Stations, labourers and notitia of Missionary Societies.
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Australasia
A view of the Stations of New South-Wales appears at p. 383 of our last Volume.
BIBLE, TRACT, AND EDUCATION SOCIETIES.
NEW SOUTH-WALES.
The Bible Auxiliary has remitted 150l., making a total of 2790l. Its total issues have been 6340 copies; those of the year having been 248 Bibles and 327 Testaments-- In 1829, the Tract Society issued 22,885 Tracts; making a total, from August 1823, of 122,040: the remittances to the Parent Society amount to 75l; and 9700 Books and Tracts, with a complete Library, were sent by it to Sydney in the last year. The Van-Dieman's-Land Tract Society has remitted 25 l. to the Parent Society: about 31,000 Tracts have been circulated in the year: 1060 Publications have been sent. To emigrants proceeding to the Swan River the Religious-Tract Society has also furnished 7900 Publications. Notices appear at p. 429 of our last Volume of a plan for establishing Grammar Schools in the Colony --P. 42.
STATIONS, LABOURERS, & NOTITIA OF MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
NEW SOUTH-WALES.
Mr. and Mrs. Lisk have been obliged, by continued ill health, to return home. Mrs. Norman, after a lengthened illness, died at Hobart Town, much esteemed and lamented. The Committee have undertaken to provide two Religious Teachers for the Aborigines, for whose support Government will allot 500l. per annum --Pp. 42, 199, 382.
NEW ZEALAND.
At p. 55 of our last Number we noticed the New Orthography now in use in relation to this Mission.
Rangihoua: on the north side of the Bay of Islands: 1815 -- John King, James Shepherd, As. -- Divine Services continued--Scholars, in March last, 17 men and boys and 10 girls--After much consideration of all the circumstances brought before them, the Committee have directed the Missionaries to give up this Settlement, in order to strengthen the other Stations; rather than to remove
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Church Missionary Society--
it to Tepuna, as mentioned in the last Survey.
Kerikeri: on a river which falls into the Bay of Islands, on the west side: 1819 -- W. Yate; James Kemp, G. Clarke, James Hamlin, C. Baker, James Smith, As. -- About 200 Natives are under regular instruction: the unsettled state of those in the vicinity is such, that sometimes not more than 200 are met with in a journey of 40 miles: of those who reside in the Settlement, consisting in March last of 44 men and boys and 22 females, many are, apparently from the heart, inquiring what they shall do to be saved: "I do hope," says one of the Labourers, "that a genuine work is begun in the souls of many" --A School Room, 38 feet by 18, has been built -- Mr. Yate visited New South-Wales last summer, and printed there various pieces for the use of the Mission. James Smith, a youth, accompanied him back in July, and is now employed at a small press established at this Station. The whole of the Liturgy has been translated and printed -- See an account and engraving of Kerikeri at p. 430 of our last Volume.
Paihia: on the south side of the Bay of Islands: 16 miles S E of Kerikeri, and the same distance across the Bay southward from Rangihoua: 1823 -- H. Williams, W. Williams; Alfred Nisbet Brown; Richard Davis, W. Fairburn, W. Puckey, As. Mr. and Mrs. Brown arrived Nov. 29, 1829: he is in special charge of the education of the Missionaries' Children--A spirit of inquiry has been excited among the Natives resident in the Mission Families, who consisted, in March, of 77 men and boys and 25 women and girls: 12 adults were baptized in the year. In August, a Youth died, in a very hopeful state, and a Girl was then happy on her dying bed.
In the 3 Stations, there were 4 English Clergymen, 10 Laymen, and 13 Females employed; and, in 4 Schools, 134 male and 65 female scholars. In December 1829, at a general and very satisfactory Examination of the Scholars of all the Settlements held at Kerikeri, there were assembled 72 Europeans of all ages, 150 Native Men and Boys, and 68 Native Females.
Of Mr. C. Davis, who sailed from Port Jackson for New Zealand, with his Wife and Mrs. Hart, at the end of October 1829, no intelligence having been received up to the end of September last, the melancholy conclusion seems inevitable that the vessel must have foundered at sea. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, who embarked in January of last year, arrived on the 1st of August: they came from New South-Wales in the Society's new vessel the "Active;" which, unhappily, belies her name, as she proves to be a heavy sailer.
The Rev. S. Marsden arrived on the 8th of March, on his Sixth Visit to New Zealand. He made arrangements, on this occasion, for the establishment of a New Station at Waimate, about 9 miles inland from Kerikeri: about 250 acres of very good land, well wooded and watered, are there secured to the Society, for the purpose of cultivation: Messrs. Clarke, Davis, and Hamlin were appointed to enter on the Station. A Water-mill is to be erected near one of the present Stations, for the grinding of corn for the supply of the Mission Families.
See at Pp. 42, 43, 72, 113-116, 369-378, 382-384, and 467-471 of our last Volume, many interesting details.
The New-Zealand Mission continues to encourage the best hopes of the friends of the Society. The Committee have viewed with cordial satisfaction the zealous and persevering labours of the Missionaries, and the spirit of concord which prevails among them. Few things have been more strikingly illustrative of the gracious care and watchful providence of the Great Head of the Church, than the perfect security of the Missionaries among the warlike and turbulent Natives: devoid of all European Protection, situated among wild and cannibal savages, God has, now for fourteen years, preserved them unhurt: as he shut the mouths of the lions in the den into which Daniel was cast, so has He marvellously restrained the sanguinary disposition of the New Zealanders; and preserved His Servants from all injury, that they may declare His glory to the people among whom they dwell (Committee) -- According to human estimate, it appeared impossible that these wild ferocious cannibals could ever be brought under the influence of Christian Principles; but the power of Divine Grace has most unquestionably subdued the hearts of some of these Heathens to the obedience of the Gospel {Rev. S. Marsden) -- Our Heavenly Father is, I hope, carrying on a great and glorious work in this dark land. Some of the New Zealanders are acknowledging that the yoke of Christ is
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easy and His burden light. You would be pleased to see what ardour and attention are manifested when we speak to them about their eternal interests. That part of the Word of God which is translated into the Native Tongue is read with eagerness. The Sabbath is more strictly regarded in our Settlement, than in many villages in England. Some are in the constant habit of praying in secret (Letter: Sept. 1830) --We have, before this, had DYING TESTIMONIES; but now we can bless God for LIVING WITNESSES (Mr. Richard Davis)--Some of the Natives are beginning to express, in their own terms, their Christian Feelings: a New Zealander thus describes the trouble which he felt on account of the obstinate hardness of his heart: "I am bad with vexation for the exceeding fixedness of my bad heart" (Report).
WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
Mangunga: on the E'O'keanga: 1827 --W. White, John Hobbs, James Stack. "The Station is frequently visited," the Committee report, "by English Vessels, affording the Missionaries some opportunities of ministering in their own language, while their attention is chiefly directed to the instruction and improvement of the Aborigines of the island. The perverse levity and awful depravity of these savages appear to be unequalled in the history of man: however, the degree of respect for the Word of God, and of attachment to the Missionaries, evinced by some of the Natives, even of higher rank, and the attendance of some of the children to school-instruction, encourage the hope that our labours there shall be ultimately crowned with success --P. 43; and see, at pp. 378-380, some painful illustrations of the Native Character and Manners.
