Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Thomas B. Freeman, dated Cape-Coast, December 29th, 1854. I EMBRACE the earliest opportunity of reporting to you, more definitely than I could find time to do by the last mail, some of the most important circumstances and results of my recent visit to Lagos and Abbeokuta. I left Cape Coast in the mail steamer "Bacchante," on Monday, November 20th. On Tuesday the 21st we communicated with Akrah, and I invited Mr. Wharton to accompany me in my brief tour. On Tuesday evening we sailed for Lagos, and landed about noon on Wednesday with the usual landing disasters of damaged trunks, portmanteaus, &c., from the breakings and washings of the surf. On the beach we found Mr. Gardiner awaiting our arrival, and delighted to receive us safe on shore. On our arrival in the town of Lagos, which is situated on an island in an extensive lagoon and about three miles from the beach, we made immediate arrangements for holding special services, which were to commence on the following day; and in accordance therewith Mr. Wharton preached in our temporary bamboo chapel on Friday afternoon, to a large and attentive congregation, consisting chiefly of Christian emigrants from Sierra-Leone and our school-children, with a few of the natives of the Monday the 27th, at noon Mr. Wharton and I started for Abbeokuta. Embarking on the Lagoon in canoes, we proceeded over a wide expanse of water, until about three P. M., when we entered one of the secondary mouths of the River Ogu, and proceeded along a narrow creek until latish in the evening, when we entered the Mam River. There being a moon during the early part of the night, our canoemen-native Christians of Abbeokuta, who had come down for us-proceeded on till a late hour of the night, when, the moon going down and leaving us in darkness, they drew up the canoes alongside of a small sand-bank, put their mats on the sand, and slept a few hours. Mr. Wharton and I remained in the canoes. During the darkness rain threatened us; but, happily for us, passed away, for which we felt thankful, as we should have been quite shelterless and in darkness, which would have been both disagreeable and dangerous. On Tuesday, the 28th, at four A.M., we got water heated, and took a cup of tea in the darkness; and at daylight, half-past five A. M., we resumed our progress up the stream, having suffered no inconvenience during the night save annoyances from plenty of mosquitoes and heavy dews. At eleven, A.M., we stopped at a small village on the banks to take refreshment, and then resumed our journey. The average width of the River Ogu is from sixty to seventy yards. A large extent of its banks is richly wooded, the silk cotton-tree, and other foresttrees of this country appearing in all their grandeur. And the brushwood, consisting of many pretty flowering shrubs, was, in many parts, overgrown with handsome trailing and climbing plants, Convolvulaceæ, Papilionacea, &c., while handsome varieties of Liliacea, of the Amaryllis and Panacratium genera, were decorating the immediate edges of the stream, and drooping their leaves into the water, while their lively coloured flowers were expanding in striking contrast with the dark green foliage of the trees. I could have lingered and gazed for hours on these rich floral beauties, but time pressed, and my disposition to pause was soon dissipated when I thought of the possibility of my being left behind by the steamer on her return to Cape Coast. I did leap on shore on one spot, and seize a large bunch of a beautiful white Ipomoea, and say, "These I will try and preserve in some way or other, and get them to Cape-Coast for introduction to England;" but, in the excitements of Abbeokuta, I overlooked them till it was too late. Birds of the most beautiful plumage were hopping from spray to spray on the banks of the stream, and here and there a whole troop of monkeys were seen, twenty or thirty in number, young and old, of all sizes, occupying the branches, and feeding on the buds of a silk cotton-tree. Late at night we again hauled up the canoes alongside of a sand-bank, the canoemen made up their beds on the sand, and we again slept in the canoes, with the canopy of heaven for a covering. The heat, during the day, had been most oppressive, the thickly-wooded banks of the river admitting no breeze, and the stream too wide to admit of our enjoying much shade. We wished for sleep; but alas, the mosquitoes! dew, too, was extremely heavy. The On Wednesday, the 29th, at daybreak, we again resumed our journey, stopped at a small village to breakfast at half-past eleven A. M., and at halfpast six, P.M., reached the landingplace about eight miles distant from Abbeokuta, from whence we had to travel by land. Here our kind and thoughtful canoemen immediately set to work to erect for us a temporary sleeping-hut, consisting of their paddles and bamboo poles with which they work their canoes, and some native us to and shortly afterwards many old friends of mine, in company with Mr. Edward Bickersteth, arrived to escort Abbeokuta. Some of these were on horseback, and several on foot. Presently in came a man riding a beautiful warhorse, richly caparisoned in Moorish fashion, and I soon learnt that this horse was sent expressly by my old friend Shumar, the brother of the late King Sodaka, and Commander-in-Chief of the Egba forces, that I might have a first rate horse to carry me from the river to the town. I, of course, gladly accepted this distinguished act of kindness; and we, after taking breakfast at our halting-place, at ten, A. M., started for Abbeokuta, where we arrived at noon. Many of our people met us on the way to bid us welcome, and some of the principal Chiefs had sent horsemen to form a part of our escort. Towards evening we went to pay a visit to Sagba, the newly-elected King of Abbeokuta, who re-visited us with great kindness. We then visited my old friend Shumar, who was greatly delighted to see us, and talked with me most freely on bygone days, the time of my former visit in 1842, and the changes which had, since that time, passed over them as a people. While conversing with Shumar, he reminded me of my having, when there in 1842, made choice of a favourite spot of ground, near Sodaka's house, on which a Mission Station might be built at some future day, and said, that since his brother's death some persons had applied for it; but he had held it in reserve for us. I thanked him for his careful remembrance of us, and said that I would see it on the morrow and take possession of it; and that we should not fail to make there a Station eventually, in honour of his late brother Sodaka. We retired early to rest that night, thankful for a comfortable bed. On Friday, December 1st, we held two special services, which were very well attended, and performed several baptisms, and married several couples among the members of our Society. On Saturday, December 2d, we held a Missionary Meeting, which was very well attended. After the object of the Meeting had been stated, Mr. Bickersteth stood at the communion-rail to take down the names of the subscribers; and it was very delightful to see our people, of pressed us so hardly, that we were reluctantly compelled to close the Meeting ere the work was finished; but Mr. Bickersteth was to complete it next day, (Sunday,) and I expect to hear that about £25 have been realized. In the morning previous to our holding the Meeting, Shumar and Ogubunna, another Chief of great importance, paid us a visit, and also two others, of a somewhat lower rank. During our conversation with Shumar and Ogubunna, the former stated, that he has in his farm on the banks of the river a fine timber-tree, which he then presented to us for the boards and beams of the new Station, whenever we may send sawyers to cut it down. These Chieftains, as well as Sagba, the King, asked us many questions about Dahomi, and seemed apprehensive that they might be troubled, ere long, with another visit from the King of Dahomi; to which we answered, that the King seems too anxious to cultivate amity with England, to admit of his taking a step which would be so distasteful to the British Government as that of invading Abbeokuta. Towards evening we rode over to pay a hasty visit to Mr. and Mrs. Townshend, of the Church Missionary Society, and to call on the King, and take our leave of him. The Station occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Townshend is situated near Sagba's house, (or palace,) and about from two miles and a half to three miles from our Station, and are fine premises, considerably larger than ours. Their church is built on the same plan as our chapel, but larger. We had only time to pay a short visit; and we then made a hasty call on Sagba, to say farewell, and returned home to prepare for our journey back to Lagos. At ten P.M., we started for the river canoes, and hastened down the stream, fearing lest by any chance we should be too late for the mail. We continued our progress during the greater part of the night, and, alas! all day on Sunday, as a matter of stern necessity; and at noon on Monday, exactly a week from the time of our departure, we arrived at Lagos, and were glad to find that the "Bacchante" had not yet arrived. On Tuesday, the 5th of December, at seven P.M., we held our first Missionary Meeting at Lagos, in our bamboo chapel, the Consul in the chair, and the King of Lagos, and nearly all the merchants present on the occasion, and also some native Headmen. The attendance was very good, and the Meeting passed off exceedingly well. The King of Lagos addressed the Meeting, and expressed his gratification at the introduction of Christianity into his country, and his readiness to aid and encourage it in its progress among the people. He also proved the sincerity of his remarks by a subscription of £5. The collection on the spot amounted to £65 sterling, and will, I presume, be considerably increased ere the list is closed. On Wednesday, the 6th, we held a special meeting, consisting of Messrs. Wharton, Gardiner, some Leaders and Local Preachers, and myself, having for its object the promotion of the prosperity of the Circuit, chapel building, &c. On the following Friday, the mail came in, and on Saturday, we embarked for Cape-Coast, the Consul kindly sending us alongside, in company with the Bishop of Sierra-Leone, in his large, convenient boat. Thus successfully ended our first visit to Lagos, and we duly reached home, thankful to God for journeying mercies. "How are thy servants blest, O Lord, How sure is their defence WEST INDIES. ANTIGUA. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Walter Garry, dated Freetown; WHEN I last wrote, we were staoned at English Harbour; but, in consequence of our not having the full complement of Missionaries in this Cir cuit during the greater part of last year, it became necessary that we should remove to Freetown, (a village about fourteen miles distant from St. John's,) as the Station was without a Missionary, and stood in greater need than English Harbour of pastoral oversight and care. Though we had been scarcely settled at English Harbour, yet, as the necessity of the case required it, we cheerfully repacked our things, and soon took up our abode, not where we were merely wanted, but where we were wanted most. The Freetown village is the largest in the island; the population is estimated at from two to three thousand, almost all of whom are of the labouring classes. Soon after the abolition of slavery in these islands, a large number of the peasantry of Antigua purchased lands, and located themselves here. They are industrious in their habits, and frugal to a proverb; but, in consequence of the agricultural depression of the island, are very poor. Our chapel and Missionhouse are situate in the centre of the village, and about two miles distant are St. Philip's, a Station of the Established Church, and New Fields, a Moravian settlement. On entering upon the duties of the Station, I found a people who, like the Bereans of old, "received the word with all readiness of mind;" but it was not long before I discovered that, though their attendance on the means of grace, and their attention to the "word preached," were very praiseworthy, yet they were weak in faith and worldly in spirit. I therefore arranged to meet the Leaders once a week for spiritual conversation and prayer; and these meetings, I am happy to say, have had the most salutary effect on their minds. They have now their hearts in their work, and they do it as unto the Lord. And the influence of their deepening piety is felt in all their classes, the religious experience of the members of which is more definite and satisfactory, and their walk in the world more consistent and Christian. And not a few "taking knowledge of them" have been led to emulate their example, and to give their hearts to the Lord. There has been an encouraging awakening, especially among our young people, twenty-five of whom sought and obtained admission on trial for churchmembership during the last quarter; and besides these I have admitted twenty-seven adults as full and accredited church-members. Our people in this village, though poor, (many of them not earning more than sixpence per day, so low is the rate of wages given by the planters,) are willing to support the work of God to the extent of their ability. And I can truly say of them, as the great Apostle said of the churches of Macedonia, "how that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." ST. KITT'S. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. James Cox, dated St. Kitt's, THE terrible pestilence has nearly eft our shores, so that I hope we shall meet in Antigua at our District on the 21st of March. The work of God is reviving among us, and the gracious Spirit is still at work on the souls of the people, young and old. Many have been added to us and to the Lord, and hundreds are asking the way to Zion. Our houses of prayer are all filled, and our souls are comforted, amidst all our cares and anxieties. TRINIDAD. Extract of a Letter from the Revds. James Banfield and George Irvine, dated Trinidad, January 30th, 1855. THE year has been one of severe suffering, both to the church and the island at large. Thousands of the inhabitants of this land have been called into the eternal world by the dreadful scourge cholera; and our own church has suffered to a great extent, nearly one hundred and fifty members having been removed from us, most of them by the same fell destroyer. As a church, we feel assured that God doeth all things well; and while we cherish chastened feelings of the past, we look forward with pleasing hopes to the future, and pray that the IT is with gratitude to Almighty God, whose grace extends the work of Missions, that we hail the appearance, in Canada, of a periodical bearing our own name, "WESLEYAN MISSIONARY NOTICES, CANADA CONFERENCE," of which the first two Numbers have reached us. Now that the whole Methodist body in Canada, both West and East, is united under the direction of their own Conference, their Mission efforts are taking a considerable extension, and the liberality of their people promises rapidly to augment the means at their disposal, already very creditable. From the new publication, which is beautifully printed, and in size and appearance bears a strong family likeness to our own, we select a few extracts, having reference to the Missions in the Hudson's-Bay Territory, and among the Canadian Indians; both of which are now transferred from the management of this Society to that of the Canada Conference. PERIL OF THE REV. JOHN RYER- SABBATH, September 1st.-Last night at twelve o'clock, we came within a hairbreadth of being destroyed by coming in contact with an ice-berg. There was a thick white fog on the water at the time, and the first the watch saw of the iceberg was the dashing of the waves against its side. We were then within a few rods of it, and going at the rate of between six and seven knots an hour. The watch sprang from the bow on the deck, and at the top of his voice cried, "Breakers ahead-down with the helm -hard up." The ship instantly obeyed the helm, and this saved us: had we been one rod nearer to the ice-berg, when it was discovered, or had there been one half-minute's more delay in giving the command, or the ship had been one atom more tardy in obeying the helm, we should have gone with our bow directly against the ice-berg; in which case all agree that nothing could have hindered the instant destruction of the vessel, and, as the Captain afterwards said, in five minutes not one would have been left to tell the tale of the sad disaster. As it was, when the ship came or in contact with the ice-berg, she was |