"You will hardly be surprised, but very much grieved, to hear that our beautiful vineyard at Ningpo has been uprooted, though, thank God, not destroyed, by the wild boar out of the woods. The rebels took the city on Monday the 9th, with very little resistance, and with comparatively little bloodshed. Our dear brethren then felt it to be their duty to abide in their places, and run the risk of all that it might please our heavenly Father to send upon them. They were therefore in the city when it was taken, and for some days afterwards. I am thankful to say, that though they had to pass through much excitement, alarm, and riot, not a hair of their heads has been touched, and, with the exception of one of our catechists, of whom they are without tidings, all the native Christians are unharmed. Thanks be to God for this signal mercy! The comparative moderation shown by the captors of the city at the first, is, however, giving way to plunder and violence on all hands, and our brethren are compelled to leave, and take up their residence in the English settlement, which is separated from the native city by a creek and a few roods of land. Our brethren deserve all praise for their stedfastness and courage.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell,

and, indeed, all the others too, acted as true heroes and heroines, and, but for them, much more blood would have been shed. Mrs. Moule being out of health, had come up to stay with us a fortnight or so before the outbreak, so she was in safety. We are expecting her husband and the boys and girls from the Ningpo school every hour, and shall give or procure them shelter until they can, if ever, return to their own

native city. At present the prospect seems very dark.

"Our brethren, I am sure, will have alt your sympathies. They have hazarded their lives for Christ's sake. Thank God, even in the howling tempest and withering storm His work goes on. Flight, loss, bereavements, will bring the Gospel, already heard, home to many."

So be it! It is a sore trial to us to see our flourishing Mission at Ningpo thus broken up. Our Missionaries were beginning to get a hold on the people. They had more than 150 baptized converts, and nearly 100 communicants. The schools were full of promise, and all seemed most hopeful. But now has come a check and surely our duty is plain. Our God has proved Himself to us again and again to be the God that heareth prayer. He preserved the lives of our dear Missionary brethren in the terrible mutiny in India. He protected Mr. and Mrs. Hinderer in their time of peril in Africa, of which we told you in our Paper for Christmas last. And He, too, overruled the minds of these rebel chiefs, and withheld them from hurting his beloved servants at Ningpo. When He has said, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm," all the malice of Satan is in vain: they are safe in the midst of danger. Christian friends, let us praise God for the grace given to these our brethren and sisters, who "have taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that in heaven they had a better and enduring substance;" and let us pray earnestly on their behalf; for if they are ready to take their lives in their hands, and go forth for the Lord Jesus · Christ's sake, can we at home do less?

THE BURIAL-GROUND AT KISSEY, SIERRA LEONE.

Let us read the names on some of the tombs. In the front is the grave of Gustavus Nyländer. He was one of the first West-African Missionaries. He sailed for Africa more than fifty years ago. He was shipwrecked on his way out, on the coast of Ireland; but he only waited for another vessel, and, after many dangers, at last arrived among the negroes, whom he had learnt to love for his Master's sake. The slave-traders did all they could to hinder his work; and the people seemed almost as hard and careless as their cruel oppressors. In his last letter to England he breathed forth this prayer, "O that the name of Jesus might be glorified by the conversion of one Bullom!" And so at last he sank to rest. It was not given to him to see the fruit of his labours. He died in faith, not having received the promise, but in him was that saying true, "One soweth and another reapeth."

We read the name on another stone.

On the left-hand side beyond the paling is the grave of a Missionary's wife. She wrote thus in her journal-"That goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my pilgrimage ought to be engraven on this heart, with feelings never to be effaced. At the commencement of this year, I find myself brought by a gracious God and Father in Christ to Africa's coast-a land where gross darkness, sins described in Rom i., direful sickness, and sudden death prevail. Still I feel it my great privilege, yea, my cause of rejoicing, to leave my native land and friends of my youth for His sake, who for mine became poor that I through His poverty might be rich. When I think of all the Lord's forbearance and long-suffering towards me, under constant provocations, I am constrained to say—

'Lord, who's a pardoning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?' We pause by one other tombstone.

It is the memorial of the wife of another Missionary. She arrived in January, and died of fever in the following July. About four hours before her death, she sang, in a clear and melodious voice, the first verse of a German hymn, which testified of her hopes and prospects in the near approach of death

"To me to live is Christ;
To die is gain to me;
My anxious spirit longs

The Friend above to see

Gladly the world I leave;

To all I bid farewell;
With Christ in endless bliss

Soon, soon, I hope to dwell."

In the course of the first twenty years of the Mission, no fewer than fifty-three Missionaries or Missionaries' wives died

at their post. Take only one example. In 1823, out of five Missionaries who went out, four died within six months; yet two years afterwards, six more pre

sented themselves. Two fell within

four months of their landing in Africa. The next year three more went forth, two of whom died within six months. Yet there never has been wanting, up to this very day, a constant supply of willing labourers, to carry the message of Christ's salvation to the heathen of that benighted land.

And what was their motive? A voice from the dust answers, "The love of Christ constraineth us.' Christian friends, if they have freely given their lives, will not you give your prayers? Will not you make some sacrifice for such a work, for such a Saviour?

And who were the people amongst whom these Missionaries sojourned? If they had to contend against disease and death, they had also to contend with a thousand difficulties from the people to whom they went. You know that the inhabitants of Sierra Leone are gathered from all parts of West Africa. They

were re-captured slaves. They had been torn away by the slave-trader from different nations, from far distant countries, strange to each other, sometimes each others' enemies, and were then set free, by our British cruisers, in the colony of Sierra Leone, poor naked savages, full of ignorance and superstition. At first the Missionaries spoke to them in vain. Their hearts were dull and cold. They had no ear for the glad tidings of the true liberty. But about the year 1817 it pleased God to send a wonderful awakening among them. The Spirit of the Lord began to move mightily in the midst of them. Many were smitten with a deep sense of sin. Many began "What must I do to be saved ?" cry, Many laid hold on the hope set before them: they received Jesus as their Saviour, and learnt to show that they loved the Saviour by keeping His commandments. One of our early Missionaries thus describes the change in one of them, and it is only an example of many like it. "A man," he says "who had been reclaimed from the depths of sin, when asked, 'Well, how is your heart now?' replied,Massa, my heart no live here now. My heart live there,'-pointing to the skies."

to

A true Church is a living temple; and every real convert is a living stone of the spiritual house, built upon the "chief corner-stone, elect, precious." Thus was the Church of Philippi built up; and Lydia and the jailer were the first stones of the building. And thus has the church of Sierra Leone been built. Our first Missionaries, like wise masterbuilders, laid the foundation" the foundation which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. iii. 10, 11.) It was left to others to build thereupon. They saw but little fruit of their toil. But, though in Kissey graveyard they rest from their labours, yet their works do follow them. They did not run in vain nor labour in vain. Worldly men may have thought it all a foolish waste of life; but we know that it was not so. God's word has not returned to Him void; and now, by His continued blessing, we are able to point to Sierra Leone, as one of the greatest triumphs of the Gospel that these latter days have seen.

We have carried your minds back to these early days of our African Mission, that we may introduce to you a picture of the present, to compare with these records of the past. Sierra Leone is ceasing to be a Mission field, not because the Missionary's work has failed, but because his work is almost done.

Sierra Leone has become a Christian land; and, at the beginning of the present year, the people of nine congregations determined to take upon themselves the support of their own Native Ministers, instead of receiving any more help from us. It will gladden your hearts, Christian Friends, to read the letter which these Negro Clergymen wrote to England on the occasion-one of the most remarkable we have ever been permitted to lay before you. It is as follows. The thoughts and the words are all their own

"To the REV. H. VENN, Sec., C. M. S.

"Freetown, Sierra Leone, "Jan. 21, 1862.

"REV. AND DEAR SIR, -We, the undersigned, formerly agents in the service of the Church Missionary Society, desire, at the present stage of our work, humbly to tender our heartfelt gratitude to Almighty God for the many religious privileges we enjoy through the Society as the honoured instrument. in the hands of God. We have witnessed a material change in the character of our work. The Sierra-Leone Mission, sustained for more than fifty years by the self-denying zeal and liberality of British Christians, has, during the last year, passed from a Missionary state into a settled ecclesiastical establishment, under the immediate superintendence of the Bishop.

"This is the day which many of Africa's staunch friends, who had served her in her day and generation, would have rejoiced to see. The change which has just recently taken place in the condition of the Native Church of Sierra Leone is too important, we conceive, to be allowed to pass by without some special notice on our part.

"The period seems a very fitting one for calm reflection. We would pause and consider the way in which the Lord has led this Mission from infancy to comparative manhood. We would call to mind that the see ls of the rich harvest, which gladden the hearts of all God's people, were sown years gone by in much weakness, in tears, yea, in the blood of a host of martyrs, who counted not their lives dear unto them; that we ourselves have been gratuitously educated in the first place, and then employed in the work in which we are now engaged; and that the congregations we are now serving have been gathered and carefully tended for more than half a century by your faithful Missionaries. These are privileges which

call forth our gratitude at this important juncture. We pray that a thousand rich blessings from above may, in return, descend upon you.

"The separation, we hope, is merely outward: inwardly we shall still be united in the indissoluble bonds of the Gospel-on our part by respect, affection, and gratitude; on your part, we trust, by your prayerful sympathy, counsel, and guidance.

66

May the congregation now under our pastoral care not take any hurt or hindrance by our negligence; but may they continue to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is with feelings of thankfulness that we record the willingness of our people to come forward for the support of the Native Ministry. About 6007. are being raised among them for this object. But the chief difficulty in the way is the dilapidated state of almost all our churches. And our people, backed by Bishop Beckles (whom may God preserve), are making vigorous efforts towards the restoration of our places of worship.

"We will not take up much of your valuable time by any lengthened remarks; but, commending ourselves and work to the sympathy of the Committee, 'We remain, Rev. and dear Sir, "Yours respectfully,

(Signed) "GEO. NICOL. J. J. THOMAS. JACOB COLE. W. QUAKER. MOSES TAYLOR.

THOMAS MAXWELL. JAS. QUAKER. JOSEPH WILSON. JOHN H. DAVIES. CHARLES DAVIES."

There is a story connected with one of these African clergymen, and though some of our readers may have heard it before, it will bear telling again. Some time ago, our black friend was walking on Hampstead Heath, and stopped to admire the magnificent view of London which stretches out along the distance. As he gazed upon the scene, a labourer, who was breaking stones on the other side of the road, kept looking up at him from over the shade which covered his

eyes to keep the little fragments which were chipped off the stones from hurting them. No doubt it seemed strange to him to see a black man looking so intently on the view he had himself seen every day for many years past; and in his eyes, perhaps, the wonder would be increased by seeing the African dressed in every respect like an Englishman.

Presently the black man turned to him, and, to his great surprise, asked him in English what a certain building was, which he saw in the distance. The labourer answered civilly that it was St. Paul's, and then replied to several other questions, till he had wellnigh explained the position of all the chief buildings in London, which could be seen from the hill on which they were standing.

When this was done, after a short pause, the African continued, “Well, my friend, you have here a very large and magnificent city; but, after all, it is not to be compared with the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem,' which you and I shall both see one day, I hope."

If the honest labourer was surprised before, his astonishment was much greater now.

"Why," said he, “do you know any thing about those things?"

"Yes, thank God," replied the African, "I am happy to say I do. It was not always so. I was once in darkness, and knew nothing of the true God; but good Missionaries from England came, and taught me about Jesus Christ, and now I live in hope of one day seeing Him in that beautiful city, the heavenly Jerusalem, where I shall dwell with Him for ever."

By this time the good man had pushed the shade off his face, and thrown down his hammer. He came across the road, and, grasping the African's hand, exclaimed, "Why, then, you're one of them that I've been praying for these twenty years! I never put a penny into the Missionary box without saying, 'God bless the black man!'"