it neceffary to denounce the penalty of death against every Colonist, who fhall attempt to pass over the limits into Caffreland. Hitherto the nation fhews no defire for instruction, two or three instances excepted; nor have I been able to give them any, especially with respect to the knowledge of Chrift, the chief object of my miffion; for want of knowledge of their language, which I find extremely difficult to learn, and ill calculated to explain the mysteries of the Gospel.

The Lord has fhewn me, in the courfe of eight months, which I have now lived among this people, in the most significant manner, that I am noț able to do any thing, unless it be according to his fovereign pleasure, not only in converting the hearts of men, but even not to move a foot or finger. He has barred up my ways, and baffled all my felfith fchemes, that he may have the honour to open the door himself, and to point out in his time what I must do. Herein is my hope, and confiden: I am, that if I believe I fhall fee the glory of God. I can form no other plan, nor have I any farther profpect. Laft Friday I was again in great danger of being murdered with the emigrated Colonists, with whom I live. The king being falfely informed that we prepared for our retreat into the Colony against his prohibition, came to us, accompanied with about fifty Caffies and Hottentots, dieffed in their ufual way, having only a club, or affagag, or stick in their hands; but he had furrounded us with about 200 more, armed with shields and darts, and completely prepared for an engagement. I cannot fay whether they intended to kill me with the reft or not; but entering into my tent they behaved friendly, and faluted me with their ufual Tinkhanna, Goboo.fi! Tabeka! Keléfe! which are four of my moft common names, which they repeat often in this order, when they intend to show their affection towards me. The king perceiving that he was misinformed ordered his men to withdraw, and we were fpared.

There exifts in this country a horde of Hottentots, who lately declared to me their willingness to receive instruction; but they were then at a diftance too great to visit them. Unexpectedly they are now brought nearer to the place, where at prefent we live. As it feemed now very unfafe to stay any longer with the Colonifts, I took into ferious confideration to fettle with thefe Hottentots: but asking the Lord for his direction before I rode to them, Prov. xx. 22. "Wait on the Lord, and he shall fave thee!" made fuch a strong impreffion on my mind, that I desisted. The place where we now are encamped is about 20 miles S. W from the mountains where I had built my houfe. In my miffionary labours I am yet confined to the families of the Colonifts and their heathen fervants; but the only fruit that I can perceive from them is, that a few heathen children have imbibed the firit lines of the Chriftian doctrine, and begin to fpell the Dutch and Caffre languages. In catechizing them, they are chiefly informed of the particulars of the creation and origin of the human race, the difobedience of our first parents; of the reason why their children die as well as they, even before they commit actual fins, and the juftice of God's proceedings in this refpect. Who they are that fhall be pardoned and delivered froh fin, and eternal death, viz. thofe who truft in the Lord Jefus from a defire, and with for this deliverance of fome particulars refpecting the perfon and hiftery of our Saviour, and the reafon why he, though not difobedient to God, died. I endeavoured to refolve thefe important doctrines into hiftorical facts, derived from fcripture, and by this means to adapt them to the capacity of my little pupils, who feem, in fome measure, to understand them. Hitherto I have received no letters from Europe (though I am informed there are fome arrived at the Cape) nor from iny dear brothers, Kicherer N 2

and

and Edwards; but Mr. Vos, minifter at Roodezand, informs me that they fucceed in their attempts beyond every expectation. He alfo mentions, that between feventy and eighty members for the South African Society are infcribed, and a thoufand Heathens inftructed in the Christian religion, in his parish alone; many of whom feem to have experienced the power of it in their hearts. How the miffionaries to the Boschemen go on, and how they are maintained I cannot tell; but lately I have fent to brother Kicherer an order to draw at the Cape for 1ool, in cafe of neceflity. This quarter I have no expences to the charge of the Miffionary Society, except a couple of rix dollars, which I paid the man who conducted our Hottentot from the Colony into Caffreland in July 1799. This I will put into a following account. My fubfiftence in Caffreland requires hitherto no money, as we are fufficiently provided with neceffary food.

I have before my eyes an amphitheatre formed of rock-ftones, and adorned with most beautiful plants. Among thefe is a fpecies of aloe, the leaves of which, when cut, yield a juice, which at firft is tranfparent as the common aloe, but foon turns opaque and folid, and refembles, in every refpect, the true gamboge. I think that our Materia Medica writers commonly derive the gamboge from a certain tree in the Eaft Indies. I fhould with to be occafionally informed, what the best of them fay about its origin, and the method by which it is extracted, whether by bleeding the tree, or by elixation or preffure? The plant which I found is certainly not a tree, but of the aloe kind, though I cannot at prefent give you the botanical character, as it is not now in flower. The leaves are of a pale green colour, reddish towards the point, which is fharp; they are flat, not fo thick as other fpecies, and they are not armed with aculei. It grows upon the bare ftones.

As there are feveral nations fpread along the Eaft coaft of Africa, between the Caffres and the Portugueze fettlements, and fome of them more inland, which feem to be of a milder and more docile nature than the Caffres, I would recommend to the ferious deliberations of the fociety the plan of fending out fome faithful miffionaries to them (four or five in number). This I think is more eligible than to fend them by land from the Cape; not only because this voyage is tedious, dangerous, and expenfive; but chiefly on account of the political connexions of the Caffres with the adjacent Colonists, through whofe countries they muft penetrate, which are extremely unfavourable for miffionary undertakings. The Tambouchis are the next nation to the Caffres: they call themselves by the name of Mathimbas. After them follow the Mambouchies, then the Malauni, and Mahaujanis. In a fecond row are placed more inland the Madouanas (who feparate on the land fide the Tambouchies from the Mambouchis) the Imbo and Matolas. O pray the Lord of the harveft for labourers !—I could, if this plan fhould be executed, find means to prepare the Tambouchies for the reception of their teacher, as they fometimes come into Caffreland, and T'Geika's mother herfelf is a Tambouchian woman. I hope and pray that the Lord may direct the steps of the Society as well as mine. I recommend myself to your prayers and brotherly affection,

Dear Doctor, and much efteemed Friend,

Your faithful Servant, and Brother in Chrift,
J. T. VANDERKEMP.
MISSIONARY COLLECTIONS.
From 25 Dec. to 25. Jan.

Rev. Thomas White and friends, Mablethorpe
Rev. W. Smelle and friends, Great Grimsby
Friends at Melton

Rev. Mr. Moody and Congregation, Warwick."

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LONDON ITINERANT SOCIETY.

We understand, that the annual fermon, before the members of that ufeful inftitution, will be preached by the Rev. John Eyre, at the Rev. E. I. Jones's Chapel, Iflington, on Tuesday the 24th Inft.

ORDINATIONS.

AUGUST 14, 1800. The Rev. R. DAVIS, late of Thorn near Dunftable, was ordained to the paftoral charge, over the Baptist Church at Liverpool, formerly under the care of the late Mr. Medley. Mr. Bruce, of the fame town, introduced the folemnities with prayer and reading the fcriptures: Mr. Littlewood, of Rochdale, propofed the ufual enquiries, and received Mr. Davis's confeffion of faith. Mr. Fawcett, of Ewood Hall, offered the ordination prayer, with impofition of hands and afterwards delivered the charge founded upon the example of John, as teftified by our Lord, John v. 35. Mr. Littlewood preached to the people, from Phil. i. 27. Mr. Pilling, of Good Shaw-Chapel, gave out the hymns, and concluded with prayer.

Dec. 10, 1800. The Rey. M. CASTLEDEN, late of Aylesbury, was fettled paftor of the independent church, Wooburn, Beds. Mr. Hunt, of Rigmont, begun with prayer. Mr. Sutcliffe, of Olney, delivered an introductory difcourfe on the nature of a Gofpel Church. Mr. Hilyard, of Olney, preached from 1. Cor. 3. 9. Mr. Wake of Leighton, concluded in prayer, and Mr. Claypole, of Thorn, gave out the hymns.

On the afternoon of the fame day, Mr. R. CAREY, of Wooburn, was ordained Minister of the Gospel, by imposition of hands. Mr. Tift, of Wooborn began with prayer. Mr. Hilyard delivered the introductory dif courfe. Mr. Wake afked the queftions, and received Mr. Carey's confeffion. Mr. Hilyard of Olney engaged in the ordination prayer. Mr. Coles, of Ampthill, delivered the charge from 2. Tim. 4. 5. Mr. T. P. Bull, concluded in prayer. Mr. Cox, of Leighton, gave out the hymus.

Dec. 31, 1800, the Rev. BEN. GAFFEE, late of Homerton Academy, was ordained to the paftoral office over the church in New Broad Street, lately under the care of the Rev. Dr. Stafford, deceased. The Rev. Jofeph Brookbank began with prayer, and reading the Scriptures. Dr. Fither explained the nature of a Gofpei Church, and afked the questions. Mr. Child, a deacon of the church, declared the proceedings of the church, fince the death of their paftor. Mr. Gaffee delivered his confeffion of faith. Mr. Gaffee of Hatfield Heath, prayed the ordination prayer. Mr. Goode delivered the charge, from Acts xviii. 25. Mr. Bather offered the general prayer. Mr. Knight, of Southwark, preached to the people, from 2 Chron. xv. 2. and Mr. Ford of Stepney concluded with prayer. Mr. Wall, gave out the hymns. A very large auditory attended, and the whole fervice was conducted with much folemnity.

This place of worthip was built in 1727, and from that time to the prefent, a pace of 73 years, it is worthy of remark, that the church has had but two paftors, Dr. Guife, and Dr. Stafford.

Jan. 1, 1801. The Rev. W. WINTERBOTHAM, was fet apart to the paftoral office of the Baptist Church at Plymouth, in the room of the Rev. P. Gibbs. Mr. Sprague, of Bovey, began the fervice with reading the fcriptures and prayer. Mr. Redding, of Truro, delivered the introductory dif

course,

course, asked the ufual queftions &c. Mr. Steadman, of Dock, prayed the ordination prayer; with the laying on of hands. Mr. Birt, of Dock, gave the charge, from Rev. ii. 10. Mr. Sharp, of Bristol, preached from Gal. iii. 16, and Mr. Redding concluded with prayer; and preached in the evening, from 1 Pet. 4. 17.

Jan. 8. Rev. W. FRIEND, for three years paft, ftated preacher at Highworth and Farringdon, was at the laft inentioned place, folemnly fet apart to the pastoral office.

After a fhort prayer, and reading the fcriptures, Mr. Robert Sloper, of Devizes, delivered the introductory discourse, and asked the questions, Mr. Mufton, late of Afton, engaged in the ordination prayer. Mr. Thresher, of Abingdon, gave the charge, from Mat. xxi. 28. Mr. Griffiths of Abingdon, preached from v. Thef. 12, 13; and Mr. Kent, of Abingdon, concluded.

DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS.

At a meeting of the Editors of this Magazine, on Monday Jan. 19, for the diftribution of profits, the following thirty-two cafes, being properly recommended, were relieved:

The opening of Chapels, with various other articles of intelligence,

are neceffarily deferred.

POETRY.

Or couldst thou through my dark fome 'Twas in corrupted nature found,

*Tranflation of Homer. Olney Hymns. The Tafk and other lighter poems.