the poor Africans, and who believe (as I hope every planter believes that they are his fellow creatures, and of equal importance with himself in the eyes of an all-seeing and impartia Governor of the universe."-Edward's History of the West-Indies, vol. i. p. 487. Fourth Edition.

ARTICLE VI. BARBADOES.*

In 1765, two of the Brethren went to Barbadoes with the view of beginning a mission on that island. One of them, however, died immediately after their arrival; and another who was sent to supply his place, followed him soon after to the grave; while the only one who survived, unhappily imbibed the love of the world, and neglected the chief design of the undertaking. The mission was therefore suspended for the present; but it was again renewed in 1767, by the arrival of Benjamin Brickshaw, who was soon after joined by another of the Brethren. Having met with a very favourable reception from some of the principal people in the island, they lost no time in commencing their labours among the negroes. In a short time, their house became too small for the numbers who attended on their instructions: They, therefore, purchased a building which had been burnt down, together with a garden, and fitted it up as a dwelling-house for themselves, and a meeting-hall for the negroes.†

In September 1768, the Brethren had the pleasure of baptizing six of the negroes as the first fruits of their labours; and it was not long before several others were added to the number. There were now four missionaries on the island; and as some of them were much employed in the way of their trades, and were obliged on this account to travel

Barbadoes island in the W. Indies, is 25 miles from N. to S. and 15 from E. to W. where broadest, but scarce affords a harbour. It is situated between lat. 13 deg. 5 min. and 13 deg 22 1-2 min. N. and long. 59 deg. 41 ini. and 59 deg. 57 min. W. Malham's Gazetteer.

+Crantz's History of the United Brethren.

through the country, they found this method of gaining their livelihood greatly conducive to the grand object of the mission, as it afforded them an opportunity, in almost every place, of speaking with the negroes on the subject of religion. Indeed, the planters who now perceived the good effects of their labours on the slaves, invited them to come and preach the gospel on their estates.*

Such was the promising aspect of the mission in Barbadoes at that period; but it was not long before these pleasing prospects were unhappily overclouded, and for many years it continued in a very languishing condition. In 1794, the whole of the baptized amounted only to seventy-five, most of whom were also communicants; but since that period we have reason to think this number has been considerably augmented; and it is said, that, on the Sabbath, the place of worship is now well attended, both by the negroes belonging to the congregation, and by strangers.†

In 1798, one of the Brethren named Waller, together with his wife, embarked for this island, on board a vessel from Bristol. After several fruitless attempts, they at last put to sea; but they were driven by contrary winds into Milford Haven. The wind, however, having shifted, they sailed again the following day; but were overtaken by so violent a storm, that the ship became perfectly unmanageable; and, after driving about at the mercy of the waves for some time, struck on a rock near the harbour of Kinsale, in Ireland. From three till seven in the evening, there appeared nothing before them but a watery grave; but as they were only about two hundred yards from land, the ebbing of the tide showed them the possibility of escaping to shore. No sooner, however, had they made this discovery, than a gang of robbers, with worse than savage ferocity, rushed upon them with knives and hatchets, and fell to plundering them and the wreck, and even to threaten the lives of all on board.

Crantz's History of the United Brethren.

Ibid. Period. Ace. vol. i. p. 16, 263. vol. v. p. 240.

But, at that instant, a party of soldiers approached, and commenced a firing upon the barbarous villains, five of whom were killed in the fray. In the midst of this horrid scene of confusion and distress, the passengers effected their escape to Kinsale. The ship, however, was entirely lost.*

ARTICLE VII. ST. CHRISTOPHER'S.f

In 1774, the United Brethren began a mission on this island; but for many years it was attended with little success. In 1788, the number of the baptized amounted only to a hundred and forty seven; but about that period the congregation began to increase with great rapidity. Hitherto, the negroes had met in a room in the missionaries' house; but, in 1789, a church was erected for their accommodation; and it was soon so crowded, that even in the following year, it was too small to contain the regular hearers. On the sabbath, indeed, whole gangs of slaves attended on the preaching of the word. They came from about forty different plantations, and that number was afterwards increased to upwards of fifty. Besides preaching in the town of Basseterre, the chief seat of the mission, the Brethren met with the negroes in four different places in the country.‡

In January 1797, the congregation of Christian negroes on the island of St. Kitts, including the baptized children and the candidates for baptism, consisted of one thousand eight hundred and seventy members; and it appears that, from 1779 to 1809, a period of thirty years, the whole

• Period. Acc. vol. ii. p. 247.

St. Christopher's, commonly called St. Kitt's island in the West Indies, is one of the number of those usually distinguished by the name of Caribbees, of which it is deem ed the principal, being in length about 20 miles and in breadth 7, and well watered with rivulets from the high mountains along the middle of the island. The North point of this island lies in 17 deg. 27 min. N. lat. and 62 deg. 47 min. of W. long. and the S. point in 17 deg. 15 min. N. lat. and long. 62 deg. 36 min. W.-Malham's Gaz

etteer.

+ Ibid. vol. i. p. 16, 17, 83, 264, 316; vol. ii. p. 85.

number of the baptized by the brethren on this island was no fewer than three thousand six hundred and eighty-three. The mission to St. Christophers, which, for many years, was so unpromising, is now, indeed, one of the most flourishing of the Brethren's settlements among the heathen; but, for obvious reasons, it affords few circumstances that can be interesting to the general reader.*

ARTICLE VIII. TOBAGO.†

In 1789, the United Brethren sent John Montgomery as a missionary to Tobago; but the death both of himself and his wife, together with the unsettled state of the island about that period, occasioned the suspension of the mission for several years. At length, in 1798, Charles F. W. Shirmer was sent from England to this island; and, on his arrival, he met with a very favourable reception from a number of the planters. Encouraged by their masters, the poor negroes attended in great numbers on his instructions; and in the course of a few months, he had the pleasure of baptizing several of them. Afterwards, however, when several of the chief planters, who supported the mission, died, or were otherwise removed from the island, the negroes in general grew more remiss in their attendance on divine worship; and it appeared that many of them would be satisfied, if they could only obtain baptism and the name of Christians. To this, however, there were happily some exceptions.‡

In 1801, the Brethren, as well as the other white, inhabitants of Tobago, were much alarmed by a conspiracy among the negroes on many of the plantations, to murder all the

Period. Acc. vol. ii. p. 85; vol iv, p. 380.

†Tobago or Tabago island, in the West Indies, is one of those islands which are known under the name of Caribbee islands. Its length is about 32 miles, but its breadth only about 12. It is not like the other islands, subject to hurricanes. Its latitude is 11 deg. 16 min. N. and long. 60 deg. 30 min. W.—Malham's Gazetteer.

Period. Acc. vol, i, p. 67, 71; vol. iii. p. 44.

white people on the island, and also every mulatto and free negro who would not join their party. The firing of the gun on Christmas-eve was fixed on as the signal for the general massacre; but providentially the plot was discovered, and the execution of it prevented by the vigilant exertions of the government. It is worthy of notice, that none of the negroes under the care of the Brethren were concerned in this conspiracy. This mission, we suppose, has since been relinquished, as no notice has been taken of it for a number of years past, and it does not appear in the list of the Brethren's settlements.*

SECTION III.

NORTH AMERICA.

In 1734, a number of the United Brethren proceeded to North America, and settled in Georgia, with a particular view to the introduction of Christianity among some of the neighbouring tribes of Indians. Soon after their arrival, they began to preach the gospel to the Creek nation, many of whom lived on an island called Irene, about five miles > above the town of Savannah; and they likewise established a school for the education of their children. The prosperity of this little colony, however, was of short duration. The neighbouring Spaniards having endeavoured to expel the English from the country, the Brethren were called upon to take up arms against the enemy; and though, on representing the declaration which they had made to the trustees

:

Period. Acc. vol. ii. p. 95-The mission to this island was undertaken in both nstances at the particular desire of Mr. Hamilton, one of the planters it was an ob Ject, indeed, which appears to have lain near his heart. In a letter to the Rev. Mr. Latrobe, he expresses himself in the following manner; " It is but just I should do something for these poor people who do so much for me, and that while they are labouring hard to procure for me the comforts of this life, I should endeavour to procure for them the means of obtaining that which will render them happy, both here and hereafter, and which is far above all earthly possessions." (Period. Acc. vol. ii. p. 482.) Happy would it be, were such the sentiments of the West-India planters in general.