MISSIONS. 



583 



Miaiooi. In some of these islands, the success of the Brethren 

 S " P V"" > ' has been so considerable, that the members of their 

 congregations form a large proportion of the whole 

 number of slaves ; in St. Thomas and St. Croix, they 

 constitute about one-third, and in St. Jan nearly three, 

 fourths of the negro population. Though the utility 

 of the Brethren's labours are now universally acknow- 

 ledged, yet we may here mention, that it has been 

 stated on high authority, that among the planters in 

 the West Indies, a Negro is reckoned doubly valuable 

 if he is a Moravian. 



In September 1786, the Rev. Dr. Coke, accompanied 

 by three other methodist preachers, destined for Nova 

 Scotia, sailed from England for that country ; but the 

 captain was compelled, by stress of weather, to change 

 his course, and to land them on the island of Antigua. 

 Having met with a very favourable reception on that 

 and some other islands which they visited, they resolved, 

 instead of proceeding to the place of their original des- 

 tination, to attempt the establishment of missions in 

 this quarter of the globe. In the course of a few years, 

 the Methodists accordingly sent missionaries to the 

 principal islands belonging to the crown of Britain ; 

 and though, from the great instability which appears 

 among their converts, it is difficult to estimate the ex- 

 tent of their success ; yet there can be no doubt that, 

 on the whole, they have been highly useful among the 

 Negroes. 



In 1819, the Methodist Societies in the West India 

 islands, consisted of the following black and coloured 

 members, exclusive of a few white people. 



Begun 



17&G, Antigua . . . 359* 



1787, St. Vincent's . . 2685 



1787, St Christopher*! . . 2309 



1787, St. Eustatia . . 253 



1788, Barbadoes ... 26 



1788, Dominica . . . 653 



1789, Nevla ... 943 



1789, Tortola . . . 1739 



1790, Jamaica . . . 5452 

 1793, Grenada ... 211 

 1797, St. Bmrtholomew'8 . 308 

 1799, Bermuda ... 44 



Carry over . 18,196 



Begun 



Brought forward 

 1SOO, Bahama Islands . 

 1809, Trinidad 

 1816, St. Domingo 



Anguilla and St. Martin 

 1818, Tobago 



Missions. 



l9,9StS 



Besides the Negroes and people of colour who are 

 members of the Methodist Societies in the West Indies, 

 there are 43,41 1 of the same description of persons 

 connected with those in the United States, making a 

 total of 62,736. 



In the West India islands, the missionaries of 

 all denominations have experienced the most violent 

 persecution from numbers of the white inhabitants. 

 Though the Methodists have of late years been the 

 principal objects of this opposition, yet the Moravians, 

 peaceful and prudent as were their endeavours to in- 

 struct the Negroes, were long opposed with no less vio- 

 lence. Not only lawless individuals, and infuriated 

 mobs, have frequently assaulted the Methodist Mission- 

 aries, and interrupted them in their labours, but the 

 legislatures ofseveral of the islands, particularly Ja- 

 maica, have passed severe acts against them, restricting 

 them in their operations, and punishing them by fine, 

 imprisonment, banishment, &c- It will perhaps scarcely 

 be credited, yet the fact is unquestionable, that so late 

 as the year 1792, a British House of Assembly (St. 

 Vincent's) passed a law inflicting the punishment of 

 DEATH on the score of religion. To what an extent 

 the Methodists were placed beyond the protection of 

 law, is evident, from the following notable decision of 

 one of the magistrates of Barbadoes, in the case of a 

 most outrageous assault on their chapel by a lawless 

 mob : " The oflence," said he, " was committed against 

 Almighty God. It therefore does not belong to me to 

 punish it." But though the Methodists have experi- 

 enced the most violent hostility from many of the white 

 inhabitants of the West Indies, it would" be an act of 

 gross injustice, both to the planters and to the mission- 

 aries, were we not to state, that such sentiments and 

 practices were by no means universal; that though mul- 

 titudes were their enemies, not a few were their friends 

 and supporters *. 



A* the Method* MMoouta in the We* India tare been grievoudy calumniated, we think it n 

 tin to than, to introduce in th place IB extnct from \V ; 

 Try clearly that the hostility to than was far from unmrsaL 

 mission hat been raised in the 



more than an act of jus- 



fauon'i able " Defence of the Wesleyan Methodist .Mitsioni," which will shew 

 naL " A great part of the money." says he, " expended by the West India 

 iilerable Him ha* been contributed by the white*. There is Karcely a chapel of 



colonio, of which a eontidcnble mm 



any mgnrrr*- in any of the islands, in the erection of which tiie gentlemen of the island* have not assisted by their subscription* or 

 otherwise. They have given money ; lent money in considerable nuns till it could be conveniently repaid ; made presents of timber, or 

 famished it on long credit ; and lent their Negro caipeuten atdrnmatugraiii. Subscriptions of ten, twenty, fifty, and one hundred pounds, 

 for such porpeors, mark both the rank in life, and the pinions at the contributors. Even hi Jamaica, where the dark and dangerous fa- 

 naticism of the M*thiMli has been discovered with mure ssgaeitr than in other places, this assistance ha* been afforded. T lie clergy, 

 though not in iial personally active in Negro instruction, hav* given proof* thai they an not opposed to the efforts made for that pur. 

 pose, and that they apprehend no danger from them. It has not been an unusual thing for their slaves to be members of the Methodist 

 Societies by their with or content. The rector of Kingston gav* 10, 13s. 4d. currency towards the chapel in that city ; and on ano- 

 ther occasion, 10 towards the Morant Bay Chapel. The rector of Morant Bay alto gave 10 towards the chapel in that place; and 

 when teuortion was made in the chapel at Kingtton, a little before the persecuting law of 1807, for the purpose of affording aid to the 

 bvUsog of Monuw Bsiy Chapel, many respectable ladies and gentlemen of the city were present, who put into the box. some joes, and 

 othen VjahlooBt, snaking in the whole a collection of 74. In other '")r*A*, not merely planters and merchants, but members of colo- 

 nial moililin. president*, chief judges, and governor*, hav* not only subscribed to the erection of chapels, but in some instances have 

 paid regular stipends to the missionaries as a remuneration for their labours in instructing their slaves, and in many instances have done 

 what was of snore ttatntiil service, have counteracted the design* of " wicked and unreasonable men," who attempted to itir up persecu- 

 tions, BK VDMB DO pretence but intolerance and misinformation could be set up- P. 125. 



After stating some of the cause* which had occasioned to much opposition to the Methodist Missionaries in the West Indies, Mr. Wat- 

 , " Other 



son adds, 



which have produced many instance* of individual opposition to the missions, and which in some cases have chiefly 



|r(jUKted jt of legsshtite oppression, could be adduced ; but we do not seek occasion of crimination, though the causes of opposition we allude 

 to would greatly npUn and fix iu 



fully against 



character." If it should appear that the real offence given by missionaries is their preaching faitli- 

 nsgniBg vice) ; that among the number of those " turned to righteousness," have been many females who were the 



