in any town, the Society will pay the Stipend of the Minister, while that of the Superintendant will continue to be paid by Government-dwellinghouses for the Clergyman and other Teachers, with land for gardens and sufficient glebe, and the requisite buildings for Public Worship, being provided by Government. You may expect, from the successor of Sir Charles MacCarthy, a continuance of that friendly regard and assistance, which the Mission ever experienced at the hands of that deeply-lamented man. A Deputation of the Committee has waited on the Governor, Major-General Turner; and has received from His Excellency the assurance of his protection and friendship. Let it never be forgotten, Brethren, that all your success will depend, under the Divine Blessing, on your PERSONAL RELIGION; and that your personal religion will be very much in proportion as you are diligent in the means of obtaining the grace of the Holy Spirit-private prayer, searching the Scriptures, and social worship. The Committee have often insisted on this, in former Addresses to their Missionaries; and their experience shews them, increasingly, the importance of the direction. No knowledge of the Gospel, or attainment in religion, renders it less needful still to depend with simplicity on Christ, to go forth in His strength alone, and to look constantly for fresh supplies of grace from Him. Diligently study the Bible; and let no human writings, however excellent, keep your main attention from the Word of God. There you have truth-the whole truth, in its simplest, clearest, and fullest exhibition: there you have Divine Authority for every statement, and the promise of a Divine Blessing on a diligent and humble and devout perusal. Daily study the Scriptures with fervent prayer; and your Christian knowledge, simplicity, faith, humility, and devotion, so far from being weakened by new scenes, and laborious duties, and heavy trials, and foreign climates, will be increased and enlarged every year. Often as a SPIRIT OF LOVE has been urged on all who engage in the work of Missions, the Committee cannot but renew, on the present occasion, their earnest injunctions that it should be cherished by you all with the most assiduous care. The circumstances of the African Mission peculiarly demand the exercise of this grace among its different Labourers. The tendency of a debilitating climate to affect the temper, requires the counteraction of continual watchfulness and prayer; and the constant need of mutual sympathy and aid, calls for the lively exercise of Christian Charity. The spiritual interests of the Mission have always prospered most, even in the midst of outward afflictions, when love has prevailed; but if, at any time, a contrary spirit has unhappily crept in, the hands of the humble and faithful Labourers have been weakened, and the hearts of their friends have been discouraged. Humility is the handmaid to love: when each esteems others better than himself, mutual love will prevail; but envy at the success of others, or emulation of the gifts or influence of others springing from unmortified pride, will prove their own torment, while they will disturb the peace, and hinder the usefulness of the servants of God. You are about to tread in the steps of Garnon, and Johnson, and Düring, and Vaughan, and many other of the excellent of the earth, who have gone, from the scene of your future labours, to their heavenly rest. Follow them, as they followed Christ. Their personal religion flourished in the very scenes on which you are about to enter. The Committee wish to urge on your attention another direction of special importance-Seek, first, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ; with the full assurance that then all other things shall be added unto you. Guard against that common temptation, to seek your own things, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's. All you do will prosper, in proportion to the simplicity with which you are devoted to the kingdom of God. Let this be a governing principle, that all personal interests, and self-exaltation, and self-preference, and individual ease, comfort, and advantage, are HONOURED GENTLEMEN cheerfully to be sacrificed to the Cause of Christ; and be assured that you will find this to be the path to happiness, to usefulness, and to final glory. Abundantly adequate are the motives for every sacrifice-abundantly sufficient is the strength for every labour. We know that there is an infinite fulness in Christ our Head, for all our wants. We know that HIS grace is sufficient. We know that HIS Holy Spirit can work in us mightily, to will and to do of His good pleasure. The love of Christ, we trust, constrains you to go forth; and that love will sweeten every toil, and make you welcome every sacrifice. The Spirit of Christ strengthens and sustains you; and, by that Spirit, out of weakness you shall be made strong, and be upheld, and established, and strengthened, even to the end. Fear not-only believe. He has promised, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The Committee now send you forth to your labours, in the Name of our common Lord and Saviour. They commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus. They may never see all, or many of you, again in this world; but their hope is, that they, and you, and multitudes blessed for ever through your labours, shall together throughout eternity magnify him who was slain and has redeemed us to God by His blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. By order of the Committee, EDWD BICKERSTETH, Sec. Church Missionary House, Oct. 9, 1824. Reply of the Rev. John Raban. I trust that we have been deeply impressed with the important remarks, which have been addressed to us; and that they will be carefully treasured up in our hearts. Speaking on behalf of myself, and of my dear Brethren and Sister, about P 2 to engage with me in the great work of making known the Gospel to the poor Heathen, I hope I can say, that, having an anxious desire to promote the welfare of immortal souls-feeling also some measure of zeal for the honour of God, whose name is blasphemed among the Heathen-and being sensible of the very great obligations which lie upon us to promote the spiritual welfare of others, arising from the privileges which we ourselves enjoy-we have been induced to give ourselves to this work. And though we do not conceal from ourselves the arduousness of the undertaking, and are not altogether strangers to our own insufficiency: yet we desire to go forth in dependence on that Almighty Arm, which has never failed those who have relied upon it; and humbly seeking that grace, which has been found sufficient for the servants of God in every age. We desire, at the same time, to entreat the prayers of our Reverend Fathers and Brethren on our behalf, that we may be fitted for the high and holy work which is before us. It has been a source of much consolation to my own mind, and no doubt will be to my dear Brethren and Sister, that the hearts of so many of the Members and Friends of this Society, in various parts of the kingdom, are lifted up in prayer to God on our behalf. And while it is true that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, how can we do otherwise than cherish the hope and expectation, that, in answer to the prayers of so many of the people of God, a large supply of grace will be vouchsafed unto us, to strengthen us for the work to which we are calledthat we may never faint amidst our greatest difficulties—that we may be turned aside by no temptation, however enticing; but may tread in the steps of those holy men who have gone before us, and may cheerfully and stedfastly labour in the prosecution of the work to which we have. devoted ourselves. And I trust that I and my beloved companions shall not fail to add our own prayers, also, to the Father of Mercies, that, even by our feeble instrumentality, the Divine Glory may be promoted, and the blessings of Salvation imparted to multitudes of our fellow-creatures. Address to the Missionaries and Teachers; by the Rev. Thomas Webster. DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD In complying with the request of the Committee to address a few words to you on the present occasion, I cannot but feel deeply impressed with the peculiar solemnity of the service to which I am called; and would therefore earnestly entreat you to join with me in fervent prayer to the Giver of every good and perfect gift for the gracious in. fluence of His Holy Spirit, that what shall now be spoken may indeed prove for the benefit of our souls and the advancement of His glory. In undertaking this duty, I am encouraged by the recollection that I am not called on to address you on a novel or untried speculation: every thing which I can say must be, in great measure, familiar to your minds must often have formed the subject of your meditation and dis course or must have been brought before you, in the exhortations of those under whose pious instruction you have been placed, or of those who have in succession addressed your predecessors when going forth to their high and holy calling. My business, therefore, is little more than to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, and to call upon you to recollect the principles. which you have embraced-to go forth and wield in actual combat those holy weapons, the use and |