Fervent is our desire, that you, the Inhabitants of these Colonies, may attain to this practical Christianity; that the fruits of righteousness may appear among you, and that you may reap the rich blessings thereof, in time and in eternity. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against which there is no law."* "If these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful" in that knowledge in which is life eternal: "for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."t

We would now bid you Farewell, in the Lord! regarding as our Christian brethren, "all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," notwithstanding their religious views may differ from our own; not doubting that, though it is our duty to "prove all things, and to hold fast [only] that which is good;"§ yet they who fear God, and work righteousness," what name soever they may bear among men, are accepted with him."||

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May the Lord direct your hearts [universally] into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ:" so as that you may be enabled from heartfelt experience of the Divine Presence being with you, to adopt the language of the inspired penman: "Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us! this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation!"**

APPENDIX.

O.

A REPORT ON NEW SOUth Wales.

To Major General Richard Bourke, K. C. B. Governor in Chief of the Colony of New South Wales, &c. &c.

The Report of James Backhouse and George Washington Walker, on various subjects, connected with the state of the Colony, of New South Wales.

Having devoted nearly two years, to visiting the Colony of New South Wales, with a view to promote the moral and religious welfare of its inhabitants, and being now on the eve of departing from its shores, we think it incumbent upon us, to express the gratitude we feel to the Governor, for the facilities he has been pleased to afford us, in the prosecution of our object, and to present him with a few remarks, on some subjects that have attracted our attention, in the course of our sojourn in this land.

Being convinced, that, how prosperous soever, in general, the population of a Colony, such as New South Wales, may be, in the acquisition of property, nothing can secure the stability of the Government, or the true well-being of the community, short of the divine blessing; and being satisfied that there is no ground to expect this blessing, where the morals of the people are generally bad, we cannot but regard, with mournful interest, the low state of morality, and necessarily consequent defect of religious principle, in the generality of the Inhabitants of this Colony, and look

upon them as demanding the serious attention of an enlightened Government.

The prevailing immorality of the population of New South Wales is, no doubt, to be attributed, primarily, to their neglect of the fear of God. Many secondary causes, however, contribute to foster, if not to induce a state of reckless impiety, in the community.

Foremost in the rank of these, we apprehend, is the encouragement given by the Government, to the consumption of spirituous liquors, by the sanction of their distillation and importation, and by the licensing of houses for their sale.

We would respectfully state our conviction, that the prohibition of the sale of all spirituous liquors, as beverage, would promote the reformation and prosperity of the population, in a greater degree than any other measure, in the power of the Government to adopt.

In an object of such vital importance to the true interests of the community, the influence of such a measure upon the revenue, scarcely deserves consideration; yet, as this may have weight in the estimation of some, it is to be observed, that a reduction of the revenue, from the prohibition of spirits, would be attended by a corresponding reduction in the expenses of police; and that whatever might be the ultimate deficiency in the revenue, it would be much better made up in some other way, than by continuing to sanction the use of spirits, and by this means, to promote the demoralization of the people.

The pernicious influence of evil example, in regard to the use of profane language, may, perhaps, rank next to that of drunkenness, in the promotion of bad morals, in this Colony. It is a subject that calls loudly for magisterial interference, both as respects the free, and the convict population; for whilst the former are allowed to indulge in unrestrained profanity, the latter cannot reasonably be expected to refrain from it; and while open violations of the divine law, in this respect, prevail, no rational hope of reformation of character in other respects, can be entertained; for no man can be expected to regard with increasing attention, the laws of God in other things, who daily breaks them wantonly, in this particular.

Other evils also exist, to a great extent in New South Wales, to which it is desirable the attention of the Government should be directed, that it may adopt such measures as may tend to suppress them. Among these evils may be enumerated, a want of regard

to the sanctity of the marriage bond, and other allied immoralities, as well as an avaricious disposition, which would compass its own ends, at the expense of what is strictly honest; especially if the dishonesty be of a character, not easily cognizable by law. To the latter may be referred, a disposition to introduce lotteries, and to countenance other species of gaming.

It would be superfluous, to make much comment upon the pecuniary circumstances of the free Colonists, as these must be better known to the Governor, than to ourselves. It may not be impertinent, however, to remark, that so far as our own observations have extended, sober, honest, and industrious persons, of ordinary abilities, and moderate expectations, readily obtain a livelihood in New South Wales, and many of this class, become prosperous. But among those who emigrate to these Colonies, is a large proportion of persons, who, for want of some of the requisites mentioned, were unsuccessful in their native land; and these remain inefficient and unprosperous here, and from them, is often to be heard, an assertion, by no means true, that a free emigrant has no chance of making a livelihood in New South Wales, because of the competition of prisoners.

The education of the rising generation, in the Colony, is a deeply interesting subject. We regret that it has so frequently been discussed, on various occasions of late, in the spirit of party politics. As regards our own view, of the merits of the respective systems of education, we give a decided preference, for general purposes, to that of the British and Foreign School Society; but we would respectfully suggest, that the greatest amount of benefit to education, from the assistance of the Government, might be expected to accrue, if none but such institutions as orphan-schools, or such others, as might be established, in districts where the population was very limited, were to be supported exclusively, from the funds of the Government; and the latter, without reference, either to the peculiar religious views of the persons establishing them, or to the system of instruction pursued; and that, where the population becomes sufficiently numerous, only a certain quota, up to a specific amount, should be contributed by the Government; the amount to be proportioned to that contributed by the settlers, or raised by the payments of the children. Teachers of schools are apt to become negligent, when rendered independent of the payments of their pupils; and parents, among the lower orders, who do not pay any thing toward the education of their offspring, are very generally careless, in enforcing their regular attendance at school.

We have rejoiced to observe a disposition, on the part of the Government, to attend to the state of the Black Population, and by establishing missions, in different parts of the Colony, to promote their civilization, and the introduction of Christianity amongst them. We have no doubt, that these objects are to be accomplished, if suitable means be employed; and we believe, that much would have been already effected, had equal zeal been exercised with respect to the amelioration of the condition of the Blacks, with what has been displayed, in driving them from their lands, and in protecting the White People, who occupied them, from the petty depredations of the original possessors of the soil.

Indeed it is probable, that not more expense would have been incurred by the Government, if it had, from the first, properly considered the rights of this oppressed people, and obtained territory from them by treaty, and at the same time, had provided sufficient means for their civilization, than has been incurred, by the measures that have been adopted, many of which have been derogatory to the character of the British Nation, both as regards Christianity and common justice. We would respectfully submit, that the means yet employed in this Colony, for the civilization of the Aborigines, are extremely small, in proportion to the end proposed, even taking into account, the stations about to be occupied, at Moreton Bay, by John and Mary Handt, and at Port Philip, by George Langhorne, in addition to that already filled, at Wellington Valley, by William and Ann Watson, and the partial assistance, afforded to Lancelot Edward Threlkeld, at Lake Macquarie. If these be compared with the number of labourers, employed by the Church Missionary Society alone, in the part of New Zealand, contiguous to the Bay of Islands, it will be seen, that notwithstanding the more settled habits of the New Zealanders present greater facility for their civilization, the effect produced has been, in great degree, commensurate with the means made use of, for the promotion of the object.

We venture to point out the neighbourhoods of Port Macquarie, or of the M'Leay River, of Shoal Haven, and of Two-fold Bay, as desirable stations, at which, to place other instructors of the Aborigines, who, in general, resort much more to the coast, than to the interior. And we would suggest, for their better protection by British law, that provision should be made, for their evidence being received on affirmation, in courts of justice; for it is obvious, that while their evidence can only be taken on oath, and their oath cannot be received, on account of their ignorance of the Gospel, they