tianity. They feel, therefore, the less reluctance in diverting labourers from the more immediate service of the Society in other quarters, as they trust, that, by these means, the way will be prepared for an efficient Mission among the Natives of those countries to which access may be obtained by means of the Settlement at Honduras; and particularly as they are well assured that His Majesty's Superintendent and both the Chaplains have much at heart the diffusion of the blessings of Christianity.

On this subject they have requested the communications of the Chaplains; and they are happy to report, that, in any future proceedings in behalf of the surrounding Natives, the Society has the prospect of being assisted by friends on the spot who feel a common interest with its Members in the diffusion of Christianity. On the 12th of January an Association was formed at Belize, in aid of the Society, of which_LieutenantColonel Arthur is President, and the Rev. Joseph Ditcher Secretary. The sum of 1007. has been remitted, as the first offering of this Association; which your Committee receive with peculiar pleasure, as an evidence that the Society has friends in that Settlement who will heartily co-operate in the promotion of its objects among the neighbouring Heathen.

An opportunity for useful exertions is offered, in this Settlement, among many natives of Africa. On the disbanding of the Black Troops, several hundred men of the Fifth West India Regiment were sent to Honduras, and were settled in a village about a mile from Belize. The Chaplains considered them as a part of their charge; and Mr. Ditcher, after conversation with one of them, expressing his sorrow at his ignorance, the poor fellow "replied," says Mr. Ditcher," in a tone which would have moved the most unfeeling heart, Massa! me very ignorant, but nobody teachee me!" Mr. Ditcher visits them, at day-break, every Tuesday and Friday Morning, in order to expound to them the Scriptures before they go to their work; and they are most grateful for his services,

Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Ditcher have established several of these Expositions among the poor; and "the numbers who attend," says Mr. Ditcher, “ are really surprising."

There is one class of persons connected with the Settlement, for whom the Committee would gladly provide religious instruction, should it be in their power. Gangs of Negroes, consisting of from twenty to sixty men each, go up the rivers to cut mahogany. These men have no opportunity of receiving religious instruction except for a few days at Christmas every year, when they come down to Belize to receive their wages. A Missionary to travel from gang to gang, while at their labour, would perform a work of true charity.

Mr. Ditcher expresses his hopes of future benefit from the Schools, in the extension of Christian Knowledge.

I have a presentiment in my mind (he writes), that, by a proper attention to the instruction of the Boys, our School will supply, ere long, such persons as we may send as Lights into the dark regions of this benighted continent; who will be the means, under the blessing of God, of diffusing, in every direc tion round about us, the knowledge of the Gospel.

In concluding this review of the Society's Missions, the Committee will give a brief summary of the whole. To the SEVEN MISSIONS of the Society, mentioned in the last Report, there is a prospect of adding an EIGHTH, for Bombay and the West of India. In these various Missions, there may now be reckoned upward of One Hundred Christian Teachers, at above Forty Stations; and, in the Schools connected with these Stations, there are under education, as has been before mentioned, upwards of Six Thousand Children, beside

many Adult Scholars. At these Stations, the Gospel is preached, and made known by conversation and publications, to many thousands of the Heathen; and the first-fruits of that abundant Harvest, which awaits the faith of the Christian Church, are continually gathering in.

MISSIONARIES AND STUDENTS.

The Committee have received, since the last Anniversary, offers of service under the Society from more than Sixty Persons. Of these offers, about one-half have been accepted: most of these persons are under preparation for their future labours; and the rest have proeeeded to their respective destinations. The whole number of persons, who have left this country, during the Nineteenth Year, to promote the objects of the Society, including Adults and Children, is Nineteen ; and there remain, at present, twenty-three under preparation.

Various intimations of the urgent want of Christian Labourers have been given in the preceding review of the Society's Missions. The calls for assistance are heard, indeed, on all sides: but the Committee feel the duty of unrelaxed circumspection, on their own part, in the reception of Missionaries; and of knowledge of themselves and of mankind, on the part of those who offer themselves. The Committee have endeavoured to enter into the real motives and characters of the Candidates for this service; but, in some few cases, they have been disappointed in what appeared to be reasonable expectations.

It was stated in the last Report, that the attention of the conductors of the Missionary Institution at Basle had been particularly directed, by the Committee, to the preparation of Missionaries who might enter, with due qualifications, into the vast field of Missions now opening in the East. The Committee availed themselves of the visit of the

Rev. John Owen to the Continent, on the business of the British and Foreign Bible Society, to request that he would confer, at Basle, with the Directors of the Institution, on the selection of some Students for the future service of the Society. Mr. Owen, in consequence, engaged Messrs. Jetter and Deerr, of whom mention has been before made; and Eight others were selected, with his approbation, and are now pursuing a course of study, well-calculated, under the Divine Blessing, to fit them for acceptable service.

To this Institution, the Society may confidently look for the supply of able and well-educated Missionaries. Offers of service have been made, during the year, by various Ministers and Students on the Continent: but the Committee did not accept them; chiefly because they considered it better to trust to the vigilant and pious care exercised in the Basle Institution for the fostering of a Missionary Spirit and the communication of Missionary Qualifications, than to engage labourers in the work, of whose spirit and qualifications they could not obtain testimonies so satisfactory.

On Mr. Owen's return from the Continent, he reported to the Committee, in strong terms, the very favourable impression made on his mind by his visit to the Institution; as one of the best planned and best conducted that he had ever known, and under the direction of men of decided piety, superior education, and most disinterested minds. It has been the means of awakening and concentrating a spirit of Missionary zeal in various quarters; different Associations being formed, each for the support of one or more Students. Such, indeed, is the growth of this spirit, that it is probable that the whole current expenses will be borne by Christians on the Continent: the House, however, of the Seminary being subject to a considerable debt for the purchasemoney, your Committee gladly contributed the sum of 100l. toward the relief of the Institution from that burden.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The progress made in various Translations of the Scriptures and the Liturgy, and in the preparing and publication of Tracts, has been stated under the respective Missions.

The Committee congratulate the Society on the appointment of the Rev. Samuel Lee to the Arabic Professorship in the University of Cambridge. This office will afford opportunities to the Professor, which he will gladly embrace, of promoting, under the most favourable circumstances, the cultivation of Oriental Learning among the Students at Cambridge, and of directing it to the highest end-the extension of Christianity in the East, and particularly among Mahomedans. Mr. Lee is proceeding, with unabated diligence, in the preparation of the various editions of the Scripture in which he is engaged.

The attention of the Committee has been called to the wants of various places, which they would gladly supply with Christian Labourers, were it in their power. Two of these are the large Islands of Sumatra and Madagascar.

The Chaplain at Bencoolen, in SUMATRA, the Rev. Christopher Winter, is anxious for the aid of a Missionary; and is joined in this wish by the Governor, Sir Stamford Raffles. Circumstances are favourable to the establishment of a Mission. Mr. Winter had distributed copies of the Arabic-Malay Testament, among the Mahomedan Chiefs and Priests, who had received them willingly. They are almost entirely ignorant of their own religion; as few, even of the Priests, can read the Koran. This circumstance would be favourable to the exertions of a zealous and prudent Mis