DEATH OF THE REV. JOSEPH JOHN FREEMAN. THE Christian public in general, and the friends of the London Missionary Society in particular, have, during the past month, learned with the deepest regret that the Rev. Joseph John Freeman, the Society's laborious and devoted Home Secretary, is no more. This solemn event occurred at Homburg, in Germany, on the 8th inst., whither Mr. Freeman had gone, under medical direction, for the purpose of drinking the celebrated medical waters of that place. Although he had suffered much for some weeks, from a succession of severe boils, which had compelled him to forego some important Missionary engagements, yet, at the time of his departure from England, his health was so much improved, that sanguine expectations were entertained that-after using the Homburg waters for a short time-his strength would be completely reestablished; and, in this expectation, he had engaged to attend the Annual Missionary Meeting at Birmingham, on the 16th ult. But these cheering prospects were suddenly overcast, and before the appointed time of labour had arrived, he was laid in the grave. His final illness was severe and short. On the 23rd of August he commenced the use of the Homburg waters. Four days afterwards he was attacked by rheumatic fever, which reduced his strength so rapidly, that, prior to his departure, he had scarcely power to articulate a sound. Still his kind and assiduous medical attendant encouraged the hope that, as the fever was subdued, the exhausted sufferer might yet be restored. But this hope proved fallacious, and in the afternoon of the 8th ult. he gently breathed his last. Our departed friend enjoyed, in his last hours, the affectionate sympathy and assiduous attention of Mrs. Freeman and his two daughters, and their anguish in realizing this unexpected and most solemn event may be easily conceived. His mortal remains were interred in the English section of the Cemetery at Homburg, on the morning of the 10th ult., and his desolate widow and children have since returned to England. By the removal of Mr. Freeman the Society has sustained a severe and heavy loss, especially at the present moment, when the cause of Christian Missions in South Africa, and the interests of the coloured races of that country, so much required his earnest and powerful advocacy; but in the volume which he was so recently permitted to send from the press, "he being dead yet speaketh,' and by arguments the most forcible, and in terms the most affecting, pleads for the much-injured natives of that Colony. May his sudden departure give an irresistible power to his claims on their behalf! At a Meeting of the Board of Directors, held at the Mission House, on Monday the 15th ult., the following Resolutions,founded on this solemn and painful dispensation of Divine Providence, were unanimously adopted : Resolved:- 1.—That the Directors have received with feelings of the deepest sorrow the announcement of the death of the Rev. Joseph John Freeman, the devoted and laborious Home Secretary of the Society; and while they bow with devout submission to this solemn and unexpected dispensation of the wise and gracious providence of God, they embrace the mournful occasion to record their high estimate of the ardent zeal and unwearied energy of their departed brother, and of the various services rendered by him to the interests of the London Missionary Society, not only in the diligent discharge of the general duties of his office, but also in his various labours as a Christian Missionary in Madagascar, as the representative of the Society in Jamaica and British Guiana, and, more recently, in his extended visitation of the Society's stations in South Africa. 2.-To Mrs. Freeman and her bereaved daughters, the Directors present their sincere and affectionate condolence under the irreparable loss they have been called to sustain, earnestly commending them to the gracious support and hallowed consolation of that Divine Saviour whose sympathy and grace are ever proportioned to the necessities and burdens of His afflicted saints. ORDINATION OF THREE MISSIONARIES FOR INDIA. MR. E. J. EVANS, B.A., late Student of Cheshunt College, was ordained at Abney Chapel, Stoke Newington, on Thursday, August 28th, as a Missionary to Mirzapore. The Rev. John Hall commenced the service by reading the Scriptures and prayer. The introductory address was delivered by Rev. W. Campbell, late Missionary to India. The usual questions were put, and the ordination prayer offered by Rev. Robert Philip, and the charge was delivered by Rev. John Jefferson. Mr. Charles C. Leitch, late Student of Glasgow University, was ordained at Greyfriars, Church (Rev. Dr. King's), in that city, on Thursday, September 4th, as a Missionary to Neyoor. The service was opened with devotional exercises by Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Hutchinsontown. The introductory discourse, from 2nd Ephesians, and John 8th, was delivered by Rev. Dr. King, who also put the usual questions, and offered the ordination prayer. The charge, in the unavoidable absence of Dr. Wardlaw, was delivered by Rev. Mr. Blyth, Missionary from Jamaica. Mr. Richard Sargent, late Student of the Western College, Plymouth, was ordained at Trinity Chapel, Poplar, on Saturday, September 11th, as a Missionary to Bangalore. Rev. Henry Harrison commenced the service by reading the Scriptures and prayer. The field of labour was described by Rev. Edmund Crisp, late Missionary at Bangalore. Rev. George Rose put the usual questions. Rev. Dr. Tidman offered the ordination prayer; and Rev, George Smith delivered the charge. DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES. Revs. Charles C. Leitch and Richard Sargent, appointed respectively to Neyoor and Ban galore, East Indies, sailed for Madras, in the Vernon, from Portsmouth, on the 16th ult. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. ham Ladies' Missionary Working Society-For For Mrs. Addis, Coimbatoor. To the Young La- William Nash," Bangalore. To the Teachers and Children of the Sunday-school connected with the Independent Chapel, Uxbridge-For a Box of Books. For Mrs. Cox, Trevandrum. To the Sherborne Ladies' Missionary Working Society-For a Box of Useful Articles. For Rev. R. Moffat, Lattakoo. To W. E. P., Upper Clapton-For a Parcel of Clothing and Magazines. To the Juvenile Missionary Society, Zion Chapel, Hyde-For a Box of Clothing, &c. To the Children of Colnbrook British Schools-For a Box of Clothing. For Rev. R. B. Taylor, Cradock. To Mrs. Frederick Smith-For a Box of Clothing and Books. For Rev. R. Birt, Kafiirland. To the Rev. R. Elliott and Friends, Devizes-For a Box of For Rev. James Read, Kat River. To Miss Bulley, Wavertree- For a Box of Clothing and Useful Articles. For Rev. J. Andrews, Jamaica. To Mrs. John Ridley, Bury St. Edmunds-For a Parcel of Clothing. For Rev. J. Roome. To the Misses Jenkins, Plasy-felin, Neath-For a Box of Clothing. For Mrs. Mills's School, Upolu. To the Young Ladies of Miss Pritchett's Establishment, Bermondsey-For a Parcel of Useful Articles. For Rev. G. Spencer, Tahiti. To the Twig Folley Sunday-school-For a Box of Clothing. To the Young Ladies and Children of the Missionary Working Societies, connected with Robertstreet Chapel-For a Box of Clothing and Useful Articles. For Rev. G. Charter, Raiatea. To the Rev. J. H. Unwin and Friends, Belthorn--For a Box of Clothing and Useful Articles. For Mrs. Murray, Tutuila. To Miss Wilson, Torquay-For a large Parcel of Clothing. For Rev. William Gill, Rarotonga. To the Juvenile Association at Mrs. John Fisher's, Commercialroad-For a Box of Clothing, value £12. To the Sunday-school Children's Association, Trinity Chapel, Poplar-For Articles of Clothing and School Requisites, value £6. To Rev. H. Madgin, Tiverton, and Friends-For a Box of Useful Articles. For Rev. George Gill, Mangaia. To Friends at For Rev. D. Darling, Tahiti. To the John-street Association-For a Case of Clothing, Cutlery, &c. For Rev. A. and Mrs. Buzacott, Rarotonga. To the John-street Association-For a Box of School Materials, Cutlery, value £6. To Mrs. Maunder and Friends, Barnstaple-For a Box of Useful Articles. To Mrs. Davis, HastingsFor a Box of Useful Articles. To Mr. Woodman; to Miss Cotes, and to Miss Villicut-For Parcels of Useful Articles and School Materials To Mrs. F. Wills, Bristol-For a Parcel of Useful Articles. For Rev. J. P. Sunderland, Upolu. To Mr. R. Mann, Stockport-For a Box of Clothing, Books, &c. For the Native Teacher, Aperaamo, Tutuila. To Mr. A. Scrutton-For a Case of Useful Articles. To A. Z., for a Parcel of Clothing; to the Northstreet Chapel Sunday-school, Brighton, for a Parcel of Books and Magazines; to J. V. Hall, Esq., Maidstone, for a large supply of the "Sinner's Friend," for the various Islands in the South Seas; to Mr. W. Hunter, Sandhutton, near Thirsk, for Ten Gallons Varnish, and Ten Gallons Copal Varnish. To Mrs. Greenhough; to the Administrators of the late W. Fox, Esq., Bath; to Mr. J. Crisp, sen., Beccles; to Mr. E. Dewsbury, Edingale, near Tamworth; to Mr. Portway, Bury-St.-Edmunds; to Mrs. Jones, New Road; to Mrs. Rust, StokeNewington; to Mrs. Humpage, Judd-street; to Mr. George Hall; to the late William Newall, Esq., Manchester; and to Mrs. Ward, Halifax -For Volumes and Numbers of the Evangelical and other Magazines, &c. &c. Mrs. Lechler, Salem, desires most gratefully to ac knowledge the receipt of the undermentioned Articles. A valuable Box of Lesson and CopyBooks, Slates, Pictures, &c., from the British and Foreign School Society, through Mrs. Forster, Tottenham. A Parcel of Frocks from C. W., Bristol. A Box of very Useful Articles from Ladies at Wexford. A Case of Useful Articles for Sale, for the Salem School, from the Jamaica-row Ladies' Working Party, through Mrs. Woodman, value £20. A Parcel of beautifully made Baby Linen, &c., from the Jamaica-row Girls' Working Party, Herold School, through Mrs. Jordon. Mrs. Abbs gratefully acknowledges the receipt of the undermentioned Articles. To the Friends of Princes-street Congregation, Norwich, for a Box of Useful Articles, value £37; to Mrs. Bleakley, for a Box of Articles, for Sale, value £1 158., towards the support of a School-mistress; to Miss Butcher, Member of the Established Church, and other Friends, for a Seraphine; to Mrs. W. Fletcher and Miss Davey, for a Box of Medicine: to John Venning, Esq., Mr. Hall, Mr. Jarrold, Rev. John Alexander, Rev. B. S. Hollis, Rev. James Cooper, Mr. James Cozens ; Mr. Powell, for Presents of Books; to the Boys of the British School, Mundesley, for Slates, and from the Boys of the Mission School, Yarmouth, for a Parcel of Slates. Mrs. Abbs gratefully acknowledges the receipt of various Presents for the Native Readers connected with the Pareychaley Mission, South Travancore, from those Friends who support them: Mrs. W. Wrigley, Huddersfield; Mrs. R. Pattison, Bradford; Mrs. T. Rather, Maidenhead; Mrs. R. Death, Lavenham; Mrs. Williams, London; Mr. Large, Gravesend; Mrs. Hall, Norwich; Mrs. Ward, Newfoundland; John Venning, Esq., Norwich; Miss Harding, Kennington Mrs. Oldfield, Bradford; Miss Pullen, Bradford. Mrs. Abbs would also express her thanks for Parcels of Jackets and Remnants of Print and other Useful Articles, from Mrs. Russell, Yarmouth; Mrs. Shelly, Yarmouth; Mrs. Denne, Yarmouth; Miss White, Yarmouth: Mrs. Brown, Yarmouth; Mrs. Miles, Mundesley; Mrs. Woodhouse; Mrs. Porter, Norwich; Miss Palmer; Mrs. Roberts; Miss Cannell; Miss Judith Pigg and Friends; Mrs. Mills; Miss Chittock: Miss Rust; Mrs. Hinds; Miss Elliot; Mrs. Maine; Mrs. Angust; Miss Geering, Mr. James Abbs; Miss Hunter, Bradford. Contributions in aid of the Society will be thankfully received by Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, Bart., LONDON: REED AND PARDON, PRINTERS, PATERNOSTER ROW. |