most gratifying sight that has ever come before us in St. George's Church, being composed of a great number of Coloured Men, besides a good many Europeans. This is the first Assize Sermon ever preached in this Colony, within our knowledge.

The attendance on Divine Service declinedas the rainy season advanced, and the Military ceased to attend. On this circumstance the Missionaries remark:

We cannot but regret, that if the regiment could not attend regularly, they should ever have attended at all. There can be little doubt but their attending has prevented the Church from being frequented by the Black Population. Sometimes a tolerable number of the latter had taken their seats on the benches; when the Military coming in, their seats were crowded to excess; and that part of the Church became very uncomfortable for attentive hearers, from the frequent irreverent moving about of the Soldiers, which was not checked, as it ought to have been, by their superiors.

At Michaelmas, they write

The return of fine weather seems to collect our Congregation again. We had 20 or more Europeans on the last three Sundays, and an increasing number of the Young Men who have been mentioned in former Reports.

In the Annual Report it is stated, that, since the setting in of the dry season, the Congregation has consisted of about 300 persons. The Lord's Supper has been attended by from six to eight individuals.

Divine Service has been regularly performed at the Chapel in Gibraltar Town; twice on the Lord's Day, and on one evening in the week. The average attendance on the Sunday Morning has been 70; on the Evening, 20; and on the Week Evening, 15. There are 16 Communicants.

The Committee have waited with considerable anxiety for the appointment of a Chaplain to Freetown, an event which will relieve the Missionaries from numerous hindrances to their more direct labours. On this subject they remark

We fervently pray that God may speedily supply the place which we now so imperfectly fill, by sending a Minister to this Parish, endowed by Him with heavenly gifts for the immense work which is to be done. We should now be able to resign to him our functions, with far brighter prospects of

usefulness than could have been done for a long time past; and our hearts would rejoice if a rich harvest were, at last, gathered from labours for so many years bestowed on this part of the Lord's vineyard.

On the return of Mr. and Mrs. Weeks to England, at the beginning of February, the COLONIAL SCHOOLS, which had been divided into Eastern and Western, were re-united; the Boys' School being placed under the care of George Fox, and the Girls' under Mrs. Taylor and Sarah Fox, till Mrs. Taylor's removal to Bathurst in July.

According to the Returns given in the Annual Report, the Schools contain 474 Scholars of both sexes; but the average attendance does not appear to exceed 375. In reference to the claims of the Schools on their time, and the attention which they are able to give to them, the Missionaries write

We endeavour, with due consideration to the claims of other parts of the Colony, to assign to them the best opportunities of improvement in our power; but we must express our conviction, that our efforts cannot supply the wants of the superior classes of the Coloured Population.

On this subject they further write :

There is a considerable number of parents who have a desire to obtain for their children an education superior to what can be expected from seminaries opened expressly for the benefit of every class of the community without exception. Those parents could afford to pay for such an education in the Colony; though they may not have the means, neither can make up their minds, to send their children to England for this purpose. Respectable Boarding-Schools for both sexes are, therefore, very greatly wanted, to raise the standard of education among the Natives of the Colony; and the Missionaries earnestly wish that means may be found to supply this essential want: while, at the same time, they think it evident that it is out of the province of their Society to do more than give every encouragement to, without identifying themselves with, any attempts that may be made towards that end.

CHRISTIAN INSTITUTION.

The Christian Institution at Fourah Bay, under Mr. Haensel's care, counted Four Students at the close of last year; two of whom have been dismissed for want of qualifications. Five have been admitted, of whom one has since been excluded.

The senior Student has, with the cordial concurrence of the Missionaries, been appointed Assistant to the Superintendant of the Institution: and, taking him out of the list of Students, there remains a number of Six under instruction; whose general deportment is satisfactory, and, with their progress in learning, varying considerably according to their abilities and previous opportunities of improvement, gives hope of their eventually proving useful Assistants to the Missionaries, if not in the higher, yet in the inferior situations which the state of the Mission presents.

In his Report of the Institution, Mr. Haensel writes

The Tutor of these Youths wishes to impress himself and his Fellow-Labourers in the Mission deeply with this truth, that his labours, if faithfully performed and accompanied with the ordinary blessings of God's providence, may indeed be reasonably expected to furnish a supply of tolerably qualified Schoolmasters: but God's special blessing alone, in the course of an humble and diligent attention to those inferior duties to which they shall be appointed on having finished their course of instruction, can ever make a Native Teacher.

RIVER DISTRICT.

The division of the labours of this District, between the Rev. G. W. E. Metzger and the Rev. J. Gerber, was noticed in the last Report. Mr. Metzger was stationed at Wellington, and Mr. Gerber resided at Waterloo; but the situation proving unfavourable to his and Mrs. Gerber's health, they removed in November to Hastings. The Native Teachers assisting the Missionaries in this District, are, David Noah and William Tamba; David Noah residing at Waterloo, and William Tamba at Wellington.

As the Settlements of Calmont and Allen's Town, which are situated in this District, contain no persons admitted to the Church, it was Resolved, at a Special Meeting of the Missionaries in November, that they should be considered no further under the charge of the Mission, than as the Clergymen who have the care of the District may find compatible with the performance of their duty to the other Stations entrusted to their care.

Kissey.

Of this Station Mr. Metzger reports at Mid

summer

The Rev. C. L. F. Haensel has kindly performed, alternately with me, Divine Service on the Sunday Forenoons. Thus the people have had the preaching of the Word amongst them, by a European, every Sunday: but I am sorry to state, that there does not attend a greater number of hearers, exclusive of Children, than about 168 in the Forenoon. In an Afternoon, they have Prayer-Meetings among themselves, and are occasionally visited by Br. Haensel or me.

Every day they keep early Morning Prayer-Meetings; and, whenever they are able to purchase Palm-oil by Collections, which they gather among themselves, they hold Evening Prayer-Meetings too, to which the Schoolmaster attends. They were able to purchase Palm-oil for Evening Services nearly during the whole of the last three months.

The number of Communicants is 64. I had the painful duty of excluding Five, during the Quarter, for falling into sin. Those on trial as Candidates for Baptism are the same as stated last Quarter; in number, 16.

I find much difficulty in ascertaining the sincerity of these people, as I do not reside on the Station; and have, in consequence, appointed a Communicant of Wellington to meet them every Sunday Morning, after Divine Service, for the purpose of examining and instructing them.

At Michaelmas he writes

Divine Service has been much better attended during the Quarter, and the people seem much more serious at Church than they formerly were: about 250 Adults and 50 Children attend in the Forenoons, and about half the number in the Afternoons, of Sunday. On Tuesday Evening, on an average, 75 Adults and 30 Children attended. The Communicant from Wellington, Corporal in the late 4th W. I. Reg., has continued his services: he considers it his duty to attend to the cause of God; and does not mind a walk to Kissey, for the sake of doing good, without payment. Not being a novice in Christian experience, he renders me much assistance.

Every Tuesday and Saturday Night, after the General Prayer-Meeting, the Communicants meet amongst themselves for religious edification: the Females on Tuesday, and the Males on Saturday.

I had the happiness to admit to holy Baptism a number of those who were on trial, after strict examination, last Sunday, in Kissey Church, in the presence of their chosen Witnesses, and, after a public re-examination, 15 Males and 7 Females. Our late Br. Nyländer had not to see much of the fruit

of his labours, but I think I am now reaping some of the seed that he has sown. One of the Communicants told me, the other day, to this effect-"I do not know what the matter is: this time, every body, young and old, begin to fear: there seems to be an impression on the minds of very many, that they must pray to God or they are lost."

The number of Communicants at Michaelmas was. 85, and at Christmas 116: the attendance at Public Worship on the Sunday was about 350 in the Morning, and 200 in the Afternoon: and the Tuesday Evening Service was attended, on an average, by 90 persons; and the Daily Morning and Evening Prayers by 70.

Wellington.

The want of a suitable place of Public Worship has long been felt at this Settlement; the people having only a grass hut in which they can assemble for that purpose. At the Spring Quarter, Mr. Metzger reports

I am happy to say, the work of the Lord is gradually gaining more ground amongst my people. There have been added to the Church of Christ, during the last Quarter, 23 Females, chiefly of the Accoo Nation. After a long course of trial and instruction as to the grand truths of our religion and to practical Christianity, they were admitted to holy Baptism. Of the Communicants mentioned in my last Report, three have been excluded from the Lord's Supper.

In June, Mr. Metzger writes

This Station is still destitute of a proper Place of Worship, although very deserving a better one: the number of attendants on Divine Service, both on Sundays and Week-days, are the same as stated at the close of the last Quarter. The number of Communicants at the close of this Quarter is 150. I am happy to state, there are on trial, at present, 47 Adults, some of whom are of 9, 8, 6, and 3 months' standing.

At Michaelmas, he states

I am happy to say, that the attendance on the Means of Grace has not diminished. Our miserable Grass-house is completely full on a Sunday Morning. On a Sunday Afternoon and Thursday Evening a good number attend. We have Daily, Morning, and Evening Prayer-Meetings in the Church. The people continue to provide their own Palmoil, for both the Evening Meetings, and for those which are kept amongst the Communicants.

During the Quarter, I have baptized 19 Male and 16 Female Adults, whom I have reason to believe sincere. The