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lation, which awakened so much interest in former years, still proceeds, though more gradually and more silently. That island, indeed, has prayed Christ to go out of its coasts; and what can be expected but consequent darkness, settling down as deep as night? As far as the Committee can hear, there are yet about a hundred native individuals who have embraced Protestant doctrine, and one of the ordained elders is still among them. All those who were cast into prison for conscience' sake have been liberated except one, who has been confined now for two years for his adherence to the gospel of Christ. The bulk of the converts, as is well known to this house, fled to Trinidad, and have settled there. At first they endured great hardships, and suffered much; but the Lord did not suffer them to be oppressed with want, and opened up various suitable ways of employment for all who remained. They were visited and regularly organized as a Presbyterian Church by Mr Hewitson, and at that time amounted to about 450. "During my stay amongst them," says Mr Hewitson, "I examined and admitted to the Lord's table about thirty individuals of various ages, who exhibited strong marks of being in a regenerated state. The work of examination was in some instances peculiarly refreshing. Some of the individuals referred to did not begin to 'cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart,' till the persecution in Madeira became so hot as to compel them to a determination of the question, whether they would serve the Lord or the world? Grace triumphed in the hour of temptation, and they forsook all gladly for the sake of Christ. Tribulation, working patience in them, was the means of bringing them into such an experience of the love of God as they had never before tasted; and now, enlarged in heart, they are running in the way of God's commandments. The persecution in Madeira was also made useful to some of those from that island who had before left it and settled in the West Indies. About thirty such, for instance, were converted in Trinidad, and added to the Church there. Senor Arsenia Nicol da Silva entered in May last as a catechist on the charge of feeding that flock, and his services have been highly acceptable to his brethren. He was for some time afterwards assisted in his labours by Messrs Kennedy and Brodie, ministers of the United Presbyterian Church in the island, who gladly had undertaken to dispense the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper in the Portuguese church. Da Silva has recently been ordained by that body, an act warranted, in the judgment of the Committee, by circumstances so peculiar, and one which, there is every reason to expect, under the blessing of God, to be productive of the very best effects. During last autumn many refugees arrived from Madeira in Trinidad, and the number now will amount to about 700. The entire number of those bearing at least the name of Protestants, who have been driven from Madeira by the storm of persecution, since August 1846, is about 900; and of these, three or four hundred may, in the judgment of charity, be regarded as true believers in Jesus. The Lord has taken these in his hand, and scattered them abroad in various parts of the earth, chiefly among the other islands of the sea, as well as Trinidad. Twenty or thirty are found in Demerara; one of them, a blind man, mighty in the Scriptures, and able to edify his brethren. A considerable number, who seemed to have received good impressions, are settled in St Vincent's, and about fifty in St Cristopher's. These last were visited by Mr Hewitson, previous to his return home; and they are now under the superintendence of one of their elders, who left Trinidad for the purpose of taking charge of their meetings for worship, and of instructing them in the word. He supports himself by labouring as foreman among the Portuguese. God has blessed his spiritual labours, not only to edify the converts, but to add to their number in several instances.

"In the Island of Antigua there are 1100 Roman Catholic emigrants from Madeira, offering a large and important field of labour. Your Committee have appointed Jose Marques Periera to labour amongst them as catechist or Bible reader, under the superintendence of our esteemed and devoted minister there, the Rev. George Anderson. Periera is a deacon, and, since he commenced his labours, three of his countrymen have been converted by his means from the religion of Rome.

WEST INDIES.--" In Antigua, to which reference has just been made, Mr Anderson has received from the members of his session and of his church a most affectionate and earnest request to continue among them, although the term of his stipulated service will soon be run; and the Committee earnestly hope he will be prevailed

on to do so.

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"In Trinidad a Presbyterian congregation has been formed at San Fernando, which have expressed an earnest wish to have Mr Church, a much-respected preacher long known in that island, and formerly in connection with the Methodist body, ordained over them-a proceeding which, from the documents transmitted, the Committee confidently hope this Church will be able to sanction as right, and which the brethren of the United Presbyterian Church resident on the island have kindly offered to carry into effect. In Jamaica, Dr Stevenson and Mr Thorburn continue their labours, and we have still to rejoice in the valued labours of Mr M'Lure at Nassau; and Mr Morrison is in Bermuda. His work is already quite enough to occupy him, and has been much increased by the arrival of the 42d regiment, many of whom look to the Free Church for ministerial service. The Committee are truly happy that they have found a willing and suitable assistant to Mr Morrison in Mr Furlong, lately licensed by the Presbytery of Dunkeld, and whom they expect to be in Bermuda in the course of a few weeks.

NOVA SCOTIA.-"Bermuda is in the Presbytery of Halifax, and in the Synod of Nova Scotia. That Synod has occupied much of the attention of the Committee during the few months past. They were much affected by the account of the destitution laid before this house by the Rev. Mr Stewart of New Glasgow, and yet were very unable at that time to offer any effectual help. It was, therefore, with great joy that they heard that Dr Burns, after a year of almost unprecedented labour-both in the College and in the Church,-both in Toronto and the district around--had kindly agreed to devote some months to Nova Scotia. Thither he went, and there he laboured with great zeal and with great success. He animated the flagging spirits of the brethren there, cast down with the apparent hopelessness of their task-he rallied round him in every place a band of true-hearted Scotchmen; and wherever he came he left the impress on the mind of an active and unwearied hand. In all these labours he was aided and accompanied by the brethren on the spot, and he was soon joined by Mr Stewart of New Glasgow, who returned from this country, and who entered into every plan for the renovation of Nova Scotia with his accustomed vigour. The best. results soon began to appear. The church at New Glasgow has been finished; another at Pictou is nearly so; a third at Saltsprings is far advanced; a noble site has been procured at Halifax, and subscriptions begun and vigorously prosecuted; a new preaching station has been opened there also, and another at an important place nine miles distant. In St John's, New Brunswick, Dr Burns found a most earnest desire for a Free church. Suitable premises were rented, a committee formed, and public worship commenced during his residence there. Everything bids fair for a large and influential congregation in that place, in addition to Mr Irving's, already entirely filled. They sent to us for a minister; we made every effort, but, alas! in vain; and, after weeks and months of waiting and correspondence, the place rented has had to be abandoned, and our fair prospects there are considerably overcast. Still the people show the utmost willingness. Under Mr Sutherland, and now by a visit from Mr Forrester, they will be stirred up anew; and we cannot abandon the hope that we shall yet see another flourishing congregation in that important and rising city, maintaining our principles and ministering to the spiritual wants of our countrymen.

"It is with deep regret that the Committee have to report that, besides St John's, New Brunswick, St John's, Halifax, is yet vacant; Yarmouth, which sent so earnest a petition to us; and Pictou also; and that out of the towns large districts of country are without any settled ministry. Farther north, the important and interesting town of St John's, Newfoundland, has never yet found a stated pastor. What we could do for these places we have done. In the early part of the year past, Mr M'Intyre, who had been labouring at Strontian, proceeded to Nova Scotia, and has laboured much there, and also in Prince Edward's Island, with great acceptance throughout. After him we sent Mr Sutherland, who has been employed in those districts where Gaelic is not needed. Subsequently we sent a Mr Monro, a Gaelic student, who has since been licensed. Mr Stuart of Luss spent several months in different parts of that wide-spread land; and latterly, he has remained much at Halifax. There, along with Mr

Romanes of Dartmouth, he began the teaching of students this year, and had the pleasure of seeing sixteen around him. In these labours, and also in continuing to supply the pulpit at Halifax, he was succeeded by Mr Forrester of Paisley, who has carried them on with great energy, vigour, and an amount of success which gives larger promise of future progress and farther extension. Mr Forrester, in a late communication, says, 'There are upwards of fifteen young lads attending the academy, and five interesting and superior young men at the college; but for the uncertainty as to a professor, there would have been twelve or fifteen. I generally spend four hours every day in the academy and college. My students are reading some of the higher classical authors-the Greek of the Epistle to the Galatians, critically; and such is their progress in logic, that I fully expect to be able to take them through a short course of moral philosophy before the termination of the session. The whole educational movement inspires me with high hope for the future success of our cause in the lower provinces.' When we remember that Halifax is 120 miles from Toronto, and that Nova Scotia and the neighbouring islands contain 80,000 Presbyterians, the necessity and importance of a full college, or at least of a gymnasium and theological hall at Halifax, will at once be allowed; and the Committee hope and trust that the Church will approve of what has been done in this respect by the Committee, and will be inclined to prosecute the scheme with vigour. In other things we have often had to complain of the want of sufficient exertion by those on the spot. This is not the case with respect to the college at Halifax. Associations have been formed, and collectors appointed in various parts of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward's Island, for the purpose of raising a fund to endow one or more professorships. Your Committee have promised to aid them in paying the professors for two or three years, and ministers and people in many districts have set themselves vigorously to work to raise the requisite sum within that time. But the brethren there look to us to supply what is more difficult to be got than even the funds, viz., the professors. A preparatory professor we have at length found. The Rev. Mr M'Kenzie, well qualified, as we have every reason to think, for the work, goes to Halifax in July. As yet they have not been able to find any to fill the important chair of divinity; but they would still hope that, before winter, some suitable person will be found; and meanwhile Mr P. Mackay of Rhynie, who has succeeded Mr Forrester, has kindly undertaken to teach any students who may be in Halifax during summer, so much of the Hebrew language as the time will permit.

LOWER CANADA.-" In Lower Canada the greatest destitution of labourers still exists, and Quebec has been added to the list of most important cities without any minister holding the principles of this Church. This is one of the most important stations in Canada, and the Committee deeply regret that they have not been able to find a suitable pastor for that vigorous and influential congregation which exists there. Montreal is the principal city in the British colonies. There are two congregations adhering to our principles in it-the congregation of St Gabriel's Street Church, under Mr Leishman, and the congregation of Cote Street Church, still destitute of a stated pastor. That congregation has peculiar claims on this Church. Those who now form it looked with intense interest on the struggle which we were called to engage in for the liberties of Christ's people. They were the first to congratulate us at the Disruption, on having taken a position full of hope for ourselves and the world. They charged themselves especially with making known our principles in Canada, and receiving and carrying forward our deputations; and they have continued to show the deepest sympathy in all our trials and in all our difficulties. They gladly receive and entertain our ministers during their residence in Montreal, and they willingly and liberally contribute to the Colonial Fund and other Schemes of the Church.

"It is of those who now form this congregation that Mr Lewis, in the first deputation, said :-'There is in this city the materials of a living and life-like church, men who have long mourned over the apathy and imbecility of Scotch Presbyterianism, and have been retained in her communion only by national predilections, and the hope of some favourable event, in the providence of God,

which should rekindle the embers of the Presbyterian Church,' And their conduct and proceedings have been just what Mr Lewis anticipated. They have made the greatest exertions to aid congregations all around them. They have built a large school and a noble church for themselves in Montreal; and they want only a suitable pastor to extend their usefulness on every side. In this last respect they have had peculiar trials. Those they have called have not been able to go to them, and though they have again and again put the whole matter into the hands of the Colonial Committee, we have not been able to procure a person to occupy that important station. We found a schoolmaster for them, who lived only to show them what might be done, even in a few months, in this respect. So that their large and c. mm dious school, and their beautiful church, erected at an expense of £3000, are at this moment standing, the one without any teacher, and the other without any stated pastor. And yet this congregation goes forward. Every trial and every disappointment they seek to improve as a call for deeper humiliation before God, and an occasion for the more lively exercise of faith and hope. Your Committee, in these circumstances, have felt themselves called upon to use their utmost diligence to help them by deputies sent from this country, and have been able, as yet, to prevent their being vacant for any great length of time. The Lord appears remarkably to have countenanced our efforts in this direction; and it is the often repeated remark of the grateful office-bearers of that Church, that the labours of each successive deputy have been blessed to some, and that none have been sent away empty from this field. Your Committee have been refreshed and encouraged by these things; but they would again urge on the Church more earnestly than ever the necessity of finding a permanent pastor for that most influential sphere. GLENGARRY." Leaving Montreal, the mind naturally turns to Glengarry, a large and wide-spread district containing a very large Highland population. This district all our Gaelic-speaking deputies have visited, and some who also had no Gaelic. Very great coldness and indifference prevailed, and the people seemed at first to desire to be let alone as they were.' But in this district, as in others, each successive labourer seemed to have some work to do, and was blessed to some, besides those who paid mere passing visits. The district was also more permanently visited by several of our missionaries; and latterly, Dr M'Gilvray, after visiting many different places in Canada, devoted himself more permanently and exclusively to Vankleehill and the neighbourhood, where he has gathered a large and most interesting congregation. From the beginning, those who visited Glengarry were encouraged; but of late the Lord has been pleased to bless the labours of his servants in that district very peculiarly. His heritage there was weary, and he has visited and refreshed it; drops of rain began to fall, raising hopes and awakening prayer. The Spirit was not withheld. A time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord came; and almost at the same time, in different places of that wide-spread district, many came under concern for their souls. The whole aspect of the people was changed-they eagerly hastened to the preaching of the word; old and young together seemed deeply affected in different places. Meetings for prayer sprung up on every side. Family worship was begun where it had never been; and men spoke often one to another of the things of God, whose former converse had all been of the present world. The impression reached over a great extent of country; and eye-witnesses declare that you could scarcely have gone to any part of the whole district, without finding ample proofs of the remarkable change. Ministers were eagerly detained wherever they came to preach, and all those who had known the Lord were anxiously resorted to; and there is every reason to believe that many were added to the Church, even of such as shall be saved. The impression has not been confined to that immediate district, but, as in other instances of the kind, this revival has been the means of stirring up the people of God all around to seek a share in such a blessing for themselves and others around them; and we earnestly hope that we shall yet see even greater things than these, and that what has been done is only the beginning of a revival which shall reach to the most distant settlements of that interesting country.

UPPER CANADA." In Upper Canada, we have done comparatively little this year in the way of missionary work, but we have been able to add one or two labourers to the few already on the field there. Still the Committee have to regret that Cobourg and London are as yet not provided with permanent pastors, and that many places inferior to them, but of great importance in themselves, are also without ministers. But while the Colonial Committee regret that they have been able to do so little in supplying the destitution of Churches, they rejoice that they have been able to do something for the College at Toronto, which promises to be of great and permanent advantage to that institution. In conjunction with the Rev. Mr Bayne of Galt, who was sent home by the Canadian Synod, charged to procure from this Church a professor of divinity, they applied to Dr Willis of Renfield Church, and requested him to undertake this important chair. In the application they were happily successful, and Dr Willis entered upon his duties in the month of November last with all his characteristic vigour and ability; and when he will have had more time to mature his plans, and develop his system, still greater benefits will result from the appointment. Your Committee look upon this college with growing interest and full hope of its proving a great blessing to Canada. Already the ability and devotedness of its professors, and the number and proficiency of its students, have given it a high place in the country; and there is every reason to hope that when the additional professors contemplated and required to complete the scheme are procured, and the previous training in the preparatory school begins to develop itself, the institution will be able to stand comparison with any of a similar standing in any country.

EUROPE." But the eyes of all in America and elsewhere have of late been turned to Europe with intense interest, and certainly it is a time of intense interest in the history of all nations. We know not what the issue of these great events may yet be; but, in looking over the vast and varied face of Europe, roused from the calm of years, and agitated to its utmost borders, like the waves of a troubled sea, a very peculiar interest attaches to those watch-towers where British residents have not only raised the protecting flag of their country, but unfurled the banner of the gospel, and set up, in the midst of surrounding darkness and superstition, the simple worship of the New Testament Church. So stands Gibraltar at the extremity of Spain; in constant communication with the inhabitants of that land, and containing at all times a large population of our countrymen-a few of them as civilians, and a great number as soldiers. To that important place we were able this year to send Mr Laing, late of Livingstone, to the assistance of our indefatigable missionary, Mr Strauchan, who still labours with unwearied zeal. Mr Laing entered with great vigour on the work, but, alas! all his prospects and ours were soon overcast by renewed attack of disease, which made it evident that he must speedily leave that place and give up work. He remained long enough, however, to make important observations for the future guidance of the Committee's operations; and he has amply confirmed the opinion to which we have before come, as to the absolute necessity of raising a church there, and fixing a permanent pastor, whose labours should be entirely devoted to the British population, if we would do anything effectual for the inhabitants, either British or natives. This is, however, a matter of extreme difficulty. Every inch of the rock is precious, and almost every accessibe spot has already been secured for some purpose. A suitable site would cost a large sum, and building is also expensive. Still, this being absolutely necessary, the Committee would recommend that members of the Church should instantly set about contributing to this great and important object. The expectations of our countrymen there have been raised-the local authorities are most friendly-the official persons who have been consulted at home have expressed their cordial sympathy; and, where nothing is a-wanting but the requisite funds, and these absolutely necessary, the Committee cannot think that Gibraltar will be long without a Presbyterian church and school, with full equipment of minister and session, and schoolmaster, and missionary labourer, who, while he visits the sick and others of our countrymen, will extend his labours to the multitude of Jews and Roman Catholics resident there, as Mr

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