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chapel in New York. This was the first chapel which belonged to the Methodists on this vast continent.

Stimulated by these successes, they importuned Mr. Wesley to send missionaries to pursue the openings which had thus been made. Mr. Boardman and Mr. Pilmoor were sent accordingly, who landed at Philadelphia in 1769. The gospel continuing to spread, further assistance became necessary; this also was requested; and in 1771 Mr. Thomas Rankin, and after him Mr. Francis Asbury, were sent to spread the Redeemer's name. In 1773 an addition was made to their numbers, and God was pleased to bless their labours in an almost unexampled manner. At this time they had on the continent nearly 1000 members in their societies, of whom six or seven were become preachers. About 1776, the number of members amounted to 7000, and their preachers to 40. The Blacks also had received the good word of life; and great numbers among them had experienced that it was the power of God to the salvation of their souls: these are not included in the above account.

The war, which at this time had broken out between the mother country and her colonies, impeded the work in a considerable manner, and for some time shut up nearly all communication. The distresses to which both the societies and preachers were exposed, were very terrible. The clergy abandoned their flocks; and in many instances the British missionaries, following their example, forsook their spheres of action. Mr. Asbury alone, unterrified by the threatening sword, remained in his station,

"Among the faithless, faithful only he

His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal,

Nor number, nor example, with him wrought."

Though surrounded by dangers on every side, his vigour increased as the fortitude of his colleagues declined; and, under the blessing of Providence, it was to his unwearied exertions that the work was kept alive, while thousands both of its friends and enemies fell. But whatever impediments the work of God might have experienced, the societies increased amidst the partial desertions of their friends and the horrors of war. When the author visited the continent on the restoration of peace, their numbers amounted to 14,000. In 1794 these had

increased to 51,416 whites, and 16,227 blacks. Among these were employed 400 itinerants, besides several hundreds of local preachers. From their last statement in 1807, the numbers in society were as follows-whites 114,727; coloured people and blacks 29,863: total, 144,590.

It was in 1760 that Mr. Nathanael Gilbert, who heard the

pro

gospel in England, repaired to Antigua. He saw his fellowcreatures buried in sin; and, though speaker of the House of Assembly, he first collected a few persons in his own house for exhortation and prayer, and at length publicly preached the gospel to the slaves. Amidst torrents of reproach, he persevered till he had formed a society of nearly 200, who, from seeking death in the error of their ways, had now begun to seek the favour of God. Death however soon terminated his state of bation, and his little flock was left as sheep without a shepherd. Several years after Mr. Gilbert's death, Mr. John Baxter, a leader in Mr. Wesley's society, went from Chatham to Antigua to work in his majesty's yard in that island. Devoting his leisure hours to the publication of the gospel, he soon gathered a society of 1000 members, some of whom had retained the impressions which they had received from Mr. Gilbert's ministry. In 1786, four missionaries, one of whom was the author himself, bound in the first instance for the continent of America, were driven by the violence of storms to this island, from which place they visited others, and thus became the early instruments in the hand of God of furthering that blessed work which forms a prominent feature in this history. The numbers in society in 1807 through these islands, amounted to 261 whites, and 12,898 coloured people and blacks; in all, 13,159; besides perhaps one hundred thousand, who regularly attended the preaching of the gospel. But for the particulars and vicissitudes which have occurred, we refer to the history of each island.

At Sierra Leone on the coast of Africa the Methodists have also attempted to establish a mission; but it has been less successful than one they have instituted in Nova Scotia; in which colony, in 1807, there were 910 members. In Newfoundland, through the preaching of the word, 508 have joined the society; and 40 have declared for God on the Rock of Gibraltar.*

That God has blessed the labours of the Methodist missionaries on the western continent, and in the West India Islands, is obvious from the preceding general statement. We do not indeed presume to insinuate that in all these vast numbers, which constitute the Methodist societies, all are equally pious. Many

*We might here lay before the reader a minute account of the very successful missions established by the Methodists within these few years among the Roman Catholics in Ireland and the Welch in Wales in their own language. But we are fearful of swelling out our history with subjects which do not immediately belong to it, though in themselves of high importance in a missionary view.

perhaps among them may have names to live while they are in reality dead; and among others the form of godliness may exceed its power. But of this fact the author feels himself assured, that the total quantum of piety to be found among them, is not exceeded by that of any similar missions on the face of the habitable globe. Nor does he speak this from mere random conjecture. He has been on the American continent no less than nine times, and, in making personal visits to the various societies there, has travelled probably more than 20,000 miles: this circumstance has enabled him to speak from personal knowledge and observation. The plain but pointed language which the preachers have used, addressed warmly to the hearts and consciences of sinners, is that mode of preaching which God has thus been pleased so conspicuously to acknowledge. And it is to this, as an instrument in the hand of God, that the superior successes of these missions are to be ascribed, above most, if not all that have preceded them, at least in modern ages.

It is the same mode of preaching in a certain degree which has rendered the missions of the Baptists so instrumental in the conversion of souls, particularly of the Blacks on the continent of America. In this department their exertions have been great, and their success abundant; but the limits of our work forbid us to detail the history of their pious and benevolent proceedings. The exertions which have been made to carry the gospel to the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, have been attended with more expenses than advantages. In these regions the most sanguine hopes have been almost wholly blasted; the hereditary vices and prejudices of savage life have triumphed over those efforts which have been made to reclaim them, and, with but few exceptions, the missionaries who have hazarded their lives and abandoned civil society from the most laudable motives, may say, "Who hath believed our report, and to whom has; the arm of the Lord been revealed?" The efforts, however, which this honourable and worthy society have made in Africa, bear a more promising appearance; but their whole work in that quarter of the globe is at present in such an infant state, that we cannot enlarge upon it, but must only accompany it with our sincere wishes and prayers for its success.

The labours of the late Rev. George Whitefield, and of those who have either directly or indirectly succeeded him in his pious intentions, have a greater claim upon this short memorial than can possibly be indulged. The continent of America will however record their services, and revere his name, when future generations shall succeed the present race of inhabitants; and multitudes of the swarthy sons of Africa will bless God through eternity that ever he was born.

To form any accurate estimate of the various individuals who compose the several congregations of the Moravians, Methodists, Baptists, and followers of Mr. Whitefield and others, who still continue to preach the gospel, is morally impossible : Their various societies swell to numbers of amazing magnitude. If we exclude the whites from the calculation, and only confine it to coloured people and blacks, 200,000 will not reach the number who regularly attend to hear the words of eternal life -we probably shall be within bounds, if we fix the number at 300,000. And if to these we add, the multitudes who have been benefited by the various endeavours of the Christian nations of Europe;-by the different institutions to which they have given their sanction; the happy effects which have resulted from the undeviating exertions of the Quakers to humanize the world, and meliorate the condition of the most unfortunate of the human race;-the myriads who have departed this life in the full triumph of faith;—and the means which are established through the Divine blessing for the conversion of those who are yet in a state of darkness, the number swells as much beyond the reach of calculation, as the benefits resulting from the various institutions bid defiance to estimation. But it is now high time to return from this partial digression, to pursue the more immediate object of the work. We therefore conclude this chapter with a sentiment which these scenes are calculated to inspire-"It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelJous in our eyes."

CHAP. V.

HISTORY OF JAMAICA.

Situation and appearance of the island-its discovery by Columbus ; his sufferings when shipwrecked on it-baseness of the king of Spain, decision of the council of Seville in favour of Diego Golumbus-Esquivel takes possession of the island for Diego-conduct and character of Esquivel-barbarities of the Spaniards towards the natives-state of Jamaica and its inhabitants when invaded by Sir Anthony Shirley, and by Colonel Jackson-occasions which led to these invasions-final conquest of the island by Penn and Venables under Cromwell-the conduct of Spain previous to that event, a flagrant violation of the treaty of 1630 a remarkable epitaph in Jamaica, with reflections drawn from it.

THE island of Jamaica, which lies to the windward of the other English islands, and which geographers have classed as one of the greater Leeward Islands, is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, at the distance of about 4000 miles, S. W. from England. To the east it has the island of Hispaniola or St. Domingo, at the distance of about 30 leagues; the island of Cuba at about the same distance to the north; the gulph of Honduras to the west; and Carthagena, on the continent of America, to the south, distant 145 leagues. The centre of this island is nearly in 18° 12′ of north latitude, and in 77° 45′ longitude west from London. Its shape appears to be that of an irregular oval, intersected by several ridges of high craggy mountains, and stupendous rocks, heaped apparently one upon another. The greatest diameter of the island is about 170 miles, and the least not more than 70. Notwithstanding the barrenness of most of the rocky mountains, they present a beautiful appearance on approaching the island, highly gratifying to the eye of the voyager. They are clothed with a prodigious quantity of trees, chiefly the pimento, which form umbrageous groves; and by striking their roots through the clefts of the rocks, they attract the moisture that is deposited in them by frequent storms of rain and thick fogs. Thus a perpetual verdure is kept up on the surface of the hills and in the valleys beneath by a great number of natural cascades, which creates a resemblance of a warm summer throughout the whole

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