TESTIMONY TO THE MISSION IN THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS.

103

pied the Chair at so many Anniversary Meetings of the Society in different parts of the kingdom. He was one of the Secretaries of the Auxiliary Society for the London District, and was a member of the Committee from the time of its formation in 1813, until his death. Mr. Marriott has afforded a lasting testimony of his regard for the Society, and for the cause of Missions, by one of the most munificent bequests ever made to the Society. The following is the official extract from his Will, forwarded to the Committee, from Doctors' Commons. (Extracted from the Registry of the Prerogative Court

CHARITY.

of Canterbury.)

IN THE WILL OF THOMAS MARRIOTT, late of Windsor-Terrace, City-Road, Esquire, deceased, dated 30th December, 1843, is as follows:

I give and bequeath unto the Treasurer or Treasurers, for the time being, of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, the sum of Ten Thousand Pounds Sterling, to be applied by them to the purposes of the said 18th Nov., 1851. Society. And I further direct, that my Executors above named do pay the same within three months

Testator died

after my decease, out of the sale of Bank Stock now standing in my name.

Proved at London, 3d December, 1851, by the oaths of the Rev. Jabez Bunting, of No. 30, Myddelton-square, Pentonville, D.D., the Rev. Robert Alder, of Bradford, in the county of York, D.D., William Jackson Taylor, of Capel-court, London, and Joseph Marriott, of Gracechurch-street, London, the Executors, being sworn duly to administer.

HIGH TESTIMONY TO THE WESLEYAN MISSION IN THE

FRIENDLY ISLANDS.

THE "Standard" newspaper for Tuesday, December 9th, 1851, contains the following information :—

LAST night a General Meeting of the members and friends of the Royal Geographical Society was held at the Society's rooms, Waterloo-place, PallMall; Sir Robert Murchison, Bart., President, in the chair. Amongst the numerous visiters present on this occasion were the Earl of Sheffield, Captain Fitzroy, R.N., Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd, Colonel Lloyd, Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Bolivia, J. Arrowsmith, Esq.; Count Wielshorsky, of the Russian Embassy; Captain Strachey, Sir Woodbine Parish, George O'Gorman, Esq., Edward Browning, Esq., Solyman Effendi, and other Egyptian officers; Captain Kellett, R.N., of Her Majesty's surveying ship "Herald;" Sir Edward Belcher, Dr. Truman, Captain Trotter, Vice-Admiral Price, Colonel Le Mesurier, Dr. Paulo, Dr. Power, Sir Harry Verney, M.P., J. P. Plumptre, Esq., &c.

A letter from Captain Penny on the subject of the Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, and a paper on the American Indians by Mr. Catlin, having been laid before the Meeting; a paper was then read by Mr. Brierley on the visit of Her Majesty's ship "Meander," Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel, to the island of Tongatabu, in June, 1850, which was illustrated by sketches of the arrival of the royal fleet of double canoes at Tongatabu; view of the entrance to the anchorage at Nukualofa, with Her Majesty's ship "Meander " running through the narrow passage between the islets; portrait of King George of the Friendly Islands, (life size,) from a sketch made at a kava party; portrait of a Feejee Chief (life size); view of one of the entrances to the pah at Bea, where Captain Croker, of Her Majesty's ship "Favourite," was killed in 1840; an outline-chart of Ton

gatabu, from a French survey at Tahiti; curiosities, models, &c.

The paper was highly interesting; and a vote of thanks for the same was

passed to Mr. Brierley for the labour he had bestowed in bringing it before the Society.

The Meeting broke up at a late hour.

In Mr. Brierley's paper, distinct mention was made of the Training Institution of our Society at Tonga, under the care of Mr. Amos. He stated that geography was accurately taught to the pupils; and that the Hon. Captain Keppel's examination of the pupils on the maps was very satisfactory. Shadrach Mumui, the son of an old Chief, was asked what course the "Meander" must take on her return-voyage to England, and he pointed out the course on the map with great accuracy.

We have great satisfaction in announcing that, in the "Juvenile Offering" for January, there is a likeness of King George, taken by Mr. Brierley; and that he has further obliged the Society by a loan of a sketch of the Institution at Tonga, and the promise of other original views executed by himself while in those seas, which cannot fail to prove very interesting.

OUTWARD-BOUND MISSIONARIES.

INTELLIGENCE has been received at Lloyd's, that the "John Wesley," Missionary ship, was spoken on the 1st of November, 1851, in latitude 8° north, and longitude 22° west.

The "Vernon," Captain Voss, bound for Madras, was spoken on the 24th of October, 1851, in latitude 23° south, and longitude 27° west. The Rev. Richard D. Griffith writes :-"Immediately after our departure, I proposed to the London Missionaries and Mrs. Major Anderson, that we should hold family worship in my cabin, to which they very gladly acceded. The following morning brought fresh additions to our numbers, so that our cabin is found to be far too small for our accommodation. We shall be obliged to congregate in the steerage. We have had good health and happy spirits, and have every reason to -anticipate much enjoyment during the remainder of the voyage."

DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL OF MISSIONARIES.

ON Tuesday, December 2d, Mr. Jason Chatterton embarked at Southampton, in the "Great Western," for Barbadoes.

We have much pleasure in stating, that Messrs. Ridyard, Wilson, Williams, Wildish, and Mason, with Miss Sibly, arrived in safety at St. Thomas on the 4th of October, when Messrs. Wilson and Ridyard took passage for St. Vincent's; and Messrs. Williams, Mason, and Wildish, and Miss Sibly, resumed their voyage for Kingston, Jamaica, which they reached on October 7th. From Kingston Mr. Mason and Miss Sibly departed, on the evening of the same day, for Belize, Honduras, where they safely arrived on the 17th of October. By intelligence from St. Vincent's, we learn that Messrs. Wilson and Ridyard have arrived at that island, in excellent health and spirits.

P.S. WE have received from the Gold-Coast most important and cheering information, of which an abstract shall be given in our next.

THE amount of contributions and remittances announced on the Cover of the Notices this month is £6,260. 13s. 10d.

LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE.

WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

FEBRUARY, 1852.

BIOGRAPHY.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. JAMES BLACKETT:

BY THE REV. JOHN KIRK, 1ST.

JAMES, the son of William and Jane Blackett, was born at Woodhouse, near Leeds, in the year 1778. When very young he felt the drawings of the Holy Spirit. It was his privilege to be taken by his parents to the house of God. The last time Mr. Wesley visited Leeds, James was one of his hearers at the Old Chapel. "Although I was but a boy," he says, "I heard him preach with much interest. When he came down from the pulpit and walked along the aisle, I rushed among the crowd, and, as Mr. Wesley held out his hand to take leave of the people, I got hold of it, and shook it heartily. He turned his eye towards me, and gave me a smile. Little did I then think that I should be employed in preaching the Gospel in his Connexion for nearly fifty years."

At the age of nineteen the subject of this paper was convinced of sin under a sermon preached by that man of God, the Rev. Alexander Mather. A single remark made during the sermon was applied by the Holy Spirit to his heart, and fastened conviction on his conscience. He writes: "Now, thought I, is my time. I am determined to forsake all I know to be sinful, and to seek the Lord." On returning home, he retired into his room, and there poured out his soul in earnest prayer that God would give him grace to forsake all for Christ. His prayer was heard. Strength was imparted. From that day all that he knew to be sinful was abandoned. He began to use the various means in his power, to obtain the salvation which he so ardently desired. He took a sitting in the Old Chapel; and, upon the invitation of a young friend whom he met at the door of the chapel, he began to meet in class. He was very much delighted with what he there saw and heard and felt. The Leader spoke most affectionately to him, and invited him to come again. He promised to do so, considering it a high privilege to be joined in Christian fellowship with the people of God. "From that time," writes Mr. Blackett, "I do not remember that I ever willingly neglected my class." It would indeed be well if all the members of our Society could say the same.

The object of his ardent pursuit was now the possession of true religion, the enjoyment of pardon and peace. For this he mourned and wept, prayed and wrestled. At length, while sitting under a

VOL. VIII.-FOURTH SERIES.

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