LIBERIA. Rev. John Seys, now in Liberia, writing to the Western Christian Advocate, speaks in the following terms of the productiveness of that country:

I have lived in and visited fifteen West India Islands, my native country. I have been familiar with sugar-cane and its culture, with coffee, and with cotton from my childhood, and thought those islands unrivaled. But Liberia excels them all. At the late fair in Monrovia a sugar-cane was exhibited measuring thirty-one feet nine inches. I saw it, and yielded the palm hitherto, in my estimation, held by Trinidad, in the Gulf of Paria, to Sinoe county, Liberia. Cotton is perennial, and of the finest texture and staple. A plant in Monrovia, on the premises of the late Judge Bennedict, has yielded at least four pounds annually for twelve years in succession. Mr. Morris, whose visit and lectures have created a perfect enthusiasm about coffee, obtained at Sinoe twenty-four varieties of splendid berries from trees transplanted from the forest where the plant is indigenous, wild, and found in countless multitudes, some fifty feet high.

Of the religious condition of the colony, he says:

Our own.

Several

The work of religion prospers. The mission of the Protestant Episcopal Church is decidedly the most efficient. Bishop Payne and Rev. Mr. Hoffman are on board, on their way to their convocation at Monrovia. mission holds its annual conference at Monrovia on February 11. brethren are going up with us to it. This mission rather languishes. Several preachers have died, and Bishop Burns is in feeble health, and may have to visit Madeira after his conference. "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few." No white man has offered since Rev. Mr. Bastion. Very few colored preachers come over from America; still less, if any, are raised up on the mission, and hence the work does not progress.

·000·

THE BASUTO CONVERT.

The French Protestants have a flourishing missionary station in South Africa, which has borne precious fruit. The following interesting account of one of their converts shows, in a striking manner, the power of Divine grace:

Libe lived a heathen and a malignant enemy to the Gospel down to old age; but when the missionaries had almost ceased to indulge hope concerning him, his heart was subdued, and his mind enlightened by the gracious power of the Divine Spirit, and, as it will be seen from the following narrative, he became a decided follower of the Lord Jesus, and died in the peace and triumph of the Gospel.

"Libe, an uncle of Moshesh, had witnessed with the greatest displeasure the arrival of the missionaries. Why are these strangers not driven away?' said he one day to his friend Khoabane, a prudent, influential man. Why should they be driven away?' said he. They do us no harm; let us listen to what they have to say-no one obliges us to believe them.' That is what Moshesh and you are always repeating; you will find out your mistake when it is too late.' Libe was nearly eighty years of age when he spoke in this

manner.

"Was this aged heathen clear-sighted enough to discern the power of the doctrines that we preached, or rather, did not his conscience tremble already under the sting of Divine truth.

"However this might be, some time after, taking advantage of the peace which reigned in the plain, Libe quitted the arid heights of Thaba-Bosio for the smiling valleys of Korokoro, and chose a hill of considerable elevation as the site of his village, whence the eye wandered over the imposing chain of the Malutos, and the rich table land which separates the station where I resided from that of Moriah. It was not, however, the beauty of the sight which guided him in his choice; the sole desire of the old chief was to procure good pastures for his flocks, and to escape from our wearisome preaching.

"He soon saw with vexation that we had found our way to his dwelling. How could we abandon him--a man on the brink of the tomb? Already the deep wrinkles which furrowed his whole body, the terrible state of emaciation to which he was reduced, his dull and haggard eyes, and other indications, still more repulsive, of a speedy dissolution, made even his nearest relations avoid him. He was generally to be found covered with disgusting rags, squatted near the door of his hut, endeavoring to lessen the tedium of solitude by plaiting rushes.

"One would have thought that Libe, forsaken by every one, would have received with joy the consoling promises of the only religion which can dispel the terrors of death. But no; at the first sound of our voices a smile of hatred and scorn played upon his lips. Depart!' cried he; 'I know you not. I will have nothing to do with you or your God. I will not believe in Him until I see Him with my own eyes.' 'Would your God be able to transform an old man into a young one?' said he one day to my colleague of Moriah. Just at this moment the rising sun shot his rays across the defiles of the Malutis. Yes,' answered this servant of Christ; you see this sun, which will soon be six thousand years old; it is as young and beautiful to-day, as it was when it shone upon the world for the first time. My God has the power to perform what you ask; but He will not perform it in your favor, because you have sinned, and every sinner must die.' At the sound of this last word, Libe became furious, and turning his back on our friend, replied: 'Young man, importune me no more; and if you wish me to listen

to you, go and fetch your father from beyond the sea-he, perhaps, may be able to instruct me.'

"The violence of his animosity was especially manifested on the occasion of the interment of one of his daughters, at which I was invited to officiate by the husband of the deceased, and some other members of the family. The procession had preceded me, and I was following slowly toward the grave, praying to the Lord to enable me to glorify Him, when I saw Libe rushing toward me with a rapidity which only rage could give him. His menacing gestures plainly showed his design in coming, and I trembled at the prospect of being obliged to defend myself. Happily, his sons no sooner saw him appear than they ran to my aid; they begged him respectfully to retire, but he was deaf to their entreaties, and a struggle was the inevitable consequence. The wretched old man, exhausting himself by vain efforts, reduced his children to the grievous necessity of laying him on the ground, and keeping him in that position during the whole service. When I passed near him, on going away he exerted all his strength to disengage himself, and ended by knocking his head violently against the ground. At length he ceased, being quite worn out with fatigue; and casting on me a look of which I could not have believed any man capable, he loaded me with invectives.

6

"After this deplorable incident, we discontinued our visits to Libe, for fear of contributiug to increase his condemnation; we inquired, however, from time to time, if he was still living, and sent him friendly messages by his neighbors. What was my surprise one day on receiving an invitation to go to him! The messenger that he sent was radiant with joy. Libe prays,' said he, with emotion; and begs you to go and pray with him.' Perceiving on my lips a smile of incredulity, the pious Tsiu continued his relation as follows: Yesterday morning Libe sent for me into his hut, and said, My child, can you pray? Kneel down by me, and pray God to have mercy on the greatest of sinners. I am afraid, my child; this God that I have so long denied has made me feel his power in my soul. I know now that he exists. I have not any doubt of it. Who will deliver me from that fire which never can be quenched? I see it! I see it! Do you think God will pardon me? I refused to go and hear his word, while I was still able to walk. Now that I am blind, and almost deaf, how can I serve Jehovah?' 'Here,' added Tsiu, ‘Libe stopped a moment, and then asked, 'Have you your book with you?" I answered that I had. Well, open it, and place my finger on the name of God.' I did as he wished. "It is there, then,' cried he, the beautiful name of God. Now place my finger on that of Jesus, the Saviour.' Such was the touching recital of this bearer of good tidings sent me by Libe, and I soon had the pleasure of assuring myself of the reality of this wonderful conversion.

6

6

"For nearly a year my co-worker at Moriah shared with me the

happy task of ministering to this old man, whom grace had rendered as docile as a little child. In order to lose none of our instructions, Libe usually took our hands in his, and putting his ear close to our lips, repeated, one after the other, the words that we uttered, begging us to correct him if he made any mistake. He was baptised in his own village. This ceremony attracted a crowd of people, who were desirous of seeing him who had persecuted us, and who now preached the faith which once he sought to destroy. Four aged members of the church at Moriah carried the neophyte, who was too feeble to move alone. Although we were not without anxiety as to the effects that such varied emotions might have upon him, we thought it our duty, trusting in the Lord, to invite him to give an account of his faith.

""I believe,' said he, without hesitation, in Jehovah, the true God, who created me, and who has preserved me to the present hour. He has had pity on me, who hated him, and has delivered Jesus to death to save me. O my master! O my father! have mercy on me! I have no more strength-my days are ended. Take me to thyself; let death have nothing of me but these poor bones! Preserve me from hell and the devil! O my Father, hear Jesus, who is praying to Thee for me! O my Lord!

* * * *

* * *

my Father! The good old man forgot himself so completely in these pious ejaculations, that my colleague of Moriah, who officiated, was obliged to interrupt him, by putting the following questions: Do you still place any confidence in the sacrifices that you have been accustomed to make to the spirits of your ancestors?' How can such sacrifices purify?' I believe in them no more; the blood of Jesus is my only hope.' 'Have you any desire you would like to express to your family, and to the Basutos assembled round you?' 'Yes; I desire them to make haste to believe and repent Let them all go to the house of God, and listen meekly to what is taught there. Moshesh, my son, where art thou?' (Here Moshesh covered his eyes with a handkerchief to hide his emotion.) thou, Letsie, my grandson, where art thou? Attend to my last words. Why do you resist God? Your wives are an objection. These women are your sisters, not your wives. Jehovah created but one man and one woman, and united them to be one flesh. submit yourselves to Jesus. He will save you. Leave off war, and love your fellow-creatures.' 'Why do you desire baptism?' 'Because Jesus has said, that he who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Can I know better than what my Master tells me?'

'And

O!

"It is the custom in our stations for the converts, before receiving baptism, to repeat the ancient form of renouncement. It had been explained to Libe, and he had perfectly understood it; but it was impossible for him to learn it, or even to repeat it after the officiating minister. This circumstance was turned to our edification, inasmuch as the embarrassment of the convert brought forth all the ardor of his feelings. I renounced the world and its pomp,' said

6

my colleague: 'No,' exclaimed Libe; 'I do not renounce it now, for I did so long ago.' 'I renounce the devil and all his works.” The devil!' interrupted the happy believer; what have I to do with him? He has deceived me for many long years. Does he wish to lead me to ruin with himself? I leave hell to him; let him possess it alone.' 'I renounce the flesh and its lusts.' Another exclamation. 'Are there no joys but those of this world? Have we not in Jesus pleasures which satisfy us?' According to a desire very generally expressed, Libe was surnamed Adam, the father of the Basutos. He died one Sunday morning, shortly after his baptism. One of his grandsons had just been reading to him some verses from the Gospels. Do you know,' said the young man, that to-day is the Lord's day?'I do know it,' he replied; I am with my God.' A few moments after, he asked that a mantle might be spread over him, as he felt overpowered with sleep; and he slept, to wake in this world no more.-Lond. Miss. Chron.

-000

PARIS EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The following statements respecting the operations of this Society in South Africa, are given by a correspondent in the News of the Churches, for February:

Most of your readers know that the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society has been, in the hands of Providence, the means of rescuing from impending ruin, and restoring to a state of comparative prosperity, an important tribe of South Africa, the Basutos. The country inhabited by those natives is situated nearly in the latitude of Natal, to the west of that colony, from which it is separated by a high range of mountains. It is remarkably fertile, abundant rains visit it regularly in the summer, and in winter, owing to the elevation of the land, occasional falls of snow maintain the moisture of the soil. This, with the return of peace, brought on by the arrival of the missionaries, has enabled the Basutos to repair their fortunes, which the constant inroads of their enemies had so completely destroyed, that a part of the population had recourse to cannibalism to maintain their wretched existence. The Basuto land may now be considered as the granary of the northern districts of the Cape Colony. Wheat, maize, and other staple produce are now cultivated there on a very large scale; most of the fruit trees of Europe are also reared with success. The population is dense in comparison to that of other parts of South Africa. The country is generally studded with small hamlets.

The mass of the population are still heathen, and there, as in all Caffraria, superstition, and the crafty devices of diviners and other supporters of Paganism, often thwart the efforts of the missionaries. Much encouragement has, however, been granted to these good men. Ten stations, every one of which is to be considered as the centre of