their children for baptism, and an opportunity was afforded of uniting the two congregations, which might never again occur. The example of the apostles coincided with these views, for they established churches wherever the truth had been preached effectually, and for several years this had been done in Lyons. Urged by these considerations, I determined to connect the administration of the Sacraments with the preaching of the gospel; in other terms, to found a church, and commit myself to God for deliverance from surrounding difficulties.

To found a church! and of what character? One placed by its origin in a new position, and which from the world, and even many Christians must encounter all those prejudices associated with the single word,

Separation,' whether in a good or evil application. And in what circumstances? When Protestant opposition triumphed in my suspension, and when, perhaps, I was on the point of exciting a Roman Catholic opposition? And in what times? When questions about ecclesiastical forms were more than ever agitated, explained, or shall I say, obscured by discussion? And with what assistance? Alone, with little experience in the pastoral office; still more so in the formation of a church; surrounded by friends, who, in this point, not better informed than myself, confided in me for direction. What a task! At one moment, I thought of laying the foundation of a church, and studied the Acts of the Apostles for this special purpose. But this I soon discovered would be likely to produce little satisfaction. With what prudence and attention soever these

first foundations should have been laid, yet if I deceived myself, that deception would, perhaps, have been in some point of consequence; and might endanger at the entrance the future existence of the church which I desired to establish; I could never proceed with confidence in this way. But it occurred to me, there is a way in which I shall find peace, and the establishment security. I shall proceed gradually as the Lord shall indicate by necessities and circumstances, commit myself to his guidance as to time, place, and manner, and for the rest, enter into no plan or engagement for future action. I shall not form a constitution by anticipation, nor preoccupy my mind with the idea of doing something new. I shall not run hastily into another way, but pursue a direct course, enforcing out of the church, since I am not allowed to do so in it, those principles which I have constantly proclaimed. To officiate in, or out of the church-to receive a salary from the state or not, are circumstances of minor importance, and the change of which gives me little concern. The essentials are the truths which, in another place, I am to apply with all who partake them, and who are more attached to principles than custom, and to doctrine than walls. "Lord, this is thy work, lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies." Psa. xxvii. 11. Once confirmed in this view, I felt great tranquillity, and it afforded me a refuge in all times of uncertainty and distress. From the application of this principle has arisen all that I afterwards effected, of which, I shall give you a brief account.'

the horrible example related in the enclosed papers, to warn your Grace, that there is an absolute necessity to abolish the slave trade and the West Indian Slavery; and that to be in power, and to neglect, as life (and I may add the tenure of office) is very uncertain, even a day in endeavouring to put a stop to such monstrous injustice and abandoned wickedness, must necessarily endanger a man's eternal welfare, be he ever so great in temporal dignity or office. This was my warning to Lord North eleven years ago.

Notwithstanding these powerful appeals, the barbarous murder remained unpunished: but by circulating accounts of the trial in newspapers, letters, &c. a very powerful effect was produced, and Mr. Sharp was encouraged to renewed efforts by the very decided countenance and support of Dr. Hinchcliffe, Bishop of Peterborough, and Dr. Porteus, then Bishop of Chester.

The benevolent exertions, however, of Mr. Sharp, were accompanied with

soon

considerable personal inconvenience in consequence of his being generally recognized as the patron of the distressed Africans. When the case of Somerset was decided, there were many slaves in the metropolis, who had been brought over by their masters, and being now at liberty, and having no trade by which they could subsist, and no parish they could call their own, many of them fell by degrees into great distress. Mr. S. was therefore speedily assailed by numerous applications for relief, and he was thence led to form a plan for sending these poor outcasts to some spot in Africa, the general land of their ancestors, where, under proper management, they might before long sufficiently provide for themselves.

While making efforts with a view to this desirable object, he was called upon to interfere on Polyvnd onT proda zé potri

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behalf of a poor Negro who had been trepanned on board a ship bound to Barbadoes, and who was just rescued as the vessel was weighing anchor, having himself come to the desperate resolution, that as soon as it was dark, he would jump into the sea, in order to avoid slavery by death.

This subject,' says Mr. Sharp, writing under date of August 1, 1786, to Dr. Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the temper of mind into which it has thrown me, naturally prompt me to remind your Grace, that the abominable wicked laws of Barbadoes, which expressly tolerate the wilful murder of a slave, still exist to the disgrace of this kingdom; and that the Codrington estate in that guilty island, is still cultivated by involuntary servi tude, though the venerable Society for Propagating the Gospel have long experienced the extreme impropriety and unprofitableness of that baneful mode of cultivation. When that business was mentioned at the last meeting of this Society, I could scarcely refrain from de elaring my mind about it; out thought it might be improper to interfere, as the business was al ready referred to a committee. The answer of the Society, signed by Dr. to Mr. Benezet many

slaves; nor is there any reason to conclude that these slaves were managed in any one respect better than the other negroes in Barbadoes. Recently indeed some efforts have been made for their improvement, but these attempts at improvement were resisted to the utmost by some who still retain considerable influence in the conduct of the Propagation Society.

Mr. S. then proceeds to advert to his own exertions on behalf of the poor slaves during a period of thirteen years, and intreats his Grace's countenance to the plan for a new settlement at Sierra Leone, where it was proposed to plant a colony of negro servants, soldiers, and sailors, many of whom were by their past services in the army or navy, entitled to protection and reward. A plan of this kind had been formed by Mr. Sharp, as early as 1783, but its execution was retarded by many obstacles and difficulties, until at length government, embarrassed by the numerous negroes who begged in the streets of the metropolis, determined to lend some assistance; provision was made for transporting the settlers and supplying them with necessaries during the first six or eight months of their residence in Africa; and a little fleet containing four hundred negroes and about sixty Europeans, sailed April 8, 1787. The commencement indeed of the enterprize was very inauspicious. Many of the adventurers had contracted grievous habits of intemperance. They were detained in the channel,.. and on their voyage, by contrary winds; they landed in consequence at Sierra Leone, in a very unfavour able season, and many of them died the first year. The remainder, however, were actively employed in building a small town, and the colony thus planted gave early promise of success, though it has almost ever since been entangled in considerable difficulty.

The district purchased for the settlement at Sierra Leone is about twenty miles square, and contains 256,000 acres of land. It is situated on a peninsula between the great river of Sierra Leone and the Sherbro, and the back ground consists of lofty mountains, whose sides and summits are covered with timber. The river has a safe deep channel for ships of any burthen, and the harbour is large and excellent. The climate however has been found very unhealthy, and though much of the loss of life has been occasioned by imprudence, yet after every deduction on this score, the mortality among the colonists has proved unusually large.

The infant colony was soon however entangled in serious difficulties -these arose partly from the slender means by which the enterprize was supported-partly from the want of a more efficient authority than that under which the colonists were placed, the settlers being governed by a somewhat fanciful code of laws, drawn up by Mr. Sharp, on a system which may answer very well when supported by the strong arm of baronial power, but which will never succeed among poor and partially civilized adventurers; but the main difficulties arose from the hostility of the slave traders, who regarded the establishment of a free settlement on the slave coast, as most inju rious to their own pursuits; and from the breaking out of the French Revolutionary war, when the settlement was captured, and the buildings and property wantonly destroyed, by a French squadron which entered the harbour in Sept. 1794.

The colony indeed, as originally planted by Mr. S. had been previously given up to the Sierra Leone company, a voluntary association formed, on the most benevolent principles, in 1790, and incorporated by charter. The heavy losses