but were the same mode of procedure adopted now as in the days of Moses and Elijah, there would be no end of the slaughter; so numerous are the votaries of Baal, even in the midst of a Church which is called Protestant and evangelical. But the woe pronounced against them "will surely come, it will not tarry" beyond" the appointed time." He that cometh from Bozrah, travelling in the greatness of his strength, who is red in his apparel, will come, and put in motion the wine-press of his wrath. His glittering sword is bathed in heaven, he hath bent his bow and made it ready, for the overthrow and destruction of all seducers.

Go on, ye hirelings and wolves, in your thousand places of concourse, and persuade your poor flocks to sacrifice unto other gods than Him whom Abraham called his Lord, and whose goings were heard on the mountains of Israel. Go on, ye corrupters of youth, ye blind leaders of the blind, and amidst the plaudits of the ignorant and ungodly, despise the sovereignty of the Ancient of days, that ye may imagine on his throne a being of your own defining, that ye may dream the Almighty to be such a one as yourselves. Go on, ye people of rank and fashion, and proudly sneer at the true incarnate Jehovah of the Bible, and pay your worship to the wisdom of the day! Alas! the angel is already flying through the midst of heaven, and crying, "Woe ! woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth!" The sword is already drawn to slay you, the pile of Tophet ordained of old is already erected, on which, forsaken by your imaginary gods, you will become flaming monuments for ever of the Divine justice, and of all holy vengeance. O it is fearful indeed to fall into the hands of the living God; for he is a consuming fire. I beseech you to lay it to heart: he is a jealous God, and a consuming fire!

But thou, Israel, take the harp, rejoice and be glad! thy God liveth! Carmel and Golgotha, heaven and earth, vie with each other, in shewing forth, "Thy God liveth!" Join in the song, O Israel! and cry aloud as with the voice of a trumpet, laying one hand on thy heart, and lifting up the other on high," My Lord, he is the God!" The everlasting King!

This shall be known in all the earth! Amen.

LETTER

From Mrs. Leslie, widow of the late Missionary to Jamaica.
Cocoa Walk, March 13th, 1837.

MY DEAR
The return of the present season very
naturally brings with it a recollection of past scenes, in which
your active and disinterested kindness is often presented to
my mind. I can truly say, that at no period have I overlooked
your Christian and affectionate attention to us, who had been
until then almost strangers to you; but during the last few
days or weeks, I have felt a more than ordinary anxiety to hear
from you, and as that pleasure has hitherto been denied me,
I am constrained to write. I feel convinced that your silence
has not arisen from any want of sympathy with me in my
heavy trials, which were so soon allotted me in a strange land.
Neither can I believe that you do not feel an interest in my
present labours, and a wish to know how it fares with me and
my dear child, whether we have found Him faithful who has
said, "Leave thy fatherless children unto me, I will preserve
them alive, and let thy widows trust in me." I need scarcely
tell you, that his promises are all yea and amen in the Lord
Jesus. We have found them so of a truth, and I have been
kept in perfect peace, and my mind stayed upon the Rock of
Ages, the unchangeable God, who will never leave, never for-
sake his people. While all his waves and his billows rolled
over me, I was enabled to feel his supporting hand, and by his
grace it has never been withdrawn, so that I may truly say,
My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my
heart, and my portion for ever. I will fear no evil, for thou
art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Thus
have the prayers of my beloved husband, and the prayers of
Christian friends, been answered to me, who am the weakest
of God's servants. I durst not have anticipated, when we left
you, two years since, that our number was so soon to be less-
ened; I did not venture to look for strength of my own to bear
such a separation, but earnestly prayed for grace to say,
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." I feel that in-
finite grace is more honoured in imparting strength to one so
weak, so naturally inclined to lean on every reed that offered,
now that the one on which I fondly flattered myself I might
long rely has been snapped asunder, I would magnify the
grace by which I have been upheld, remembering, that to them
that have no might the Almighty increaseth strength.

You will have heard, through various sources, of the kindness of many friends here, and in particular of Mr. and Mrs. Paterson, with whom I removed to this distant part of the island, with the intention of remaining for a short time, but to whom that short time so attached me, that ultimately we re

A

solved to remain together. Here we have the benefit of a climate almost like home, being very much above the sea, although enjoying its refreshing breezes, and having an extensive view of it. Our house is very large, and pleasantly situated, with a large field around it, where we can take as much exercise as we need in walking, without any fear of intrusion from strangers. Generally speaking, the houses in the lowlands are built (in the country at least,) on such eminences, for the benefit of the air, that it is almost impossible to venture to take a walk, the fatigue of climbing the hill, on your return, doing away with the pleasure as well as benefit of the exercise. We feel the air of the mornings and evenings, at this season, very cold and bracing, and can very well bear to sleep with a blanket or counterpane in addition to the sheet; sometimes I use both. This is a proof that there is a great change from the lowlands, where the lightest counterpane is always folded up at night. We could not endure our incessant labours in a climate like that of Montego Bay or Lucea. We are constantly teaching from 9 until 1, and after dinner from 2 until 4; then we have an hour before tea, when we take all the children out to walk, and on two, or sometimes three evenings in the week, we have the adult school from 6 until 8 o'clock: by that time, we are pretty nearly ready for rest for the night, unless we have letters to finish, which we always try to avoid by getting them written on the other nights. On the Saturdays we have no school, but we find enough to do to get little odd jobs done. On the Sabbath, we are in the school or church, with little intermission, until 4 o'clock. We have school at 9, first service at half past 10, when the few white people who attend are present; the second at 12, which the negro congregation consider as more immediately their own; and the third at 2, for the catechumens, who form most interesting classes, being princi pally those attending the adult schools, and the remainder aged persons. You are aware, I dare say, that this was quite a new station when Mr. Patterson entered on his labours. The people had been anxiously longing for the settlement of a minister among them. Some few young persons had begun to learn to read, but their progress has been such as to encourage us very much. We have, at the adult school, 300 in attendance during the week, and as many on the Sabbath. these, 90 are reading in the Scriptures, the rest on lesson boards. In my day school, again, we have 26 children reading in the Testament. They are very eager to be possessed of one of the Gift Testaments from the Bible Society, to which they are entitled as soon as they are able to read it; but besides, they willingly purchase Bibles, at 6 or 8 shillings sterling. Mr. P. ordered a considerable number from Scotland, with the Psalms and Paraphrases, as well as a number of Psalm,

Of

books, which were speedily bought up. Our congregation begins to look more like one at home, now that the people have their books in their hands, and the psalmody is very creditable. They are generally fond of singing, and a portion of our time in the schools is taken up in teaching them such of the psalms as we generally use in public worship. They are a very docile people. When Mr. Paterson is from home, Mrs. P. and I have no hesitation in conducting the classes ourselves, and I often think I should not like to try the same in Ireland. We have much assistance now from the boarders, many of whom are steady as monitors. At first, we had not one to take a class, except ourselves and the female servants whom we had brought with us from the lowlands. Mr. Paterson found he could not visit the coffee plantations as the Missionaries in the other stations did the sugar estates, in consequence of the negroes being so much scattered in their work, that they could not conveniently be called together for a short time, during their working hours. In this way he was led to take in a few boarders, and the number has increased until he has now upwards of thirty. You may imagine the amount of trouble connected with such an establishment at home, but you must multiply it, before you will arrive at any just conception of such an undertaking here, where you have bad servants, and difficulty in getting even such, besides the utter ignorance and want of discipline in which the children have been brought up at home. As they are principally children of colour, I dare say you will understand that they are without the well-ordered restraints of any thing like a family circle. We trust a better day has dawned on Jamaica, and that society will, by degrees, assume a more pleasing aspect. As it has been hitherto, all is in a state of confusion the most revolting to the feelings of a Christian. Morality, among all classes, has been at a very low ebb. There is already a decided improvement, and the change of system has been no less beneficial to the planter than to the apprentice. Soon, we trust, there will be an evident proof, in every rank of society, that the Gospel has not been preached in vain, but that the blessing of God has accompanied the self-denying labours of many who are now engaged in sowing the good seed of the word. But to return to our schools. Mr. and Mrs. Paterson are, you may be sure, fully occupied, in their school, providing for such a family, and the various duties connected with the forming of a congregation. Now that Mr. P. is about to have his Church to build, in addition, they feel the necessity of an assistant, and are hoping to be able to obtain one from Ireland, who has been strongly recommended, and whose attention has been for a long time turned to the missionary field. It is impossible for Mr. P. to devote his time to the school in future, as he was able to do for the first year; his labours are, of course, increasing every

week, and yet it is not easy to think of giving it up, as the influence of these young persons on their families and neighbourhood must be expected to be very considerable. In addition to the boarders, who are from some distance, there are a few who attend as day scholars, and they are making rapid progress in their education, under Mr. Paterson's excellent management. Our Negro school gets on very well; we have upwards of 100 on the list, and nearly as many in regular attendance. Some of those who came first have made a very satisfactory improvement, suited to encourage me in every way. I feel the heavy responsibility connected with such a change, and bless God for every promise of assistance in the arduous task. The parents are much delighted with the advancement of their children, and in some cases we have already had reason to hope, that the benefits are not confined to the little ones, but extend to those with whom we cannot so immediately come into contact. I ventured, in writing to Mr. to request him to try and do something for our Church, or for our school, at the then approaching meeting of Synod. As I have never heard from him in reply, I dare say he found that it was easier to write on such a subject, than to induce any to feel such an interest as to extend their aid. I am well aware that Mr. -'s time, as well as that of my other friends in the Synod, must be very much occupied, and yet I have felt disappointed, that from none, except Mr. B- and Mr. P, have I had the least token of remembrance or sympathy.*

From the Juvenile Missionary Society, in Dr. Hanna's congregation, I had a proof of their remembrance in their intention to transmit a sum, (I know not how much,) in aid of our school; but being sent through the Scottish Missionary Society, it has not reached us here yet, and I begin to think it has been acknowledged as granted to their schools in general. Even so, it will do good. Still I should be gratified to see that my friends appreciated the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Paterson, and were willing to assist him. The whole respon sibility of supporting the school comes on him, besides my salary, which he insists on paying me, £60 currency, or about £40 sterling. I have been grieved to think that, while his friends in Scotland expressed themselves willing to contribute to my support here, not one of my own friends had ever once asked me how I was to be supported, or by whom. Mr. Paterson's generosity in paying me such a salary, independent of my board, and the delicacy with which it has been done, has laid me under heavy obligations to him. I might have had other situations, it is true, and in that way have exonerated

• Various letters were written, though not received.-Ed.