WESLEYAN MISSION IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE THIS Mission was commenced only last year, chiefly by the agency of Native Missionaries, under the direction of the Rev. Thomas B. Freeman, of Cape-Coast. Mr. Freeman, who on former occasions had been favourably received by the King at Abomi, in company with Mr. Wharton visited the King of Dahomi in 1854, and obtained his consent to the establishment of a Mission at Whydah, with equal rights for the Missionary to those of the Portuguese and other residents in the town, and unrestrained liberty to the people to attend the services. The immediate consequence of the King's protection is, the preaching of the Gospel, in the public streets of Whydah, to very attentive congregations of native Africans. It is now proposed to erect a chapel in that infamous mart of the Slave-Trade.. The population of Whydah is estimated at eighteen thousand. Judging from the present aspect of affairs, and the ready disposition of the masses of the people to listen to the word of life, a chapel of about sixty feet by thirty would be required, and the cost of it would be about £500. Mr. Dawson, the Native Missionary, states that the King is earnestly desirous of substituting legitimate commerce with England, in the place of the Slave-Trade hitherto carried on, and that he is willing to sacrifice present pecuniary advantage for that great object. Two additional Teachers are to be sent to Whydah, where there are already twenty-four scholars in the school, notwithstanding much difficulty which had to be encountered at the commencement. At Little-Popo, a group of villages about twenty-five miles west of Whydah, the population of which is estimated at from ten to twelve thousand, the principal inhabitant is well disposed towards Christianity. Here a school has been established, which a recent mercantile visiter states to be quite a popular thing, and says he saw it crowded with children. Mr. Dawson goes from Whydah once a fortnight to preach, and finds an excellent spirit of hearing among the people. At Ahquay, ten miles nearer to Whydah, the people refused to break their treaty with the British Government for the suppression of the Slave-Trade, when solicited to do so by the agents of that infamous traffic, and have manifested an excellent spirit in their desire to receive instruction. The Journals of Messrs. Freeman's and Wharton's visit to Dahomi supplied ample evidence that the Slave-Traders were taking advantage of the diminution of the blockading squadron on the coast of Africa, consequent on the breaking out of war, to renew their abominable practices; upwards of two thousand slaves having been shipped from Whydah in one month. The Committee, having these facts before them, deemed it right to bring them under the notice of Her Majesty's Government. At Abomi, the residence of the King, some political changes have been recently effected which appear favourable to the interests of Christianity. A Christian youth, John Beecham, has the confidence of the King, who also gave a favourable reception to Mr. Dawson, the Native Missionary, at a recent visit. Mr. Freeman has received a letter from the King, earnestly soliciting a visit from him, that he may confer with him on matters of great interest to himself and his people; according to the last advices, Mr. Freeman was about to visit Abbeokuta, in company with the British Consul, with a view to putting a stop to human sacrifices, which are still lamentably prevalent in the Yoruba Territory; and to take that opportunity of proceeding to Abomi, for an interview with the King of Dahomi, as earnestly and repeatedly requested by him. The expense of this proposed visit, and of the enlargement of the Mission in the Territories of the King, and of the proposed chapel at Whydah, have to be provided for by extra Contributions, the Funds of the Society being already pledged to their full extent for the support of existing Missions. The Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society therefore venture to request the aid of those who wish to see the Slave-Trade abolished, and the peaceful and humanizing institutions of Christianity introduced in its stead. For further particulars, reference is respectfully made to the recently published Report of the Wesleyan Missionary Society for 1855, and to the Wesleyan Missionary Notices for October, 1855, published at the Wesleyan Mission-House, Bishopsgate-Street- Within; where Contributions for the Dahomi Mission, and the chapel at Whydah, will be thankfully received, or at Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths, Bankers, 1, Lombard-Street. Signed, &c., &c. AT a MEETING OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE, held at the Wesleyan Mission-House, Bishopsgate-Street-Within, London, October 10th, 1855, The PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE in the chair,— Reported, That the Committee had received from the Committee of the Church Missionary Society six copies of a very valuable work on the languages of Africa, entitled, Polyglotta Africana, by the Rev. S. W. Koelle, a Missionary at Sierra-Leone; also, That the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society had presented Five Hundred copies of a portion of the Scriptures in the New-Zealand language; also, That Mr. Farmer had presented a cotton-cleansing machine for the use of natives at Sierra-Leone, under the care of the Rev. George H. Decker. Resolved, That the respectful and cordial thanks of the Committee be presented to the Committee of the Church Missionary Society for this interesting and valuable present. Resolved, That the best thanks of the Committee be presented to the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the presen of Five Hundred copies of portions of the New-Zealand Scriptures, which have been forwarded to New-Zealand, and are valued at £29. 11s. 3d. Resolved, also, That the thanks of the Committee be presented to Thomas Farmer, Esq., for his kind attention to a request presented to him by Mr. G. H. Decker, for assistance in promoting the production of cotton on his Station, and preparing it for the market.* AT the QUARTEerly Meeting oF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WESLEYANMETHODIST AUXILIARY MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOR THE LONDON DISTRICT, held at the Mission-House, Friday Evening, October 12th, the Rev. Elijah Hoole in the chair; it was moved by Walter Griffith, Esq., seconded by Dr. Griffith, and carried unanimously,— That the "APPEAL IN BEHALF OF THE WESLEYAN-METHODIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY," which has been prepared and circulated under the direction of the General Committee, and which has now been read, embodies, also, the views of this Committee of the London District, and is cordially recommended to the earnest and serious attention of all the friends and supporters of the Society, and especially to the Officers and Subscribers connected with the Branch Societies throughout the London District; also, that this Committee hopes that by the publication of the Appeal in the "Missionary Notices," on the Cover of the Magazine, and in the "Watchman," as well as by its wide distribution in the form of a Circular, attention will be called to the A *The following contributions have also been received towards the purchase of a press for packing the cotton, the whole cost of which will be upwards of £30. present claims and prospects of the Society's Missions, resulting in an augmentation of the Funds to such an extent that the Missions in India and Africa, and other parts of the world, may be sustained and extended in their evangelical and benevolent operations. It was also resolved, That a Circular be addressed from this Committee to the Ministers and Officers of such Branch Societies as have not made the usual remittances in the course of the past nine months, requesting an immediate remittance of all moneys in hand to the General Secretaries of the Society; and calling special attention to the "Appeal" of the General Committee, sustained and enforced by the intelligence from India and Africa, contained in the " Missionary Notices" for the months of September and October in the present year. Remittances from District and Circuit Treasurers to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, received by the General Treasurers, from the 16th of September to the 15th of October, 1855. Contributions to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, received by the General Treasurers, since our last announcement, up to the 15th of October, 1855, some of which are included in the Remittances acknowledged from the Districts. T. E. E. Moneys received at the Mission-House. £. 8. d. 419 0 0 A Free-Will Offering from a Friend in Wales, per E. W. Jones, Esq.. 120 U 0 a Chapel at Whydah, in reply to the Appeal of the Rev. T. B. A Vow Performed, in Memory of a sainted Wife, by Mr. John G. R. Chappell, Esq., Manchester, a Thank-Offering to Almighty God For the Outfit and Passage of a Schoolmaster to New-Zealand, per ........ ... 50 0 0 50 0 0 40 0 0 30 0 0 ....... 5 0 25 0 0 Mr. James Morrow, Castledawson, Ireland, for Himself and his good Miss Farmer. and Friends, for the Girls' School at Bangalore Rev. John M'Owan, Redditch.. Mrs. M'Owan Miss M'Owan Mr. J. T. M'Owan Mr. G. M. M'Owan.. Mr. Joseph M'Owan Rev. A. and Mrs. Edman, per Rev. M. Jubb, Horncastle J. M., for a gracious Interposition of Divine Providence in the Time of need, per Rev. J. Greer, Drogheda Peter Carthew, Esq., Kensington.... X. Y., Lurgan, County Armagh ......... A Friend to Missions in the Huddersfield Second Circuit, per Rev. Mrs. Jane M'Leod and Son, per Rev. J. Ryerson, Kingston, Canada, The late Mr. Thomas Cox, of Adderbury, West, from his Trustees, Mr. Giles Silversides, Stratford, his Executors, for 1854 and 1855. Mr. Lowe, Westminster Branch LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. |