Croix, St. Jan, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbadoes, Sl. Chris topher's, and Tobago ; but the last has been suspended for some years. In some of these islands, their success has been inconsiderable ; but in others, it has been very extensive, as will appear from the following statement of the members of their congregations at the latest period we have been able to ascertain them.
21,945 In some of these islands, the success of the Brethren has been so considerable, that the members of their con gregations 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 Breth ren's labours are now universally acknowledged, yet we may here mention, that it has been stated on high autho rity, 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 he no doubt that, on tl.e whole, they have been highly useful among the Negroes.
In 1819, the Methodist Societies in the West India islands con isted of the following black and coloured members, exclusive of a few white people.
Besides the Negroes and people of Colour members of the Methodist Societies in the there are 43,411 of the same description of persons con nected with those in the United States, making a total of 62.736.
In the West India islands, the missionaries of all de nominations have experienced the most violent perse cution 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 instruct the Negroes, were long opposed with no less violence. Not
only lawless individuals, and infuriated mobs, have fre quently assaulted the Methodist Missionaries, and inter rupted them in their labours, but the legislatures of several of the islands, par ticularly Jamaica, have passed severe acts against them, restricting them in their ope rations, and punishing them by fine, imprisonment, banishment, Sze. 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 magis trates of I3arbadoes, in the case of a most outrageous assault on their chapel by a lawless mob : " The offence," said he, " was committed against Almighty God. it therefore does not belong to me to punish it." But though the Methodists have experienced 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 missionaries, were we not to state, that such sentiments and practices were by no means universal ; that though multitudes were their enemies, not a few were their friends and sup porters.* In 1796, the London Missionary Society commenced its operations with a mission to the South Sea islands. Nine of the Missionaries settled in Tongataboo ; but a civil war having arisen on the island about two years after their arrival, three of them were murdered by one of the contending parties ; and the others, discou raged by the difficulties and dangers of their situation, retired soon after to New South Wales. A solitary missionary, who settled on Santa Christina, one of the Marquesas islands, returned to England at a still earlier pet iod. The others took up their residence in Otaheite, and though they were at first most favourably received by the natives, yet they met with so many difficulties and discouragements in the prosecution of their labours, that this mission, of which the highest anticipations bad been formed, was for many years considered as a kind of forlorn hope. The missionaries at length left Otaheite, as a civil war was on the point of breaking out on that island ; and most of the friends of missions, we believe, hoped that they would never return, as there appeared not the slightest prospect of their being useful among the natives.