the extent of £864, 15s. above the real and calculated revenue. The revenue of the Society has, of late years, sustained a deficiency which has been gradually increasing, and which, if no additional funds are obtained, must in all probability become greater, instead of less. This has arisen from two causes, over which the Society had no control, and which they have no means whatever of removing. These are, 1st, The abatements of rent, which, from the state of the country, it was found indispensably necessary to give the tenants on the estates; and, 2d, The sudden reduction of the rate of interest on the bonds belonging to the Society. As to the first of these causes, there is, no doubt, some prospect that the reduction may not be permanent, at least to such an extent as formerly; but there is no reason to expect any amelioration as to the other. On the contrary, the rate of interest is still on the decline; and while the Society were last year under the necessity of reducing the interest on their bonds from 5 to 4 per cent. applications have lately been made for a still farther reduction, with which it will be impossible for them not to comply. The dividends on the Bank Stock belonging to the Society, have also been lately reduced. In addition to these causes, the very heavy expense already incurred by printing the new Quarto Gaelic Bible, and which must necessarily continue till that important work is finished, has most materially affected both the ordinary and the permanent funds of the Society. In these circumstances, with a superexpenditure so large, and the prospect of a still greater deficiency of revenue, the Society had but one of two alternatives, either to reduce at once the Establishment within the revenue, or to apply to the Public for the means of enabling them to continue it on somewhat, at least, of its present scale. In declining the former and adopting the latter of these, the Society have been influenced by considerations which, they are persuaded, will meet with the cordial approbation of every humane and Christian mind. All the Schools which they have retained on the Establishment, it is believed, are both necessary and useful; so that no farther suppression could have been at present made, without depriving a district of almost the only opportunity enjoyed by its inhabitants, of obtaining the inestimable benefits of education and religious instruction. Such a measure might also have considerably injured the interests of the Society, with the Proprietors and Clergymen of the different parishes where the Schools are established, and who would thus, without sufficient warning, or having any means of providing for the exigency, have been deprived of institutions which they had equally supported and countenanced, for the advantage of their tenantry and people. Nor was it possible for the Society to overlook the situation of the Teachers of these Schools, many of whom are labouring so faithfully and meritoriously in the service of the Society and of their country. Justice, not less than humanity, would have cried out against at once throwing such men out of employment, and thus reducing them and their numerous families to absolute indigence; while the necessity, if their Schools had been suppressed, of making some provision for the Teachers, till they had the opportunity of endeavouring otherwise to provide for themselves, would have made but a very small diminution in the expenditure for the year. It must, at the same time, however, be perfectly evident, that the Society cannot possibly go on with a super-expenditure so enormous; and that, if the funds cannot be brought to meet the expenditure, the Establishment must be so reduced as to correspond with the income. It will be most painful for the Society to be obliged to resort to a measure so distressful in its consequences to the best interests of the thousands and tens of thousands of their countrymen, for whose instruction they have so long been enabled most essentially to provide, though never to the extent they could have wished. Nor can they think of having recourse to it, without the most unavoidable necessity, and till they have at least put it into the power of the Public, to say whether they will not prevent that necessity from taking place. The Society has now existed for nearly 120 years. Its ordinary funds and exertions have been directed almost exclusively to the education and religious instruction of the poor, in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Its operations have been carried on in an uniform and steady course, extending its usefulness as its means increased. By its Teachers, Missionaries, and Catechists, the most important and lasting boon has been conferred on a once rude and much neglected population,-the light of knowledge, and Christian truth, and duty, having been poured on many a remote, but not on that account less interesting district of the country, which would otherwise have been left in the darkness of ignorance and immorality; while the success with which its exertions have been attended, and the gratitude with which they have been welcomed and acknowledged, are the best evidences of their importance and value. Schools, by the last year's returns, were 13,541. List of the Directors and Officers of the So- Yet although its operations have been now carried on for more than a century, during all that period the Society has never made any extraordinary call on the cha--President. Committee of Directors. rity of the public, or in any way interfered with those valuable kindred Institutions, whose funds are derived from annual contributions. And will not this consideration present a particular claim for it, on the benevolence of those who are ever ready, when a case of real want is laid before them, to bestow their gifts, whenever they are urgently required, and not to allow any scheme of Christian or patriotic beneficence to languish or fail for want of adequate support? ~ The Society cannot, indeed, permit themselves to think, that, in an age like the present, so distinguished for liberality both of spirit and of contribution, the public will turn a deaf ear to the appeal that is now made to them, in behalf of an In. stitution, not more venerable for its age, than honoured of God for its usefulness; but that they will rather embrace, with equal promptness and cordiality, the op. portunity that is now presented to them of assisting it in its exigencies: and thus of enabling it to dismiss for ever the gloomy apprehension of being painfully compelled, not only to deprive many valuable instructors of the young and the old, of the means at once of subsistence and of usefulness, but to withdraw from many a Highland Glen and Island, remote from church, and incapable of providing the means of education for its teeming youth, the only establishments in which they can be taught in early life to fear God, to love their country, and honour the king. William Murray, Esq.-Preses. John Tod, Esq. Writer to the Signet; George Bell, Esq. Surgeon, Edinburgh; Rev. Andrew Thomson, D. D. Minister of St. George's, Edinburgh; John S. More, Esq. Advocate; Walter Brown, Esq. Merchant, Edinburgh; John Waugh, Esq. Bookseller, Edinburgh; Rev. James Robertson, D. D. one of the Ministers of South Leith; Rev. Walter Fogo Ireland, D. D. one of the Ministers of North Leith; George Ross, Esq. Advocate; Rev. Thomas Fleming, D. D. Minister of Lady Yesters; David Freer, Esq. Writer to the Signet; Robert Scott Moncreiff, Esq. Advocate; Rev. David Dickson, one of the Ministers of St. Cuthbert's; John Yule, Esq. Writer to the Signet, Officers of the Society.-Rev. John Campbell, D. D. one of the Ministers of the Tolbooth Church, Edinburgh ; John Tawse, Esq. Advocate, Secretaries.-William Stevenson, Esq. Writer, Edinburgh, Treasurer.-Wm. Scott Moncrieff, Esq. Accountant.-John Pitcairn, Esq. of Pitcairn, Librarian.-John Dickson, Esq. of Kilbucho, Advocate, Comptroller.-Archibald Lundie, Esq. Writer to the Signet, Book-holder.-Mr. James Howden, Clerk. GLASGOW MISSIONARY SOCIETY. EARLY last summer, the Glasgow Missionary Society sent out the Rev. Mr. Ross, after regular ordination, to join their mission in Caffraria. The following extracts from letters received by their Secretaries, communicate the gratifying intelligence of his late arrival at the Chumi Institution, and are corroborative of the farther kindness of God towards that infant mission, which even already has not laboured in vain. From the Rev. W. R. Thomson to the Rev. Chumnie, 14th Nov. 1823. Rev. and dear brother,-Your letter to us was forwarded by our dear brother, Mr. Ross, immediately on his arrival at Cape Town, along with many others from our friends, which greatly refreshed our minds. It was a source of gratitude to us, that our fellow labourer and his partner had been so far conducted in safety by the kind providence of God; what delighted us all was the notice of the printing press, which he was bringing along with him. If my voice could reach them, I would thank every contributor to the Glasgow Missionary Society, for enabling its Directors to send out this most valuable appendage to their mission. It is impossible to calculate the advantages which may result from it. The study of providence has of late years in a particular manner been forced upon my notice by the chain of events which has attended my own obscure life; and even in this printing press 1 would recognize the directing hand of infinite wisdom. It appears to me sent exactly at the right time. By having it sooner we would probably have set its stamp upon many errors, and if later, our exertions must have been considerably cramped from the difficulty of multiplying written lessons. I think it may now very prudently become a subject of discussion with the Directors whether, and how far, they will encourage and support native teachers, under the direction of your missionaries. The system, I think, would prove a powerful auxiliary to your other exertions; from five to six pounds annually would be amply sufficient for each, and enable them to appear respectable among their countrymen; if these salaries could not be afforded from the general funds of the Society, it might be made a separate object. The plan is here peculiarly necessary, for so long as the people continue to live in small parties, of from five to ten in a kraal, some system of local instruction must be pursued. At present there is no difficulty here in finding a field of labour; all the principal chiefs in Kafferland have repeatedly requested to have ministers to instruct their people, and they are still waiting and crying more earnestly, "come over and help us." Mr. J. Bennie to the Rev. Dr. Love, Sec. Chumic Institution, 20th Dec. 1823. Rev. and dear Sir,-I have purposed writing you a few lines this evening, to inform you that Mr. and Mrs. Ross, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee, arrived here on the 16th instant, in health and safety. In vain might I attempt to describe the joy I felt at secing them; it was not an every day's joy. Having rode down to Grahamstown to purchase a few articles, I there saw a letter from Mr. Ross, and a waggon load of his goods; concluding that he must be near, I went forward, and on the 11th at sunrise I met the waggon 22 miles from the town. On our reaching the Institution we assembled in Mr. Brownlee's house, and thanked our God for all the mercy and goodness he had manifested towards us. I trust our gratitude was sin cere, and that the assistance which we then asked, and daily ask in the prosecution of the work committed to us, will be graciously given. On the 17th we got our printing press in order; on the 18th the alphabet was set up, and yesterday, the 19th, we threw off 50 copies. Rejoice, Rev. Sir! Rejoice thou dear Society! through your instrumentality a new era has commenced in the history of the Kaffer nation; follow your noble gift with your believing and affectionate prayers; the star of hope is above our horizon; may its cheering light usher in the rays of our better sun! (The Rev. J. Ross to the Rev. Dr. Love, Sec.) Chumie Institution, 10th Jan. 1824. Rev. Father, It is with some degree of gratitude to our God and Saviour that I write you from this place. I hope you will have learned, by letter from Mr. Bennie, that Mrs. Ross and I arrived here on Tuesday, 16th Dec. 1823. Again and again, by sea and now by land, we have been made to see that the Mediator is well stiled Wonderful. Jehovah is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. With all our turnings and windings, I suppose we have not travelled less than a thousand miles, and yet we are both sound and well. When I think of Mrs. Ross, the tossing and twisting of a waggon, the roads, and want of roads, the very hot sunshine, and the damp and cold nights, I say there is a very good and gracious God, and hope that it is according to his promise that no evil has befallen us. Leaving the Caledon Institution, we might now be said to enter upon our journey. After travelling one day we entered a Karroo, and journied alongst it seven days without seeing any of our species, save four families. A few deer and ostriches were the only living creatures above the size of small birds which met our view. There was a scarcity of water at times, and during some whole days we saw not a blade of grass. On the 20th November we entered a very fine valley, called Longhloof, or Long Glen, the name is characteristic; we travelled in it other seven days, three of which were along the Crombe, or Crooked River. I know not how often we crossed and recrossed it. If elsewhere we found the ascent and descent of the mountains dangerous, here also we were not without our fears; one wrong step of the oxen would have thrown us over the shelving path. December 6th, we reached the Moravian . Settlements on Witte River on Sabbath. Before setting out on our journey, I had determined not to travel on Sabbath, except required by necessity or mercy, or to reach a Missionary settlement early on that sacred day. I must say, that we were necessitated twice besides the present instance, to travel on this day of rest. The excuses made in this country for travelling on Sabbath, are many; often it is done with the view of shortening a long journey; but that reason seems to me altogether nugatory. In a great measure do I impute our getting on so well to our resting upon the Lord's day. On these days we had prayer meetings with Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee, who were our companions from Cape Town. Besides the ordinary worship with the servants, we had also what may be called public worship every Sabbath excepting two. Mr. Brownlee had opportunities of speaking at the neighbouring farm houses; and half way betwixt Enon and Grahamstown. I was met by my dear old friend Mr. Bennie. Such meetings have often been romantically described; his coming, however, was more than a gratification of Christian feeling; for several days we had been travelling in hourly expectation of being compelled to halt or return, we now went boldly on from Grahamstown. We might have had a party of soldiers to accompany us, but trusting in him who had hitherto allowed no evil to reach us, we advanced forward without human protection. If when we out spanned on Friday night, we had our fears, on Saturday they were increased, so that on Sabbath I acquiesced in the advice of my brother, and went on in our journey, instead of tarrying and exposing ourselves to Lions, Elephants, and wild Caffres. As we approached the district of the institution, the Rev. Mr. Thomson and Lady met us; many Caffres gathered around us; though armed, they were perfectly inoffensive; now and then a few from the settlement joined us, some on foot, and some on oxen: their affectionate simplicity towards their old teacher and their coming new one, tended to relieve me from the burden of those feelings which the then present, though not new thoughts had excited. We entered the institution about mid-day'; with its external appearance I was pleased, and had good testimony of an appearance of a more important kind among some of its people. In one of its inhabitants who accompanied us from Dr. Thom's, I observed the most orderly conduct; he was a patron to the two other drivers. I hope he will not disgrace the name which he bears-Robert Balfour. While in Cape Town with Mr. Brownlee, he gave answers in a most satisfactory man ner to questions put to him in a public meeting; his humility and diligence promise much. N.B.-Robert Balfour is one of the Caffres lately baptized by the missionaries at the Chumie Institution. DEMARARA. (From the Missionary Chronicle.) DURING the past month, the Directors have received only one letter from Demarara, on the subject of Mr. Smith. It confirms the melancholy tidings of his death, but enters into no statement of the circumstances of his case, subsequent to the close of his trial: probably because it was judged the less necessary, as the chief object of the letter was to inform the Directors of the intended departure of Mrs. Smith, accompanied by Mrs. Elliot, from the colony, about the 1st of March. arrival of the disconsolate widow and her companion, which may be shortly expected, will afford those details of the closing scene of the sufferings of the departed Missionary, which the affection cherished for his memory will lead the Christian community to desire. The The letter states, however, two incidents, tending to show that the hostility which had followed Mr. Smith, whilst living, has not ceased with his life. Permission to accompany the remains of her husband to the place of interment was refused to Mrs. Smith; and the sum of 2000 guilders, part of 3000 which had been seized with the papers of Mr. Smith, when he was made prisoner, though claimed for her benefit, were detained for the purpose of being applied to the discharge of the expense incurred on account of Mr. Smith's maintenance while in prison ! A report has been circulated in the public Journals, on which it may be proper to offer some explanation. It states, that an order from Government had reached the Colony, within a few hours of Mr. Smith's decease, directing him to be sent to England. This rumour, it is presumed, is founded on the following circumstances:— The letter which, in December, first reached the Directors, on the affairs of the Mission in Demarara, brought intelligence of the dangerous state of Mr. Smith's health. An application was in consequence made to Earl Bathurst, entreating that an order might be sent out for his immediate return to England, upon such security being given, at home, as his Lordship might think proper to require, for Mr. Smith's appear ance to submit himself to any legal pro. ceedings which His Majesty's Government might see fit to direct against him. With this application (though without requiring the offered security) his Lordship was pleased to comply, and caused it to be signified to the Treasurer, that conditional orders to that effect had been transmitted to the Governor. It was, no doubt, the arrival of this order, which is referred to in the communications from the Colony, that has given rise to the report; and the incident plainly shows where, so far as human responsibility is involved in the causes of Mr. Smith's death, that responsibility is to be found. No charge of disregard or of inattention to the claims of humanity can be brought against the authorities at home. The endeavour to save his life was made, though, from the detention of the letter on which the application was founded, it prov.. ed unavailing. It is, before this time, generally known to the friends of the Society, that the Directors, in pursuance of what duty seemed to themselves to require, and of the recommendations given to them by persons qualified to advise, have presented a. Petition to the Honourable House of Commons, founded on the whole circumstances of Mr. Smith's trial and death. This step would have been taken somewhat earlier, had it not been judged proper that the presentation of this Petition should not precede (if the recess of the House, usual at Easter, would allow it to be so long kept back,) the placing on the Table of the House the Trial of Mr. Smith, which had, some time before, been ordered to be printed. The Petition was introduced to the House on Tuesday, the 13th of April, by Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH, with a feeling which highly entitles that Hon. Member to the esteem and gratitude of the whole Society. In adopting this important measure, the Directors have given their unfeigned assurances to His Majesty's Government, that they have not been actuated by any diminution of respect or of gratitude, but purely by their conviction of what was due from them to the memory of Mr. Smith to the Society which they represent to the cause of Christian Missions wheresoever carried on—and to the expectations of the innumerable friends to that cause, throughout the British Empire. It may, perhaps, not be presumptuous to say, that to few subjects have the attention and the feelings of the whole Christian.community been, at any time, more anxiously turned, than they are at this moment to the issue of the late proceedings in Demarara. If, as is asserted, Christianity is a "part and parcel of the laws of this realm," it cannot but follow that the protection of those laws, in the diffusion of the gospel through its dependencies, is a matter of public right; and the Directors feel that they would have discharged their public duty defectively, if they had neglected any legal method of bringing to a solemn decision the important question-How far the conduct of the authorities in Demarara has been consistent with the laws. A copy of the petition being given in this Chronicle, an extended reference to its contents is rendered unnecessary. It may be stated briefly, that it complains of the whole treatment of Mr. Smith, from his arrest to his decease-of his being brought to trial before a Court-Martial-of the constitution and various proceedings of that Court-and of the inconsistency and illegality of the sentence pronounced by it: and it prays for the rescindment of that sentence, and for such future protection on behalf of Christian missionaries in general, throughout the British Empire, as the case shows to be necessary. The petition was received by the House, and ordered to be printed. The public Journals have reported, that an Hon. member, in office, took that occasion to charge it as containing considerable inaccuracies. It becomes the directors to state, that they are not conscious of such errors; and it may not be unsuitable to observe, as a proof of the candour of their intentions, that a copy was sent to the proper department several days before the petition was actually presented; and that the Hon. gentleman is fully aware that any intimation of their existence would have met with the readiest attention. The petition was intended to convey the feelings of the directors upon the general question; and if, in any part, these may appear inaccurate, it is confidently believed that their statements will prove correct in the several points on which the merits of their case essentially rest. The printed copy of the trial of Mr. Smith, ordered as before stated, was presented to the House on the evening on which the petition was received. It contains 92 closely-printed folio pages, so that, to give a circumstantial account of its contents, within the limits of the Society's Chronicle, is impracticable. The full trial, marking those variations which shall be found between the official copy and that transmitted from the colonies to the directors, is passing through the press, and it is hoped will be ready for publication, by sale, early in May. The public are aware of the use made by the prosecutors of Mr. Smith of his private Journal, and that extracts from it stand recorded on the proceedings of his trial; as supporting the charges brought against him. |