agency ordained by God for the conversion of the world; and it must precede and accompany every other agency that has this object in view. In the first age of the church, and more particularly in the first part of that age, the preach ing of those employed in this part of the ministry, and the conversation and example of the primitive Christians were the means, I may say the only means, which could be employed to evangelize the world. The instruction of the rising generation was however of such obvious importance, that it never could have been for a moment overlooked in Christian families; and while the parents were engaged in training up their children like young Timothy, who was taught to read the Holy Scriptures from a child, the Pastors and Elders of the primitive churches appear at an early period to have cared for the lambs of their flocks. How far the general education of the people around them was then a subject of deep interest with the churches of Christ, we are not informed: but as the boundaries of the churches were enlarged, and many were added to them who could not themselves read, and for that reason could not teach their children, provision was made by the churches for their instruction. When civil governments arose, professedly Christian, so long as they manifested any thing of the spirit of Christianity, more or less was done to furnish the poor with the means of instruc

tion.

I shall here confine myself to one aspect of the subject-the importance of raising up in savage or barbarous countries, with the least delay that is possible, a Native Agency.

You may as well think of supplying all the continent of Africa with bread or corn from Europe, as to supply it with teachers and the means of instruction from Europe. The seed-corn may be furnished; but it never can become general, unless it shakes, and stocks the country to which the first handfuls are carried. This great object has hitherto been too much neglected in missionary work. The work of God in the conversion of the world has never been carried on to any extent without a native agency; and that work has always prospered in proportion as that agency has been numerous and effective. The Apostles preached the gospel within the pale of the civilized world, ordained Bishops and Elders in every city in which churches had been formed, and left the newly appointed office-bearers to carry on and extend the work of God, while they employed themselves in preaching the gospel in the regions beyond them.Even at the period of the reformation, the reformers could have done nothing without the sympathies of the people, and without a native agency. In countries which have been civilized by Christianity, agents are easily found in a great measure prepared, and what is wanting is easily supplied. But in savage and barbarous countries, we can only look for a native agency by the general education of the people. I say general education; for we have found by experience that we must raise the community itself to a certain level, before such an agency can be found as will prove to be of any efficiency in the general spread of the gospel. When the power of religion is first felt in its quickening influence at a missionary station, the change is so marked, that the individuals thus awakened are frequently the means of communicating what they have felt to others; but in persons of this description there is so much ignorance mixed with their new light, so much of the old leaven remaining, and the fancy is so much more powerful than the judgment, that they constantly stand in need of their teachers to watch over them; and few of them indeed can be appointed as authorized teachers of others.

To raise such a community or people in the state I have described by education, the work should be begun as soon as possible. If the children of parents in such a state of society are not put under instruction till they are 7, 8, or 9 years age, after all the education which can be given them they will differ very little from their parents. Conducting our schools on this plan, generation after generation will pass away under the most discouraging circumstances to the

of

C

rdinary observer. In 1819 education had made little progress among the Hotentots. Something had been done, but nothing in proportion to what might ave been expected, or that could be turned to any account; and many engaged n the missionary work assured me that I should never be able to raise up a naive agency to assist us in the work among the Hottentots. Such a prophecy inder such circumstances could not fail to insure its own accomplishment; for I lave invariably found where a missionary despairs of improving the condition of he natives, he as invariably fails to effect the object. But we had at that time in example of a native boy at Pacaltsdorp conducting a small school to my sa isfaction and it was evident to me that there was no solid ground for the objecion and that if we failed in this object, our labour would prove in vain in the nd. The schools then at Bethelsdorp and Theopolis were in a very low state. The parents felt no interest in the education of their children; the attendance was very irregular; indolent habits had been contracted before the scholars came under instruction; and it was difficult to say from the appearance of the chools, whether the children or the masters found their books the most irksome. From the want of labourers, and other business of paramount importance upon ny hands, nothing could be done to improve the schools till 1821. From that eriod, through the means which were adopted, the schools were better attended, nd a degree of life and animation was thrown into them, which encouraged our lopes. About this period my arduous conflict with the local authorities and he colonial government commenced; and the attention of the missionaries was vithdrawn from the schools, being almost entirely occupied in correspondence. with the constituted authorities of the colony, and executing their commands; which were often multiplied with no other apparent view but to annoy them and rive them from their stations. During that struggle the importance of the chools was not, however, lost sight of, but owing to various causes I need not numerate, much less was done than I wished to see effected.

As an illustration of the principle I have laid down, I shall give you a brief ccount of the state of things now at the Kat River settlement, on the borders f Caffraria. This settlement was begun in 1829. It was in that year that the Caffers were expelled from it; and the peopling of it with Hottentots appears to ave been an after thought. The plan was suggested to the colonial governnent by Captain Stockenstrom, the Commissioner General on the frontier disrict; and it was urged by that gentleman on sound political views, which were cceded to by the colonial government. When the plan was arranged and greed to, the Commissioner General visited Bethelsdorp and Theopolis, two of ur missionary stations; and by his persuasion 144 families, including the most espectable families at those institutions, went to settle in this new territory.The plan was, to settle the Hottentots in small villages, and to give them a proerty in the soil. The families from our institutions were soon joined by others who had never been at any missionary institution, and of this latter class there re now between 3 and 4000 in the district. I visited this people early in 1830, nd I then viewed with pleasing surprise their industry, the spirit of hope by which they were actuated, their anxiety for a religious teacher, and their deterination to have education for their children. One woman 1 found surrounded vith 50 children, in a place where they were literally wedged together, so that ne could not move without disturbing the whole mass; and with the leaves of New Testament, which were all the lessons she had to set before them. At Il the other locations where I found Hottentots from our institutions, I found the ame desire for the instruction of the rising generation. But it was not till Mr. lead (who is now the missionary settled in that district) went among the peole, that we could do any thing efficiently to aid them in the desire manifested y them for their own improvement and the improvement of their children. On y late visit to that district in 1832, the expectation excited by what I saw in 830 was in every respect more than realized. The exertions the people had

made to lead out the water, of which they have an excellent supply, for the pu pose of irrigation, the lands they had brought under cultivation, the houses the had erected, and the decent clothing in which they appeared, with the imprové ment I remarked in their habits of thinking, in their address, and in the sel respect they discovered-evinced a general improvement that afforded me th most exquisite pleasure. At Philipton, the location at which the missionari resided, there was an infant school, very ably conducted, and a sewing schoo by the Miss Reads, and a school on the British system taught by a Hottento boy, including both together about 140 children. At one location where the whole of the party had been Bushmen, and were in a state of nature wher they settled in the district, I found a Hottentot schoolmaster who belonged to Bethelsdorp, and a Christian people. This man was introduced among then by Mr. Read; he had been the means of bringing most of the old people to th knowledge of the truth; he kept Divine service among them, except on the firs sabbath of the month, when all that could travel so far went to Philipton to th Lord's Supper; and he had a day school in a flourishing condition. On thi visit I established several infant schools, which are conducted by young peopl formerly at the missionary stations, and who have been instructed in the infan system by the Miss Reads. The people have plenty of food, and it is surprising to see how well they are clothed; but they have not yet money in general, and cannot therefore do every thing they wish to do. The plan I adopted in estat lishing schools among them was as follows:-The people furnish the teacher with land and plough, and sow and reap it for them, or they supply them with food: and I allow each teacher 1s. 6d. or 2s. a week, to purchase clothing fo them. On this principle eight schools were established in the district on my last visit to it. The economy and the means by which we are enabled upor this system to multiply the means of instruction, are too obvious to require fur ther illustration. Many of these native teachers fill their spheres of labou with as much efficiency as many persons we get from Europe might do, and we can with the salary of one European teacher employ 20 or 30 such teachers Besides the number of such teachers that we can employ instead of one, w have no expense of out-fit, passage money, and their widows and orphans ar no charge to the society. Looking at the scenes this district presents, and par ticularly at the schools, with the pleasure they were calculated to inspire, my pleasure was not without some regret. Had I been warmly supported in my views 7 or 8 years ago, and had I met with that cooperation I wished for instead of 8 or 9 schools conducted on this principle, we should have had five times the number.

The religious aspect of the district was not less encouraging than the thirs of the people for the education of their children. The public ordinances o the Gospel are on the Sabbath well attended. The Rev. W. Thomson and Rev. J. Read are the ministers of the district, and they hold service at twe different locations apart from each other. The sabbaths I was at Philiptor the congregations might be about 1000 people, and I do not know that ever was more affected than on seeing this people on the sabbath morning coming from the different locations in groups, well dressed, and in the most decent and orderly manner, at the sound of the church bell. In conversing with the peopl the leading feature of their piety appeared to be gratitude to God, which was ofte manifested by tears, when they contrasted their former bondage and wretchednes with their present prosperous condition. To enter into their feelings, and to forn a proper estimate of what has been done for them by the instruinentality of th missionaries, it was necessary to keep in mind what they were before the mission aries came among them. We now compare all we see among them with nothing When our missions commenced among those people, they were in a conditio much worse than that of common slavery; they were without any religion without morals; without one yard of cotton or woollen cloths, and I may sa

naked, without property, living in licentiousness and drunkenness, and without any desires excepting such as terminated on beastly gratifications.

The morality of this district cannot be omitted in our present estimate; and to illustrate this it is necessary only to say, that they have a magistrate of their own nation, and there has not one offence occurred in the district that it has been necessary to bring before the circuit court of justice.

To illustrate the importance of a Native Agency, it is necessary only to say that the work of God among the people and in the schools is carried on chiefly by the people who were from Bethelsdorp and Theopolis. They are the leaven which is leavening the whole lump. At each of the locations where these people are placed they are active in schools, and in bringing others under the means of grace. From the church at Philipton several of the office-bearers and other gifted individuals visit on the sabbath the distant locations, and many of them preach, perhaps with much more effect to their own countrymen than persons of superior education would do, and who from the nature of their very education, and their ignorance of the customs and modes of thinking among the people, might not have the same access to their understandings and their hearts.

While education of the people as a whole is pursued as of paramount importance, the Christian minister is not to allow himself to sink into the mere schoolmaster. Those who are advanced beyond childhood, and who may never be taught to read, are to be objects of his Christian solicitude, and are to be brought under the influence of Christian principles for their own sakes, and for the influence they have over the rising generation. And it is by the oral instruction of the missionaries, any reasonable hope can be entertained of bringing them within the pale of the Christian church. The instructions given to them need not occupy much of the missionary's time in the usual mode in civilized countries of preparing sermons and addresses for them. Provided he can speak to them in their own language, the simpler, the shorter, and the more familiar his addresses are, the more effective they will be. Conversation and a conversational mode of preaching, is the best suited for their condition: and the missionaries who have followed this plan have been the most successful. In raising up and keeping in operation an effective agency, the public ministrations of the word of God are necessary. When religion has made some progress among a savage or barbarous people, it is under the public administration of the word of God they receive those elevated sentiments and accessions of Christian zeal, which exercise their benevolence to their fellow men, and preserve alive in their minds those spiritual energies which carry them forward in the exercises and labours of Christian love. The efficient ministry of the gospel in public, and in the social meetings of the people is like the action of the heart to the human body, it is from it, that health and life are diffused over the whole body. But the missionary will do very little good who considers his duty at an end when he has done preaching to the people. It is not enough for him to say: I have preached the gospel to the people: I have set before them the words of life and death: I have told them what to shun and what to practice. He must ascertain whether the gospel is received, whether the evils against which he has warned them have been shunned, and whether the duties he has enjoined upon them have been put in practice. He may not immediately see the signs of conversion, and in many cases he may have to wait long for them. But there is a diversity of means besides preaching, that he must employ in his work; to all these he must be attentive, and into all these he must be constantly breathing a spirit of life. In training up an effective agency, the gifts and graces of the different members must be called forth into exercise, and it is when they are thus employed that he fits them for being useful to each other; and it is from those that make the greatest improvement that

he is to select individuals for special purposes. An efficient agency will be looked for in vain, if suitable means are not thus employed to secure it.

By the blessing of God upon the ordinary means employed to evangelize the heathen, men who have never been taught to read may be very useful in the church, and to those around them; but without the education of the rising generation this kind of agency can never be extensively useful: teachers cannot be raised up to continue the work of God in a heathen country: and after all the money which may have been expended upon them, the cause is in danger of perishing, and in such places it may ultimately die away. From what has been said, one thing is clear, that to carry on and extend the missionary work we must have Native Agency; and that to procure that agency the work of education among the heathen cannot be begun too soon, nor carried on too extensively.

We come now to the importance of Infant Schools. If Miss Hamilton's opinion is correct, (and I fully agree with her in it,) that, generally speaking, the character is formed by the time a child is seven years of age, the propriety of beginning education at an earlier period than what has been customary, particularly among the heathen, is obvious. Dr. Vanderkemp, remarking the debilitating effect of the manners and conversations of the parents upon the minds of the children, had his mind for some years before his death occupied with the plan of an Orphan Asylum. The scheme miscarried for want of sufficient funds, and that sympathy with it in England necessary to raise them. This is not to be regretted; as it never could have been carried to that extent which would have answered his expectations.

The Infant School system at our missionary Institutions supplies this desideratum in a manner so complete that it scarcely leaves any thing to be wished for. There is in the system a power of expansion which has no narrower limits than the ignorance and incapacity of its conductors. Even if the children are left to live with their parents, before they even are capable of being injured by the parents, it brings their minds under a new influence which shields them from harm; and while it calls forth and invigorates their intellectual powers, it sheds a softening and subduing influence over their dispositions and manners, and impresses upon the heart at the most favourable season those religious and moral lessons, which it is to be hoped will grow with their growth, and by this means give rise to a state of improvement in one generation, which it would require many generations to accomplish on the old system. I am not now theorizing on this subject without data. Short as the time has been that our Infant Schools have been in operation, the effects they have already produced, justify all that we anticipate from them. The children at our Infant Schools are remarked by every stranger for the gentleness of their manners, the intelligence which beams in their countenances, the delight they take in their school exercises, as exhibiting a contrast to their elders in the upper schools. They keep always by themselves; they can scarcely be brought to associate with the other children; they are even when at play out of doors engaged in their school exercises; at the same time children of three and four years of age are making more rapid progress in acquiring their letters, than boys and girls of nine and ten years of age do in the other schools. While with their parents their minds are so filled with their school exercises, that instead of listening to their parents they become their teachers. And while the pleasure they have in these schools draws them to them, (a matter of great importance among the heathen, the reluctance of the children to attend the schools being one of the greatest discouragements the missionaries have to contend against,) the happy effect these schools have upon the minds and tempers of the children, secures the ready co-operation of the parents, who (as is customary among savages or barbarians,) seldom cross the inclinations of their children. It is a singular fact, and it does not say much for the superiority of the white man, that the system