of accompanying her. They reached Portsmouth at the end of June. His residence for some months in this country has been productive of important benefit to the Society. The state and wants of the Negroes are now better understood, and the success which God has granted to his labours among them is more justly appreciated; while regulations have been made and measures adopted, which are calculated, as your Committee trust, to consolidate and extend the work which has been so happily begun.

To these instances of Disabled Labourers, the Committee are sorry to add Mr. and Mrs. Morgan from Sierra Leone. After occupying Mr. Johnson's place at Regent's Town, for a few months, during his absence, they were compelled by ill health to return to this country, where they arrived in the close of December, a few days after Mr. Johnson had embarked on his voyage to resume his labours. They left London in the middle of March, and are now in Devonshire for the recovery of their health.

The Members will observe with concern, that the expenditure under the head of "Disabled Missionaries," in the Accounts both of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Years, is growing somewhat formidable, amounting, in the two years, to upward of 850l.; but they will unite with the Committee in patiently submitting to these dispensations of Providence. The Committee feel it, however, to be their duty, not only to furnish the Society's Missionaries with the best medical directions; but to subject them to examination, in assigning them their Stations, with respect to the state of their health and the nature of their constitutions. In these inquiries, and in the care of such Invalids as have returned home, the Committee have received the most prompt and kind assistance, from the Medical Gentlemen of their own body or connected in various places with the Society; and they beg, on this occasion, thankfully to acknowledge these friendly services.

The Labourers now acting in connection with the Society amount, as nearly as can be ascertained by the

last advices, to about 200. Of these, thirty-two are Clergymen-one half, of the English Church; and the other half, of the Lutheran. Of these Clergymen, twenty-two are married. The remainder of these Labourers consist of Readers of the Scriptures, Catechists, Schoolmasters, Schoolmistresses, and Settlers -European and Native.

About Fifty persons have offered themselves, in the course of the last year, as Candidates for the Missionary Service: nearly a third of these have been received. Some of them have already set forward to their work among the Heathen; and the others are placed, with the Students previously received, in a course of preparation for future labour. Of those

who are thus under preparation, several have been already admitted to Holy Orders, and are now fulfilling the duties of the Ministry on Curacies-others are studying under the direction of Clergymen—and others are preparing for service under the Society, in the Seminary at Bâsle.

An arrangement has taken place, in the course of the year, with reference to the Society's Students, which the Committee consider as likely to prove highly beneficial. Great inconvenience was experienced in receiving the Students and Missionaries into the House in Salisbury Square, from the growing business of the Society, and the limited accommodation which, in consequence, the House furnished to the Students. A House has, therefore, been taken in the Parish of Islington, within a convenient distance of Salisbury Square, for the especial accommodation of such Students and Missionaries as it might be requisite to have for any time in London. To this House Mr. and Mrs. Bickersteth have removed; while the House in Salisbury Square is appropriated to the carrying on of the Society's daily business, which, the Committee rejoice to say, is gradually increasing.

The Bâsle Seminary has been mentioned. In this Institution there are now Eight Students, attached to

the Society, and under preparation for its service. It was stated in the last Report, that the Rev. Messrs. Jetter and Deerr had been for some time in that Seminary. The Bâsle Institution is likely to become a very efficient instrument in engaging Christians on the Continent in the prosecution of Missionary Labours*.

MISSIONS.

The Two Hundred Labourers just mentioned are distributed among Eight Missions-the West Africa, the Mediterranean, the North India, the South India, the Western India, the Ceylon, the Australasia, and the West Indies. In these different Missions, between 9000 and 10,000 Children are under Education, and many thousand Adults hear the glad tidings of Salvation of these, many hundreds make a credible profession of Christianity, and adorn the Gospel of God their Saviour.

WEST AFRICA MISSION.

The Mission on the coast of Western Africa, as is well known, is one of peculiar difficulty; arising, in some measure, from the insalubrity of the climate to Europeans, but chiefly from the ruinous influence of the Slave Trade. The suspension of the Susoo and Bullom parts of this Mission, principally in consequence of the late revival of that iniquitous Traffic, was stated in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Reports: there is no hope of their renewal, with any prospect of extensive and permanent success, till that Trade shall receive its last blow: in the mean time, the disappointments of the Society from this quarter continue to be abundantly remunerated by the increasing success of its labours among the Liberated Negroes assembled within the Colony of Sierra Leone.

Before the Committee enter on the details respecting this Colony, they will advert to the inquiries which

* In Appendix II. will be found some account of the History and Prospects of the Missionary Institution at Bâsle.

have been made with a view to the ultimate extension of the Mission among the Natives of the Interior.

The intended Journey into the Bassa Country, mentioned in the last Report, has been effected. In February, March, and April, of last year, Mr. Cates, accompanied by William Tamba and William Davis, with other Natives, travelled nearly 400 miles down the Coast-more than a third of the distance between the Colony and Cape Coast. Tamba and Davis addressed their countrymen, and frequently with much effect. In the Bassa Country, in particular, their reception was highly favourable; and there is every hope of establishing a Mission there, at some future opportunity. Their route was through the Sherbro, Cosso, and Bassa Countries.

The Journal of Mr. Cates will be read with pleasure, mingled with regret at the early loss of this able and devoted Labourer, who has been since taken to the Rest which remaineth for the children of God.

In reference to this Journey, Mr. Cates wrote, Jan. 30, 1819

The undertaking is attended with considerable danger and difficulty, especially to my companions. They left their country as Slaves; and, should their old Masters hear of their return, it is probable that they would strive to regain possession of them. This and other things have been mentioned to them: to all which they reply, that it is possible such things may happen; but that they count not their liberty nor their life dear to them, so that they may have the opportunity of telling their countrymen the good tidings which they have heard at Regent's Town, and what God has done for their souls.

The principal difficulty, as it regards myself, is the inability of Europeans to bear the fatigue which such a journey, through the woods and wilds of Africa, on foot, necessarily occasions. To this I can only say, with my companions, I know not what may happen; but, for the sake of being, in any degree, instrumental to the conversion of sinners, I am willing to go forth. Even should I fall in the attempt, life cannot be lost in a better service. We may possibly experience hostility from the Natives; but we will leave our protection to Him in whose Name we go, rather than provoke it by taking means of self-defence.

Mr. Cates's Journal will be found in Appendix III.

The greatest opposition that I expect is from the carnal minds of men, which lead them to hate those holy truths that we must declare. Long benighted with ignorance, and the willing slaves of sin and Satan, I know that no human power can convert them; but when God will work, who shall let it! If His strength be displayed in our weakness, we shall be sufficient for our work; and, while all the benefit shall be the sinner's, all the glory shall be the Lord's.

On his return, Mr. Cates addressed another Letter to the Secretary, dated April the 19th, from which the Committee will extract a few passages:

After experiencing manifold mercies for ten weeks, we have been brought back in health and safety. The prospect of success you will learn from my Journal.

In several places there is a willingness to receive Missionaries, particularly in the Bassa Country, of which William Davis is a native. During four days that we remained at the King's Town, I was called on, three or four times in a day, to read and explain the Word of God to them; while they heard with marked attention, and devised every means that they could to retain it in their memories. The Headmen from the different Towns in King John's dominions assembled, and consulted on the propriety of receiving Teachers. There was not a single dissentient voice; but, on the contrary, many (among whom the King was foremost) were anxious that we should speedily send some person to them, The King willingly acquiesced in a proposal which I made to him, to place William Davis among his countrymen as a Teacher; and, though he would have been glad to receive an European, acknowledged the propriety of commencing the Mission with an African. Should the people shew the sincerity of their desire to receive instruction by a diligent attendance on him, it would be an encouragement afterward to send an European.

There are many other places where Missionaries would be gladly received, but they do not appear so well suited to begin with an African; as the principal men have, from long acquaintance with Englishmen, made such progress in civilization, as to possess general knowledge superior to any of our Christian Negroes. This is the case particularly at the Galinas, where there are some families who received a liberal education in England, during the triumph of the Slave Trade: they are still much addicted to this nefarious traffic; but are so far convinced of the advantage of education, that they would receive a White Missionary, though they would treat contemptuously any attempt to send a liberated Slave to them,