554 LIFE OF DA YID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



congregation proper, including individuals of all ages who are in any way con- 

 nected with the church, numbers two hundred and fifty. These are regularly 

 organised, having their elders and deacons. One of the latter has lately 

 been crowned King of Creek Town and its dependencies, under the title of 

 Eyo VII. He long declined the dignity, fearing that, as the heathen party is 

 still the stronger in the community, he might be drawn into something which 

 would be inconsistent with his profession as a Christian ; but as no one else 

 could occupy the position, and as much inconvenience resulted from his 

 declinature, he has at length yielded to the importunity of his fellow-country- 

 men, and accepted the honour, on the condition that he discharge the duties 

 of his office on Christian principles. At his coronation by the British Consul, 

 that there might be no misunderstanding, he announced in English and in 

 the native tongue that only on these principles would he administer the power 

 given. On the following Sabbath he was at his post in the Sabbath school as 

 usual ; his wife also, who is likewise a member of the Church, and has been 

 advanced to the status of teacher. Let the prayers of the friends of missions 

 be offered, that he may be enabled to make good all that he has purposed 

 and spoken, and that his influence may be extensively for good throughout 

 this district and in the country at large. 



"All, male and female, who are received into the membership of the 

 Church, are instructed that it is their duty to disseminate the knowledge of 

 divine truth which they have acquired amongst their heathen neighbours, 

 and endeavour to draw them to Christ. This duty on the whole is very well 

 attended to. Our young men, when going to tribes beyond us in pursuit of 

 their traffic, carry their books with them, and on Sabbath lay aside their 

 business, and read and speak to any who may be disposed to listen. But 

 besides this, there is a number of our young men, about sixteen, who have 

 given themselves, as a native agency, entirely to the work of the mission, 

 teaching school during the week, and holding meetings on the Sabbath. 

 These are located in out-stations, and have on the whole proved themselves 

 worthy of their office. One of these, Esien Esien Ukpabio, was some time 

 ago ordained to the office of the ministry. Our first native convert, he became 

 our first native teacher, and is now our first native minister. For a good 

 many years he has commended himself as a consistent professor of the faith 

 and an efficient instructor of his countrymen, securing the respect of 'Jiose 

 without as well as those within the Church. We expect that he will enter 

 into a new field, among a tribe where we have yet no station. 



" The last formed of these out-stations has been thrown into the Uwet 

 tribe, beyond which Mr. Edgerley has been of late penetrating. The people 

 of this locality were gradually disappearing from the face of the earth by the 

 frequent recourse they had to the poison ordeal, the whole population of a 

 village occasionally taking it, in order to destroy the dreadful power of I/ot 



