Subsequently Mr. Birt was under the necessity of repairing, for a season, with his family to Cape Town; but during his absence he maintained a constant correspondence with his faithful people, who have ever since found a secure asylum in King William's Town, where they have been enabled to live and prosper upon the fruits of their own industry. In the early part of 1852, he rejoined his people, and has since been assiduously superintending their spiritual welfare, and devising means for their return to their former settlement, whenever the providence of God shall prepare the way for that desired event. In anticipation of an early resumption of his labours at Peelton, Mr. Birt, in a letter from King William's Town, written in October last, makes the following gratifying statement: "It gives me great delight to be able to state that, after eighteen months' absence from my people, I found them in all their integrity, maintaining a most excellent character with the authorities, but, what is far more satisfactory, maintaining their piety. Knowing the temptations to which they were exposed, I feared lest it should be far otherwise; but I have not to lament over the defection of any; on the contrary, I found nine adults in a most promising state, as candidates for church fellowship. The little band of men who used to aid me as evangelists, together with the superintendents of the sabbath and day school, have been most valuable; their influence and general oversight have been mainly the means, under God, of keeping the little church right, as also the congregation. They are valuable helps,' and I am longing for the time when they may aid me again among their fellow-countrymen, to disseminate the doctrines of the endeavour to complete without application to the Society's funds. If we fail, it will be because it is really beyond our reach. Unless anything unforeseen occurs, the chapel will certainly be built solely by the labour and contributions of our natives. "Through their industry and frugal habits, my people have so increased their worldly substance, that they now possess seven or eight wagons and as many spans of oxen; our prospects in returning to Peelton are, therefore, much better than when we entered upon it in July, 1848, with a small band of impoverished followers, to commence on new soil, and whose wants I supplied till they could eat the produce of their own labour there. I have now had the satisfaction of ordering seven new ploughs for them. "I find that many other natives are intending to join us at Peelton, whenever we return, some who have been scattered throughout the colony in service, and in the villages, and who have not joined their countrymen in hostilities against us. A few also from other mission stations that have been broken up. The importance of the station will be thereby increased, and especially in the department of education; and, could we but receive a fifth of the young people and children now in distress that are seeking an asylum with us, we might indeed have a noble school, and bestow a lasting benefit on those in distress." DEATH OF MRS. LEGGE. THE last mail from China brought the affecting intelligence of the sudden death of Mrs. Legge, the excellent wife of the Rev. Dr. Legge, of Hong-Kong. The following brief particulars of the mournful event, which took place on the 17th October ult., are communicated by the Rev. J. Chalmers, under date, 26th of that month. "I have to announce to you the death of one much loved and valued by us and by you. On Sunday, 17th inst., about 6 o'clock in the morning, Mrs. Legge departed this life for another and a better. For several weeks she had been slightly indisposed, but not so much as to alarm any of us. On the Monday before her death, however, she became much worse. On Saturday we still hoped she would get over it, but about midnight she was delivered of a still-born child, and shortly after we were all called around her bedside, to take our last farewell. She was only able to say, in answer to a question, that she trusted in her Saviour,' and to say to her eldest daughter, Eliza, concerning her little sister, Bring up Emma to love Jesus. But these few words uttered on her death-bed will be much prized by those who are best assured that she had for many years trusted in her Saviour, and served him. She did not seem to have much suffering at last, although the previous severe sickness was very painful to her. "Dear Dr. Legge has borne this stroke with, I think, more than coinmon Christian fortitude. "The sudden removal of Mrs. Legge from our midst has made a deep impression on the community here; would that it might result in something more than feeling. On Sunday morning I preached in Union Chapel, at the request of Dr. Legge, from Matthew xxv. 6, At midnight a cry was made, Behold the bridegroom cometh ;' and Dr. Legge himself preached in the evening from 1 Thess. iv. 13, 18, declaring his hope concerning the departed one." DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES. REV. JAMES SCOTT, embarked at Southampton, per Medway, for Demerara, January 3. MRS. ALLOWAY, wife of Rev. William Alloway, and three children; also MRS. HILLYER, wife of the Rev. William Hillyer, embarked at London, per Tropic, for Jamaica, January 10. SACRAMENTAL OFFERING TO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS, &c. THE Directors present their best acknowledgments to the Christian churches which have already responded liberally to their appeal, and respectfully renew the request, that those churches which have been prevented from making their Sacramental Offering on the first Sabbath of January, will kindly embrace the first Sabbath in February or March for the occasion. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The thanks of the Directors are respectfully presented to the following: For Dr. Hobson, Canton. To Mrs. Wills, Clevedon -For a Box of Useful Articles. For Mrs. Young's School, Amoy. To a Friend- For the Calcutta College. To T. Windeatt, Esq., For Rev. B. Rice, Bangalore. To Mr. R. Harris, For the Native Children, Thomas and Mary Gillman, Bangalore. To the Children of the Sabbath-school, Tabernacle, Newport, Mon.-For a Dressing-case, Work-box, &c. For Rev. E. Porter, Cuddapah. To Friends at Holloway, per Miss Mann-For a Parcel of Clothing and Useful Articles. For Rev. E. Solomon. Phillipolis. To Mr. Mathews, Aberdeen-For a Box of Clothing and Useful Articles. For Rev. T. D. Philip, Hankey. To the Blandford For Mrs. Thompson, Grahams Town. To Miss Mullinger and Friends at Chatham-For a Box of Clothing. For Rev. D. Darling, Tahiti. To Friends at Wareham, per Rev. U. B. Randall-For a Box of Clothing. For the Rev. George Gill, Mangaia. To the Islington Chapel Sunday-school-For a Parcel of Clothing and Useful Articles. For the Native Teacher," Benjamin," Tutuila. To the Ladies' Working Society, Long Sutton-For a Parcel of Clothing. For Revs. E. Wallbridge and J. Hughes, Demerara. To the John-street Chapel, Royston, Juvenile Missionary Society-For a Box of Useful Articles, value £12. For Mr. J. Foreman, Berbice. To the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society-For a Box of School Materials, £5. To T. Theobald, Esq., Hackney, for the Model of an Indian Canoe, for the Museum; to A. Z. Sherston, for a Parcel of Linen and Calico; to a Friend, per Rev. John Hands, Dublin, for a Large Parcel of Useful School Books; to the Juvenile Working Society, Chelmsford, for a Parcel of Clothing and Useful Articles; to Mrs. Shansfield, Manningtree; to R. J. Jones, Tottenham; to Mrs. Searle, Lowestoft ; to Mrs. Bristow, Exeter; to Mr. E. C. Mummery; to William Smith, Esq., Balham Hill; to John Finch, Esq.; and to a Friend, for Volumes and Numbers of the Evangelical and other Magazines. Mrs. Hillyer desires to return her warmest thanks to the undermentioned friends for their kind contributions for Mount Zion Station, Jamaica. To Mrs. Bowden, Twickenham, for a Box of Medicine; tothe Brompton Ladies' Missionary Working Society, per Miss Grays, for a Parcel of Clothing; to Miss Fletcher, Pelican House, Peckham, for a Parcel of Useful Articles; to Mr. Hugoe and Mrs. Teede, Falmouth, for a supply of Books and Maps. The Rev. R. Birt having heard that certain Packages, as below, are sent to his address, and waiting him at Port Elizabeth, begs those friends who have so kindly contributed, will accept his best thanks. They will be of great service to the Station whenever peace be restored, that the Missionary may return with his flock to rebuild Peelton: 1 Parcel, from Mrs. Freeman. 1 1 1 Clothing, from Weigh House Chapel. Clothing, from St. Albaus School. 1 Case ditto, from Rev. R. Elliott and Friends, Devizes. The Rev. D. Darling, of Tahiti, desires to acknowledge the receipt of the undermentioned Packages, and to return his best thanks to the donors for the same : A Box of Clothing and other Useful Articles, from Mrs. Dr. A. Fletcher and Friends; a Box of Clothing and Useful Articles, from Mr. Trimmer, Torrington-square; a Parcel of Clothing, from Mrs. Cunliffe, Highbury-place: and a Parcel of Books and Magazines, from Miss Bowlett, of Kettering. MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS. From 15th December, 1852, to 13th January, 1853, inclusive. Contributions in aid of the Society will be thankfully received by Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, Bart., Treasurer, and Rev. Ebenezer Prout, at the Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury, London; by Mr. W. F. Watson, 52, Princes-street, Edinburgh; Robert Goodwin, Esq., 235, George-street, and Religious Institution Rooms, 12, South Hanover-street, Glasgow; and by Rev. John Hands, Society House, 32, Lower Abbey-street, Dublin. Post-Office Orders should be in favour of Rev. Ebenezer Prout, and payable at the General Post Office. LONDON: REED AND PARDON, PRINTERS, PATERNOSTER ROW. |