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Various additions have been made, during the year, to the number of Missionaries and Students.

Seven Missionaries, educated in the Institution at Bâsle, have been for some time in this country, in order to perfect their acquaintance with English, and to acquire a knowledge of the National System of Education. The Rev. Jacob Maisch, the Rev. Theophilus Reichardt, and the Rev. G. Emanuel W. Metzger, natives of Würtemberg, and the Rev. Charles William Beckauer, from Saxony, arrived on the 7th of September; and were joined, on the 7th of February, by the Rev. William Henry Schemel and the Rev. Theophilus Christopher Deininger, also of Würtemberg, and the Rev. John Gerber, of the Canton of Berne. These Missionaries had studied about three years in the Seminary, and were all admitted to Holy Orders in the Cathedral of Stutgardt. The King of Wurtemberg has manifested particular interest in the Young Men who are subjects of His Majesty, and has made liberal presents of books to them. Of all these Missionaries, the expectation formed by the Committee, on the report of their beloved Tutor, now present—the Rev. Theophilus Blumhardt-has been fully confirmed by the spirit and character which they have manifested. An eighth Student, who had been also preparing for service under the Society, was prevented by ill health from accompanying his brethren.

More than thirty persons have offered themselves for the Missionary Service, during the year: a few only have been received, but the offers of some of the rest are still under consideration. The Committee cannot, however, but regret, that zeal for the extension of the Kingdom of Christ among the Heathen-a service of the highest honour to which the talents and acquirements of Christians can be devoted-should have such partial influence among that great and increasing body of Young Men, either under preparation for Holy Orders, or recently entered on the Sacred Office, whose piety is unquestionable, and whose gifts and attainments eminently fit them for this service. The Committee feel, on this subject, that the urgent wants of the Fallen Christian Churches and

of the whole Unchristianized World call on all the sincere servants of Christ to abound in importunate prayer for the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, in preparing and sending forth able and devoted men for the establishment of the promised Kingdom of their Lord.

The number of persons, male and female, now preparing for future labour, is twenty-three. One of the Students at Dublin, mentioned in the last Report,, has given up his purpose of proceeding as a Missionary

under the Society.

In reference to the preparation of Missionaries, the Committee have availed themselves of the visit of Mr. Blumhardt to this country to enter into arrangements with him, for the regular supply to the Society, from the Institution at Bâsle, of such Missionaries as may be duly qualified for those spheres of labour in which it is found expedient, or where it may hereafter be found so, to engage the services of the Continental Churches.

The Committee regret to state that death has, in this year also, removed some of the Society's Labourers and Friends.

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The Rev. Benedict La Roche, whose arrival at Calcutta on the 17th of August 1820, was stated in the last Report, was obliged, after a short residence, to return to Europe. He had the benefit, on board the James Sibbald," of the kind and friendly care of Dr. Ramsay, who was himself returning home on account of health. Mr. La Roche did not survive to land in this country, but died, about midnight of the 9th of August, as the ship was entering the River*.

In Western Africa, the senior Missionary, the Rev. Melchior Renner, after seventeen years' service in that Mission, died on the 9th of September. A short time before, the Rev. Robert Hughes, appointed Chaplain at St. Mary's in the Gambia, with his Wife, had been taken away from their labours, at the latter end of August, within a few days of each other, after a few months' residence at their Station.

* Some affecting particulars of Mr. La Roche's peaceful departure are given, from a Letter of Dr. Ramsay's, in the Missionary Register for 1821, pp. 309, 310.

In another quarter, also, the Labourers of the Society have been diminished. The Rev. James Connor left Constantinople in February of last year, it having been agreed that he should return home for a season. He reached London in September, by way of Greece and Italy. It has been since determined that he shall not resume his Mission.

The Committee will now report the departure of Missionaries to different quarters of the Society's sphere of labour.

The Rev. William Jowett being about to return to the Mediterranean, and several Missionaries to proceed to India, they were addressed on the occasion, after receiving the Instructions of the Committee, at a Special Meeting, held on the 7th of March, John Herbert Harington, Esq. in the Chair, by the Rev. William Dealtry, Rector of Clapham, in a manner well adapted, under the Divine Blessing, to assist and encourage them in their future labours. The Missionaries proceeding to India were the Rev. William Sawyer, and the Rev. Messrs. Maisch and Reichardt from Bâsle, all appointed to the North-India Mission. Mr. Sawyer was admitted to Holy Orders, after a considerable time devoted to preparation, by His Grace the Archbishop of York, and served a Curacy in that Diocese*. Mr. Jowett, with Mrs. Jowett and their three Children, left London on the 11th of March, on his return, by way of France; and reached Marseilles on the 6th of the present month of April, after receiving at Paris much kindness from Professor Kieffer and other friends. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer, with Messrs. Maisch and Reichardt, embarked at Gravesend, on the 9th of this month, on board the Agincourt, Captain Mahon: the ship left the Downs on the 14th.

Mr. George Clarke, of Wymondham, in Norfolk, accustomed to the business of a Smith, having been strongly recommended by the Society's friends at that

* The Instructions of the Committee, with Replies by Mr. Jowett, Mr. Sawyer, and Mr. Maisch, and the Address of Mr. Dealtry, are printed in Appendix III.

place, was appointed as a Settler at New Zealand. He will be able, like his townsman, Mr. James Kemp, to further the work of the Mission in that department, which is so acceptable to the Natives. At the Monthly Meeting of the Committee on the 8th of this month, the Rev. Basil Woodd addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Clarke a few words of Advice and Encouragement, on dismissing them to their labours: they had both qualified themselves, at the Central School in Baldwin's Gardens, to assist in the Education of the NewZealand Children. On the 20th instant, they embarked at Gravesend, on board the Heroine, Captain Ostler, for Port Jackson; Government having granted them, with its accustomed kindness, a passage in that vessel.

The Committee regret to state, in closing this report of the Society's Missionaries and Students, that Mr. and Mrs. Dawson, having returned from the south of England to Yorkshire, continue still unable to resume any active employment: little expectation, indeed, remains of Mr. Dawson's surviving long.

MISSIONS.

To the Eight Missions of the Society which had been for some time formed, a Ninth was added, at a Meeting of the Committee held on the 28th of January, among the Indians of North-West America. On these Missions the Committee will now report, in the usual order-beginning with Africa, and passing by the Mediterranean, India, Ceylon, and Australasia, to America.

Before the Committee enter on a survey of these Missions, they wish to call the attention of the Members to the subject of the African School Fund. They are now enabled, by Lists lately received from Sierra Leone, to apprize the Contributors to this Fund, that, at the time when these Lists were formed, that is in December last, the whole number of 444 names appointed by the Benefactors of the Children (with the exception of a few errrors) were borne by African Children and Youth, under the care of the Society's Missionaries in the Colony of Sierra Leone.

This Fund, so far as Sierra Leone is concerned, no longer exists on its original plan; the maintenance and education of all the Children of the Colony being otherwise secured: but, on the plan mentioned in former Reports, of receiving from Benefactors who may wish to name an African Child the sum of 30. to be appropriated to its future benefit, various Young Persons have been named at their baptism. Mr. Johnson, after enumerating Five Children whom he had thus named, and taken under his care, adds

I hope my friends will give me many more similar duties. I need not observe that the Children whom I have named are the most promising.

It will be a pleasing task to Mr. Johnson or his fellow-labourers, to appropriate to the benefit of Young Persons so circumstanced, the respective sums of 301. assigned to them by their Benefactors; and the Committee cannot but hope that this plan of benefitting Young Africans, and of cherishing an interest in their improvement, will commend itself to many benevolent persons.

While, however, circumstances have led to the clos ing of the African School Fund on its original plan, the Committee have been led to open a School Fund on that plan, for the benefit of Ceylonese Children; and, as opportunities may occur, for the advantage of other Children in that part of the world. Their attention was called to this object, by the measures pursued, at Bombay and in Ceylon, by the Missionaries of the American Board of Missions at Boston. The Board had adopted the Society's first plan: and had received the names of a number of Children, to be maintained and educated by its Missionaries; but had fixed the annual payment at Twelve Dollars for each child. Your Committee were apprehensive, from the Society's experience on the subject, that this sum had been settled with reference only to the personal expenses of each Scholar, without including the various contingent expenses inseparable from the plan; and having been urged by one of the Society's Missionaries in Ceylon, to open a similar Fund for the benefit of the Native Children of that Island, they stated their views to the

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