pieces of sandal-wood, and some clubs and spears-smallest value, £12. 58. ; being three or four pounds above the amount of last year. In addition to this collection, the quarterly contributions of the members and others have about equalled the quarterly payment of the Teachers.

These gloomy regions are assuming a brighter aspect. The grey dawn of the Gospel has passed away. The Sun of Righteousness is now high in the heavens, and the healing power of His wings is manifest and felt. We already experience great temporal benefit from the change which has taken place. Last year we had scarcely a day or night of rest from wars, and rumours of wars, and broils, and fightings, and cannibalism almost at our door. But these annoyances have, in a great measure, subsided, and we have peace within our borders, with the prospect of its continuance.

But Feejeean atrocities have not ceased. The bulk of the population of this island are still under the sway of Satan. On the morning we held our Missionary Meeting some natives brought us the news that a Chief, residing about eight miles from the Nandy station, had just been murdering a girl to complete a complement of turtles he wished to present to his friends and allies in war. He had caught nine turtles; but one was wanting to make up the tenth! But the body of the girl, we hear, was begged, and interred by the Nasavu Christians. The author of this wanton murder perpetrates these awful deeds in defiance of the Missionaries, and in the face of Gospel light. The Chief who is said to have been the second manslaughterer and cannibal in Feejee is now a professing Christian in the Bua Circuit. And all other consumers of human life, flesh, and blood, will ere long be obliged to follow his example, or find an abode far off from Feejee. Such black deeds cannot withstand the blaze of Divine truth.

Forty-seven persons have embraced Christianity on the small island Ngaloa, near to Angangar, where, a few weeks ago, they threatened to kill the Teacher. It is probable that all on the islet will soon follow their example.

So you see the light is penetrating these dark caverns of cruelty and sin: yet there are very many into which the torch of truth has not entered. We want torch-bearers. Tonga and Feejee have no more. Are there none to be found elsewhere?-Rev. John Malvern, Televa, May 27th, 1856.

BAU.

THE arch-deceiver, the high priest, has been called to give an account of the deeds done in the body. He died without hope. Previous to his death, he acknowledged that he had imposed on the credulity of the people, and that he had long known that an idol" is nothing in the world." This is he who dwelt in a palace built of sinnet, when the writer first visited Bau. This is he who opposed the building of my house in April, 1851, when the terrors of the judgment-day were so pictured out to him and his patron, the Chief Thakombau, that the Chief asked the writer whether he had been on board a vessel that had returned from the other world, and thence gained his information. This is he who shouted, "War! war! war!" when the writer landed at Bau to unfurl the blood-stained banner of the Cross, and to commence this station; and who used his enchantments to effect my death. Of him it is now said, "And he died."

There had been two cases of murder. A woman had quarrelled with her husband, and consequently had run away to a certain town. The friends of the husband took a whale's tooth to those who gave shelter to the woman, and requested them to send her home. The townspeople then assembled and deliberated on the case, and decided that they would not send her home, but kill her for their Sunday's meat! Whereon they put her to death, cooked her body, and ate it the following day, which was the Sabbath.

The other murderer was a Chief of Batiki. He loaded his gun, and took a walk with several attendants, all armed. He then placed an ambuscade; and as the other Chief, his rival, was returning to the town, he shot him, and the man died on the spot. He then went home, apparently unconscious that he had done wrong.

A canoe was sent to the islands, and the murderers were placed in custody. They were tried at Bau, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Still it was evidently premature to punish them for a crime not yet rendered illegal by the law of the land. They were reprieved, and a heavy fine inflicted. It was then announced that murder was henceforth tamboo, and that its agents would be punished with death.

A few weeks afterwards a most horrible murder was perpetrated by a Bau Chief, who was living at a town about eight miles distant. He sharpened a large butcher's knife, and went into the

bush in quest of his wife, who was collecting the leaves generally used for culinary purposes. He found her in company with another woman, and told her he had come to kill her. The two women ran away; but the wife unfortunately stumbled, and her pursuer secured his object. Without detailing the disgusting acts of his savage cruelty, it is sufficiently explicit to state, that, in spite of her entreating the father of her children to spare her life, on condition of future obedience, the monster killed her, and cut her body into fragments. He then fled for refuge to an adjacent town.

Being a personal friend of the Chief's, he came to Bau so soon as he was sent for, doubtless presuming on his influence with the Chief for pardon.

On the 7th of March the murderer was tried, and his culpability proved clearly. I voluntarily attended as counsel for the prisoner, but could urge no plea for acquittal, as his guilt was undeniable, and he spontaneously acknowledged it. He was sentenced to death, and then placed in solitary confinement. In co-operation with my Native Assistant, we visited him thrice every day. For a time he thought I would interpose on his behalf; but I assured him that I could not conscientiously do so. I was already blamed for having prevented the execution of former criminals; and now, that murder had been committed since the promulgation of its prohibition, I could no longer shield the guilty.

He was very ignorant of religious truths. On Sunday, while I explained to him the meaning of the passage, "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched," he broke out in concern for his soul. After a pause, he inquired, "Is my wife in hell?"" I feared she was. He seemed gratified at the reflection that he had sent the soul of his wife to infinite torment. But, when his attention was directed to this fresh proof of his unfitness to die, he again began to inquire, "What must I do to be saved?" He was left earnestly praying to God to have mercy on his soul.

On the evening of the 11th, the criminal was escorted to the gallows. For several reasons, I judged it expedient to be absent on the melancholy occasion, and directed a Native Assistant to accompany the murderer in my stead, to the place of execution. The victim of justice was absorbed in prayer to God, and paid no attention to the assembled populace. He listened solely to the exhortations of his Native Pastor, whilst one of the Chiefs

addressed the company present. At the conclusion of the Chief's speech, the whole assemblage prostrated themselves, and the Teacher engaged in public prayer to Almighty God on behalf of him who was sentenced to die. We could hear distinctly from our house the voice of prayer. Then, amidst the becoming solemnity of perfect silence, the malefactor was ushered into the realities of the eternal state. He had no wish to live; and expressed great regret for all his sins.

It is not to be expected that the worldhorrifying crimes of cannibal Feejee will disappear without the requisite expendi. ture of labour to diminish it. There have been several most shocking cases of strangling, &c., but no more than could have been expected in the transitionstate from the tyranny of cruelty to the reign of love. Nor can we expect to reap where we have not sown, or where our agents have been indolent husbandmen. But in no town, as yet, has there been a repetition of such offences, after we have personally endeavoured to convince the people of the sinfulness of these crimes.

The past six months have been distinguished by the spread of vital godliness amongst our congregations. We are constrained to acknowledge that we realize the presence of Him whose peculiar work it is to convince "the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." This spiritual work is universally in operation throughout the Circuit. It is the "still, small voice," but none the less genuine for that. "Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

After mature reflection, I decided on a measure, which some thought, at the time of its adoption, was premature, but which has succeeded admirably; namely, that all the Native Agents should, at once, be supported by their congregations. This scheme has cost me a very great deal of personal trouble; but its beneficial results amply repay me.

1. It saves the funds to the amount of more than £30 annually, in an item which increases its bulk every year.

2. It bestows upon the people the blessedness of "giving," furnishing them with a frequent and regular opportunity of evidencing their gratitude to God, in a form more tangible than that of words; and instructing them from the very first in the scriptural duty of supporting the Christian ministry. It gives them a greater interest in the work, as they begin to regard the Teachers not so much as the agents of the Mis

sionary, as they used to do, but as their own Pastors. And now that the Native Ministers cost the people something, the people appreciate their labours, and try to realize a return, in spiritual instruction, for their own expenditure. This leads them to frequent, more often than they did formerly, the school and the chapel.

3. It gives a zest to the labours of the Native Pastor. He does not like to let his people see that he is paid by

them for doing nothing. He knows that they will expect him to work; and that they can (and will, if needs be) communicate to the Missionary his inactivity. Hence he is led to guard especially against his tropical indolence. Rev. Joseph Waterhouse, Huntville, May 20th, 1856.

THE amount of contributions and remittances announced on the Cover of the Notices this month is £9,079. 12s. 7d.

To the Editors of the Wesleyan-Methodist

Magazine.

July 5th, 1855,

DEAR SIRS,-In your volume for 1836, pp. 165, 241, you have inserted a memoir of Mrs. Ann Mather. Having received intelligence of the death of MR. MATHER, I thought it might gratify some of your readers to send you a few particulars, chiefly gathered from two letters written by his eldest son, and dated Hobart-Town, April 4th and 5th, 1855. The affliction which issued in his death seems to have been increasing for three or four years, during which he was greatly supported by Divine grace. About fourteen years ago, he married a lady from Skelton, in Yorkshire, of the name of Dixon,-pious and prudent; and his latter years seem to have been much comforted in her society. But he was called to pass through severe trials of a pecuniary kind, for a series of years after the death of his first wife; and his faith and patience were greatly exercised. There is an allusion to this in one of the letters, which may afford encouragement to others similarly tried : "I wrote to you of an opportunity I had had with my departed parent, in which I brought to his mind, how remarkably the words of Psalm cxv. had, some years ago, been applied to his mind, with a deep conviction that they would be realized in his experience. It was at the time of my dear father's troubles, and not long after the decease of my dear sainted mother. And now, after a lapse of so many years, he had been spared to see his conviction literally fulfilled. And, what was more, all his children, their wives, and his daughter's husband, were

The dear

enriched with durable riches.
old man seemed in an ecstasy of delight."
Mr. Mather's declining state warned
his wife and family that his time on
earth was rapidly closing; and it was
arranged that his children should, in
turn, remain at his cottage. Thursday
night, March 22d, was a trying one;
and on Friday he was much worse.
During the day and night, he did not
speak much, but repeated portions of
hymns; as,-

"O that without a lingering groan," &c.
"O, what are all my sufferings here,

If, Lord, Thou count me meet With that enraptured host to' appear, And worship at Thy feet?" &c. Expression there was, also, of desire to be permitted to attain to one of the meanest mansions above; for he felt keenly sensible of his many shortcomings and backslidings; but he trusted that God would be merciful to him, and cause His face to shine on him. The words, "As one star differeth from another star in glory, so shall it be in the resurrec tion," were also his language and evident meditation. Saturday, 24th, his son Samuel was with him during the night, and heard him break out, rapturously, "O God, I will bless Thee; for, though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me." His son-in-law, visiting him, found him declaring his experience in the words of David, "Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name !... Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies." He blessed all his children, individually, praying for them. And deeply sensible

all were that God was with him and with them.

The following morning, Sunday, 25th, his son Robert was at his bedside; when he affectionately said God would bless him for all his attention to his father. His dear wife being distressed and fatigued, he wished her to take rest; and, as the day advanced, he seemed lost to the world, only speaking when addressed. In the evening he inquired of the doctor how his pulse was; and, being told that it was weak, he said, "I am lasting longer than you expected;" and bade him farewell. He afterwards was chiefly silent; only observing, "It will soon be all over."

At breakfast time, Monday morning, it seemed as if he had been taken with a convulsive fit; from which, however, he recovered, but lay speechless, with his hands raised apparently in prayer. At dinner-time, he had another fit. Afterwards he lay about eight minutes as if in a perfect transport of wonder, with his hands a little uplifted. Possibly, as his son remarks, his soul was permitted to look beyond the veil of mortality, and he was enraptured with the beatific vision. But a return of spasmodic pain made him again to know that he was in the flesh. "I wished," says his son Robert, "to know if he was quite conscious; and I put my head down to his ear, and said, gently and distinctly, I know that my Redeemer liveth.' At first he said,

What?' as if absent. I repeated the words; on which he exclaimed, with energy and gladness, 'Yes! blessed be God!' He said nothing more of consequence; and in an hour and a half he breathed his spirit into the hands of his beneficent Creator. All the family, with one exception, surrounded his bed; and the language of all was, 'Praise ! God hath done all things well.""

During all his illness, his intellect was clear. His remains were interred on the Friday following, in the burial-ground of the Society of Friends. On the Sunday evening following, at the Wesleyan chapel, Mr. Manton improved his death.

Mr. Mather was in his seventy-third year. He was of a generous and confiding disposition, as some who knew him when resident in Bishopsgate, London, can testify; and secured to himself the respect and affection of those with whom he had intercourse. He was zealous for God. He died in peace, and is doubtless receiving the eternal reward for which he joyfully waited. I am, &c.,

S. BENSON.

DIED, August 9th, 1855, at Patricroft, in the Fourth Manchester Circuit, JANE, the beloved wife of Christopher Dalton RIPPON. She was the youngest child of Mrs. Mary Marsden, of Worsley, in the Second Manchester Circuit; and was born August 21st, 1813. She had, therefore, nearly completed her forty-second year. From her earliest youth she was carefully trained to fear God, to love His cause, and to revere His ministering servants. This training of a mind and heart full of kind and generous feeling, formed, in early life, the basis of her future character. She had, in an eminent degree," the fear of God before her eyes." Her love to His cause was manifested by the active interest which, in early life, she took in all its departments suited to her years. In these she displayed exemplary diligence and zeal, and was favoured with much success. It was her ambition, her great joy, to be in the company of Christ's saints and Ministers, and to "serve the royal heirs of heaven."

Such being her character, disposition, and associations, many will hear without much surprise that she did not in her early years feel the necessity of a change of heart, or earnestly seek for that "new birth unto righteousness" without which none can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Here, it is much to be feared, is the rock upon which many of the youthful members of religious families split: They have in early life, and to a given time, had all the affectionate veneration for the Lord's servants-all the zeal in His cause-which was exhibited in the instance under review: but, not yet brought to a personal dedication to Christ, they form new associations, acquire new tastes, undergo a silent revolution of character; so that the Spirit of God is grieved, and they settle down into mere "hearers of the word,"if, indeed, they do not finally forsake the people of their fathers. Is it not to be feared, then, that, in the great day of the Lord, many will be found separated from all those in whom, at one time, was their chief delight? The subject of this sketch was, by the mercy of God, kept from associations which would have estranged her heart from the things of God. Pastoral and parental oversight, with entreaty and admonition, never ceased until she became decided for the service of God. Although often visited by the Holy Spirit, and convinced that there was yet lacking something to complete her happiness, it was not until March, 1831, that she formally united herself with the people of God. This she was induced to do, at the earnest solicitation of the late Rev. Robert

May not this be accounted for by the consideration, that absence of grave sin is frequently connected with lack of deep conviction? Hence arises a grievous and dangerous neglect of the great duty of striving "to enter in at the strait gate.' The consequences are often serious. Not unfrequently, after a time, the soul becomes weary and dissatisfied; and, craving after happiness, many are induced to withdraw from the church, and to seek it in the world. In other cases, although a change is produced, "as the going forth of the morning," without any marked transition from darkness to light, -yet, in consequence of being unable to advert to the time of entrance into "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made " His disciples "free," the experience of Christians is more characterized by hope than by confidence; and they are more liable to the assaults of the enemy of souls, upon the question of their acceptance with God, than others who have struggled to be delivered from bondage into glorious liberty, and who can triumphantly declare that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made" them "free from the law of sin and death;" that "the Spirit Himself beareth witness with" their "spirit, that " they "are the children of God." Miss Marsden was happily saved from these results. After long delay, she was led to see that it was her privilege, as well as her duty, to obtain a clear and indubitable sense of God's accepting love. Rising into this enjoyment, she thenceforth continued "to hold fast the beginning of her confidence steadfast unto the end." The communion of saints she held in high estimation, as a means of grace; and she felt it an inestimable boon to belong to a church in which she had an interest in the prayers of a multitude of the righteous. Nor was she unmindful of the duty, thus sweetly imposed upon her, to remember at a throne of grace those with whom she was associated, and from whose intercessions she hoped to derive spiritual benefit.

In the autumn of 1839, she entered into the marriage state; and, whilst continuing "to walk by the same rule," and to "mind the same thing," she was exemplary in the new duties which devolved

upon her. She entered upon new spheres of usefulness; formed new associations, many of which she cherished to her dying day; and gained new friends, who now deeply lament their loss in her comparatively early translation to the home of sanctified spirits.

On the morning of her marriage, her Leader-a plain, good man-took leave of her in these words: "Now, Jane, you know not what lies before you in the order of Providence-whether prosperity or adversity, whether health or sickness; but of one thing be careful: whatever troubles overtake you, keep all right at home. Let your society be that in which your husband will delight, and your home the place where he will always find the greatest amount of comfort and happiness. Keep all right at home." This advice she faithfully and literally followed; and when, during her last sickness, the happiness of the past sixteen years was alluded to, she replied, "I dare not think of that, or I fear I should cast a lingering look behind."

For some weeks she seemed to have a presentiment of her approaching end; and, although still in her usual health, (which, however, had not for some years been vigorous,) she often expressed herself in a way which led her friends to the conclusion, that she did not expect long to remain a sojourner upon earth. Such expressions did not at the time produce any feeling of apprehension; but they now vividly recur to the memory of survivers, and carry the conviction that death to her was not by any means an unexpected messenger.

Her last sickness was of several weeks' duration, and involved severe suffering and depression; but it was borne with perfect resignation. Her confidence in the atonement of Christ was unwavering, and her assurance of a personal interest in that atonement was settled, fixed, unmovable; but it was a source of much concern, that she was not able to realize a higher degree of "joy in the Holy Ghost." Her religion was a chaste and subdued holiness of heart, a deep and trembling sense of her own unworthiness and deficiency, a firm reliance on the merits of Christ, and a confident assurance of her justification by faith in His blood. Whilst enjoying and magnifying this blessing, she felt also the force of an Apostle's inquiry, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye