LIBRAPV or_Fi{;NCETON AUG 2 3 2002 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Rev. JAMES BICKFORD. President of Australian Conference, 1868-1875-1883. Wi)(iiiin'Rvi'ki.\r, \Vati-ki.(iw & Sons Limitiu). From a Negatiue by HAMMER & CO., Port Adelaide. JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGBAPHY Cbrietian Xabour WEST INDIES, DEMERARA, VICTORIA, NEAV SOUTH WALES, AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1838-1888. "7?^ Jouriwyhu/s often:" ''In Perils of tlie Sea:" ''In Deaths oft." LONDON : CHARLES H. KELLY, 2, Castle St., City Eoad, E.G., AND 66, PATERNOPTER ROW, E.C. SOLD IN ADELAIDE, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, BRISBANE, PERTH, AUCKLAND, AND HOBARf. 189C. [,/(/ ripkts nticrreil.] Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London ajid Aylesbury. EEVEBENTLY DEDICATED TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF FANNY BICKFORD: WIFE, COMPANION, AND FELLOW-HELPER OF THE AUTHOR, FOR FORTY-FOUR YEARS. LIBRARY OF PRINCETON AUG 23 2002 IHEOLOGICAL SEMINARY P E E F A C E IN the year 1878, being then in London, and having leisure for so doing, I prepared a work, entitled : " Christian Work in Australasia," as a help to those of my fellow-countrymen who were anxious to try theii- fortunes in the Southern World. But no sooner was it in cumulation, than I heard of a feeling of disappointment among many valued friends, because there was so little of the personal narrative in the publication. I could only reply that my object was not so restricted; but that a statement of a more comprehensive kind was specially intended, touching the evangelistic work of all Churches of Christ in Australia and Polynesia. It was, indeed, little more than a ' Handbook ; ' but, judging from the favourable notices it received in the English Press, and the grateful references made to the work by huntheds of correspondents, I think I may conclude that my exact purpose was fau-ly accomplished. But I did resolve that, at some advanced period of my life, I would, if I were able, prepare an autobiographical .sketch of my life-work ; and now, after nearly two years of application, I am able to announce the completion of my attempt. I have made no effort at the romantic in my description of men and things ; but have striven to give as simple a narrative as the knowledge of my mother tongue has enabled me to write. I cannot but regard it as a special mercy of God's Providence, that, on the very day that I reach my seventy- fourth year, I put in the last sentence of my tale. I may, in all candour, ask the lenient consideration of those who may honour me with notices of this, my latest — yea, probably, my last — effort of the kind, to remember that my public life has not been spent in ' learned PREFA CE. leisure,' but in the active pursuits of the Methodist Itinerancy ; and in hinds, where new and startling problems of a social, political, and ecclesiastical nature have had to be faced by those who inheiited the necessary instinct for so doing. Among that number of earnest and far-seeing men, not by my own choice, but by an ' election of grace,' my lot has been cast. CONTENTS. — ♦ — PAGE Preface ..... v introductiox 1 Birth and Youth-hood 3 West Indies: Slavery and Emancipation 10 London and Ordination 20 First Voyage — to the West Indies 24 Arrival in St. Vincent's 27 Trinidad 38 St. Vincent's 42 Tobago 44 St. Vincent's 48 Grenada • . . 53 Georgetown, Demerara .57 Second Voyage— to England 114 The Retrospect lli^ Appointment by English Conference 120 Third Voyage— to Sydney 123 Melbourne, Victoria 134 New South Wales 189 Geelong 203 South Australia 272 Fourth Voyage- to England ........ 302 viii CONTENTS. FAGB London and England 310 Fifth Voyage— to Adelaide 365 BuRRA 372 Port Adelaide 386 Parksidb: Supernumerary 404 Conclusion 445 INTRODUCTION. THE subject of this sketch, James Bickford, came from an ancient yeoman stock in the Sovith Hams of Devon. John Bickford, his father, for many years was tenant of the Venerable Archdeacon Fronde, of Partington, near Totnes, and farmed under him Edmeston Barton (Sax. Bere-ton — Barleytown), in the parish of Modbury. His grandfather, also John Bickford, farmed Rake, near Loddiswell, Devon. Behind the homestead rose a high precipitous, overhanging rock, visible for miles distant. This notable rock served as a rendezvous for the peasant classes amidst the troubles arising from scarcity ©f provisions, want of employment, and a starvation wage. I remember hearing my father speak of one of those gatherings when he was a young man, from which several hundreds of day labourers marched throughout the neighbouring parishes to lay their grievances before the ' Squn-es,' and to tell those of the farmers, who were using threshing-machines for removing the corn from the ear instead of the flail, that if such operations were continued, both machines and buildings would be fired. Unfortunate labourers ! With the exception of the harvest season, which lasted only for a month, when the men would feed at the farmers' tables, their fare was scant indeed. Barley-bread and water for breakfast ; barley-bread and cider for dinner ; and potatoes, with a sprinkle of salt, and a little fat, for the evening meal ; who can wonder at peasant com- binations for secm-ing a just wage and a right to live, not simply to exist ? It is true there was the poorhouse in each parish for the peasant aged couple when they could no longer work, and a pauper's grave ready open for their worn-out bodies, provided out of parish rates. But this was not all. The vicar, or his curate, would appear ou the scene, and, in solemn accents, but with a grim appropriateness, read a prayer in which he would say : ' We give Thee hearty 1 2 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. thanks, for that it hath pleased Thee to deliver this our brother out of the miserievS of this sinful world.' Yes : too true ; for it would be better to be dead than alive, for there would be rest in the grave from the hard lot of unrequited toil, and from the gnawing pains of hunger. And as'^for the soid, it may be hoped, in all charity and faith, that a ' Righteous God ' woidd make some reimbursement to the chafed spirit in the contentment and peace- fulness of the future state for the unmerited disabilities the peasant classes a hvmdred years ago endured. I return from this digression. On the maternal side I had much to be thankf id for. My mother's maiden name was Whiteway, and was born, I believe, in the parish of Hai-burtonford. The Whiteways were a family of repvite in the parish. This may be gathered from the sympathy of the clergjinan, who took a great interest in my mother as an orphan, and saw to her education. As an e\idence of my mother's sense of gratitude, I have heard her refer to the clergjTnan's kindnesses more than eighty years after their occurrence. My grandfather Whiteway had a competency, and lived an easy, self-satisfied life. My mother used to speak of her father having a family ' coat-of-arms,' which was framed and suspended from the wall in his bedroom. She remembered but little of her mother, who was delicate in health, and died when she was about four years of age. My uncle, John Whiteway, was a fine, gentlemanly man, and died in Plymouth about fifty years ago. But there were two other uncles, George and Thomas, and two aunts, Lowman and Hine, all of whom are dead. My grandmother's maiden name, on my father's side, was GUI, of Totnes. The only remembrance I have of her is, that my father took me to see her, when she had come to live with my uncle, James Bickford, — at that time a bachelor-farmer at Lincombe. I have a distinct recollection of her fijtie person. She was, although over eighty years of age, tall, erect, and well- proportioned ; the expression of her countenance was benevolent ; she spoke in the lower tones of voice, characteristic of her refined nature ; and her whole demeanour was that of the higher grade of yeoman life. At the time of this visit, I could not have been more than seven years of age, for I rode on the same horse with my father, I sitting before him on a pillow. My grandmother took to me very much, and when I left with my father in the evening INTRODUCTION. she put a half-crown in vnj hand. Her venerable and beautiful figure is still with me, I have never lost her true ideal from that day when I first saw her to even now, which is not far from seventy years ago. My grandfather and father were practical farmers, and both died at advanced ages — it may almost be said with the reaphook in their hands. Both, like Boaz, of Jewish renown, had been in the field with the ' reapers ; ' when, from exhaustion, they retired, and went into then* homes to die. It seems appropriate that it was so. It is the glory of a soldier to die on the field of battle ; of a minister to die in the pulpit ; and it should be equally the glory of a yeoman to die in, or from, the field. Of my childhood I have not much to say. We were nine brothers and sisters. I was the fifth born of my mother on May 6th, 1816. I have understood that I was healthy from my.birth, but my anxious mother had a strong desire to make me still more vigorous if 250ssible. I have a viAdd recollection of her taking me into the back yard, nude and shivering, to be put under the shute for a stream of cold water to fall upon the spine. I thus learned to ' obey ' my mother even under the force and pressure of the stream. I had, nevertheless, a sevei"e fever in my boyhood, and I well recollect Doctor William Langworthy's effoi'ts to save my young life. My mother's tenderness also in personally carrying me from the large cold room I and my brothers occupied to the fii-eside in the little parlour, and taking me up again when the cold of the evening came on, I well remember. This was the routine task of each day's nursing, until, at length, I made my escape from the bed of sickness, and I seemed to jump back into life once more. On our farm were two cottages originally built for the convenience of the men who worked at the Estate's lime-kiln. But the husband in one of the cottages died, whilst the widow and her grown-up son and daughters still occupied the tenement. This widow (Granny Gill, as we used to call her), kept a dame's school, and I and two of my sisters were sent to it. I soon learnt what of reading and spelling were set me; but, as something besides was required for filling up the time, we were told off to learn hymns. This was our regime of religious instruction. Widow Gill was a dear, good Methodist soul ; and, although my father was a staunch Tory Churchman, strange to say, he had no objection to Granny Gill 4 JAMES niCKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGBAPIir. teaching our young ideas how to shoot. The first I learnt was the 43rd, in Wesley's hymns, beginning A\T.th the solemn inquiry : ' And am I only born to die — To lay this body down ? ' and so to the end. What we thus learnt in the day we repeated in the evening at home, my parents appearing satisfied that we were learning something that was good. And so we were as far as it went. My next teacher was a Mr. Wreford, an extremely prim gentle- man, a bachelor, and a sturdy Churchman. He had, however, rooms in the house of a Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, the founders, I think, of the Methodist Church in Modbury. Mr. Wreford held his school in the vestries of the parish church, because of their central position. The sons of the farmers attended Mr. AVreford's, whilst the sons of the tradespeople attended Mr. Peter's, school. In practice it was the germ of many a conflict since enacted : it was 'Country v. Town.' Each had its nickname; and nearly every day on the ' Green ' small battles were fought. The Bickford boys had rather more than their share ; my eldest brother and I, in paiticular. But I never liked it : I thought it a brutal spoi-t, whilst wrestling, football, bat and ball, I much enjoyed as exercises strictly allowable and to be recommended. My next school was at Ugborough {alias ' Ubber '), kept by a Mr. Nicholas Webb, a retired Lieutenant of the Royal Navy. This was about three miles from Edmeston. The main charactei^istics of the school were ' law and order ; ' and woe betide the boy who was caught transgressing our more than Spartan regulations ! In Mr. Webb's estimation the greatest crime in a boy was to tell a lie ; and punishment, swift and sure, and in full tale, always followed this offence. But every case of accusation had to be tried by a bar of bogus law officials and a jury of senior boys. If found guilty, there was no commutation of the sentence. We had not the cat-o'-nine- tails, but we had the rod, which Mr. Webb could lay on Avhen he liked with much severity. But I am hapjiy to know that I never was personally subjected to the indignity of this punishment. My cousin, Mr. Robert Philips Moysey, having set up an academy at Ivybridge, I was removed thither; the last and best of all the schools that I attended. Mr. Moysey was an enthusia.st in his INTRODUCTION. vocation, a good Latin and Greek scholar, and a master in the use of Saxon-English. There was a sprinkling in this school of a higher class of boys than I had hitherto been associated with. 1 can truly say that at this seminary I intensely desired to learn all that could be learnt, save going into the classics; of which, at that time, I did not see any immediate use. But, in every branch of what is known as a solid English education, I was the rightful dux of the school. I sat at the upper end of the ' Latin desk ' for two years, but I made no attempt at proficiency in Latin. When I saw the so-called classic boys so neglectful of their English studies, and in competition with the other boys so far behind, I stuck to the useful, leaving the ornamental to ' a more convenient season.' But I might, and could, with tolerable ease, have done both, and that I did not do it I have always regi'etted. Mr. Moysey, however, did not lose his interest in me; for he subsequently prepared a written copy of the Greek alphabet, and advised me to pursue the study of that divinely used language. But would that I had done it before ! When nearing my fourteenth year, it became a question with my parents as to whether their five sons should be brought up on the farm, or sti'ike out in some other way of life. My eldest brother, John, was my father's right hand, and could not be spared. My other brothers, Edmund, George, and Nicholas, were younger than I, and had not finished their education. So that, if a rent was to be made in ovir home circle it must be by myself ; and, in a sense, show my younger brothers the way. I had become of great use to my father on the farm, for there was not a single branch of agricultural industry that I did not understand ; and, up to the measure of my strength, was not able to do. But the prospects of ' renting ' farmers were anything but cheering. There was looming in the near distance the inevitable * Repeal of the Corn Laws,' which would seriously affect the tenant farmers then under leases to theii' landlords, who would probably make no abatement in their rents. Besides, there was in many a tenant-farmer's home a galling sense of vassalage to the owner of the soil, which the independent, native-born-yeoman-spirit, could ill bear. Altogether, therefore, it seemed better to be free than to remain in such conditions. Accordingly, and with the fuU consent of my parents, I ' went out ' from ' my father's house,' and spent in business the next seven or eight years, in the beautiful little 6 JAMES BTCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. town of Kingsbridge, situate at the head of the Salcomlje estuary, and the key to the South Hams of Devon. Tlie environment of my life now was totally different from what it had been up to that time. I itinerated throughout the South Hams on the business of the ' fii-m ' as occasions required, and learnt much of the manners and intelligence of the local gentry, the better style of farmers, of tradespeople and operatives of all classes. I was recognised everywhere as no mean sprig of an ancient yeoman tree, and was treated with all respect. Mr. Quarm, whom I gratefully mention as a second father, was always kind to me, and I can say that I made his business as much my own as I had in pre\^ous years made my father's mine own. There was a mercifulness of providence in this change of my life. I was free now to choose for myself in the matter of conscience and religion, i.e. from all outside interference or coercion. I was awakened to a sense of my lost condition when alone on a dark night in a bye lane near my Uncle Taylor's farm, Sherford Down, in the parish of Shei'ford. And on that very hom- my mind was decided on the vital question of religion. I joined the Methodist Church in Kingsbridge, under the superintendency of the venerable Kev. James Odgers, and my ' ticket on trial,' which he gave me, is dated 'March 1832.' My first and only leader was 'Henry Popplestone,' to whose tender, yet, faithful guidance, I owfe, under God, much of the stability of my early religious life. Mi-. Odgers was a powerful original thinker, and was great in polemical theology. No man ever understood oiu" doctrine better than he ; and I greatly profited by his ministry. My intellect at that time betrayed a power of receptivity which was ■ somewhat extraordinary. I became both a reader and a thinker upon my conversion at the age of sixteen. It was no ordinary privilege to sit VTnder the ministry of Mr. Odgers. In dealing with the Calvinian controversy, he was indeed ' a master in (our) Israel.' He was a veritable ' Greatheart ' ((> la Bunyan) for helping young theologians, for he scarcely ever preached a sermon in the Kingsbridge pulpit but he sharpened our weapons. Upon the * Five- points,' as they used to be called, he spoke ex cathedrd, and no one doubted his views or challenged their scripturalness. The Evangelical Arminianism of Wesley, Clarke, Benson, and Watson gradually came into my intellectvial being, agreeing with the INTRODUCTION. instincts of my newborn life. I tried to get a grip of it loy the most assiduous attention to the expositions of Mr. Odgers, and by reading controversial authors, until I became myself, in the judgment of my friends, a very David in the warfare we waged against the * Goliath ' of Antinomianism. I accepted also the political creed of my spiritual father. He was a Liberal of the most pronounced type. I became one, too ; and I did not hide my ' lijrht under a bushel.' Arminianism and Liberalism were the two beliefs which impressed their ' broad-ai-row ' upon my whole nature, and winged my soul for flight into any project for secuiing to my countrymen the possession of a generous creed of religious ethics and social improvement ; religious equality, and the God-given right to the tenant-farmers, mechanics, traders, and peasant classes, to live happy and contented lives. The introduction of Methodism into the southern part of Devon- shire may be briefly noticed. In the Minutes of the English Conference, 1810, the words occur : — ' South Devon Mission : Nicholas Sibley, John W. Cloak.' But the honour of first preach- ing Methodist doctrines in Kingsbridge belongs to the Eev. John Jordan, who, in 1806, was the superintendent of the Ashburton circuit, and who came over to Kingsbridge on a visit of observation as to the spiritual wants of the people. There was one ^Methodist family there ; perhaps, only one. In the afternoon of the memorable day when Mr. Jordan came, a novel sight was seen in the streets of Kingsbridge and Dodbrook. The town-crier — an important public oflicer in those days — was found parading through the quiet streets, capped with headgear which made him very singular if not dignified, and bell in hand, which he swung to and fro with great vigour. He would then pause to attract attention; this being done, he lifted up his voice, and cried — ' This evening, in Mr. Parker's schoolroom, off Fore Street, at seven o'clock, the Rev. John Jordan, Methodist preacher from Ashburton, will hold a religious service. Public invited.' As the result, many of the to■w^^speople came and heard the words of eternal life. South Hams that evening heard through Mr. Jordan's voice the words of the great Prophet-Preacher : * Arise, shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' 8 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. The first money spent for Methodism in the South Hams was by Mrs. Tapp, the mother of my late dear wife, Fanny Bickford, who was of Methodist ancestry, being born and reared in Camelford, Cornwall, under the adopting kindness of the Lobb family ; whose hospitable and happy home was a favourite resort in their rounds of such men as Adam Clarke, R. TrefFy, F. Truscott, W. P. Burgess, and other able ministers of those days. It was but a solitary six- pence for the town-crier ; but it told of her love to Methodism, and of her adherence to the religious principles in which the donor had been trained. Methodism in the South Hams has not risen in numei'ical importance as might have been hoped. But it is easily explained. There has not been in the last sixty or seventy years any encourage- ment to the rising yeomanry to try their fortunes under the tenant and landlord system ; or, in the town, for the young mechanics and tradespeople to compete for a position and a respectable living. Hence it has been a kind of breeding ground for America, and, in later years, for Australia and New Zealand. In London, Lincoln, Exeter, and Plymouth they are also found. And the adventurous spirit which the environment necessarily creates in the South Hammers has always kept down the statistical strength of the Metho- dist Church ; but, then, there is this compensation, other countries and ' lands remote ' are all the better for their advent into them as Christian citizens and fellow workers. When I was eighteen years of age I was brought on the Plan by the Rev. William Blundell as an exhorter on trial. This was in 1835. The Bev. Thomas White Smith was appointed to the Kingsbridge Circuit by the Conference of 1836, and entered upon his charge in September of that year. As in dvity bound, I called at the Parsonage to pay my respects to the new minister, when, to my surprise and relief, he asked me if I had ever thought of going as a missionary to the heathen. I replied, that I had thought about it until my soul was neaily dissolved with grief, but no encouragement had been given me. He then handed to me a Bible, and asked me to read from the prophecies of Isaiah, which I readily did. From that hoiu', humanly speaking, my destiny was fixed. I was to be a missionary, and the good minister began to regard me with more than common intei-est. He set me reading, directed my stiidies, passed me, after a searching examination at the Local Preachers' INTRODUCTION. Meeting, into "Full Plan," and, in 1838, he nominated me in the March Quarterly Meeting for the missionary work. But I must also mention another minister, the Rev. P. C. Tiu-ner, of Devonport, who invited nie to his circuit, and to go with him to some appointments. This I did, and derived much assistance and comfort in preparing for the work. In due course I was examined before the Devonport District Meeting by the Chau-man, the Pev. W. P. Burgess, passed to the satisfaction of the brethren, and was recomm.ended to the Conference for the foreign work. With what success that work has been done for fifty years, the records which follow will humbly show. THE WEST INDIES. 1786—1838. FIRST PART. FIFTY years ago — August 1st, 1838 — the black and coloured population of the British West Indies saw the end of the 'Apprenticeship System' and received unconditional freedom. About 800,000 persons were on that ever-memorable day fully ' redeemed ' from the cruel bondage in which they had so long been held. But not without a heavy price ! The English Parliament had voted twenty millions of the nation's revenue for this object, so as to indemnify the ' legal ' owners of the slaves against any supposed loss. But it was well that it was done ! A strange perversion of the meaning of a very plain word is noticeable in this great national transaction. It was called ' compensation ' money ! But to whom ? Not to the negroes who had been robbed of the just reward of their own labours ; but, to their so-called owners, as if they had been victimised on the altars of national justice. However, the money was paid and freedom came. Conscience, when roused, is a quick and powerful mentor of nations as well as of individuals. England's conscience spoke out in unmistakable language, and the Parliament felt compelled to bow to the nation's will. Wilberforce, now 'in feebleness extreme,' was struggling through his last illness when a friend informed him that the Bill for the ' Abolition of Slavery ' had passed its second reading in the House of Commons ; ' Thank God/ said he, ' that I should have lived to witness a day in which England is willing to give twenty millions sterling for the Abolition of Slavery.' History is the memory of the world. But a centiiry back from the present tine, or a few years more, will be ample for us without further extending our notices into the dark and dismal part of the Western Antilles. About one hundred years ago Wesleyan THE WEST INDIES. 11 Missionaries were sent to these lands by the English Conference, subject to the general superintendence of the Rev. Thomas Coke, LL.D., an Anglican clergyman, who had joined Wesley in his great work of evangelising whom he could of mankind Avithout regard to creed, complexion, or nationality. In 1786, Coke visited Antigua and the Windward Islands, and in 1789 the island of Jamaica. On his return to England that same year he sent the Rev. William Warrener to take care of the work which he had begun. In less than fifty years from this auspicious period the Mission Churches had so grown that seventy-one ordained missionaries, not including catechists or other subordinate agents, were employed, having the spiritual care of nearly thirty-two thousand persons, of whom twenty-two thousand were slaves. This number was exclusive of the children of our people, and of a very large number of persons of all colours, who attended the public ministry of the missionaries, but who were not recognised as members of the Society. It is not to be supposed that such glorious results were accomplished in the absence of opposition and even bitter persecution. The fact is, that both the slave-owners and the active abettors of slavery always cherished a latent hatred to the Missionaries, as the men who would before long bring about the destruction of their favourite institution. They clearly saw that slavery and Christianity could not co-exist in the same social body. The missionaries had difficulties enough to contend with in prosecuting their Godlike enterprise from the terrible disadvantages under which lay the coloured population ; but, as if these were not enough, applications were made by the Plantocracy for restrictive measures, under Legislative sanction, for preventing the slaves attending the ministrations of the men who were their only friends and spiritual guides. Jamaica appears to have taken the lead in this cruel policy. In 1807, the Lieutenant-Governor, Council and Assembly passed 'An Ordinance,' from which we make two extracts : — (1) ' That from and after the commencement of this Act, all masters and mistresses, owners, or, in their absence, overseers of slaves, shall, as much as in them lies, endeavour the instruction of their slaves in the principles of the Christian religion, whereby to facilitate their conversion ; and shall do their utmost endeavours to fit them for baptism, and, as soon as conveniently they can, cause to be baptized all such as they can make sensible of a Deity and the 12 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Christian faith. (2) Provided, nevertheless, that the instruction of such slaves shall be confined to the doctrines of the Established Church in this island ; and that no Methodist Missionary, or other sectary, or preacher, shall presume to instruct our slaves, or to receive them into their houses, chapels, or conventicles, of anj' description, under the penalty of twenty pounds for every slave proved to have been there, and to be recovered in a summary manner before any three justices of the peace ; who, or the majority of whom, are hereby authorized and empowered to issue their warrant for recovery of the same ; and on refusal of l)ayment, to commit the offender, or offenders, to the county gaol until the payment of the said fine or fines ; which shall be paid over to the church- wardens of the parish where the offence shall be committed, for the benefit of the poor of such parish.' The mockery of the first clause and the brutality of the second will be obvious to every intelligent reader. The missionaries and their sable flocks suifered terribly under this enactment. Some of them were thrown into gaol, the sanctuaries of God were violently closed, and the congregations were scattered. We painfully hear the wail of one, amongst the many, coming down to us even after the lapse of eighty years. The Rev. WilHam Gilgrass says : — 'When I came out of prison, I found the chapel shut up, which almost broke my heart. But, at the price of my liberty, which I had regained, and in the faces of my avowed enemies, I ventured to open the chapel, appointing door-keepers to ascertain the slaves as accurately as possible. Thus I continued preaching for a fortnight, to the restoration of many of the people who were daily falling into sin.' We can even now hear the negroes' lament : ' Massa, me no go to heaven now.' ' White man keep black man from serving God.' 'Black man got no soul.' 'Nobody teach black man now.' In about two years after this, King George III. disallowed this nefarious piece of planter legislation. The reader of English history in Charles II. 's time will readily recognise in the barbarous ' Conventicle Act ' and the ' Five Mile Act ' the same spirit of persecution as that resurrected in the Jamaica Ordinance. The brutal system had not died out with the collapse of the Stuart dynasty ; but re-appeared in every form of diabolic hate, for the annihilation of the missionaries and their blood-bought flocks in that island. The same dastardly spirit appeared in the lovely little island of St. Vincent's, in the Windward group. The object was to prevent the missionaries preaching to the negroes. An enactment of course was necessary. But it had to be smuggled through the House of Assembly THE WEST INDIES. 13 when most of the members had left. It was worthy of a Caligula or a Domitian. There were three stages ; it began with oppression, and ended in murder. For preaching to the negroes the first punishment was a fine of eighteen pounds, or imprisonment, for not more than nitiety days, nor less than thirty. For a second ofience, such corporal punishment as the court should think proper to inflict, and banishment. And lastly, to return from banishment, DEATH. Thus religious persecution was established by law. The Rev. Matthew Lumb was thiown into gaol for breaking, in obedience to his conscience, this vile law. But this Act also good King George annulled. The years between 1786 and 1834 may be characterised as the * wilderness state ' of the West Indian mission churches. It was a period of * great tribulation ' to them. The Israelites endured cruel bondage under the Pharaohs, and the unfortunate Jews in Babylonian captivity ; but these were light when compared to the heartless, unmanly, un-English, and anti- Christian wTongs which were inflicted upon the slave and Creole races in the outlying Western Antilles. These islands were an integral part of our own great, proud Empire, subject to the laws of England, and under the protection of the CrowTi. And yet these wrongs were permitted to be done as if there were neither justice nor mercy for the unoffending missionaries and their attached followers. We do not over-state the case : ' What I saw in the days of slavery, and in which I was compelled to take part,' said a penitent planter to the writer, ' can never be told. It could not be written. It is too bad to be put into human phrase and be published for the public ear.' * But to return to the case of the missionaries. Were they good men or bad men? safe or dangerous men? Let an impartial Chief Justice in one of the islands answer for the many hundreds who would bear a similar testimony : — ' During nearly forty years' residence in the West Indies, I have been observant of the conduct of Wesleyan missionaries ; and, althousrh I have heard of their being discountenanced, and even abused and illtreated, I have * Dr. Samuel Johnston thus speaks of Jamaica in those dark days : ' A place of great wealth and dreadful wickedness : a den of tyrants and a dungeon of slaves. ' 14 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. never known them to deserve it ; Imt, on the contrary, all those whose deport- ment has come under my observation have appeared to be men of exemplary lives, and more useful among the lower orders of society than those of any other denomination. Let it, therefore, be earnestly recommended to the Wesleyan minister here, to use his utmost endeavours to induce the Parent Society in England to afford us more missionary labour. I do not profess to belong to this society, as a member, and therefore I am not biassed by its particular interests ; yet, in the true spirit of toleration and Christian charity, I am happy in contributing to its support.' Such a testimony from the head of a judicial establishment in one of the islands is of the highe.st value. But we append another from an influential merchant, a gentleman of colour, and a member of the Legislative Council by appointment from the Crown, who said : — 'I have had the honour of having had extensive transactions with the Wesleyan missionaries for a number of years, and I have always found them to be men of integrity and honesty. I never knew one of them to leave our island without paying his debts, which is more than I can say for the ministers of my own Church.' Then, why were the missionaries reviled, persecuted, imprisoned, and, in one lamentable instance, killed? The answer is at hand. The missionaries were the friends of the oppressed coloured classes, and of the unfortunate slaves, ' Banish the missionaries,' said the Plantocracy, 'and we shall hold our prey.' But God in heaven heard the cry of His faithful servants, and of His sable children, and He 'came down to deliver them.' August 1st, 1834, saw the end in all our West Indian Possessions of negro slavery. The letters of the missionaries written at this time are little known. We may, therefore, allowably give from the correspondence a few quotations, setting forth some of the scenes and experiences of the never-to-be-forgotten Abolition Day. The Rev. Edward Fraser, himself a coloured man, and once a slave, thus wrote from Tortola :— ' That ever memorable and glorious day was passed by us in a rehgious and most happy manner. Our chapels were opened, and the human beings who had that morning, for the first time, breathed the air of freedom — of freedom at least from absolute bondage — assembled in cheerful crowds to praise and worship Him who "looseth the prisoners." Great was our rejoicing; — the more so because many had foreboded soreness and discontent. As I came out of our town chapel, a man from a group accosted me with, '■ Sir, we could THE WEST INDIES. 15 wish a petition to return thanks to the King." I replied, " No doubt the King will be grervtly pleased when he hears of your thankfulness and orderly behaviour." ' The Rev. Matthew Banks wrote : — 'On Thursday evening, July 3 1st, I preached from 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. The con- gregation was very large. About two minutes before twelve o'clock, I desired all the negroes and the friends of freedom to kneel down, the first to receive their liberty at the hands of God, and the latter to take from Him the con- summation they had so devoutly wished. "When the clock struck twelve, I announced that the 1st of August had arrived, and exclaimed, " You are all free!" Then the voice of their weeping was more distinctly heard, and it became general, and mingled with, " Glory be to God ! " " Praise the Lord ! " etc. Prayer was offered for our Gracious Sovereign, the Royal Family, the British Parliament, and British Christians generally, by whom, under God, the great boon is conferred. All the freed people seemed to acknowledge that it is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in their eyes.' The Rev. WilUam Box gives an interesting account of the pre- liminary services, and adds : — ' It being then within a few minutes of twelve o'clock, 'I stated the propriety of their receiving the inestimable boon upon their knees, and requested them to silently lift up their hearts to God, until I should announce to them that slavery was no more, by a hymn of praise to God ; but such was their joyous feeling, and so loud their prayers, that it was with difficulty I could raise my voice so high as to be heard. We sang, " Praise God from whom all blessings flow." This being sung, they rose from their knees, when I congratulated them upon their new state and relationship, so unexpectedly, so astonishingly brought about ; and while setting forth the demands which were now made upon them, not only of devotedness to God, but of loyalty to their beloved Sovereign, with an enthusiasm I never before witnessed in a West Indian assembly, they one and all shouted, " God save the King ! Long live King William the Fourth ! God save the King I " 0 how did my heart thrill with ecstasy, while hundreds upon hundreds just delivered '-from the house of bondage," made the place ring again with the voice of joy and thanksgiving ! It was like Israel in the time of David and Solomon, when " all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord and the King.'" But there was the holiday of juhUee to follow the night of their departure from this ' land of Egypt.' Two grand Sabbath services were held, and at the close of the second a fine burst of decision for God was heard. ' Who then is willing,' cried the missionary, ' to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord ? ' Several rose, and lifting up their hands, exclaimed, ' I will ! ' ' I will ! ' ' I will ! ' ' I will ! ' 'I am ! ' 'I am ! ' 'I am ! ' — while the whole body 16 JAMES BICKFOBB: AX AUTOBIOGIIAPHY. simultaneously joined in the declaration. Upon pressing the subject by asking, ' Are you decided ? ' nothing was to be heard scarcely, but ' Yes, Massa ! ' ' Yes, Massa ! ' while tears trickled do^vn theii* sable cheeks, and heavenly joy sparkled in every countenance. The Sunday school was then visited, and an infant negro child was baptized. This was a very Pentecost — the inauguration of a new era in the civil and religious life of these emancipated and happy flocks of the missionaries' fold. White and black, and coloured, by this merciful Act of Slave- Abolition, entered upon new and high responsibilities, which God in his providential arrangements had cast upon them. The whites, under governors appointed by the Crown, and subject to legislative bodies of diverse materials and functions, had now a favourable opportunity of making some amends for their past cruel and licentious misdoings ; whilst the blacks were prepared to conform to the requirements of the new ' apprenticeship regime,^ which, in the nature of things, would be to them irksome, hard to bear, and savouring of a purgatory. Fair treatment and a fair wage, just and equitable laws, political rights, and the ' rest of the Sabbath,' they asked, and were determined to have. The Creole increment of the population occupied a middle relation to both. Descended at first, on the father's side, from the whites and on the mother's side from the blacks, they had inherited a superiority to the maternal stock ; and, in many notable instances, were not a whit inferior to the paternal. Then, again, these Creoles, or mixed persons, intermarried with each other, and from them sprang a numerous progeny which have pushed theii" way into the learned professions, the Christian ministry, and mercantile life ; they have become proprietors and managers of sugar and cotton plan- tations, and entered into the highest Governmental service. An adjustment of relations as between two of these classes, say, between the whites and blacks, would have been comparatively easy ; but the existence of a third element made a difficulty. This was the problem to be solved on well understood lines of i^olitical fairness, social justice, and Christian forbearance. But the experiment of an interim apprenticeship proved a dead failure, and pi'ecipitated the alternative of complete emancipation on August 1st, 1838. The ever watchful London Committee did not fail to anticipate the still greater social change about to take place throughout the THE WEST INDIES. IT West India Islands. Under date, April 14th, 1838, the General Secretaries despatched a circular upon this subject to the Wesley an Missionaries, containing wholesome and broad-hearted counsels, for the guidance of their -whole conduct under the new and trying conditions in which they would soon be. The Secretaries say : — ' As the liberation of a portion of the apprenticed negroes in August next may probably have an unsettling effect upon those who are appointed by the Abolition Act to remain in the condition of apprentices for two years longer, and as the efforts which have been made to procure an immediate and universal extinction of the apprenticeship system may also tend to produce still greater excitement, we deem it proper to give you a word of advice upon the subject. On the question of the immediate and forcible termination of the apprenticeship system by the Imperial Parliament, it is foreign to our purpose to enlarge : our object is to enjoin you to use your influence to allay any excitement which may exist among the negroes, and to inculcate upon them the duty of a quiet and peaceable submission to their circumstances. The contrary conduct could only prove injurious to themselves ; — it would probably be made the occasion for imposing upon them new restrictions ; — and it would tend to check any disposition on the part of the local legislatures, or of individual planters, to introduce them to the enjoyment of entire freedom before the period fixed for the termination of the apprenticeship by the Abolition Act. ' We have good ground for hope that a satisfactory settlement of the important Negro Marriage Question mil speedily take place. We have been alive to this subject ; and finding that a protective measure was likely to be adopted by the Imperial Parliament for the benefit of the apprentices, we respectfully urged upon the Eight Honourable Lord Glenelg to insert, in his Bill, a clause recognising the validity of the past marriages which you have solemnized, and empowering you legally to solemnize marriage for the future. Such a result cannot fail to have a most important bearing upon the cause of religion and public morals, and will powerfully tend to promote the comfort and welfare of the negroes and their children.' The document from which the above extracts are taken is very lengthy, dealing with the question in every possible aspect, and bears the signatures of the Rev. Edmund Grindrod, President of the Con- ference; and of the Eevs. Jabez Bunting, D.D., John Beecham, D.D., Robert Alder, D.D., and Elijah Hoole, D.D., General Secretaries. The Plantocracy had evidently had enough of the ' Apprenticeship ' system, which was simply one of semi-slavery, as all admitted. The meddling policy of the Imperial Parliament m granting only a half- measure of relief embittered both parties, and rendered every planta- tion a focus of discontent and alarm. The coloured population at this time were mostly in the towns. They were not unnaturally in a state of frenzied excitement, and were so far an element of danger 2 18 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIO GRAPH Y. to the peace of the general social body. The time, therefore, had sui'ely arrived when the necessary reUef must come from the local parliaments themselves. Antigua, to its great praise, had shown a good example by giving unconditional freedom to its slave population in 1834. This action was right ; and, as experience showed, the safest thing to do. Besides, it was juit. For it may be asked, how could the slave-owners with any sense of righteousness hold the apprentices in bondage, and extract out of their sweat and blood gratuitous services, when they had previously received their share of so-called * compensation ' money out of the coffers of the English Exchequer. Between the months of May and August the island legislatures reluctantly opened their eyes to the unsafe condition of things, and, in rapid succession, passed such measures as brought this desperate iniquity to an end. The letters of the grateful missionaries are of much interest and feeling. We may quote from one of these as a sample of the rest. The Rev. John Lee, writing from Calder, St. Vincent's, begins with a note of grandest jubilation : — ' " Hallelujah ! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth ! " and we are breathing a free atmosphere. Yesterday, the glorious first of August, the apprenticeship of this island was abrogated, and the long-enslaved population became fully free. The day came, and with it the rejoicing of ten thousands in these islands. Long before the time for service the chapel was crowded to excess. Knowing that the eyes of many were upon us, I previously requested the attendance of the proprietors, attorneys, managers, etc., to witness the behaviour of the people, and also to hear the whole of the advices we had to give : two magistrates and several white people came, who all heard the Word attentively. After singing that beautiful hymn, "For the Heathen," page 417, in w-hich the congregation heartily joined, we engaged in solemn thanksgiving to our merciful Benefactor, for all the favours bestowed upon us, but especially for that which had brought us together that day. It was evident tliat the Lord was in the midst of us ; for, 0 Sirs 1 it would have done your hearts good to have witnessed their devotion, and to have heard their responses ; and, when thanks were returned for the successful termination of the long protracted struggle to obtain their freedom, and blessings were invoked upon the heads of their benefactors, then to have heard the burst of grateful feeling which flowed from their full hearts would have made British Christians rejoice. I proceeded to address them from 1 Peter ii. 13-19 ; after which I gave them some general advice respecting their future conduct as free labourers ; on the nature of their agreement ; the attention due to their children's education and subsequent employment ; the best way of conducting themselves during their present cessation from labour ; the necessity of all resuming their employment next Monday morning, etc. We then sung the doxology, and concluded ■with prayer one of the most interesting services I ever witnessed.' THE WEST INDIES. 19 Thus, by Heaven's decree, this cruel and hellish system of slavery came to an end. Nothing could have been more demoralising than was this nefarious traffic. The island plantations were, in many instances, managed by ' Legrees ; ' — who, in every phase of moral turpitude, equalled their famous prototype as drawn by Mrs, Harriet Beecher Stowe in ' Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Sir John Hawkins in 1556 acquired the distinction of being the father of this dreadful traffic in slaves for the West Indies. The account is that he sailed with two ships to Cape de Verde, where he sent eighty men on shore to catch negroes. But the natives flying, they fell farther do^vn the coast ; till, having taken enough, they proceeded to the West Indies and sold them. For 282 years the original Africans, ^vith their children and children's children were enslaved ; to which were added, as necessity arose for labovir for carrying on the sugar and cotton cultivation, other cargoes of captured negroes. By the Act of Emancipation, eight hundred thousand of freed negroes were put into possession of the priceless privileges of civil and religious liberty. These privileges are thus defined by Wesley in his scathing tract, entitled ' Thoughts upon Slavery,' as follows : — ' Liberty is the right of every human creature, as soon as he breatlies the vital air ; and no liuman law can deprive him of that right which he derives from the law of nature. ' And again : — ' Religious liberty is a liberty to choose our own religion ; to worship God according to our own conscience. Every man living has a right to this, as he is a rational character. The Creator gave him this right when He endowed him with understanding ; and every man must judge for himself, because eveiy man must give an account of himself to God. Consequently, this is an inalienable right t is inseparable from humanity ; and God did never give authority to any man, or number of men, to deprive any child of man thereof, under any colour or pretence whatever.' This liberty is now the Magna Charta of every subject of oiu- Queen throughout her great empii-e ; but the history of the struggle for its acquirement, ' at home and abroad,' is a monitory illustration of the maxim — ' Who would be free, Himself should strike the blow.' This ought not to have been i"equii-ed. PERSONAL HISTORY. 1838—1853. SECOND PART. MY engagement by the Missionary Committee in London, acting for the English Conference, dates from August 1838, and the ending of Negro Apprenticeship in the West Indies occurred in the same month and year. By this action, new openings presented themselves to the London Committee, and the whole Methodist Chiu'ch in Great Britain sprang to the evangelistic enterprise. ' More missionaries ' had been once more the plea heard from across the waters of the Atlantic, and I was one among ten others who were chosen for the work. The official education of young missionaries begins in London. Fifty years ago, soon after the holding of the Conference, they were examined by a Committee, and, if approved, they were bUleted for a short time with the London Ministers. My good fortune, in the first instance, was to be told off for Westmoreland Place, the home of the Rev. President Thomas Jackson, whose fatherly bearing to me I can never forget. The President at that time was writing his Centenary Memoiial volume. From day to day, when he came down to dinner, he would tell us of the progress he was making. Rev. B. B. Waddy, who that year was the President's assistant, had most of the remarks addressed to him. ' Did you ever preach,' said the President to Mr. Waddy, ' on St. Paul's visit to Troas % ' ' No, sir,' was the reply. ' But if you were to do so,' rejoined the President ; ' how would you treat that subject 1 ' ' Well, sii% I Jiardly know, bvit I suppose I would make a point of the importance of wakefulness in hearing the Word of God.' ' But there is a great deal more than that in the narrative,' said the President ; ' there is in fact a complete body of cUvinity in it. Only see ! we have — PERSONAL HIST 0 BY. 21 (1) the recognition of the Sabbath institution — "the first day of the week ; " (2) the conduct of the Apostolic Churches on that day — " the disciples came together ; " (3) the observance of the Lord's Supper — "broke bread;" (4) the institution of the Christian ministry — " Paul preached unto them." ' Then the President ex- pressed his sympathy with the young man, Eutychus, suggesting as an excuse for his having fallen into a ' deep sleep,' that probably he was generally employed in the field, or in some department of active daily life, and was not therefore able to resist the drowsiness that attacked him. The miracle of his restoration to full strength, at the instance of Paul, was also noticed, and — (5) the result of a well-spent Sabbath — ' They were not a little comforted.' This was good expository teaching for us young men, for two of us were the merest novitiates in the work. The President always offered prayer at family worship in the morning. These exercises were of a highly spiritual character. The nation, the church, the missions, the family, the young men, the sick and distressed, came in for special notice and earnest supplication. One morning after prayer, in which the President had been praying for favoiu-able weather for the ingathering of the crops in the north of England and Scotland, Mr. Waddy rather archly inquii-ed ' if the President was aware that the harvest was over in every part of the country ? ' ' No, no, Mr. Waddy,' said the devout man ; ' not yet. In the north of England and in many parts of Scotland there are hundreds of acres of ungathered grain, and if the Lord does not favour us for some time longer with suitable weather much of it will be spoiled ; bread will be dear, then what will the poor people do 1 ' I was much struck with the reply, as showing how much the President's heart had imbibed the spirit of his Master, whose special characteristic was His loving consideration for the poor. My next move was to 77, Hatton Garden, the residence of the Rev. Dr. and Mrs Alder. Here I met several young men, who were, like myself, Avaiting for ' sailing orders ' to proceed to our allotted woi'k ' far hence among the Gentiles.' The two temporary homes I had in London, at this time, stand out in sharp contrast to each other. Westmoreland Place was much like a qviiet, dignified Yorkshire home ; whilst Hatton Garden was official, restrained, and everything was done to order. The first was an easy break 22 JAMES BICKFOBD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. from one's quiet home life in Devonshiie ; the other was a rather unwelcome discipHne to fit one for the higher courtesies of society and diplomatic intercourse Avith governors and leading officials in colonial life. Long experience has confirmed me in the opinion that both the English President and the Missionary Secretary were right. Dr. Alder's regime was a kind of bieaking in, of which, I am sure, that no young man capable of judging the doctor's motives would condemn as too severe. A few details may ]>e given. The young missionary at ' 77 ' soon learnt that he had to ' walk by rule.' On entering the house from the street a neatly clad and somewhat stiffish femme would conduct the stranger to a back parloiu', and take her departiu'e. The fiu-niture was scant and plain. There was no sofa, nor couch, nor easy chair, for the comfort of the ' young man from the country.' There were a few books, and all of a certain kind. ' Butler's Analogy,' ' Pearson on the Creed,' ' Wesley's Sermons,' and ' Watson's Institute,' were among the more promiiient and thumbed. On the wall over the mantelpiece was hung a copy of the rules to be read and observed. The bell would ring for breakfast at fifteen minutes or so before you were expected to make your appearance. Seated, with the ' Boss ' at the head, and his amiable better half at the other end of the table, the ordinary formalities of breaking-fast commenced. Each one was expected to be prepared with a passage of Scripture for recital, the lady of the house leading the way. Next to her sat a nervous young woman, the wife of one of the missionaries about to sail for Africa, whose surprise and hesitancy were so great that she could not produce a single word from the grand old book she loved so well. The round came to me on the left, next the ' Boss,' and I did my best in giving the last text I had iised before leaving Devonshire. Then the reading of the Scriptures followed, and prayer was offered. A funny incident occurred one morning. A small boy — a shoeblack and errand boy (whom we may fitly call ' Toby ') — was sitting in a corner of the room waiting his tvn-n at recitation after the rest of us had gone through our facings. He (Toby), it was said, had been misbehaving in some matter, and was under a threat of dismissal. Poor lad ! What could he do ? Nothing that he might say from his own mind could avert the trouble which now hung over him. So the arch little fellow chose a passage of Scripture which perchance might soften the ire of his master. His turn was PERSONAL HISTORY. 23 the last of the lot — his only chance. But lie came out with his selected passage, full-mouthed and emphasized, with painfid emotion : ' And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also is in heaven ; neither is there respect of persons with Him.' The stroke was felt at both ends of the table ; the shaft went home. Not a word was said, but smiles were exchanged; and for Toby's sake we may hope there was an end of the affair. As may be expected, this regime appeared to some of our pai-ty as savouring too much of being at school. Be it so, it was none the worse for that. The diet itself was according to the ' Rule of Three,' — breakfast, dinner and tea, and no fourth meal. These were frugal enough, except the dinner, which was svibstantial and good. Breakfast ! yes, stale bread, cut about three-quarters of an inch thick, with a slight 'scrape of butter' to make it slide more easily, and one or two cups of coffee as we might choose. The tea had toast sometimes in addition, but not too much of that. The subscribers to the funds of the Wesleyan Missionary Society may take my word for it that, at that time, there was no waste of any kind, no superfluity whatsoever, at 77, Hatton Garden. This was capital discipline doubtless for the young men, whether married or single. I felt the change very much from my freer former life in Devon, but I did not complain. Good for us perhaps that it was so, as a preparation for self-denial and unknown experiences which were awaiting us in distant parts. Fifty years have passed since then, and Dr. and Mrs. Alder have gone from among us ; yet their memories and many generous acts are not, and never can be, forgotten by me. The year 1838 may be thought of by the English Methodists as one marked with strong faith in God, and of noble daring in missionary enterprises. The income of the Society was ^673,875, and the expenditure had greatly exceeded that amount. There was, unhappily, a debt, including the deficiency of this former year, of some thousands of pounds. But, notwithstanding this painfid fact, the Committee could not stand still when the West Indies, India, Australia, Polynesia, and ISToi-th America were plaintively crying, ' Come over and help us.' There must have been deep anxiety in the councils of the General Committee for the salvation of the heathen, to have warranted the forward action so strikingly shown. 24 JAMES BICKFORD: A:N AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Australia and New Zealand were generously provided for, and so were the Canadas. I was present in September, in London, at an Ordination Service, when Messrs. Warren, Ironside, Creed, De Wolfe, Lauton, Barratt, and Marshall were, by the ' imposition of hands and prayers ' solemnly ' set apart ' for the work abroad. I well remember also that never-to-be-forgotten Valedictory service held in City Road on the departure of the Revs. John Waterhouse, J. H. Bumby, Jolm Egglestone, John Warren, Samuel Ironside, Charles Creed, and Peter Jones (the converted Indian chief) for Australia and Canada. Great men were on the platform — The President, Thomas Jackson, Dr. Hannah, Dr. Bunting, Richard Treffry (senior), Edmund Grindrod, John Beecham, Robert Alder, and Elijah Hoole. The President conducted the meeting with the impressive dignity of a true '0 j}7'uestos, and Dr. Bunting closed the service with a prayer, the remembrance of which has been cherished as an instance of impassioned pleading with the God of missions never before heard within the consecrated walls of Wesley's own church. But these were not all of the noble men sent out that year. There were, besides, Messrs. Moss, Edwards, Hetherington, Lauton, Parkinson, Burrows, Impey, Fleet, together mth the following missionaries : Messrs. Railton, Davis, Bell, Whitehead, Hurd, and Bickford. It was a year of Pentecostal Baptism for missionary enlargement, for the ' Lord of the harvest ' had heard the cry of His servants for more labourers, and the Conference authorities found them, and sent them out ' far hence among the Gentiles,' east, west, north, and south. Voyage to the West Indies. It was on November 2nd that the Rev. Henry Hurd and I were accompanied by Dr. Alder to London Bridge, to go by a small steam- boat to Gravesend, where the Berhely was anchored ready for sea. We soon got * under weigh ' and made for the ' Downs,' where we remained until the 11th. After morning service fair wind sprang up, and we were speedily shaping for ' down ' channel, some two hundred vessels starting at the same time. Among them were the Fame, bound for the Gambia, having Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson as passengers; the Jamaica, bound for Antigua, with Messrs. Eraser, Bell, and Railton ; the IIou(jhton-le- Spring, bound for Jamaica, with PERSONAL HISTORY. 25 Messrs. Burrows, Davis, Redfern, and Whitehead ; and the Vixen, bound for South Africa, with Messrs. Richards and Impey. Fifty years ago the missionaries had to encounter the discomforts and dangers of saiUng to distant parts in small and ill-equipped trading vessels ; but now they are able to travel in monster steamships to eveiy part of the world, with the enjoyment of ' pleasure trips.' Nothing remarkable occurred during the voyage. We were thirty- eight days from the ' Downs ' to the island of St. Vincent's. We had the customary storms, contrary winds, and heavy seas, with other disagreeablenesses, but, upon the whole, for that season of the year, it Avas a fair voyage. Our worst weather was in the Bay of Biscay, where the sea was lashed into fury by the north-west gales, threatening ovir immediate destruction. A short vessel, like the Berkehj, was ill-prepared for easily riding over such yawning depths as ever and anon we descended into. One of these in particular can never be forgotten. The captain, Mr. Mann, and the chief mate, Mr. Frost, were standing on the larboard side of the quarter-deck watching with intensest apprehension the approach of a mountain of water. Its height was above the highest yard of our struggling, trembling ship, and we appeared to be within a measurable distance of engulphment in the appalling waves. But, as it approached, within a few yards of our ' bows,' it broke and disappeared below our quivering vessel, and left us unharmed. We then rose upon the crest of another sea, and finally escaped the further terrors of this fearfully dangerous bay. We caught the ' trades ' on December 3rd. some two hundred miles west of the Canary Isles, from which time we had pleasant sailing until we sighted Barbados. Life for land-lubbers on shipboard is a curious phenomenon. A Mr. Cockran, a sugar planter, and a really good-natured son of Erin, was then one of our fellow- voyagers. He quite took to me ; and why should he not ? Is there no affinity between Saxon and Celtic blood ? He always addi-essed me as ' The Bishop,' — -I presume of the saloon. One day he said to me, with afi'ectionate simplicity, ' Bishop, if you will come to see me on my plantation in Grenada, I shall be so pleased that I will kill a sheep for you.' His ' bulls ' were frequent and amusing. We were sailing close-hauled to the wind, — it was some days before we fell in with the ' trades ; ' but, it so happened, that whilst we were below dining, the chief mate had ' put the ship about ' so that we were on another tack, when he came again on 26 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. deck. Said he to Mr. Frost, ' What have you been doing ? Why, you have put the wind on the other side of the ship.' But he was tender and sensible to every little act of kindness from us. I liked him very much. Our passengers were Grenadians by birth or choice, and were wholly free from those complexional prejudices which have so much disturbed and even embittered the social life of Jamaicans and Barbadians. A missionary on board ship, provided he act wisely, cautiously, and be tolerably reticent, may wield a powerful influence as a general peacemaker and friend. Mr. Hurd and I, in these respects, did our best, and succeeded. Dr. Alder's many counsels stood us in good tui-n now that we were thrown upon our own resources in our ship-life for the first time. On December 18th we sighted Barbados, and at 9 a.m. were off Carlisle Bay. We stood away at once for St. Vincent's, some ninety miles to the west. We reached the island at daylight, and early in the forenoon we landed at Cropper's Wharf, Kingstown Harbour. An interesting young gentleman — a Mr. Rapier, slightly coloured — addressed to us the inquiry, 'Whether we were Wesleyan mis- sionaries just arrived from England 1 ' We said, * Yes.' He then politely offered to conduct us to the mission house in the next street. The Rev. E.. H. Crane, a Nova Scotian by birth, was the resident missionary. He was a fine, well-proportioned man, with a benignant countenance, who received us with courtesy and smiles. We next saw his wife, Mrs. Crane, formerly a Miss Black, daughter of the Rev. William Black, of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, who had emigrated to Nova Scotia with his parents when he was quite young. Mr. Hurd and I were much shocked when we first saw her attenuated frame, deadly white complexion, and, as we inferred, ill state of health. But the climate had done it all ; a common penalty, which English ladies have to pay as the price for residing within the tropics. Whilst looking about the hall we heard the pattering of the negroes' naked feet as they entered the mission yard, with our heavy luggage on their heads. They, in much good nature, without fee or reward, placed all our belongings carefully against the outer wall of the strangers' receiving-room, and, scraping the right foot on the ground as their expressive token of respect for ' Buckra,' they took their departure. The reason of their kindness is not far to seek. ' Dem missionary imported for a wee,' was the grateful idea which PERSONAL HISTORY. 27 underlay their action. Being glad to see us, they were willing to serve vis as they had ability. The island of St. Vincent's, situate in 13° N. latitude and Gl° W. longitude, is regarded as the queen of the Antilles. Some travellers have appropriately called it a West Indian Switzerland. Indeed, the four leading characteristics of that famous country are here found in miniatui'e. The Alpine, the mountainous, the hilly, and the plain are seen to great advantage as we approach the Carib country from the sea ; also the peak-shaped movmtains, and extensive, broken ranges of high hills, and clean-cut precipices, as seen at the back of Kingstown and at Fort St. George. There is, perhaps, no portion of our Colonial empire that abounds more in interesting physical phenomena, and rugged scenery, than this grandly outlined island. In some localities to the leeward there are numerous traces of the igneous character of their origin. The magnificent Cumberland valley, for example, is the resort of the scientific and the curious, because of its immense basaltic i-ocks, which, rising hard by the river's side, stand straight up in columnar order, whilst their surface, pavement-like, is laid in polygonal pieces, fitted most mechanically into each other. The Greathead valley is celebrated for its spa, or mineral springs, which are so valuable in fever cases. And the Carib country to the windward is famous for its dry river. Before the dreadful eruption of the Soufi'riere mountain, in 1813, its bed was the natural floor of one of the most valuable streams that ever watered a plantation, or blessed a home. From the time of our landing to that of holding the Annual District Meeting was about two months. I shall never forget the fii\st evening spent in Kingstown. Mr. Crane asked me to preach, wloich I did as well as I could after the dissipation of a sea voyage. My subject was ' Wrestling Jacob,' and some seven hundred persons were present. A large choir, drawn up in a semi-cii'cular form, was led by a coloured lady possessing a strong, full, and well-trained contralto voice. The first tune was ' Segina,' a grand and appropriate one for rendering with efiect C. Wesley's greatest hymn — ' Come, 0 Thovi Traveller unknown ! ' The bass was given by a Mr. Clark, a white man, who had bought his discharge from the army. He sang with marvellous power. The motley appearance of the congregation : diversity of complexional shades, naked feet of the blacks, red cotton 28 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. tied headgear, fantastic hats, ydth. and without brims, together with a few of the whites and better-to-do coloured of the congregation dressed up in beau'jiful muslin or very light sUks, presented the most cux'ious audience I ever expected to see even in the West Indies themselves. My first Sunday was spent at Calliaqua, a small village, surrounded except seaward, by populous sugar plantations. We had from six to eight hundred persons present. After the morning sex'vice, tho classes were met by several leaders as arranged for them in every part of the building, which was probably fifty feet square, much after the manner in which modern Sunday schools are distributed. At the close of the fellowship by singing and prayer, the officiating minister had to call out, one by one, the names of all the members on the roll, who would answer ' one,' ' two,' ' three,' ' four,' meaning penny, or pence, as the case might be, and the leader would place the contribution in the numbered bag to be handed to the missionary, to be counted and entered in the Society book on the Monday morning. I thought ' This looks vexy much like business,' and suggesting the idea of ' paying as you go.' Two childrexi had to be baptized ; a love- feast had to be held in the afternoon, and a preaching sex'vice in the evening. Not a lazy, or bad day's work for a * new chum ' (Austral), who had just come from the stoi-my coasts of Sovith Devon, and exj)osed for the first time to the scox'ching and exhaustless x"ays of a vertical sun. Dec. 25th. — Di^dne sex-vices were held as in the old country. The Kingstown Chapel was full of worshippers at four o'clock in the mox'ning. This has always been a great day with our people in the West Indies. It is to them a day to be ushered in by ' songs in the night,' as well as in early morn, by a ' rejoicing with great joy.' The Rev. R. H. Crane preached at 5 a.m., and it fell to me to officiate at 10.30 a.m., axid at 7 p.m. My thoughts tx'avelled homeward, and I acutely felt the distance which then ixitervened between the sunny isle of St. Vincent's and Edmestoxi Bax'toxi, in the parish of Modbury, Devon, where twelve months ago we gathered around the parental hearth, rejoicing with our father and mother and nine bx-others and sistex-s, whose happy and healthy circle up to that time had been unbroken. The thought would arise, ' When shall we meet again ? ' ' Never more ' in this wox'ld, was the stern reply. PERSONAL HISTORY. 29 Dec. 2Sth. — I was on the * wings of the wind.' The Rev. John Mann, our missionary in the Carib country, had come into Kings- town on the preceding day to take me back witli him for several services at his station. ' John Mann ' was a man for the occasion. He feai'ed neither sun nor rain. A salamander for heat and a duck for water ; — two important qualifications for the kind of work he had been doing previously in Trinidad and Tobago, and was then doing in the windward district of St. Vincent's. Once mounted on our mettled steeds, off we went at a canter through the town long before the Creoles had rubbed their eyes, or the blacks oiled their ebony. We ascended Dorsetshire Hill to the flagstaff, descended into Greathead valley, crossed the rushing river, proceeded at full speed over the flatter country, passed through CalHaqua, and then skirted the sea for some miles. But why all this haste 1 Why ? Because old Sol was rising, and the Englishmen must avoid the exhaustion and danger of his fierce rays, not only by an early journey, but by losing no time by the way. Calder, the head-quarters of the Hon. Hay McDowall Grant, the just and good attorney of the Trust Estates, soon appeared in view. We were quickly at the humble, quiet cottage of the Rev. John Lee, before whose door we pulled up — '• The wingM courser, like a generous horse, Shows most true mettle when you check its course." Riders and steeds seemed equally glad of shelter and repose. Mrs. Lee — dear good soul — had for us a fine breakfast of salt -fish, roast yams, plantains, and exquisite cofiee. Didn't we eat, and drink, too, after that ride ? The best sauce for an Englishman in the tropics is a gallop of a dozen miles, now and then, before breakfast. Oxu" kind host and hostess were not at all surprised at the devouring powers we put forth. The morning hymn, the reading of God's Word, and a short extempore prayer, concluded the repast. The negroes of the plantation came around the house to have a peep at the new Buckra (white stranger) and offer him a welcome. At midday Mr. Mann and I remounted our horses, and off we went for the Biabou mission station, where resided the Rev. John Cullingford, the Chairman of the District. We had brought copies of the Watchnmn with us containing the accounts of the great meeting which had been held at Manchester in initiating the 30 JAMES BICKFORB : AN AUTOBIOGEAPHY. movement for celebrating the Centenary festival. Mrs. Cullingfoi'd entertained us most hospitably. Refreshed and comforted we pro- ceeded on our way at 4 p.m., so as to have the cool of the evening for the remainder of our journey. Romantic and precipitous cliffs, hills and valleys, narrow riding paths, and rushing rivers mark the way from Biabou to Georgeto-s\Ti, the station and home of Mr. Mann. Ordinarily, a few days' rest would have been wise after such a journey, but this was not to be. The ' next day was the Sabbath,' and I had to do the best I could. But there was such encouragement in the crowds that came for the worship that all previous fatigue was forgotten. Hundreds upon hundreds could not get inside the building, but had to come within earshot on the outside, and get as much religious instruction as was possible under the circumstances. Such ' hunger ' for the Word of God I had never seen before in England or elsewhere. Speaking for the honoured pioneer of this great work, Mr. Mann, it seemed to me that no words could be more appropriate for the utterances of his soul than are the folio-wing lines : — ' Who, I ask in amaze, hath begotten me these ? And inquire from what quarter they came ; My full heart it replies, They are born from the skies, And gives glory to God and the Lamb.' Two incidents occiu-red, of great interest to me, during this my first visit to the Carib country : — (a) My being present at the class meeting of newly con ci'ted negroes. Mr. Mann was the leader. His beaiing was very tender and considerate of the feelings of these ' babes in Christ,' who were seeking for guidance and help in their spiritual life. The meeting had the true ring. The fellowship was genuinely good all through. The enquiries of the leader dealt alone with spiritual expei'iences and the trials of the daily life of the members. Such replies as the following indicate the gist of the whole exercise: (1) 'Me have no friend but Jesus. Me love my Jesus for what He done for me.' (2) ' My Jesus give me faith : me want more faith.' (3) ' Me be determined to live better this year ; me will ask more — ^love more — pray more — and be better Christian.' To my own soul it was a precious season of peace and blessing. (b) I had heard of a miserable remnant of the red Carib race located at Grand Sable, lying to the north of the Georgetown mission PERSONAL HISTORY. 31 station, and I expressed a wish to Mr. Mann to visit them in their own settlement. We accordingly mounted our horses early one morning, and found them in due course as we expected. They — about fifty perhaps — were the sole survivors of a once powerful race, the original owners of the land, and masters of the seas which washed the shores of theii* beautiful islands. Being introduced to the old chief, it was easy to see from his bearing that we were not wanted, and that our presence even was irksome to the tribe. Physically, they are of a low stature, and bear a strong resemblance to the group of copper-coloured Indians seen in the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London. Their look was strongly suspicious of the presence of strangers. Theu- eyes appeared contracted, and the unmistakable . expression of the countenance was not only forbidding but revengeful. Some fifty years before the time of oiu* visit, under the dii-ection of the Eev. Dr. Coke, an attempt was made to civilize these people by establishing a school for the children. A Mr. and Mrs. Joice were sent out from London to conduct it. But the project failed through the severe illnesses of Mrs. Joice, and both had to leave. The next attempt was made by the appointment of the Bev. Mr. Baxter, of Antigua, as a missionary to reside in the Carib country, near the river Byera, which separated the English territory from the Indian settlement. Two years of trial were given to this experiment ; when, having no encouragement whatsoever fi'om the Caribs, old or young, the mission was reluctantly withch-awn, and to all human appearance the ' day of grace ' closed. It is said that Mrs. Baxter, on taking ' leave, wept at theu- rejection of the Gospel, and earnestly prayed that they might have another " call," before the things which made for their everlasting peace were for ever hidden from their eyes. At the same time, she earnestly besought God, that when another call should reach them, they might not reject it, as they had hitherto slighted the overtures of salvation which had been made to them.' Half a century has elapsed since the visit of Mr. Mann and myself to the Grand Sable Settlement. But the impression made upon me as I gazed at this remnant of a once numerous race, and called to mind the cruel methods by which it had been almost destroyed ' from off the face of the earth,' created an agony of regretfid sorrow and shame which has never wholly left me since. They were dejected, sulky, and apparently so much under the influence of an ungratified 32 JAMES JilCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. revengefiilness of feeling, that it was almost an unbearable burden to see them. We had intruded into their secrecy, and were standing face to face A\-ith the unfortunate sur\dvors of an ancestry whom our countiymen had so cruelly spoliated and killed. What could we say 1 What could we do 1 Such wi-ongs could not be condoned by anything that we might proffer. We stood self-convicted for our country's villanies to an innocent and helpless race. As we came, so we departed, from a scene so full of mournful antecedents, feeling that our absence would be a sensible relief to those whose ' hiding- place ' we had so sacrilegiously invaded. Jan. 5th, 1839. — My visit to the 'Windward' now closed, and I returned to Kingstown, drawing bridle only at Biabou. On entei-ing the mission house our Father Crane, as he was affectionately called, met me with a benignant smile and greeting : ' Welcome back again,' said he : ' how are you 1 I am glad to see you.' I felt much at home with this common-sense, happy, dignified family. The true affinity of Methodist mission life was a realistic fact in St. Vincent's. The Calder, Biabou, and Georgetown Homes were occupied by generous inmates, who were pleased, on every proper occasion, ' to entertain strangers' without ostentation, fuss, or niggardliness. The mission house at Kingstown, the centre of population and head-quarters of our ecclesiastical establishment, was, by general consent and under- standing, ' a house of call : ' a place of refreshment and rest for the brother- and sister-hoods of mission families throughout the island. And nothing could exceed the generosity and affection of the Reverend ' Gains,' ' our host,' and that of his excellent wife, Mrs. Crane, whose fvxll-orbed and intelligent countenance was itself a welcome to the obligated visitor. A halting stage, but not a place of rest, was Kingstown to be to me at this time. By water to ' Leeward,' under the watchful 'steer' of the Rev. Joseph A. Marsden, our indefatigable missionary at Princes' Town, Bari'onallie, was the course laid out for me. At 5pm., we were in our canoe with four black men 'laying to the oars' with all their strength, pulling us with rapid speed to the place of our destination. We glided pleasantly over the green, pellucid waters of the bay, and rounded, without a ' baptism ' from Neptune, the ' Old Woman's Point,' where the rush and roar of the converging waves are sometimes appalling. We hugged the coast- line as much as possible, keeping clear of the rocks and backwash PERSOXAL HISTORY. 3^ of the sea as we cleared the boldly jutting promontories, which mark the romantic outline of land and cliffs, and arrived at length at the mission place of disembarking, safe and sound. This was my first experience in canoeing, but I took to it as if ' to the manner born,' and soon learnt to steer over any kind of wave or sea without fear or trepidation. Indeed, my nautical daring for seven years on the Kingsbridge river, Devon, now stood me in good stead in piloting our cockle-shell canoes in these West India waters. Mrs. Marsden's reception of me was most kind, and quite in keeping with the unobtrusive, warm hospitality for which the yorkshire Methodist homes, from one of which she came, are beautiful examples. My first Sunday at the Leeward was a busy day. Early in the morning I rode some seven miles or so to Layon, where we had an old rickety chapel full of people waiting for my ari-ival. I preached and held a Love-feast. The Missionary Marsden was a true Yorkshireman for feeding and drawing out the unsophisticated nature of these negro Christians. The mother of the Society, as she was filially called, was a coloured elderly lady — a Mrs. Gai'dner — a woman of rare piety, gifts, and commanding influence. She rose and gave her testimony to the work of the Holy Spirit in her soul with modesty and hopefulness. Others also, in rapid succession, gave witness with tearful joy to the comfort with which the religion brought by the missionaries had invested them. At 10.30 a.m., I remounted my steed and hastened back to Barronallie, and commenced a second service. The chapel, to use an Irishism, without I hope ofience, was filled inside and out. The Renewal of Covenant Service followed, and the Lord's Supper was administered. In the evening I once more preached to a full house, and thus concluded the laborious exei"cises of this hallowed day. Alas for me ! before I had time to recoup my used-up strength, Mr. Marsden summoned me for a trip farther to the Leeward. We were this time to go to Chateaubellair, about twelve to fifteen miles distant, bearing to the north-west of the island. Our first adventure Avas at the ' Bottle and Glass,' so called because, to the poetic fancies of the natives, this reef of dangerous rocks resembled near its outer point a bacchanalian party convivially employed. Such was the rvish of the turbulent, boiling sea at the outermost point that no canoe could live in it except in very calm weather, so that to shoot oiu- little Niagara was the alternative to progress. Our ' skipper ' 3 34 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. (Mr. ]\Iarsden) gave orders to pull straight for the opening and take advantage of the swell and rush of the wave to get through to the other side. Stealthily coming up within a few feet of the edge of the opening our men ' lay on their oars.' Counting each wave as it dashed over, the fifth, which was always of greater volume than were the ordinary ones, the stroke oarsman, John B., cried, ' novo ' — * NOW ' — ' NOW,' with tremendous emphasis, and away we went on the crest of the swelling, rushing sea, clean over the sharp pointed rocks, and the danger was passed. Many a canoe has come to grief, and many lives have been lost, at the ' Bottle and Glass ; ' but, strange as it may appear, we became so accustomed to the romance and danger of the ' pass,' as even to like it. In after years, Avhen stationed to the ' Leeward,' the * Old Woman's Point ' and the ' Bottle and Glass,' were an inspiration to me. I liked the peril, and gloried in facing it. But we were not to reach Chateaubellair on this occasion. A strong north-wester had been blowing all the previous night, causing a terrific sea all along the coast, and making it dangerous for us to proceed. Mr, Marsden, therefore, ordered the men to pull into a small bay, where we landed. We spent the day with a Mr. Beilby, the hospitable manager of the plantation, and in the cool of the evening we walked over the intervening hills back to Barronallie. A new experience was now awaiting me. The next morning, just as the day began to break, I was awoke from a sound sleep by a kind of subterranean wave of jerky and undulating motion. It seemed to come from seaward, passed vip under the house and shook it most violently. What is this % thought I. Before I had time to pick myself up. Brother Marsden, whose room was on the other side of the hall, called out, ' Don't be afraid ; it is only an earthquake ; it will soon be over.' But, if not afraid, I was concerned for my personal safety, and wondered whether I would not be better off outside the building than inside of it. Jumping out of bed and throwing open the shutters, I could see how matters were looking in the yard. The female servant was all astir, and rushed towards the kitchen to the man-servant for protection. ' Budde Cudgo,' said she, 'de hear de ground shake? I did tink the house wid fall.' But it did not fall. For, being built of wood, it caught the sweep and jump of the commotion underneath and escaped unhurt. But Mr. Marsden that morning at the family altar did not forget to recognise PER80XAL HISTORY. 35 the presence of the Fatherly hand which had protected us fi-om harm and death. I remained at the Leeward over the Sabbath, and returned to Kingstown on the Monday morning. I found Mr. Marsden engaged in raising subscriptions for the remnant of a shipwrecked crew of English sailors who had landed on the previous Sabbath day. Charity, like religion, seems to know no fatigue. Here was this indefatigable missionary — a man whose height was six feet at least, and weight perhaps fifteen stone — trudging about under the fierce rays of a vertical sun, begging from all classes of the people money for purchasing clothes for these unfortunate men, and to send them on their way. The case was this. On December 6th they had sailed from Sieri'a Leone bound for London. On the eighth day after theii' departure the ship was struck on the weather quarter by a heavy sea, and she began to fill very fast. Two, boats were launched and victualled, the captain and thirteen men manned the long boat, and the chief mate and seven men the other. The first attempt was to reach Cape de Verde, and for eight long days this course was tried without success. The second boat in the meantime had disappeared. The captain then steered for Barbadoes, which was some three thousand miles distant. For thii^ty-two days there on the Atlantic they had to subsist on the scantiest supply of food, whilst, during the last fortnight, they had to subsist on two wine-glasses of water and a small bit of biscuit per man per diem. Ai-riving off Barbadoes, the men had not sufficient strength to pull into Carlisle Bay, and so they had to di-ift to leeward in the hope of catching St. Vincent's and an- choring in Kingstown harbour. Poor fellows, ' when the eye saw them it pitied them,' and ' the blessing of them that were ready to perish came upon' the good missionary and his sympathising friends. Jan. '20th. — I preached at Kingstown, and received six candidates for 'membership. I laid down for them only two conditions : (1) That they would, by the grace of God, abandon all sinful ways and practices. (2) They were to resolve, by the same help, to be good members. And were not these sufficient ? So I believed, and so I said. The pledge on their part was : ' We are tired of sin and are ashamed of ourselves. We pray God may forgive us.' I entered theu' names in the Candidates' book to be read at the first Leaders' meeting thereafter, when, if no objection was raised, the names 36 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. would be entered on the class-books for further instruction. Up to that point the pastor's action was scripturally complete. I went a second time to the Windward, and spent nine days with Mr. and Mrs. Lee and ]\Ir. Parsons, their adopted son, at Calder. During this time we went to Georgetown to the laying of the foundation stone of a new mission church for the accommodation of the numeious families who had been brought into church relations with us through the untiring labours of the Rev. John Mami. The Christian negroes as a thankoffering to God placed seventy-nine dollars on the stone. The next day I retui'ned to Kingstown to attend the District meeting. A sad event has now to be noticed. The Rev. Mr. Crane on the 30th was seized with malignant fever. In the hope that a change of air might be helpful to him, he was removed to the hills about three miles from Kingstown, where I went to see him. Everything that medical skill could do for him was promptly done, but without avail. On the fourth day of his illness he died. His last words were : ' I am on the rock. I am safe — all is well.' Feb. 4ith. — The District Meeting was commenced under the able presidency of the Rev. John Cullingford, besides whom there were present the Revs. George Beard, John Wood, William Moister, George Ranyell, John Mann, John Blackwell, Joseph A. Marsden, John Lee, William Bannister, James Bickfoixl, and Henry Hurd. The last three had just joined the district, and were affectionately received. The usual annual letter from the London Committee was read by Mi-. Moister, the District Secretary. This was a compre- hensive and valuable document, in which the financial and spiritvial condition of each circuit, as shown in the reports and accounts of the preceding year, were reviewed. There was, I thought, an air of sharp business in the whole of the proceedings. The grant for the year, for example, was apportioned, after a fvill discussion, to the respective circuits, according to their wants. With this assistance all deficiencies were to be met, as the London Committee would not admit any supplementary claim. Special cases of afiliction, medical and funeral expenses, were, however, not included in the ordinary expenditui^e. The education grant was divided according to the number and classification of the schools in each of the islands. The District Treasurer was an important functionary. He had to receive from the brethren their dues to the ' Old Preachers' Fund,' ^^zrUn-/ ■\VOODBL'RYPRINT, WATERLOW it SONS LIMITED. From a Negative bij BRUNSKILL, Windermere. PEB.SONAL HISTORY. 37 the Oonnexional Education Fund, the Foreign Missions' Contributions made in the circuits, the annual subscription to the Watchman and John Mason's account. This was to be a yearly settling up ; hard lines for some, but safe lines for all. Feb. \Wi. — The District meeting closed, having been in session nine days. I was appointed as colleague to the Rev. William Moister, in Trinidad. Feb. 15t/i. — Messrs. Beard, Wood, Moister | and I, went on board a small American schooner, and sailed for our destinations. As the time for ' turning in ' came round, I enquu-ed of ■ my superintendent, Mr. Moister, what were the arrangements for our sleeping. His look, rather than words, was an answer ; looking down upon me, for he was a tall man, he seemed to say with that expressive eye of his, ' Inexperienced youth, you will soon find out for yourself.' Then looking upon the cleanly swept quarter deck, he audibly said, * Well, as for me, I shall take the softest plank, and I recommend my brethren to follow my example.' The fact is, that we had neither mattresses nor pillows ; and so, making the best of it, clad in my outfit cloak and travelling cap, I stretched myself, for the first time in my life, upon a plank bed, and quietly went to sleep. The sky was clear and the wind fair ; we soon passed under Bequia, hugged the Grenadines, and at dawn of day we stood across the channel and sheltered under the lee of Grenada. Mr. Moister, our * captain of the mess,' was on the look-out for a good breakfast for us, of which we all partook -with hearty relish. With the fore- noon we had nearly a dead calm, and not till the evening had we the usual land breeze to enable us to enter the Caunage at St. George's the next morning. At 10 a.m. I went on shore and called on my fellow-passengers per Berkely, and found them very glad to see me. At 3 p.m. I wqpt on board the schooner and found Mr. Moister displeased that I had remained so long on shore. I had learnt, when a Sunday- school teacher in Kingsbridge, that ' a soft answer turneth away wrath,' and so I thought I had better begin the practice at once. It answered admh'ably. Mr. Moister was placated, and I had shown no unworthy temper. Good for both of us. We had a fine run across the ninety miles' stretch of sea lying between Grenada and Trinidad. We made the north coast of the island, which is bold and sharply cut, behind which, and rising 38 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. iu some instances over two thousand feet above the sea-level, there is a chain of mountains truly South American. As we reached the Bocas (Sp. mouths), we had hoped to pass quickly through one of them into the Gidf of Paria, but we were cruelly disappointed through the failui'e of the wind. Our little vessel rolled and tossed on the unbroken, heavy swell of the sea all that day and the next, which was the Sabbath. Sometimes we were so near the rocky cliffs and headlands that we could touch them with a long pole ; and then the relentless current, rushing from the Gulf, would sweep us far back into the ocean outside. The fierce rays of Sol fell upon the deck during those two terrible days in such a degree that loco- motion Avas impossible, and our faces and hands were sorely blistered. At 10 p.m. on the second day a light wind sprang up from the north- west, and gently wafted us beyond the inner line of the sweeping currents. Feb. \^th. — We reached the 'Five Islands,' when we were again becalmed. We waited for four long hours for a favouring breeze, when the good captain, out of sheer pity for us, manned a boat and sent vis on to Port of Spain, the capital of the island. Trinibad, 1839. We were soon at the mission house, and Mrs. Moister cHd all that lay in her power to refresh and comfort us after the blistering and the exhausting ordeal through which we had passed. The ordinary heat of Trinidad is as much as most white men can bear ; but the additional blaze and fire of the sun we had outside the Bocas and ill the Gulf were enough to half kill the bravest of men. This was to me a terrible ' baptism of fire,' the efiect of which I felt for long. Mr. Moister, however, after such experience he had had in Western Africa and Demerara, very soon recovered. Of course, I vas not to go to Couva, situate about halfway on the eastern side of the gulf, between Port of Spain and San Fernando, until I had spent a Sabbath in this queen of tropical cities, and had called upon the Kennedys, the Cleavers, the Beilbys, the Brodies, and other friends. By invitation I preached in the morning in the Presbyterian Chiu-ch, and in the evening in the Wesleyan. Several of the ' Lady Mico Charity ' day-school teachers, just come from England, were present at the evening service. PERSONAL HISTORY. 39 The time had come for me to go to Couva, the station to which I had been appointed by the District Meeting. Mr. Moister went %vith me to lay in such provisions as I should require when ' down coast.' Mr. Gould, a respectable coloured merchant, attended to my wants. A good Yorkshire ham, a half -firkin of Cork butter, two hampers of American potatoes, a small bag of flour, with tea, coffee, and cocoa, were recommended as essentials for my daily consumption. Drinkables, in small quantities, were also put in. In those dark days — now fifty years ago — it was thought that without alcoholic stimulants no Englishman, nor Scotchman either, for that matter, could live and labour in the exhausting climate of Trinidad. But this di'eam, like many others, equally foolish and pernicious, has been chspelled by the larger experiences of Europeans and better modes of lining. My kind superintendent accompanied me to Couva, to see for himself that all proper arrangements had been made for my comfort, and in the evening returned by the local steamer to Port of Spain. And now I was ' left alone : ' a kind of missionary Crusoe, ' the monarch of all I surveyed.' But I had a man ' Friday,' in the person of Alfred, who was to be my cook, butler, groom, \\owiiemaid, church -keeper, gardener, errand-man, and companion, all rolled into one. 'A faithful man ' was Alfre' (Nig.), 'and feared God above many.' Said he to me one day : ' Minister, I want you to let me get married ! ' ' Indeed,' I replied, ' to whom ] ' Said he, ' Sister PhilHs ! ' ' What,' I rejoined, ' marry your sister ? ' ' Minister no understand,' said he naively ; ' is she not a member of the Church ? Is she not a sister then 1 ' ' Yes, yes,' I replied ; ' Alfre', fix the day, and I will tie the knot.' They were married in due course before quite a select company of ' brothers and sisters ' in the mission church, and a happier couple never lived on the premises than were they. One day I sent him to the bay for a hamper of potatoes. He put his naked feet into the stirrups, except the great toes of the right and left feet, which he wisely kept outside the rim with which to hold on. By-and-by, hearing some one riding up to the gate, I looked from my study window to see what possible magnate (planter or doctor, perhaps) might b6 coming. To my surprise it was Alfre', but I never saw him look so tall before. As he neared the house, I perceived that he had hoisted the hamper upon the top of his head, thereby keeping his hands free for other purposes. 40 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ' Hallo, Alfre', what is up, eh ? ' ' Ah,' said he, ' metiiik he be easy for de horse for me carry him so.' ' Well done, Alfre',' said I ; * a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast,' the good Book has said. I shall never forget this kind-hearted fellow. When I had my seasoning fever, he ofFei'ed to cure me better than the doctor (Graham). So he set to work. He collected and boiled up together some new rum, just from the still; a quantity of lime-juice, Irish butter, and a handful of sweating herbs, and made of them a drink, cei'tainly, such as for noxiousness, I had never tasted before. I went to bed, and then Alfre' administered his nostrum, and almost smothered me with sheets and blankets. That was a night to be remembered. The fever was not sweated out, but my poor life was almost perspired away. Poor, disappointed Alfre' ! But he did his best : it was a perilous best for me. Fortunately, a Mr. William Cleaver, then a student for our work, came to my relief ; and, at Mr. Moister's request, I immediately left for Port of Spain. By the blessing of God, under the skilful treatment of Dr. Murray, the affectionate care of Mrs. Moister, and the nursing night and day, without intermission for nearly a fortnight, by Polly Philips, one of GUI' church sisters, I got rid of my fever, and was able to return to my much-loved work at Couva. My work at this station lay mostly among the sugar plantations. The principal services during my first year, on the Sabbath, were at Couva and San Fernando alternately. On week evenings I preached at Felicity Hall, Milton, Carolina, Cedar Hill, and Palmiste planta- tions. I occasionally visited Camben, Exchange, Providence, Claxton Bay, and Cedar Grove, in the ISTaparimas. My hands were full, every minute of my time was employed, and all the planters received me with confidence, and all the peoj)le with gratitude. The Rev. Mr. Hurd was appointed our missionary at San Fernando in my second year, which relieved me from the longer journeys and exposure to heavy rains and scorching heat. The new church at San Fernando was built in Mr. Hurd's first year ; the parsonage also. At the time of the consecration of the church, Mr. Hurd was ill with fever in Port of Spain, and Mr. Moister and I conducted the opening services. To Mr. Moister's great personal influence with the Government, and attorneys of the sugar plantations, is our church mainly indebted for the initiation and completion of this PERSOXAL UISTORY. 41 commanding establishment in the very heart of this the second town of the colony. San Fernando was the natural key to the sugar-producing district of Naparima, and upon several of the plantations were located many of our best informed and loyal adherents. My two years at Couva passed very rapidly. My health had so much broken, and my sense of solitude had so depressed my soul, that I found it indispensable to seek a removal to St. Vincent's as the most likely part of the district in which I might be set up again for the work of my life. My lot at Couva had been one of ever-recurring fever ; my nervous energy had collapsed ; I was no longer the same man. It was difficult to believe that my strong constitution could have been so wrecked in two short years. The official parting took place early in January 1841, after the morning service at Couva, amid much hand-squeezing, fervent prayers, atid many tears. Mr. Hurd had come over from San Fernando, and in the evening we rode over to Felicity Hall plantation, and held another service. We slept that night in Brother Samuel Kennedy's house (' hut,' Nig.), so as to be ready at daylight to go to the landing place for embarkation. Nearly all the adult people marched with us in procession, and when we reached the bank of the Paria, there and then, under the branches of a lofty cocoa-nut tree, we sang the Hymn 534 (Wesley), followed by prayer and consecration. I sprang into the boat, for my heart was breaking, and begged to be at once put on board the sloop lying at anchor some distance from the shore. Such is the history of my first experiences on a mission station in the West Indies. The District Meeting of 1841 was held in Tobago. We called at Grenada on our way, and were joined by the Rev. John and Mrs. Wood. We took a whole week to beat from St. George's, vid the windward of Tobago, round to Scarborough, the port and capital of the island. We had to record the retirement of the Eev. Joseph A. Marsden, who, solely on account of health, had eai-ly in the preceding year, with Mrs. Marsden, returned home. Mr. Marsden's possibilities were undoubtedly great ; but his build and bulk unfitted him for our West India work. The Revs. John Mann and John and Mrs. Wood had also gone to England; add to which the un- expected deaths of the Rev. John and Mrs. Lee, after a few days of fever, at CaUiaqua, diminished our stafi", and rendered the supplying 42 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. of the circuits a great difficulty. For tlie first time we received a white canditate, a Mr. William Cleaver, who was born in Trinidad. He was much help to us in our dire extremity. St. Vincent's, 1841. By the District Meeting I was appointed to labour in St. Vincent's, and entered upon my work on the 10th of February. The congrega- tions of my pastoral charge were those of Calliaqua and Calder, numbermg about fifteen hundi-ed souls. The Marriqua valley had to be missioned by me besides. In this romantic valley there resided many families of freeholders, who were mostly engaged in growing and preparing arrowroot for exportation to England ; the cocoa- berry also, which was a valuable article of export. The scenery, ^vith its majestic stream flowing thi'ough its centre, was mountainous and grand. It was a place much to be desired, and here the people lived in quietude, each family pursuing the cultivation of the rich soil, and doing then- very best for both worlds. On 23rd of April, I received from Dr. Alder an interesting communication. It was to the effect that the London Committee had decided on sending the Revs. W. Limmex and S. Durrie to our help, together with Mrs. Limmex and the Misses Tapp and Silifant. Mr. Hurd and I were requested to be in Barbadoes on the arrival of the ship Mercy to meet our friends. Accordingly, I left Kingstown on the following morning in the sloop Mary for that island. After beating up the Becqui channel from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. without much success, the captain resolved to proceed under the lee of St. Vincent away to the northward, and when he had made a good ' ofiing ' stand direct for Barbadoes. In the middle of the next day, to my great pleasiu'e, I saw the Royal Mail steamer Tartarus, from Jamaica, steering straight for Castries, the harbour of St. Lucia. I imme- diately asked the captain to follow in her wake and put me on board. Having cleared the island, we made direct for Barbadoes, and when, next day, we were about midway on our voyage, our attention was called to a dismasted emigrant ship on our lee with the usual flag of distress flying. We made towards her, and our captain oflered help. A hawser was soon attached, and we had the gratification to tow her in safety to Carlisle Bay. Whilst breakfasting, on the 5tli of May, one of our friendly PERSONAL HISTORY. 43 ' watchers' announced that the good ship Mercy liad hove in sight. My generous host, the Rev. Alexander Mausie, and I soon started for the wharf, secured a boat, and boarded the ship just as the anchor was dropped. All the members of the mission party were well and delighted at the termination of their voyage. As soon as possible we went on shore, when a hospitable and loving welcome was accorded to the party by Mr. and Mrs. Mausie. The next day, the 6th, Miss Tapp and I were married in the James Street Church by Mr. Mausie, in the presence of a large number of friends and well-wishers for our happiness. It would be impossible to forget the generous kindness of Dr. and Mrs. King, Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, Mr. and Mrs. Austin, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, the Gills and Hynes, and other friends. On the 14th the party sailed for St. Vincent's in the brig Helen, and anchored the next day in Kingstown Harbour. Mrs, Bickford and I proceeded at once to Calliaqua, and took possession of our humble home the same evening. The month of August in St. Vincent's is the most sickly of the year. I did not escape the endemic visitation. On the fourth or fifth day after my attack I had to be carried from my bed to the hall and laid upon the sofa for the benefit of cooler air. The leaders and some other members of our church surrounded the house and watched for the final event. In the merciful providence of God, Brother Parsons called to make enquiry for me, who, seeing the prostrate and dangerous condition I was in, he remounted his horse and hastened to the Prospect plantation, and asked the Hon. and Rev. Nathaniel Struth to send his carriage instanter to convey me to the healthier locality of Calder Ridge, one of the Trust estates, of which he was the manager. In the course of a couple of hours Mrs. Bickford and I were on our way, and the cool air much revived me. But the crisis — the ninth day — was not yet passed. It came, how- ever, and Dr. Choppin privately told my friend, Mr. Parsons, that if the vomiting returned during the night, I would die before the morning. Two black women, Mrs. Ovid and Mrs. Hai'vey, who were in attendance night and day upon me, asked the doctor's permission to try what they could do. ' Oh, yes,' said he, with an ominous shake of the head ; ' you may try ! ' Without the loss of five minutes these Christian nurses prepared a quantity of lime-juice and the coldest water that could be got for sopping the skin all over 44 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. the body, and au admixtm-e for internal use, of nauseous ingredients, to be swallowed without challenge or questioning. And so they went to work. For fully six hours they ceased not their efforts, when, at 2 a.m., they had the satisfaction of observing a change for the better. God be praised ! The fever was broken, and the perspiration streamed from every pore. I shall never foi-get the ' sweet rest in sleep ' which followed for several hours. Dr. Choppin came earHer than was usual for him, and learnt from Mr, Parsons the altered condition of things. Coming into the room, with an evident intensity of satisfaction, he addressed words of comfort to us, saying, ' The danger is over and gone.' Tobago, 1842. By the English Conference I was appointed superintendent of our mission in the island of Tobago. The Rev. S. H. Durrie was to be my colleague, and to reside at Mount St. George. After the District Meeting, January 1842, we prepared for our voyage. To go direct, as well as to save time and expense, I chartered the William McCaul, a sloop of thirty-five tons burthen, to convey vts thither. Starting from the port of Calliaqua with a strong north-west wind we cleared Mustique, the most easterly of the Grenachnes, and shaped our course for Tobago. But, making no allowance for the strong current to the windward at that season of the year, we were too high hj a full point. The voyage, under ordinary circumstances, should be made in twenty-four to thirty hours ; but on our seeing no land after four days' sailing I became anxious, knowing that we must have overshot the island. To our dismay, I found that Captain Brown had neither chart nor quadrant, so that it was impossible for our real position to be fixed. Besides which, we had passed beyond the deep blue water, and were rushing along in the pale green, which I knew to be somewhere opposite the Oronooko, whose freshlets pale the sea for a- hundi^ed miles from the coast. After consulting with Mr. Durrie I insisted that the vessel should be put about, keeping down a point or two below north-west, so that, perchance, on our way back we might make land somewhere. Missing Tobago, I contended that we shovild be brought up at the Grenadines, or, possibly, at St. Vincent's itself. We had two captains ; the responsible in Mr. Brown, and a consultative in Mr. . But they did not PERSONAL HISrOBY. 45 agree, so I had to assume the direction myself. * 'Bout ship,' I cried. Brown dissented, but I was inexorable. * Steer as I tell >ou, and we will find out in time where we are.' After proceeding about sixty hours in a north-west by west course, a man at the l)Ows sang out, 'Land ahead!' I immediately called the two captains to tell us what land it was, but neither knew. ' Then lay off and on until daylight, Avhen we shall be able to decide where we are, and in the meantime I will "turn in."' But, as soon as I left the deck, the captains resolved for another departure, and in a totally contrary direction. At 5 a.m. I was awakened by an alarm on the deck, and the cry, ' The boat, the boat ! ' I climbed up the ' companion ladder ' and found that our craft had heeled over amid furious waves ; one of which had * come on board ' and taken our cockleshell boat over the bulwarks into the raging sea. An attempt was made to get hold of the boat, but without success. 'Let her go,' said I, 'or presently we shall lose the vessel also.' Another grumble fi*om the captains, and the recovery of the boat was given up. ' And now. Captain Brown,' I enquired, ' where is the land we saw last night ? ' 'I don't know,' he replied. ' Well, then, put the vessel before the wind, and we will go where God's good providence may take us. We shall fall in with land some- where.' We thus sailed the whole day, when, to our great joy, we saw looming in the distance three sharply pointed mountainous formations. * There are the " sugar-loaves " of St. Lucia,' I said ; but the captains were so confused that they could not even recognise them. 'The island of St. Vincent,' I said, 'lies somewhere over there ; shape your course in that direction, and we shall be all right in the morning.' By the mercy of God we came to anchor in the Calliaqua harbour a little before break of day, and re-entered the mission house which we had vacated some ten days previously. I duly reported our failure to reach Tobago to the Rev. John CuUingford, the District Chairman, and early in the following week we made a second start in the William McCaul, but with a new captain. This time we were successful. Oui* arrival at Scarborough was an immense relief to those of our friends who had learnt of our previous departure from St. Vincent's and were at a loss to know what had become of us. Mr. Durrie and I entered upon our work in good spirits and were determined to extend the mission to the 46 JAMES BICKFOBD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Windward as far as INIan of War bay, and on the northern side as far as EngHshman's bay. By God's favour, the good cause advanced by ' leaps and bounds ; ' and much jealousy in some quarters was felt at our great success. It was even averred that the whole island would become Methodist unless some check was administered. A rumour was accordingly started damaging to my colleague's ministry, which led to an interview between Governor Darling and myself, when I took the liberty of assuring His Excellency of my colleague's faith and of the prudence of his public utterances. And I published a somewhat smart and defiant letter in the press upon the difference we make between character and persons,-^the former being within our rights ; the latter we left alone. The most cutting thing I said was, that as mmisters of Christ, we would do our best to meet the pubHc demand made upon us as expositors of the Scriptures ; but that we had come under no obligation to supply to an indiscriminate public a faculty for understanding what we said relating thereto. In the month of December a great affliction came upon one of our best families in the death of Mr. Bovell, a respectable merchant, local preacher, and trustee of our church. Mrs. Bovell, his wife, was an eminently holy and viseful woman. By the sudden removal of her husband, she was left with a large family of girls to be educated and fitted for the positions in life they were entitled to. And the widow's God helped her to do this. Mr. Bovell's dying testimony was highly satisfactory : ' I am a man,' he said, ' of few words, but I can say that ever since I was sixteen years of age, the good hand of God has been with me. I have never lost the peace of God. I have always had the evidence of my acceptance; and; at times, I have enjoyed the blessing of sanctification. I have no doubt on this subject ; but my mind is not stayed upon Him as I wish.' To Mr. Robert George Boss, a dear brother in the Lord, also a local preacher and leader, he said, ' Christ is precious to my soul. I am on the rock : all is right.' The day of interment was one of great sorrow to the inhabitants. It was felt by all that a good citizen and servant of God * was not ; ' and the Church and community had suffered a great loss. The commendable interest still felt in England by eminent philanthropists was practically evinced this year by the arrival oi" Messrs. Edwin Tregelles and James Jessop, from the Society of PERSOXAL HISTORY. 47 Friends, that they might make personal en,quiry into the condition of the emancipated classes. These excellent men made themselves quite at home at the mission house and we felt greatly honoured at having them as our temporary guests. They addressed the people in our churches as they had opportunity, and were well received. But the sight of two men sitting with their hats on in the pulpit, waiting to be ' moved by the Spirit ' before they rose to speak, was a little too much for the risible faculties of the black and coloured people. When, however, Mr. Tregelles rose there was perfect silence; they seemed at once subdued and listened with rapt attention. Mr. Jessop followed in homely and touching words, and much feeling was evinced. These good men had been travelling all over the island in visiting the sugar plantations and free settlements, and were much satisfied with what they had seen and heard. We ushered in the new year (1844) in a novel manner. We in- vited the teachers and scholars from Mason Hall, Mount St. George, and Plymouth to unite with the Scarborough school in a grand festival. We commenced with singing and prayer in the church, and then the Rev. William English and I examined the scholars in the catechisms and scriptural knowledge. We then marched in order through the town and formed a square in the mai'ket-place, which was admh-ably adapted for such a gathering. Immediately in front of the court-house the ministers and leading friends stood, delivered addresses, and sang ' God save the Queen.' We then returned to the church and regaled five hundred and forty children with tea, cakes, and many kinds of fruit. All our friends said the whole demonstration was grand and beautiful ! This was our answer to those jealous co-religionists who had maligned us. Was ' there not a cause ] ' It was a great sorrow to us to remove from Tobago at the end of two years. Our membership, during our incumbency, had spi-ung from about five hundred to twelve hundi-ed and fifteen. The circuit income had correspondingly increased and was sufficient for the support of two married missionaries, besides which there had been contributed for foreign missions over three hundred pounds, for 1843, which I paid to the District Treasurer for transmission to the parent society in London. But a change, nevertheless, appeared indispensable for our health's sake, which had been much weakened during the year by severe attacks of fever. By the Grenada District 48 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Meeting, I was lemoved to Cbateaubellair, in St. Vincent's, in the liope that its better climate would contribute to the i-estoration of our strength. Still the inconvenience and hardships of such a wandering and unsettled life, in a tropical climate, affected our spirits and tried us greatly. And no Avondei' ; because, in it all, there was the conscious fact of an undersapping of our originally fine constitution, which, sooner or later, would inevitably collapse. Our voyage from Tobago to Grenada, a distance of perhaps one hundred and twenty miles, was very ti-ying. Lying almost directly to leeward, we expected an easy run of some thirty hours or so. The Kev. William English and Mrs. English, Mrs. Bickford and I, were the only passengers. We had no sooner cleared the land and shaped our course than the wind utterly failed us, and for the next six days we drifted about as if upon ' a sea of glass.' The only breezes we could get at all wei-e in the night. We at length got to St. George's harbour ' more dead than alive.' Ill in body and mind, I was completely unfitted for the business of the District Meeting, and it was a merciful relief to me when its sessions closed. St. Vincent's, 1844. I opened my mission at Cbateaubellair on the 18th of January by preaching twice to our people. We had a few whites and about fifty coloured; the remainder being mostly labourers from the neighbouring plantations. The Rev. George Ranyell, the Rev. S. H. Durrie, and I were the circuit ministers this year. I had charge of Cbateaubellair and the surrounding district, being twenty-five to thirty-five miles from Kingstown, where the superin- tendent resided. On the second Sabbath, the 25th, I preached twice in Kingstown to large congregations. This building will accommodate easily fifteen hundred persons, not including the children attending the Sunday school. It is a lasting monument of the foresight and zeal of the Rev. John Cullingford, who designed and superintended the erection of this noble structure. It was our happiness once more to entertain Messrs. Tregelles and Jessop in our humble home at this station. They visited the plantations that they might see for themselves the condition of the field labourers. I accompanied these worthy men to the black PERSONAL HISTORY. 49 Carib settlement along the sea coast about seven miles from Chateaubellair. Purposely, we passed through Fitzhugher, Rich- mond, and two other plantations on our way thither, that our friends might watch the process of cutting, carting, and crushing the sugar canes at the mills. The crop season is one of a cheerful character to whites and blacks alike. Extempore songs in the cane fields and willing co-operation at the works max'k the recurrence of every day's engagements. At that time, so well did the planters and labourers understand each other that a large return was a mutual satisfaction. ' Plenty of sugar good for Buckra and Neger too,' was the expressed belief of employers and employes equally. Arriving at the fort of Morne Ronde (Fr.) the head man, John Lewis, met us and condvicted us up along the rocky steeps to the solitary and mountainous home of these sons of the forest. The shell was blo^vn, and the people came from their hiding places to the house of prayer. Mr. Tregelles conducted the service. Every word he uttered was full of dignified courtesy; whilst his references to the terrible struggles of their forefathers with those Etu'opeans who had reduced their once powerful tribe to a mere rem- nant of humanity were cautious and pathetic. The prayers ofiered by these Christian Englishmen, before parting, were such as could only be uttered by men accustomed to ponder over the misfortunes of aboriginal races with tearful regrets and bvirning shame. St. Vincent's was the land of earthquakes. About 3 a.m. on August 31 si, I was awoke from a sound sleep by an unearthly sound, as if ten thousand horses were trampling heavily on the ground. It appeared as if coming from the sea, making its way through the township into the valley which terminated in the moun- tainous range farther up. Mrs. Bickford tremblingly reached her hand to me, and asked, ' What is it ? ' I told her that it was an earthquake of a severe kind, 'but let us put our trust in God.' I got out of bed to draw a match, but could not move across the room to do it. When the shock really passed underneath the hoiTse it seemed as if we were being tossed up and down, to and fro, by some terrible monster, as easily as a child would jump and toss a doll. My poor wife in this extremity exclaimed, ' The Lord have mercy upon us ; ' and I fell upon my knees and joined in the appeal to Heaven for protection and deliverance. It certainly seemed as if the ' day of doom ' had come ! 4 50 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. I transcribe from my journal the following record under date, December Wth, 1844: — ' Six years ago this day Mr. Hnrd and I landed fi'oni the ship BerJtcIi/ in Kingstown. I have spent two years in Trinidad, two in Tobago, and the remainder in St. Vincent's. I have had four severe attacks of fever, and have been frequently exposed to imminent peril, both by sea and land. I have seen some souls converted to God, who will be my joy and crown of rejoicing. I have many dear and valued friends, and I believe no human foes. Praise the Lordj 0 my soul ! Let my life be wholly Thine ! ' 1845. My colleagues this year were the Revs. W. Bannister, J. F. Browne, W. Heath, and D. Barley. I gratefully record the fact that Mr. Barley's coming into the circuit was a great blessing to me. His earnest spirituality, vintiring zeal and ability as a preacher, Avere a stimulus to me, from which period I date a new spring and force in my ministry. Under such conditions the year passed rapidly away, and the hand of the Lord was upon us for good. ' April 2oth. — This day the Rev. G. T. Connell, Anglican minister, Mrs. Bick- ford, and I visited the Souflriere. We were well repaid for the fatigue we underwent in ascending the mountain. Mrs. Bickford rode a mule all the way up to the old crater, notwithstanding the furrowed and broken condition of the earth which had been deeply ploughed by descending lava. On the south side we found an extensive basin, 450 feet deep, nearly round, about four furlongs in width. In the centre rose to the height of 2-iO feet a miniature hill, which was full of rocky fissures, and covered, in many of its parts, with evergreens and shrubs. This huge crater has long been in a peaceful condition, and a small canoe is now floating upon its waters. Curious visitors sometimes row round this extensive lake for the purpose of sounding its depth. Pro- ceeding up the north line from the eastern side, we came, after a most perilous and fatiguing walk of a mile or more, to the edge of the new crater. Here, on every hand, were marks of past violent eruptions, fearful to behold. There was a dense fog, which hid from our vision the terrible phenomena surrounding us ; but, after waiting for some time, it cleared away and the gulf below revealed itself in all its horridness. It reminded one of hell itself. The old crater charmed but the new one appalled us. We returned to Chateaubellair in the evening impressed with the almightiness of creation's God.' It was during one of Mr. Barley's visits to Chateaubellair that I arranged for a second visit to the SoufFriere, taking Avith us as our guide our faithful brother and missionaries' friend, Mr. Job Adams. Borrowing, because of their strength and surefootedness, a couple of mules, we made a start after an early breakfast. The first halting place was the ' Halfway Tree.' Here we paused and PERSONAL HISTORY. 51 were interested in reading the distinguished names which had been cut into the trunk and branches of this time-honoured tree. We also cut in our initials. We then proceeded up the side of the mountain, threading our way on the narrow ridges of the paths down which the destroying lava had rushed in 1813. Arriving at the summit, we lost no time in making for the new crater, which was the special object of our adventure. This dreadful abyss was covex'ed in by the densest fog I ever witnessed. When it cleared we foiind that we were standing on the very edge of the abysmal pit. We determined that we would descend to the bottom of this crater, and we requested Mr. Adams to lead the way. Down we went over immense boulders, sliding over sm-faces, or springing over the spaces lying between, in a way not to be described. In twenty minutes we reached the bottom, and we stood alarmed at the rashness we had shown. Mr. Barley and I wandered all over the cindered ' floor,' tested the siUphureous water, which had gathered in a hollow of whose depth we could not even form a guess. Job Adams squatted upon his haunches not twenty feet away from the spot where we first landed. He was evidently afraid, and some old tradition of the supernatural must have possessed him. His happiest moment evidently was when he heard us say, ' Come, it is time for us to get to the top,' and he briskly led the way. I had never heard of any white man trying this feat before, and assuredly I would never dream of repeating it. It took us forty minutes to accomplish oui* ascent, and it Avas the hardest ordeal of physical exertion I had ever tried. We were so exhausted when we reached our more sensible, restful mules, that, instead of at once making tracks homeward, we had to recoup by refreshment, and rest on the ground. Upon reflection, I am bound to say that it was a piece of foolhardiness, and should not be ventured upon by English travellers. 1846. The District Meeting was held in February, in Barbadoes, when the Rev. John Cullingford presided for the last time over his brethren. It was very touching to us to see him assisted from day to day to and from the parsonage to the church in which the meeting was held. He continued, notwithstanding his weakness, to guide the deliberations until, within two days of the close of the 52 JAMES BICKFOBD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. session, the minutes were finalized in his chamber, and he affixed his signature in our presence. He died on March 4th, and entered into rest. My appointment was now, for the second time, CalUaqua, in the Biabou Circuit. But, in consequence of the lamented death of the Chairman, I was removed before the end of the year. The letter relating to this unexpected change is the following : — ' London, June \st, 1846. ' Dear Brothee, — ' The affairs of your district have cost us much anxious thought and deliber- ation. Such conclusions as have been already come to, we make known to you and the other brethren, by the packet now about to sail. ' In the first place, I have to inform you officially that the Eev. Williatn Bannister is appointed as Chairman of the St. Vincent's District, and he is instructed immediately to enter upon his functions. The Committee are fully persuaded that yourself and other brethren will render him your affectionate and efficient support. ' In the next place, the arrangement decided upon for the Barbadoes Circuit will affect yourself. Mr. Ranyell is directed to proceed at once to Barbadoes, and you are appointed to go immediately to Grenada, instead of waiting until the end of the year. We are very reluctant to disturb a missionary in his appointment before the regiilar time of removal, but the sudden emergencies which sometimes take place render it indispensably necessary. The case of Barbadoes is one of those emergencies which must be promptly met, and after ■very anxious consideration of every possible plan, it was agreed that the one which I now announce is the best, and will be most easily effected. Your Superintendent and Chairman are both officially informed, and desired to facilitate your removal at the earliest convenient opportunity. Wishing you every needful blessing, I remain, dear brother, ' Yours very affectionately, 'John Beecham. ' The Rev. J. Bickfoed, ' St. Vincent's, West Indies.' The application of the itinerant principle in the Wesleyan Methodist Church is sometimes one of great difficulty. Dr. Beecham recognises this fact in the brotherly and wise letter above given. In my case, I had only been a few months in my new station, and yet, Avithout any refei-ence to my people, or to my own sense of duty, I was told to proceed at once to Grenada and take charge of our mission in that island. But the Methodist itinerancy, in some of its aspects, is analogous to the Queen's service. It admits of no challenge ; it demands ungrudging obedience. * Will you reverently obey your chief ministers, unto whom is committed the charge and government PERSONAL HISTORY. 53 over you ; following with a glad mind and with their godly admonitions, and submitting yourselves to their godly judgments ? ' This was one of the questions put to me by the English President in 1838, at my ordination ! In the presence of many witnesses, I honestly said, ' I will.' This was the first time this test in its acutest form came home to me. But I had accepted it with all its consequences. In point of practice, as it then shaped, disobedience would have meant discontinuance in the Ministry — a dropping out of the brotherhood. In the Providence of God I accepted the call, and had the approval of my conscience in so doing. Action could not be delayed, as my arrival in Grenada was necessary to the departure of the Rev. G. Ranyell. Without, therefore, waiting for the next mail steamer from England, I engaged, in the following Aveek, a small sloop to take us thither. We left Calliaqua in the forenoon of Julij 6th, and anchored at 2.30 p.m., the next day, in the Carenage, St. George's, and were welcomed by Mr. Richard Walker, one of our pious coloured brethren, who kindly conducted Mrs. Bickford to the parsonage, far up in the town. St. Yincent's has been called the Switzerland, but Grenada may, with equal correctness, be called the Italy, of the West Indies. Its clear, bright atmosphere, tempered by the trade-winds, the hospi- tality and friendliness of its inhabitants, and complete freedom of caste, make it one of the most inviting places of residence in any part of the Antilles. At that time, too, it was the central depot for coaling the royal mail steamers, and for despatching mails southward to Trinidad, Tobago, and British Gmana ; westward to Jamaica, and northward to the Bahamas, including in their respective routes all intermediate places. By this arrangement large numbers of visitors from Europe from the east, and America from the west, were often at St. George's, which helped much to break the monotony of tropical life, and kept us in touch with the outside world. I commenced my ministry in St. George's on Julj/ 12th, taking as my texts St. John xvi. 23, and Deut. viii. 2. Later on in the week, I rode across the island to La Baye and preached on the Sabbath morning, returning in time to take the service at St. George's in the evening. I was kindly entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Welch on their plantation, about three miles beyond La Baye, and by Mr. and IMrs. Rapier on my return journey to the capital. Being anxious before casting my plans for working the circuit proper to see what I 54 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUrOBIOGItAPHT. had to do, I made a visit to Cariacou, an island lying alx)nt half- way between Grenada and St. Vincent's. We had two influential families there, Dr. and Mrs. Blair, and Dr. and Mrs. Proudfoot, who were most kind to me. I preached twice in the principal town, met the members for the renewal of their ticket of membership, and administered the Lord's Supper. After a week-evening service, I went on board the sloop Dcedalus, and arrived in St. George's on the following day. To show the routine of my woi-k, and the number of visitors who came by the mail steamers, I may give a few extracts from my Diary : — ' Aug. 25th. — We were gratified on entertaining for a few hours the Rev. Mr. Burrell from Richmond College, who had been appointed by the English Conference as missionary at Montego Bay, in Jamaica. And by the same steamer, the Rev. Di*. Kalley and Mrs. Kalley came from Madeira. Accom- panied by a Portuguese Christian, they had fled for their lives, which were in imminent peril. Dr. Kalley had raised a small Presbyterian congregation, which had set the priests so much against him, that he and his family would have been murdered had they not succeeded, with the help of the few converted Madeirans, in escaping on board the English mail steamer.' ' S('j)t. 9th.— The Rev. T. Haymouth came per mail from England, and preached an excellent sermon to our people, to whom I had sent round and invited to come to the service. It was a famous manifesto of the doctrines we most assuredly believe.' ^ Nov. 20th. — The Rev. John and Mrs. Mortier came from St. Kitts, on their way to Demerara, to open Trinity Church, which the Rev. W. Hudson had been instrumental in erecting.' 1847. ' Mi. 6tJt. — Returned in the Reindeer mail steamer this morning from Demerara, where I had been for the District Meeting. The Revs. W. Fidler, F. Whitehead, W. L. Binks, and Mrs. Bickford came also. The Rev. W. Bannister presided for the first time, and with much ability.' ^ A2)ril llf//.— The Rev. Joseph and Mrs. Webster, also Rev. Mr. Collier, called on their way to Honduras. We had a good time with them.' ' Ajn-il IQth. — This has been a red-letter day with us in St. George's. Governor Hamilton and lady visited and examined our day school. They expressed the pleasure they felt at witnessing the proficiency and good order of the school. Mr. Campbell, the father of the Rev. John Allan Campbell, was our Head Master. His son, John, was a scholar in his father's school at the time the Governor visited it.' 'June 15th. — A mournful day for us. The Great Western mail ship came in and brought the distressing intelligence of the death of Mrs. Bickford's mother. Her last words were, ' O ! blessed Jesus, into Thy hands 1 commend my spirit.' She had been from childhood a member of our church at Camelford ; after her PERSONAL HISTOllY. 55 marriage she came to Kingsbridge to live, still maintaining her connection with God's people up to the period of her death. This was the first breach death had made in our family circle during the time we had been away from England. It was hard to say, ' Thy will be done ; ' for we had wished to see her again, if permitted to return home.' ^ June 30th. — At 5 p.m., I received *a message from the Government ?fouse that His Excellency, Mrs. Hamilton, and Miss Yeo would attend our church that evening. I did the best I could, preaching from Rev. vii. 14. The message was solely for the purpose of our securing for the Viceregal party the necessary accommodation, as om' church on Sunday evenings was generally crowded.' ' Oct. 2'2nd. — A land of earthquakes, fevers, and hurricanes, is the West Indies. This morning I received a letter from the Rev. Joseph Biggs, Tobago, informing me of the devastating hurricane, which, on the night of the 11th inst., had swept over that island. There were destroyed 30 managers' houses, and 31 much injured. The sugar works of 26 plantations were destroyed, and 33 rendered unfit for use. The homes of 456 small freeholders were thrown down, and 176 rendered uninhabitable. Seventeen persons were killed, and a vast number were more or less injured. In some localities om- mission properties had been wrecked. The total loss to the Society would be probably from £1,500 to £1,800. The noise of falling houses in Scarborough, the loud and continued moans of the dying, the danger to life and limb all through that terrible night, mark this visitation of Providence as the most disastrous ever known, or even heard of, by the oldest of the inhabitants.' ' The visitors, who still came as each steamer arrived, were Peter Borthwick, Esq., M.P., whose object was to ascertain by personal enquiry the exact condition of the agricultural and commercial interests in the West Indies ; Captain Peel, son of the late Sir Robert Peel, who was passing through to join his ship, I believe, in the Gulf of Mexico ; the Rev. David Barley, to preach on behalf of our Foreign Missions, and to address public meetings mth the same view. In Xovember, I was laid aside by a severe attack of fever, which brought me once more to the very gates of death. Dr. Belfon treated my case with much skill and untiring perseverance ; and, in about a week or so, I was able to resume my beloved work, but very feebly.' 1848. •Jan. 27th. — The Ewerretta amved from London, bringing as passengers the Rev. Richard and Mrs. Wrench, the Rev. Thomas H. and Mrs. Butcher, and Miss Howse. — The Rev. W. L. Binks arrived on February Wi, and. on the next day, the party sailed for St. Vincent's, except Mr. and Mrs. Wrench, who were instructed to proceed to Trinidad. The Revs. W. Hudson, J. Banfield, Henry Pargham, and W. Cleaver called, on their way to the St. Vincent's District Meeting I went with them ; Mrs. Bickford also, for the benefit of a change of air and scene.' The year 1848 was spent 'in labours more abundant.' What ■with quarterly visits to Cariacou and La Baye, a visit to Gonave, where I preached in the court-house to a large congregation, and 56 JAMES niCKFOBD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPnY. the routine work of the churches at St. George's, Woburn, and Constantine, the whole of my time was taken up, and all my energies were severely taxed. But I was happy in my work and in my ' helpers,' who willingly stood by me in all my responsibilities. It sustained me also to know that my character and labours were held in high esteem by the official and leading gentlemen of the colony. At the last public day-school examination in St. George's, we weie honoiu-ed with the presence of His Excellency Governor Hamilton and Mrs. Hamilton, His Honour Chief Justice Davis, the Hon. the Attorney General, William Snagg, Esq., and many other influential friends. It went off admirably well. The Sugar Duties Act of 1846, which admitted the produce of slave-countries to competition in the English markets on the same terms as sugar that came from the free (British) colonies, had wrought havoc in every part of our West India Possessions. Grenada was collapsed, and our wise-hearted Governor set apart a day for general humiliation and prayer. The English Government in their fiscal legislation did us a great wrong. 1849. Feb. 1th. — The Rev. Messrs. Bannister, Corlett, Ranyell, Limmex, Hurd, Cleaver, Biggs, Hudson, Heath, Whitehead, and Barley ai-rived to attend the District Meeting. No brother had died during the year, and every one seemed in good heart. This District Meeting had a novel service connected therewith. Hitherto the English missionaries had been ' ordained ' before they were sent to us ; but now there was to be a departure from this custom, and it was determuaed that the probationers should pass through their usual examinations, and, if approved, be ordained at their respective District Meetings. Messrs. Barley and Binks, whilom students at Eichmond College, London, were thus accepted and received by our unanimous vote into ' full connexion.' The charge was given by the Bev. John Corlett, and was eloquent, impressive, and appropriate. It was a time of much spiritvial power \ and to our people, who witnessed such a service for the first time, it was a deeply suggestive and important spectacle. With the holding of this District Meeting my connection with the work in Grenada closed. On the 24th I preached for the last time to my much-attached and loving congregations. A number of Episcopalians joined in the evening service, and thereby PERSONAL niSTORY. 57 evinced their respect for me as the retiring minister of the Methodist Church. March 1st. — I find in my journal the following entry : — 'A day never to be forgotten. The mail steamer Comvay came in with the English mails, and her arrival was the signal for our departure. I pass over all the distressing scenes connected with the tearing of ourselves away from this affectionate and pious people. " If I forget thee, let my right hand forget its cunning." We sailed from the Carenage at 4 p.m., called at Trinidad and Tobago to land the mails, and reached Georgetown, Demerara, at 7 p.m., on Sunday, March itJi. Mr. Biggs, one of my colleagues, was preaching, and, at the close of the public service, I joined him in the administration of the Lord's Supper.' Our appointment to British Guiana, of which Demerara was the central province, was more formidable than welcome. Still, as a matter of stern duty, it had to be undertaken. There were elements in the political, social, and religious life of the people which were unknown in the quieter islands away to the north. For example, at the very time of our arrival there was a deadlock in legislation, to remove which Sir Henry Barkly, afterwards Governor of Victoria, was sent by Earl Grey, Secretary for the Colonies. For a consider- able time it was impossible for the Court of Policy to get a ' Ways and Means ' Bdl passed for raising the general revenue. What were called ' Imperial ' taxes could alone be collected, which were utterly incommensurate for meeting the public wants. Perhaps a whole year elapsed before this sad condition of things was overcome. When the crux really came, the Hon. Bruce Ferguson, a merchant of high character and just ideas, gave his vote with the Government and ended the ci-isis. The contention secured the Civil List for the Crown ; and for the Plantocracy, coolie immigration, at the expense of the State. The ordinary routine of legislation was revived, and all necessary revenue was collected for the purposes of governmental administration. Governor Barkly was too wise a man to occasion hitches between his official members in the Court of Policy, or of the Combined Court, during the whole time of his stay in the colony. His reign was one of reasonable conciliation, and the peace and prosperity of the three provinces were thereby seciu'ed. It always appeared to me a curious circumstance that so many educated and well-to-do English and Scotch settlers so contentedly put up with the form of Government as that which obtained in British Guiana. It was a Dutch inheritance, and could not at all 58 JAMES BICKFOUD: AX AUTOBIOGJRAPHY. be called a Parliamentary Government ; and yet the merchants and planters quietly endured it. There were the College of Keizers, the Court of Policy, and the Combined Court, as forms of public life quite unknown previously to the gentlemen who had now to take prominent and responsible positions in regard to them. The Keizers (electors, English,) dating, we suppose, from 1803, when British Guiana became an English colony, were seven in number ; and, in the first instance, it may be presumed, were chosen by the Crown for life. They were colonists of the old type, were connected with the pi'opertied classes, and out of all sympathy with the general community. The Court of Policy was the sole legislative authority, composed of the Governor as president, eight high oificials, and of four gentlemen, who were chosen by the College of Keizers. This court had the power of self-creation and of self-perpetuation. On any vacancy occurring, the remaining members would nominate two, from whom the College of Keizers would select one, who would, in due form, be gazetted by the authority of the Governor. Thus this court was always packed ; but, it must be admitted, it was quite in accordance with the modus vivendi of the constitution of the colony. The only ' set-off' to the great powers of this singular court was the presence therein of the Governor and his officers of state, who would, on occasion, checkmate the lay-members, but not always with success. It was a perilous game to play. The Combined Court was composed of the members of the Court of Pohcy and six financial repre- sentatives, elected by the provincial districts, whose powers were, however, limited to raising colony taxes, and in auditing the public accounts. When the court, thus constituted, did its business, the financial members withdrew, and the Court of Policy, with the Governor as president, took the necessary action for giving the recomnaendations of the Combined Court the force of law. There was, as might well be expected, a feeling of disquietude among the emancipated classes. Within the memory of many of these, the former cruelties of many of the Whites towards their class were still treasured. They could not be forgotten, but rankled in their minds. And the utter absence of all popular electoral lights, enabling them to exert an influence favourable to their class, was a cause of miTch discontent. Governor Barkly was conscious of this, and did his best for its removal. At a large meeting held in the PERSONAL HISTORY. 59 city of Georgetown tor establishing a court of registration of the emancipated freeholders, he took the chair, and gave an admirable speech, which was instinct with justice and high consideration for the aggrieved. But there was one more difficulty induced by the existence of * State aid to religion,' which was recognised by the Government, and accepted by some of the denominations. The leaders in opposition to this branch of public policy were the missionaries of the London Missionary Society and the Rev. Joseph Ketley, an eminent Congregational minister in the city of Georgetown. These honoured men were not to be hastily blamed for their conduct, for they were the lineal successors to the Old Independents, who had suffered so much for their principles of religious freedom and equality in the Mother Country. Tbe recipients of State aid, not for the White increment of the population, but as helpful in supplying the means of religion and of education to the recently emancipated classes, were the Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and Wesleyans ; the latter in an extremely modified degree. Against one of my predecessors, the Rev. William Hudson, the displeasure of the Independents was specially directed. But Mr. Hudson was, in many respects, a strong man, who could hold his own without even once entering into the arena of conflict with his co-religionists. In this particular instance, the passive power was the stronger, so that when I entered upon my mission in 1849, it had eventuated in something like a drawn game. Of course I was under no obligation to unsheath the sword, but let it remain in its ' scabbard ' there to rust. Upon one point, however, my [mind was made up, viz. that as long as the principle of concurrent endowment lasted — purely for the spiritual benefit of the black and coloured people — this assistance should be taken. But I also resolved, that for myself personally not one dollar should be accepted. I thus ' cut the Gordian knot,' and left myself free to act in the future as circumstances might require. March 11th. — I opened my mission in Trinity Church, Georgetown, by preaching from Deut. viii. 2, to a large congregation. At the close I met six classes for the renewal of tickets of membership, which was always to me an exhaustive labour. In the evening I walked to the eastern extremity of the city, at Kingston, and preached from St. John xvi. 23. The first Sabbath in a new circuit is generally a time of much anxiety to the missionary GO JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. itinerant. I found it to be particularly so in my case that day. But my trust was in God. The responsible woi-k of my mission was scarcely begun when I found that there was deepest crime to be contended with ; to correct which, all the energy Grod had given me to do my part would be needed. A melancholy instance of awful turpitude had just occurred, and a pubhc execution followed. The incident is thus noticed, under date March 1 7th : — ' This has been a melancholy day. At twenty minutes past eleven this morning, Pompey Face, the murderer, expiated his offence on the scaflEold in front of the court-house. To the last he asserted his innocence of the crime for wliich he had been condemned. But he confessed, I was informed, to his having committed a murder before the transpiration of this one. He was impenitent to the last ; and not until lie was pinioned and was conducted to the upper platform did he evince any emotion. Tlien his bosom hove convulsively ; indeed, almost to suffocation, but not a word escaped his lips. He was a married man, and died in his sin, it may be feared, even as he had lived. I drove through the city late in the evening, and there I saw the dead body of the unfortunate man still suspended, wliich I could not but regard as a grim mockery of the boasted dignity of man. My whole soul revolted, too, at the public character of the execution and unnecessary exposure of the hideous spectacle for so many hours in the face of the multitude. The effect on the excitable natives, I am sure, would be anything but salutary, and in dead opposition to that the officers of the law desired.' In consequence of the settlement in Berbice, the sovithern province of British Guiana, of many Methodist families from the Virgin Islands, the Revs. W. Hudson and W. L. Binks paid a visit to New Amsterdam, the capital. A Miss Dow, a coloured lady from Tortola, had been holding prayer-meetings — fii-st, in her father's house at the hour of morning family worship, and, afterwards, at the east end of the town, where large numbers of the people attended. In the course of a few months nearly a hundred members were gathered into church-fellowship ; added to which, the Dutch Reformed Church was without a pastor, and a beautiful sanctuary and commodious manse wei-e unoccupied. To meet this double need a correspondence had been opened up with Mr. Hudson: it was the Macedonian appeal once more heard — ' Come over and help us,' to which this honoured servant of God was bound to i-espond. Mr. Hudson i-ecognised that 'a great and effectual door' was there presented to our Church, and it was agreed that Mr. Binks should remain for a while to ' shepherd the souls ' already gathered PERSOXAL HISTORY. 61 in, and to make any practical arrangements with the committee of the Dutch Reformed Church for public services and the occupancy of the manse. In connection with my advent into Demerara — acting under instructions from our Committee in London — I hastened to visit Berbice. I was told at once to close up our mission and retire from the province. The ostensible reason was that there were no available funds for the commencement of a new mission in Berbice ; the real reason was the unexpected and unjustifiable opposition of the agents of the London Missionary Society, who had made such representations to their directors in London, as led to the incorporation in the oificial letter of the instructions before referred to. But it was an easy duty for me respectfully to show our Committee that the brethien of the London Missionary Society had no justification for their unwise interference, and our good work in Berbice has remained intact to this day. My jotting of this visit is as follows ; — ' April 'ii'd. — On Monday morning last I left Georgetown for the country of Berbice by the English mail conveyance, and, after passing over shocking roads for twelve hours, I arrived at the Berbice river. I crossed over in the ferry-boat, and proceeded along the western part of New Amsterdam until I came to the mission house, consisting of two hired rooms. I remained in the town and country eight days, " preaching the kingdom of God, and testifying of the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding me." The Dutch Church is lent us for holding Divine worship, and our way is plain and cleared for future evangelising efforts. I left at half-past 2 on Monday, and arrived in Georgetown at 1 p.m. the following day. Never, never shall I forget the Lord's goodness to me in this visit to Berbice and return to Demerara.' The best devised arrangements for working our mission circuits are liable, from want of unexpected circumstances, to serious dis- turbances. On the 15th of May the sad intelligence reached us of the deaths of the Rev. F. Whitehead and Mrs. Whitehead, in Tobago, within two days of each other, leaving behind them a daughter child. By the same mail I received a letter from the Rev. William Bannister, the Chairman of the District, directing me to send the Rev. David Barley, my colleague, to take charge of the bereaved circuit. I thus lost the society and willing help of one of the best of colleagues I ever had. Mr. Barley's departure from us, under such painful circumstances, seemed like a being ' baptized for the dead ; ' his parting words were, ' Brethren, pray for Tobago.' 62 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Is it true that the EngUsh emigrant ' carries the soil of his native hind at the soles of his feet' into whatsoever country he may wander? It may be so, or it may not be. But this is certain — the Christian Englishman, when he emigrates, carries in his heart a profound respect for the free institutions of the dear old land fi'om which he hails. And even those of that honoured class whose lot has been cast in the ' swamps of Demerara ' cannot separate themselves altogether from even the ecclesiastical contests of the Mother Country. As an example, the dispute between the Rev. James Shore, of Totnes, and Bishop Phillpotts, of Exeter, on the question of ' Baptismal Eegeuera- tion,' was as fiercely discussed in Georgetown as it probably was in the ancient, radical borough itself. And, as far as Demerara was concerned, it was not a profitless discussion, for there were those who showed substantial sympathy with the persecuted clergyman. I was honoured as the medium of sending a draft for the amount subscribed to Mr. Shore, and in due course received a letter of acknowledgment and thanks. A few extracts from my journal will show how many were the incidents and how continuous were the labours of which my daily life were now made up. 'June loth. — To-day the Rev. William CleaTer, Mrs. Cleaver, and Mr. Robert George Ross, a lay minister, arrived in the mail steamer, — Mr. Cleaver to assist me in the city during the absence of Mr. Barley, and Mr. Ross to labour in New Amsterdam." ' Jioic '20th. — This morning I sailed for New Amsterdam, Berbice, a distance of ninety miles up the east coast, with Mr. Ross, to introduce him to our friends and to the work in this part of the Georgetown Circuit.' '■June 2lst. — Arrived safely this evening, after having contended with many inconveniences during the voyage. Preached in the church, and found it good again to meet my friends.' ' June 2Uh. — Preached twice to-day, administered the Sacrament, and met the Society. We had Lutheran and Methodist Christians at the Lord's Table ; the former stood to receive the elements, and the latter knelt, each party following the custom of their own churches. This was Christian liberty.' ' June 26th. — Sailed last evening from Berbice, and safely arrived this morning in Georgetown. Found my dear wife pretty well, but I was suffering severely from headache occasioned by the sickening smell of the bilge-water on board the sloop.' My next trip was to the Abram Tuil Station, some forty miles westward on the Essequibo coast. When I took charge of the Georgetown Circuit proper, I found that by previous arrangement this dependent out-station had been attached to it. This action PERSONAL HISTORY. 63 Lrought a serious monetary charge upon our funds, and threw additional responsibility and labour upon the Superintendent. My lirst visit was to preach on the 22nd of July, in the Lorg, Abram Tail, and Queenstown Churches. It was a laborious day, but I got thi-ough with Divine help. I went on board a sloop the next day, Avhich was lying in the Lorg Creek, and at three o'clock in the morning of the day following I landed once more in Georgetown. 1850. ' Jan. \st. — Praised and blessed be God for having broueht me and mine through another year. It has been a year of incessant labour and unremitting anxieties, but God has crowned it with loving-kindness and tender mercies. The " Watch-night Service " was a solemn time. Trinity Church was crowded with a serious and attentive congregation. Lord, help me this year iu the work of this mission ! ' Feb. '2\th. — The offering of praise is my grateful duty. The Kevs. Limmex, Heath, Biggs, and I have been to the District Meeting in St. Vincent's. Mesdames Limmex and Bickford accompanied us. We sailed in the Agnes, a small brigantine, and took a whole week in going. The wind being noi'therly we were driven off our course, and the first land we saw was Point Galileo, on the south-east side of Trinidad. But the wind changing to the south enabled us to stand up for Tobago, to which island we were purposed to go to take up the brethren, Messrs. Barley and Elliott. Mr. Biggs and I only went on shore, as the vessel was anchored far out near the ' Bed Rock.' It was a great pleasiu-e to me to see again my old and deai- friends, the Hon. J. Keens and Mrs. Keens, Mr. Joseph Commissiong, and Mr. Angus Melville, whose dear wives, since my departure, had gone to be ' for ever with the Lord.' I saw also Mrs. (Widow) Bovell, Mrs. Howieson, Miss McKenzie, the Wilcoxes, Mrs. Owen, and other friends. We sailed the same day at 5 p.m., and the next day we made the Grenadines, passed under their lee, and at 7 p.m. stood across the ' Bequi ' Channel for Kingstown Harbour. The night was so dark and windy that we were in imminent peril sometimes in tacking to and fro in the channel. The longest night I ever knew at length passed away, and we put forth new energies to beat up from the leeward for the harbour. The wind was of hurricane force, and by the time, at midday, we came to anchor we were in a shattered condition. 64 JAMES JilCKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. We remained in St. Vincent's eleven days, attending the session of the District Meeting. The business was most harmoniously gone through, and we could rejoice in the prosperity of the missions. We again embarked for Demerara, and in due course we reached our homes and cii-cuits for the happy toil of another year. The Foreign Missions of our Church have a grand record of successes among the Europeans as they have among the native-born in the West Indies. British Guiana is no exception to this remark. I had, for example, in Georgetown, Messrs. Retemeyer and Obermiiller (Dutch), Messrs. Ross and Cameron (Scotch), Messrs. Davis, Spooner, Watson (English), not to speak of many others. The man, among these, who held the largest space in the public eye, was INIeinhaard Johannes Retemeyer, Her Majesty's Receiver-General for British Guiana. Mr. Retemeyer sprang from a wealthy family in Holland, whose interests in sugar and cotton plantations he came to Demerara to watch over and to promote. Mrs. Retemeyer was a high-born lady, and in every way suitable to adorn the circle which her husband commanded in the city. But the climate forbade her residence in Demerara, so that she settled in Holland. Mr. Retemeyer was induced by a confidential housekeeper to attend the ministry of the Rev. William Hudson, who, under God, was the means of leading him to the Saviour ' in whom he trusted.' Mr. Retemeyer's subsequent Chi-istian life was ' full of good works which he did.' He was a devout worshipper of God. The Holy Com- munion Sabbath was to him a day of deep humiliation and prayerful consecration. He never forgot the poor. He was a true friend to ministers. He promoted education among the emancipated classes. At his sole expense was published a monthly religious serial for gratuitous circulation. He gave largely to the cause of God. He was not encumbered in his last affliction with sordid wealth. I well i-eniember him saying, after confiding to my discretion a hundred dollars' note for his ' friends,' meaning the Lord's poor — ' What should I do now if I had allowed the tens of thousands of dollars that for so many years have come into my hands to have accumulated as some do / Why, I would be so distracted and weighted that I would not be able to attend to my soul. No, thank God, I have no trouble of that kind to contend with,' His character stood so high, that he was not expected to put in an appearance at the balls and great dinners at Government House as officials generally are expected to do. It was quite understood that PERSOXAL HISTORY. 65 INIeinhaard Retemeyer was as loyal to the Queen as was the dancing, flippant courtier, who never missed the golden opportunity of bask- ing in Viceregal smiles on these exclusive occasions. To my great sorrow, I lost the presence and help of this rare Christian gentleman in the second year of my incumbency in the Demerara Mission. I lo^^ngly attended him all through his last illness, and I was with him when he died. I may appropriately supplement from my journal the short sketch just given : — '■March lith. — This has been a day of mourning and deep distress to us. Mr. Eetemeyer, the old and valued friend of Methodism, died this day at 3 p.m. He had been ill for some months, but bore his sickness with much resignation to the will of God. He died in the Lord. " Come, Lord Jesus ! " " Come " — " Come," he often said. I saw him die ; and from my heart I can say, " Let me die the death of the righteous ; and let my last end be like his.'' ' ^ March loth. — This day I committed to the grave the remains of dear Mr. Retemeyer. It was an affecting time and touching spectacle. Eight black men from the Herstelling plantation, as directed in his will, carried him to his grave. His corpse was followed by the highest dignitaries, public officers, and merchants, and by thousands of the citizens. Oh, may his death make a lasting impression upon the community ! ' ' March 2ith. — This day I have endeavoured to improve the death of our late dear friend, Mr. J. Ketemeyer. My text was taken from 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. It has been a trying time. Trinity Church was filled to overflovring, with friends and hundreds of others, who were anxious so show their respect to the memory of one of the best of men. Mr. Retemeyer 's death has created a sensation in the community which I hope may ripen in the conversion of hundreds of souls. I have lost a father — a friend — a counsellor. Lord God of my fathers, raise up others, I beseech Thee : let the mantle fall in mercy and in grace ! ' The taking on the mission in Berbice entailed upon me much harassment and additional work, so much so that in three days after passing through the exciting scenes of dear Mr. E-etemeyer's last affliction and funeral sermon, I was again upon the sea on a \T.sit to that country. This time I went in the schooner Clyde, and arrived on the 27th after a fair passage from port to port. I had as a fellow-passenger a Mr. Hollingsworth, a white Barbadian, who had a strong prejudice against our mission in Berbice. Of course, I had it out with him. How strange are the coincidences of thought ! Why, a man of the same name had a hand in the demolition of our mission premises in the island of Barbadoes many years ago. The question crossed my mind. Is hatred to Methodism hereditaiy in some families ? Was some grandfather of my fellow-passenger one of the historic crew who sought to kill Methodism in Barbadoes ? If 5 66 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. so, we shall hear something more of this name farther on in our narrative. April 1st. — I had a most agreeable interview with the Rev. John Dalgliesh, the resident London missionary. He is a man of fine spirit, and was glad to recognise us as fellow-labourers in New Amsterdam. The next day I returned to Demerara in the Henri/ Treiv, and found all well. Mai/ 16th. — A strange experience awaited me. I was sent for to visit W. F , Esq., ex- Attorney-General, who was dangerously ill with the prevailing fever. I had not been more than two or three minutes in waiting, when wo legal gentlemen came out of the sick man's room and addressed me. ' They hoped,' they said, ' that I would not say anything to Mr. F of a frightening chai-acter, but persuade him that he is not so bad but that he may soon be well again.' ' Gentlemen,' I replied, ' you have performed a duty of friendship, and I thank you. But I have to perform a duty of reHgion. I hope, by this time, I know how to speak to a sick man, no matter who he is.' With these words, I went into the room, and addressed my friend. This, under great pressure of conscience, I had done before, and nothing but family pride and caste prevented him from following my faithful counsel. But now that course of reparation to one who deserved it from him was impracticable ; and I could only exhort him to cast his soul upon God's infinite mercy in Christ for forgiveness. I then proposed to offer prayer for him. But the offer was rejected, and I could only say in sorrowful tones, ' 1 will pray for you at home.* After I was gone, and several times during the night, he expressed his deep regret that he had ti-eated me as he had, and asked whether I might not be asked to come to him in the morning, that he might apologise to me and still have the aid of my prayers. But it was too late. Nevertheless — ' When the wicked man Turns from his sins to Thee ; His late repentance is not vain, He shall accepted be.' In the mercy of God, may we not hope that this now repentant sinner found salvation 1 Three days after my visit, W. F — — was buried. Members of the bar, the judges, and other high officials followed him to his last resting-place. Jidy 18th. — I was no sooner, as I supposed, settled down once more PERSOXAL nisroRY. 67 foi' my beloved work in Georgetown than I was called away to Berbice to befriend our lay-minister, ]\Ir. Robert G. Ross, Miss Dow, the leader, and the members in New Amsterdam. These good Christian people Had been informed against by the Mr. Hollingsworth before named, as a nuisance, ' for praying and singing Psalms,' somewhere in his neighbourhood, which greatly disturbed him. But this was not the worst ; by his vn\y misrepresentations, he had even induced Mr. Sheriff Daly to threaten to send them to prison if the practice were continued. With letter in hand, I went over to the public buildings to see the Governor about it. The surprise of his Excellency was very great, and he promised me a letter to jNlr. Daly, which I might send to him after my arrival in Berbice. So armed, I again sailed from Georgetown, having as my fellow -passenger the Rev. Mr. Bolinder, an Anglican (ritualistic) minister. He seemed somewhat stiff at first, and I thought he would be anything but an agreeable companion. However, in beating down the river, by some mischance the boom swung over to where we were standing, and both had to di'op instanter inside the stern lee-bulwarks to avoid losing our heads. Thus a threatened danger made us speak to each other, and so we became friends. Mr. Bolinder proved to be an agreeable and an intellectual conversationalist, and I enjoyed him very much. We dropped anchor at 10 p.m. the next day in the port of New Amsterdam : the Methodist presbyter and the Anglican priest all the better and happier for ' the talk by the way.' And now I had to deal with Mr. Sheriff Daly. By a policeman I sent Sir H. Barkly's letter to him. But he had been prepared for it by the news of my arrival on the previous night with a philippic fi'om the Governor. I have often thought how he must have felt as he read this communication. Quoting now from memory, I may venture to say that His Excellency told him of the right of all classes of Her Majesty's subjects to worship their God as they pleased, and according to their own convictions ; that how much better it was the persons complained of so to engage themselves at the close of each day, than to be found in associations and practices of immoral and dangerous tendencies; how that gentle- men holding good positions under the Government should encourage all those habitudes among the people which were promotive of sanctity of life and good order. He concluded by saying that he would as soon think of complaining of the services in the Cathedral 68 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Church, in Georgetown, where he Avorshipped, as to complain of the innocent psalm-singing of the Methodist Christians in Berbice, and more of the same kind. The effect was immediate and sure in the interests of I'eligious freedom and the equality of status of all Christian persons befoi-e their Creator. I remained over for the Sabbath, and visited the new station at Cumberland, and on the 24th once more arrived in GeorgetoAvn. Mr. Sheriff Daly sent a lengthy report to the Govei-nor, enclosing a bitter letter from Mr. HoUings worth, both of which were handed to me for perusal. I immediately sent a rejoinder, couched in such terms as a true-born Englishman would be likely to vise in dealing with such narrow-minded zealots. The Governor, I am sure, was satisfied with my defence, for 1 heard nothing more of the matter. Thus ended the miserable opposition to our cause in Berbice ; and the shot that secured its death was fired by my own hand. The resources of our West India Missions were crippled by Imperial Legislation in 1846. Eight years previously the House of Commons paid twenty millions sterling to the so-called owners of slaves; and now, in 1846, in a frenzy of folly, it passed an Act for admitting the sugar of slave-producing countries into competition with our own free sugar, in the markets of England. The craze to bring this about was irresistible, and this staple of our own colonies was sacrificed. It cannot be pled that the mechanical and peasant classes of Great Britain clamoured for cheap sugar at the price of Christian consistency and pohtical justice ; but, on the contrary, tens of thousands of them would have preferred to forego this small delicacy than to have encouraged Cuba and other slave-producing countries in any shape whatsoever. Like many other questions of Imperial policy, this vital question to the comfort and loyalty of all classes of our West India fellow-subjects could not be considered upon its own intrinsic merits. Too many interested and unprincipled men were behind the scenes, and were stealthily working their own nefarious ends through the House of Commons. ' The weakest,' of course, * went to the wall ; ' and, as the immediate result, there followed, throughout the whole of our West India possessions, an insolvent proprietary, bankrupt firms, increased taxation, and a dearth of employment for the emancipated classes. And nowhere were these sad reverses more generally witnessed than in the hitherto prosperous British Guiana. Several plantations were thrown out PERSONAL HIST OB Y. 69 of cultivation, and the streams of commercial intercoiu'ise were dried up. Is it any wonder, then, that the Parliamentary ' break ' being suddenly applied, we came to grief? It was cruel to the planting interest ; but it was diabolical to the peasant classes, whose ' life ' depended upon the prosecution of their great industry of sugar- growing. Not a tear that I ever heard of was shed in England over the wi'ecked condition of our West Indian colonies, occasioned solely by the legislation of 1846 ; but denunciations of the severest kind, as might be expected, were poured forth by the I'uined classes upon the heads of those in England who brought such mischiefs upon them. The Wesleyan Mission in British Guiana for many years had been self-supporting. And it was our justifiable boast that in this grand province we could do without ' grants ' from the London Committee. But now my journal records the existence of financial difficulties, which had been brought upon us by our imperious masters at St. Stephen's. July 2Wi.— Held our Quarterly Meeting to-day, and found the circuit still in debt. These are hard times for conducting the West India Mission, thanks to the famous legislation of the mother (?) country. 1846. This year, surely never will be forgotten in the annals of West India history. I could write many pages on the evils of the legislation referred to ; but I forljear. The penalty will be paid some day in full tale. ... I trust, however, that the Lord will again smile upon our people, and overrule and overturn the fiscal legislation of the Imperial Parliament for these colonies. Their encouragement of slavery (as before noted) hath beggared thousands upon thousands, and caused many to withdraw their loyalty from the parent state. This is Lord Harris's opinion, the popular Governor of Trinidad. Very many also of our once respectal)le females have been so bereft of employment, that they have been obliged to earn a living by means fi'om which their very souls revolt. It is dreadful to think of the untold miseries the infamous Act of 1846 hath occasioned to these once valuable appendages of the British Crown. ' But underlying this question is an important principle of Imperial legislation. What right, we may ask, has the English House of Commons to pass certain fiscal laws so disastrous to the best interests of the colonists, without their consent or even privity? As British subjects, living abroad, we have no right of representa- tion, personally or by pi'oxy, in the Commons of England, and yet that House, by its legislative action, may inflict untold evils upon us before we can become aware of its bad intentions. What can we do in the presence of so mighty a factor — a self-imposed master — as is 70 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. the Imperial Parliament ? ' Grin and bear it,' said a Dutch gentle- man to me, on one occasion, in Demerara ; but that is no remedy for political injustice. One thing is certain, that under the con- ditions we have noted, the affection of the colonists, and the loyalty of the emancipated classes themselves, have been so stramed, as to render the tie that holds the West Indies to the Crown very weak indeed. But there should be no necessity for such an ordeal ! Let the English Parliament 'do justly,' which is a high command; unjustly — and the colonies will rebel. The bai-gain, as between the Imperial Parliament and the colonies, has two sides to it. And the sti'onger should always act in justice to the weaker. This is the old and tried way for securing mutual confidence, trustiness, and satisfaction. Aug. \^th. — The yellow fever epidemic visited Demerara this year. The first person I was called upon to visit was a Captain S. T. Gibbons, from Baltimore. I was taken to him in the forenoon by a Mr. Hicks, a Christian merchant, to whose firm the ship's cargo was consigned. I found the captain very ill. He had to me a strange appearance. I learnt that he had the black-vomit, which accounted for the change in the expression of his countenance. I conversed with him, in as tender a manner as possible, on his dangerous condition, and knelt down for prayer with him. I had not offered more than a few sentences when he raised himself up in his bed, and exclaimed, ' Oh, my God ! This man is a Roman Catholic priest.' I came, of course, to a halt, and, rising from my knees, I addressed him in suitable terms, assuring him that I was a veritable Wesleyan missionary, connected with the English Conference. He was satisfied, and desired me then to pray for him. At 3 p.m. I visited him again, and found that during the interval he had received an answer to his prayers. He testified, in the presence of Mr. Hicks and me, that the Lord in His mercy had forgiven him all his sins. He asked to have the Holy Sacrament before he died. ' I do not expect the ordinance,' he said, ' to save me ; but I want to show my love to my Saviour Jesus Christ. I have been to sea all my life, and I have neglected it.' It was a solemn and gracious time. All in the room communicated, and ' the Lord was made known to us in the breaking of bread.' Before I left the room his poor mind was unhinged, and he became so violent that two strong men were necessary to keep him in bed. This dreadful fever makes PERSONAL HISTORY. 71 awful havoc when it seizes the bx-ain, and the strongest man soon succumbs. He died at twenty minutes to 11 the same night, leaving in Baltimore an affectionate wife and one child to mourn their loss. ' Avg. 20;'/!-.— To-day I buried the remains of poor Captain Gibbons ; a great many gentlemen attended the funeral. Dr. Blair informed me that, from the 2>ost-mortemc:s.Vimm2ii\o-n, they had come to the conclusion that Captain Gibbons had left Baltimore \^dth typhus fever in his system, and that his illness at sea and in the colony resulted from this cause. There were not all the outward manifestations of typhus fever ; but this peculiarity may be attributed to the influence of the tropics on his physical system.' A few particulars of the history of Captain Gibbons may be inserted here. I learnt from him that he was the son of Methodist pai-ents, and that he had been nursed in Methodism ; that he had not served his father's God, but had cast off His fear. The Lord, however, had laid His hand upon him, and that he hoped in His mercy alone. Two or three advantages I observed to result from the training Captain Gibbons had received in the doctrines and duties of Christianity : his clear views of the plan of salvation he possessed ; ' Christ crucified ' was his sheet anchor. The Foreign Missionaiy Meetings were duly attended to. In the month of October they were held in the city, T. A. Spooner, Esq., and the High Sheriff, George Bagot, Esq., brother of the late Captain Bagot, of North Adelaide, presiding. The weather was hot, being 95 degrees in the shade, and 124 degrees in the sun, which necessarily affected the attendance. And then the lassitude induced seemed to be a burden of life hard to bear. In November I went to Abram Tuil, Essequibo, accompanied by Mrs. Bickford, in the interests of the foreign missions. I preached three times on the Sabbath, and spoke at three meetings during the week. At the Abram Tuil meeting our day-school teacher, Mr. Thomas Trotman, informed us of the introduction of the ' swinging-pole ' by the coolies. The resident missionaiy, the Eev. Joseph Biggs, told us that ' he had gone to see it.' Mr. Trotman spoke also of other idolatrous practices the coolies were introducing, and exhibited one of their 'gods.' A case of Afi-ican cruelty was also reported. A black man, a negress, and three boys were working together in the cane-field. The man inveigled one of the boys into the canes, and commenced with a piece of notched iron hoop to cut the boy's throat. The cries of the poor 72 JAMES BICKFOBB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. bo}' brought the necessary help, and he was saved before it was too late from the would-be murderer's hands. Our campaign being over, we returned, being accompanied by the Rev. William Heath, in the Murray schooner to Greorgetown. It was a trying time for us — headwinds all the way and excessive heat. Our faces and hands were literally scorched. In beating up the river Demerary, we came under the lee of the ship Fame, a fine vessel laden with Coolies. They appeared to be contented with their new condition ; they were mostly boys and girls. We are importing into the colony all kinds of grossest superstition, ignorance, and depravity, so that we are on the high road of becoming once more a heathen land. Hence the necessity of an increased missionary staff, with more of the ' power from on high ' for counteracting the threatened evils arising in our midst. For excitement, probably no place under the sun can siirpass Demerara. The following jotting from my journal sets forth one of its elements : — ' Nov. 2oth. — Preached yesterday at Kingston and Trinity. When offering the last prayer I heard the shout of '• Fire, fire ! " and before the Benediction could be pronounced the congregation crowded to the door. I hastened into the parsonage to get my pilot coat, and then returned to the church to see after Mrs. Bickford's safety. I found her at the vestry door, in company with Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. Van Watt, and Captain MacEachem. Having seen Mrs. Bickford safe, I went forward with the crowd to the ' place of destruction.' It was a fearful sight. It would be in vain for me to attempt a description of its fuiy and volume. Four houses were consumed, and one life was lost. I returned to Werk-en-Kust Parsonage about 10 p.m., and found Mrs. Bickfoid sitting with her bonnet on, ready to depart if necessary. I read Psalm xci., and offered prayer at our family altar, and then we retired to rest under the safe protection of Him who "never slumbers nor sleeps."' ' Bee. 2nd. — A Coolie young man came this afternoon with a candle, which he had purchased to be burnt in the church to cure his bad leg. I told him that the burning of the candle would not cure his sore, but, if he would come next day, I would examine it and give him some ointment to cure it. He promised to come, and seemed grateful. " Kindness melts the savage breast," it has been said ; but I perceive that it also touches the superstitious mind.' 'Bee. 12th.—To-daj I posted to the Rev. W. L. Thornton, M.A., London, a manuscript memoir of the late Meinhaard Retemeyer for publication in the Methodist Magazine. It has run to the length of twenty-six pages of foolscap, and cost twelve shillings postage. This amount was generously paid by order of the Governor, the subject of it having been for so many years a highly respected servant of the Crown. I have had much chastened pleasure in preparing this memoir, and sensible communion of soul with my departed friend. I often felt that it was a very thin partition that separated him from PEBSOJVAL HISTORY. 73 me. Oh, blessed religion of Christ 1 What hopes or joys can equal those Thou inspirest ? ' ^ Bee. \Uh. — I had a long conversation to-day with Mr. H , one of our GeorgetoM'n merchants, on Surinam slavery. He appeared to maintain that the slaves were happy ; and that it was better for them to be slaves and be provided for than to be let loose upon the country, no one caring for them, A few remarks were suflBcient for convincing him that slavery was an evil — a great and monster sin. He then told me of a case of crying cruelty which had come to his knowledge in Surinam. The proprietors of the plantations have what are called ' Bush-days,' once or twice a year, to hunt up and catch runaway slaves. On the occasion he was refemng to, they came upon a settlement where were several of these unfortunate creatures. Thej' had located there for some years, and had erected a small sugar mill, and had many comforts about them. On the approach of these white wolves, the more agile of the negroes ran away, but the young and decrepit were unable to escape, and so fell into the clutches of their merciless persecutors. They were at once conveyed to Paramaribo. And as they could not now be identified, they were forfeited to the Dutch Government. These slave-hunters then set fire to the negro establishment, notwithstanding the many years of toil it had cost to bring it to what it was. Poor unhappy slaves of Surinam ! Oh, that the Lord would arise for their deliverance ! ' Mr. H bore his testimony to the valuable ser\4ces of the Moravian missionaries in Surinam. He had attended one of their services, and was much interested in the manner of the worship and in the demeanour of the congregation. I wish from my very heart that we had a mission in Surinam. Two grand objects would be accomplished by it: (1) The extinction of slavery in two or three years ; (2) the ingathering of thousands of coloured persons, for whose souls, at present, no one cares. There are, I am informed, eighteen thousand of these, who are without the Gospel and the blessings of the Christian pastorates. The Moravians attend to the blacks ; the coloured would fall to us. The Christmas season entails many additional duties upon the ministers of so large a circuit as was that of Georgetown, Demerara. The annual examinations of the day-schools, which came off at Christmas, was a time of great interest. At the Werk-en-Rust examination the Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, the High Sheriff, George Bagot, Esq., and some other gentlemen were present. Nothing could exceed the condescension of Sir Henry to the coloured and black children, as they came up to him Avith their copy-books and slates for him to see what they were able to do. The ready replies of the pupils in mental arithmetic, English grammar, geography, 74 JAMES BICKFOBJ): AN AVT0BI06BAPIIY. and spelling, were most satisfactory to our distinguished visitors. The special service on Christmas Day, the * Watch Night,' New Year's Sabbath, the ' Renewal of Covenant,' followed by the Lord's Supper, constituted the Chiu-ch's great festival season for the year. 1851. The Berbice Mission called me away during the month of January. On the 22nd, I sailed in the Governor Barkly, which was full of passengers. We had a tedious passage, and I was very sick. On the Sabbath, early in the morning, I preached at Cumberland, on the Cauji Creek, and gave the Sacrament. Returned rapidly to New Amsterdam, and held service at 11 a.m., and in the evening I preached again to a large congregation. We had the Sacrament at the close of the service. The next day, I had an interview with Roelof Hart, Esq., the leading official of the Dutch Church. Mr. Hart again informed me of the earnest desire of the Vestry to have an ' ordained ' minister as their pastor. He offered me, in addition to the free occupancy of the manse and the untrammelled use of the church, =£100 per annum to secure such an appointment. This is a clear providential call to us ; and yet, hitherto, it seems impossible to convince the London 'Committee that it is so. Hence their stolid refusal to allow us to occupy the place for the benefit of nearly one hundred members, who will have no other ministry but ours ; together with many of the Dutch families, and other white persons, who plead and pray for our ministrations. But we shall see, sooner or later, that our persistency will alter the views of the Committee, who will then consent to our and the people's wishes. In preparing the statistical information for the coming District Meeting my feelings were of a mingled character. Through the generous help of several friends the circuit debt was paid ofl". But the number of Chiu-ch members was less than the previous year. Nearly a hundred had been removed from the class books because of their non-attendance at the weekly fellowship ; besides which, it had been a year of great mortality among our adherents. Such a result was very discouraging, in remembrance of the toils and troubles we had passed through. But never were my sympathy and indignation more excited than when I heard of the death of the unfortunate C. I . She had been a girl of beautiful form and many charms. PERSONAL HISTORY. 75 but decoyed from her pure home in Barbadoes by a young white scoundrel — a sprig of the law, I believe. As long as she pleased him there was a cruel kindness in his conduct. But, a few months before I saw her, he had cast her off, in a land of strangers, unpitied and unknown : — 'Woman,' cried the seducer, ' hold thy tongue, For thou art weak, and I am strong.' 0. I was in extremis when I was called in to minister to her soul in its agony of distress. I did all that I could — and she died. Her last words were, ' I do hope Christ will wash my guilty soul in His precious blood.' Poor Magdalene ! how I pitied thee ! and prayed for thee ! ' More sinned against,' in the first instance, 'than sinning;' thy guiltiness could not overleap His 'uttermost.' May I so hope and believe ! The annual voyage from Demerara to one of the Windward Islands to hold the usual District Meeting was to us a salutary and beneficial change. Never did I want it more than in the beginning of this year, 1851. Mrs. Bickford and I had passed through several attacks of fever, and we naturally looked forward to two or three weeks at sea, and to the society of friends in the District Island, with pleasurable hopefulness. Accordingly, on the 10th of February, our little company, consisting of the Revs. Limmex^and Heath, and our respective wives, went on board the brigantine Agnes, for Barbadoes. We made a fair start from the ' lightship,' and nothing special occurred until we were off the east coast of Tobago. Mr. Limmex and I occupied the two ' dog-houses ' upon the quarter-deck, so as to be near at hand in case of an emergency. We had a sudden wind upon us of hurricane strength, which would have capsized our struggling vessel but for the wakefulness and nautical expeiience of Mr. Limmex. The Agnes was heeling over dangerously when I looked out for my friend on the lee quarter. I saw him spring forward and ' let go ' the main-sheet, when the brig rallied to her rightful position. Captain Stanley, at the time, was ' for-ard ' helping the men to shorten sail. The man at the helm was skilfully steering through the terrible seas ; and, but for Mr. Limmex's timely interposition, we must have come to grief. He was the only man to see the danger, and by his help we escaped a watery grave. We reached Carlisle Bay on the 16th. Here, on landing, a new 76 JAMES BICKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. trouble began. Tlie land-sbai-ks, alias ' Barbadoes ' porters, were ready to devour us. But with the help of the E.ev. John Corlett, the resident senior missionary, and a few obliging policemen, we succeeded pretty well in escaping theii* extortionate demands. In the evening of the same day, the Revs. Messrs. Bannister (Chairman of the District), Hurd, Horsford, D.D., Binks, Butcher, Brown, and Wrench, arrived from the ' leeward ' per royal mail steamer. The next day the sessions of the District Meeting began, and in six days we got to the end of our business. It was a most harmonious and successful meeting. On the 27th Mr. and Mrs. Banfield and Mr. and Mrs. Limmex, Mr. Heath, and I left by the Iris for Demerara. Mrs. Bickford, who was much reduced in strength, was left behind for quiet and the advantage of sea-bathing. Mrs. Cameron, a dear Scotch sister in Christ, remained also as her companion. March 27icl. — "We arrived in Georgetown in time for Divine service in Trinity Church. Messrs. Heath and Banfield preached morning and evening. At the close, we took the Lord's Supper once more together. There was a large number of communicants. Thus we began a new Methodistic year. March 28th. — The R.M.S. Derwent arrived from Barbadoes, but without our lady friends. I was informed by one of the gentlemen that two boats with passengers were within the swell of the steamer, but that the captain would not wait. His act was un-English and cruel. Great was our disappointment in Demerara. I now give a few extracts from my journal, indicating some of the larger questions which crowded this ecclesiastical year : — ' Ajyril 2Sth. — Since my last entry, I have been incessantly engaged in Church and colonial business. Mr. Attorney-General Arrindall having originated the idea of an Orphan Asylum for British Guiana, Mr. Sheriff Bagot called a public meeting at the court-house to take the subject into consideration. His Excellency, Sir Henry Barkly, with his accustomed readiness, took the chair. I attended and spoke on the general question, and I observe that my suggestions have been adopted by the committee appointed to carry out the details of the scheme. I was thankful to have an opportunity as a Wesleyan minister to express my views on the benevolence of Christianity, and on the duties of all Christian people in relation thereto. Bishop Austin (Anglican) spoke a few words very gracefully. On Wednesday evening, a tea meeting was held in Trinity schoolroom to raise funds to aid in paying for the outbuildings. About three hundred persons were present. With the exception of the conduct of a few ignorant, ill-trained youths, the meeting was well and happily conducted. On PERSONAL HISTORY. 77 the Thursday our Ministerial Quarterly Meeting was held. Messrs. Limmex Heath, Banfield. and I were present. We had to consider several important matters, viz. Friendship Station and Day School, now vacant throuo-h the lamented death of Mr. Thomas S. Maddison, a worthy and excellent officer of our Church ; Berbice Mission, and the continuous cry of the Dutch Vestry for the appointment of a resident ' ordained ' minister ; the recently promulgated scheme of the Educational Commissioners ; and the application for a missionary to the Coolie immigrants, many thousands of whom were now in British Guiana. Mr. Limmex and I sat up till a late hour in preparing a document for the Governor and Court of Policy on the new scheme of Education. Wrote the London Committee also, beseeching that one or more of the General Secretaries should forthwith interview Lord Grey, Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the Education and Coolie questions. Wrote a few more letters, and then settled with the workpeople for the outbuildings. Mr. James Rogers, of Rome, was my foreman for carrying on the work. He was a very reliable man.' '"In labours more abundant." I find such questions as the following pressing upon me : (1) What avails all this labour as to myself? I trust that although I am so constantly going round the cii-cumference of duty, I still feel that my permanent dwelling place is at the centre : " All my springs are in Thee." (2) As to the church. Here, I say, my work is the Lord's, and I leave it with Him to give what prosperity it may please Him to grant. (3) As to the cause generally. An impression in this province in favour of religion under the form of Wesleyan Methodism. Lord, I am Thy unworthy servant : I appeal to Thee ! ' ' 3Imj 5th. — In reviewing the last week, I have much to be thankful for. I visited Golden Grove and Mahaica to consult with Messrs. Limmex and Banfield on the Berbice and Friendship Stations. On returning to the city, I found that I had to leave immediately for the " Supply " Station, fifteen miles up the Demerara river, for important ministerial duties. Whilst there, I heard of a dreadful murder committed by the villagers upon a Kroo man, who had, with several others of his own tribe, been plundering their provision grounds, and keeping them in constant dread of their lives by their prowling about armed with murderous weapons. I gathered up the facts, and wrote his Excellency Governor Barkly upon the whole case. I specially requested that the necessary steps might be taken forthwith for clearing the Bush districts of these bloodthirsty wretches.' • JIai/ 6th. — This day I am thirty-five years of age, more than thirteen of which have been spent in the West Indies and British Guiana. The Rev, W. Fidler and Mrs. Fidler, the Rev. W. Cleaver and Mrs. Cleaver, and Mr. J. L. Savory, oui" teacher at Werk-en-Rust, dined and took tea with us. " Bless the Lord, 0 my soul." And now dear friends were leaving us for the old country. On the 13th, George Ross, Esq., and on the 14th, the Rev. William Fidler, Mrs. Fidler, and their two youngest daughters, sailed for England. The latter were passengers in the ship Laura, Captain J. Le Messurier, a good Guernsey Methodist. It is impossible to 78 JAMES BICKFOBD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. describe the feeling of melancholy sadness -which steals over one's soul as friends leave foi- the dear old country, and we are compelled to remain to contend with the exhausting climate, fever, and death. May 2^rd. — Went on board the Clyde for Berbice, and arrived at the Cauji Creek, in the Berbice river, the 24:th. The next day had a long conversation with Roelof Hart, Esq., on the sore business of placing an ordained minister in New Amsterdam. Bode to Cumberland, 2"»reached at 7 a.m., and gave the Lord's Supper to the members. Eeturned to New Amsterdam, and preached at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.; renewed the tickets of membership of sixty persons, and finished up by administering the Lord's Supper to the Lutheran and Methodist adherents. It was a hard day's work, but a happy one. Spent the whole of Monday in pastoral visitation, and saw Mrs. Obermiiller and her four fatherless children. We lost a true friend in Mr. Obermiiller; he was the Secretary of the Dutch Vestry, and always sympathized with us in all the discussions on the subject of appointing an ordained minister in New Am.sterdam. The captain of the Clyde told me of a horrible case of cruelty on the Waterloo estate in Surinam. A poor slave, he said, was chained to the ' copper-hole ' by the leg, and remained there, with very little intermission, day and night. He is compulsorily the fireman of the sugar-works. Previous to this punishment, he ran away several times, seeking to achieve his freedom. But he was always captured, and this was his punishment. The o-\vners on the plantation, or their representatives, had erected a shed over him to shelter him from the sun, and this is the only consideration shown to this courageous man. Oh, Slavery, thou monster of cruelty ; surely, if there be a God who heareth the cry of the captive, thy days are numbered ! '■Jane Wtli. — Mrs. Bickford aud I sailed for the Arabian Coast, and arrived ofE Lorg, and stuck on a sandbank until 11 p.m. We landed, and walked to the church at 12.30 p.m. I then walked to Abram Tuil, a distance of three miles, and knocked up the Rev. W. Heath, who instantly harnessed his horse and fetched Mrs. Bickford from Lorg at half-past two in the morning. Returned to Georgetown on the 21st, just in time for the Sabbath services at Kingston and Werk-en-Rust.' The term of service for European missionaries in the West Indies was ten years. But I had been able, ' by reason of strength,' to add a few years to that number. Still I now began to feel that the PERSONAL HISTORY. 79 time was come when I should make known to the London Committee my earnest desire to return as soon as convenient. Accordingly, under date 'July 11th, 1851,' I wrote to the Committee asking permission so to do after the next District Meeting, which would be held in February 1852. Supposing my request were granted, I would then have laboui'ed fourteen years in a tiopioal climate. But I was not tii-ed of the work, for I loved it. My whole energies, and brain, and prayers, had been given to the mission all this time ; but I was now painfully conscious of the existence of mental and physical enervation, which rendered the financial and spiritual care of the Georgetown Circuit a burden I could no longer sustain. Mrs. Bickford, also, from many attacks of fever, and the trying character of the climate, had become the subject of a weak and nerveless state most distressing to witness. I sent no medical certificates, or recom- mendations from my dear missionary brethren, but simply told my own tale, and left the final decision with the Committee. The result will appear farther on. In the month of July also an important public question engaged the attention of Governor Barkly, the Court of Policy, and the pro- nounced educationists of British Guiana. It had been felt for some time that the then arrangement was insufiicient ; and, yet, during the first years of the regime of freedom, it seemed to be the only practicable one. The Mission Chvu^ches had done the bulk of the woi'k, which was in part supported by an annual j9er cajmt payment of two dollars for each pupil under tuition. Of course this small sum did not meet the cost of salary, books, and bviildings, necessary for carrying on the work. It was now proposed, as the consequence of Mr. Commissioner Dennis's investigations in Europe and America, to set aside the existing denominational schools, and to institute in lieu thereof a national system, providing secular education only. So serious and unexpected a departure from the arrangments which bad obtained ever since freedom had been established was at once opposed by the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Wesleyan bodies. The discussion came on on the 12th, when three petitions were presented against the Bill, which was down for a second reading. The first speech was from Sir Henry Barkly, who generally explained the principles of the proposed measure in a fairly reasoned manner. But the second speech did the business of the day. The High Sheriff", George 80 JAMES BICKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Bagot, Esq., smote it 'hip and thigh.' Ic was then held in abeyance, and the protesting documents were referred to the Commissioners for report. Beheving that Mr. Attorney- General Arrindall would be glad of as much information as he could get upon the question now in such sharp dispute, I called upon him and begged him to read Watson's great sermon, entitled ' Religion, a part of Educa- tion,' which he politely promised to do. Mr. Arrindall was the Chairman of the Commission, and a man of impulsive and forceful character. It was, therefore, very desirable, if possible, to get him en our side. Our action was severely commented upon by the Editor of the Colonist. I accordingly addressed a letter to him, demanding that our ' memorial ' should appear in its columns, that the thinking public might be able to jvidge between us. This was done, but the Editor — editor-like — would have the last word, in which he poured a heap of abuse upon me. The position of the Wesleyan missionaries in their relation to the Education question, then so fiercely contested in British Guiana, must be briefly stated. It was not with us, at that time, a question as to the comparative merits of the two systems of public education — the denominational and the national. Indeed, our personal pre- dilections, if we had any, scarcely entered into the matter at all. We— each one of us — were ' under law ' to the British Conference, whose repi-esentatives and servants, in a filial and Christian sense, we were. The Conference of 1840 laid down certain principles, which, as far as practicable, were as binding upon us in Bi-itish Guiana as they were upon our ministers and day school committees in England. Such as — ' The Bible, in the Authorized Version only, shall be the basis of all the religious instruction ; and a certain portion of every day, at least, half an hour each morning and afternoon, shall be set apart for the devotional reading of the Holy Scriptures, with explanations by the teacher or visitor.' ' The Conference records its deep and solemn conviction of the duty and necessity of providing the means of obtaining, in week-day schools, an efficient education in scriptural and other useful knowledge ; and would regard, with much satisfaction, any public measure which would secure this desirable object, on just, tolerant, and liberal principles.' 'The school duties shall uniformly begin and end with prayer.' And much more to the same efiect. We might have gained, in some quarters, a temporary populaiity PERSOXAL HISTORY. 81 by adopting a contrary course to that we felt bound to follow ; but that would have been no compensation for disloyalty to the English Conference and the traditions of English Methodism. We took, I am sure, under the conditions of the whole question, the right course ; but we had not yet reached the end. The feeling that binds the British Emph-e together, is the outgroAvth of a common interest in the unity and prosperity of the whole. So it is with large Clu-istian bodies. The Wesleyan Methodist Connexion is no exception to this remark. The reception, at the Georgetown Mission House, on July 11th, of the intelligence that through the reform agitation 55,000 members had been lost to our Church, caused much thstress, followed by tearful prayers, that the 'God of our fathers ' would, in His great mercy, interpose and cause that good might come out of this great trouble. How chequered was my Demerara life ! It was panoramic in a wonderful degree. ' Fightings without,' if not ' fears within,' mostly filled up the ' cup ' of my every day's experience. I had been preaching on the evening of July 24th, at Trinity Chiu'ch, on the ' Life and death of Dorcas,' and had returned to the parsonage, Avhen I was hastily called to go to Kingston, in the eastern part of the city, to see Mrs. Thomas Spooner, who, whilst spending the evening with our friends, the Rev. William Cleaver and Mrs, Cleaver, was taken alarmingly ill. On reaching the place, about a mile distant from Trinity, I found her dying. We united in prayer and commended her soul to God. The next day she ' passed away,' in the fortieth year of her age. The day following, we followed her dear remains to the grave ; which had been prepared in the officers' burial ground. Mrs. Spooner was a Christian woman, and was brought to God under the ministry of the Rev. W^. L. Binks, a few years previously to her last sickness. She was a true missionaries' friend, as was also her devoted husband, Mr. Thomas Spooner. She was one of the white ' stars,' gathered into brightness and beauty by the untii'ing laboiu-s of our missionaries, ' Aug. 2nd. — This has been a busy week. On Monday attended to Society business, met my large class, and Jirom 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. was incessantly employed. On Tuesday attended to the brethren's wants in the country circuit ; and purchased the lumber wanted for the new school-house at Kingston. On Wednesday, Mrs. Bickford and I left for Mahaica, that I might be present at the Quarterly Ministerial Meeting, when I addressed the congregation in the evening. Thursday : we spent the day with our dear friends, 6 82 JAMES JilCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. the Eev. W. Limmex and Mrs. Limmex. Mr. James McSwiney, a stipendiary magistrate — " a just man " — was one of our party. Friday : we left Mahaica for Golden Grove, the residence of the Kev. James Banfield and Mrs. Banfield. I preached a commemorative sermon on August 1st to our people in the Victoria Church. In the evening we went to the tea-meeting at Friendship, and returned to Golden Grove at 1.30 a.m., wearied and spent. On Saturday we returned by train to the city well in health but greatly fatigued.' The Rev. William Moister was my first Superintendent in tlie West Indies, and to iiim I still have, notwithstanchng the lapse of fifty years, grateful remembrance of his interest in me. I was as a ' pupil ' under him ; and, in various ways, he helped me veiy much. Mr. Moister after his return to England was sent by the Missionary Committee to the Cape of Good Hope, as Chairman and General Superintendent of Missions in that district. But he did not forget me, as the following quotation from my journal will show : — ' Aug. StJi. — Received to-day a budget of papers, pamphlets, and letters from the Rev. W. Moister, now stationed at Cape Town, in South Africa. His correspondence was truly acceptable and welcome. He is a valuable missionary of the " Cross of Christ ;" and I have no doubt that in the day of the Lord very many will be the seals of his ministry. He invites me to join him at the Cape, and suggests that I might take the English congregation as my charge. But my inclinations are towards Australia, in the event of my returning to England after the holding of our District Meeting.' The subject of Coolie immigration had become in 1850-2 a very serious business in British Guiana. The Governor and Court of Policy were at their wits' end to know what to do Avith the several thousands of Coolies who had been imported into the colony under agfreements with the East Indian Governments. To utUise this new increment of labour on the sugar plantations, and to secvire for the immigrants ' a fair day's wage for a fair day's work ; ' to see that such accommodation was provided as wovild be preservative of health ; to defend them in courts of justice; and to keep in the immigrants' view their right of return to India after five years of indentured work, were problems in Coolie social life not easy of interpretation and practice. There was not an Englishman in the colony of such repute for character, linguistic ability, and of Christian sympathy with the Coolie people, as could help the Government in its praise- w^orthy efforts to do justly by these thousands of immigrants, who were spread over the province, and occasionally swarmed into the city. PERSOXAL HISTORY. 83 How to Christianize these heathen strangers, and to bring them into woiking harmony with their new conditions, was the problem which awaited sohition. I am sure that none of the good men now living, who were in Demerara in 1850-1-2, will accuse me of assuming an unwarrantable position when I affirm that, besides the Wesleyan Methodist, no other Protestant section of the Church showed either adaptability, or desire, to contribute towards the smoothing away of the Coolie difficulty. And I do no injustice to my own brethren when I say that the whole burden of negotiating with the London Committee, and, subsequently, with the Court of Policy, fell upon me rather than upon any of them. But T think, however, that I was providentially led into it through the conversion and ' baptism ' of a Hindu gentleman, in whose case God made me the honoiu'ed instrument. He took the name of Samuel Johnston, in the presence of a large and sympathizing congregation in Trinity Church. Mr. Johnston prepared an interesting letter, signed by himself and many of his countrymen, to the London Committee, earnestly praying that a missionary might be appointed for then- special benefit. The Rev. J. E. S. Williams, who had been a missionary in Ceylon, prepared a reply in Tamil. On the 11th of August the English mail arrived bringing this very letter to my address, which I delivered to Mr. Johnston and his co-signatories. Such correspondence was bound to bear fruit. Hence, on the 28th August, I received a beautiful letter from the Rev. Dr. Hoole on the spii'itual condition of these Coolie immigrants, and encouraging me to hope that a missionary would be sent as soon as possible for their evangelization. Sept. I^tli. — The English mail came in. I say in my journal, under that date, — ' Received my mail letters, and was glad of affectionate renewals of regard and love from Revs. John Corlett, Joseph Biggs, and W. L. Binks. The Englisli Conference had closed, and I had not heard one syllable from the Committee in reply to my application to return to England. A press of business, no doubt, and other causes, have prevented the usual courtesy of a reply. But I am much disappointed. I must wait a little longer, and all will be explained. The Committee's reply to our District Minutes will have a reference to it, I am certain, and, till then, orare et laborare.' One of the oldest and ablest ministers in Demerara was the Rev. Joseph Ketley, a Congregational ' standard-bearer.' By invitation, I went to the Old Agricultural Rooms to hear from him a lecture 84 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. addressed to the Athenjeum Society. There were three divisions : (1) Science, in its general principles; (2) Literature, in its outHnes and advantages; and (3) Arts, which he described as the application of science to the purposes of life. The subject was most skilfully handled, and I was thankful that the young men present had such an opportunity of being instructed by such a master. Oct. 7th. — The true idea of a missionary's i-elation to his flock is that of a father, and to any afflicted or troubled family, there-svith connected, that of a sympathizing friend. In both these aspects I had to appear under the above date. Amongst our respectable coloured families in Greorgetown were a Mr. E. N. Pieters and Mrs. Pieters, with whom Mrs. Bickford and I had been guests at one of our District Meetings. Their kindness was so simple and abundant that I became quite attached to the whole family. At this time we were much engaged in providing buildings and a,pparatus for the education of the children of our people. On October 8th we opened the new schoolroom at Kingston, when two hundred and fifty persons took tea together. The addresses at the after meeting dealt with the all-engrossing subject of Combined Education, a principle to which we felt ourselves committed in the best interests of the emancipated classes, and as missionaries under the direction of the English Conference. On the 13th the Eev. W. Heath and I preached, at Kingston and Trinity, the annual sermons in aid of our Foreign Missions. In the afternoon of the same day we held a special service at Trinity, when two hundred and fifty children and young people were present. Mr. Heath, Mr. E. N. Pieters, the superintendent of the school, and I gave addresses. Edward Pieters, junr., the secretary, read the rules of the school. It was a time of much interest and good feeling. Hitherto I had had pretty plain sailing in Demerara. I had made and had retained hosts of friends. How much, therefore, was I surprised when, on October 13th, I received a confidential note from the Hon. Richard Haynes, a coloured gentleman of high character and mercantile standing, informing me that a letter had been addressed to him, as the intended Chairman of the Trinity Church Missionary Meeting, to the efiect that I was ' prejudiced against the coloured people,' and requesting him (Mr. Haynes) to demand from me, at the pubHc meeting, a distinct disclaimer of any such feeling. I was at a loss for the clue to this foul accusation, PERSONAL HISTORY. 85 until I remembered that I had, a few days previously, a somewhat spirited conversation in my study with a young coloured man on the subject of the utility, or otherwise, of debating societies — my con- tention being that such as he, and those he represented, did not need to be taught how to ai^gue upon difficult questions ; but rather to commence at the foundation of real mental woi'k, by threading their way through the elementary lessons of English literature, and acqvdre thereby a confidence in root-truths, and an aptitude in using correctly English forms of speech. I had no intention either of discouraging or ottending the young man in question, and this Mr. Haynes most thoroughly believed. But I was grievously pained, and could not but ask whether so cruel an assumption held good with the character I had borne during thirteen years of voluntary residence in a tropical climate, and with the sacrifice of health and many comforts I had made to serve the people, one of whom had so cruelly maligned me ! The missionary meeting was held under the presidency of the Hon. Richard Haynes. His was a Christian and comprehensive speech. The congregation was large, and the feeling deep. But there were no clapping, no noises : the utmost decorum obtained, just as if it were a Sabbath service. This was an improvement on the missionary meetings in England and in the islands. As an inevitable outgrowth of freedom, money became somewhat plentiful in the hands of the wages-receiving labourers on the plantations. This improvement in theu' social position enabled them to form large associated bodies for purchasing abandoned estates from the English proprietors on the east coast, on the southern side of the river Demerary, and in other parts of the colony. Several such properties were purchased, calling into existence a new form of political and social life, w^liich was designated '■ The Village System,' whose slow but sure growth occasioned much concern to the Government. A form of queries was drawn up, and copies were sent with the imprimatur of the Governor to all the clergy, the missionaries, and the stipendiary magistrates for information, showing to what extent this system had reached, the acreage purchased, the kind of cultivation carried on, and the number of the population who had come under this novel form of co-operativism. Suggestions also were invited for the governmental control and development of such associations. 86 JAMES lilCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. The question, it was admitted, was extremely (.lifficult, because of the self-created and self -controlling functions these new* pi-oprietary bodies assumed and exercised. In the islands the case was different. Take, for example, St. Vincent's, where a new proprietaryship came into existence ; but there it was the piu'chase by an individual free labourer from an individual propiietor. Whereas, in British Guiana, there were in these transactions combinations of men and consequent commvmity of interests, which gave formidableness to these bodies, and required attention from the Government. It must be confessetl that the Governor and Court of Policy had not, pari passu, launched any system of municipal or police control to meet this novel state of things ; and yet it should have been anticipated, because when the free labourers became possessed of money, they woidd no longer be content to remain in great numbers upon the estates Avhere they had once been slaves. To illustrate, ab inconvenienti, the nature of the conditions upon which ' The Village System ' was sought to be built, we may take as a t}^ical case the plantation ' Friendship,' on the east coast of Demerara, which was purchased for seventy-five thousand dollars by one hundred and forty (black) proprietors. One of the conditions of sale and purchase was, that no white man should ever legally become joint proprietor with the original purchasers. The idea of a numbei- of head men to be over the remainder could not work ; therefoi-e, one was chosen to be manager, or ' Boss,' to conduct the general business of the plantation. But up to this point there need not have been any practical difficulty, provided that the whole number of the proprietors agreed. But a new and vinexpected cfitx arose, and in this way. One of the original owners became insolvent, and in due process of law his interest in the proprietary was sold at public auction by the Provost Marshal at the court-house steps in the city of Georgetown. The purchaser happened to be one of the prohibited class. It need hardly be observed that the ' Act of Insolvency ' was stronger than was the private compact of the one hundred and forty proprietors. The compact was overridden, and justice was done. A second embarrassment arose in which the Wesleyan missionaries were involved. A large Logie, originally used for drpng coffee, had been fitted up for Sabbath worship and Sunday and day school objects at considerable expense. When the plantation passed fiom PERSOXAL IIISTOKY. 87 the original ownei-s to the new proprietary body, it was felt that our tenancy was insecure. Hence, after some negotiations, the Rev. James Banfield, the Superintendent Minister, pui-chased the building, not the land, with the fi-ee consent of the proprietors at one of their business meetings. About three months afterwards, at another of theu' meetings, when the proceeds had to he divided, there came to the surface the bitterest opposition of eighteen of the proprietors. The dissentients took legal proceedings for setting aside the action of the head man as their representative and executive officer, and gave us considerable trouble. We had ' fallen among thieves,' but the end was not yet. I find in my joiu-nal the following entry : — ' Mr. Banfield, Mr. Cleaver, and I have been engaged in getting up a " report," in obedience to the judge's "order," on a petition presented to the " Court of Justice " by eighteen of the proprietors of Fricndshij), praying that the sale of the Logie may be prohibited. Mr. Banfield had bought this building three months previously, when these very men were apparently satisfied with the transaction, until the appropriation of the money took place. What the result will be it is impossible to divine.' Numerous other cases of difficulty, provocative of expensive litigation, were constantly arising in different parts of the colony. Legislation, therefore, ensued and solved many a perplexity. The Court of Policy at that time, with Governor Barkly as president, had some very able men in it. The Bill that was passed arrested needless litigation, and provided against future vexatious proceedings. The colony generally, but especially the emancipated classes, were laid under great obligations for the intervention of the law members of the Court of Policy, and to Governor Barkly, who gave much earnest attention to this perplexing subject. Nov. 2nd. — My journal entries are now showing that the elasticity of my spirits, as well as my bodily health, were seriously giving way. To get out of the city, and have only one day free fi'om worry, was a perfect Eden to me. We had a sweet retreat about a mUe up the river in the Euimveld sugar plantation. Our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. George Ross, at their beautiful home, afforded the relief Mrs. Bickford and I so much needed. We would drive out in the morning and enjoy the cool river aii-, and in the evening we would return to Werk-en-Rust quite refreshed. Nov. Sth. — Mr. Robert G. Ross and I sailed for Abram Tuil to 88 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. attend to the interests of our Foreign Missions. Our congregations were good. We wei-e some twenty-four hours on our return voyage, and I suHered terribly from the sun. Mr. Ross was a native of Tobago, an excellent man, lay-preacher, and had been a day school teacher. I had engaged him for Berbice when the London Committee did not choose to send an ordained minister. As an interim supply, Mr. Ross did us good service. On the death of Mr. Maddison, the Rev. J. Banfield engaged him for the Friendship Station. ' Nov. 9fli. — Preached twice yesterday from Acts ii. 38, 39. A good day, but much wearied from the exposure and fatigue of the previous week. Heard this morning of some, from whom I had expected better things, who had gone to the races. May the good Lord take not His Holy Spirit from them.' ' N'or. 2itJt. — Last week was one of extreme agony of mind occasioned by home correspondence. What can be the design of Providence in thus afflicting my relatives in their circumstances, and opening sources of discomfort to us all such as we have never been accustomed to ? " Lord, Thou knowest.'' ' 'Nov. '2~th. — Returned this morning from Supply village in torrents of rain, and wearied almost to death.' ' " 'Nov. 'iOfJt. — Went to Nismes and preached. I baptized twenty-two adult Africans, and three infants. I renewed the membership tickets of sixty persons, and administered the Lord's Supper. Arrived at home at half-past 4 wearied and hungry. Preached in the evening at Kingston, to a large congregation. Two months more and then I shall go (d.v.) to another sphere of labour in the Lord's vineyard. The ' rise and progress ' of the cause at Nismes are worthy of a passing notice, as illustrative of what one really good man may do in the cause of Jesus. Tliis out-station was situate about five miles up on the north side of the Demerary river, and about half a mile fi'om the Hei'stelling plantation on the opposite side. The con- gregation was composed wholly of free (black) labourers. The head man in our society was known by the title of Father Liberty ; he had a family of grown-up children, and he was anxious that each of them should follow in his footsteps. Said he one day to my predecessor, the Rev. William Hudson, ' Massa Hudson, before you do leave the colony, me want you to build one new church at Nismes.' ' That I fear,' replied the minister, ' is impossible. Where is the money to come from 1 ' ' Oh, if dat be all, then me go and see.' The very next day, to Mr. Hudson's grateful surprise, who should be at Iiis office door but Libei'ty, with a Bristol tripe jar on his head. ' What have you got there ? ' said Mi. Hudson. PERSOXAL HISTORY. 89 ' Massy going to see ! ' And he turned the contents of the jar out upon the table, amounting to $750, equal to .£156 3s. 4fZ. The old man explained : ' Dat money be saved for me children, but they no love de religion. So me say, " Me build for them one house of God, and they will be no able to spent Him." ' And the church was built. But Father Liberty's good work did not end with the pi-incely gift just noted. On our Sabbath and weekday visitations to Nismes, the old man would come with his hatteaux across the river to the Herstelling jetty to take us over and back. He never failed when we wanted him. He felt that he was doing service for his Master Christ, and this conviction strengthened his arm and will, in spite of wind, rushing tides, or a scorching sun. ' Me cannot preach de Word of God,' said Liberty to me one Sabbath morning, as we were gently proceeding out of the creek towards the rushing river, ' but me can take preachers to do it.' ' Oh, yes. Father Liberty,' I replied, ' and you are doing God's will in what you do as much as we, in what we do, in coming to Nismes.' These words cheered the old negro's heart. The Rev. George Osborn (now Dr. Osborn) had been appointed to the London secretariat of our Foreign Missions, and on December 1 8th, I had the pleasure of receiving my first letter from him. It was not a business, but a friendly, brotherly communication, which was a great comfort to me. By the same mail I received a letter fi*om Peter J. Bolton, Esq., one of the Secretaries of the ' British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society,' on the subject of the further equali- zation of the sugar duties. The House of Commons was about to inflict a further injury upon the West Indies, and this just and humane society was awake to the importance of helping us to prevent any further wreckage being done. There were two aspects in which the matter had to be viewed : (1) In the interests of the defrauded and oppressed slaves themselves, who were still held in bondage in Cuba and other countries ; and (2) in the interests of the West Indian proprietors, and of the emancipated classes. The Home cry, it was aifirmed, was that of the British people, who wanted still cheaper sugar, no matter that it would be at the cost of prolonged suffering and of political righteousness. But what could we do ? We could only cry to heaven in our weakness ; for to memorialise the Imperial Parliament, under the circumstances, 90 JAMES BICKFORB: Ay AUTOBIOGRAPHY. would be of no use whatsoever. We had thus to wait in indignant silence for the paralysing blow. Dec. \W). — The annual examination of the Werk-en-Eust Day School came off. Sir Henry Barkly, as was his custom, presided, and did us good service. The Hon. William Walker, colonial secretary, John Lucie Smith, barrister, and W. B. Pollard, Esq., membei'S of the Board of Education, and George Ross, Esq., were present. The pupils were in fine form and did well. In mental arithmetic their skill in calculating surprised us all. The writing of two black children — a brother and a sister — were specially good, and specimens of their penmanship were requested by the Governor. Mr. John J. Savory, the master, and Miss Blair, the first assistant, won great praise to-day. We had visitors during this month with whom we were much pleased. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Carter, from Luton, England, and Captain Furze, from Mevagissey, Cornwall, were among the nvimber. Away, from year to year, fi-om the dear old Mother Country, and residing in the tropics, it was quite a Godsend to have now and then intelligent persons in one's domicile. Mi-. Carter was an able local preacher, and Captain Furze was a Methodist of the true Cornish type. Dec. 2bth. — Christmas Day has always had a red letter in the calendar of West Indian Christians, by whom it is gratefully and religiously observed. My Journal jottings say : — ' Preached at 5 a.m. in Trinity Church to a large congregation. Mr. T. Carter preached at 11 a.m., and kindly took the service in consequence of the pain in my chest.' ' Bcc. 28th. — The last Sabbath in the year. Preached at Trinity and Kingston. Was very poorly in the morning, and had hard work to get through the services of the day. A year of toil and mercy.' 1852. Jem. 1st. — Praise the Lord for crowning another year with His goodness. The ' Watch Night Service 'was a solemn season. The church was filled to overflowing. Mr. John J. Savory assisted me. This year may I Hve to God alone. Lord, help me ! On the 5th the usual ' Renewal of Covenant Service,' and the Lord's Supper were duly observed. It was a good beginning of the year's services. PERSOXAL HISTORY. 9] The feelings of my heart ai-e correctly expressed in our beautiful hymn,— ' Oh, happy day, that fixed my choice,' etc., etc. Jan. \Oth. — ' And in the garden there was a sepulchre.' This singular association of a ' garden ' with a ' sepulchre ' represented the beautiful but suddenly changed home-life of the Rev. W. Cleaver and Mrs. Cleaver, at Kingston, in this city. During the year just closed, no member of the mission family had died of yellow fever; but, in the first month of this year, one death from that fearful scourge took place. It was little Charles Carlton Cleaver, only son of my colleague, Mr. Cleaver, who had passed away. He died in the morning, and in the evening we buried him under the bi'anches of the lovely tamarind-tree in the Lodge burial-ground. Precious dust ! In sure keeping until the resurrection morn. Jan. 2Qth. — In the absence of further information from the London Committee, we concluded that our application for permission to return to England after the District Meeting could not at present be granted ; and that my prospective appointment to Barbadoes would take effect. We accordingly commenced packing and other- wise to ' set our house ' (circuit) ' in order,' so as to be ready for our removal. If our health could have permitted it, there were some very good reasons why, at that time, we should have re- mained two or three years longer in Demerara, But that seemed impracticable, and hence our preparation for a removal to the salubrious climate of Barbadoes, which had become, in our estimation, a providential sanatorium for the worn-down and fever-stricken missionaries from the southern stations of British Guiana. This was, of necessity, a time of much anxiety to us. I had, because of the non-arrival of the royal mail steamer from England, to arrange to go to the District Meeting, to be holden in St. Vincent's, without Mrs. Bickford, although she had been again so dangerously ill from the terrible Demerara fever. We were much ' perplexed.' At length the steamer arrived, about midnight, and we were informed that she would leave again at 4 in the morning. So that my colleagues and I were greatly hurried to get away by her. We had a fine run across to Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, arriving there at 1 p.m., on February 5th. I was most kindly welcomed by the Rev. John and Mrs. Corlett, at 92 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Bethel Parsonage, and I was their gi'ateful guest as long as I remained on the island. I spent two Sabbaths in Barbadoes, and preached at James Street and Bethel. On the 9th, Mr. Corlett and I called at Government House to pay our respects to His Excellency Ker Baillie Hamilton, whom I had so intimately known in Grenada. We also called on Mrs. Doctor King. I was much affected at seeing her, now bereft of her affectionate husband, but full of Christian resignation and good works. Feb. VMh. — Left per steamer Derwent for St. Vincent's. On stepping on to the deck, gi-eat was my joy at meeting my old friends, the Rev. Heniy and Mrs. Hurd and their children, the Rev. Mr. Silifant and Mrs. Silifant, and the Rev. J. E. S. Williams and Mrs. Williams. Mr. Williams was sent on a special mission of evangelisation to the Hindus in British Guiana. Mr. Silifant was a Baptist clergyman, on his way to labour in Jamaica, and was a brother to Mrs. Hurd. From my reverend brother, Mr. Hurd, I learnt that he had been charged by the General Secretaries to assure me of the affectionate sympathy of the Committee, and that it was with the greatest regret they saw that the way for my immediate return was not quite open ; that it was mainly at my earnest request the Rev. Mr. Williams had been sent as their missionary to the Coolies in Demerara, and that the Committee feared that my removal at this juncture from the colony might seriously imperil the success of the enterprise. Besides which, the Education question was far from being settled ; and it was believed that my absence, when the matter came again before the Court of Policy for discussion and settlement, might result in damage to thriving and numerous mission schools ; that I was requested to return to Demerara for a fourth year to gviide in the arrangement of these important questions; and, generally, still to help in prosecuting the glorious work of our missions in British Guiana ; and, further, if Mrs. Bickford's health, as well as mine own, were insufficient to bear the strain of a full year's residence in Georgetown, then I was at libei-ty to use my own discretion and retiu-n to England, when it might become absolutely necessary. All of which suggestions seemed so reasonable and just that I could not but say, ' The mil of the Lord be done.' * God helping me,' I said, ' I will remain at my post and do my PERSONAL HISTORY. 93 best to justify the confidence the venerated fathers in England repose in me.' Feb. I'^th. — The Rev. Wilham Bannister, Chairman, commenced the business of the District Meeting. We had a blessed prayer meeting, and the business went on comfortably all day. The Rev. Mr. Williams was introduced to the brethren by the Chairman, and he was conducted to a seat according to his seniority. The Rev. Mi'. Silifant was welcomed as a visitor, and requested to be present at the sessions when it suited his convenience. The official i-eply of the General Secretaries to the Minutes of the previous District Meeting is always received with becoming respect and gratitude. I have sometimes thought, when listening to those famous manifestoes from our head-quarters, that there is more of the minute in them than there need to be. Every report of the state of religion and education in the several circuits, and the expenditure of the grants from the Committee and of locally i-aised moneys for carrying on the work, evidently had been subjected to a watchful criticism, the result of which appeared in the yearly official com- munication. Sometimes there is such an appearance of severity in the comments, that a nervous, thin-skinned brother would feel it to be a trying ordeal. But no ' bones ' are ' broken ; ' and, upon the whole, it must be admitted that such a review of the internal life and working of a foreign district is healthful to the brethren's own tone of spiritual life, and sustaining to the administration of our Episcopus, as the executive officer of the Committee, in the faithful discharge of his onerous, and sometimes very unpleasant, duties. From the official letter, dated January 2nd, 1852, we copy so much as refers to the appointment of the Rev. J. E. S. Williams as missionaiy to the Coolie immigrants in British Guiana. It has never been printed, although worthy of a place in the missionaiy literature of this remarkable century. It marks also the beginning of one of the most merciful missions the great men at the head of our affairs at that time in London ever had the honour of undertaking : — ' The state of the Coolies in Demerara has occupied the serious attention of the Committee, and encouraged by the experience of Mr. Bickford that the Colonial Government were disposed to make provision for the support of a missionary among them, they have decided upon sending Mr. Williams, a returned Indian missionary, and his wife, in company with Mr. Hurd, by the packet of the 17th inst., who shall devote his lime to the work of preaching the Gospel to them in their own language. Mr. Hurd and Mr. Williams, in repeated 94 JA.VES JilCKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGBAPHY. conversations which we have had with them, are made fully acquainted with the Committee's views upon the subject, and the strictest adherence to those views will be expected. Mr. Williams is sent in his proper character as a missionary of the Society, not as a Government agent ; and will receive his allowances, and fall under the general district regulations, the same as all the other missionaries. The mission among the Coolies must be undertaken and conducted as a Wesleyan mission, in which the character of the Society is involved ; and the Government is not to be applied to, to provide for it as a State institution, but to make annual grants to enable the Society to support its own mission. The Committee are encouraged to commence this mission to the Coolies, because they regard it as an especial act of Christian charity to send the Gospel to these poor outcasts of society, and under the persuasion that a well-conducted mission will strengthen the credit and influence of the Society among the friends of religion and humanity in general ; it being an undoubted fact that the wretched state of the Coolies has taken a strong hold upon the Christian philanthropy of this country. Still, however, the undertaking must l)e with the strictest regard to "economy, and the utmost exertions must be made to supplement the annual grant of the Government by local subscriptions, which we are led to expect may be obtained from parties in the colony, who feel deeply interested in the welfare of the Coolies, some of whom have even hesitated to continue their subscriptions to our general mission fund, because we have hitherto neglected to provide for those degraded and destitute strangers.' There was no mistaking the meaning of this document. The District Meeting accepted the responsibility of the appointment of the Rev. J. E. S. Williams as the missionary to the Coolies in British Guiana ; and, in a few days, he and Mrs. Williams embarked with the Demerara brethren, for this new field of labour. March \st. — Sailed from Kingstown Harbour, St. Vincent's, at 4 p.m., in the sloop Nautilus, thirty tons burthen. We were a large party, and had to arrange as best we could. We had an opening made through the partition which separated the ' hull ' from the cabin, and in the ' hull ' we laid mattresses and hung up sails for the ladies' night-quarters. The brethren looked out for themselves — lying on the cabin floor, or stretching themselves on the softest planks on deck. It is really wonderful how English people can accommodate themselves to strange and trying conditions. We were as jolly and content as if we were in nice quarters on board one of the princely royal mail steamers. The party consisted of the Revs. J. Banfield, W. L. Binks, John Wood, B.A., and J. E. S. Williams, with Mrs. Banfield, Mrs. Binks, and Mrs. Williams. I was a kind of supercargo, and catered for the whole party. We were in for a dead beat for the night, and tried to adjust ourselves to our ' environments.' PERSONAL HISTORY. 95 March '2nd. — All the party are very ill from the to.ssings of the sea. March Zrd, 10 p.m. — We arrived off Barbadoes, and agreed to go on in the Nautihis to Demerara. Captain Stanley laid down his course, which was S.S.W. Carlisle Bay then bore east. March 4th. — We had a beautiful day and fair wind. March 5th. — We are still going on delightfully towards our ' desired haven.' We caught a fine barracuda to-day, which our good captain had cooked for the use of the passengers and crew. March Gth, 12 a.m. — The captain has just taken the latitude, and we find ourselves sixty miles from the lightship. 6 p.m. : We are full of anxiety about making the land. It is so low that it is dangerous on account of sandbanks and strong currents to approach too near until the lightship has been seen. March 1th. — Praise the Lord. We saw the ship Hirunda bound for London and spoke her. The captain informed us that the mouth of the river Demerary bore south. He also told us of the lightship. We then made direct for the river, took a pilot from the lightship, and sailed straight into port. We anchored at ten in the forenoon, just in time for the service at Trinity Church. The Rev. W. Heath was preaching a sermon full of sweetness and beauty from St. John XX. 20. It was so good after our voyage, which that morning had so happily terminated. An interesting incident occurred as we were threading our way among the anchored shipping in the port of Georgetown. The ship Lucknoio was right in our way in the stream. It was suggested to our pilot to pass close under her lee, as there appeared to be a great number of Coolies on board. ' Brother Williams,' said I, ' here are some of your sheep just about returning to Madras after the expiration of then- five years of apprenticeship. Give them a right hearty salaam. It will cheer and please them.' Instanter Mr. Williams sprang on to the near bulwarks of our Httle craft, and shouted to them in their own tongue, much to their sm*prise. The emigrants rushed to the ship's side, wildly vociferating, and expressing tlieii- delight. The passing conversation closed with an understanding that Mr. WilHams would go on board the next day before their departure for Madras. March. 9 th. — 'Promptitude being ' the soul of success,' I lost no time on the morning of the day in taking the necessary steps for 96 JAMES JUCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. bringing the fact of the Rev. Mr. Williams's arrival before the Government and the community. Accordingly at 11 we started off for the public builchngs to interview Sir Henry Barkly. The Rev. John Wood, M.A., accompanied us that he might be introduced also to the Governor. Mr. Williams carried over his head in true Eastern fashion his Indian umbrella, made of the bamboo, and Avhich was artistically and beautifully ornamented. As we approached the court-house, he, with his vegetable parachute, became the object of staring surprise to the spectators. A few of the more respectable of the Hindus were standing about, so I said unto him, ' Give them a salutation ;' which he immediately did in their own Tamil, vnth. such a full yet sweetly modulated tone, that it echoed along the corridors with magical effect. The delight of the missionary was ecstatic ; and from that hour he became the accepted friend and religious teacher of the Coolie immigrants. Our interview with the Governor was all that could be desired. Sir Henry was very kind, and spoke freely to Mr. Williams on the svibject of his mission to the Hindu population, and promised his support in every practicable manner. The Hon. W. Walker, Govern- ment Secretary, was also pleased to see Mr. Williams, and spake words of encouragement to him. In the evening Mr. Williams, accompanied by Mr. Wood, went on board the Lucknow to see the Coolie passengers. He went round amongst them, speaking in familiar terms to each, giving them tracts in Tamil and Hindustanee, and commending them to the care of their common Father in heaven. The joy of these wandering Shemites was unbounded in finding, after five years' residence on the sugar plantations, a white Englishman, who could and would speak to them words of wise counsel and kindly feeling. All classes of the community seemed gratified that, by the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Williams, the sin and shame of neglecting the spiritual condition of the Coolies were to be removed. It was, therefore, hardly a surprise that our memorial to the Combined Court for a grant of salary to Mr. Williams was so successful. Our expectations were not large, because at that time the mission was simply an experiment. But we were careful to set forth the whole case, and leave the Court to deal with it on its merits. It was on the 11th, two days after the advent of the missionary, the memorial was considered. My jotting under that date is very jubilant : — PERSONAL HISTORY. 97 ' March Wth. — The Hou. Richard Hayncs moved, to-day in the Comljincd Court, and the Hon. George Booker seconded, that £200 sterling be put on the estimates in aid of salary to Rev. Mr. Williams, and £100 to defray travelling expenses ; which was unanimously agreed to. Ebenezer ! Ebenezer ! ' Mr. Williams now entered upon his work ' with a will.' He was plainly a man who could do nothing by halves, and seemed possessed of all those qualities for the mission upon which his whole heart was set. A missionary to a weak and despised race, yet a man of ripe intellect, great conversational powers, ready resources, and of a quick, fine temper. I was pleased to see how he made the question of the fair treatment of the Coolies by their employers one of essential importance to the success of his work. The first plantation I visited with him was Nismes, where there was a large batch of the immigrants employed under a contract of five years. The evident sympathy he manifested in the best interests of these poor strangers and the acboitness of his remarks gi-eatly pleased me. At the close of his address, one of the head men entered into a discussion -with Mr. Williams. The main point of his argument was that there were no two things in nature exactly alike — then why should there be a forced similarity in religious beliefs 1 Holding out his right hand, he said, ' See these fingers, how they difier both in lengths and uses ! Yet each is equally needful to the construction of the hand, and each has its own functions. So with religion. The English have theu' own, and so have we. They have their long finger, and we have the shorter one. But because the two fingers difier in length, shall I cut oft" the shorter one and cast it away ? No : both are necessary — both useful — both good. So with religion. Why throw ours aside for yours, when it has been good for our people, the same as yoiu' religion has been good for yoiu* people ? ' The discussion, of course, was in Tamil, so that it was not till afterwards that I knew the exact character of the contention. The effect of the objections of the head man upon the whole personality of Mr. Williams was most striking. In reply, he treated the symbol of the ' two fingers ' somewhat playfully, and then proceeded to deal with the ' thing signified ' with due seriousness. He had, he said, something better for them than they had ever previously had ; and he was come all the way from England to make it known to them. Then, by a process of incontrovertible facts, he proved to them that the religion of ' the white man of the 7 98 JAMES lilCKFORD: AN^ AUTOBIOGRAPHY. West ' was a move powerful factor for removing all the ' evils that are in the world ' than was any system of religion that India had ever produced. He would tell them of that better thing if they would listen to him ; besides which, he would help them in any other way that lay within his power. We were standing all the time on the edge of the verandah in front of the ' big ' house, and the Coolies crowded on the steps leading vip to it. At the close Mr. Williams was thanked for his visit, and the immigrants returned to their work. As we walked together from the plantation to our Nismes Church, about a mile away, for an evening service, Mr. Williams manifested much anxious concern for the salvation of these poor strangers. However, he had begun an attack upon the citadel of an ancient superstition, and had secured the respectful attention of his autlitors. Even the short dialectical battle was to him an omen for good. Mr. Williams's next visit was to the Industry sugar estate, about three miles from Georgetown. The manager, Malcolm McNabb, Esq., was a hospitable Highlander, and a regular woishipper at our Trinity Church. We were quite a party on the occasion, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. George Ross, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Cameron, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Bickford, the Revs. John Wood, J. E. S. Williams, and myself. The Coolies were collected in front, and Mr. Williams spoke to them for half-an-hour or so. It was a beautiful spectacle : the visitors in the background, Mr. Williams and Mr. McNabb a little in advance of us, and in the verandah and on the steps were the immigrant hearers. A few of the free labourers, black and coloured, were on the margin. It was a grouping which, if it could have been photo- graphed as we weie all under the spell of the missionary's impassioned speech, would have possessed an historic interest of no mean value. The Coolies thanked Mr. Williams, and said it was very kind of him to come and speak to them. I will here express, a second time, my conscientious belief that the labours of our missionaries have been a known blessing to the white colonists as well as to those of the sable race. This remark specially applies to the two classes as they existed in my time. It may be that there was a degree of repugnance of feeling among the more respect- aVjle of the whites to mingle with the so-called inferior race in our large city congregations in Demerara and Barbadoes ; but then there was always a sprinkling of such through whom our names became PERSOXAL HISTORY. 99 familiar, and the influence of our characters were felt in the best circles of white society. And this influence begot a confidence in our piety and far-reaching knowledge of spiritual experiences, which were availed for times of affliction and seasons of bereavement. This was very much the case in the city of Georgetown, during the period of my incumbency as pastor of Trinity Church. As a sample only I quote the following from my Journal : — • March '2'ird. — The Hon. George Booker called this morning to ask me to visit the Hon. John Croal, who was very ill. He is an old and respectable colonist, and if he be taken off he will be greatly missed from the colony. I called back af,'ain at '> o'clock, and found Mr. Croal a little better.' ' March 2ith. — Called again on Mr. Croal. He was considerably improved, and hopes to leave for Barbadoes by the steamer now expected. May a gracious Providence interpose in his behalf ! ' The case of the Hon. John Croal and my visits to him in his dangerous illness should have some explanation. There were two gentlemen in Demerara, John Croal and Peter Rose, who had been, as members of the Court of Policy, a difliculty, if not a terror, to many an English Governor sent to the colony. Acting together, they could so control the votes of the Court as to create at will a ' deadlock ' in all legislative action. They were men of stalwart size, strong in pui'pose, and powerful in debate. When they would have their own waj' they always had it. The Governor, although backed by the Colonial Office, and supported by numerous officials, was powerless to resist them. The deadlock in 1849, from which the colony suffered so much, was their united creation. The points in dispute were the reduction of the enormous Civil List, and the making a legislative provision for the inti-oduction of thousands of Hindu Coolies to assist in keeping the sugar plantations in a state of efficient cultivation. There was, however, reason in what some people called Rose's madness, as the events clearly proved. The strain upon Mr. Croal was such that ultimately liis health gave way, and he was laid aside by a terrible illness. When his friend, the Hon. George Booker, called upon me to visit him, I was taken by surpi'ise. I asked to know how it was that I had been selected for this painful duty, when Mr. Booker informed me that on that very morning the doctor had advised the calling in of a Christian minister to give spiritual coimsel to the sick man. Further, that the names of several clergymen had been mentioned, and that 100 JAMES BICKFORD : AX ArTOBIOGBAPJIY. Mr. Croal had selected me. Thus armed, I went in the name of the Lord, to minister to this aident poHtician in his distress. I found him lying in a hammock in the centre of a beautifully furnished room, surrounded by a number of sympathising friends. ' Mr. Croal,' said I, ' I have come at your request to see you. Would you like nie to explain to you in a few sentences what the Heavenly Father is willing to do to help pei'sons situated as you are % ' ' That is what I want,' he replied ; ' I am very ill, and I may die and I am not pre- pared.' ' Oh, my God,' I inwardly said, ' this is the crisis of his soul ; help me to lead him to Thee.' I then explained to him the plan of salvation ; assuring him that if he would accept a free and full pardon for all liis sins, he would have that blessing even now. ' Will you accept 1 ' I said ; * there is nothing else.' You become a child of God by being forgiven, but all for Christ's sake.' I then knelt down and commended him in prayer to God. I was deeply penetrated with the belief that the Almighty Father would hear prayer for the removal of the fever which had so merci- lessly prostrated this hitherto very strong man. I expi'essed this belief when I returned to the Werk-en-Rust Parsonage. During the next five or six days I was constant in my visitations to Mr. Croal, when, to our great relief, the R.M. steamer arrived, and our friend was carried on board and left for England, vid Barbadoes, if so advised on his arrival in that island. But Mr. Croal had so much rallied during this short voyage, that his physician recommended he should stay in the mild climate of Barbadoes, in the belief that that would be sufficient. I received during his stay a grateful letter from him, in which he mentioned the rapid progress he was making towards the full restoration of his health. In due course, Mr. Croal returned to Demerara, and, on the very next day after his arrival, he was driven up to our house, that he might personally thank me for my sympathy and prayers ' in the hour of his distress.' He also stated to me his earnest desire to do something for the per- manent support of our mission, by providing in a ' Clergy Bill,' which he intended to lay before the Court of Policy, an annual en- dowment, in recognition of the invaluable services the Wesleyan missionaries had rendei'ed to the Government and the general community by their unostentatious and disinterested labours. As such provision would be exclusively for the educational and spiiitual good of the emancipated classes, I accepted, in behalf of my brethren PERSONAL HISTORY. 101 and the London Committee, the aid so generously proffered. But Mr, Croal had been for many years an annual subscriber to the funds of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and in many other ways had showed his friendly feeling towards the honoured men who had superintended the woi-k in Bi-itish Guiana. I now insert a few jottings from my Journal : — ' Marcli 21th. — I attended by invitation a meeting of the subscribers to the New Orphan Asylum, held in the court-house, when eight directors were chosen from the contributors. But such had been the indifference of the Non- conformists to this humane institution, that we could not even elect one director. This is too bad ; and 1 felt thoroughly ashamed.' ' AjjHI ■ith. — Preached this morning at Trinity, and in the evening at Kings- ton. A splendid prayer meeting at the close of the service was held at Trinity. This is the day appointed by the District Meeting to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon cur congregations and churches in the district.' ' April oth. — This morning I felt very happy, and I could say : " Now, Lord, I feel that I have only one desire to live, and that is to do good." I was much blessed yesterday. My prayer has been answered and now I am wholly Thine. Oh keep me, gracious Lord, in this state all the days of my earthly pilgrimage ! Henceforth this shall be my motto : " This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." ' I am not sure that I had received the grace of a ' perfect ' conse- cration to God, in the same measui-e, before the period just noted. It was a baptism of ' holy fire ' from Christ's mediatorial altar. And what was its merciful purpose? But to prepare me for the terrible ordeal of suffering which was shortly to come upon me. I was to be suddenly arrested in the midst of a series of labours and responsibilities which were being borne, but only for Christ's sake. As long as I had full strength it was a pleasurable toil ; but the ' last feather ' was laid on, and the ' back ' broke. I was sitting at my desk in the upper or third storey of the house, writing an important ofiicial document on the subject of the Coolie Mission for the Governor and Court of Policy, when, suddenly, the cerebrum came within the grasp of power which paralyzed all further effort. I could only compare it to what would probably be the effect of a sti-ong man standing before me with a pair of extended pincers, with one claw gripping one side of the forehead, and with the other claw gripping the other side. My power of further mental 102 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGBAPIIY. action collapsed, and my pen dropped from my hand. I crawled to my room and was laid on the bed. The doctor came in a few minutes, and recognised the case at a glance. * Twenty grains of calomel and twenty-four of quinine,' said he ; ' and in three hours two-thirds of a tumbler of castor oil.' For a desperate attack a despei-ate remedy was needed. The sufferings I endured for the next three days no tongue can tell. The news that I had been seized with the yellow fever spread like wildfire through the city. During the forenoon of the third day it was reported that I had passed away. But it was not so, God having more work for me yet to do in His vineyard. ' May \st. — Since my last entry, I have been on the east coast for a fortnight for the benefit of ray health, but, at Mahaica, I had a relapse and was obliged to call in Doctor Miller. I was again much prostrated. On the evening of the 26th, Mrs. Bickford and I returned to the city, as weak as when I left a fort- night previously. The whole of this week I have been improving, and I have now the prospect of being able to engage in the blessed work to-morrow.' ' 3Iay ird. — Yesterday I preached at Kingston from the words, " It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; " after which I gave the Lord's Supper. Re- turning to Werk-en-Eust, I learned with much pleasure that Mrs. Cameron, our dear friend, had taken the Sacrament with us.' ' " In the midst of life we are in death." Henry J. Sawyer, a young gentleman recently from England, and who had been Sheriff of Essequibo, died on Saturday and was buried yesterday morning. He died at Government House, having been stopping with his cousin the Governor. He died of the yellow fever : hundreds of others also have been cut off by the same dreadful scourge. I trust the merciful God has pitied them and saved them.' ' May 6th.— This day I am thirty-six years of age. Another year of mercy and goodness. This will be a year of change if my life is spared. Whether the time is come for us to return to England, or to take the prospective appointment in St. Vincent's, I can hardly say.' ' May ISth. — The full effects of the Demerara fever do not altogether cease with the apparent removal of the cause. Frequently a strange affection of the brain remains, which is most painful to bear. I had to call in again Doctor Blair to help me, if possible. He prescribed sixteen grains of calomel and sixteen grains of compound extract of colocynth. I was very ill, and Mrs. Bickford and I spent the remainder of the week with our kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. Ross, at Ruimveld plantation. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron were there also, and ministered to our comfort.' '■June 1st. — Death, fire, and fever ! Such is the record. My dear and vene- rated father, John Bickford, yeoman, and formerly of Modbury, Devon, died at North Rhine, South Australia, on the 25th of November, last year, and his precious remains were interred in the little cemetery at Angaston, there to await the resurrection of the just. ' The new Orphan Asylum has been destroyed by fire. It was a mournful spectacle. Mr. Attorney-General Arrindall was the benevolent projector of this PURSO-VAL HISTORY. 103 humane institution. I called, as in duty bound, on him to tender my condolence, which he received for himself and Mrs. Arrindall with much feeling. The destruction of the asylum was a great calamity to our orphan poor. ' The Rev. John Wood, my colleague and inmate at Trinity Parsonage, was taken ill with fever. On the 25th Dr. Blair said it was decidedly a case of j^ellow fever, and that next day would be a critical time for him. In the night he was apparentlj^ approaching death. Mrs. Bickford and I rushed to his help, I holding him up in an erect position, and she bathing his poor forehead with eau-de-Cologne to prevent his fainting away. It was a crucial moment, and we feared the worst. But, in God's mercy, a copious flow of perspiration broke out, and immediate danger was over. ' The Rev. James Banfield, at Golden Grove on the east coast, has been ill from the same scourge twelve days. We had given up all hope in his case, as the black vomit had set in. But what in so many instances had been the pre- cursor of death was in Mr. Banfield's case the turning point of his recovery. I went up to see him, and soon detected symptoms of coming restoration to health. But, it seemed to me, judging from the details Mrs. Banfield gave me of those twelve days of prostration and suffering her husband had passed through, that the sparing of his life at that time was a physical miracle wrought Ijy God, in mercy to the tried Mission families, " lest we should have sorrow upon sorrow." ' Mr. Wood is pronounced to be nicely convalescing. Thank God for prompt medical skill and the Divine blessing upon the means employed.' Jiili/ 5th. — My Journal records — ' Preached to-day at Trinity Church on the conversion of the Philippian gaoler, and gave the Lord's Supper. In the afternoon I visited a Scottish Presbyterian lady, a Mrs. Macintosh, who was very ill. In the evening at Kingston, just after the commencement of the sermon, the cry of " Mi-e ! fire ! FIRE ! " was raised, and the congregation had to be dismissed. A fortnight ago, a similar cry was raised just as the evening service closed, and a rush to the doors took place. Last evening, the house of a Mrs. Thomas was burnt down : her daughter was very ill at the time, but she escaped unhurt. She is a member of my class. Mr. Wood was able to preach yesterday, and seems no worse for it this morning.' ' July \oth. — To-day, Sarah Jane, daughter of the Rev. W. L. Binks, died at Mahaica, on the east coast, of yellow fever. I hastened up bj^ an early train to comfort and to assist our dear friends in this hour of their great trouble. On arriving at the mission house I was much distressed at the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Binks themselves. They had both " been down " with fever, and were prostrated with weakness. An immediate change from the fever-hole, which Mahaica, at certain seasons of the year was known to be, was a dire necessity. But the first thing to be done was the interment of the remains of the dear child, whose pure spirit had fled to the " arms of Jesus." After consultation with the sorrow-stricken parents, I got the sexton to dig a grave under the floor of the scLool-house, and therein we deposited all that was mortal of that once beautiful child. This solemnity being over, I secured the loan of a carriage, and we drove off for Golden Grove and rested there. By the evening train 104 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. we procee^led to the city, and arrived at our humble home in due course. The afflicting scenes of that day are so impressed upon my memory that they can never be forgotten. It was, indeed, a day of sadness : our sun appeared to be covered with a cloud,' ' Jnlji 8l)fZr. — Mr. Williams, our Coolie missionary, returned fron Rerbice this morning very ill. Dr. Blair was called in and prescribed twenty-four grains of quinine and twenty of calomel, to be followed in two hours by the usual quantity of castor oil. A malignant fever is still raging, and the " faculty " prescribe these large doses in the beginning to save time.' ' Aur/. 1st. — llr. Williams is convalescing very assuredly to-day. Praise God.' ' Auf/. 3r^. — My last visit to the Arabian coast. Mrs. Bickford and I went on board the dredging schooner, the Pheasant ; but, leaving the river somewhat late for the falling tide, we were not clear before it began again to wash. We had therefore to come to anchor on the Zeelaudia bank for the night. With the rolling of the vessel and the effluvium from the bilge- water, I suffered much ijain in my head, and was very sick. Mrs. Bickford bore the strain much better than I. Reached Lorg the next day. On the ith, 5th, and 6th, I attended three tea and public meetings, and spoke at each. On the 9th, I preached at Lorg, Queenstown, and Abram Tuil. It was a good day in every respect, and I trust the congregations were comforted and edified.' On the occasion of my visits to the country parts of this wide and laborioiis circuit, I always pressed into them as much work as I could. I did not omit either to call upon the local gentry, who w-ere friendly to our missionaries. Such visits were mvTch valued ; and, oftentimes, left a blessing behind. Theiefore, 'on the day after the Sabbath,' I waited upon the Rev. William Austin, an Anglican clergyman, and brother to Dr. Austin, Bishop of Guiana, Mr. Bagot and family, and other gentlemen, both coloured and white. At the close of the day's exercises I was much fatigued, but I was comforted in the belief that the time was not by any means lost. We returned by sea to Georgetown, reaching our home at midnight on the 13th, and found all well. The arrival of the fortnightly mail steamer is an event of com- manding interest in Demerara to all the Europeans. For days together sometimes, our eyes would be strained by using our telescopes for i-eading the semaphore at the east end of the city. When, at length, the north arm would fall, that was to say that a steamer was in sight ; when the south arm, that was to the effect that it was the royal mail steamer from England. On the 24th, the assuring T appeared, and the whole city was on the qui vive. No letter from the Missionary Committee came to hand ; but my old friend the Watchman did, and was full of Conference news. Mrs. Bickford PERSONAL HISTORY. 105 and I eagerly insjieeted the official ' Stations Sheet,' and therein we saw the welcome words — 'James Bickford is returning Home.' The answer to my prayers and requests, which these five words brought me, seemed to re-nerve my hand for answering letters, as well as to inspirit my heart for attention to other duties. Under date August 25th, my Journal says : — ' Wrote by this mail to the following- friends : — Mrs. Furze, Mevagissey, Cornwall ; Captain James le Messurier, Guernsey ; the Rev. W. L. Thornton, 14, City Road, London ; and my niece, Miss Boon, Modbury, Devon. And in the islands to Rev. John Corlett, Barbadoes ; the Rev. Henry Hnrd, St. Vincent's; the Rev. W. Limmex, Trinidad ; Sidney Stead, Esq., Buxton Grove, Antigua ; Mr. Edward Drew, a student in the Mico Institution, Antigua. So much correspondence is a heavy matter, but it must be attended to. I have been much impressed with this view of correspondence since reading the " Life of William Wilberforce," one of England's greatest philanthropists and Christian statesmen, who, when embarrassed with •' an immense accumulation of letters," remarked, '■ How can I clear away the arrear ? It will cost me a month to do it. Yet courtesy is a Christian duty, and I must write to those who may fairly claim answers." So will I — "giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be' not blamed." ' During my absence in the West Indies my parents had emigrated to South Australia. My father had died there, and my widowed mother was still living in the colony. I was sorely distressed on her account, and on August 31st I wrote the London Committee oflfering, on our return to England, to go out as one of their Australian ministers. The rush to the goldfields had set in, and the English Confei*ence was anxious to sti-engthen its staff of preachers, especially in New South Wales and Victoria. I qviote from my Journal : — ' Wrote a letter to-day (the 31st) to the Committee, offering to go out to Australia for these reasons: (1) I have from the time of my conversion in 1832, felt my sympathies to be in that direction, and these have been strongest when my soul has been most alive to God and to the welfare of my fellow-men ; (2) I prefer colonial to the English work, and I could not but with extreme pain consent to settle down at home and thereby sink, or set aside, the experience and information I have obtained from fourteen years of residence in the colonies ; (3) I strongly desire that my next tield of ministerial labour should supply a home for myself and dear wife for our lifetime ; (4) The climate of Australia is of a medium character, and therefore better adapted to us after so long a sojourn in the tropics ; (5) I would add that the remains of my late venerable 106 JAMES BICKFORB: AX ATJTOBIOGBAPITY. father are interred in a cemetery at Angaston, South Australia ; that my yet ^^'ido^ved mother is still resident in the colony. ... I crave your forgiveness for adding that it would be a mournful satisfaction to see my father's grave, and " o'er it drop a tear ; " to be with and aid b}' my sympathy and prayers my mother in her declining years ; and to use my best endeavours, morally and spiritually, to benefit my lirothcrs and sisters and their families, now in Australia, by my presence and ministrations.' ' Sept. \th. — This day Mr. Wood is again ill. He is very unwell of the fever.' ' Sept. Wi. — " Deep callcth unto deep." iMrs. Bickford, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Wood are prostrate with fever. In the afternoon I buried our clear friend, Miss Fisher, late sister of Mrs. John Evans. She died of yellow fever.' ' Sl'jH. \Wi. — Mrs. Brown, the overseer's wife at Thomas estate, died yesterday, and this evening her remains were interred. She has been called to seek the, Lord about eighteen months, and she walked obediently in God's statutes. Her affliction was a deeply painful one, but her soul was happy. She has gone to heaven to be with Jesus.' 'Sept. 17th. — Returned yesterday from the Supply village (up the river), to which place I had gone for services the day before. I was overpowered with heat, and was compelled to lie down in the hattcaux. I was very ill as the consequence of this exposure, and had to take strong remedies.' ' Oct. lOfh. — Received a kind letter to-day from the Rev. George Osborn, Junior Missionary Secretary, on the subject of our return to England, but not one word about the appointment of an ordained minister for Berbice, nor concerning the circuit whose superintendency I am so soon to vacate. This is verj' perplexing.' • Oct. 25th. — The Annual Missionary Meeting was held at Kingston : Thomas A. Spooner, Esq., in the chair. It was a deeply interesting time.' ' Oct. 26th. — The meeting at Trinity Church came off ; Sir Henr_y Barkly presided with great ability. The Hon. W. Walker and the Hon. W. Bruce Ferguson spoke for our Foreign Missions. The Revs. J. Banfield and J. E. S. Williams assisted. The Governor told me at the close how much he had been pleased. He said " that such sustained eloquence as he had heard that night be had never kno^vn surpassed ; not even in the English House of Commons. That evening would always be a pleasant memory to him." ' 'Oct. 21th. — After nearly four years of pleading with the London Committee for the appointment of an ordained minister for Berbice, we succeeded in our request. Another illustration of the famous maxim : " All good things come to those who wait." Dr. Hoole communicated this pleasing news to me. He said in his welcome letter : " The Committee has concluded to send a missionary to Berbice." That was all, but it was enough.' 'Nov. Zrd. — And now it became necessary for me once more to visit Berbice, for I had good news to tell our Dutch friends and our own people. I therefore left in the steamer Tynr, and made a quick passage from port to port. We took only seven hours and twenty minutes. Surely there is nothing like steam for speed and comfort in traversing the sea ! Mrs. Dalgliesh, wife of the Rev. John Dalgliesh, London missionary in New Amsterdam, had just returned from Scotland, and was one of our passengers. She lent me her copy of Mrs. Stowe's world-renowned book, entitled " Uncle Tom's Cabin," which I read all .the way up. By turns I laughed and I cried ; yea, I almost cursed as I learnt of the PERSONAL HISTORY. 107 senseless and brutal conduct of the Legrees, on the southern plantations, towards the black and coloured people. In my soul, I hope, I did not sin, but I was on the very edge of doing it. I was enraged at the tale unfolded by Mrs. Stowe. '• Is the story true," said I. Well, upon this point I will get corroborative or condemnatory evidence from the lips of the old planters still living in these once accursed slave-holding lands, and the world shall know the result. Alas ! alas ! I found that there was hardly an incident of wickedness told in ' Uncle Tom ' that could not be paralleled in the earlier history of British Guiana, Mutatlt mutandis. And Mrs. Stowe's story would be true of the slave renlvie in these once unhappy lands ! ' On this occasion of my visit, I spent nearly a week in preaching and visiting. On the evening of the 3rd, the day of my arrival, I preached in Mr. Dalgliesh's church to 130 persons. On the 4th, I visited our members and Scotch and Dutch friends, and preached in the Lutheran church in the evening. On the .oth, I did more visiting, and in the afternoon I went out to Cumberland and held a religious service. On the 6th, I passed over the river to the west coast, and spent the day very profitably with the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Roome, at the London Missionary Station. I returned to New Amsterdam by the evening boat, and went directly to the house of Mrs. Hancock's son, to christen it, as it was called. This is a good custom, and I tried to encourage it. On the 7th, I preached in New Amsterdam twice, and once at Cumberland. Besides, I renewed the tickets of ninety-five members, and gave the Lord's Supper at both places. It was a busy, but a happy day. On the 8th, I returned overland in the mail waggon for Georgetown, a distance of seventy-five miles. Our good people at Berbice are blessing God that at length a minister is to be appointed for them. I praise God also with all my heart.' A gap of twelve days occurs in my Journal. On the 20th, I say — ' Since my last entry I have been laid aside with fever, superinduced, no doubt, by the heavy labours in Berbice, and the fatigue of the overland journey. I-ast Sunday I was unable to preach, and Mr. J. J. Savory and the Rev. J. E. S. Williams took my appointments. On Tuesday Mrs. Bickford and I went up to the "Industry" plantation, at the invitation of Malcolm McNabb, Esq., the hospitable manager. I improved very much by the change, and came home last evening pretty well. Oh, that the Lord in mercy may " prop the house of clay " a few weeks longer, when I hope to leave the tropics for a more salubrious clime ! ' ' Bee. ith. — A busy week ; employed in collecting the annual subscriptions for our Foreign Missions, and in superintending a lot of mechanics about the premises. Mr. James Rogers, one of our best men, employs and directs these workers, and I pay them every week. Preaching and visiting the sick have also been attended to. The temporal and spiritual prosperity of the mission lies near my heart.' ' Bee. 5th. — A very wet day, and congregations small. We have had great sorrow to-day from the following circumstance : Captain John Smith, of the barque Gratitude, belonging to Messrs. J. Lidgett & Son, London, shipowners, a good man, who had rendered himself very dear to us, was to be buiied to-day. He was taken ill on Friday on board the vessel, came on shore on Saturday, and 108 JAMES BICKFORB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. died on Sunday. He sent for me, but it was too late. As I was leaving our house, a second messenger (one of our members; came with the melancholy news of his death. His last Sabbath was spent with us, and the last sermon he heard was from my lips. The text was : '• The Master is come and calleth for thee." He died of the prevailing fever, which has taken ofE many of the sailors, especially the captains of vessels lying in the river.' ' Bee. 10^/(.— This morning the " mate " of the Gratitude died after two days' illness ; also the " mate " of the PhoewLr — both of the yellow fever. Mr. Murray, one of our respectable merchants, called on me to perform the funeral service over them, which I did, but it was a mournful sight. • News came to hand that the Revs. Chatterton and Eotherham have suc- cumbed to the relentless foe — both young men and full of promise for useful- ness, but they are gone. When will the Heavenh^ Father stay His hand in mercy to the white life in Demerara and Barbadoes ? When / ' . . . ' Bee. 16tJi. — To-day in the Court of Policy the battle was again fought over the " Secular Education " project, which, if carried as provided in the Bill, would have crippled and ultimately destroyed our mission day-schools. We could not stand quietly by and allow such a finale to come about without a strong protest. The clerical educationists mustered in great strength in the Court whilst the discussion was going forth. We heard the " memorials " read ; and, from where we sat, we could watch the effect upon the countenances of the members. The three best speeches were those of the President of the Court, Sir Henry Barkly, Mr. Secretary Walker, and the Hon. Thomas Porter. The feeling of the Court evidently was that the religious bodies, which had for so many years expended money, and time, and ability, in aid of the educational work of the colony, were entitled to be heard, and to have justice done to them ; and that no case had been made out by opposing parties for ruthlessly arresting the good work they were doing. Besides which, it was felt by several of the members that such a system as that proposed would cost more than the colony at that time could bear. Beyond, therefore, the providing for a more careful and vigorous inspection of existing schools, and the gradual introduction of such improvements as Mr. Commissioner Dennis might suggest, nothing more of a i)ractical or destructive kind was done. But a principle was affirmed, which should apply to any prospective legislation upon the subject, as follows : " That in all schools deriving any portion of their support under the provision of such Bill, religious instruction founded upon the precepts of Holy Scripture be imparted to the pupils." By this resolution of the Court of Policy the posi- tion of the Wesleyan missionaries in their relation to this question was upheld, for, in the absence of specific instructions from the London Committee, we were not at liberty to diverge from those principles the English Conference had adopted.' ' Bee. I'th. — By the mail I had the satisfaction of hearing from the General Secretaries on the subject of the Coolie mission ; also a kind letter from the Rev. Dr. Hoole on matters of a personal and circuit character. I received another letter from the Rev. John Corlctt detailing the particulars ancnt the affliction and death of Brother Rotherham. • The Rev. J. E. S. Williams and I called upon Governor Barkly to lay l)cf ore him certain particulars relating to the Coolie mission. We had to tell him that the London Committee threw the entire support of the mission upon the PERSONAL HISTORY. 109 Government and Christian friends and well-wishers in the colony. We required to rent and furnisli a house, as the parsonage at Kingston was no longer avail- able. He was very kind, and promised us £50 in aid of the expenses of the mission.' ' Dec. 2Wi. — The annual examination of the Werk-en-Rust School came off to-day. There was a large attendance of pupils, nicely clad, and looking healthful and happy. His Excellency Sir H. Barkly, Chief Justice Arrindall, and several other gentlemen were present. The result of the examination was most satisfactory to our distinguished visitors.' As this was the fourth and last time I expected to be at this annual demonstration, I was anxious that the Governoi- and the Chief Justice should know what we were really doing for the mental and moral improvement of the pupils of this large and influential city school. And they were greatly pleased. Nothing could exceed the beautiful simplicity and practical value of His Excellency's address to the scholars and teachers at the close of the exercises. The pupils cheered him heartily as he left. It was a proud day for Mr. Savory, Miss Blaii-, and the assistant teachers. 1853. Jan. \st, 1853. — I quote from my Journal :- Praise the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits." The last two hours of the last year were spent at the ' Watch Night Service,' at Trinity Church. The Rev. J. E. S. Williams preached an eloquent discourse from Dan. v. 2o. His studies when a missionary in the East greatly helped him in his expo- sition. I followed with an exhortation, urging an immediate abandonment of all sin, and a renewed consecration to God. It was a solemn time for both ministers and people. I do not remember ever to have had such a delightful sense of God's goodness as when I rose from my knees, and congratulated the congregation by offering to them in the Name of the Lord " A Happy New Tear."' ^Jan. '2nd. — Preached at Trinity Church to a large congregation. We then renewed our covenant to be the Lord's, and sealed it at the Lord's Table. It was a solemn and blessed time. ' ^ Jan. \2th. — I had now to pay my final visit to Berbice : Mrs. Bickford accompanying me. We had a nice passage up, and were received with much affection by Mr. Thomas Eraser, Miss Dow, and other Wesleyan members. When not holding public services, I visited the Society and our Scotch and Dutch friends. I preached as usual three times on the Sabbath ; twice in New Amsterdam, and once at Cumberland. I renewed the tickets of member- ship of nearly one hundred members, and gave the Lord's Supper twice. ' I cannot refrain from mentioning the names of those dear friends who were most hospitable and kind to us on this occasion of our last visit : Mr. and Mrs. 110 JAMES BICKFORB: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Roelof Hart, Mrs. Dr. Koch, Mrs. Obermiiller, Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Fraser, and the Rev. John and Mrs. Dalgliesh. I preached my last sermon in the Dutch Church, on the evening of the 17th, to an immense congregation. Vale!' We returned by sea to Georgetown on the 20th, and found that during our absence Mrs. Williams had been very ill. The Rev. W. L. Binks, who, after ten years of incessant and useful labour and many personal and family afflictions, has obtained permission to ' return home,' came from Mahaica that we might consult over the affairs of his circuit. We had no practical difficulty in making arrangements for the caring of the work until a successor airived. We also agreed that we would go by the same ship from Demerara direct to London. The Annual District Meeting was this year to be held in St. Vincent's ; but, in consequence of the prevalence of that dreadful scourge, the yellow fever, it had to be postponed. The Rev. R. Ridyard, a promising young missionary, had died at Oalder, and a Miss Handley, a Christian young lady employed as governess in one of the mission homes, had died at Calliaqua ; whQst Mrs. Bannister, the wife of the Chairman, was hopelessly ill. The Rev. Mr. Pritchard was laid aside also. The early months of 1853 set in with a heavy cloud over the whole of the white people, and we seemed as walking upon the very edge of eternity. We in Demerara were under very great pressure, and every day of delay in our departure for England, appeared to imperil our very lives. Therefore, on February 23rd, Mr. Binks and I went on board the barque Cleopatra, Captain McEachem, and took our passages for London. We wrote a joint letter to the Rev. W. Bannister, Chairman of the District, informing him of our inability to be present at its sessions this year. March 5th. — I copy from my Journal as follows : — * Visited my much-respected and venerated friend, the Hon. George Bagot. Old age and ailments have come upon him, and his time cannot be long. His mind appears to be in a tranquil state. He rests alone for salvation upon the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. I also called upon my friend, the Hon. W. B. Ferguson, who, with his family, expects shortly to leave for London. The friendship of Messrs. Bagot and Ferguson were to me, under some trying responsibilities, a source of strength and of much comfort. I cannot but believe that God " raised them up " for my aid in conducting the important mission entrusted to me in British Guiana. Mr. Sheriff Bagot was an Irish Episcopalian, and Mr. Ferguson was a Scotch Presbyterian — both representa- tive and Christian men, whose friendship I both needed and valued.' PERSONAL HISTORY. Ill In order that the work of the mission might be sustained and even prosecuted with greater vigour than ever, we brought all the influence we reasonably could to bear upon the Combined Couit, whose annual session was to be held this month. To our former clients, the eman- cipated classes, we had now to add the Coolie immigrants, whose civil and spiritual condition lay heavily upon our hearts. With no grants from the London Committee for any branch of the English or other work in the Province, we were again compelled to look to the Colonial Treasury for the pecuniary help required. Memorials to the Court were accordingly prepared, and confided to the financial representa- tives for presentation at the proper time. The result is noted in my Journal : — 'The Combined Court has sat, and much Inisiness has been got through. The Court has been very liberal to us. It has granted .$1,840 to the Coolie mission ; $250 to aid in building a " Chapel-schoolhouse " in Stanley village, near Mahaica ; .S2.50 to aid in establishing a Wesleyan daj^-school in New Amsterdam; and $500 in " aid of children of indigent parents " in Georgetown.' The Coolie mission met with great favour from the Government. And no wonder ! For the presence of the Rev. Mr. Williams was a great relief to the authorities in dealing with this imported increment of our mixed population. Soon after Mr. Williams's ' arrival,' there was a murder case to be tried, in which one or more of the Coolies were concerned ; when the services he alone could render were availed of as sworn interpreter. It was a long and painful trial ; and, for the first time, the judge expressed his satisfaction that they now had a gentleman of high character and linguistic ability to help the Court in the administration of justice. In the preparation of official documents relating to the social conduct of the immigrants ; their obligatio]is as indentured labourers on the sugar plantations to the managers and the free blacks ; together with a number of other questions arising out of their location amongst us, and then" amena- bility to oiu' laws, Mr. Williams was a willing and invaluable assistant. Indeed, he was soon known and recognized as the Coolies' friend as well as spiritual guide. Every da)^ now spent in Demerara bi-ought the time of our expected departure so much the nearer. It was, therefore, because trending in tliis dii-ection, that I felt considerable relief when, on March 11th, our brethren, the Revs. W. Heath and J. Banfield, sailed in the R.M.S. Derwent, vid Barbadoes for St. Vincent's, to attend the session of the 112 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Annual District Meeting, thereby relieving me from all further official connexion with. it. All the necessary documents I had prepared, and I committed them to the custody of Mr. Heath for presentation to the Chau-man of the Distiict. I had also arranged for paying to the Treasurer of the District all Connexional moneys which, once in every year in oui' West India districts, are required to be settled. ' John Mason's ' book account, and the annual subscription for the London Watchynan, had to be included, or the Missionary Committee would know ' the reason why ' ! I purchased a liill, at par, on the Colonial Bank, in London, for £308 15«. 4rZ., and committed it to the custody of Mr. Heath to pay over at the District Meeting, This transaction settled all my monetary relations to the St. Vincent and Demerara district, of which I had been a member fifteen years. The sense of conscious relief I experienced seemed as if Godsent. My interest in Demerara had not yet completely gone. For instance, at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Mui-ray in the Scotch Church, ' by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery,' I could not but feel a deep concern. This church had suffered much for many years, and now it was hoped that a ' time of reviving ' and re-establish- ment of the good cause would be witnessed. On the 15th I attended, by special invitation, the olfieial opening of the ' Orphan Asylum and School of Industry,' when, at least, 400 persons were pi'esent. I was much delighted with all that I saw and heard. On the 25th, we heard of the death of the Rev. Mr. Pritchard, at Calder, St. Vincent's, of yellow fever. When will this ' Reaper ' cease his desolating visitations of our much weakened missionaiy staff? Lord, when? ' March 2St7i. — This is my last officiating Sabbath in the city of Georgetown. I preached at Kingston and Trinity on Acts xxvi. 22, 23. At tlae latter service wc had an overflowing congregation, and I was much affected. My physical strength was unequal to the effort, and my soul was " cast down and disquieted within me." The thought that this is the last time for me to preach to this dear, loving people quite overwhelmed me. Four years of preaching, making in all over seven hundred times, and with what result ? I will not afflict my already burdened heart with unprofitable regrets ; but hope for the best. 1 have gone "forth weeping bearing precious seed ;" shall I not, when the harvest time comes, appear " rejoicing," with " sheaves " of success ? ' The remainder of my tale is soon told. The missionai'ies, Messrs. Banfield, Heath, Biggs, and Wrench arrived in Georgetown on the 29th March. They brought to us comfoi-ting news respecting PERSOXAL HISTORY. 113 the new appointments for BritLsli Guiana. The Rev. John Corlett, a man of impulsive natiu-e and fine disposition, well-cultured and eloquent in the pulpit, was by the District Meeting sent to succeed me in the Georgetown Cii^cuit. His colleagues were Messrs. Biggs and Heath. The Rev. John Wood was appointed to the Bei'bice IMission, and Rev. R. Wrench to the Mahaica Circuit. The Rev. J. Banfield was continued in the Golden Grove Circuit, and the Rev. W. Heath in the Abram Tuil Circuit. All the circuits were provided for in this manner. On April 1st I prepared a Cu-cuit Balance Sheet, and committed it to the custody of Mr. Biggs for presentation to my successor on his arrival. On this being done, I gratefully say in my Journal : — ' My miud is greatly relieved, and I am now looking forward to next Monday, when we expect to embai'k for our native land. It was the casting ofE a heavy burden, which I was unable any longer to carry.' My reverend brethren assembled at the District Meeting were so good as to place upon their Minutes an expression of then* respect and love for me, and of the work in the several circuits in which I had laboured for the term of nearly fifteen years, being five years over the usual term of service for English missionaries. The resolution is as follows : — ' The brethren acknowledge with thankfulness the kind permission of the Committee for the return home of Brother Bickford. He has laboured in this District upwards of fourteen years with great acceptance and usefulness, and his removal will be long and deeply felt by us, and also by our people in the different circuits where he has been stationed. They affectionately commend him and Mrs. Bickford to the kind attention of the Committee, and to the ever- watchful providence of our covenant God.' ' A Roland for an Oliver.^ — The historian, J. A. Froude, recently took a hasty run through the West Indies, since when he has written a book, in which he says : ' You must not trust the negro with political power ; remember Hayti. ... A religion, at any rate, which will keep the West Indian blacks from falling back into devil worship is still to seek.' Mr. Froude ought to have known better than thus to have written. He little thought, as he was preparing his scandalous libel on the character of the Queen's coloured subjects in the West Indies, that, at the very time, there was living in Trinidad, an educated black gentleman, a Mr. Thomas, who, like a modern Xemesis, would scourge him for his audacity ' with many stripes.' A book, having the appropriate title of ' Froudacity,' was published, in which the insulted author stingingly says : ' Away with your criminal suggestion of the hideous orgies of 114 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOniOGRAPTIY. heathenism in Hayti, for the benefit of our future morals in the West Indies, when the political supremacy which you predict shall have been an accomplished fact.' But let us see how this question really stands ? "Why, such has been the steady progress of our West Indian Missions, that in 1884: the English Conference gave them a constitution for managing their own affairs by a general triennial conference, and two colonial annual conferences, subject only to an affiliation with the parent body in England. There are, at least, one hundred and seventy-five thousand persons in our schools and congregations ; and, inclusive of the Moravians and other Christian denominations, there will probably be a million of the black and colom-ed races under the preaching of the Gospel, and guided by the faithful pastors in all matters of faith and morals. Instead, therefore, of retrogression — 'a falling away' — as Mr. Froude basely insinuates, there has been marked advance aU along the lines. The Voyage Home. ' They that go down to the sea in ships . . . see His wonders in the deep.' The prevailing reason why Mr. Binks and I chose to go home by a sailing ship and not by the royal mail steamer was that it would cost less money ; besides, it would be more direct than by making the islands' route as far west as St. Thomas's, before finally leaving for London. But if we could have foreseen what woidd be the disagreement on board the Cleopatra^ we should have gone by steam. Still, we got over the voyage safely ; but rouglily, as must be admitted by all the passengers. The Journal jottings possess even now a freshness of interest for the waiter ; and, possibly, as showing what a sea voyage was like thirty-six years ago in one of our West India sugar-carrying vessels they may have some interest for modern sea-travelling missionaries, in the magnificent steamships of the present time. We can only give briefest extracts : — ^ Cleojpatra, April ith. — We went on board, and the anchor was raised at 2 p.m. The Revs. Biggs, Williams,* Banfield, and Wood accompanied us. * In the month of August 1853, this devoted missionary, in the fulfilment of his duties to the Coolie immigrants, again visited Berbice. Whilst there he was attacked a second time with the yellow fever. On the news reaching Demerara, Mrs. Williams, accompanied by the Rev. John Corlett, hastened by the overland route to Berbice, just in time to see this eminent man pass away. He died on the 27th. A chastened grief pervaded the whole colony, and all classes of persons bewailed the public loss in his early removal from his beloved work. Governor Barkly, in a touching communication to the Colonial Minister, Earl Grej^ bore testimony to the high character and great usefulness of the labours of the deceased missionary. PERSONAL HISTORY. 115 Mr. J. N. Pieters came alongside in the Customs' boat, once more to thank mc for some little kindnesses to himself and family. Our old friends, Mr, George Eoss. Mr. Allan Cameron, and Captain Millard remained until we were some six miles beyond the lighthouse. The pilot is a Mr. Adams, a short, black man, well up in his calling, but it is easy to see that his " word of command " is not liked by the white sailors. It is too authoritative and vehement, they say ; and is like nigger driving. We got on a bank and anchored for the night. We got again " under weigh " the next day and reached the lightship at 10 p.m., when the pilot left us, on the Sth ; we made Barbadoes, covering the distance from Deraerara in sixty-eight hours. Captain. McEachem, fearing that he could not weather the island, bore away N.N.W., and passed between St. Vincent's and Barbadoes to the north. We are now away from the sight of land. The certainty of our severance from our West India friends we now realized with much acuteness and affectionate regrets. Mrs. Bickford and I sat down ii^ mute wonderment at the mercif alness of God's providence in permitting both of us to have lived through our West India term, and to be now on our way back to the fatherland, from which we had gone out so many years before.' ' April 10th. — This is the first Sabbath on board, but so different from those spent in. Trinity Church, Georgetown. Everything is quiet, and the captain, officers, and crew are showing their respect for the Sabbath by putting on their black coats, and otherwise presenting a cleanly appearance. We had Divine service on deck, and in the evening family worship.' ' April I3th. — By a sudden squall our ship was thrown aback ! By the captain's prompt action we were soon out of danger " of going down by the stern." We made a complete circle in getting right again.' ''April Mill. — Holy Sabbath. Mr. Binks preached on the " Parable of the wise and foolish virgins." It was a faithful and excellent discourse.' ' April 2Wi. — The Holy Sabbath. There had been so much unpleasantness on board, that I preached on the subject of God's love to a lost world, in the hope that the hearts of all present might be softened toward each other. Mr. Binks at the close offered up an affecting and solemn prayer. ' ' May 2nd. — Last night, at eleven o'clock, we had a heavy squall. All hands were called on deck, and the studding sails were got off. Some injury was done to the sails, and one of the bumpkins was wrenched from its place. 4 p.m. : We are carrying only one double-reefed topsail and a foresail. Wind furious, and sea tremendous. Nevertheless, we are making seven and a half knots on the right course.' ' 3Iay drd. — 12 a.m. : The wind came suddenly fi'om the north-west, and had hurricane force. In the midst of this awful storm we narrowly escaped a dreadful collision. We showed our light at least ten minutes before it was apparently recognised by the passing ship. At the last moment our captain " kept away," and the threatening intruder passed close under our stern. The captains exchanged some words not of the most complimentary kind.' ' May ith. — The Cleojjatra is a spectacle of distress, with nothing hardly but bare poles. We had only one able seaman capable of steering over these tremendous seas, and he kept to the helm until the danger was over. Such an instance of physical endurance I never saw at sea before. I thanked him for his devotion to duty. Our captain, too, behaved admirably all through this trying time. His skill and steady courage were beyond all praise. I should 116 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. think that for forty-eight hours he was not ten minutes together absent from the deck.' ' May 6th. — To-day I am thirty-seven years of age. I seem to have lived long ; although I am some years from the period accepted as the meridian of English life, say from forty to fifty. " God be merciful to me," and direct my future steps aright.' During the remainder of the voyage nothing of special notice occurred. We had, as is usual, fair, foul, strong winds and calms in irregular succession. The distances, kindly furnished to us by the captain, marked the gradual l)ut sure approach of the Cleopatra to the end of her voyage : — ' May I6th. — We are four hundred and eighty miles from the Lizard.' ^ May 20t7i. — We are one hundred and twenty-five miles from the Start.' My last jotting is — ' " Praise the Lord." ^Ye at last see the Eddystone, thirteen miles distant. At 3 p.m. we left the ship, and went on board a Cowes cutter, and in four hours we landed at Plymouth. Once more we were in our beloved native land. " So He bringeth them unto the haven where they would be." ' The Eetrospect. Mr. Wesley, after having been two years and eight months in Georgia, returned to England in 1738. Reviewing his mission, he says, * I went to Amei-ica to teach the Georgian Indians the nature of Christianity, and what have I learnt myself ? ' Mr. Wesley found Georgia to be a sevei'e disciplinary school, but his experiences were turned to good account. ' God showed him,' in that unfriendly land, ' what was in his heart.' In like manner, many of Wesley's sons have learnt in the discipline of the foreign field many lessons tending to develop a fitness for the onerous duties of a mission station, which could never have been gained in the stereotyped routine of English Methodist circuits. Personal observation, extending over many years, suggests the desirability of a certain class of our young men beginning their ministerial life by a ' breaking-in,' in such countries as may climatically and intellectually suit them. Some very sage and earnest men have even suggested, not ill-naturedly, but in view of the greater influence of young ministers, that a ' breaking- down ' also could not fail of being of the greatest use. Many of our ablest, noble.st and sense-endowed men, now in English Methodism, had their earliest training in India, Africa, the iSouth Seas, the PERSONAL HISTORY. 117 West Indies, and Bi'itish Guiana, who, on returning to England at the close of their terms of honourable service, have taken influential circuits and the highest official positions ' the British Conference ' can confer upon its most trusty members. What have I learnt myself % My answer is : — (1) I have learnt from incontestable evidence that God, in His pi'ovidence, gave to English Methodism a vocation to carry the Gospel of the ' common salvation ' to the black and coloured popu- lations of the British West Indies; — the conversion of the Hon. Nathaniel Gilbert, Speaker of the House of Assembly in Antigua, in 1760, under Mr. Wesley's preaching in London ; the advent of Mr. Baxter, a local preacher, into Antigua, in a responsible position in His Majesty's dockyard; the eniigration of an Irish jNIethodist family for Georgia, but driven by stress of weather to Antigua ; and, at last, on Christmas Day, 1786, Dr. Coke himself, with three missionaries, originally designed for North America, were compelled by wind and storm to make for this elect island. These incidents, in our judgment, are links in a Divine chain of causes and effects, for giving force to the purpose of a mei-ciful God in making known in this part of His vineyard the gloriovis Gospel of Christ. The further proof is found in the generous willingness of the English Methodists to subscribe the funds for fostering and extending the good works ; also, in the chivalrous spirit shown by a succession of missionaries, of eminent piety and ability, whom God has raised up for carrying on this loving enterprise. ' It is the Lord's doing.' (2) I learnt to respect and love the black and coloured people in the West Indies. Amongst them I had generous and loving friends. I never had any sympathy with the cruelly absurd and depreciating remarks made by cynical and ungenerous white people, in regard to their mental powers and capacity for appreciating and practising the doctrines and precepts of Christ, as recorded in the New Testa- ment. And the names of very many are still present to my mind as synonyms of all ' that is lovely and of good report.' As leaders of classes, male and female, in my belief, they have never been surpassed for faithfulness and loyalty by any of their co-officials in England or elsewhere. Many of the young men, mostly of the coloured class, have given themselves to the Ministry, and aie effectually helping the English missionaries in carrying out the work of the Lord with credit and success. 118 JAMES JilCKFOBD : AX AUTOJilOGRAPHY. (3) When the social evolution -wrought by the Emancipation Act in 1838 was fully realized, complexional distinctions died out ; and as years succeeded to that blessed event, a clear and broad road was created for all classes to respectable professions, intermarriages, and the acquirement of material comforts, without prejudice or distinc- tion. Absolutely there was no bar to the improvement and happi- ness of the West Indians, but such as those they might unwittingly throw across their own path. (4) I learnt that my mission had not been ' a fool's errand.' Every truth of Divine revelation I accepted during my student days, and which I firmly held at the time of my ordination in 1838, I tested in the presence of numerous congregations to whom I sustained the responsible relation of ' pastor and teacher ' for about fifteen years. I found that human natiire was the same, and that the needs of the human soul were the same, in the sable and white races, without exception or qualification. I proved to a demonstration theii' equal eligibility to experience a sure process of personal recon- ciliation with God, and heirship to etei-nal life. ' There was no difference : ' ' Christ was all and in all.' (5) I have no regrets at having given the best years of my earlier manhood to this portion of our great mission-field. True, the West Indies had ' the beginning of my strength.' My residence there, as English life goes in the tropics, seems to have been a protracted period ; but I do not begrudge it. The gratitude and the love of our people are an abundant rewai"d. (6) In the civil elevation and spiritual improvement of what was once the slave population, we have both the pattern and the pledge of what may yet be done for Afric's sons and daughters on their own great continent, as well as for other sable races in different parts of the world. The experiment of a hundred years of evangelising and civilising appliances, in these once benighted islands, for the salvation and elevation of all classes of the people, has been a gratifying success. The slave has sprung up into a freeman of Jesus Christ; the Creole has shown the possession of an innate force of character for which he had gained no credit ; and ' the white man ' has put away his mean and foolish prejudices, and now lives in peace and harmony with those he once oppressed. There has not been witnessed, as yet, the welding together of these varied races into one sohd, social mass, as may be hoped and prayed for ; still, all things considered, the conspicuous PERSONAL HISTORY. 119 advancement of Negroes and Creoles alike to the position of a law- abiding, contented, and religious people is such as should gladden the hearts of all philanthropists and Christian workers in every part of the civilised world. ' He hath visited and redeemed His people : ' ' Blessed be God ! ' England, May 1853 to January 1854. — My health was too feeble for me to do much work during the above period. However, I managed to preach over sixty times in the South of Devon, Cornwall, and in London. I spoke, as I had opportunity, at missionary meetings ; but I was unable to place myself at the disposal of the London Committee for deputation work. I was frequently the subject of distressing fever pains, consequent on biliary derangements, which laid me low during their continuance. Mrs. Bickford also was very unwell, and we needed each other's help a good deal. The good Methodist people in Devonshire had to take the ' will for the deed ; ' for active, effective service was for me impossible at that convalescing, transition period. AUSTRALIA. 1853—1888. THIED PART. BY the English Conference, August 1853, 1 was a^^pointed as one of the ministers of the Melbourne Circuit, Victoria. It was expected that I shoidd be in my new circuit in the early part of 1854, io that Mrs. Bickford and I would have only about eight months for ' pulling up ' our health and for visiting our kindred and friehds. We took in regular order Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Modbury, Ivybridge, Ashburton, Plymovith, and Camelford, Avhere we had brothers and sisters or acquaintances. At each of these places, I either j)reached on the Sabbath, or church anniversaries, or missionary meetings. I attended the Annual Conference at Bradford, and had the great pleasure of being the welcome guest of the Misses Pickles and Townend at Great Horton. I and three other West Indian missionaries, Messrs. Bannister, Hudson, and Binks, spent many a happy hour at the Marsdens, in their beautiful home. The Bev. John Lomas was elected President, and the Rev. William Barton, Secretary. The platform was filled with venerable men, whom for many years I had longed to see. I may mention Doctors Bunting, Newton, Beecham, Dixon, the brothers Thomas and Samuel Jackson, the Eevs. George Marsden, George Osborn, and William Arthur. Dr. Beaumont was on the floor of the ' house,' and so was Joseph Fowler, a keen and fearless debater. Everything I saw and heard greatly interested me. The preaching at the Conference was of a high order. The first seimon was from Dr. Hannah, on " Jesus Christ, the true Foundation ; " the second was from Dr. Jobson, on " Sowing and Reaping ;" and the thir-d was Thomas McCuUagh, then a young preacher, on the " Power of the Holy Ghost." Dr. Jobson's sermon was the most telling attack upon AUSTRALIA. 121 the conscience of the sinner I ever listened to. Such specimens of earnest and soul-saving preaching made me feel very small ; nevertheless, I glorified God in them. 1854. The months passed rapidly away. Jan. 12th. — Mrs. Bickford and I left Kingsbridge f or London. We joined the train, at the ' Kingsbridge Road Station,' and sped our way to England's metropolis. A little after the_ start, I said to Mrs. Bickford, ' Give me the Bible from youi- bag, and I will read the chap- ters for the day. Perhaps some words of comfort may come to us.' The first of the tlii^ee chapters to read, according to our custom, was Genesis xii., in which these words occur : ' Get thee ou.t of thy country, and from thy kindred, and fiom thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee ; . . . and thou shalt be a blessing.' Our hearts were very soft, and no wonder ; for the second farewell to our kindred was worse than the first. But the comfort came ! Jan. nth. — The valedictory service for ovir party was held in. City Road Chapel. The Rev. Dr. Hoole conducted the devotional part, and the Rev. Charles Prest gave the address. I remember how he strove to impress upon us the necessity of close application to our great work, and to keep clear of the political questions which would agitate, moi-e or less, the Australian communities. Good advice, no doubt, I thought, but not always to be followed. The great matter in settling new countries is for wise and good men to prevent the transmission to them of the abominable feeling of caste, class legislation, unjust laws, and other meaningless disabilities ; to say nothing of the poverty, intemperance, and impurity, which for so many centuries have cursed England and embittered the lives and homes of tens of thousands of her sons and daughters. I inwardly felt sure that, if God permitted me to land in Australia, it would be with me ' an obligation of Providence ' to do whatever in me lay, to secure for the Antipodean communities full religious liberty and equality, just laws, fair taxation, and the unchallenged right of every family-man to a reasonable share in the public estate. Justice, freedom, progress, and everything else that is true, were bound to have my uncompromising advocacy and support. This might be done quite consistently with the conscientious discharge of the higher obligations which my ' ordination ' devolved upon me. 122 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. I append a few jottings from my Journal : — ' Jan. 22nd. — I heard Bishop Blomfield preach this morning, and Dr. Cumming in the evening — both great men on their own lines ; but I liked the Bishop better than the Doctor. The first sermon had the great merit of scholarly plainness, was orthodox, and practical; the second was pedantic, very theoretical and unspiritual.' 'Jan.2[^th. — This morning I heard the Rev. H. L. Church, at St. Gcorge's-in- the-East. preach an excellent sermon from the story of Caleb. Mr. James Nibbs Brown, from Grenada, was present also. After the service we walked in company, and conversed mostly on West Indian affairs. It was a very great pleasure for me once more to see my friend and co-worker in our Lord's vineyard after so many years of separation. In the evening, I heard the Kev. John Farrar, in Jewin Street, with much satisfaction. Clear in intellect, and full of spiritual power, he could not fail to hold his audience as if under a bewitching spell.' As sliowiug the I'eckless manner in wliich large ships, quasi- ' emigrant,' Avere despatched from England to Australia, say, thirty- five yeai's ago, I record the followmg facts : — Ja7i. SOtli. — This morning Mrs. Bickford and I journeyed to Gravesend, to join the American Lass, commanded by Captain James JSIcKellar, of Glasgow. As soon as our friends had left us, the chief steward called me aside and informed me that the ship was not properly provisioned for the number of passengers who were on board. Our party alone was eight first-class ; and there were many other passengers, both fii-st and second. The steward f lu'ther stated that he had made known to me how things were so as to avoid trouble during the voyage. I was much perplexed, and laid the whole matter before the captain. In the evening I sent Mr. Vanderkiste, one of the young ministers, to London in charge of a letter to Dr. Hoole, setting forth the predicament we were in, and that we were resolved not to go to sea until we were satisfied that the stores were sufficient for all the passengers for so long a voyage. Jan. 31st. — This morning Mr. Vanderkiste retm-ned from London with a letter from Dr. Hoole, authorizing me to purchase such supplementary stores as might be necessary, and to charge the cost to the mission house. I went on shore accorcUngly, with the captain, and bought 4 cwi;. of fresh beef, 10 cwt. of potatoes, 2 barrels of flour, 1 cwt. of ling fish, 500 eggs, and some other articles of food. The captain made some purchases also. In the meantime the Emigration Agent had gone on board, and found fault as follows : — (1) The ship had been cleared as carrying one class of passengei's AUSTRALIA. 123 only, whilst there were two classes ; (2) the provision was for sixteen weeks, whereas the law was that it should be for twenty weeks; (3) the number of passengers had been reported less than they actually were, and the stores were laid in for the lesser number ; (4) the agent complained that the London agent had deceived the second-class passengers, by telling them that there was to be no dift'erence between them and the other (first) passengers ; (5) he took exception also to the dietary scale, and finally refused to allow the ship to proceed to sea. The captain had to proceed to London to see the agent, and to procure additional supplies for the second-class passengers. A clerk was sent from the office to further look into the matter. He took the names of the second-class passengers, and paid each one shilling per day for the time they had been detained in London. The ship had to be re-cleared. The Emigration Agent informed the clerk that his principals had laid themselves open to heavy penalties for making false entries, and for obtaining a clearance under false pretences. It seemed an unaccountable thing to me that a respectable London firm could have been guilty of such conduct as this narrative of facts discloses. Feb. Zrd. — We were taken in charge by a tug, and on the 5th we reached the Downs. We were now away from any further disputings between the charterer of the ship and the Emigration and Custom- house officers. We were thankful for this deliverance. We were detained by foul winds until the 9th, when, at 3 p.m., we finally got away with a fair wind. The incidents of this our first voyage to Australia will best be learnt from my Journal : — ' Feh. lOf/i. — At 5 p.m., we were oflE the Start, and at 9 p.m. we were abreast of the ' Eddystone.' In passing, we saw Bolt Head and Sa] combe Harbour. Mrs. Bickford and I thought much of our ' kith and kin ' as we ran rapidly through these waters. It was but nine months ago, on our return from Demerara, we first saw the Bolt Head, and now, in obedience to a Providential call, we are passing away from it to unknowii scenes in far distant Australia.' Selfishness and cowardice are closely allied in some men. A striking proof is found in our ship-life this evening. We were informed that the London broker [alias agent) had confided to the captain secret instructions to be observed in dieting our party. The 124 JAMES niCKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. nature of these will appear from the terms of the letter we imme- diately addressed to the captain : — ' Ship, " Amebicait La.ss," ' February lOth, 1854. ' Captain James McKellae, — ' Sir, — We the undersigned first-class passengers bound for Sydney, having learnt that Mr. Alexander Milne, the broker in London, has sent for your observance a dietary scale for us, do hereby respectfully protest very strongly against our food being supplied to us by weight and measurement. "We are compelled to add that, should you determine, notwithstanding our protest, to subject us to such an indignity, we shall, on our arrival in port, hold you re- sponsible for any ill consequences which may thereby have resulted to our health during the voyage. • {Signed) JAMES BiCKFORD, R. W. Vaxderkiste, Lonsdale Abell, Hans Mack, John Gale, Thomas Angwin, William Kelynack, Willia m CuRNOw, Fanny Bickford.' The cowardliness of the intended action is seen at once. For if we had been made acquainted with tJie existence of a sealed in- struction, to be acted upon when we were out at sea, before we left Gravesend we could have left the ship or have insisted upon its cancel- lation ; but when it was sprung upon us we were in a sense helpless • still, knowing what was right and honourable, we addressed the cap- tain as above, and threw all responsibility upon him. The captain felt his position, and we heard nothing more about the matter. We had now before us a long voyage through, to us, untra veiled oceans. All our surroundings had become du'e realities. We com- mitted our ' way in the sea ' to the care of God. We did not forget the earnest prayers which had been ofi'ered up for us by our reverend fathers at the London mission house. These prayers ever accompanied us as an inspiration against the fear of destruction and death. My Journal up to this time tells of fair winds, freedom from gales, undisturbed worship, and good health. ' Fcl). null. — The captain remarked at the table to-day that he had crossed the Atlantic (west or south) forty-seven times, and he had never had so fine a run as at this time. From the time of our rounding the South Foreland, we had not had to 'bout ship, or reef a sail. He even said he believed the God of missions was with us and giving us His favour.' ' Feb. ISth. — We have run 208 miles since yesterday. The supply of potatoes was finished seven days ago ; and the vegetables the captain put on board at his own expense were finished to-day. As far as the charterer of the ship was AUSTRALIA. 125 concerned, his provisioning was shamefully cruel, and yet we are informed that his profit from the voyage will be over one thousand pounds.' 'March 8f/<.— South latitude 0° 44', west longitude 28° 17'. This is the holy Sabbath. I preached on the main deck, and afterwards in the saloon I baptized Mr. and Mrs. Pass's two infant children. Several of the sailors came to witness the administration of the ordinance. I also gave the Lord's Slipper to the mission party and to some of the passengers.' ' March \Oth. — The thermometer to-day was 87° in the shade. The awning was not spread for us, although we asked that it might be. We went from one part of the ship to another seeking shelter from the sun's rays. On the 11th we secured this favour, and the relief afforded was very great, but especially to the sailors who worked under its shade. Still, the condition of the exposed men was the cause for the spreading of the awning, and not the inconveniences of the passengers in the least degree.' ' March \?>th. — Several of our party are ill, and it is no wonder. Our potted meats and fruits are unfit for use. Yesterday, when a pot of the former was opened, the stench was so dreadful that the passengers ran for shelter to their cabins or to the main deck. Several bottles of fruit had to be thrown over- board. Not a third of our voyage is yet done, and this is the state of our stores.' '■March loth. — The thermometer in the saloon to-day stood at 102°. We could hardly breathe.' ' March l&th. — The atmosphere has undergone a complete change. The rain has fallen heavily ; the wind has come from every point of the compass, and the sea is as if it had been boiling in a caldron. These phenomena indicate the failure of the south-east trade-winds, and suggest that the ' variables ' are solely caiised by atmosjiheric influences. Every appearance above, around, and below is confused and wild. 5 p.m. .- For the first time since we left the Downs, on the 9th February, we have tacked ship and reefed topsails. It is blowing very hard and foul, compelling a south-south-east course. ' 'March \Mh. — The stormy weather continues. We had a gale of wind this morning, and the fore-topsail was split from top to bottom. We are now running under double-reefed topsails, forecourse, jib and spanker. Nearly all the passengers are ill.' ' March 20th. — Close-hauled and a gale of wind.' ' 3farck 23?y7.— (Dead reckoning) South latitude, 32° 18', west longitude 23° 50'. Wind changed in the forenoon from east-south-east to south-west. This is a dangerous part of the ocean from " wind-checks," and our captain is anxiously watching so as to be prepared for them should they come. The sea has an imposing appearance this morning, reminding us of certain passages in Job : " He maketh the deep to boil like a pot ; He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after Him : one would think the deep to be hoary." A stream of fire seemed to follow the wake of the ship whilst tearing through these terrible seas.' ' March 28th.— Saw the Magellan clouds and the Southern cross. Both brilliant and beautiful. Who could look for the first time upon these and remain an infidel or atheist ? Dark indeed must be the mind, and corrupt must be the heart, of the man that failed to recognise in such magnificent con- stellations the wisdom and the goodness of the great Creator of " all things.'" 126 JAMES BICKFORD : AW AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 'March Z\st. — Obscured sun. Wind again foul. We are off our course, and are compelled to run at the rate of seven or eight knots an hour. This is now the fiftieth clay from the Downs, and we want nearly two thousand miles of being half over the voyage. " 0 Thou, who art Lord of the winds and seas, mercifully interpose for us." ' ' April 1st. — The wind still foul. This is now the sixty-fourth day since most of the passengers joined the ship in St. Catherine's Dock, and, naturally enough, fears are being awakened in some minds that both provisions and water cannot last to the end of the voyage. The second-class passengers are to-day put on short allowance. Mr. Vanderkiste is very poorly.' ' April 2nd. — Tristan d'Acunha is in sight this morning, bearing west by south. It is 8,000 feet high, and is pyi-amidal in form. It is cheering to see even a solitary rock amidst these trackless deeps. But how came it there I and wherefore ? Is it a primitive creation 1 or is it the work of ages upon ages 1 evolution, or something of that kind ? ' ^ April Srfl. — Still foul wind. We divided into two companies, and "gave ourselves to prayer." ' ' April Itli. — The captain intimated this evening that, as the voyage would be unusually long, we having been out seventy-five days already, it would be necessary to reduce the water for each to half-a-gallon per diem, so as to pro- vide in time for any emergency which might arise. I at once intimated oui willingness to leave the matter implicitly in the captain's hands.' ' April 8th. — A day of thanksgiving and joy. We have now a fair and strong wind. Speed nine knots.' ' Ap>ril Sith. — " Rejoice with trembling." A small bolt having worked out of its place, the foretop-gallant mast and yard broke, and left the fore-rigging a perfect wreck. WTiat a change in a few hours ! Most of the sails had to be taken oil ^v^th a view to repairing damages. This has been the Sabbath Day. Messrs. Angwin and Gale preached, but it has been almost a lost Sabbath to me. Oh, for the Sabbaths on shore ! I hope I shall love and prize them more if permitted again to have their hallowed hours and hallowing worship.' ' Ajrril 10th. — Sun obscured, consequently no sights could be taken. The captain and carpenter are engaged in making a new mast, and the •' watch " in making preparations for rigging it. What a change in twenty-four hours ! ' ^ Ajjril \lth. — The new foretop-gallant mast was put up this afternoon, and the yard is being spliced. The wind is from the north-west, and is tolerably fresh.' ' April \Mh. — The Albatrosses have been flying about our ship to-day, with mufli apparent confidence in our kindly feeling towards them. Two or three were unusually large, and, under their wings and over and around their bodies, as white as alabaster. The upper parts of their wings were of a dark grey colour, and from " tip to tip " were from ten to twelve feet. The sea has been rolling heavily. We have had scarcely twelve hours of carrying wind since we passed the equator.' ' April nth. — The ship is under double reefed topsails, and close hauled to the wind. The gale has been furious ; but as we are passed the meridian of the Cape we may expect to have steadier winds. In the night, the passengers, who were about, cheerfully assisted in taking off the canvas so as to ease the ship. The ladies were much alarmed, and not without reason. In the afternoon we AUSTRALIA. 127 saw, " sporting in the deep," five whales, taking their pleasure as if they were the monarchs of the sea. How strange it is that these ocean monsters should so often fall a prey to other sea-animals inferior to them in strength and size. One of their enemies is a small shell-fish, which insinuates itself beneath their fins, where, in security, it feeds oii the thick layers of fat. But the most terrible foe of the whale is the sword-fish, at whose approach, in dread of the battle that must ensue, it exhibits an extraordinary degree of agitation, and seeks to retreat in the opposite direction. Having no insti'ument of defence but the tail, this inoffensive monster is ill-adapted for conflict with the sharp tooth- edged beak of the rapacious sword-fish, which, darting first on one side and then on the other, lacerates and mangles its huge frame with impunity. These whales were from ninety to one hundred and twenty feet in length. We also saw to-day an enormous shark, whose fearful equipment of teeth renders its possessor an enemy to be much dreaded. These teeth are arranged in six rows, in a wedge-like figure, and are one hundred and forty-four in number. Sailors have a mortal dread of the shark.' 'April \Uh. — South latitude, -11° 5.5', west longitude, 21° 43'. 8 p.m.: This is Easter Sunday, the comforting memento of our Lord's resurrection from the dead. Messrs. Abell and Angwin conducted the services. II p.m. :• Before I had any personal experience of sea-voyaging, I thought the life of a sailor was one of comparative ease, but I have since observed it to be a life of laborious toil and of undefinable hardships. The people who live in comfort on shore little think of the risk to life and health undergone by mariners, to pro- cure for them the productions of foreign countries. With too many vpstarts of men, the sailor is little better than a " dog ; " but I have found him to be brave, kind, and generous.' ' April IStli. — Wind strong, cold and fair. We are now running up our " Easting " with some rapidity. Our longitudinal degrees are now about forty- three or forty-four, so that we have a prospect of doing from five to six daily. A few years ago the mariner, who would go so far south, as we now are, and expect yet to be, would be regarded as mad, but scientific knowledge of the most satisfactory kind, has constrained the adoption of this track as not only the easiest but the shortest by several hundreds of miles. The principle is that known as the " Great Circle ; "' and to those who have studied the rotundity of our globe it will be easily understood. In fact, it is simply " going round the hill instead of going over it." The Marco Polo ran the distance, on the Great Cii'cle course, from the Cape of Good Hope to Melbourne in twenty-seven days.' ' Ajjril I'dth. — The captain is now getting good observations. The last of our sheep was killed to-day : she would eat no food ; suitable fodder having been all used some time ago. The fowls, pigs, and sheep have had to be fed upon soaked biscuits. So much for the generosity of the London broker. His covetousness has even afflicted the poor brutes we had on board. To be starved or eaten was the alternative. The sugar, too, for more than a fortnight we have had for our tea was the commonest, undrained muscovado, which shows how grievously our Missionary Committee have been taken in. I begged of the steward for Mrs. Bickford a little of the sugar sent to the forecastle, and now she is able again to take her tea. The captain told us this evening that he would not send to his men the sugar put upon our table for £50. If he were to do so, he said, in the first place they would throw it overboard ; 128 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, and in the second, on arrival in Sydney, they would every one desert the ship. ' Mr. Curnow preached this evening an able sermon from Psalm cxix. 160. I am struck with the apparent inability of the young brethren to adopt a ready, simple, and elementary style of preaching, as that which is only appro- priate on board ship.' ' Airril 20/:/;.— South latitude 4.5° 12', cast longitude 88° 40'. Wind fair and cold. An immense quantity of birds have followed the vessel to-day. This may be proof that we are not far from " Cavern " and " Prince Edward's Islands. " A sight of them would gladden our eyes and hearts.' ' April 22iid. — Wind strong and cold. Run 244 miles since j'csterday. We have been much perplexed that Noray and the Admiralty chart differ in more than three degrees, re the longitude of Crozer's or Desert Island. It would be well for the English Government to send out a surveying party to ascertain the exact position of this island, that mariners might know where danger is and how to avoid it.' ' Ajjril 2'?ird. — To-day for the first time we have seen the Cape pigeons. They are about the size of the English pigeon, have webbed feet, and have four large spots of white on their wings. They appear to have no fear of us ; but fly all around the ship, and even over the quarter-deck, doubtless in search of food. Here, far away from the haunts of civilised men, the very birds seem to live in primeval harmony ; but, would it be not so with them if perchance they lived in those portions of the globe '■ where men each other tear ! " ' ' AjJril 25th. — We have escaped a frightful accident to-day. Through the rolling of the ship a large jar of vitriol broke away from its lashing, and a portion of the main deck was covered with a wave of liquid fire. The two remaining pigs were severely burnt, and one of them, maddened with pain, whilst we were at dinner, rushed into the saloon and from thence into our state-room. It was at first intended to kill the animal right away, but by throwing a quantity of salt water over it, the pain decreased. How dangerous it is to carry large jars of this fiery liquid on board a ship which, at the same time, was carrying such a quantity of gunpowder in her hold ! Mr. AUardice, the chief mate, got his hands and boots burnt in trying to arrest the surging vitriol on the ship's deck. There seems to be no end to our troubles. For example, the water we have for drinking to-day is very bad. It has the smell of rotten turnips ; but we have no alternative, for it is that or none. There is a large supply of excellent water in the tank, but the captain has forbidden any more of it to be used for the present. His idea is to reserve it as a supply in stormy weather, when access to the puncheons could not be had. The precaution seems to be reasonable, but the privation is hard.' ' Ajjril 2(Jth. — To-day, at the dinner table, Captain McKellar remarked on the water as being much affected by the climate, to which Mrs. Bickford replied " that it was very bad, and that it was impossible to cMnk it." Dr. James then suggested that a small quantity might be taken from the tank for our use at dinner, which called forth a rejoinder from the captain to the effect '' that he would not receive any suggestion on the matter." Messrs. Angwin and Mack reiterated the request for a small portion daily, solely for drinking purposes. But the captain firmly refused, saying, that if a gale should overtake us, and carry our casks away, we should have the cistern to fall back upon. In this style AUSTRALIA. 129' the conversation proceeded, and when I was afraid of high words ensuing, I suddenly rose and returned thanks. Catchine: the captain's eye, I retired from tlie table. I heard, but somewhat indistinctly, sharp words between the captain and the doctor, but what they were I only know by report. In the evening of the same day, Mrs. Bickford came to me with the information that the water had become quite good. Whereupon I went to the steward for an explanation. He told me that another cask had been opened. It was now as good as could be desired ; and had it therefore been given to us all the unpleasantnesses of to-day would have been prevented. However, we need to exercise the utmost precaution in the article of water, because of the great distance we have yet to> go. Possibly some circumstances may yet arise which may show us after all that the captain was prudently right.' ' April 2Si'/;.^Dead calm at 3 a.m. The sails were in danger of being injured by flapping heavily against the masts and yards. At 8 a.m., the wind sprang up, but was dead ahead. 10 p.m. : Our ship is now going her course, and the rain is falling in torrents. We have a dreary night before us.' ' Ajrril 2dth. — This evening heavy rain. Ship under double reefed topsails, and two points off our course. At 12 a.m. to-day we were about a degree east of St. Paul's.' ' April 'SOth. — Terrible gale all last night, and portion of the bulwarks were carried away. AVe lost also a pipe of water. No service this morning beyond singing a hymn, reading Psalm cvii., and prayer. It has been a day of anxiety and alarm. The fore and main topsails are double reefed, and the forecourse is held down with chains. This is all the sail we can get at present. The cross- seas come tumbling in upon us, and threaten to break our ship in pieces. Several big jars of oil of vitriol had to be thrown overboard ; the captain most wisely removing the danger by casting the whole lot into the sea. The ladies and other passengers were much alarmed at seeing the liquid fire, for a second time, running from side to side of the ship's deck, and no one daring to go near it.' ' iMay 1st. — Blowing almost a hurricane. The same canvas on as yesterday. At 10 p.m. it was almost a calm, when the ship rolled heavily in the troughs of the sea. South latitude 46° 33'.' ' May 2nd. — In the middle watch there was a terrific squall. This morning we shipped a sea over the stern, and through one of the stern windows. All the cabins as well as the saloon were deluged. The " dead-lights " were put in for the first time.' ' May 'ird. — This afternoon we had a heavy gale and showers of hail. The ship has been under the canvas called ' long-reaching,' i.e. close-reefed maintop- sail and forecourse. The ladies are much dejected, and wearied out with anxieties and the ship's motion.' 'May Mil. — The gale came on again this morning from the north-west, and the sea has been very high. The captain told me to-day that during the forty-five years he has been to sea he had not had such bad weather as during the past week. The question is as to whether we should have come so far south as we have done. Probably 43° or 44° south latitude would have been better for us than 46°.' ' May Gth. — My natal day. I am now thirty-eight years of age. The past year has been crowned with lovingkindness and mercy. We have visited our native land ; have seen those of our kindred yet living ; and now we are braving 9 130 JAMES BICKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. tempestuous seas for another sphere of Christian enterprise. May the merciful God be with us in Australia, even as He was with us in the West Indies ! We shall require much grace ; but it will be given "in the time of need." ' ' May Sth. — We have had a gale all the 'day, and heavy rain. 10 p.m. : This evening we had the most terrific gale I ever saw. Nothing could be done during its fury but to commit the safety of the ship to the care of the Most High. The lee point of the foreyard dipped three times in the sea, so fearfully did the vessel careen over. The " whisker " on the lee-bow was carried away. We are now sailing under close-reefed fore maintopsails and the foresail. Not a rope has given way or sail split, notwithstanding the tremendous gale we have encountered. If the American Zasx had not been of immense strength, she never could have weathered the storms she has encountered in the Southern Ocean. I deeply sympathise with Captain McKellar in the harassing cares and exposures he has to wade through. ' ' May 10th. — Very fine day, with the wind from the north-M"est, which s too ••' sharp up " for us for making much progress. 10 p.m. : The wind now threatens to increase to a heavy gale : the topsails are again double reefed, and other sails have been taken ofE. How strange it is that, in the AiLstralian Directory, it is said, that in these latitudes the gales are from the south-west to the south- east, whereas ever since we left the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope, all the gales we have had came from the north to north-west. There appears to be no uniform law for the winds and the waves ; concussion disturbs the atmospheric phenomena above us, and these terrific outbursts occur to restore the equilibrium which has been disturbed. I would have expected here, in the Australian Bight, that the land to the north of us, being two thousand miles in breadth, would so rarify and moderate the wind as to make it of less density than the ocean wind, •and as a consequence retire from the latter ; but it is not so. Instead of prevailing south-westerly winds, we have had them from the north. ' Mr. Kelynack preaf^hed this evening on the words, " Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." An eloquent and highly-pitched discourse ; but totally inappropriate to our little congregation.' ' May IS^'/t.— South latitude 40° 00', east longitude 132° 01'. Last night the top-gallant sails had to be taken in, and the topsails single reefed. The rain fell heavily. But this morning, as the weather cleared, the long-expected south- west wind came ; since when we have been making good progress. Another week is gone, but how little I have done for the improvement of my mind, or for the growth of holiness in my soul. Many Christians, who have never been to sea, think that seclusion from the world for so long a time would be followed by much mental and spiritual advancement ; but it is not so with me. We are nearly sixty souls on board, and we are in such close contiguity to each other, that the usual privacy and application enjoyed on shore are unattainable here. Hence, retrogression, rather than advancement, is more generally the conse- • quence of a long sea voyage than the contrary.' ' May lith. — We are now about two hundred and forty miles from Cape Otway, Messrs. Mack and Gale preached to-day. We then had the Lord's Supper together, which would be the last time on board the American La.ys.' ^ May \bth. — We had a delightful time at our weekly class to-day. The .brethren appeared to be in a good state of mind.' ' May 16f/t.— South latitude, 39° 20', east longitude 144° 00'. A day of great AUSTRALIA. 131 mercy and goodness. At 2 p.m. we saw Cape Otway bearing north of us. The captain altered the ship's course to east, direct for Curtis' Island. " Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within mc, bless His holy Name." " ' May nth. — This day at 9 a.m. we sighted Curtis' Island. At 2 p.m. we passed Kent Group. These islands are of peculiar appearance, and look as if destitute of all verdure.' ' May \%th. — This morning we made the land on the Australian coast. The wind became very light, and we remained in sight of Cape Howe all the day. As night came on, the wind became northerly, and drove us out to sea. " 'May \^th. — At 10 a.m. we tacked ship, and made the land a little to the south of Cape Dromedary. The wind is dead ahead. We saw a colonial steamer running for Cape Howe. We are about one hundred and sixty-five miles from Sydney.' ' May 20th. — We are now one hundred and forty-six miles from Port Jackson Heads. AVind still from the north. ' Twelve months to-day we landed in Plymouth from Demerara. I view the country to which we are going with deep emotion. There is no romance in this undertaking. It will be hard and stubborn fact, and will impose upon me duties of a serious and affecting nature.' ' May 2'ird, Sydney. — By the good providence of God, we came into this harbour to-day. We had a trying time of it up from Cape Howe, except for the last ninety miles, which we ran with a leading wind. We were one hundred and three days from the Downs to Port Jackson. ' It was some time after we passed through the Heads before the pilot came on board and took charge. We had to beat up to the anchorage, and for six hours each man of our party, except poor Mr. Vanderkiste, who was still ill, nobly helped the captain to work the after-sails of the ship, and it was the hardest work I ever did. I almost feared my arms would be pulled away from their sockets. At last, the welcome words were shouted out by the pilot, " Let go the anchor ! " and out ran the chain with a rush and rapidity that made the old Lass shake from stem to stern. But the voyage was over, and we were anchored in the waters of one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. ' In the afternoon, I went on shore to report our arrival. I soon found my way to the Prince's Street Parsonage, and called upon the Eev. Stephen Rabone, the second minister of the York Street Circuit. He courteously received me, and promised to see the Rev. W. B. Boyce, the General Superintendent of our Missions in Australasia, and inform him that Mrs. Bickford and I, with seven young ministers, had just come from London. I then returned to our ship.' ' May 2ith. — The Rev. S. Eabone and other brethren came on board to take us to friends' houses on shore. Mrs. Bickford and I were kindly welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. John Caldwell, in Pitt Street, with whom we remained until we sailed for Melbourne, Victoria.' Mr. Boyce came in due course to Mr. Rabone's, where we assembled to meet him. The Rev. T. N. Hull was also there. At the request of Mr. Boyce, he addressed us in terms of encouragement and thankfulness. Mr. Boyce followed in one of his characteristic 132 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. addresses. It was full of practical wisdom, and delivered in a brusque, conventional style. To me he was pleased to say, ' that he did not expect to see me in such good health. He had supposed that I was a fever-stricken, worn-out West Indian missionary, whom the Committee had sent to Australia to save their funds.' If he had known, he said, that I was so physically capable for the Australian Circuits, he certainly would have kept me in New South Wales. He had thought that, possibly, I might have been a confirmed invalid, and would be wanting to be carried about in a sedan chaii-, and much more of the same kind. I heard it all, and, without moving an expression of my face, simply told him that the English Conference had appointed me to the Melbourne Circuit, in Victoria, and that I intended going thither by the first opportunity. And so the con- versation ended. But there was nothing unkind in all this. It was his manner, and Messrs. Chapman, Hull, and Rabone enjoyed it vastly. But I think, nevertheless, that there is ' a more excellent way,' in certain conditions, which might be followed. One of our party, I know, was much surprised at the character of the interview. It was so evidently different from what he had expected. He had likely imagined the General Superintendent, who was a veritable and venerable episcojnts, at least, among his own people, to be the symbol of a dignified ecclesiasticism, with garb and speech in full keeping with it; but, herein, he was much mistaken. Mr. Boyce was too erudite in scholar^ ip ; too greatly endowed with good common sense ; too sure of his scriptural position as a leader and teacher in his own Church ; and too much in sympathy with the free, democratic kind of all society in New South Wales, to put on any foolish airs, or to assume any superiority even over the weakest of his brethren. He was a great man in his very humbleness, and a wise man in his condescending affability towards all classes of religionists among whom he moved. At the bottom, he was one of the truest, best men I have ever known. The Australian Connexion had to purchase its independence, by becoming responsible to the English Conference for the support and extension of its prosperous missions in the South Seas. This was a somewhat perilous compact on our part, and involved generous giving, if not sacrifices, from our people. The arrival in Sydney of so large a number of ministers as our party represented had therefore to be AUSTRALIA. 133 turned to some account. The Rev. Thomas Adams, a brother of the famous astronomer of that name, and both hailing from Cornwall, had just come up from the Friendly Islands, full of information, love, and zeal. Mr. Adams and I were despatched to the Hunter River District, to preach sermons and hold meetings in aid of the good cause. During this visit Mrs. Bickford and I were the welcome guests of Mr. and Mrs. Little of Maitland, Avhose hospitality was in keeping with that for which Austral-Irish Methodist families have been always distinguished. We traversed the whole of the Hunter River District, and did our utmost to strike such a keynote as should vibrate in eveiy Circuit in the colony. The result was .£400, or a few pounds more. The people gave mth a princely munificence, especially at a small place ' Bulwarra.' The Rev. F. Tuckfield, the resident minister at Maitland, helped us with a true heroic courage, and chaperoned us throughout his extensive circuit. On our return to Sydney, for a few weeks before leaving for Melbourne, I preached at York Street, Prince's Street, Surrey Hills, Chippendale, and Wooloomooloo, and was much cheered by the evident appreciation of the intelligent congregations to whom I ministered. A second and last Sabbath was given to York Street, when sermons were preached by the Rev. T. N. Hull and myself in aid of our South Sea Missions. The annual meeting of the York Street branch was held on the Monday evening, when the Hon. G. Allen, M.L.C., an old and true friend of Methodist missions, and lay- treasurer of the society, occupied the chair. The Rev. W. B. Boyce read the report. Mr. Hull and I were the only speakers. The interest was kept up to the end, and the financial response was very good. With this meeting ended, at that time, my public appearances in our churches in the Mother City of Australia. I was anxious tc be in my Circuit in Victoria ; for, although my time had been well occupied in New South Wales, I felt [ was a minister Avithout a charge — a shepherd without a flock. With me the pastoral office was in abeyance ! I availed myself, therefore, of the first steamer for Melbourne, and had not long to wait. Although thirty years have elapsed since these occurrences took place, yet I cannot forget the great kindness of the Rev. S. Rabone and Mrs. Rabone, Mi-, and Mrs. Caldwell, to us during this our first sojoui-n upon Australian soil. 134 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Melbourne, Victoria. It was on ,hdy 8th that we, early in the morning, passed through Port Philip Heads, and made our way up the Bay for Cole's Wharf. We overhauled an emigrant ship, and took from her as many passengers as crowded our deck in every part. This was far from being agreeable, but we had to submit. On reaching the world-wide reputed Cole's Wharf, how was I disappointed to find that it was only a bank of hardened mud, shaped by the ebb and flow of the Yarra Yarra, and flattened on its surface by the tread of many thousands of immigrants. We had all our material belongings with us, and all in a heap, with that of scores of others, in the fore part of the steamer's deck. The stern order was soon given : ' All passengers on shore and their luggage.' And then the helter-skelter began. I never before saw such a confusion ; and I certainly feared, not without very good reason, that some few of my_ twenty-eight packages would get into wrong hands. So I requested Mrs. Bickford to stand by, and see that our luggage was handed on to the wharf, and I would keep watch over it when once there. Luckily the largest and heaviest of my boxes came fii-st on shore, on which I had had my name painted by a coloured youth before I left Demerara. Tliis name I saw was immediately recognised. A young farmer-looking man was not only interested, but seemed made fast to the spot. Here is a chance of some help, thought I. So looking straight into his fine, open face, I said, ' Is there anything in that name that possesses any interest for you ] ' ' Oh, yes,' he replied, ' I know it well, and yesterday I saw your brother Nicholas, who is expecting you.' ' Where did you come from ? ' I enquired. His reply astonished me : ' From Wakeham, about four miles from Modbury.' ' Then your father and mine rented under the same landlord, Archdeacon Froude ; is it not so 1 ' An affirmative reply made us friends at once. ' Take care of these packages for me, will you ? whilst I go on board to look after Mrs. Bickford (who was standing amid a Babel of talk), and bi-ing her ashore.' This was quite a providential help for us, for without it we may have fared badly. My young Devonian friend, at my request, called a 'trolly' (Eng., wain) to take us and our belongings to the Wesleyan Parsonage in Collins Street, where resided the Rev. John Egglestone. The trolly A USTRALIA. I35 being loaded, the next thing to do was for Mrs. Bickford and I to mount to the top of the luggage, and hold on for very life, lest \\q should topple over into the ' slush,' some twelve inches thick at the very least, which then covered Flinders Street. I told the driver where we had to go ; but, instead of going up Elizabeth Street, he chose to go up Flinders Street, then up Russell Street, and then turned down Great Collins Street. Just opposite to what has been for a nvimber of years the Melbourne Thunderer, i.e. the Argus office, we were bogged, and came to a stand. We had to dismount and make enquiry, so unfortunate had we been. Messrs. Allison k Carter, di-apers, whom we had intimately known in Bar- badoes and Demerara, had their shop close by. I went into the shop, and my appearance was a great surprise to them. They gave the driver the necessary directions, and once more we made a start for the Collins Street Parsonage. Arriving here, I met for the first time the Eev. William Butters, the Chairman of the Victorian District. At first sight I was drawn to him, and I placed myself at once under his f athei-ly and official guidance. The next thing to do was to get Mrs. Bickford down from the trolly, in which Mr. Butters assisted. Of course we were introduced to the Egglestones, who gave us a truly Christian welcome. Mr. Butters informed me that the Melbourne District Meeting had made certain alterations in the boundary of the City Circuit, and that I was appointed to the superintendency of the new Circuit of Brighton. It was a salubrious marine township, about six miles to the south of the city, Ijring within ' Dendy's Survey.' Mr. Butters thought that it would save both expense and time, if the man in charge of the ti-olly were sent at once along to Brighton with our luggage, to which I agreed. I thought, ' This looks like business, and provided it be one of the concUtions of service in Victoria, under Mr. Butters' administration of our Church afiairs, I shall like it all the better.' On the evening of the same day, July 8th, we found oiu-selves quietly ensconced in the hospitable home of my former Kingsbridge friends, Mr. and Mrs. John Wills, Moore Street, Collingwood. Here also I had the unspeakable pleasure of again meeting my dear, aged, widowed mother, and my brother Nicholas, whom I had not seen for about sixteen years. My parents, after I left for the West Indies in 1838, emigrated to South Australia, and my father cUed at the age of seventy-five at North Rhine. To see my mother, and, with 136 JAMES BICKFORB: AX AUTOBIOGRAPirY. my brother and sister, assist her in her widowed life, was the strongest motive I had for coming to Australia. Brighton Circuit, 1854. We went to our Circuit on July \Zth, and on the 17th I opened my commission by preaching at East, Little, and Great Brighton. In the evening, at the latter place, I administered the Lord's Supper. * It was a good day, rather cold in travelling, and fatiguing to the body ' (Journal). I was now entered upon the full work of an Australian Circuit, and I resolved to spare no pains to pi*eserve the good work as I found it ; and also to extend it to localities outside the Circuit proper, where as yet there was no preaching nor churches, nor day nor Sabbath schools. My time and strength I consecrated anew to God and to the salvation of all the people in the district. A few jottings from my Journal will show how I attempted to dp this work, as well as to indicate some incidents of a family kind : — ^ July 22ncl. — We have heard of the death of my sister ricbecca (Mrs. Treby). She died in hopeful trust of God's mercy through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first of the band of nine brothers and sisters is removed : the chain is broken, the links are separating. May we not hope for a re- uniting by-and-byl ' I have been across the country to see my brother Nicholas, at Gardiner's Creek. He has made a nice selection as to locality, but the soil is poor. All the industry he could put forth in a lifetime in England would have been insufficient to procure the necessary means for purchasing so much land, and to have become so nicely settled.' ' July 26th. — At Little Brighton to-day I saw two brothers of the Rev. Joshua Jordan, a West Indian missionary. Tliey are small farmers, and well-to-do. I visited in the afternoon our day school at Little Brighton — Mr. John Webb, master. I did not think the children were so sharp and intelligent as they ought to be. Mr. Charles Stone, the senior Circuit Steward, kindly accompanied me. ' To-day the Revs. Isaac Harding and John Egglestone came out to see me. Mr. Harding, who is an ardent educationist and great worker, has a wish to establish a Wesleyan Grammar School in Geelong, and believes it would be a great success. Both appeared to be excellent and affectionate brethren. I much enjoyed their visit.' ' July 2Sth. — This morning I went to the house of a Mr. Campbell, beyond Little Brighton, to see a Mrs. Carvill, whose husband was killed yesterday by blasting the underpart of a big gum-tree. I tried to comfort her with the promises of the Heavenly Father.' ' July dOt/t. — This has been a trying day. I again visited Mrs. Carvill, and performed a short funeral service on the remains of her late husband. All the friends present appeared deeply to feel the painfully mournful event which had occurred. I preached at the three Brightons as usual, to attentive congregations, and was much blessed.' * Aug. Srd. — This has been a very solemn day. In accordance with the pro- AUSTRALIA. 137 clamation of the Governor, Sir Charles Hotham, \vc have devoted its hours to fasting, prayers, and charit3^ I preached from Isa. xxvi. 9. A collection was made on behalf of the widows and orphans of the brave men who have fallen in this cruel and unj ustifiable Crimean war.' ^ Avg. 7th. — Pastoral visitation at East Brighton, and spent several houra in walking from house to house. Twelve souls had been recently converted, and joined the church.' ' Aug. nth. — Pastoral visitation at Moorabbin. I called upon every member, and prayed in every house. I also visited non-members, i.e. hearers and wor- shippers with us. Several incidents of an interesting kind came up, and suitable conversations took place. Will not God bless the sowing of this seed ? So I beheve.' ' Aug. 18th. — Went to Collingwood to-day amidst clouds of dust. We had the pleasure of seeing the young T. T. Wills, who had just arrived from England with his wife. They had stood the voyage pretty well.' ' Aug. I9th. — Mr. Butters preached twice to-day with great acceptance. He told me of the resignation of the Rev. W. Byrnes. He is going over to the Anglican Ministry, which will be a great grief to his old Methodist father at Paramatta. But if he be discontented in our Ministry, he had better go.' • Ai/g. 22nd. — Mr. Hawkins and I went to Melbourne to solicit subscriptions for our new church. Messrs. Pascoe and Cocker advised us to defer our appeals until a later period.' ' A7tg. 2ith. — Went to Beaumaris to see Mr. Charland, who is anxious to have religious service established in his neighbourhood. He oilers a piece of land upon which to build a church-schoolhouse, which I accepted. I arranged for Mr. Charles Stone to open preaching services on the coming Sunday evening.' ' Sept. 6th. — I went to Melbourne to-day to solicit subscriptions for our new church at Brighton, and succeeded pretty well. In the evening .1 attended a church meeting at Prahran, at which were the Revs. W. Butters, J. Egglestone, and J. S. Waugh. It was a very fine meeting, and the whole debt on the building was subscribed.' ' SejJt. 8th. — An awful storm of hail to-day. I measured one of the stones, which was one inch and a quarter in diameter. The lightning was very vivid, and the thunder railed heavily over our heads. I was reminded of some of those terrific thunder-storms peculiar to the islands lying near the Spanish main. I am convinced that the winds and clouds were from opposite directions, and that the sultry atmosphere of the morning caused the wind to come from the north and north-west, whilst the cold above brought the wind from the south and south-west. These phenomena appeared to be over our house, and greatly alarmed us. Blessed be God, we were preserved fi'om all harm.' ^Sejpt. I3th. — To-day, Mr. William Head and I rode over to Oakleigh, a small township about seven miles from Brighton, to see if there were any religious services held. We found that up to this time there were none. But there were three public-houses, and that the desecration of the Sabbath was dreadful. We called upon several of the families, all of whom were anxious for us to provide for their spiritual wants. There is an " open door " here, but as soon as we shall enter it we shall have many adversaries. ' ' Sept. 2lst. — Opened tenders this evening for roofing the new church at Brighton. A large undertaking for our few people, but the work has to be done.' 138 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ' Oct. Sfli. — I preached at Beaumaris, and took Mr. Butters to see my cousins, Mr. James Bickford Moysey and Mrs. Moysey, and dined with them.' ' Oct. lOfli. — A great tea meeting at Brighton on behalf of the new church. The Eev. Mr. Butters greatly helped us. Some four hundred persons were present, and the financial result amounted to £120.' ' Oct. I9tli. — I went to Oakleigh to meet the people about building a church- schoolhouse, who subscribed then and there £30.' ' Oct. 22)ul. — This Circuit is full of backsliders, who arc hard to be aflfected for good. To-day in one of my congregations I had one of this class, who for sixteen years had been a leader in England. Drink has been his bane. Alas ! for his poor wife and children." ' Oct. 2ith. — The Marco Polo has arrived from London, bringing six hundred souls. A three months' voyage and full of discomfort. My dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Cameron, of Demerara, were passengers, whom I shall bring to Brighton for a few weeks.' * Oct. 28th. — Heard to-day of the death by cholera of the Rev. W. Bannister and two of his children in Barbadoes. This dreadful plague has killed some fifteen thousand of the island population.' ' Oct. 'SOtJu— The Annual Missionary Meeting at Collins Street. Collection £40 l.«. I met Mr. Ramsay from St. Vincent, who, with his family, has come to Victoria to settle.' ' Nov. 6th. — The first Melbourne Exhibition was held. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Groves, Mrs. Bickford, and I went. We were much pleased at seeing what the country could produce under the industrious operations of the colonists.' ' Dec. 1st, — I went for the first time to Keys Station, Mordialloc, about twelve miles from Brighton, to establish religious services. Mr. Battrick drove me thither. Here I found a thriving Irish Methodist family ready to welcome me as Christ's messenger. There were Mr. and Mrs. George Keys, the aged parents ; Mr. and Mrs. William Keys, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Keys, Thomas Keys, and several neighbours. After dinner, the preaching service was commenced, and at the close the class-meeting was held. It was a unique spectacle in the midst of the Australian forest, — a nucleus of light and moral force for the whole neighbourhood.' 'Dec. 'Srd. — Preached missionary sermons at St. Kilda, and gave the Lord's Supper. The Hon. A. Eraser and Mrs. Eraser were my hosts.' ' Dec. 6th. — A dreadful conflict, which had been long foreseen by thoughtful men, has taken place between the military and miners on the Ballarat Gold- fields. The harrowing and insulting behaviour of certain officials, in searching for mining licences from the men whilst engaged in working their claims, was at the bottom of the disturbance. The soldiers and the '• diggers " joined issue at Eureka Hill, when some fifty of the miners were shot down at once. Mr. Peter Lalor, one of the leaders of the resisting force, was shot through the arm, which had to be amputated. There were serious casualties among the military also. Martial law was proclaimed in the Government Gazette, and copies were posted all over the district. But the excitement was fearful all over the colony, and great indignation was felt at the administration of the Chief Secretary, Mr. Foster, and the troubles he had brought upon the coj.intry. He was super- seded, and he returned to Ireland. ' The Argo arrived in sixty-two days " fi-om land to land," and brought the AUSTRALIA. ' 139 news of the taking of Sebastopol by the allied armies. It may be hoped that this is the beginning of the end of this useless, cruel, and wicked war. With John Bright's sentiments in reference to this war every Christian statesman must agree. It is a great national sin.' ' Dec. '2^th. — A fine day for Brighton. The Revs. W. Butters, J. Egglestone, and J. S. Waugh dedicated l)y prayers and worship our new church to God. In erecting this sanctuary, we have been generously helped by Methodist gentlemen in Melbourne, St. Kilda, and Brighton ; also by the gratuitous labours of Messrs. Hawkins, Baker, GifEord, German, and other brethren. Without their personal services, the building could not have been ready so soon after our arrival in the Circuit.' ' Dec. 2(ith. — The tea and public meetings were a great success. Every table, most abundantly supplied, was given, and about three hundred persons sat down to tea. In the evening the church was crowded. The senior Circuit Steward, Ml'. Charles Stone, presided with much kindness and ability. Messrs. Butters and Waugh helped us with excellent addresses. We had a good collection and subscription list, which seemed to put heart into our dear people for the work so auspiciously begun. * We had nearly reached the end of the year. All the customary services of Christmas, " Watch Night " and " Renewal of Covenant," were held as in England. In the observance of these, we got a gracious help from " on high " for the arduous enterprises of the New Year.' 1855. The Annual District Meeting, for the whole colony, was commenced on January 3?tZ, the Rev. William Butters presiding ; the Rev. John Egglestone was elected as Secretary. Besides the brethren mentioned, there were, as members of the meeting, Messrs. Harding, Symons, Lightbody, Curry, Raston, and Hart, with Messrs. Waugh, Hill, Wells, Taylor, and Bickford, who had come from England during the year. Under the genial guidance of Mr. Butters the orcUnary business was soon despatched. This District Meeting has an important historical bearing on the future constitution, permanence, and exten- sion of our Church in Australia. A jotting from my Journal will explain this : — ' The various subjects placed before the meeting were of an interesting natirre, and supplied strong inducements for yet more abundant eilort in the Lord's work. A very spirited discussion took place in the financial District Meeting, on a proposal made by Mr. J. R. Pascoe, and seconded by Mr. H. Cook, that lay -representation should be an element in the constitution of the Australian Conference. The ministers allowed them full scope for the discussion of the principle ; and, on the motion of Mr. Walter Powell, it was referred to a Committee, to be empowered to sit during the year and to report to the next District Meeting. 140 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. We give the Statistical Returns from the District Meeting Minutes, as they may serve a purpose of comparison with those of subsequent years. But, it must be observed, that at that time we had a responsible charge in respect to public education, and these ' I'eturns ' will be useful as showing how we utilised our own buildings for day school purposes, and thereby correspondingly relieved the Government from a large expenditure of money in erecting school buildings, especially on the Goldfields. We also heartily assisted the Board of Education in the administration of the system then in vogue. The ' Retui'ns ' I have summarised as follow : — ' Churches. 30 ; other preaching places, 40 ; ordained ministers, 13 ; assistant missionaries, 2 ; catechist, 1 ; church members, 1,055 ; on trial, 85 ; Sabbath school teachers, 401 ; Sabbath scliool scholars, 3,527 ; local preachers, 151 ; day schools, 37 ; day school teachers, 59 ; day school scholars, 3,007 ; buildings used for day school purposes and Divine worship, 15 ; total adherents, 18,897. These glorious results had been the work of less than twenty years of prayerful and generous toil : ' So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.' 1856. Jan. 12th. — One of the most painful yet necessary duties of the pioneer ministers at this date, was to find and shepherd lone women and their families in the bush. The men for the most part would be away for weeks together, engaged in carting goods from Melbourne to the Goldfields, that they might get a little ready money for the support of their families, and paying for the small allotments of land they had purchased. To the loneliness of the situation, must be added the fear of bushrangers, whose very presence was a teri'or to unprotected settlers. A sample of the effect of such circumstances I discovered, as I was riding through the forest to fulfil my monthly engagement at Keys Station. ^ Jan. \^th. — Our house accommodation has been very poor since we came here in July last. One-half of the building has been used as a church, literally, " a church in the house," as in earlier times. But now, the whole space being available as a domicile, we have had several tradesmen employed making the necessary alterations. For six months my usual studies have been interrupted. New stations always impose inconveniences upon the ministers and their families, especially when it is attempted to make the homes what they ought to be. The respectability of the Ministry is often gauged from the character of the establishments over which they are placed. A good appearance has a great deal to do with the success of the cause ' AUSTRALIA. 141 ' Jan. 2Wi. — We are making history. Our beautiful new church was honoured to-day with its first marriage. J. C. and A. D. were joined together by me in holy matrimony. A marriage in the Lord, on both sides, according to the Apostolic injunction. Here is the guarantee of a happy union and blessings from God.' 'Jan. 28th. — Hot winds at last. Tliermometer in the shade 110°. The air was heated as if it had come from a " fiery " furnace. To the south and east of Beaumaris there was a raging fire devastating the whole district. Had not the wind suddenly changed the whole township would have been consumed. I was in the neighbourhood on ministerial duty, and saw a poor settler, his wife, and one child, who had been burnt out. Their little all was gone. The poor woman had not time even to get her bonnet ; she could only snatch up her child and fly for her life. The clouds of smoke could be seen for miles stretching away towards Mordialloc and Dandenong.' The old settlers take but little notice of these hot winds. But to those English persons, who are doing the novitiate of a first or second year's residence, they are almost unbearable. And were it not for the heavier south-west winds, rushing in to fill the vacuum created by the heat and storm of the north wind, they would be hardly able to retain either elasticity or power of motion. But when the change comes, so great is the relief, that the di-eadful ordeal is soon forgotten, and the pleasure of existence is again enjoyed. 'Feb. bth. — The great gathering place of new arrivals of Methodists from the old country was our church in Collins Street, Melbourne. I preached there this day, morning and evening, to good congregations. After the morning service, I saw Mr. Richard Major, whom I formerly knew in the Kingsbridge Circuit. He and his family have come to settle in Victoria. I met Mr. Ick also, a long standing Methodist from Antigua. He has arrived with a family of twelve to share in the fortunes of Australia-Felix. I visited Mr. and Mrs. Henly, formerly of Torquay, and other Devonians, at his house. These new arrivals little know of the difficulties they will have to contend with in this, as yet, unsettled country. The colony, from a number of causes, is in a fearfully ab- normal condition : an unwelcome contrast to the quiet, prosaic sort of life, these friends had been accustomed to in their English and West Indian homes.' ^ Feb. \8th. — At the invitation of the Rev. Isaac Harding, I preached to-day in the Yarra Street Church, Geelong, the annual sermons in aid of the Trust Funds.' This being my first visit, Mr. Harding took me to see a few of the principal friends — Mr. and Mrs. John Lowe, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Forster, Mr. and Mrs. E-ix, and some others. Of tliis visit, my Journal says : — ' There were good congregations, and a fruitful effort in finance. Mr. Harding entertained Mrs. Bickford and myself with much Chi'istian kindness. Geelong and the surroundings are very picturesque and beautiful. It well 142 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. deserves to rank as the second place in the colony. I like our Weslej'an friends in Geelong very much. They are a hearty and sensible people. I should think they are a happy flock to shepherd, with truth and grace.' ^Fei. 2StJt. — Special efforts at Little Brighton this evening for meeting the expense of stuccoing the church. Mr. T. Vasey, from CoUingwood, presided. The debt altogether v/as £85, which we raised. Mr. Hurlstone, senr., gave £20.' 1857. At the Sydney Conference, held in January last, under the New Constitution, great changes were made in the appointments of several of the senior ministers. Those which most affected Victoria and South Australia, were changes in the positions of the Rev. William Butters and the Rev. D. J. Draper. These zealous and able men had been for some years respectively in Melbourne and Adelaide, and it was felt by the Conference that a change was desirable. On February lith, a breakfast- meeting was held at the ' Home ' as a farewell recognition of Mr. Butters' mportant services in Victoria. We presented to our ex-Chairman a valuable gold watch and a massive chain, with an appropriate address. The Rev. Mr. Chase (Anglican) and the Rev. Dr. McKay (Scotch Free Church) were present with us. Mi-. Butters' reply was manly, affectionate and broad, but evidencing deep emotional feeling at his leaving us for another field of labour. Church Extension had been our keynote since our advent to this Cii'cuit. But now the time was come for church solicUfication, by erecting inexpensive buildings for ' church and school ' purposes in the localities we had taken up. On March 20th, therefore, I rode up to Beaumaris, and laid the first block on which the sill of the new building would rest. We came into this neighbourhood before any other religious body showed any interest in the spiritual welfare of the people or of their children. By precedence of action, therefore, this place belongs to us. ' The same process has begun at Oakleigh. I have been over, and accepted a tender for erecting a " church-schoolhouse." There is a Building Committee, who will see the work faithfully carried out. Our heads and hands are getting quite full of enterprises connected with the Church in this Circuit. And God will bless the work.' ' March '3rd. — Educational progress is the order of the day. This morning I went to Melbourne to see Mr. Colin Campbell, the Secretary of the Board of Denominational Education, that I might apply (1) for a master's and sewing- mistress' salary for East Brighton ; (2) for a sewing-mistress' salary for .-1 USTEALIA. 143 Moorabbin ; (3) for a master's and sewing-mistress" salary for Brighton. There is nothing like having " plenty of irons in the fire." I find it alike good for body and soul to be always pushing, always employed, I have just concluded my quarterly visit to the day schools, and find them in a satisfactory condition.' ' Ajfril 1st. — God's own daj% and preached three times us usual. After the service at Moorabbin, a fine young man came to me for an interview. He told me that he had been five years in the colony, and had been only once in a place of worship before that very day. But the Lord had brought him there, he said, and he was determined to serve Him. He is a native of Hampshire, and I judge he had known of the grace of God before at the parental home. The sermon was founded on Titus iii. 4-7, and powerfully touched the young man's conscience.' ^ April ftth. — The Rev. D.J. Draper opened our little church at Beaumaris to-day. The place was packed ; I could not even get a seat inside myself. Our friend, Dr. MacNicol, from St. Kilda, presided at the after meeting.' ' April I6th. —How the work grows ! " More preachers ! " is the cry from every pari of the colony. Mr. Draper has a wonderful faculty for detecting moral and mental worth in young men, when they come in his way. Joseph Dare (afterwards Dr. Dare) was one of his captures in Adelaide, and now his keen scent for labourers has brought him into contact with a young man of the name of Dyson, whom Mr. Draper thinks God has called for the work. We had a special meeting of ministers, and examined the young man, and approved of his being employed in the Castlemaine Circuit. ' I afterwards attended a meeting in the Mechanics' Institute, called by some influential citizens, for protesting against the influx of Chinese into the colonj". It was a noisy and disgraceful meeting, and could have no effect in the direction sought. It was so one-sided, and so narrow, that I do not see how any just and cosmopolitan Englishmen could side with the speakers. ' The inevitable tea and public meeting were held. Charles Stone, Esq., took the chair, and Messrs. Reynolds, Barker, and Sykes addressed the after meeting. The people expressed their gratitude to us for our attention to themselves and their children. Mr. Reynolds has been appointed as master of the school.' ' Jlay 2Sth. — ^Our financial economy for carrying on and extending the work is being rapidly developed. The present move is for establishing a " Church Extension Fund," so that we may be able to overtake certain Counexional and Circuit funds. I think this effort first took form in the Brighton Circuit, when the Revs. D. J. Draper and J. S. Waugh preached the sermons. At the public meeting subsequently held, the Rev. J. Egglestone was the chief speaker, and eloquently pleaded for the people's practical sympathy. We collected in all £21 10s. for the fund.' * Jkiw oth. — I rode over to Oakleigh on business connected with the new church and school. On my way back my good horse " Rusty " fell, and caught my right leg under him. I extricated myself, but not until I had felt the heavy pressure of the sprawUng beast in a most painful manner. I feared at first that I had sustained serious injury ; but, after a while, I was able to remount and pursue my way, I turned aside to visit a " backslider," upon whom the hand of God was laid. He was penitent, and before I left him he promised to retrace his steps to the good old way. i.e. his church.' 144 JAMES BICKFORB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ' June 1th. — A bit of busli mission work again to day. I rode to Kingstown, and preached to fourteen adults and seven children. This is charity and mercy too. Leave bush settlers to themselves, and they rapidly degenerate, and in the end become dangerous elements to the peace of the social body. It is in such accidental groupings of men, far av?ay from the influences of civilisation and religion, where the class known as "bushrangers" are manufactured. Are they not, under such conditions, more to be pitied than shunned .' ' ' June 8tJi. — This day I buried the mortal remains of the late James Hurlstone. He died in the Lord.' ' Jnly 8th. — I have now completed twelve months' work in this Circuit. We have had both enlargement and prosperity. I have preached two hundred and thirty-two times ; pastorised the Circuit with regularity and fidelity ; looked after every matter, great and small, with assiduity and carefulness ; have made many friends, and, thank God, not one single enemy.' The record of the remainder of my work in the Brighton Circuit was but matter of routine ; and only such incidents as are of an important or pviblic natui'e will now be noticed. ' August 6th. — I preached at Williamstown yesterday in aid of the Church Extension Fund ; and this morning the resident minister and I called upon Mr. and Mrs. Mason and other friends. We afterwards went to see the un- fortunate convicts, as they were working in "chain-gangs." I felt a deep, deep sorrow for them. It seemed to me that this so-called "Prison Discipline," instead of being corrective and reformatory, must have the contrary effect. And the " life-long "' sentenced men, in particular, must become yet more hardened, because for them there is no hope in this life. Good for such men if they had not been born. ' At the public meeting held in the evening a Captain McKay presided. The Rev. D. J. Draper made an excellent speech. The collection was £15.' Sept. ith. — The Rev. J. S. Waugh, the Superintendent of St. Kilda Circuit, became mi;ch interested in a young local preacher, who was resident therein, of the name of Samuel Knight. Mr. Waugh was impressed that he had both the piety and the gifts for becoming a minister of our body. He accordingly sent him up to Brighton, that I might hear him, and advise upon the case. Mr. Knight came and preached. My Journal note is the following : — ' Mr. Knight, from St. Kilda, preached here this evening on the " new birth." He is a promising young man ; and, judging from appearances, as a whole, I think we should encourage him to prep.ire for the full work of the Ministry.' ' Sept. lifh. — I buried at Beaumaris the remains of my second cousin, Sarah Jane Moj'sey, who was just eight years of age. Her knowledge of Christ's hi.-tory was wonderful, and she loved Him as only a regenerated heart could. The most constant couplet upon her lips was : " I the chief of sinners am ; — but Jesus died for me." She was the first ripe fruit gathered from the children'* " iiock " at Beaumaris.' i^!||!^;^liPy / AUSTRALIA. 145 ' Oct. 2U•^— The Rev. J. W. Crisp preached here this evening, and at the after prayer meeting five dear young sisters came up to the communion rails, and found peace with God. Miss Elizabeth Baker led the way.' ' Oct. 26^/*.— Church Extension towards Western Port. Preached at Mr. Patterson's station, to settlers who came from miles round to hear the Gospel. I was much impi-essed that it was our dutj' to establish religious worship at Dandenong and Western Port. Mr. Sykes accompanied me.' ' Xov. 23/y/. — To-day the New Constitution was proclaimed, and we have now " Responsible Government." Thanks to Providence, we shall be out of the " leading strings " of the Colonial Office, and be directly responsible ta the Crown.' * • Xov. 2'6th. — The Annual District Meeting was commenced this day in Geelong,. under the presidency of the Rev. D. J. Draper. I was elected Secretary of the District, and the Rev. William Hill, Assistant Secretary. On this day, too, the Rev. W. L. Binks, Mrs. Binks and child, and the Rev. George B. Richards and Mrs. Richards arrived from England. The reception of these honoured brethren; by the District Meeting was most hearty. Thomas James, originally from near Lelant, Cornwall, was received as a candidate for our Ministry. He approved he said, of the Constitution of the old Bodj^ and desired to exercise his ministry under the direction of the Australasian Conference. The increase in all depart- ments of the work was most encouraging. We were in session until December 4th, when the Minutes were read and signed. The Binkses came to Brighton to remain with us until they were appointed to a Circuit.' 1856. ' Jan. drd. — Church Extension is still our " Watchword." This day. Rev. Binks, Mr. T. Rej'nolds, Mr. W. Head, and I visited Wellington, Mordiallock, and Damper Springs, with the view of providing the inhabitants with religious ordinances. We met with much encoiu-agement, and resolved that services should be commenced the very next Sabbath.' 'Jan. ith. — The funeral of the late Governor, Sir Charles Hotham, took place. There were many thousands of persons watching with mournful looks the procession, as it passed from Toorak to the Melbourne Cemetery. The adminis- tration of His Excellency had not been a success, through a want of adaptedness for ruling over the democratic population of the colony. In the department of public service, which he had chosen, and for which he had been trained, doubt- less he did as well as any of his compeers ; but the qualities for governing a free * The New Constitution had been prepared by the old Legislative Council for endorsement by the Crown. It provided for two elective chambers. Thus nomineeism was for ever dismissed. We had some very able colonial statesmen at that time, among whom may be mentioned Sir William Stawell, Mr. Fellows, Sir Charles Sladen, Mr. W. C. Haines, Mr. Ireland, and Sir John O'Shanassy. Mr. R. Heales, Sir Graham Berry, Sir James MacCuUoch, Mr. Higinbotham, and Ml-. James Service had not then come to the front. Mr. Haines was the first Premier under the New Constitution. 10 146 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. and independent province he did not possess. He did his best, but it was a poor best. He was too " high-metalled" to be an acceptable Colonial Governor. Civilians are better adajited for the position than military men can ever be : especially if they have had some years of experience in the English House oi Commons.' '•/««. ^th. — Held the Quarterly Meeting, and we decided that the junior minister, the Rev. John Catterall, should reside at Moorabbin, and l)e charged with the pastoral care of that part of the Circuit.' ^ Jan. 2Uh. — The Second Australasian Conference was commenced in Mel- bourne to-day. The Rev. W. B. Boyce, who had been appointed by the English Conference, presided. The Rev. W. Butters was elected Secretary. There were about thirty brethren present.' ' Feb. dth. — The Conference was closed. The formality of reading and signing the Minutes was observed as in the English Conference, all the brethren standing when the President and Secretary affixed signatures. Upon the whole it was a fairly successful Conference.' ' Feb. ISth. — We are making a beginning at Dandenong. Mr. Binks and I this day have been over and laid the first of the corner blocks for the new building. We knelt down upon the grass, and Mr. Binks fervently prayed to the Heavenly Father for His favour upon the undertaking.' ^ March ISth. — The Rev. J. S. Waugh opened the church-schoolhouse at Dandenong to-day. Mr, and Mrs. James Webb, James Webb, junr., Mrs. Bick- iord, and I made up the party from Brighton. We had an excellent sermon from Mr. Waugh, and a large congregation. Mr. Webb presided at the after meeting, and Mr. Waugh and I addressed the audience. It being St. Patrick's Day, Mr. Waugh took for his subject the Irish saint and the evangelist of Ireland. The people were greatly interested.' Ma^/ Q)th. — I quote in full from my Journal under this date : — ' I am this day forty years of age. I have therefore reached the meridian of life. I now feel that, with my constitution, it behoves me steadfastly to look at this fact, and prepare for those yet undeveloped events which may occur in the ■course of God's providence. " If I live, I live unto the Lord ; if I die, I die unto the Lord : living or dying, I am the Lord's." ' " 0 may life show forth His praise, Who died a shameful death, to raise A rebel to His throne : May every act, and thought, and word Be to the glory of my Lord ; I'd live to God alone." This day I have given myself anew to God and His Church. The Lord help me ! ' ' May XWt. — Old Mrs. Wellard died to-day. She had been a member for over sixty years, and received her first ticket from AVesley himself. Her sheet anchor in her dying hour was Rom. iv. 5 : " But to him that worketh not, but bclieveth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for A USTRALIA. 147 righteousness." Her views of personal acceptance through the great atonement were as clear as sunlight. I never saw a happier death.' '■ Jvnc 8th. — Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? The aged Mrs. Sykes is gone. She lived without God for more than eighty-four years, and then she was awakened to a deep sense of her danger, and she sought salvation and died in peace. An answer to her son's prayers, I have no doubt.' 'June Wth. — This night that dear young Christian, Elizabeth Baker, departed this life in the faith and hope of Christ. She had been laid aside ten whole months, during which period I saw her once or twice a week. Only on one occasion did she manifest a want of resignation to the will of the Heavenly Father ; — when, seeing her younger sister and a number of young ladies going out for the Sunday school picnic, she exclaimed: " Oh, that I could go ! Is it not hard that I should be denied this pleasure ? " But it was only for a moment. Tlie feeling of impatience passed off, and never again did she show anything but the completest resignation. Her early happy death created a salutary impression amongst the young people of the Brighton Church.' ' June 2.5^//.— Thank God for good news. We have just heard that on March 30th, at Paris, the plenipotentiaries of England, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey have signed the " Treaty of Peace." But why could not these Powers have agreed to keep the peace, and thus escaped the great wicked- ness of going to war at all ? ' ^ Jidy oth. — To-day the mortal remains of the Rev. Walter Tregelles were buried in the Melbourne Cemetery. All the ministers in and about Melbourne were present. Mr. Draper conducted the service at the grave.' ^ Aug lath. — This morning at 4 o'clock, Mr. Edwin A. Bignell, formerly of Kingsbridge, Devon, died of chronic imflammation of the kidneys. His sufferings were intense. I was with him all through his last illness, and 1 believe his end was peace. Mrs. Bignell and her large family had arrived only fourteen days before this bereavement came upon them. But they will have many sympathising and helping friends.' 'Auf/ldth. — We are now electing members for the Southern Province under the New Constitution. There were eleven candidates, for five of whom I voted. May God be gracious to this land ! ' A^ov. 1st. — Not having yet seen Ballarat, I accepted an invitation to the cii-cuit in the interests of our Foreign Missions. I left Melbourne by Cobb & Co.'s coach. We started from Bourke Street with splendid horses, and turning by the Post Office we went up Elizabeth Street at great speed. We went through Bacchus Marsh, where I saw the finest field of English clover my eyes had ever beheld. Somewhere about the Black Hill we had the trouble of being bogged, in an attempt to rush through a water-soaked gully. The two leaders turned quick round, broke the pole, and became so entangled with the wheel horses, so that we were in danger of making no fiu-ther progress for the day — ' Every one off the coach,' cried the driver, J 48 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ' and help to get the horses free.' We all helped as desired, repaired the damages as far as possible, and, after perhaps an hour's detention, we made another start. We at last reached the ' Spread Eagle,' where man and beast were alike refreshed. I now commenced a conversation with the driver on the profanity of the language he had been using all the way from Melbourne. I reminded him that he ought to have some regard to the feelings of his passengers. Instead of turning upon me with abuse, he frankly acknowledged the badness of the habit, and apologised for his ill manners. I engaged to nudge him each time during the rest of the journey if he broke out, and, bv the time we had got to Ballai-at, I had almost cured him of his profanity. He was a CanacUan by birth, and, I think, from certain admissions he made, he had been religiously brought up. The journey from Melbourne to Ballarat was about one hundred miles ; and I must say that it was the roughest I ever undertook. That we reached, late at night, the great Goldfield at all, with sound limbs and decent apparel, is to me a wonder. I was the welcomed guest of the Rev. Theophilus and Mrs. Taylor —the one, a man of fine intellectual powers and a great pioneer worker ; the other, a beautiful specimen of the real English lady in manners and hospitality. They were well-yoked ; di'awing together with loving unity in carrying on the Lord's work. Nov. 3rd. — I preached at the Township to about five hundred persons. There was no choir, but a Mr. John Davy, one of the miners, led the singing — and it was singing, such as those Cornish men and women could render with unrivalled power. After the sermon, I baptized several infant children, among whom were ' Cissy,' the firstborn of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor ; and a child of Mr. and Mrs. W^illiam Couch, formerly of AventongifFord, Devon. I attended missionary meetings at Creswick, Mount Pleasant, Magpie, and Ballarat. On my return journey, I spent a Sabbath at Geelong, and held religious services. Nov. Idth. — To-day we finished the sessions of the District Meeting, which had been held under the judicious guidance of Mr. Draper. The routine business was soon disposed of, and in a highly satisfactory manner. The question of public education had already become crucial, and it was therefore necessary that we, as a recognised ecclesiastical educating ' body,' should put forth our views as to the general AUSTRALIA. 149 principles and guards we were prepared to adopt. "We agreed to the following : — 1. All schools supported in whole or in part by the State to be called • Public Schools.' 2. Not less than four hours consecutively in each day shall be devoted to secular instruction. .3. A portion of the Bible to be read at the commencement or close of the school, or both, and the school to be opened and closed with the Lord's Prayer, or some form of prayer approved by the Local Board. •i. No child required to be present during these religious exercises if the parents (in writing) object to it. .5. No attempt whatever to be made to disturb the particular religious tenets of any sect, and no catechism peculiar to any Church to be used by the teacher. 6. That no person appointed as teacher in any school, without a certificate of moral and religious character shall have been laid before the Local Board from the minister of whose Church such teacher is a member. 7. That one minister of religion from each denomination to be, cv officio, members of the Local Board, and permitted to give religious instruction on any school day, according to previous arrangement during the period allotted to religious instruction. 8. After a period to be named, no teacher shall be appointed to, or retained in, any ' Public School ' who shall not have submitted to an examination, and received a certificate of qualification from the Central Board of Education. 9. A Central Board of Education, consisting of five members representing the different Churches, to have the direction of the education of the colony. 10. Public Schools to be open to the inspection of the Central Board. l)ut only in reference to secular teaching. 11. No school to be entirely built or supported by the State, except it be a Normal Training School or Schools. 12. Provision to be made by the State for the gratuitous education of orphans, and the children of destitute parents. The debate which took place in the preparation of these resolutions was earnest and able ; and I well remember Mr. Draper expressing his regret that a shorthand writer was not present to take down the speeches. Of course, it was assumed all through that the Denomina- tional system was the only practicable one ; and, further, that it was only in connection with those Churches which were willing to expend both time and money in the work, that public education could be carried on at all. This was certainly the prevailing conviction, and all the conditions of the* question justified it. Such a resolution as the ninth of the series could never have been passed in the absence of such a beHef. ' Dec. 2Zrd. — Our new Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, arrived in Melbourne to-day, accompanied by Lady Barkly and childi-en. We are fortunate in having 150 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Sir Henry appointed in succession to the late Sir Charles Hotham. Our New Constitution requires further adaptation to the unique circumstances of the colony. We want vote by ballot, manhood suffrage, the abolition of the pro- perty qualification for the House of Assembly, the throwing open of large areas of land for selection and settlement, before or after survey, as the Parliament may decide, and the passing of a bill for legalising mining on private property. Sir Henry Barkly is just the man to see what are the real exigencies of our social and political environments, and he will be ever ready to assist the Council and Assembly in making legislative provision for meeting them. I am sure of this, that he will act judiciously, justly, and with due consideration in upholding alike the prerogatives of the Crown and the rights of the people. To have had, in our present circumstances, so wise, and strong, and good a man to rule over us, is evidence to my mind of the continuous care and love of God over us in this new and difficult country.' 1857. ' Jan. \st. — This day begins a new epoch in my laborious and anxious life. The Christmas and New Year's festivals have been of deep interest to me. As it respects my future, I use Wesley's own words, "Lord, I appeal to Thee." I had the great pleasure of seeing Governor Barkly to-day. I found him as affable and courteous as he used to be in Demerara several years ago. He answers exactly my ideal of what the iinest type of an English gentleman Ls and should always be.' ^ Jan. 20fJi. — We have a large addition to our ministerial staff by the arrival from England of Messrs. King, Lough, Lane, Mayne, Fidler, Beasley, Dubourg, Lloyd, and Dawson. Also Mr. and Mrs. Ingram and Mr. and Mrs. Hessell. Misses King and Boundy were likewise of the party. They came by the Walmcr Castle, and are all in gooil health.' ' Jfflw. 26^7(. — I preached at Dandenong aud Western Port. We have gathered in some precious souls already in this extensive district, over whom I have appointed as leader Mr. William Sykes, a man admirably adapted to the office.' I carefully watched over the interests of the Brighton Circuit until March .3rd, when my connection with it ceased. On the 6th, a tea and public meeting were held to say farewell to Mrs. Bickford and myself. Mr. Charles Stone presided, and Messrs. T. Wellard, John Webb, James Barker, Edward Barker, W. Sykes, and T. Reynolds addressed the meeting. A purse of fifty sovereigns was presented to me in acknowledgment of the earnest service I had rendered in the Circuit, and all felt deeply the sorrow of parting. Ballarat. I was appointed to the charge of this metropolitan Goldfields Circuit by the Adelaide Conference. My colleagues were the Rev. James W. Crisp, who was to reside at Creswick, and the Rev. Charles AUSTRALIA. 151 Lane, who was to be my assistant in Ballarat. We arrived on the evening of the 6tli of March, fi"ee from accident in travelHng from Melbourne, vid Geelong, to the place of onr destination. At the parsonage several friends had gathered to give us a hearty welcome. Our cottage was of weatherboard, having six very small rooms ; and most of the cooking, washing, etc., had to be done outside. But it was as good as most people had, and better than many could get. In the cold winters, we were almost blown away by the strong, gushing winds which came up from the flats in the south ; and in the summer, especially when we had hot winds fi'om the north, it was hard indeed to endure the strain. The ' Church Reserve ' had been turned into a ' paddock,' and was well taken up by miners' tents ; whilst on the north side, about halfway down the hill, was the Waterloo claim, sunk to between two and three hundred feet deep, and was worked night and day by the Company. Anything more unlike a decent Church establishment could hardly be found under the sun. Our ' chiu'ch ' was a school- house, into which were crowded from Sabbath to Sabbath some five hundred j^eoplf- In this building also were conducted a Sabbath and day school. Behind the building stood a cottage occupied by Mr. and Mrs. George Knox, the master and mistress of the school. Below the slope of the hill stood the tent of Mr. Dimsey, who was our sexton, groom, and gardener. Eight in the centre of the * paddock ' was the large tent once occupied by Mr. John Hoiles and family, but now used as a classroom on Sunday afternoons; Mr. Hoiles himself being the leader. There was also a garden plot, worked by Mr. Dimsey, whose privilege it was to grow vegetables for the minister's family and for his own. There was also a rough stable on the south of the parsonage, on the same level as itself, for the two horses which had to be kept for working this part of the Circuit. The ' Waterloo Company ' had entered into a contract with the trustees for sinking a shaft inside the north fence, and to pay a royalty of 2| per cent, on the net proceeds of the mine. But in an evil hour another company started sinking a shaft on the out- side of the south fence, intending, when they had bottomed, to woi'k towards the centre of our ' paddock,' where the ' gutter ' lay, and the gold was to be found. But this was strongly objected to by the Waterloo Company, as it meant, according to the understood rules of mining, intrusion and robbery. There was no law to regulate 152 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. such operations, consequently the Waterloo Company, the qibasi-\eg»\ occupiers of the gi-ound, determined to take the matter into their own hands. During the dinner hour on a certain day, they went across the ' paddock ' in a body, and took foi'cible possession of the new shaft. They then broke down all the machinery and other appliances, and threw the whole into the shaft, and then returned to their own company's ground. The vigilant eyes of the pohce watched the whole transaction, and, the next day or so, summonses were issued against the leaders of the adventure. The presiding magistrate, Mr. Clissold, gave it against them, and they were bound over to take their trial in the Supreme Court. There was great excitement thi'oughout the Goldfields ; and it was clearly seen that the Parliament would have to pass some bill for regulating ' mining on private property.' The second day after my arrival, a public meeting, attended by three thousand miners, was held in an open space outside Her Majesty's gaol. The leading politicians of the district took the question up, and spoke with great cogency and power. Resolutions were passed condemnatory of the non-action of the Government, in not having provided by Parliamentary intervention for the seiious dif&culty which had arisen. Expressions of sympathy with the men of the Waterloo Company, who had defended their just rights, although in an improper manner, from invasion, were also heard. Each miner in voting held up both hands, the effect of which was very imposing. Mr. James Oddie, J.P., an influential citizen, and I stood in the midst of this vast assemblage, and watched the proceedings with intense interest. The more I pondered over the case, the deeper was my conviction that the px'osecution of the men ought to be abandoned. I therefore wrote the Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, a long, confidential letter, in which I pointed out the unchallenged fact that the ' Waterloo ' men had no other course open to them than that they had taken for protecting their rights. And I asked for three concessions : * ( 1 ) That the Crown Prosecutor should be instructed by the Cabinet to enter a nolle j)rosequi^ and so let the matter drop ; (2) That the Government should immediately introduce a measure into Parliament for validating agreements entered into between owneivs of private property and mining companies; (3) That the Crown should demand a small royalty on the net proceeds, so as to be a party to all such AUSTRALIA. 153 contracts.' The prosecution never came off"; but nothing was clone to prevent breaches of the peace in the future under like conditions. Ballarat itself was an abnormal Goldfields town. The old land and population marks have not been altogether obliterated by the ' civilization ' which has set in in these later years. There are still old Golden Point, Gravel Pits, Specimen Hill, Black Hill, Bakery Hill, Brown Hill, Soldiers' Hill, Mount Pleasant, and Canadian Gully ; places and localities where much of the yellow dust used to be gathered, and which has made Ballarat the wonder of the world. Here also have been seen some of the grandest tiivimphs of the grace of God ever witnessed. To be made the Superintendent, i.e. ' Bishop,' of this great circuit, was at that time the heaviest responsibility the Conference could have put upon me. I soon found that I and my colleagues had much work cut out for us. We were three men in full physical vigour, and were much in earnest to ' spread scriptural holiness ' throughout the whole district. The area was extensive, and may be thus described : from Mount Bolton to Mount Egerton, and from Spring Hill to Scarsdale. Any English county, with the exception of Yorkshire and Devonshire, might be put within these outposts, leaving a pretty large margin for unimportant excursions. A few details from my Journal may be given : — ' March Sth. — I opened my commission by preaching at Magpie and Ballarat. In the afternoon I visited the school, and found only a few children in attendance.' ' Afarch 15th. — I rode out to the Warrenheip ' Sawmills,' some fourteen miles from Ballarat. After much difficulty I found Mr. and Mrs. Biddle at this place. I did not think at first I should be a welcome visitor, for Mr. and Mrs. Biddle, before leaving England, had been strong partisans of the Everett " reform " movement. On my way back to Ballarat, I fell in with a prize-fight. It was a brutal sight. It was said that there were a thousand persons present. I duly reported this breach of the law to the authorities.' ' Api-il nth. — This morning I heard of the melancholy death of Lady Barkly. I wrote immediately a letter of condolence to Sir Henry. His repl.v was very touching, and worthy of his fine character.' ' June 1st. — Preached twice at Creswick, and addressed the Sunday school in the afternoon. Monday : Mr. Crisp and I walked out to Mangilla, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Whitfield Raw. Mr, Raw is our senior Circuit Steward. In the afternoon we went to the top of " Cattle Station " hill, from which we saw the historic " Seven Hills," innumerable dales, and extensive grassy plains. It was a beautiful panorama. In the evening I rode to Ballarat, and was much bewildered in my progress by the new fences which are springing up in every 154 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGBAPIIY. direction, so rapid is the settlement of farms as the result of success in mining in this matchless auriferous district.' ' June 2\th. — To-day I have ridden to Mount Mercer, Messrs. Crombie and Davies' station. I preached to a small company in the hall, and formed a cla.ss of six members. We agreed to build a church-schoolhouse at Harilie"s Hill, on a site generously presented to the Conference by Mr. Thomas Dunstan. In going and returning T visited a number of families, who received me with thankfulness.' ' Sept. &th. — This day we consecrated to the worship of God the new church at Lake Learmouth. May this the first sanctuary erected in the whole of this extensive district, be filled as time rolls on with grateful and holj' worshippers 1 In the after part of the Sabbath I rode to Spring Vale, and held Divine service in Mr. Maiden's barn. This neighbourhood is the most lovely I have seen in England or Australia. It is perfectly "Edenic" in charm; and the soil is lich indeed.' ' Sej)t. ViitJt. — This morning I preached at Mount Pleasant to a fine congrega- tion. After which I rode to Durham Lead, and opened the new building for the worship of God.' • jVoc. 9th. — The holding of the Annual District Meeting was a welcome relief to me from the toil and anxieties of the Ballarat Circuit. My travelling companions to the meeting were Messrs. Crisp and Lane. The coach was driven over to the Parsonage that we might be sure of seats. Our final start was from the '• Charlie Napier," in the main road or street, then up Specimen Hill, and away to Melbourne, via Warrenheip. We were sixteen passengers in all. Everything, except the severe " bumping," went on well until we were some ten miles on our journey. Our driver was one of those venturous Americans, who, in those days, were the " whips " between the Goldfields and the city. I fear the optic nerve of our "Jehu " had been disturbed, so that its measuring faculty was at fault, for, unexpectedly to us, at least, we had an unpleasant capsize through his driving against a " stump." An immediate spring by the inside passengers, though the uppermost window-door, was an amusing sight, There was but one slight injury, the remainder escaped with a fright and shaking. All helped to right the coach, when the horses were re-harnessed, and we made another start. We had other casualties, such as the breaking of the linchpin ; and the aft wheels were on fire through the want of grease for several miles, as we neared the end of our journey. However, we got into Melbourne at last, and thankful we were that nothing more serious had happened than the breakage and fire before noticed.' From the 10th to the 18th of Kovember we were engaged in the District Meeting ; the Rev. D. J. Draper, Chairman, and the Rev. W. L. Binks, Secretary. No business of special importance came up, and the sessions were pleasantly passed. Messrs. Draper, Binks, and I were elected as representatives to the ensuing Con- ference. Mr. Lane and I returned to Ballarat on the 20th, safe and well. ' Bre. 20f7t.— To-day we have at Miners' Rest and Wendouree consecrated to AUSTRALIA. 155 the Lord two additional places of worship. I preached again in the evening at Ballarat. It was a hard day's work. The cause is prospering in our hands, which sweetens the toil.' 1858. The Ballarat Golclfields were discovered in 1851, from which period the population steadily increased. The time, therefore, appeared to have come for erecting a building in the township for accommodating from twelve to fifteen hundi-ed persons. We supposed the cost would be some ,£4,000. The necessary steps were accordingly taken for in- augurating a financial scheme for accomplishing our object. A tea and public meeting were held, presided over by the Rev. TheophOus Taylor, at which over seven hundred pounds were subscribed. Jan. \Wi.- — ^The foundation-stone was laid by Sir Henry Barkly, when from fifteen to twenty thousand persons assembled from all parts of the district to welcome the Governor, who that day was to make his first entry into the metropolitan Goldfield. It was a day of great rejoicing for his suave bearing and his able speeches. The trustees of the new church, Messrs. Oddie, Doane, Creber, Francis, and Couch, to mark their appreciation of the kind services of Sir Henry, presented him with a suitably inscribed trowel, made of Ballarat gold, whose handle of native wood was ornamented with small quartz nuggets, most artistically arranged. The Building Committee, consisting of fifteen gentlemen, acted with commendable generosity in the presentation of this valuable memento to His Excellency, in association with the trustees. The ' stone,' having been ' well and truly laid,' by Sii- Henry, he gave to the surrounding crowd an excellent address, in which he complimented the Ballarat Methodist Church for its zeal in undei*- taking, in the general mterests of that large district, the erection of so costly a builchng. He also spoke of the sincere pleasure he felt in meeting again his former friend, the Rev. James Bickford, whom he had known and esteemed as a Christian minister in the colony of British Guiana, when he was Governor there some few years before. Other speeches followed, and the ceremony of stone-laying was over. At 5 p.m. on the same da)^, I left by coach for Melbourne, and took the steamer the day following for Hobart, Tasmania, to fulfil my duty 156 JAMES niCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPIIl. as one of the representatives of the Victoria District to the Austral- asian Conference. I arrived on the 22nd, and entered the Conference at 2.30 p.m., and was heartily welcomed hy the Reverend President Butters and the assembled brethren. I preached at O'Brien's Bridge, at Melville Street, and, on my way home, at Launceston. The President's official sermon was delivered befoi-e the Confei-ence and a large audience on the evening of the 27th, for which he received the hearty thanks of the Conference. I left Launceston by steamer on February 9th. Mr. and Mrs. Allan Camei-on, formerly of Demerara, Mr. Norman, and Mr. John Munroe, came on board to wish me hon voyage. On the 12th, I reached Ballarat, and found all well at home. March 25th. — The new chiu'ch at Black Lead was opened. Mr. Roberts, a Welsh lay -preacher, and I officiated. I baptized eleven children in connection with the service. On the 29th, we held a tea and public meeting at Spring Hill, and paid off the church debt. On the 30th, a similar effort was made at Belfast in aid of the new church-schoolhouse erected there. Jlay 15th. — At the request of the Building Committee, I have been to Melbourne financially to arrange for carrying out our great enterprise at the Township. Mr. Draper accompanied me to see Mr. Henry Miller, the responsible manager of the Bank of Victoria, in the colony. Mr. Miller, when he found it was a Church transaction we were seeking accommodation for, unhesitatingly granted our request. I returned to Ballarat with ' a light heart,' in possession of a letter to Mr. Robertson, the local manager, to honour our cheques for the new building. July 18th. — A memorable day for Ballarat. The Rev. Mr. Draper came up from Melbourne, and dedicated our beautiful church to the worship of God. At the public meeting on the 19th, we raised .£341 9s. 7(1. On the 25th, the Rev. Joseph Dare, from SancUiurst, preached twice. At the prayer meeting, at the close of the evening service, several penitents came forward to seek salvation. Every one of us present felt that the ' Ai-k of the Covenant ' was ' in the house of the Lord.' Mr. Dare also gave us, on the 26th, an able lecture on the adaptability of the Methodist Church to the condition and spiritual needs of our Australian population. In writing to Mr. Draper, re Mr. Dare's visit and service, I gave as my opinion, that the reverend preacher, at whose feet I had been sitting, would be the future 'Robert Newton' of the Australasian Methodist Church. AUSTIiALIA. 157 ' Sept. \Wi. — I improved this evening the melancholy death of Hugh Ander- son, who was killcil behind the "Charlie Napier." There were about one thousand persons crowded into the church. A black man, from Jamaica, is accused of the murder of Anderson, but he accused two others, whose names he has given.' ' Oct. Srd. — A hard day's work. I preached twice at the Township : baptized seven children, and married a couple. There were one hundred and fifty com- municants at the Lord's Supper at the close of the public service.' ' Oct. 2lst. — This evening I gave a lecture at Durham Lead on Total Abstinence. Seventeen took the pledge.' I much regret that I cUd not, Avhen I was a missionary, give some portion of my time to this branch of Christian work, as well as to preaching the Gospeh I^ov. 1st. — I attended in Melbourne Gaol the execution of Thomp- son and Gibbs. Both died protesting their innocence. If really so, would not the pitying Christ, who saved the malefactor on the Cross, show mercy to them also 1 I had previously visited both in gaol, and tx-ied to prepare them for the dreadful death the law had condemned them to. I^^ov. 2nd. — The District Meeting commenced in Melbourne. Mr. Draper presided, and the Rev. T. Williams was elected Secretary. The business was soon despatched in a satisfactory manner. I^ov. 27th. — At Mr. Draper's request I went to Ararat to assist the Rev. W. Woodall to establish this new circuit. At Fiery Creek I found that there had been no religious service for over two years. I \n.sited, in order, Pleasant Creek, and held service in a calico building ; Great Western, Cathcart, and Ararat. I preached six times, met five Societies, and pastorised several families. I decided that Mr. Woodall should, for the present, reside at Great Western Diggings, it being central to his work. He has a fine, unchallenged field for his ministrations, and ' no adversaries.' The people through- out this scattered district seemed to ' esteem him highly for his work's sake.' Dec. 10th. — This evening a public reception meeting was given to the Rev. Thomas Binney, from London, Mr. Oddie presided. The resolution of welcome was moved by me, and seconded by the Rev. Cooper Searle (Anglican). Mr. Binney's reply was grand and good. We were all vastly interested. On the evening of the 12th he preached in our new church, it being the largest in Ballarat. My Journal jotting of this service says : — ' The building was thronged, and hundreds had to go away, being unable to 158 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. get within hearing distance of the great preacher. His text was : •' And every man stood in his place." Mr. Binney exhibited a profound acquaintance with human nature, and gave us wise lessons on our duty in this new country. " I never preached," said he. "to such a congregation before. There is not an old man amongst them. The best sinew and brains from the Mother-land are gathered together here. Their intelligence and force of character beam in their very countenances." It was a grand service. At its close, the Lord's Supper was administered. 1859. ' Jan. ith. — A great shadow has fallen upon us. Mr. Taylor's health had failed under the heavy labours of establishing the Ballarat Circuit. He died this morning in the presence of Mrs. Taylor, Rev. C. Lane, and myself, without a struggle. His end was peace. ' About ten days before this melancholy incident occurred, he opened his mind to me as follows : Now that death was rapidly approaching him, he felt, he said, no fear. His soul was full of gratitude, and thankfulness, and peace. If the Lord were to put it to him whether he would prefer to die or live, his preference would be the former. The glory at God's right hand he longed to enjoy. He had been, he said, reserved in his communications to others of his experience of religion. He had considered it too sacred a thing to be talked about. He had had, nevertheless, a " spring under a spring ; " the upper had been his official life and through that he had gone without fear or timidity. No hesitation or hanging back had ever marked that department of his life ; whilst underneath it had lain " a spring " of sweet enjoyment and strength. This was unseen, and often it had been thought that his was an official piety, but it was not so, " I could never be converted in those meetings yonder ; ' it pleased God to reveal the Son in me ' was the manner of my conversion, and in secret. I shouted for hours, ' Glory ! Glory ! ' My soul was full to overflowing. I feel it now, although my disease considerably affects my mind and gives it a false colouring, and makes me irritable. But I am on the Rock — I give up all to Him — I am safe." We knelt down and prayed. It was a deeply solemn time. Mr. Taylor's responses were clear, hearty, and appropriate.' ' Jan. 6th. — The funeral of our late brother, Mr. Taylor, took place to-day. After an affecting service in the church, we proceeded to the New Cemetery, Creswick Road, and laid all that was mortal of this pioneer preacher on the Goldfields in their last earthly resting-place. There was a great assemblage of mourners of all denominations, who were anxious to show their love and respect for this faithful servant of God. On the 9th, I improved the death of our dear departed brother. My text was Isaiah xl. 6, 7, 8. Mrs. Taylor was graciously sustained throughout all the distressing incidents, thus briefly stated, by the presence and love of Him who is the widow's Husband and the Father of the orphaned.' ' F/ih. IGth. — To-day I opened the new church at Clunes for Divine worship. We raised at the public meeting on the Monday £120 towards the expense of the building ' AUSTRALIA. 159 ' March Wi. — The Rev. William Hill, from Geelong, visited us for our Town- ship Sunday School Anniversary. He preached two eloquent and suitable sermons to large congi-egations. The collections on the Sunday and on the Monday evening showed the great interest the people took in Sunday School work. The Conference of this year appointed the Rev. J. G. Millard, of Sydney, as my colleague. He comes to us with the reputation of being an able preacher, and a successful soul- winner.' In the settlement of some of our agricultural districts, serious misunderstandings frequently arose among the purchasers, or lessees, in relation to the boundaries of each other's holdings of fee-simples. I felt that it was quite -within the scope of my duties, as a minister of peace and righteousness, to assist in preventing as much as possible expensive litigation amongst such parties. Besides these, misunder- standings often arose among members of our own church, who, with their families, had settled on small farms bounded by each other's farms ; having only logs of wood, ' dog-leg ' fences, or post and rail, for dividing between them. Such a condition of things only made mischief in the midst of the families in their relation to each other. Notwithstanding the enormous calls upon our people on the Gold- iields for local contributions, they could not ignore the obligation we owed as a prosperous branch of the Australasian Church to our Foreign Missions. In recently making up the returns for the Ballarat Circuit, I was thankful to find that the noble sum of ^301 4s. 6d. had been raised. I had been, during the quarter, as a deputation in the interests of the missions to the Carisbrook and Castlemaine Circuits, where I found amongst the ministers and con- gregations a fine missionary spirit. The wear and tear of mining life, especially in the deep sinkings of Ballarat, soon brought to the painful notice of the leading men of the city, the necessity there was for some generous provision of a benevolent kind being made for an increasingly large increment of prematurely old, unfortunate, and indigent persons within the dis- trict. Private funds under the direction of a large committee, had been distributed for a few years as occasion required ; but this, as a means of out-of-door relief, was found to be altogether unsatisfactory. It may appear somewhat invidious to mention anyone's name in particular when so many nobly helped ; still the name of ' James Oddie ' cannot be overlooked. To him, more than to any other 160 JAMES BICKFORB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. gentleman of that time are we indebted for the capacious and hand- some building, known as the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum, in the ■western part of the city. On the occasion of the lapng the founda- tion stone, on March 17th, by Mr. Oddie, there were about five thousand persons present. The Revs. Messrs. Potter (Anglican), Henderson (Presbyterian), and I, gave addresses on the duties and privileges of Christian benevolence. The cosmopolitan objects of the institution commended it to the paternal assistance of the Govern- ment, whose aid was generously rendered. ''March l^th (8 a.m.) — I was at Mount Mercer Station, and after family worship with Mr. and Mrs. Cromby, I came over to Hardie's Hill, and marked oflE the land given by Mr. King for the new school-house. Messrs. Wilson, Dunstan, Thomas, and Eoach were with me. We all knelt down on the ground, and prayed that God would bless the project. It being the end of the quarter, I visited the Durham Lead, Magpie, and Mount Pleasant Day Schools on my way back to Ballarat. Our greatest ecclesiastical event of this year was the division of the circuit, by forming into a new charge Creswick, Spring HUl, Clunes, Mount Bolton, and Lake Learmouth. The Rev. George Daniel was appointed superintendent, with the Rev. Charles Lane as his colleague. The Conference had been generous in its gifts, for both ministers ranked among our best men. The Quarterly Meet- ing for carrying this division into effect was held at Creswick on April 4th. There was a large attendance, and forty-two brethren sat down to a real English dinner of roast beef and plum pudding. The arrangement of the finances took up a great deal of time, and we found that we had a deficiency of <£51 10^. 8d. This amount the Ballarat Circuit agreed to take over. We appointed stewards for both circuits, and broke up in harmony. It was not a case of the stronger throwing ofi" the weaker, but of mutual adjustment in the common interest of the cause. Six day schools went ofi" with the division. We agreed that the Rev. J. G. Millard should reside at Billarat East, and that his salary should be £300 per annum. ' AjJi'il ISth. — Mr. and Mrs. Millard, four children, and servant arrived in Ballarat. The Stewards not having as yet provided a house, we took them in,, and did our best to make them feel at home with us.' ' Api'il 20th. — We had a reception meeting for Mr. Millard. About four hundred persons sat down to tea. It was a capital meeting, and realised £20 16.V. towards Mr. Millard's removal expenses from Sydney to Ballarat. During the evening Mr. Daniel arrived from Geelong on his way to Creswick. AUSTRALIA. 161 He was lamod through the upsetting of the eoaeb. it was v/cll that he escaped with so little hurt.' ' Mnij 2ifh. — A busy day as usual. I went to the hospital and admitted ten applicants, and dismissed five or six. I called on Widows Barker and Evans. In the afternoon I rode out to the Warrenheip railway works to the chui'ch opening services. We had a fine meeting, and paid off the whole cost of the building. Messrs. Guthridge and Little have liberally helped us in making a home for a Methodist Church at this station.' • Jiinr '2nd. — -The Rev. Mr. Buzacott, a London missionarj', from the South Seas, preached this evening and interested us greatly. We made a collection of £o 10^., which was handed to him for his glorious mission. Mr. George Howe, of the George Hotel, whom I have been visiting for some weeks in his great illnei'S, took the Sacrament from me to-day. God is Showing him His salvation.' On the 4th Mr. Howe died. I was much distressed at not seeing him again. ' Saved by mercy ' I humbly believe. Mrs. Bickfoid and I went to the ' house of mourning ' to condole with Mrs. Howe. Her dear Lucy came home too late to see her father alive. It was a crushing sorrow for the child. On the 7th the mortal remains of my late friend were interred. The Rev. C. Searle (Anglican) read at the grave the usual service, and I addressed the sympathising audience, and offered extempore pi-ayer. I was very unwell after- wards, and had to call in Dr. Nicholson. My pulse was 106 degrees. On the 8th I was too ill to leave my room. '■ Julji 25tJi. — I have had severe headache all day, occasioned by the cold of yesterday and heavy labours. In the evening I met my Bible class. I am won-ied almost out of my life with our day schools. Under this Denominational System we have to find all the buildings and appurtenances, appoint and superintend the teachers, examine and report on the condition of the schools, and preside at all meetings of the Local Boards. In this district I am myself the GoiTesponding Secretary with the Central Board in Melbourne of some fifteen or twenty schools ; have to examine and sign all returns, receive the grants, and pay the teachers their salaries. Large packages of books and ^;?aK^ come to me, for which I have to account from quarter to quarter to the Central Board. Indeed, it is a heavy burden — a trouhlesvnw " department " — requiring much time and method of action to keep matters straight. ' My pastoral and preaching duties are almost as nothing compared wiih. the constant attention and care these schools impose on me. I wish that I could be rid of this burden by some new legislation, through which the churches would be freed from all further connection with so responsible and thankless a work. i\Iy fi'iend, Mr. James Bonwick, is the District Inspector, but his duties are quite distinct from mine. And were it not for his judicious sugges- tions and countenance, I certainly would l)e compelled to retire from all further connection with the administration of the Denominational System of education in this extensive district.' ' July 2Sth. — A singular example of the effect of de/'jj conviction of sin upon 11 162 JAMES BICKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGBAPIfY. the phj'sical man occun-ed to a Mr. Langfley at the Wendouree Swamp, \\\\o had become both lilind aud speechless for some thirty or forty hours. I was sent for, and promptly rode up to see him in his now quiet cottage home. Messrs. Holier aud Morgan had spent much time in prayer for him. When I came into his presence, I found that he could see and speak, and was saved. The first words he uttered were in testimony of that great spiritual change ; God had forgiven him, he said, and he was now happy. In sad contrast to this '•incident of gi-ace " was the case of a man — a complete stranger — who called on me in Lydiard Street, and disclosed a melancholy tale of wi'etched conjugal and colonial life. A sadder case I never heard of. Poor fellow ! He is to be pitied ! But on whose side is the fault ? ' I went to the hospital and admitted ten patients, and spent the rest of the day in pastoral visitation. At the meetius' of the Benevolent Association I was elected a member of the Committee of Management.' • Avgiist oth. — We had been contending with the Eastern Council for many months about our site at the Gravel Pits, which we had occupied in the usual manner for several years. But now the Council sought to dispossess us of our land, and use it for the purpose of a town hall, institute, and library. Mr. Belford, the mayor, had no sympathy with our church, so he determined to seize our chosen ground. Finding that the longer we corresponded the more entangled the matter became, I prepared and despatched a letter to Sir Henry Barkly, our Governor, upon the whole case. It was our only hope for a just settlement.' ' Avffust 23rd. — My first visit to Smythesdale and Brown's Diggings. At 7.30 I preached in the Primitive Methodist Church to about one hundred persons. I supped at Mr. John Davey's tent, and slept at Mr. Mitchell's. The next morning, after breakfasting with Mr. and Mrs. Harris, and family worship I sallied forth on pastoral work until 1 p.m. I dined at Mr. Frost's and baptized his youngest child. I then started for Ballarat, and got lost in the ranges for nearly two hours. At last I fell in with a couple of wood-splitters, who informed me that I was going in the opposite direction from Ballarat, and kindly put me on the track for Cherry Tree Hut. I got home at 7 p.m., and Avent into the church and preached. I was much tired, and my whole nervous system was upset.' 'Sept. 16t7i. — This day Mr. Belford. on behalf of the Eastern Council, and I, in behalf of the Wesleyan Church, met at my house, and we settled the dispute about the Gravel Pits site, after two years of smart and obstinate contention from both sides. We erect entirely new premises on the other side of Barkly Street, upon a new site to be granted by the Government, and the Council would erect their buildings upon our old site. We were to receive a monetary payment from the Council as compensation.' On the 19th I went to the Gravel Pits to see the miners, and arranged with them for clearing away from our new site. I had not much trouble with them about compensation. ' Sept. 28tJi.—l learnt to day that there are 17,0r)0 persons on the Smythesdale and Brown's diggings without a resident minister of any kind.' AUSTRALIA. 163 Oct. ^ith. — Went to Mount Mercer, and attended a 7;os^?/ior^e«i, examination of the late Mr. Crombie. He was shot by a Prussian labourer, over a disputed five pounds which he claimed for sinking a, dam for Mr. Crombie. It was beyond doubt an unjust debt, but better it had been paid. Mrs. Crombie is left with one son and two daughters. Deeply did I sorrow for tlieni, but that brings not back the dead to life. We lost another excellent Christian man in the death of Mi-. Thomas Guthridge. He died at the Warrenheip railway works after a painful, lingering illness, and entered into rest. Oct. bth. — We held our Quai-terly Meeting. The deficiency on the quarter was ^54 12s. Qd., which, with the balance of £139 for furnishing Mr. Millard's house, made a total deficit of .£193 12s. 10c?. I had to leave the meeting to inter the remains of the late Mr. John Crombie. The funeral procession was large, and the crowd moc-t sympathetic. Mr. Draper, in a letter to me, under date Oct. 21st, only expressed the general sentiment when he said, ' Poor Crombie ! I moui-ned over the sad tidings of his barbai'ous murder for days. I never heard of anything more truly appalling. Surely the wretched murderer must be an incarnate fiend.' The murderer was sub- sequently adjudged to be of unsound mind, and did not therefore forfeit his own life for that he had so cruelly taken. Nov. \st. — 'The Bonwick Testimonial.' As an inevitable resvilt of the harassing laboui-s of our ' District Inspector of Schools,' the health of Mr. James Bonwick completely broke down, and a special fund was forthwith started, to enable this most valuable public officer to take the needed rest and chance of being again set up for his beloved work. Mr. Bonwick was an educationist by inspiration and special endowment. To permanently lose him from the district was i-egarded as a great i^ublic loss. In mentioning this painful case to the Rev. Mr. Draper, who had known Mr. Bonwick for many years, he replied as follows : — * Mr. Bonwick's case is very distressing. I hope he will get something sub- stantial from the public, and from such private friends as have it in their power. I wrote to him yesterday, and shall see him before he leaves for England. He is a genial soul. You will scarcely meet with a more cheerful and intelligent man ; one in whom the greatest confidence may be placed. I never had reason to doubt his genuine sincerity as a Christian man, and as a friend.' In a few weeks we raised over one hundred guineas to enable our 164 JAMES niCKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. friend to visit England, which, as treasurer of the fund, I had the pleasure of handing to him. Tlie Annual District Meeting this year was held in Geelong. There were six of us attending from Ballarat and adjoining Ch'cuits. We commenced on November 8th, under the presidency of Mr. Drapei-, and concluded on the 15th. By appointment, I preached the oJSS.cial sermon in Yarra Street Church, choosing as my text 1 Cor. xv. 58. I received the next day the warm thanks of the ministers for the service. We had had a prosperous year in every department of the work. On the 15th I had the pleasure of again seeing my aged widowed mother, at my bi-other's, at his house in the Crown Lands OiBce, and returned in time to Geelong to address a large crowd at the Institute, on the Christian duty of abstinence from the use of intoxicants. At 10.30 p.m. the Rev. W. Woodall and I left by coach for Ballarat. The night was cold, dark, and fatiguing. Dec. Srd. — I went to Sandhurst in the interests of the Foreign Missions. I preached twice on the Sabbath, and attended four meetings in the week. I reached home on the 11th, and heard of the particulars of two desolating fires which had occurred in the Main Road during my absence. The Rev. T. Williams had come up from the city as a deputation in aid of our South Sea Missions. He preached on the Sabbath, and spoke with much effect at the public meetings. Messrs. Daniel and MUlard also assisted. 1860. The time had now come for the erection of a hospital at Ballaiat. A number of influential gentlemen met for initiating the movement, and it was agreed to send a memorial to Sir Henry Barkly, asking for a grant for the object. At the request of Mr. Lynn, sohcitor, I agreed to take charge of the document, and hand it to the Governor on my arrival in Melbourne. On January 14 have made him my friend.' Happy man, I thought, to be able thus to combine 'the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove ' ! The services passed off well, and the next day I held a local preachers' and quarterly meeting. The evening meeting was well attended, the subscription list came up better than expected, and the Scarsdale Circuit was staz'ted on old Methodist lines. It was midnight before I could retire to rest. March 30th. — Met my class for the last time. The members presented me with a beautifully bound Bible in token of their love. The next diiy I was very ill, being completely run down with the burden of toil and anxieties I was cariying. My good and skilful doctor, George Nicholson, had to be called in. He prescribed for me, and gave me excellent counsel in regard to my future health. April 2nd. — Held the last Quarterly Meeting in Lydiard Street. It was largely attended, and the finances came up well. The brethren Slid many kind things of Mrs. Bickford and myself. Messrs. Bell, Biddle, and Gillingham — formerly connected with the, !^o called, English Reformers — bore grateful testimony to my conciliatory, administrative conduct, whereby they had been restored to the Church, and many blessings had come to then- families. What they thus volunteered touched me deeply. Mr. Millard, my colleague (sotto voce) said to me, ' I wish such acknowledgments could be circulated througliovit our whole Connexion.' The member- ship was 738. The superintendency of the Ballarat Circuit now devolved upon Mr. Millard, and the Rev. Thomas Boston was appointed as second preacher. AUSTRALIA. 167 The usual 'farewell meeting' was held on April At/i, and was attended by official representatives from every part of the Circuit. INIr. James Oddie, the senior Steward, presided, and was supported by Mr. Joseph A. Doane, the junior Steward. The Pie\-. J. C. Symons, who was on his way to the Amherst Circuit, took his seat on the platform. Ministers of other Churches were also present, and took part in the meeting. A lieautifuUy embossed address, with several valuable presents, were handed to me. An unexpected sui-prise came upon the meeting, in the appearance upon the plat- of a coloured brother, a Mr. Edmondson, from Jamaica, who, for himself and some ten or twelve other coloured persons, presented me with an address, and Mrs. Bickford with a handsome silver cake-basket. As an old West Indian missionary, I had done my best to make them feel at home with us in Ballarat, where the cursed colour prejudice was happily iinknown. Thus ended my official connection with the Ballarat Circuit. The three years of my incumbency had been mai-ked by much Ijlessing from God and much extension of the work. We had })uilt our churches and school-houses in every part of the district ; our ecclesiastical organisation was complete, and our local preachers and leaders were devoted and excellent men. My journal shows that I had preached five hundi-ed and eighty-two times, besides lectures and other ministerial work. Lcms Deo ! Sandhurst. Aj)ril 5th. — We left Ballarat this morning for Sandhurst, vid Creswdck and Castlemaine. It rained heavily when we started ; still we had to go, for such are the exigencies of the Methodist itinerancy. Our kind friends, Mr. J. A. Doane and Mrs. Edmondson, went with us as far as Creswick. The journey from this township to Castle- maine was rough and trying, from the unmade condition of the roads, and the swollen creeks through wliich we had to pass. At Yandoit the passengers had to leave the coach, whilst the driver, at full tilt, dashed into a creek, and swam the horses over. The coach itself was partially submerged, and had become quite unfit for our further occupancy. We, the passengers, had to ford the creek with the aid of fallen trees, and otherwise do the best we could for om-- selves. We idtimately got round to where the coachman pulled up, rejoined the coach, and proceeded on our wretched journey. We 168 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. reached Castlemaine at 5 p.m., cold, weary, and dispiiiteil. The next day we left foi' Saiidliui-st, and reached the parsonage at 6.30 p.m. Mr. Allingliam, the senior Circuit Steward, was there to receive us. 1 opened my commission on the 8th, by preaching at Eagle Hawk and White Hills, and had good congregations. On the 21st, Mr. Allingham and I accepted a tender of £102 for improve- ments to the parsonage, being indispensable to our health. I certainly had hoped that, in coming to Sandhurst, I should have escaped many of the difficulties I had had in Ballarat in connection with the day schools. Our chief ti"ouble, however, arose from the action of the ' Central School Board," in their appropriation of the Annual Grant. The full sum for the year 1860 was ^6125,000, ' with power resei-ved to the Board to re-distribute equitably, after October 1st, with the sanction of the Governor in Council, any sums for the expenditure of which provision may not have been made.' After deducting from the gross amount of grant £32,500 for the ' National Board,' the remainder was thus apportioned : — Denomi- national Board: Salaries, Normal Inspector and Secretary, £1,000 each ; six inspectors — four at <£600 each, and two, at £300 each ; Churchof England, £35, 461 9^; Roman Catholic, £16,258 13s. Id. ; Presbyterian Chm-ch,£ 14,622 14s. 6fZ. ; Wesleyan MethocUst, £11,068; other Protestants, £6,831 18s. Id.; Jewish, £464 Is. \d. The fundamental error of this scale of appropriation was that it was made not on the basis of the number of childien each of the educating denominations actually provided for and instructed ; but, on the ' General Census ' of the entire population, which was taken for another purpose entirely, and upon which the ' State Aid to Relisrion ' Grant of £50,000 was made to those of the denominations who chose to accept it. The ' General Census ' gave the Wesleyan body, as one of the accepting denominations, one-fifteenth part of the State Grant as its share in aid of the support of the Ministry, and other Church objects ; whereas, by adopting as the basis of distribution of the Grant for Public Education, the Official Returns of attendants at our schools, we should be entitled to one-fifth of the amount set apart for Denominational Schools. And whilst we were thus ci-amped in our educational woik by this unjust appropriation the other bodies had a larger amount to their credit, than they had schools to take up. WESLEY CHURCH, MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA. \m In common fairness to the Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and * other Protestants,' it should be stated that they were no parties to the pressure the Anglican bishop, Dr. Perry, brought upon the C'entral Board to withdraw all support from Wesley an Schools requiring assistance outside what the ' General Census ' gave to the denomination. Hence several of our schools were in danger of immediate disendowment, to the disadvantage of the teachers, and to our diserecUt as an educating body. We fought the battle of right and justice with the Central Board, and, in the end, its Secretary, with the consent of the Government, informed the Rev. Mr. Draper, the ' Head ' of our Denomination, that if the other ' Heads of Denominations ' would consent thereto, a part of the unused portion of the vote might be applied to what was offensively called the ' Surplus ' Wesleyan Schools. The only opponent to this righteous solution of the question was Dr. Perry himself. W^e, in Bendigo, then took the matter into our hands, by placing three of our schools under the wing of the Rev. Dr. Nish, the Presbyterian clergyman, and two under the Rev. W^. R. Fletcher, M.A., the Congregational minister. Thus we saved five schools to the district. The annoyance and vexation caused to us by the Anglican bishop, naturally produced in our minds a set determination to upset, at the earliest possible moment, the then Dual system of public education. And I distinctly remember Mr. Draper remarking, with considerable emphasis, that the only effectual remedy for removing the unfairness of the present administration of the parliamentaiy grant, was the abolition of the two Boards of Management, by the substitution of a thoroughly National System, free from all ecclesiastical interference, and to be under the sole chrection of a Minister of Education cUrectly responsible to Parliament. The River Murray District, lying to the north of Bendigo, was as yet untouched by effective evangelistic labours. Accordingly, on the morning of May 25th, I left by coach for Echuca, and ai-rived at my destination at 5.30 p.m. Messrs. Watson and Powell kindly welcomed me, and arrangetl for my stay at Mrs. Redmond's hotel. The next day we secured the Court House for the Sabbath services. The first Methodist sermon preached at Echuca was from 1 Tim. i. 15, and the second was from Rev. vii. 14. I made the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Hopwood, Mr. and Mrs. Sabine, Mr. Veale, Mr. Tomline, and some others. On the 28th, I returned 170 .JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. to Sandhurst and liad tlie honour of finding Mr. and Mrs. Draper as guests at our house. The Sandhurst Church Anniversary was hekl at this time, and Mr. Draper greatly helped us. June 'dth. — Received this morning a letter from the Chief Secretary. ' No more schools for us this year.' Surely ' the triumphing of the wicked shall be short.' June 237-d. — Mr. Dowling drove me to Tarnagulla. On the 24th I preached twice, and on the 25th I hekl the Quarterly Meeting at Inglewood. Thei-e are in the Cu-cuit 117 members. At the public meeting in the evening we raised =£48. On the 26th we held the Church Anniversary at Tarnagulla, when 350 persons sat down to tea. The Revs. Beer, Adams, Bunn, and I, spoke. Mr. Pybus also helped us with a fine speech. On the 27th I returned to Sandhurst. An important meeting was held at Sandhurst by the local clergy, to consider the advisability of commencing a series of religious services in the ' Lyceum,' for the special benefit of the non-churchgoing portion of the people. We also agreed to call upon the merchants and shopkeepers to come into an arrangement for shortenmg the hours of business. Messrs. Hart, Fletcher, and I, made the appeal. On the 23rd, I preached in the ' Lyceum ' to a crowded audience, on Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1 . Sept. 15th. — I again left for Echuca, and reached Runnymede at 11.30 a.m. Here I was disappointed in not finding a coach to take m.e on. I therefore arranged with Mrs. Stephenson for holding a religious service in the hotel parlour in the evening. I spent the afternoon in visiting all the families in the neighbourhood, and in- vited them to the service. I preached to twenty-five adults. On the 16th I preached twice at Echuca and once at Moama, on the N. S. W, side of the Murray. On the 22nd, I was again at Sandhurst. Sept. 23rd. — I had again to leave for Inglewood. Preached twice on the Sabbath, and addressed the Sunday School at 3 p.m. On Monday I held the Quarterly Meeting, and found the Circuit free of debt. We passed, after the usual examinations, the brethren Collins, Davies, Jenkins, and Tucker as full local preachers. Messrs. Jenkins and Davies will likely enter the Ministry after a while. Mr. Bunn was the young minister in charge. October 1st. — We held the Sandhurst Quarterly Meeting, and Mr. Hart and I Avere unanimously invited to remain a second year. AUSTRALIA. 171 Xov. 13lst. — We held our Quarterly Fast by a prayer meeting at 7 a.m., and another at noon. The latter was a season of deep and earnest supplication ; especially for the prosperity of the Circuit. AUSTRALIA. 197 April oth. — I examined the Chippendale Day School to-day. Messrs. Joseph Wearne and T. Reeve were present, members of the Local Board. There were 145 pupils in the classes. Mr. and Mrs Burrows are doing well in this school. On the 8th, I prepared five sheets of catechetical lessons foi- the public examination at Easter. On the 18th, I attended a vale- dictory meeting for the Revs. W. Moore, J. E. Moulton, and J. Rooney. On the 20th the Johti Wesley sailed for the South Seas with these valued brethren and their wives. There were many friends to see them off. We wished them ' good-bye ' near the ' Heads.' On the 27th I was present at a committee meeting of Newington College. There was a large attendance of gentlemen, and, amongst other important matters of business, it was agreed that my nephew, Edmund Sorrel Bickford, who was daily expected from the Westminster Training College, should be employed as Fourth Master if deemed eligible by Mr. President Fletcher. I heard this afternoon that the notorious Ben Hall, bui'glar and murderer, had been killed. ' Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.' May Gth. — This is my forty- ninth birthday. The Lord has been forbearing and gracious during the past year to me. May 8th. — Being in the city I learnt that the Bora was inside the ' Heads.' I hired a boat, and went down our beautiful harbour to meet the good ship with my nephew on board. I saw him on the quarter deck, and instinctively i-ecognised him. ' Surely blood is thicker than water.' He had grown during the eleven years which had elapsed since we parted at Kingsbridge in 1854, to be a full man. We hastened to the parsonage in Cleveland Street, where his aunt was impatiently awaiting his arrival. This is my Diary jotting for May 11th : — ' Went to Newingtoa with my nephew, E. S. Bickford, to introduce him to the Rev. J. H. Fletcher, the President, and Mr. Thomas Johnston, the Head Master. They conversed with him on various subjects embraced in college work, and were pleased with him. He is to enter upon his new duties on May 15th.' On the 26th I went by steamer to the Hunter River. I left the wharf at 11 p.m., and reached Newcastle the next morning. I spent the day ^vith Mrs. Creed, visited several families, and in the evening spoke at the missionary meeting ; Mr. Daniel, brother of Rev. George 198 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Daniel, presided. On the 27th I went on to Maitland, and was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Owen. I found that the visit of the Rev. WiUiam Taylor had been a great blessing in the town and district. After preaclung on the Sabbath, and attending three meetings, I returned to Sydney. June nth. — Mr. James Hooke, formerly a schoolmate of mine at Ivybridge, Devon, called to see me. We much loved each other as youths. How strange that we should meet again after more than thirty years of non-intercourse or knowledge of each other's whei'e- abouts ! It is very surprising that we could so easily Ijridge over the incidents which had filled those thirty years. June 24:th. — Sad news from America ! President Lincoln has been assassinated. A great man has fallen, and the whole world mourns the loss. On the 29th I pi'epared a statement of the Rev. W. Taylor's Sydney financial affairs; after which I attended a committee of ministers and laymen, for considering how we should fittingly recognise the soul-saving labours which he had rendered to the congregations and people of Sydney and neighbourhood. We agreed to hold a public meeting, and present an address and a purse. W^e cannot do too much for this great and much honoured servant of God. July 3rd. — My nephew, E. S. B., is beginning to evidence a pre- ference for preaching to teaching at the College. I therefore requested him to prepare a manuscript sermon, and read it to me. The first of the kind he read this evening. It was in the rough, but I liked both its theology and diction. On the 4th we held our Quartei'ly Meeting. We had a good increase of membership, and a balance in hand of £4:2. July Wth. — The Rev. W. Taylor sailed to-day. He has done a good work for his Master in New South Wales. May God be with him ! Sept. IWi. — After many delays and annoyances in arranging for the erection of our Chippendale Church, the Building Committee this evening resolved to return to its original intention of spending about £5,000 for the buUding. To accomplish this object we had to get an entirely new set of plans and specifications. What a plagiie architects sometimes are to trustees and committees ! In this particular case we were much tried. The lowest tender for the first plans was £6,700, whereas our instructions were for a building AUSTRALIA. 199 to cost £5,000 at the farthest. At length we accepted a tender at our own figure, and the work proceeded. July I8th. — English telegram: 'Old Pam is still in the ascendent.' In the evening I attended an ' Ordination Service,' when the Rev. J. S. Austin was solemnly set apart as a missionary to the Navigator Islands. The veteran Rev. James Calvert gave the charge. It was a season of blessing. Oct. 5th. — Held the Quarterly Meeting. The increase of members was 106, and the credit balance was =£45. Mr. Robert Johnston was recommended for the Ministry. Oct. 22nd. — I preached at Wollongong in aid of the ' Church Sustentation Society.' The next morning the Rev. George Hurst and I went to the American Creek to inspect the Kerosene Works. We went into the mine, conducted by Mr. John Graham, one of the proprietors. It was a wonderful deposit. The works, now in course of erection, will cost ^2,500. On the 25th Mr. Hurst and I went up to Mount Keira to see the coalmine. We literally ' went into the mountain,' guarded from danger by the standing walls of coal which sustain the superincumbent weight. Layers of purest coal, six or eight feet in depth, stood across our track, in the front of which were men with their picks and shovels working at the lowest part, when all that had been affected by the strokes came tumbling down. Tramways were laid all along the mine for conveying the coal to the mouth, where it was shot into a connecting shoot, and whisked along to the vessel lying more than a mile off at the Wollongong Wharf. The New South Wales coal-beds are the marvel of scientific men, and are rather different in their form from those found m the North of England. I attended meetings at Wollongong, Bulli, and Mount Keira. On the 26th I left by the steamer Hunter, and reached Sydney on the evening of the same day. N'ov. 1th. — The District Meeting was begun to-day. On the evening of the 8th I preached the official sermon in York Street Church. We took the Lord's Supper at the close of the service. We had an increase of 480 members, with 299 on trial. We had four candidates, two of whom passed. Messrs. Manning, Sellars, Wiles, and Gillmore were examined by Mr. Fletcher, and were ultimately recommended to be taken into full connexion at the ensuing Conference. The Rev. William Curnow was elected 200 JAMES JilCKFORD: A\ AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Representative. Tha sittings were closed on the 16th. On the 1 8th Mrs. Taylor and her three sons arrived from San Francisco ; I went to Dr. MofFatt's to see them, and sent a telegram to Mr. Taylor, then at Willunga, South Australia, to come to Sydney forthwith. Dec. 4:th. — Went to Parramatta to attend the Missionary Meeting. This place is full of old Methodist families. I visited the Oakeses, Watkinses, Byrneses, Martins, and Bowdens. Dec. I6th. — English telegram : ' Lord Palmerston is dead.' Irish hy birth, and English by sympathy, he served his country well, and upheld the honour of England in every Cabinet and Court in Europe. Finished another article for the Advocate. Subject, ' Public Morals.' Dec. 30th. — This year has been one of mercy and blessing. 1866. Jan. 1st. — We had an auspicious beginning of the new year. Mrs. George Wigram Allen laid the memorial stone of the new church at Chippendale. We called it ' Wesley Church,' in honour of our founder, and to indicate to the public its character and claims. The ceremony passed off with much eclat. About £370 was then subscribed for the new building. The next day I called on Sir John Young, the Governor, and asked him for a subscription for our new chui-ch. It was amusing to hear him say that it was a principle with him to give to nothing that was local ; and that, if he were to give anything to me, he would violate his principle and be besieged for every enterprise in the city. I could not but contrast Sir John's conduct, in this case, with that of Sir Henry Barkly in Victoria. On my way back fi'om the 'domain' I called on Mr. George Wigram Allen, and told him of my disappointment. He spoke encouragingly to me to persevere in my efforts, and promised me £50 as a subscription. Jan. 1th. — Rev. Jabez Bunting Waterhouse preached an admir- able sermon at Chippendale. The Covenant Service was especially good. ' My God, I am thine ! 0 save and and keep me ! ' Jan. 8th. — I attended an executive committee meeting for missions. Captain Walsh explained to us the circumstances of the wreck of the John Wesley. He stood by the wheel to the last minute, and RMV?* bam::i]sx. J', Ijdmafem., PRESIDENl' OF THE AUSIRMu^SIAN COHFEREFCE 1859 . AUSTRALIA. 201 when she began to break up, he sorrowfully exclaimed ' Poor Johnny ! ' We pitied the Captain very much. Jan. 9th. — I held the Quarterly Meeting, which was well attended. We had in hand =£56, after paying all demands. The appointments for the year were : Superintendent, Rev. James Bickford ; second preacher. Rev. Henry Gaud. This arrangement was to be forwarded to Conference by Mr. Joseph Wearne, senior Steward. Ja7i. 28tJt. — I received a letter from the Hon. Alexander Macarthur, London, promising me =£50 towards Wesley Church, Chippendale. Feb. 5th. — The Station Sheet came to hand. We are to go to Geelong in Victoria. If this be the will of God, then it will be all well. There is strong feeling in the Circuit about this change. Feb. 14:th. — I had a long conversation with the Rev. Stephen Rabone on the subject of my removal from the Circuit. He told me that Mr. Gaud moved in the Stationing Committee that my name should stand for the Goulburn Circuit. My appointment to Geelong was an after consideration, and arose out of the pressure of Sydney First for Mr. Draper. Feb. 2'2nd. — To day I received a kind letter from Messrs. James Wood and T. B. Hunt, Circuit Stewards of the Geelong Circuit, and enquiring as to the time of our probable arrival. March 5th. — Sydney is full of the wildest excitement to-day. Mr, and Mrs. Draper, Dr. Woolley, and between two and three hundred persons had been drowned in the Bay of Biscay, through the foundering of the steamship Londo7i, on Friday, January 5th. W^e were struck dumb at the crushing forcefulness of the blow. All Sydney clothed itself in mourning. March 19th. — I attended a meeting of Sydney ministers, to provide a Superintendent of the York Street Circuit in the place of the lamented Mr. Draper. We agreed that the Rev. William Kelynack, the second preacher, should take charge. March 21st. — I paid Mr. Rabone ,£251 8s. 6cl., being the con- tributions of the Sydney Second Circuit to the Foreign Missions for 1865. It was a noble contribution from a generous-hearted people. March 24:th. — At the earnest request of Messrs. Rabone and Chapman, I preached in York Street Church a funeral sermon for the late Mr. Draper. There was a large and sympathetic congregation. 202 JAMES BICKFOBB: A:S AUTO BIO GBAPIIY. I took as my text, Acts xx. 24, thinking St. Paul's great courage as an Apostle of Christ was typical, in many resj^ects, of Mr. Draper's loving sacrifices and blessed toil for more than thirty years in Australia. And his conduct at the last momentous hour of his life, in that ill-fated ship, was worthy of Paul himself in the presence of his cruel martyrdom. Mr. Draper forgot himself in bis last efforts to save the souls of his fellow-passengers. So died Daniel James Draper. March 26\st. — I attended a meeting at St. George's Church, to arrange for holding the United Religious Services in the first week in the New 216 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Year. Thus I finished the work of 1867 in the spirit of love and unity with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ, who is both theirs and ours. 1868. Jan. \st. — My Diary jotting is as follows : — ' I have entered upon the new year in Yarra Street Church, It was a solemn time. I endeavoured to consecrate myself anew to God. I have heavy re- sponsibilities in prospect of the Presidency, but I will cast myself upon the wisdom and aid of the Holy Spirit, and I shall be helped.' In the afternoon Mrs. Bickford and I went to Fyan's Ford, and spent a nice time with Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt, Returned home at 9.40 p.m. Jan. '2nd. — We opended tendei-s for the enlargement of Ashby Church. We conditionally accepted one for <£703. I biu-ied the di'owned boatman — poor Robinson — to-day. The * Sons of Temper- ance ' attended to show theii* respect for the deceased. I received a kind letter from my friend, the Hon. A. Fraser, M.L.C., relating to our Conference arrangements. I am thankful for his sympathy and good wishes. Jan. dth. — We held our Quarterly Meeting to-day. The member- ship was 873, with 32 on trial. Credit balance, £85. The appoint- ments, in part, as recommended by the Stationing Committee, were rejected by the Quarterly Meetings, and the invitations, as agreed to by the September Meeting, were reaffirmed. Ja7i. I'Sth. — Yesterday I preached at Clunes and Creswick, and attended their missionary meetings. On I'eaching Geelong, on Wednesday, I found letters awaiting attention from the Rev. Dr Hoole, the Rev. W. Butters, and Rev. J. Eggleston. Jan. 20th. — I went to Sandridge to receive my niece, Christina Flora Pascoe, who had come from Kingsbridge, Devon, to hve with us. Jan. '22nd. — I went to St. Kilda to be the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Fraser during the Conference. The Revs. H. H. Gaud, J. S. Waugh, and W. Hill called in the evening. The next day, in Wesley Church, Melbourne, the Conference was opened at 10.30 a.m. This was the largest Australasian Conference that had yet assembled. From 125 to 130 ministers were present. The brethren received me as their AUSTRALIA. 217 President very kindly, and I was thankful for their sympathy and good wishes. The usual prayer meeting was a good time, and great grace rested upon the people. After dinner the business was com- menced in real earnest; we broke up at 5 p.m. Conference Sabbath, the 26th, I preached in Wesley Church, the Eev. John Cope, the Superintendent Minister, read px^ayers. I took as my text the words of Joshua : '• As for me and my house Ave will serve the Lord.' On the evening of the 29th I preached the official sermon from the words : ' These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works' (Rev. iii. 1). It was followed by the Lord's Su^^per, both ministers and people communicating. We had no heroic legislation at this Conference. But we i*eported progress. An increase of 12,000 members greatly rejoiced our hearts ; they were ' the seals of our apostleship.' There were fifty thousand children in our Sunday schools, which the ' Address ' designates ' an imposing fact.' Seventeen probationers were received into ' full connexion ' with the Conference, and ten were on tiial. There is a passage in the ' Addi-ess,' on the subject of our Missions in the South Seas, of much value to us even now : — ' We again solicit from the members of our colonial churches a deeper and more constant interest in our Polynesian missions. Foreign missions we can scarcely call them. It is certain that at present they cannot dispense with our aid. In proportion to their resources they have contributed towards the support of the work among themselves : and God has raised up amongst them a native ministry which, for soundness in the faith, for deep devotedness and piety, and for success in winning souls, will bear favourable comparison with any body of Christian ministers in the world.' Feb. 8th. — I returned to Geelong much fatigued in body and mind. My prayer was : ' May the Lord help me in the discharge of the high and responsible duties connected with the Presidency of the Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Connexion this year.' Feb. 10th. — The Rev. H. P. Bvirgess, from South Australia, came this morning. My nephew, the Rev. E. S. Bickford, readily drove him about ' to see whatever could be seen.' We were much pleased with our guest. Mr. Dennis died to-day. Mrs. Dennis died some months ago. At my suggestion, Mr. Dennis had appointed Messrs. r. B. Hunt and N. H. Brown guardians of the now orphaned family^ and executors of the estate. I[ 1>18 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGBAPHY. March 2nd. — Yesterday I opened the QueensclifFe Church, and to- day I assisted the local treasurer in making up the balance sheet. We had a soii'ee, which was a great success. Mr. Hugh Pattison, of Melboui'ne, generously gave us .£50 towards the undertaking. March 25th. — David O'Donnell, a young local preacher from Ballarat, called and presented his credentials. He wishas to ofier for our ministiy. March 2()tli. — I held the Quarterly Meeting to-day. Credit balance over ^100. Members 897, with 24 on trial. April ord. — I laid the ' Foundation Stone ' of the new church at Wellington. We had a largely attended tea and public meeting in the evening. I reached home at 11 p. m., wearied and poorly. A2)ril 20th. — I preached at Chilwell, and held the leaders' meeting. As far as we can estimate, 173 persons have joined the classes as the result of Mr. Burnett's mission. April 29th. — I went to Highton and preached. At the after meeting we had twenty penitents ; fifteen of whom found peace. 3faij Ath. — We held the South Geelong Church Anuiversaiy, and raised .£107. Mai/ 5th. — I went to Jan Juc and preached to eighty persons. Twelve gave in their names for membership. I appointed Brother Bland, Leader ; Brother Musgrove, Society Steward ; and Brother Gimdry, Poor Steward. This forest church has nou' a complete organisation. May Gth. — This day I am fifty-two years of age. In the quietude of a chamber in Mr. Grundy's house, I once more consecrated my whole ' body, spirit, and sovil to God.' Lord, ' I am Thine,' now more than ever. I spent most of the day in pastoral visitation, which was a new, but grateful, experience to those Bush families, and pleased them veiy much. On my way back, I turned ofi" the direct road to lecture at Mount Duneed, in behalf of the Sunday School Library. Dr. Heath took the chair. We raised .£5 15*. Qd. May 18th. — A great work is being done at Ceres. Mr. Bm-nett, assisted by my nephew, E. S. Bickford, is carrying on special services there. It is reported that 135 persons have received spiritual good. May 25th. — I went to Melbourne to attend the levee in honour of our good Queen. Afterwards I called at the Crown Lands Office, to see about church sites. May 21th. — I went to Chilwell to hear David O'Donnell preach. AUSTRALIA. 219 I Avas favourably impiessed, and shall probably recommend him to the next Quarterly Meeting as a candidate for the itinerant work. June 1st. — Mr. Burnett and I drove to Murgheboluc. We had a glorious time. There were several penitents seeking salvation. We came home at 11,30 p.m. News arrived by telegram that Gladstone had defeated Disraeli on the Irish Church question by sixty votes. There is now some hope that the anomaly of a State Church Esta- blishment, kept at the national expense for a minority of the people, will be removed. This should be one more step towards welding the several races on Irish soil into one strong nationality. Jicne 4:th. — I went to Melbourne to see the Commissioner of Lands about the affiliated college land, being a part of the section set apart by the Government as a University Reserve. June 8th. — English telegram : Glorious Budget as a whole : 'The right man in the right place ' once more. This is England's will. June 11th. — I went to Ceres, preached and held a leaders' meeting. I appointed additional leaders, and the stewards were re-elected. The precious souls gathered in by Mr. Burnett's labours must be shepherded in classes, or they will fall back again into the world. June 25th. — I went to Melbourne to meet the committee on the < ' Old Preacher's Fund ' business. We had several suggestions before us, claiming our closest thought. We sat all day. June 27th. — I finished reading Taylor's ' South Africa.' What a wonderful work of God was wrought in that country through the laboiu's of this modern Apostle to the Gentiles ! July 1st. — I went to Jan Juc, and preached to a ' full house.' I met the new converts, when twenty more joined the classes. Reached home at 11.40 p.m. A more lonely sixteen miles' journey at night than this I do not know. July 7th. — This evening Messrs. M. Burnett, E. S. Bickford, . S. Ham, and I were received as honorary members of the ' Sons of ij Temperance.' I hope this step will be a means of additional useful- ness to each of us. July 8th. — I went to Melbourne to preside at the Loan Fund Committee. It took us all the day to get through the business. In the evening, I went up to the House of Assembly, and found the MacCullock party refusing supplies. So that the dead-lock is not over yet. 220 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. July dth. — I held the Quarterly Meeting. Cash in hands of steward, .£98. In the evening young Macmichae preached. He did very well. He shapes for the Ministry as well as most, and deserves a trial. Juli/ llt?i. — A new Ministry is formed. The 'Macs' are tri- umphant once more. The ' dead-lock ' is over for the present. In the evening we held a society tea-meeting at Chilwell, when we inaugiu-ated a movement for the enlargement of the church. The friends promised XI 12. Jtdi/ lith. — I wi'ote a long and pressing letter to the Missionary Committee in London, on the claims of Queensland for monetary and ministerial help. Juli/ 15tk. — I was after church sites to-day : one in the Warrnam- bool Circuit, and one at the Leigh Road Station. July 17th. — I left by the midday train for Ballai-at, and preached in Lydiard Street to a lai-ge congregation. We held a prayer meeting, which continued up to ten o'clock. I sat up until nearly twelve o'clock conversing -with Mr. Oddie and the Rev. George Daniel, upon chiu^ch and political questions. I left early on the 18th for Pleasant Creek. The morning was cold, and the journey was wearying. The Rev. John and Mrs. Catterall received me most kindly. I talked with Mr. Catterall for a couple of hours, and retired at 11 p.m. I preached three times on the 20th. We had a large gathering the next evening, when we raised =£130 towards the new parsonage. I retxu"ned to Ballarat on the 22nd. My good friend, Mr. Oddie, was at the coach office to receive me. July 24:th. — The Rev. John Watsford lectured at Chilwell this evening. It was an admirable lecture, and was most useful in its aims. July 27th. — A deputation of gentlemen and day school teachers, with the local committees, came for considtation about the new rules of the Central Board of Education. We sat until 11 p.m. August 1st. — I accompanied this morning a deputation of Wesleyan day school teachers to Melbourne, to interview Dr. Corrigan, om* representative at the Board, on the new rules of the ' Common Schools.' He was most complaisant, and promised to do all he could for insuring justice to the teachers. I then went to the Cremorne Private Lunatic Asylum, when the obliging proprietor, James T. Harcourt, Esq., M.P., showed me over the buildings and grounds. AUSTRALIA. 221 I returned to Geelong in time to attend a special meeting at Ashby for raising money for building a transept to the Church and for other improvements. We raised <£200. On the 24th I went again to Melbourne to preside at a meeting of the Educational Committee. There was great diversity of opinions. We passed four resolutions ; but I was not satisfied with the result. We afterwards held a meeting of the Book Committee. We agreed to purchase the first issue of the Kev. Benjamin Field's * Handbook of Christian Theology.' This very able com2)endium of our standard doctrines will be of great use to the local preachers, Sunday school teachers, and candidates for our Ministry. It ought to have a large circulation in these Colonies, for it is the best thing of the kind we have yet had. August 25th. — I went to the Barwon Heads, and preached in Mr. Johnston's farmyard. It was the first religious service ever held there, and it was unique and romantic. I stood in a waggon as my platform, and the people, composed of several denominations, utilizing the dinner-hour for the purpose, gathered around it. We had hearty singing, and every appearance of a sincere desire on the part of the audience ' to worship God in spirit and in truth.' The farmyard that day was ' holy ground.' August 30th. — I preached in Forest Street Church, Sandhurst. After the public service, nearly to a full congregation, I gave an account of the glorious work of God in the Geelong Circuit, mainly through the labours of Mr. Burnett. I encouraged the people to expect similar blessings during the Mission he was about to conduct in the Bendigo District. At the public meeting held the next evening we raised ,£102. On this occasion I visited my former friends at Long Gully, California Hill, Eagle Hawk, Golden Square, and in Sandhurst itself. Sept. 1st. — Returned to Geelong, and in the evening I went out to G-erman Town to a special meeting in aid of a new church. We raised £104. tSept. 12th. — I went to Melbourne to consult Messrs. Egglestone and Waugh on the Bright Church Property case. We agreed to a course of action, which I consented to carry out. I ran out to Malvern to see Mesdames Boss and Cameron. Mrs. Ross and her fatherless childi'en have come from Demerara to settle in Victoria. These dear ladies were special friends of Mrs. Bickford's when I was 222 JA MES BICKFOBD : AX A UTOBIO GRA PHY. labouring in British Guiana. Messrs. Ross and Cameron were amongst my most true and generous acquaintances in that magni- ficent colony. They were also regular communicants at Trinity Church, and supporters of the Wesleyan Mission. SejJt. Ibth. — I went to Wabdallah, and appointed a building com- mittee to raise money for erecting a church. I was much pleased with the spirit of these Christian gentlemen. Sept. IQth. — I baptized Mrs. Ash tuith water, i.e. by affusion after the New Testament precedents. I believed in her sincerity, and thus admitted her into the ' body ' of Christ's Church. Sept. 17th. — A yoving man, Benjamin Gilbart Edwards, from Stieglitz, preached in Yarra Street Chui-ch this evening. He gave promise, I thought, of usefulness. I conversed with him at large the next day, and encouraged him to persevere in his studies with the view of his coming into our Ministry. Sept. 2lst. — I went up to Stieglitz and held the Quarterly Meeting. B. G. Edwards was nominated as candidate, and was recommended for the Ministry. During my stay I was the welcome guest of Mr. and Mrs. Osborn at Emily Park. Sept. 237'd. — I buried the remains of Mrs. Auld in the West Cemetery. Another redeemed spirit gone to the Golden City — ' from sufferings and from woes released.' The Revs. Shirley W. Baker and E. J. Watkin were our missionary deputation this year ; both able speakers on the glorious theme. Sept. 29th. — I prepared the examination papers for the fourth- year men to be taken into full connexion at the ensuing Conference. I went to the church opening service at Wellington. We raised .£80. Sejyt. SOth. — I went to Cowie's Creek, held a service, and baptized eleven children and one woman. To-day I received a letter from Mr. Bee, senior Steward of Wesley Church Circuit, asking me if I were prepared to accept an invitation to the Superintendency for next year. Should I be so appointed by the Conference, it will be the most responsible position I have yet had as a Circuit minister. Oct. 1st. — I went to see poor Moore, who has been shot in the back of his head. Unfortunate man ! May God have mercy upon his soul ! I buried to-day the remains of the late Mr. Bowman — a man of little faith ; still he died safely trusting in Christ. By the English mail to-day I received from the Rev. Dr. Jobson, a copy AUSTRALIA. 22S of his beautiful memoii- of the late Dr. itannah, Theological Tutor at Didsbury College. It is a well merited testimony to the ability^ learning, and apostolic character of this great Methodist preacher. Oct. 2nd. — The Rev. S. W. Baker was present at our ministers' weekly meeting. We were much delighted with his manly bearing, his shrewdness, and his zeal for the Tongan Mission. He is a very fine man, and an able preacher in English as well as in Tonguese. If superior qualifications and great success in the work go for anything, then, beyond all doubt, we have in Mr. Baker a true successor of 8t. Paul. Oct. 5th — The Rev. John Watsford preached yesterday in behalf of the Yarra Street Trust. We raised .£137 14s. Mr. Watsford's sermons and speech at the public meeting were much appreciated. Oct. Sth. — I held the Quarterly Meeting. Every interest in the Circuit is healthy and prosperous. I nominated David O'Donnell for our Ministry, which was sustained by the vote of the meeting. We held a great meeting in honour of Mr. Burnett in the evening. Thank God for the blessings of this day. Oct. 12th. — The Rev. Joseph Dare gave us a lecture on 'True Manhood,' which was fruitful in pecuniary results. Oct. IQth. — This evening I lectured at Newtown on 'The Bible: a Revelation from God.' We had a good and sympathetic audience. Retired to Yarra Street, and commenced reading Liddon's Bampton Lectures. It is a mighty work, and ought to be studied by all ministers of religion. Oct. 21st. — I went to Ballarat to preside at the District Meeting. The Rev. G. Daniel was elected secretary. At this meeting Messrs. Edwards and O'Donnell, after the usual examinations, were re- commended to the Conference as suitable candidates for our work. Ptobert Walter Campbell and Abel Marsland were also received for theological training at Wesley College. It was, from beginning ta end, an excellent meeting. On arriving at home on the 30th, I found two copies of the English Minutes awaiting me. I read with pleasui'e that my old West India friend and fellow-worker, the Rev. W. L. Binks was appointed President of our Conference for 1869. In the evening the Rev. T. F. Bird lectured on ' Mahomet.' It was an able deliverance in every respect. N'ov. 13th. — I received a letter from the private secretary to the Governor, in answer to my appeal in behalf of the unfortunate 224 JAMES BICKFOBD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. W. N. McC. The case is referred to the Minister of Justice for reconsideration. I now have some hope. Nov. \^th. — I wrote to Mr. Burnett to see if he can give a fortnight's services to Yarra Sti'eet when he has finished at Sand- hurst. His reply, received next day, was in the negative. He wants rest, and will not disappoint the Superintendents of the Western Circuits. Nov. 20tk. — I left for the presidential annual tour to the Western District, which occupied me until December 5th. I pi*eached and spoke in aid of the Foreign Missions in each Circuit in the District The utmost kindness was shown me by friends and ministers all along the line. I much enjoyed the trip, and having completed my visitation, returned home at the appointed time, none the worse for the fatigue I had undergone. Dec. 8th. — I went to Melbourne to attend the meeting of the Stationing Committee. We sat two days, and closed the business. Dec. lOth. — Busy all day pi-eparing the accounts of the Children and Education Funds. The next day I closed up the accoiuits of the Church Building aud Loan Fund, and the Jubilee Fund. I sent cheques for balances to the respective treasurers, so as to have the funds off my mind. In the evening I wrote to Mr. Commissioner Grant about the threatened sale of our Church Reserve at East Melbourne. I was much tried with the mental toil of the day, and at midnight I retired to rest. Dec. 12th. — I left for Sebastopol, and was received by Mr. and Mrs. Robinson with much Christian urbanity. I preached in aid of the Trust at 1 1 and 6.30, and the Rev. R. M. Hunter at 3. The next day the public meetings were held, and the attendance was good. Dec. 15th. — I read Baxter's 'Reformed Pastor,' and began writing the * Ordination Charge ' for the Conference in Sydney. There are several probationers to be received into full connexion, and, as ex-President, the preparation and the delivery of the Charge falls upon me. I wrote the Government about our Church Reserve at Newton Hill. The Hon. C. J. J. had been moving the Commissioners to sell it, on the ground that we had made no use of it. I asked Mr. J. G. Carr and Mr. Quinan to help me in resisting this robbery of ' God's acre.' Dec. 19th. — I completed the Annual Statement of the 'Old Preachers' Fund ' for the treasurers, and sent a cheque to Rev. J. S. Waugh for £361 12s. AUSTRALIA. 225 Dec. ^\st. — I held the Watch Night Service at YaiTa Street, and thus closed the busiest and most responsible year of my Australian Ministry. 1869. Jan. \st. — I entered upon this year in the Yarra Street Church. It was solemn : a time of self-examination, confession, prayer, and consecration. Surely our vows will be noted in the ' Book of His remembrance.' By the first train I hastened to Melboux'ne to attend the funeral of the late Mrs. Hill, for many years the devoted com- panion and fellow-helper of her husband, the Rev. William Hill. It is a terrible blow to him, and an irreparable loss for the now mother- less children. The whole ministerial circle is deeply touched with the suddenness and sadness of this bereavement. Jan. 1th. — I held the Quarterly Meeting to-day. We still report numerical and financial progress. The membership has risen to 1,477, and the stewards have a credit balance of over £200. In the evening the Union Prayer Meeting was held. The Rev. G. Goodman ( AngHcan) gave the address. The church was full, but the singing was very poor. Jan. I'Mh. — I left for the Conference to be held in Sydney, which was opened on the 21st: the Rev. W. L. Binks, President; and the Rev. B. Chapman, Secretary. Messrs. R. M. Hunter and C. T. Newman were received into ' full connexion,' and Messrs. B. G. Edwards, James Read, D. O'Donnell, and P. C. Thomas were re- ceived as ' preachers on ti'ial.' We had to mournfully record the martyred death of the Rev. Thomas Baker, in Fiji, on July 21st, 1868, by the cannibal heathen. He was a holy man, and zealous in his Master's work. His companions, native Christians, fell also under the clubs of the savages. The net increase of membership for the year was 1,517, with 8,953 on trial. The Ordination Service was held in Wesley Church, Chi]:)pendale, when the charge, founded on 1 Cor. ix. 27, was given by me as ex- President. It was a time of acute distress to me, for I feared it had fallen much below what was expected. After the service, however, the Rev. Father Watkin spoke words of comfort, and thanked me for the discourse. No ex-President ever received greater relief than that which came to me the next day, when the Secretary, Mr. Chapman, moved : ' That the thanks of the Confei-ence be presented to the 15 226 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ex-President for the very valuable charge addressed by him to the newly-ordained ministers, and that he be earnestly requested to furnish it for publication.' On February 5th the Sessions closed, much to the relief of us all, for the heat had been very tiying, even to the strongest man amongst us. By this Conference, I was appointed to the Superintendency of the Weslfey Church Cii-cuit, Melbourne, having as my colleagues the Revs. W. D. Lalean, Martin Dyson, and E. J. Watkin. On the 8th, I was once more at home in Geelong and found all well. Our passage from Sydney to Sandridge Pier was made in fifty hours, and was quite a pleasure trip all through. March 2nd. — I left by first train for Newlyn, vid Ballarat, to lay the ' foundation-stone ' of our new church. The building committee presented me with a handsome silver trowel, commemorative of the event. The E-ev. Edward B. Burns, Mrs. Burns, and Mrs. Sadgrove accompanied me from Creswick to Newlyn. We had a large attend- ance at the tea and public meeting, and a generous response in aid of the building. We got back to Creswick at midnight. March 25th. — We laid the ' foundation stone ' of a new church at German Town. The usual after meetings were held. March 27th. — I left for the Mortlake Circuit, and reached Pyneyup in the evening. Mrs. and the Misses Shaw, whom I had known in Geelong, received me most heartily. I preached twice the next day, in aid of the Circuit funds. On the 29th the E,ev. T. F. Bird, the Shaws, and I went to the stone-laying ceremony of the new Mechanics' Institute. In the evening we held a meeting in oiu- church, when we raised =£25 for the Circuit. On the 31st, Mr. Thomas Shaw drove me to Camper- down, where we joined the coach and reached Geelong in the evening. The Shaws showed me great kindness. A2)ril 1st. — I held the Quarterly Meeting. We were from 11 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. It was a capital meeting. Members 1,489 ; and on trial 30 ; removals 47. We have still a large credit balance to the good of the Cii-cuit. The next day I went to Ballarat to an ' Ordination Service.' Messrs. T. F. Bird, B. M. Hunter, Edward A. Davies, and James J. Watsford were to be ordained to the full Ministry by the * laying on of the hands of the Presbytery ' as in apostolic times. The Rev. George Daniel gave an excellent charge. April Qth. — A valedictory meeting was held this evening in Yarra AUSTRALIA. 227 Street for myself and nephew, the Eev. E. S. Bickforcl, whose terms of ser\ace had expired. Substantial tokens of love and esteem were made to both of us. Thus closed my official relation to this lo\'ing people, and to their extensive and prosperous Circuit. April 8th. — We left at 1 p.m., by train for Melbourne. The Hunts, Browns, Hitchcocks, Lowes, and some other friends saw us off. Mr. Edward Whitehead, Circuit Steward, and brother of my former fellow-worker in the West Indies, the Rev, Francis White- head, was at the Spencer Street Station to receive us. At Wesley Church Parsonage, Mesdames Whitehead and Burrows were awaiting our arrival. I met the Minister's Class in the evening, and presided at a meeting of the Sunday School Committee. We retired to rest at 11 p.m. April Wi. [Diary Jotting] — ' We are all very much tired. Oh, this itinerancy ! The longer I live the more I object to it. Our removals are oftentimes not only very expensive, but inconvenient and unfortunate. I hope the principle will yet be considerably modified.' April V2th. — I preached at Wesley Church in aid of the Sunday School, and next day I presided at the public meeting. April IZth. — I attended the Church Anniversary at Sandridge and presided at the evening meeting. I find that Mr. and Mrs. Roalman have much helped our Chui'ch in this seaport. Ajyril \%th. — I entered upon my beloved pastoral work end visited twelve families. April 19^/i. — The Rev. John Egglestone, having resigned the position of ' Acting Clerical Treasurer ' of the ' Old Preachers' Fund,' and I, having been requested by the other treasurers to assume that position, and accepted it, to-day the large ' iron safe ' with all books and papers were handed over to me. This will be an additional responsibility ; but with the available counsel of my co-acting treasurer the Hon. A. Eraser, M.L.C., in all matters of loans, and the assistance of Mr. Hewitt as accountant, occasionally, as his services may be required, I hope to be able to do the work. April 2WI.—M.V. E. Taylor and I went to the Education Office, to secure a day school connected with our church at Carlton, as well as to speak to Mr. Kane, the secretary, about the Central School in Geelong. May ^rd. — I received a letter from the Rev. B. Chapman, 228 JAMES BICKFORB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Secretary of the Conference, covering resolutions of Conference, anent the relation of two of our brethren, members of the Irish Annuitant Society, and of one brother n South Australia, who had joined oui- Ministry at the age of forty years aboiit, as to terms upon which they may be received as members of our Annuitant Society. The resolutions embody a principle which shall apply to these and to similar cases as they may hereafter occur. May 6tJi. [Diary Jotting] — ' My birthday to-day. I am now fifty-three years <)f age. My heart is the Lord's, and so is my life His. May the coming year he one of much happiness I Maij ISth. — The Eev. J. S, Waugh called to tell me of the dreadful murder of our dear brother minister, the Rev. W. Hill, at Pentridge Stockade, by a life-long prisoner, Ritson, when Mr. Hill was in his cell praying for him. We then went to Victoria Parade to break the sad news to Mrs. Holmes, the mother-in-law of Mr. Hill. We called also on Mrs. Gallagher, a good, kind sister in Christ, who had seen much trouble, to go at once to the house of mourning, and comfort and help the distressed family. Messrs. Egglestone, Dare and others called at the house in the evening. We are all overwhelmed at the terrible calamity which has come upon us : ' We are troubled " deeply," but not in despair.' May 15th. — The mortal remains of our late Brother Hill were to-day interred in the Melbourne Cemetery : ' Devout men carried him to his burial and made great lamentation over him.' Mr. Waugh, at Brunswick Street Church, preached a solemn and instruc- tive discourse on the death of Mr. Hill. The church was densely packed. We met the Circuit officials after the service, to make arrangements for carrying on the work of the Circuit until the next Confei-ence. The Rev. Mr. Waugh engaged to do his best, and other ministers proffered help. The next day I Avas asked by the Book Committee to take Mr. Hill's place as Book Steward, and the Rev. George Daniel to act as co-editor with the Rev. B. Field of the Wesleyan Chro- nicle. I moved that a memorial volume of sermons, as preached by Mr. Hill, be published, which was agreed to. At the instigation of the Premier, Sir James MacCulloch, a handsome provision for the education and support of the Hill orphans was made, and to con- tinue until the youngest of them reached the age of twenty-one. AUSTRALIA. 229 The Christian people showed their sympathy in a very substantial manner. All was clone that could under such circumstances be desired. May 24:th. — I attended the levee in honour of our beloved Queen. In the evening I read with intense interest in the London Watchman a report on the ' Irish Church ' question, which had come off in the House of Commons. The result upon my own mind is that Mr. Gladstone is undoubtedly an ' elect servant ' of God for working out great social, political, and ecclesiastical reforms in Great Britain. June 1th. — We accepted a tender for the erection of a new church at Carlton, and the next day we accepted a tender for erecting a new parsonage at Sandridge. We can't stand still, even if we were to try. Besides which, not to advance in Church Work is to recede ; and that we must not do. June 21st. — Mr. Lalean and I went to Sunbury to visit the Government Industrial School. Altogether it is an enormous establishment, and appears to be well conducted. We held a religiou.s service. In the evening a tea and public meeting were held in the interests of the new church. The debt on the buUding will be only £17. June 23rfZ. — This forenoon I entered upon a new sphere of duty. It was at the Melbourne Gaol, where I first preached to about two hundred male prisoners. I saw in the audience a convicted CathoHc Priest, an ex-Baptist Minister, a son of a Wesleyan Minister, an ex-editor of a newspaper, and I hardly know whom besides. An intelligent, fine young man, but one of the unfortunates, presided at the harmonium, and joined in singing right heartily. It was a sad spectacle. After this service, in another part of the gaol, I met some eighty to a hundred women, who were in durance vile for bad conduct of many kinds. I waited in one of the cells, set apart for the purpose, to converse with any of these women who might choose to do so. Several came, and I gave the pledge to three of them. The effect of the services upon me I cannot describe. I was distressed and prostrate in body and soul. Jwie 2&th. [Diary Jotting] — ' This has been one of the most trying weeks I have ever experienced. "When my heart is overwhelmed within me ; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." ' Jitne ZOth. — I held my fii-st Quarterly Meeting in this Circmt — 230 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. income £439 19s. 4c?., being a small increase upon the previous quarter. But we have a big debt caused by refurnishing parsonages. The brethren were full of hopefulness. July 3rd. — Is it possible to have ' too many irons in the fire ? ' Well, it has to be done sometimes. To-day I had to conduct the second ' Female Prayer Meeting ' in Wesley Church, when 250 ladies were present. I gave the address, on ' Woman's Work in the Church.' It was well i-eceived. In the evening I went to Sandridge to raise funds for the new parsonage. We got over <£1('0. Mr. and Mrs. Poolman are a great help to us here. July 12th. — Mr. Burnett called. I was really glad to see him, and took him to see Mrs. Holmes, the foster-mother of the orphaned Hills. The conversation was highly spiritual, and we had a sweet time in prayer. I preached in the evening at Noi-th Melbourne. The after meeting was full of Divine power. Jidy 20th.— 1 lectured this evening in the Temperance Hall, Russell Street, on ' Total Abstinence.' The place was full of people. July 21st. — I went to Maidstone and Albion. I preached in the evening at Albion to thirty -eight persons, and baptized two infants. Previous to the service I called upon many famihes and invited them to chvirch. July 24:th. — I wrote Revs. Dare, Egglestone, Catterall, King, Cope, Bird, Daniel, and Neale requesting their kind supei-vision of ' Industiial School ' children located in their respective districts. Mr. Duncan, the head of the Department, and I are acting together in the children's welfare. July 28th. — This day I made up the subscription list for the Hill orphans. Mr. and Mrs. William Hoi'der kindly contributed <£50 towards this fund. July 29th. — Mr. S. G. King, J. P., laid the foundation-stone of the new church at Carlton. The meeting at 7 p.m. was lai-gely attended, and the response was most generous. For safe custody, I sent to day to Mr. Waugh, our custodian of Church Deeds, all documents, papers, and letters, which had come to me from the Crown Lands Office during my Presidential year. Aug. 2nd. — I prepared and sent to supernumerary ministers' widows and ministers' widows their quarterly annuities direct. There were 150 present at the prayer meeting this afternoon. In the evening the Rev. Dr. Tucker (Anglican) gave us in Wesley AUSTRALIA. 231 Chiirch a learned lecture on the Abyssinian captives. Dr. Corrigan presided with suavity and ability. Aug. Zrd. — Ritson, the murderer of the late Rev. W. Hill, will be executed this time. From the hour of his conviction he has been attended to by the Revs. W. D. Lalean, Watkin, and Neale ; may we hope with good effect ? So Mr. Lalean believes. Aug. 8th. — ' Honour thy father and thy mother.' My father died some years ago in South Australia, but my mother is still living and in her eighty-seventh year. This morning Mrs. Bickford, my niece Christina Pascoe, and I went to Whittlesea, to see her. She was as well as could be expected at her great age. In the afternoon Mr. Wyett drove us to see the Yan Yean, which is an immense reservoir, from which is drawn the water that supplies the city of Melbourne and suburbs. It was a grand sight, and a wise provision for the health and comforts of the ' city-fuL' Aug. 19th. — Mr. Taylor and I went to Footscray and Stony Creek to visit among the people. We were kindly received, and we promised them that on the next Sabbath afternoon a reKgious service should be held. Aiog. 2Qth. — At our Preachers' Weekly Meeting to-day, James Ah Ling, the Chinese catechist, was present. Mr. S. G. King finds his salary, and I supervise his work. May we not believe that amongst these so-called Heathen Chinee, our Divine Lord shall ' see of the travail of His soul ' 1 SeiJt. 1st. — Our dear brother, the Rev. B. Field, departed this life in peace and hope to-day at 10.45 p.m. He had been writing for the Wesleyan Chronicle, of which he was senior editor, up to 9.30, when he laid aside his pen, and went to his bed and died. How sudden, ' yet how safe.' On the 4th, we interred the remains of our dear brother, B. Field, ' in sure and certain hope.' Sept. 8th. — In the afternoon I attended the funeral of the late Hon. John Fawkner, M.L.C. the founder, it is claimed, of the city of Melbourne. He was an eccentric, adventurous man, and an ardent Colonial and politician. He was much venerated as 'Johnny Fawkner,' and he went down to his grave full of honours and blessings. Se]}t. 17th. — We held a meeting of Wesley Church Trustees to consider the financial condition of the Trust. We raised £120 towards the £500 required. Sept. 18th. — Young Thomas Adamson preached this evening, with 232 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. a view to his nomination for the Ministry. It was a creditable discourse. Sept. \Wi. — The Kev. William Taylor preached in Wesley Church to a densely crowded congregation. The next day (Monday) a tea and public meeting were held. We raised £353 12s. lOcZ. Mr. Taylor greatly helped us. Sept. '25t?i. — I heard David S. Lindsay preach an acceptable discourse. He will be a candidate for the Ministry. We met the new converts after the service, and put them in classes for fellowship and counsel. Sept. 27th. — I went at 5 p.m. to see Mr. Glass, and remained with him until he died. This is a sad bereavement for our sister, Mrs. Glass, and her sisters. Se2}t. 29th. — I held the Quarterly Meeting this evening. Income c£470 16s. Sd. being <£42 3s. 7d. over expenditure. This reduces the debt to about ,£100. The invitations for next year were myself as Superintendent, M. Dyson, E, J. Watkin, and R. C. Flockart. Oct. 1st. — I copied from the Argus this statement : — ' Messrs. McCulloch and Sellers have in stations 375, 540 acres, for which they pay £1,300 per annum, seven-eighths of a penny per acre. Besides which, they have a reservation of 9,000 acres.' Here would be something for Mr. George, of ' Land Nationalization ' notoriety, to do. This is only one among many cases of a similar kind. Oct. 21s^.— I went to the House of Assembly, and heard an acri- monious debate led on by Mr. George Higinbotham. I greatly admired the bearing of the Chief Secretary, Mr. John Macpherson, who is very able in reply and courteous in speech. I wish in this respect there were more like him in the House. Oct. 28th. — I attended a meeting of clergymen of different denomi- nations, called by Bishop Perry, for forming a ' Society for the Promo- tion of Morality.' Such a society should be a factor for good. J)fov. Srd. — The District Meeting was begun to-day ; the Rev. J. S. Waugh, Chairman, and the Eev. George Daniel, Secretary. The Rev. William Taylor preached in the evening in Wesley Church to a full congregation. My nephew, the Rev. E. S. Bickford, came to-day, and we sat up until 12 o'clock, conversing mainly on the spiritual condition of the Circuits, and the prospects of the Methodist A USTRALIA. 233 Church in these Colonies. I am delighted that he is taking such an interest in the general affairs of our great Connexion. On the 6th, the three young men from the Wesley Ohui-ch Cii'cuit, Messrs. Adam- son, Brown, and Lindsay, were passed as suitable candidates for our work. On the 10th, the regular order of business of the meeting was suspended at 12 o'clock, when we had a gracious sacramental ordinance. In the evening, the brethren from the country gave an accovint of the work of God in their several Circviits. It was a fine meeting and full of blessed influence. Nov. Wth. — The sessions of the District Meeting were closed to- day, when we went to Cremorne at the invitation of James Harcourt, Esq. M.P., and Mrs. Harcourt, to spend the afternoon. We were treated with mtich genuine hospitality. Rev. T. F. Bird lectured on ' Past and Present,' in Wesley Church in the evening. It was a noble and grand effort, and took the people by surprise. He is a brilliant fellow. Nov. \2th. — I had to break a lance with the Bev. J. W. Inglis (Presbyterian), who had stated in the Assembly that the Wesleyans were deco}T.ng Presbyterian parents and their children from their own Church, by means of ovir Sunday Schools, and I took my letter to the Argus for publication. On the 13th, there appeared a reply from the pen of the Rev. George Mackie, explanatory of the accusa- tions of Mr. Inglis. I accepted the rejoinder, and so ended the matter. Nov. 16i;/i.— The Rev. W. H. Fitchett and I travelled to Geelong together, and we had much profitable conversation. He will be some day one of our ablest men. Mrs. Hitchcock received me with much Christian cordiality. In the afternoon I went to pay my respects to my kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. Silas Harding. In the evening, I accompanied Mrs. Harding and Miss McLellan, to the special religious ser\T[ce at Chilwell. I commenced the meeting with prayer and reading the Scriptm-es, and the Rev. W". Taylor preached with wonderful power. I remained in Geelong until the 20th, visiting old friends, and helping Brother Taylor in his great work. I returned to Melbourne by steamer, and was all the better in health for my Geelong visit. Dec. \2)th. — ^I went to the Land Office to see about the Footscray Chiu-ch site, and the Carlton Parsonage site. I also attended the Bazaar in the interests of the Benevolent Asylum, when I handed 234 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. to the Treasurer a cheque foi- ^129 odd, as our contribution to the Fund. The Treasurer was not a httle surprised. The next day I attended a meeting of the Stationing Committee. Dec. 16^/t. — I went to Footscray with Mr. Harding from the Land Office, and Mr. A damson the architect, to mark out the Church Reserve, and to take the levels of the ground. I also attended the Wesley College Speech Day, and was much pleased with the per- formances and artistic works of the young gentlemen. Dec. 1\st. — We laid the foundation-stone of the new church at Footscray. Mr. Gresham, the Mayor, did us the kindness of laying the stone. We had a tea and public meeting in the evening, when good financial help was promised. Dec. 2bth. — I preached at 7 a.m., and the Rev. Dr. Tucker at 11 a.m. His text was taken from Isaiah ix. 6, 7. The sermon was a very able exposition of the great Gospel text, and was listened to by a large audience with deep and delighted intei-est. I need not add, that to me, who have no chance of often hearing brother ministers, it was ' a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.' Dec. Iltli. — I went to Gardiner's Creek, and pieached a funeral sermon for my late friend and county man, James Woodmason. He was the embodiment of an honest Devonshire yeoman, and a generous supporter of the Church. Bee. 2Wi. — We held the Quarterly Meeting, and found ourselves in debt to the tune of X220, occasioned mostly by an additional out- lay on the Sandridge Parsonage. We shall clear this debt ' also before my term of service closes, if the recvirrence of such extras can only be prevented. Dec. 31si. — We held the Watch Night Service in Wesley Church. I was assisted by Messrs. Wilton and Hodgson, two of oiu* excellent local preachers. It was a profitable service. 1870. Jati. 1st. [Diary Jotting] — ' I commenced this year in Wesley Church. The concluding part of the Watch Night Service was very solemn. May the Divine Spirit confirm the resolutions into which I, with the congregation, entered. Many letters and papers this morning, an earnest of what I may expect this year. But I look to Heaven for help, and shall not be disappointed.' The case of T. W. D. has caused me an agony of distress all this A USTRALIA. 235 day. He is in gaol, awaiting his trial for embezzlement of moneys at the Bank. I saw him in the gaol yesterday, pitied liim, and prayed with him. Jan. 3rd. — We held the Union Prayer Meeting in Wesley Church this evening. The venerable Dean Macartney gave the address. It was full of wise counsels, such as might be expected from a man of his spirituality, deep experience, and ability. The Spirit of God seemed to rest upon the other ministers who led in prayer. It was a good time to us all. Jan. 5th. — We were plagued with beggars all the forenoon. We need one domestic to answer to the door. Such a thing as ministerial privacy cannot be had in this house. Jan. 1th. — To-day Ebenezer Taylor was examined in Committee by the Chairman, the Rev. J, S. Waugh, who was well satisfied. Mr. Taylor was unanimously recommended to be taken into the itinerant work. Jan. 8th. — I buried the remains of dear Mrs. Stanford this after- noon. It was a melancholy scene ! Poor Stanford is heart-broken. Short wedded life of only eight months. How mysterious are thy ways, 0 God ! Jan. 11th. — Busy indeed, and plagued with persons calling to stay, when one has no time to attend to them. As showing the strength of the Connexional principle in the Wesley Church Circuit, I may here give the gross totals, for 1869, of the several funds, as follow : Church Building Fund, £47 16s. 9cl. ; Education Fund, £37 13s. id. ; Church Extension Fund, £74 4s. Id. ; Foreign Missions, £281 15s. 2d.; Chinese Mission (fifteen months), £187 10s. Od ; City Mission and Bible Woman Agency, £18 Qs. M. ; total, £647 6s. M. Jan. 12th. — I left per steamer for the Adelaide Conference. Judging by the number of ministers on board, we appeared to be taking the Conference to the sister colony to sit. I was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Kaines, at Halton Brook, dvu-ing my stay. Mrs. Kaines is the daughter of the Rev. T. W. Smith, a Wesleyan Minister in England, who, when travelling in the Kingsbridge Circuit, Devon, conducted my theological studies, and recommended mie to the Conference for the foreign work. No wonder that I was much at home with my Halton Brook friends ! The Conference was opened in Pirie Street Church, January 20th; the Rev. George 236 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Hurst, President, and the Rev. B. Chapman, Secretary. The Rev. W. H. Fitchett, of Victoria, and the Rev. J. T. Simpson, of South Australia, vnth. fifteen other probationers, who had honourably completed their four years' ministry, were received into full con- nexion. Sixteen young men were accepted as candidates for the mirdstry. The net increase of members for the year was 3,384, with 10,091 on trial. Feb. \st. [Diary Jotting] — ' Closed the Conference this evening at 9.45. Upon the whole it has been a happy Conference, although we had some difficult work. The President, the Rev. George Hurst, did well, and the Secretary, the Rev. B. Chapman, was ready with the minutes as soon as required.' Feb. '2nd. — I left Halton Brook for Adelaide this morning to see my kinsfolk, the Bickfords, and some other friends. Mr. Kaines, my geneious host, with his daughters, Bessy and Laura Kaines, saw me into the train at the North Terrace for Port Adelaide, where om- steamer lay. The Kaines' were most kind to me, and I parted from them with much gratefulness of feeling. Feb. 4:th. — I arrived at home after a somewhat rough passage. Indeed, I was ill from sea-sickness all the way over. The Rev. B. Chapman came with me to be our guest en route foi Sydney. The Chairmen of the New South Wales Districts settled with me their accounts for the Old Preachers' Fund before saiUng on the 9th. On the evening of this day our dear Father Watkin preached in Wesley Church. It was quite a treat to hear so original, quaint, and telling a sermon from the dear old man. Feb. 18th. — Mr. and Mrs. Kaines came from Adelaide to be our guests for a while. March 3rd. — I spent an agreeable time with Dr. Pinnell, the American Consul, and Mrs. Pinnell, taking tea with them. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Chiu-ch in the United States, and Mr. Pinnell is a lay preacher ; I am sorry that they cannot ' fall in love ' with the colony to which they have come in a representative capacity. April 1st. — The ' children of Shem ' are coming to Christ. The first-fruits we had in Wesley Church to-night, when I baptized two converted Chinamen in the name of the Holy Trinity. James Ah Ling, our catechist, translated their own accounts of their respective experiences, when, after answering certain questions put to them A USTRALIA. 237 through James, we received them into the Christian Church. There was deep feeling in the congregation. I gave each a copy of the New Testament in Chinese, with a little charge as to their future conduct. April Zrd. — I preached at Ashby, and examined the Sunday School in the afternoon. On the Monday I visited my old friends, and in the evening I spoke at the public meeting. I returned to Melbourne by the last train, and reached home at 11.30 p.m. Ajjril Qth. — We held the Quarterly Meeting to-day. We had a fine attendance. The finances were well up, so that we reduced the Oircuit debt to <£153 15s. April 7th. — We have been in this Cii'cuit twelve months to-day. It has been a year of incessant engagements of a Circuit, Connexional, and public kind ; but my health, through God's great mercy, has been good and pretty well equal to the strain. But it is a painful draw- back to the pleasure one might otherwise have felt on reviewing the year, that the Superintendent of this Circuit cannot command the time necessary for making such preparations for the pulpit as the intelligence of a city congregation demands. This remark does not apply to the Superintendent's colleagues, whose principal time should be occupied in pastoral visitation and in pulpit preparation. Aj)rit 11th. — Our first anniversary for the new ecclesiastical year was held at Wesley Church. The services on the Sabbath were well attended, and on the Monday evening we had quite a demonstration in favour of Sunday Schools. Our friend, Dr. Cutts, presided with much ability, and the Revs. Flockart, Symons, Watkins, and Hay- ward spoke with fine efiect. It was a good beginning. Ajji'il 15th. — For some years I have availed myself of the aid of the Presbyterian Clergy for my Christmas and Good Friday services. In this way I have had the opportunity twice a year, at least, to hear doctrinally stated their views of the Incarnation and Atonement of Christ. From the time of his arrival in Melbourne, Dr. Adam Cairns had always shown the most friendly feeling towards the Wesleyan ministers, and I accordingly invited him to take the pulpit at Wesley Church on this day. The Doctor took as his text : ' It is Christ that died.' About three hundred were present. We had an able exposition of the death of Christ for ' the sins of the whole world.' It was the ' strong meat ' by which mature Christians are fed, and do gi'ow. 238 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. May 5th. — It is a soui'ce of much comfort to me that my Society class keeps up so well. There were twenty-eight present this evening. The quickening grace received under the Rev. William Taylor's special services has continued with these precious souls. It is a great honour to be the means of leading men into the Church ; but it is the greatest of all good work afterwards to keep them within the Church's fold. I am reading with keenest interest the Memoir of Madame Guyon. ' She was,' says Wesley, ' undoubtedly a woman of a very uncommon understanding, and of excellent piety. Nor was she more a lunatic than she was an hei-etic' With such a recommendation, it is no wonder that I read the book with much attention. I was much struck -with the controversy between Bossieu and Fenelon. My sympathies aie with the latter, who, no doubt, was a truly good and great man. The former was able, but he was a despot ; he seems to have been anjiihing but what a bishop should be. My mind was greatly excited over this controversy. 3I(Uj i^tli. [Diary Jotting] — ' I was unwell, and could not therefore rise at my usual hour. I am this day fifty-four years of age. This morning, in my chamber. I solemnly gave myself, just as I am, to my God in Christ for service — for life, for death. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may perfect what is lacking in me, so that I may "stand perfect and completeiin all the will of God" !' In the evening I presided, as usual, at the Young Men's Association Meeting, when Mr. R. Hodgson, the vice-president, gave a clever essay upon ' Death : Before and After the Fall.' My friend is fond of the abstiuse and the difficult, but it is his way. The after discus- sion was spirited and able. May dth. — I went to Albion, and lectured at a Temperance Meeting : forty took the pledge. 3fay Idth. — The social condition of Melbourne was one of the subjects for the consideration of the ' Society for the Promotion of MoraHty,' of which Bishop Perry is president. This morning I was one of a deputation who went to the Chief Secretary about the deplorable state of the city. He received us courteously, and promised his help. May 2ith. — Attended, as I was in duty bound, the Governor's levee in honour of Her Most Gracious Majesty. I think it is most important in this democratic country that all respectable English A USTRALIA. 239 people should pay this mark of respect to the representative of our good Queen. June lOth. — In our Young Men's Meeting this evening the subject of discussion was : ' Are Forms of Worship desirable in Public Worship 1 ' We had a stirring time of it. The negative was carried by sixteen to eight. This is quite in sympathy with the feeling in great pai*t of the Wesley Church congregation, where Mr. Wesley's Abridgment is used. It will have to be discontinued, I expect ; but not during my superintendency. June IWi.—l attended the Church Anniversary Meeting at North Melbourne. We raised ,£343 odd. It was a noble contribution to the Ti-ust. June 16i/i. — On a Thursday afternoon, when I could afford the time, I used to run up to the Parliament House to hear the debates. To-day four of the ablest men in the House spoke : Messrs. Fellows, Francis, Langton, and MacCuUoch. It was time well spent. The Rev. W. Taylor returned from Adelaide this evening, looking well after his campaign in soul-saving in South Australia. June 17th. — The Rev. Joseph Dare lectured at Carlton on 'Wesley. The Hon. J. A. MacPherson, M.P., in the chair. It was an eloquent dissertation on the character of the great and good man. About three hundred were present. June 22nd. — Preached again at the gaol, and spent two hours and a quarter among the prisoners. This is a terrible ordeal for me. I felt nerveless and ill when I returned to the Parsonage. June 21th. — I went to the Land Office to see about Keilor and Essenden Church Reserves. June 30i/i. — I wi"ote again to the Land Office for a grant of land at Northcote as a Parsonage Reserve. Jidij \st. — We had a fine discussion at the Young Men's Meeting this evening on the question, ' Should the Parliament pass a Per- missive Bill ? ' I examined to-day ' Replies to Essays and Reviews/ They are keen, and much to the point. I hope the poison in the ' Essays ' will be neutralised by these ' Replies.' July Qth. — We held the Quarterly Meeting to-day. Income £483 5s. Ud. Debt remaining, £142 lis. 5d. Members 1,011 ; on trial, 45. The next evening the Rev. W. R. Fletcher gave a lectiu-e to the Young Men's Association. About two hundi'ed persons were present. The lecture was much appreciated. 240 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Jvly \^iih. — I was engaged all the forenoon in preparing a set of resolutions for the Consultative Committee, upon the new state of things sprung upon us by a new measure, entitled, ' Repeal of State Aid to Religion Bdl,' now before the Parliament. My proix)sition of vesting a portion of our Grant was rejected, and Mr. Daniel's, for spending all during the next five years, was accepted.* Afterwards the Rev. John Cope and I conversed at large on the ' Old Preachers' Fund ' business, and, at his request, I engaged to prepare certain data to aid him in his calculations. July 15i/i. — The Rev. William Taylor returned from Beech worth, and lectured in the evening to eight hundred and fifty persons. The next day, the Rev. Father Watkin, his son, E. J. Watkin, Mrs. Watkin, and a dozen at least besides, called to see Mr. Taylor. He is much and deservedly beloved. July \%th. — I received a letter from Lady MacCulloch, acknow- ledging, for Sir James, the Rev. W. Taylor's present of his book on South Africa. It is a beautifully written and well-expressed note. Jidy V)th. — I went with Mr. Egglestone to see Mr. and Mrs. James Harcourt, who have just heard of the death of their son Charles, in Fiji. It was a mournful scene. The Rev. J. S. Waugh joined us in condoling with our friends and praying with them. In the evening I worked upon the statistics of Methodist itinerant Kfe * The Cessation of ' State Aid,' under the McCulloch Government, imposed a heavy responsibility upon the Wesleyan Connexion, to raise by collections and subscriptions such a sum as would carry on the work which had come into existence by the aid of Government grants. The amount of £50,000 was pro- vided under the 5.3rd clause of the Constitution Act, and was to be distributed under certain conditions. (1) That in supplementing stipends, it had to be shown by the applicant that the amount he claimed had been duplicated by his congregation. (2) That the amount claimed for churches and parsonages had been duplicated in the same manner. But a large proportion of really ' godly ' persons objected to its continuance : 1, Because truth and error were equally subsidised ; 2, That in the appropriation, great injustice was done to the Presbyterians and Wesleyans, whose Census ' Returns ' were bond fid i\ whereas one of the denominations could not so aver ; 3, Then there were the Congrega- tional, Baptist, and Minor Methodist bodies, who, from conscientious motives, would not take any money from the public exchequer. As might be expected, the continuance or the non-continuance of the ' Grant in Aid' became a burning question. The contention was brought to an end by the Government, subject to a diminishing scale spreading over five years, when it ceased altogether. Since that notable period, ' a fair field and no favour ' has been the unchallenged right of every religious denomination in the colony. AUSTRALIA. 241 for Mr. Cope's guidance, in his attempt to fix the principles of our Annuitant Society upon sound and safe principles. It is a great and difficult work he has undertaken. July 30th. — To-day James Ah Ling and Leong on Tong called about a matrimonial errand to China. I gave Leong on Tong a letter to the Rev. George Piercy, our missionary at Canton, in- cluding three bills for £20, £10, =£10, to be used in the interests of James Ah Ling, in the event of Leong succeeding in his mission for him. Atcg. 9th. — I went to hear Dr. Bromby (Anglican) lecture on ' Pre- historic Man.' Of course, it was clever in its way, but unsound in its theology ; and, in a metaphysical aspect, most erroneous. I returned home distressed in mind for the sad eftects such statements are sure to bring about amongst a certain increment of our city population. As an example, two mechanics, who were working in Russell Street, on the next morning were heard thus to converse : ' I say. Jack, did you hear what Dr. Bromby said last night in his lecture ? ' ' No,' said Tom, ' what was it ■? ' ' Why, man,' rejoined the other, ' that if we die without being converted there will be an end of us. So we have nothing to fear.' And much more was said on the same line. The learned and eccentric doctor cannot ever know in this world how much mischief his lectures have done. I went to Brighton, and baptized three children of the Rev. J, B. and Mrs. Smith. The parents are attached and true friends. But my pleasiu'e was rudely disturbed, later on in the day, by the sad intelli- gence of the svidden death in Melbourne of Mr. James Webb, who for many years had been a strong supporter of our Church in Tas- mania and Victoria. Worry was the cause of his death. I am sorry — deeply soriy. What will the family do ? May the Heavenly Father undertake for them. Aug. IQth. — I was engaged with Wesley Church business all the morning, when I prepared a plan for the cUstribution of the £513 lis. received fi^om the estate of N. & R. Guthridge & Co., and enclosed it to the Treasurers of the Trust. This is the last payment, I suppose, from the Old Collins Street property. Aug. 24:th. — I took my letter on Dr. Bromby's mischievous lecture to the Argus for publication. I had waited to see if Bishop Perry, or Dr. Cairns, or the Rev. J, S. Waugh, would call 16 •242 JAMES BICKPOED: AN AVTOBIOGBAPIIY. the doctor to account, and finding that they had not done so, I was constrained to do my little best. With what effect, I cannot <1ivine. Axuj. Ibth. — I again attended the sick at the Hospital, and after- Avards visited Mr. Miscamble. Pooi- man ! He is much afflicted, but he is very happy. I saw the venerable Dean Macartney, at the ^ Promotion of Morality ' meeting, who thanked me for my letter on Dr Bromby's lecture. ' How is it,' said I, ' that you have no dogmas in the Thirty-nine Articles upon " Future Punishment" ?' He replied, ' If there is nothing in the Articles, there is in tlie prayers.' ' Yes,' I rejoined, ' we do pray in the Litany to be saved from that *' wrath and everlasting damnation." But there should have some- thing in the Articles themselves, as expressive of the Church's belief.' I think he ully acquiesced in my remark. I began reading again Hamilton's ' Rewards and Punishments,' Avith the view of obtaining more information on this awful doctrine of the Scriptures. I do not think anything better can be had at the present time. Aug. 27th. — In the Argus of to-day Dr. Bromby's answer to my letter appeared ; if it can be called an answer, which is doubtful. However, I now di'op the matter, and leave the controversy to those of ' The Brethren,' who have more time and more polemic ability than I have for further discussion. This has been an anxious and oppressive week, and I am feeling quite ill. Mrs. Bickford and I, therefore, are going out to St. Kilda to see what its salubrious air and quiet will do for me. Aug. 29th. — Telegram from England — 'War has broken out between France and Prussia.' As far as I can judge the Emperor is entirely wi-ong ; and if he be he should suffer severely. Aug. 30th. — This evening I presided at a meeting for forming a Temperance Society in connection with Wesley Church. Messrs. Callaghan, Hodgson, Marshall, and Piatt spoke effectively. Between twenty and thirty signed. Sept. 15th. — To-day I finished my lecture on ' Wilberforce,' which will be given, in the first instance, to the Wesley Church 'Young Men's Society.' I consider my subject under three aspects: (1) As a Christian ; (2) as a Statesman ; (3) as a Philanthropist. I hope it will do some good. I have now in course of reading ' Power on TJniversalism,' as I find I must get the grip of this question in all A USTRALIA. 243 its varying aspects. Melbourne, at the present time, is aftiicted ■with a polemic spirit. Sept. \^th. — We held the opening services of the North Sandridge €hurch. We raised ^50 10^. Sept. 20th. — I went to Geelong to attend the ' Sons of Temperance ' Meeting. I travelled with Messrs. Longmore, Burtt, and Cope, M.P.'s, and Mr. D. Matthews from Echnca, the friend of the Aborgines, together with Mr. Poole, ex-editor of the Herald. We had a lively time of it all the way. In the afternoon I visited several of my old friends, and took tea with Dr. and Mrs. Machin, and had a baptismal ceremony. I afterwards spoke at the Mechanics' Institute Meeting, where we had a large audience. From thence I went to the Advertiser office to know of the latest telegrams, when I learnt that so far the Prussians had completely beaten the French. I returned to Melbourne on the evening of the 21st in time to hold the Local Preachers' Meeting. James Ah Ling and Mr. Restorck were i-eceived as full local preachers. Sept. 24^A.— I received a letter from Mr. George Smith, Circuit Steward, Ballarat, and one from Mr. James Oddie, my old and true friend, asking me if I will accept an invitation to that Circuit as Supei-intendent for the coming year ? I replied by telegram, ' I am not expecting to leave this Circuit ; but if I were I would accept with pleasure.' Startling news to-day. The Napoleonic dynasty is At an end. The Rev. T. McKensie Fraser, M.A., from Geelong, lectured this evening in Wesley Church on Dr. Bromby's ' Theory of Annihilation ' to some four hundred persons. It was a very able lecture, in which the author, as I think, refuted point by point the doctor's unscrip- tural and unphilosophical theories. Mr. Fraser was listened to throughout with closest attention. Sept. 30^7i. — I gave ' Wilberforce ' this evening to the ' Young Men's Association,' and was well received. Oct. ^rd. — -A kind of red-letter day. I started in the morning foi- Sunbury by an early train, and officially visited the Government ' In- dustrial School and Reformatory.' I was miich pleased with Mr. Scott, the superintendent. I conducted a pretty full religious service, and then returned to Mr. Smith's at Sunbury. In tlie evening I preached to a nice week-night congregation, and returned to Melbourne, reaching home at 11.30 p.m. A hard and happy day's work. 244 JA.VES BICKFOBD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Oct. 5th. — We held the Quarterly Meeting. The motion for a division of the Circuit was negatived by forty-four against forty votes. The four ministei-s were re-invited with a young preacher for Carlton. Oct. l'2th. — I attended the Loan Fund Committee, Avhen .£150 was voted to the Carlton Church. In the evening we met again for forming a Sustentation Society. We sat until 10 p.m. I was very cold, and wearied with the labours of the day. Oct. 13th. — I prepared a fair copy of the ' Rules and Regulations ' for a * Home Mission and Contingent Fund Society,' for submission to the District Meeting and Conference. I attended in the evening a Temperance Meeting at Coburg, and spoke for half an hour. There are now forty-five adult members. Oct. lith. — The proposed 'Rules and Regulations' for Sunday Schools were agreed to by a Committee this evening. I read Lothair until 12 o'clock, and again on the 15th, when I finished it. It is a surprising book. The characters are well drawn, and the Satanic depth of Jesuitism is scathingly exposed. Disraeli is a bold man to publish svich a book at such a political crisis as is this. But good and not evil the book must do, especially in Great Britain and Ireland. Oct. 18th. — I read a second time the Rev, J. C. Symon's tractate on Christian Baptism. It is well reasoned, and there is no waste of words. It seems to me to be most conclusive on the side of the pedo-baptist usage. Aiog. 22nd. — I wrote Mr. Duncan, the head of the Industrial Schools, informing him that we had arranged for holding religious services at the Prince's Bridge establishment. This means more work, but it must be done. It is the only chance these unfortunate ' waifs ' and ' strays ' have. In the afternoon I went to Cremorne private Lunatic Asylum ; particularly to see Mr. E. and J. T. Poor wrecks ! My soul was sore for them. What is diabolical possession ? Mr. Harcourt told me of a young lady in England, and of another at Cremorne, born in godly homes, and reared in association with religious culture of a somewhat high order, who, when the fits of madness came upon them, would give utterance to such profane and obscene language as would make even wicked men to blush. How is this to be accounted for ? Bi;t in this way most likely ; — with reason dethroned. A U8TRALTA. 245 the ' evil one ' enters and takes possession ; and hence the insanity and blasphemous outcome we have noticed. Does this theory throw any light upon demoniacal possessions we read of in the Gospels ? Aug. 25th. — Under the auspices of the ' Society for the Promo- tion of Moi-ality ' a congress was held to-day ; Bishop Perry presided, and excellent papers were read and impromptu speeches were given. It was a grand day for sobriety and righteousness. JVov. 2nd. — The District Meeting was begun to-day. We continued in session until the 10th. It is a great comfort to me to see how smoothly we get through the business of this large district. jVov. 15th. — I heard Dr. Bromby lecture this evening in answer to his critics. Probably 2,500 persons were present. As a reply to his critics it was unsatisfactory and weak. It is hard to say what he really believes. ^ov. 24:th. — I went in the afternoon to the Land Office to see about a church site at Lauriston. I also spoke to the Hon. J. A. MacPherson about the three-cornered allotment at Emerald Hill. He told me that we could pr-oceed with the buildings if we liked at once, for the site would be gazetted as a Wesleyan Church Reserve in two or three weeks. This evening I had twenty-nine members present at my class. It is quite a task to meet them as one would like. JVov. 28th. — I baptized, in Wesley Church, two Chinese converts, Thomas Ah Foo and Simon Tuck Sat. There was a large attendance of sympathizers with this Christian mission. Dec. 2nd. — I spent the whole of this evening in seeing some of the members of Wesley Church Choir, who are grievously offended at an article which appeared in our Chronicle last week. The occasional admission of irritating articles into our official organ is a great mistake and otfence. At all events, I cannot aiford to spend my time in attempts to smooth away vexatious feelings, as in this instance ; and I hope I may not have to do it again. John Colton, Esq., M.P., from Adelaide, called and spent half-an-hour with us. I know more of South Australian Methodism now than I did before he called. Dec. 8th. — Mr Taylor and I weut to Maidstone to inspect the ' Meat Preserving Company's Works.' We were politely shown over the whole establishment. Strong, fat cattle would, in the morning, be driven into the slaughter-house, and in the evening of 246 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. the same day the meat is tinned and packed ready for shipment to China, India, England, anywhere. This should be a renumerative industry. We visited several families, and had a pieaching service at night. The next day I lectured on ' Wilberforce ' at Footscray in behalf of the new church. My zealous colleague, the Rev. R. C. riockart, has charge of the finances of this undertaking, and is succeeding admirably. Dec. \^th. — I went to the Legislative Council to see the Hon. T. T. A. Beckett, about the ' Wines, Beer, Spirits, Statute Amendment Bill.' I saw also the Hon. John O'Shanassy about the same thing. We are anxious for the passing of this Bill. There is a provision in it in favour of ' Local Option,' for preventing the multiplication of hotels and public-houses where not necessary. Dec. V^st. — The Bill for the Payment of Members was passed after a pretty stiff debate. The ' Rupert ' of the Chamber was IVIr. O'Shanassy. His best speeches reminded me much of those of Sir Robert Peel in their nice and comprehensive arrangement of facts, which he marshals with an easy fluency and persuasiveness of appeal. Sometimes, however, he can storm, and then his opponents have to look out. I have seen him rise in the Assembly, when he was our Premier, at the end of a debate, which may have lasted for hours, and reply, without a single note taken down, to each opponent in turn, and make a clean sweep of the whole lot. Aboiit this payment of members policy, I may say, that when it was first mooted I was greatly opjjosed to it. But thf lore I weighed the arguments, pro e con, the more was I convu_^ed that, in a new country like Victoria, it was desirable. It is an experiment truly ; but the principal being right, we can have nothing to fear. Dec. 31s^. — I spent most of this day in pastoral visitation — Mrs. Pascoe, Mrs. Russell, the Misses Palmer, Mr. Fenton, and Mr. Hackett. Mrs. Hackett, after much sviffering, which she bore with ti'ue Christian resignation, escaped to her heavenly rest. This closed my pastoral work for the year. A Battle of Giants. 1871. The years 1869 and 1870 will be remembered as those in which a battle was fought in IMelbourne between certain metaphysicians, theologians, and scientists. It was under the auspices of the ' Early AUSTRALIA. 247 Closing Association ' that this contest began, and by whose patronage it was continued. The Rev. J. E. Bromby, D.D., Principal of the ' Church of England Grammar School,' gave three lectures, entitled : ' Creation versus Development,' ' Pre-historic Man,' and ' Beyond the Grave.' Of these lectui-es every minister of Christ had reason to complain. It was not an unfriendly, but a brotherly hand which ■wTote of the doctor and his lecture as follows : — ' He has launched a theory which carries the gravest moral consequences vnth too evident haste ; he has put to sea without carefully examining into the sea- worthiness of his vessel, without any definite idea of the course ; and I fear that he, and those who have embarked with him, will make shipwreck of their faith.' The Bishop of Melbourne (Dr. Perry) came ovit with a very able lecture, entitled, ' Science and the Bible,' in which, ' by a few gentlemanly, polished sentences, he swept each hypothesis out of scientific existence, and courteously consigned it to the limbo of all error.' Much service was done on the same side by the Editor of The Wesley an Chronicle (Rev. John Christian Symons), who, in a series of articles, by closest reasoning and clear statement, showed the un- soundness and danger of Dr. Bromby's theories. Three anonymous publications also issued from the press, entitled, ' No Annihilation ; or, Scriptiu'e Evidence of Eternal Punishment ; ' ' The Theory of Annihilation,' and ' A Modern Moloch ; or the Painless Non-existence of Materialists,' which did good service on the Scripture side of the controversy. But the conflict was not confined to Melboiu-ne. The Rev. James Nish, D.D., Sandhurst, gave three interesting lectiu-es on ' Universalism, Examined and Refuted ; ' and the Rev. T. McKenzie Eraser, M.A., in Geelong, also gave a lecture on * Dr. Bromby's Theory of Annihilation,' which he afterwards delivered in Wesley Church, Melbourne. Every city pulpit, for months together, became a vehicle for dogmatic pronouncement on the questions which Dr. Bromby had so thoughtlessly made an arena of strife. Possibly we should never have known what an amount of learned, critical ability lay hidden in the cultured minds of our more prominent ministers, and educated laymen, but for this battle for the truth. Jan. \st. — I began my ministry by preaching at North Melboui'ne and Wesley Church. In the afternoon we had the ' Renewal of 248 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOORAPHY. Covenant Service ' and the Lord's Supper. It was a blessed time : * My God I am Thine.' Jan. IncL — I sent the quarterly annuities to all the claimants on the ' Old Preachers' Fund ' outside the colony. Sending these allowances early in the quarter is like giving : ' he gives twice who gives quickly.' In the afternoon I buried the remains of oui' dear Sister Hackett : ' happy soul thy days are ended,' Jan. 7th. — Mr. Courtney, from the College, came at 8 a.m. to tell me of the death of our dear Dr. Corrigan, An able and useful man is gone from us in the midst of his days. Our loss is very great. On the 9th we bui'ied the mortal remains of the late Dr. Corrigan in the Melbourne Cemetery. The Rev. Joseph Dare was the officiating minister, assisted by Messrs. Waugh, Mackey, and myself. It was a largely attended funeral, and every countenance we saw in travelUng from St. Kilda to the city cemetery appeared stricken with sorrow. Jan. llth. — We held a meeting of the Treasurers of the 'Old Preachers' Fund,' when I submitted the balance sheet for the year, which was at once passed. It was an agreeable and satisfactory meeting. The next day I left for Launceston to attend the Conference. We were fourteen ministers in all. Arriving on the 13th, I was glad to find that during my stay I was to be the guest of the Rev. John and Mi-s. Harcourt. The next day I visited the Gleadows, Harts, Norwoods, and Grubbs. We made a small party in the afternoon for some outing. Mr. Robe drove Mrs. Robe, Messrs. Williams, Harcourt, Cope, and me, to the Cora Linn Water Falls, which were fine and imposing. We took tea at Mrs. Robe's, and spent the evening with Mr. and Mrs. Grubb. It was a most enjoyable time. Jan. I9th. — The Conference was opened in Hobart Town to-day, under the presidency of the Rev. John Watsford. At this Con- ference my nephew, the Rev. E. S. Bickford, with fifteen others, was received into full connexion, and twenty-one were received on trial. We continued in session until the 31st, when the Joui-nal was read and signed. It was a successful Conference, and the hospitaHty of the friends was beyond all praise. During the Con- ference I visited Bushey Park, vid New Norfolk, and preached on the Sabbath. Mr. and Mrs. Shoobridge showed true Kentish hos- pitality. What a lovely spot it is ! A perfect hive of industry, and AUSTRALIA. 249 a home of the highest type of family godliness. Mr. Shoobridge, on our way back, took me to see the ' Salmon Fish Ponds.' Who will not hope that this Govermental enterprise may be a success, and that some day the cool and picturesque rivers of fair Tasmania may be as much alive with this ' king of fishes ' as are the romantic rivers of gi'and old Scotland 1 Feb. \st. — This morning I left Hobart Town, in a hired steamer, with 320 friends for New Norfolk for a day's recreation and enjoyment. Miss Smith and I went to Valley Field to see Mi', and Mrs. William Shoobridge. We went all through the beautiful gardens, and admired the cultivation, I saw many other things calculated to please the eye and to excite gratitude in our hearts. I I'eached Hobart Town in the evening, and spent a profitable time with my kind host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. James Smith. Miss Smith took me to Kangaroo Point to see the Browns, who are particular friends of the Frasers of St. Kilda. Mrs. Brown was feeble, but was in a happy state of mind. I settled up afi'airs with the Commercial Bank, and took a draft for <£1,304 4s. 5fZ., to be paid to the credit of the Old Pi-eachers' Fund in Melbourne. After visiting Mr. and Mrs. Vanstone, Mr. and Mrs. Heyward, Mrs. Crouch and Miss Crouch, I left by a night journey for Launceston, and arrived at 8.30 the next morning. At 10.30 a.m. the Conference party went on board the Derivent, when I at once turned in so as to avoid sea-sickness. We had a pleasant trip down the river, and fine weather out at sea. The next day I reached Melbourne, and found all well at home. Feb. 1th. — I made large deposits to the credit of the Old Preachers' Fund ; the next day I met the treasurers, and reported the state of afi'airs. In the evening the Rev. George AVoolnough, M.A., preached in Wesley Church on ' Jacob's Vision.' It was a clearly conceived and well-delivered sermon. Feb. \^th. — After preaching at North Melbourne, I gave the congregation a short address on the business of the late Conference. I think to do this is good policy as a ministerial duty. The ex-American Consul, Dr. Pinnell, and Mrs. Pinnell left by the steamship Macedon to-day. I do not think they felt much at home in Melbourne, and that they will be glad to get back to America. I parted from them with regret. March 2nd. — I left for Marathon Station, Sutherland's Creek, to 250 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. see Mrs. Dow, who is very ill. In the evening Mr. Dow and I went to the Anakies, to hear the Rev. Henry E. Merriman lecture on ' Representative Women.' It was a thoughtful and instructive lecture, and was well received. Poor Mrs. Dow was about able to recognise me, and that was all. We knelt by her bed and commended her to God in prayer and faith. March 5th. — I preached at Yarra Street, Geelong, in aid of the Sunday School. At the public meeting I spoke on (1) Public Education, (2) Publicans' Bill, (3) The Permissive Bill. I think I had a pretty good grip, and succeeded in interesting the audience, which was large. My object was, in most part, to influence public opinion in the expectation of a general election. March 8th. — The Loan Fund Committee met. We voted to churches and parsonages over £3,000. This amount was fairly distributed as between ' Town and Country.' March lith. — The news of 'peace' between Prussia and France reached us this morning ; but dearly bought on both sides. I began reading Tyerman's ' Life of Wesley ' to-day. It would be curious to know how many biographies of this great man have been written. 1 understand that Tyerman's is the best amongst the whole lot ; but of this I shall be able to judge after pex*usal. One thing is certain, that the reverend author makes his subject a little more human than do some of the writers ; which, I think, is wise, and a strong recommendation of the work. Feb. 20th. — Messrs. Ebenezer Taylor and Henry Moore were ordained to the full work of the Ministry in Wesley Church this evening. It was a good service, and the Great Head of the Church sanctioned the ceremony with His own blessed Presence. Feb. 2lst. — We held the Church Anniversary Meeting this evening at Emerald Hill, when Mr. Thomas Pybus gave us his great speech on ' Is Christianity a Failure ? ' Here is a case of a man, of singular endowments, missing his way into the highest service of the Chiirch, through the pernicious influence of ministerial agitators some years ago in the North of England. Methodism, in the past, has had her troubles, but they always begun amongst a few able but unreasonable men amongst the ministers themselves. This ought not to be. We raised at this Anniversary =£150 for the Trust. Feb. 24:th. — I was again in Geelong to attend an Ordination Service, when my nephew, the Revs. E. S. Bickford, H. Catford, T. E. Ick, AUSTRALIA. 251 M.A., and W. Weston, were thus set apart for the Ministry. The Church was well filled, and it was a very fine service. Feb. 26th. — At our Preachers' Weekly Meeting to-day we had two Chinese catechists present. Their report of their work was encourag- ing, and there appears to be a wide field before them in these Colonies. It was good to have these men with us. Aug. ?i\st. — Messrs. James and Garrett, M.P.'s, called about our petition to Parliament on the ' Prohibition ' question. In the after- noon Mr. President Watsford and I went up to the House, and handed our petition to Mr. James for presentation in favour of the Bill. In the evening I presided at the ' Daughters of Temperance ' Meeting. About iovoc hundred were present on the joyous occasion. Upon the whole it was a gratifying success. Sept. 5th. — There is no end of trouble over our Day School matters. To-day I had to go up to the Board of Education to see the Secretary A USTRALIA. 255 (Mr. B. F. Kane) about the Carlton, Coghill's Creek, and Wesley Church Schools. The next day I finished my second copy of the ' Wilberfoi-ce Lecture.' It has been quite a means of instruction and good to me to prepare this lecture. May the Lord bless it to others ! (D. J.) Sept. Wth. — I accompanied a deputation to the Chief Secretary about closing the ship Cerberus to the public on the Lord's day. The right is on our side, but the might (the ' world-power ') is against us. But we shall see. Sept. I^rd. — I left for Sebastopol, and arrived in the evening. I was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Kobinson, who made me most welcome. The next day I preached at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. to good congre- gations. The usual public meetings came off the next evening. I spoke for three-quarters of an hour on the proper work of the Chvirch in two branches, viz., the preaching of the Gospel, and the religious training of the young. The brethren were more than kind in their references to my former labours in the Ballarat District. On Tuesday evening I lectured for an hour and a half on ' Wilberforce ' with much freedom. Not only from natural instinct, but also from a long residence in the West Indies, I seem always to feel an unex- plainable sympathy with the humane efforts for the African race which this great Christian philanthropist put forth. I went into Ballarat, and slept at Mr. Oddie's, so that I might be ready to leave for Melbourne by the first train next day. Sejit. 27th. — This evening Orlando Knee and James Matthieson preached in Wesley Church with a view to their nomination at the ensuing Quarterly Meeting for the work of the Ministiy. They did very well. Se2)t. 3Qth. — This afteinoon the foundation-stone of the new Temperance Hall was laid by his worship the Mayor in Russell Street. At the evening, meeting, the Revs. Dare, Mackie, and I, with Messrs. Munro, Callaghan, and Beauchamp spoke. It was a very good meeting, and augurs success. Oct. 37-d. — A notable day in the interests of the Christian Sabbath. A great meeting was held at St. Enoch's of a stormy kind. But that was to be expected. We carried the whole of our resolutions, and appointed a Sabbath Defence Association. Oct. 4:th. — We held our Quarterly Meeting. There were sixty-five brethren present. I nominated Brothers Knee and Matthieson. "^ 256 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. They were passed with the condition of both having a year's training at Wesley College. We concluded our meeting after midnight. Oct. Gth. — I left for Echuca by the 11.40 train, and arrived in the evening. I spent an agreeable hour with the Rev. J. F. and Mrs. Horsley, and I slept at Mr. Brown's. The next day I visited Mr. and Mrs. Heyward, Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson, Mr, Payne, Mr. Forbes, Mr. and Mrs. Redman, and Mr. Matthews. At 3 p.m. I left for Deniliquin, and reached this ' City of the Plains ' at 9 p.m. Mr. Hunter, formerly of St. Kilda, was there to receive me. I was to be the guest of Dr. Jones, who, with Miss Jones, gave me a gracious welcome. I was much tired ; the bush road was simply execrable. 1 opened the new Church the next day. I saw in the congregations several of my former friends in other Circuits. The usual meetings were held on the Monday, when the Mayor, Mr. Robertson, occupied the chair. We raised about £4:0. On the 10th I rode with the Rev. Charles Jones to Landall's Station to see the sheep-shearers. There were eighty men at work. It was to me a novel and exciting sight. I was told that some of the men will shear as many as a hundred sheep /)er diem ; but such shearing I never saw before. It seemed to me to be wasteful and cruel. In the evening I gave ' Wilberforce ' at Deniliquin; Mr. Gordon, the police magistrate, in the chair. It is not often that a minister in the full work of a Circuit can have such a treat as I had in a quiet two hours' talk with my generous host — Dr. Jones. Here in this out-of-the-way place I found one of the best read, the best informed, of men, on all matters affecting the future of the Australian Colonies, and the trend of social and political thought in Europe, it had ever been my privilege to fall in with. Besides which he was a Christian gentleman, and Editor of the Pastoral Times. No wonder, therefore, that although I had had a day which sorely taxed my physical and mental strength, I sat up with him until midnight before I could retire to rest. On the 11th Mr. Horsley and I left in a buggy for Echuca, and reached his home at 4.30 p.m. I called on Dr. and Mrs. Allen, who are Church members. Dr. Allen is the son of the Rev. John Allen, a minister of the English Conference. In the evening I lectured to a fair audience, but I was too much tired to do justice to my theme. On the 12th I left for Melbourne. At Sandhurst the Rev. W. P. Wells, an old and dear friend, met me at the station, and di'ove me AUSTRALIA. 257 to the parsonage for lunch. I spent a nice time with him, I left by train in the afternoon for Melbourne, and reached Wesley Church all well. I found waiting my arrival Mr. S. G. King and the Rev. Josiah and Mrs. Cox, from China. Mr. Cox will be in the Colony for some time, looking into our Chinese work, meeting the catechists and the converts in Christian fellowship, and holding services in the City and in those parts of the country where the Chinese are located. Oct. nth. — I went to the Assembly, and heard Messrs. Duffy, Langton, McGi-egor, Vale, and O'Grady speak. There was much feelinsr in the House. But the Government in the end beat their opponents by two votes to one. After this ti-ial of strength, perhaps the Government of the country may be carried on without further obstruction. Oct. 23?yZ.— The Rev. E. Taylor and I left for Sunbury. At Flemington we conversed with Mr. James Robertson about the land he has for sale adjoining our Church site. At Bullar we called on Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, who were kind to both * man and beast.' We reached Sunbury at 6 p.m., and went at once to the Public Meeting, which was well attended. We returned to Melbourne vid Keilor. In the evening I went to Footscray, to the new church tea and public meeting. I returned at 11.30. Oct. 25th. — I met the Flemington Trustees, who agreed to purchase fifty feet to jNIount Alexander Road at £ 1 per foot and one hundred feet at the back for 10^. per foot. This will give us an excellent church and school site. iVow. 1st. — -The Annual District Meeting was commenced to-day; the Rev. John Watsford in the chau\ Duiing the sessions we held a special public tea and public meeting in the interests of the Chinese Missioa. The object was to raise funds for purchasing a site, and for erecting a mission church, in Little Bourke Street. Mr. Cox was the principal speaker, and the response to his appeal was immediate and generous. We raised =£266. The Financial Meeting was held the next day, when the Circuit Stewards came prepared with a number of resolutions affecting the finances of the Connexion. It was quite a field day. The fi-eest scope was allowed in the discus- sions, and eventuated in the withdrawal of the resolutions in fjloho. We sat until 10 p.m., when we parted on good terms with each other. We spent a whole day in considerations, recommendations to Conference, and in examining Messrs. Nicholson, Robin, B.A,, 17 258 JAMES lilCKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. and Schofield for full connexion. On the evening of the 6th the Rev. J. C. Symons preached the annual sermon to the young. It was a highly practical sermon, and was well received. At the District Meeting much pi'omineuce was given to the claims of the ' Home Mission and Sustentation Society.' The public meeting was held at Brunswick Street, and the young brethren did capital service. We closed our sittings on the 8th. Under the guidance of Mr. Watsford we had a successful and profitalile District Meeting. Nov. 29t/i. — Still involved in the Church Sites question. We have formed a new trust for Sandridge property, and now the trouble is about the Crown Grant. I went again to-day to the Crown Sohcitor's office about it. The ' red tape ' observed in Government offices is a terrible trial to men of practical minds. I wanted to get Mr. Suther- land to insert in the ' Certificate of Title ' two or thi'ee lines for recognising the principle of trusteeship in the Title, so as to do away with the necessity of a supplementary document of ' Declaration of Trust.' I did not get this concession, but Mr. Sutherland promised me the usual Title this week. At the same time I called upon the Treasurer, Mr. Graham Berry, to express my sympathy with him in the death of his daughter. I had a nice interview with him. I also attended a meeting of friends, called by the Rev. Adam Cairns, D.D., to consider the question of starting a religious newspaper as an organ of the Evangelical Churches, of which there is great need. Dec. 12th. — We met to-day to make the Conference Plan. This is a difficult business, because of the uncertainty of brethren being with us fi'om the distant colonies. This may be remedied some day, it may be hoped. I heard this morning of the death of the Rev. George Mackie, of South Yarra. It is a great loss to us. Mr. Mackie was a good minister of Jesus Christ, an ardent worker in the Temperance cause, and a genuine philanthropist. He and I had been close friends since our first acquaintance in Ballarat some years ago, and we had often stood side by side in defending religion and sobriety. Dec. lith. — I went to the funeral of the late George Mackie. It was largely attended ; a public testimony to the moral worth and great usefulness of our departed friend. The Rev. Alexander Cameron's address was full of deep Christian feeling, and touched many hearts. Dec. 25th. — By invitation, the Rev. D. Nimmo preached this morning in Wesley Church, and gave us a sermon full of rich AUSTRALIA. 259 thought, and delivered with calmness and judgment. I mucli en- joyed it. For a Christmas Day the congregation was very good. On the 2Gth I went to Carlton to see John King, the explorer. Poor, dear fellow, he is done for this world. He is going to heaven. Since his return from Cooper's Creek and settlement in St. Kilda I have had much opportunity of knowing him. A man of stricter probity, I believe, never lived. Dec. ^\st. — I closed the hard work of this year by holding the usual Watchnight service in Wesley Church. 1872. Jan. \st. — Through God's mercy I have entered upon another year. I look to heaven for assistance and grace. May our way be directed from on high ! Jan. 2nd. — Held the Quarterly Meeting. We had a breezy time, but no bad blood. Jan. ^th. — I looked through Dr. Gregory's ' Life of the late Walter Powell,' and found it to be a highly suggestive work. It should be read by all young merchants who wish to succeed in life. Jan. lO^/t. — I went again to the United Mid-day Prayer Meeting. Bishop Perry presided, and gave an excellent adcU-ess. The prayers were hearty, and the feeling was very good. I also, at the request of the Bishop, addressed a few words of counsel and encouragement to the congregation. Jan. 15f/i. — We heard to-day of the dangerous illness of the Prince of Wales. We are waiting with trembling anxiety for the incoming Suez mail. I wrote to-day to the Hon. Graham Berry, informing him of John King's death ; pointing out that the Government should undertake the entire expense of the funeral, and send one or more of the oificials to follow the corpse to the place of interment. Mr. Beriy's reply was to the eftect that the Government would allow the sum of <£40, and leave the entire matter in my hands. We buried the mortal remains of this intrepid man in the Melbourne Cemetery, when many fi-iends gathered around his grave and wept over his death. The Government all along has shown the utmost generosity to this only survivor of the vmfortunate Burke and Wills exploring party, the leaders of which perished at Cooper's Creek in 1861. The Conference of this year was an important one, as marking a new era of ecclesiastical development. It was opened at 10 a.m. 260 J A MES BICKFOB D : AJ^ A UTOBIO GBAPHY. on Januai-v 18th by the retiring President, the Rev. John Watsford. After his address, the Pv,ev. Benjamin Chapman took the chair, and the Rev. John Cope was chosen as Secretary. The Conference Sunday was a high day for Wesley Church. The President, according to custom, occupied the pulpit in the morning, and gave us a richly evangelical and earnest discourse. The Rev. James Buller, from New Zealand, preached a good sermon in the evening. It was stately and scholai-ly, as are all his public utterances. On the 22nd the Annual INlissionary Meeting was held. The brethren spoke with much power and beautiful eloquence. The collection amounted to <£31 8s. 3fZ. On the 24th we had a great breakfast meeting in the interests of the Chinese Mission, and raised =£355. In the afternoon the Rev. Josiah Cox addi^essed the Conference in an admirable speech, on the duty of the Australasian Methodists assisting the British Ch\irches in their efforts to evangelise China. The Ordination Service was held in the evening, when Messrs. Pitcher, Jones, Robin, Schofield and Nicholson were fully ' set apart ' to the work of the Ministry. Mr. ex- President Watsford gave the ' Charge,' which was excellent and impressive. On the 29th the first Methodist Confei'ence Temperance Demonstration came oif in the Town Hall. It was a great affair. Much good must result to all Australia from this committal of the Conference to the Temperance cause. On the 31st the Rev. William Kelynack lectured in Wesley Church, Sir James MacCulloch, M.P., in the chair. The Cathedral Church of Australian Methodism looked well with its crowded audience. The collection was ,£50. The plan for holding, in 1873, instead of one Australasian Con- ference as at present for the whole Connexion, fovir Colonial Annual Conferences was earnestly debated, and ultimately passed. This plan provided also for the holding of a Triennial General Conference, as the Supreme Court of Legislation of the Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Church. Although good reasons were shown why this change in our form of government and administration should be made, yet there was a powerful minority, not in numbers certainly, but in ability beyond all doubt. The names of the chssentients are as follow : Messrs. Gaud, Hurst, Quick, J. G. Turner, Piddington, N. Bennett, Ironside, S. Williams, J. B. Waterhouse, Sellors, Nolan, Wilson, P. E. Stephenson, J. B. Stephenson, and Woolnough. Seventy-four voted for the Plan, and so it was cari-ied. AUSTRALIA. 261 We had a great discussion on the case of the Rev. Thomas Guard, then a missionary in South Africa. His name had been brought before us by the Rev. William Taylor, who had seen him in that country, and knew his worth. The Conference finally adopted a resolution, which I give verbatim, that the Methodist people may know the terms on which similar cases may be dealt with : — " Resolved : — That the Chairman of the Melbourne District be permitted to negotiate with the Rev. Thomas Guard, in reference to his joining the Australasian Conference on the following conditions, which the depressed state of the Connexional funds, and the finding of stations for married ministers, render necessary, viz : — (1) That such financial arrangements be made by Mr. Guard's friends in Victoria without prejudice to those funds ; (2) That the Circuit seeking Mr. Guard's services shall take him as an additional married minister, without having the previous four years' service of single men, in addition to defraying the expense that may be incurred in bringing Mr. Guard and his family to Melbourne." These terms were accepted, and £500 were raised to secure Mr. Guard's advent amongst us. The news of the murder of Bishop Patteson and the Rev. J. B. Atkin, in Polynesia, called forth the deep sympathy of the Confer- ence, and a resolution of condolence with the Chui'ch Missionary Society Avas passed relating thereto. It was as follows : — " Resolved : — That this Conference record its deepest sympathy with the Directors of the Melanesian Mission in the great loss they have sustained by the deaths of Bishop Patteson and his fellow-labourer, the Rev. J. B. Atkin, who fell by the hand of violence while prosecuting their self-denying labours among the islands of the South Pacific ; and also expresses its strongest condemnation of the traffic in human beings which is now being carried on among the islands, and which there is reason to believe has been the main cause of the murder of these devoted missionaries, is likely to lead to many similar acts of violence, and to interfere most prejudicially with missionary labour." It is not to be wondered at that such an expression of sympathy came welling up from many a soul, as this painful disaster was under consideration, when we call to mind that in the Conference there were so many veterans who themselves had often been ' in perils among the heathen.' For, if it be true, as was remarked by the lamented Dean Stanley, that ' the vast literature of the nine- teenth century had become the real bond and school of the nation, beyond the power of educational and ecclesiastical agitation to exclude or prevent ; ' then how much more true has the association 262 JAMES BICKFOBD: AK AUTOBIOGRAPHY. of God-Lonoured men of different Churches, in the outlying portions of the world, tended to cement them as ' one ' in Christ's love and pity for the lost. I am sure that if Bishop Patteson and Mr. Atkin had been our own missionaries, the great sorrow which moved the Conference could not have been stronger or more sincere. Feb. 7th. — The Conference broke up, and the next day I accom- panied the Rev. Stephen Eabone, the General Secretary of oui- Mission, and Mr. President Chapman, to the steamer, in which they soon left for Sydney. March 4:th. — I went to Hotham Hill to select a site for church, and school purposes. The population is rapidly gathering here, and no time must be lost in choosing a God's Acre for the people's l:)enefit. On the 7th we accepted for the new church in Little Bourke Street, for the Chinese immigrants. We shall build forthwith. Financial success is secured. In the afternoon I visited eight families, which was a real pleasure to me. March IQth. — The news of the death of the Venerable Dr. Dixon reached us. I went at once to condole with Mr, James Dixon and Mrs. Dixon. A great preacher, 'old and full of days,' has gone from us. March 19th. — I held an important meeting at Carlton. We had associated with the ' Five ' trustees, gazetted by the Government, several influential seat-holders as a Building Committee. I conceived that their duties were fulfilled in the completion of the church. I called this committee together to hear the balance sheet, which was accepted and signed, when I informed them that the affairs of the church would have to be managed in future by the legal trustees. On the 25th I met the trvxstees of the Footscray Church, and pre- sented the account for the erection of the building. We had spent £686 3s. The Eev. Pt. C. Flockart, my excellent colleague, had raised, by a series of lectures, .£55 of this amount. March 29'6 .■>H;ELT WE>T, MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA. 269 I think that every brother present was impressed with the season- ableness and importance of this ' conversation,' and was encouraged to expect greater things than those previously received from the risen Saviour. Taken altogether, I think it was the best conclusion to that particular pax"t of our sessional business I ever attended. Dec. \2th. — I went to Melbourne to attend the Stationing Com- mittee. We worked all day, and finished our duty. Dec. 27th. — The new Education Act having come into force, and finding that there was much diversity of opinion abroad as to some of its provisions, I thought it advisable for me to prepare a syllabus of the Act, and publish it for general information. This I did, and published the document in the Star and Courier, Ballarat papers, and thereby secured a very general circulation. I think the syllabus was copied into the columns of the Age also. The Watch Night Service was duly held, the local preachers taking part with me. 1873. Jan. 2nd. — We held the Quarterly Meeting. Income ^148 3s, 3d. Expenditiu'e .£195 3s. 5d. Total Circuit debt, including previous deficiencies, <£79 7s. The Barkly Street Society did well ; stQl, it was impossible to meet our expenses. The Cu-cuit was due for a second married minister at the ensuing Conference, but the brethren, by a unanimous vote, declined to take up the obhgation. I could not blame them. On the 16th I was in Sydney attencUng the Conference; the Eev. Thomas Williams, President, and Rev. John Cope, Secretary. Important action afiecting some ministers took place at this Conference. The Rev. Joseph Nettleton, who, having been in Fiji for nearly thii'teen years, had permission to return to England, and the Rev. J. Hutcheon, M.A., a minister of the British Conference, would reside in Melboui-ne. We had great difficulty with some of the Stations, and it was hard work to get the great wheel of our Itinerancy to revolve at all. The Rev. Thomas James was appointed to Port Adelaide, which created great dissatisfaction among his friends in Adelaide and Ballarat, and I was removed from Ballarat East to Pirie Street, Adelaide. But these are only a sample of the changes which had to be made. One would almost suppose that Bishop Short had wi-itten with the Methodist Con- ference in view as an extenuation of the supposed hardships of the 270 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AVTOBIOGBAPIIY. Itinerancy, as follows, * Much good incidently arises from such changes, which tend to modify the torpor sometimes resulting from a lengthened incumbency, or other grounds of discontent.' The itinerant principle, in its operation, is sometimes exceedingly incon- venient for ministers and ministers' families, disappointing and trying to Circuits; nevertheless, it was one of Wesley's wise arrangements for perpetuating Methodism ' so long as the sun and moon endure.' This was the last of the Australasian Conferences to be held. The new plan for holding Colonial Annual Conferences would come into operation in January, 1874, as agreed to by the British Con- ference. On February 3rd the sessions closed, and all were glad when our President pronounced the Benediction. We left per steamer for Melbourne the next day, leaving our Sydney friends with much regret. We had two excellent services on board. The Rev. K. Johnstone, Sailors' Chaplain at Sandridge, preached once on ' The Banner of Truth,' and the Bev. J. C. Symons also once on ' Heaven.' We reached Sandridge on the morning of the 7th, and after breakfasting with the Poolmans I left for Ballarat, and reached home at 4.30 p.m. Mrs. Bickford had remained behind in Sydney for a few weeks with our dear Christ}', previous to our removal to South Australia. March l^th. — The Board of Education informed me, through Mr. Venables, ' that the Local Committees of Non- Vested Schools, carried on under Clause 10 of the new Act, are still recognised as Committees of Management ; but Trustees of School Projierties can supersede them, if so disposed, as they have the control of the buildings.' Exactly so, Mr. Venables ; but the suggested supersession is more easily made than done ! March 11th. — I went to Creswick, and lectured on ' Wilberforce.' We had a good attendance. Afterwards I had an interesting con- versation mth INIessrs. Coojier and Gardner on public questions of a national and an ecclesiastical kind. It is not often that one can meet with gentlemen in a country township possessed of so much general knowledge. March 2bth. — I packed my books in jBve large cases. Alas ! too many by one-third for our wandering life. Ajjril 1th. — I sent off my luggage, and settled up all accounts. I left by the evening train for Melbourne, and spent the night in the hospitable home of my friends, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Osborne. A USTRALIA. 271 The following Comparative Statistics have been courteously pro- cured for me by the Hon. J. L. Dow, M.P., Commissioner of Lands, from the Government Statist, W. H. Hayter, Esq., showing the progress of the Colony ecclesiastically and materially for the period named : — 1. Population (mean) 1854—267, 371 ; 187.3—765, 511. Increase, 498, 140. 2. Churches 1854—187 ; 1873—2,284. Increase. 2,097. 3. Kegistered Clergy 1854 (no return) ; 1874—654. 4. Day Schools 1854—391 ; 1873—1,731. Increase, 1,340. 5. Day Scholars 1872—160, 743 ; 1873—226, 255 ; 1874—238, 592. Increase in attendance, through abolishing school fees, first year, 65,512 ; second year, 77,849. 6. Sabbath Schools 1854 (no returns) ; 1873—111,973 children. 7. Crown Lands sold, or selected, to end of, 1854 — 1,369,382 acres ; 1873 — 13,263,600 acres. 8. Acres under Cultivation 1854—54,905 ; 1873—964, 996. 9. Squatting Runs 1854 (no returns) ; 1873—894 runs = 25,830,641 acres. 10. Imports 1854— £17,059,051 ; 1873— £16,533,856. (Imports reduced under a Protective Policy.) 11. Exports, 1854— £11,775,204; 1873— £15,302,454. (Exports increased under a Protective Policy.) 12. Gold produced 1854 -2,392,065 oz., vahie £9,568,260 ; 1873—1,241,205 oz., value £4,964,820. 13. Churches 1887—4,223. Schools, 2,660. Scholars, 268,705. 14. Population 1887, males. 550,044 ; females, 486,075 = 1,036,119. 15. Primary Education 1888. Schools, 2,077. Scholars, 197,115. Cost, £641,993. Per child, £4 Qs. &\d ; including buildings, rent, scholarships, etc. Total is £787,860. The Gold has done it all. This gift of Providence has attracted population, and set in motion such vital forces as have created the richest gem in the British Crown. And ' Victoria ' is only on the fringe of her destined greatness. ' Hail Victoria ! ' the golden land ; the happy home of free, self-sustaining churches : of free education ; and of ' Home Eule,' as the conceded boon of England's ' Reformed ' Parliament to a loyal, contented, and grateful people. God Save the Queen. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE. April Stk. — At 1 p.m. Mrs. Bickford and I went on board the steamer Aldlnga at the Queen's Wharf, and soon started for Adelaide. The Revs. J. Watsford, J. C. Symons, J. Harcourt, and a few other friends were there to say ' Good-bye.' We got through the ' Heads ' before dark ; and being now once more on the high seas I contentedly 'turned in.' The next day the weather was charming, the wind fresh and fan*, and the passengers agreeable. What more could be desired ? Well, nothing except that, — although I had been an ' itinerant preacher ' for about thirty-five years, yet, I cou^ld not get so used to it as to like it. It was to me, with my friendly instincts so strongly embedded in my very being, a crucible not always in its operation of a very satisfactory kind. The question put by the President of the Conference at oiu" ' Ordination,' ' Will you reverently obey your chief ministers, unto whom is committed the charge and government over you ? ' oftentimes becomes difficult, if not galling, as a fii*st duty to Conference authority. StUl, obedience is an essential part of our compact ; therefore, in now journeying to a neighbouring Colony in the exercise of my ministry, I was ful- filling it. Duty was mine ; consequences belonged to the Conference and to God. We reached Port Adelaide on Thursday the 10th, when we were greeted by the Rev. W. L. Binks, James Scott, Esq., and Mr. Martin, Circuit Steward. These ministerial changes are designedly made at fixed times, so that the out-going minister, having vacated the parsonage premises, the in-coming one may on arrival enter without delay his new habitation. But not so in o\ir case. We went, there- fore, to the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. James Scott, to await the departure of my predecessor, the Rev. Thomas James, and the preparing the house itself for our reception. SOUTH AUSTBALTA. 273 April Wth. (Good Friday) — I greatly prize a religious service in commemoration of our Lord's Crucifixion, and not being quite in charge of my new Circuit, I asked Mr. Scott to take me to hear Dean Russell at St. Paul's. I liked the discourse, and I was glad to have had the opportunity of once more worshipping in an Anglican Church — the Church of my ancestors in the old country. In the evening I went by invitation to Norwood, and gave a short address at the Sunday School Anniversary. The Circuit ministers and the friends gave me a hearty reception. April IZth. (Easter Sunday) — There is a great deal of agreeable curiosity arising out of the first appearance of a new minister in his Circuit. Possibly this feeling is mutual ; as I think it ought to be. I certainly was anxious to see what the congregations at ' Draper Memorial ' and Pirie Street were like, and I was not disappointed . There was a ' savour' of Christian ' goodness ' in the people percep- tible to me, of a most encouraging kind. I felt I had come amongst a people who would ' receive mth meekness the engrafted word.' I essayed to begin my work as I knew I could continue it. I was fortunate in my co-pastor, the Rev. G. W. Patchell, M.A., who would share with me the obligation of ministering the word of life to the congregations, and in the Rev. W. P. Wells, the President of Prince Alfred College, whose Sabbath services were to be given exclusively to the Pu-ie Street Circuit. And I had a very fine stafi" of local preachers as helpers in the work. But, the Cii'cuit being large, it would require a nice adjustment of appliances and of ' times ' to over- take all its requii'ements. The pastoral work, I saw, woidd need to be systematically done, and Mr. Patchell and I were resolved upon doing it. I cannot account for the circumstance ; biit it, nevertheless, was true, that I felt more oj^pressed with my new environments than I had ever been previously in taking charge of my circuits. The Pirie Street congregation was large, and had had some of oiu' ablest men as Superintendents. But I resolved to assume this ' burden of the Lord,' and do my very best for preserving oiu- hold upon so large a constituency, and to maintain the reputation my predecessors had won among their clerical compeers in the city. I had no new character in which to appear ; I could not be in the pulpit either a philosopher, scientist, politician, or Biblical critic, so much as to be a ' Methodist Preacher ' of an earlier date and style — plain, expository, 18 274 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. evaugelical, earnest, and soul-saving. This was my ideal of what Christ expected me to be ; besides which, it was what I believed would accord with the aspirations of my congregations, and the genius of South Australian Methodism. In these respects I have not miscalculated ' the fitness of things.' The first attempt I made at preaching was in 1834, at East Allington, near Kingsbridge, Devon, from the words, * And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.' The ' Fall,' the ' Atonement,' the ' Resurrection,' and the ' New Life,' were the main points of my juvenile speech on that occasion. I have tried their strength many times since ; and to use Bishop William Taylor's apt simile, I may say, ' I know how far they will cany.' I began in that very manner at the ' Draper Memorial Church,' on April 13th, 1873, but taking as my text, ' And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.' In the evening of the same day, at Pirie Street. I took the words, ' Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? ' My subjects, and the manner of their treatment, gave our city congregations a pretty good idea of the ' manner of speech ' they would be likely to hear from me dui'ing the period of my incumbency. Within the first fortnight I attended several Anniversaries, and thus had an early introduction to the greater part of the leading workers of our City and Suburban Circuits. The balance sheets of the Trusts and Sunday Schools gave me a good idea of our financial position, and of the monetary ability of our numerous adherents to sustain the work. On the 26th — that is, sixteen days after our arrival — we took possession of our new home in Pirie Street. The Scotts had shown us much kindness during the time the Parsonage was being cleansed and i-enovated. I much enjoyed the society of this nice, genteel. Christian family. For the fii'st time in my long career, I had the full gratification of labouring where perfect ' reUgious equality ' obtained. It was provided in the accepted Constitution of the Colony: (1) 'That it was never to be a charge to the Mother Country;' (2) 'That there was never to l)e a State Church recognised ; ' and (3) ' That the transported prisoners from Great Britain were never to be admitted to its shores.' So that, in the absence of a Presbyterian or AngUcan SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 275 * State Church,' the various sections of the one South Australian Church have equal rights, privileges, and powers. ' A fair field,' therefore, ' and no favour,' is the legal, national, and ecclesiastical birthright of all rehgionists throughout the length and breadth of the land. And there is a true unity amongst all these religionists ; but it is the unity of the beautiful rainbow, whose distinctions of colour so sweetly blend as to make a perfect whole. Our unity is real because it is spiritual ; ' One is our Master, even Christ, and all we are brethren.' It will be known to the careful readers of early Methodistic history that Mr. Wesley had always before him the purpose of supplying to the families of his Societies a high class of education. This praise- worthy object of our founder has never been lost sight of in England (since his death in 1791), or in America, or Australasia. In South Australia, as early as 1854, at the Adelaide Annual District Meeting, presided over by the lamented Rev. Daniel James Draper, it was resolved that efforts should be made to establish such an institution as Prince Alfred College now is. But it was not till 1865 that really definite steps were taken, by the purchase of a block of land of fifteen acres, which was then being offered for sale at Kent Town for £2,750. His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh laid the foundation stone of the new College on November 7th, 1867, in the presence of a large assemblage of the elite of the Colony, The main building was occupied for educational work a few months later, when an Inaugural Meeting was held in connection therewith, under the auspices of Sir James Fergusson, then Governor of the Colony. When I arrived in Adelaide, in 1873, I found that Prince Alfred College had gained a firm footing as one of the higher class of educa- tional institutions. The South Australians had given to it their confidence, and the genei'al public its warm support. The first Head Master was Samuel Fiddian, Esq., B.A., who, having honourably fulfilled his engagement with the Committee, was succeeded by J. A. Hartley, Esq., B.A., B.Sc. Mr. Hartley served two terms, greatly to the advantage of the College, when he accepted from the Govern- ment the position of Inspector General of the State Schools. This College met a great want, and has secured the good opinion and generous support of all classes of the community. The subsequent additions to the main building of the ' Waterhouse ' and ' Coltcn ' wings, for providing larger accommodation for boarders and day, 276 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGUAPHY. pupils, is proof of the high estimation in which the College is held. The present master is Frederick Chappel, Esq., B.A., B.Sc, whose conduct of the institution has been one of unbroken success. May. — One month in Adelaide has shown me, that in oiir Austra- lian cities it is simply impossible for ministers in prominent positions to settle down, as they can in English and Scotch large towns, to the ordinary routine work of a Circaiit. In a new country, as is South Australia, this is very much the case. The Chairman of the district, the Rev. W. L. Binks, was in receipt of letters from the Northern Areas, in which was pointed out the difficulty of obtaining sites for church and school purposes. At Mr. Binks's request, the Rev. W. P. Wells, Mr. Colton and I accompanied him to the Chief Secretary, Sir Henry Ayres, to lay their case before him. Sir Henry, who is the politest and most liberal Premier I know, received us with courteous consideration, and listened to the statements of Messrs. Binks and Colton. When I thought that we were not making much progress with our case, I presumed to lay before Sir Henry the modus by which similar difficulties were got over on the Victorian Goldfields, by our ' squatting ' on suitable sites, erecting our buikhngs, and then applying to the Hon. Commissioner of Lands to offer such sites at public auction, w4th full valuation for the improvements. This form of settlement, I contended, was gradual, easy, inexpensive, sufficient, and inflicted no loss on the Government or local com- munities. To my svirprise, Sii' Henry asked whether such a course of action would not be interpreted as ' State Aid.' ' And you know,' he said, 'that we are prohibited from doing that in any form whatsoever.' The utmost that could be done, he thought, would be for the ministers and their friends to make selections in the meantime of svich sites as were suitable for their objects, and the Government would not allow of any interference with their action. We gained all we wanted, and thanked the Chief Seci'etary for his readiness to help us. In the evening I preached in Pirie Street Church to 100 persons, which was a large attendance for an ordinary week-night congregation. May 9th. — My first patient was a Mr. Morecombe in Waymouth Street ; I attended him all through his illness. He ' received the Spirit of Adoption,' and was made happy. The last words he spake were, ' Glory be to God.' May 26th. — The Queen's levee was held to-day. I attended -svith Mr. Binks, and thus showed my loyalty to the best of Sovereigns. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 211 June 9th. — Our new Governoi-, Sii- Anthony Mnsgrave, was sworn in to-day in the Town Hall. I went of course to witness the ceremony, which was imposing. He is a fine, benevolent-looking man, and made a good impression upon the large audience which had assembled to welcome him. On the 25th I held the Quarterly Meeting. There was a large attendance of brethren. We reported a decrease of membership ; but the income met all expenses of an ordinary kind. Jul// 3rd. — We held a meeting for establishing a mission in the Northern Territory. We raised .£88. Mr. James Scott and I were appointed Secretaries to this Mission. Jtdi/ Sth. — Mr. Colton and I went to Glenelg to seek for a convenient Church site. We pitched upon a central spot, and Mr. Colton agreed to make enquiries about the price. Jidy 10th.~Mi\ Angas, senior, sent us a cheque for £50 in aid of our Northern Territory Mission. I prepared the circulars, and sent thirty-seven to New South Wales and Victoria inviting aid. Mr. Scott and I prepared a memorial to the Rev. W. B. Boyce, Mission House, London, asking for a grant of £300 towards this Mission. As the expense of establishing this Mission would be considerable, and too much for South Australia to bear alone, we were obliged to look where we could for help. Jtcly. 23ixl. — This afternoon we held a private Ordination Service in Pirie Street Church, and ' set apart ' for this important Mission the Rev. R. T. Boyle, in whose piety, prudence, and ability we had the utmost confidence. In the evening, at a public meeting, we com- mended Mr. and Mrs. Boyle to ' the grace of God.' On the 26th they sailed in the steamer Tararua for Palmerston, Port Darwin. May God preserve and bless them ! July 24:th. — The circular is bearing fruit. James Campbell, of Ballarat, sent £5 5s., S. G. King, at Melbourne, £2 2s., James Robin £5 5s., J. H. Angas £10 10s., Thomas Moyses £1 Is., Hon. G. Bagot £5 5s. Money came in from many quarters, and we felt justified in incurring such expense as was necessary for efficiently working this distant mission. Oct. Qth. — We held the Pirie Street Church Anniversary, and raised £250. Oct. 16th. — Some official men are too broad, and others are too narrow. Of the latter class is Mr. B. To-day he came to me, and 278 JAMES BICKFORD : AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. said that he had been nursing his grievance for some days. That grievance was that at our Young Men's Society's entertainment, 'Dickens,' as an author, had been praised. He had read the report of the Meeting in the paper, and he objected to the name of ' Dickens ' being mentioned in such a connection. T talked wdth him at large, but it Avas of no use. I expect he will resign his connection with our Church. The next day he sent me his letter of resignation. I hope, on reflection, he will regret the hasty step he has taken. Unfortunate Superintendents! They have to do with all 'sorts and sizes' of God's creatures, and are expected to preserve their equanimity, preach like apostles, and suffer as martyrs. But are they not 'flesh and blood ' like other men ? Have they no feelings to be considered ? Eh? Oct. 2\st. — The Annual District Meeting was begun to-day. The Rev. W. L. Binks presided. We went rapidly through the ordinary business, and concluded on the 24th. It was a happy and successful meeting. Nov. 14i;/i.— Mr. G. W. Cotton called to tell me that Mr. Colton, Mr. J. D. Hill, and himself had purchased a new site at Glenelg for £320. ' It is well.' Nov. \%th. — Finished my review of Thomas Cooper's Bridge of Nineteen Arches ; ' being an ' Historical Argument ' in defence of the Christian religion. It has run out to fifty pages ; too long by half. I was taken with terrible vertigo just as I finished this heavy work. I rallied svifliciently to give the paper in the evening to the ' Young Men's Society ; ' it was a great effort. At the close I was nervously prostrate. Too much pressure on. Dec. 9th. — This is the ninth day of hot winds. We are simply enduring life. In the evening we had a thunder-storm and heavy rain. The change generally comes when our feeling is that we are near the last gasp. Bee. 10th. — I went again to Her Majesty's gaol to see Mrs. W., who is under sentence of death for the alleged crime of having poisoned her husband. She had been earnestly seeking, she said, the Divine mercy in Christ, and that her prayers had been answered. I examined hei' closely, and felt greatly relieved by her statements. Dec. 12th. — I received a letter from the Governor of the gaol, requesting me to see the young man R., who Avas yesterday sentenced to death for the murder of his mate B. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 279 Dec. \lth. — Mrs. W. handed to me to-day a sealed letter to be opened after her death. Poor unfortunate woman ! She seems to contemplate her sad end with a calm fortitude. Her trust is in God. Dec. 29i/i. — Again at the goal to give the Holy Sacrament to the penitent Mrs. W. ' If good works,' she said, ' were necessary, my soul would be lost.' What a mercy for her that she learnt the plan of salvation in the Sunday School, and that now, in the time of her great need, she has embraced it. E,. was in tears, reading the Bible. He confessed his crime to me this very morning, and there was now hope for him. We both eainestly wrestled with God in prayer for his salvation. ' JDec. 30/ 12t/t. — Mr. Patchell and I re-examined my manuscript sermon entitled, ' The Double Baptism,' and passed it on to the printers. This is tlie last blow I administered to my neighbour and brother minister, Silas Mead, who "vvill, I think, in the future, leave his Wesleyan brethren alone. May 27 th. — The Methodist Joui-nalis now fait accom2)li. To-day I wrote the first re\iew for its columns, on Mr. Tapling's new work on the Narringeri tribe of Australian blades. It is an interesting book, and could only have been written by a man who was in strong sympathy with these original owners of this island continent. We have taken their country from them, and it is a small matter to give in exchange a few blankets, rations, protection, education, and religion. June 1st. — The Bev. Thomas White Smith, my ecclesiastical father, and dearest ministerial friend in England, does not forget us. To-day I received from him a long and beautiful letter, and full of afilectionate kindness. June 15th. — Yesterday I preached at Coromandel "Valley at 1 1 a.m., and at 3 and 6.30 p.m. at Upper Sturt. To-day the ' fovindation- stone ' was laid by the Hon. John Carr, M.P. ; the Bevs. Joseph Nicholson, Mr. President Binks, and I took part in the proceedings. We raised £39. June nth. — A great blow has fallen upon the Rev. Silas Mead in the death of Mrs. Mead. Mr. Binks and I attended the funeral. I never saw more feeling than on this occasion. Mr. Mead was prostrate, and every one sincerely pitied him. The dear man, the next day, sent us a letter expressive of his sense of our sympathy and brotherly love in being present on so mournful an occasion. June 1 9th. — I am confined to the house through a ^dolent attack of lumbago. I sent for Dr. Whittle to see if he could give me SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 285 anything to help me for the Sabbath duties. Instead of helping me in that direction he ordered me not to leave my room. June 23?yZ.— Being still confined in the house, I held the Local Preachers' Meeting in our dining-room. There was a good attend- ance. I retired at 11 o'clock, but not to sleep through sheer excite- ment and prostration. Jime 2ith. — After a week of sickness T am again in my study. In the afternoon I held the Quarterly Meeting. Income ,£272 Os. 4fZ. ; expenditiu-e ,£251. We rapidly did the business, and closed at 5 p.m. July 3rd. — Mr. T. S. Carey issued the first number of The Methodist Joihrnal to-day. It is indeed a venture, but with our large constituency it ought not to be a failure. May God bless its circulation throughout these Colonies ! Jrdy 6th. — No increase of work coidd lead me to neglect the visita- tion of my people. The Pastor's office comes first with me. My Diary for this day says : — ' Busy all the forenoon. Went in the afternoon to see Miss Lawrence, Mrs. Marshall, Mr. Good, Miss Marsh, Miss Franklin, Misses Ingram, etc. I attended the Building (Connexional) Committee at 4 p.m., the Unley Trustee Meeting at 5.30 p.m., the Pirie Street Trustee Meeting at 6.30 p.m., the Leaders' Meeting at 8.30 p.m., and the Good Templars' Demonstration at 9.30 p.m. Tired at last 1 ' July 25th. — I wrote a review of a lecture on ' Secularism and Atheism ' for our Journal. This follows two papers on ' Public Education ' and ' Our Day School Teachers.' If we do not succeed with our paper it will not be because we have not tried for it. Aug. ^th. — This evening I went to the ' Come and Welcome ' Good Templars' Lodge, and was installed as * Worthy Chaplain.' I must endeavour to do some good here. Aug. lOfA. — Mr. John Kounsevell called for me to go to Glenelg to see his sick father. I spent more than an hour with him in conversation and prayer. Aug. 17th. — I wrote an article for the Journal on Gritton's ' Christianity is not the Invention of Impostors or Credulous En- thusiasts.' Many of our constituents maybe will read a short article on a tough subject, when perhaps the book itself would be thrown aside as cumbersome and ' dry.' Sept. 2nd. — I received to-day from Rev. S. Knight a cheque for .£200, being a donation from that good man, Mr. T. G. Waterhouse, 286 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. now in England, for the ' Strangei's' Friend Society.' The ' blessing of those who are ready to perish ' will come upon this benevolent remembrancer of our poor. Sept. 22nd. — I attended the funeral of the late Mr. Theophilus Robin, and offered prayer at the grave. It was a mournful sight. The next day I held the Quarterly Meeting. We have now a credit balance of about ^90. Thank God for freedom from Cu-cuit debt. Oct. 1th. — I attended the funeral of the late Mr. Rounsevell. I read and pi-ayed in the house, and the Rev. C. Manthrope officiated at the grave. It was a solemn and somewhat imposing funeral. I returned to Pu'ie Street, s^tfering from a severe attack of lumbago. We resolved to-day to proceed forthwith with the erection of a parsonage at Glenelg. Oct. lOth. — I was at Moonta, at the Rev. R. S. Casely's. In the evening he conducted me to Captain Hancock's, where I enjoyed the evening very much. I preached the next day at the Mines, and addi-essed the Sunday School in the afternoon. Oct. 12th. — Captain Hancock took me to see the works, which are elaborate and expensive. The Public Meeting came ofi' in the evening. We raised £85. Oct. Ibth. — I went to the House of Assembly to hear the discussion on the ' River Murray Railway Bill.' During the discussion, the Chief Secretary, the Hon. A. Blyth, came to me in the Speaker's Gallery, and told me that the Fiji Islands were ceded to the British Crown. This news set me a-thinking pretty much in this strain : Is it true, I asked, that Christian influences were brought to bear for the first time on Cannibal Fiji not quite forty years ago ? Is it reaUy true that the Revs. Cross and Cargill, M.A., landed in Lakembor so late as October 12th, 1835, and that a sapping of the basis of the cruellest forms of Heathenism the world has ever seen was successfully prosecuted by these intrepid men ? Is it true that in one short year Mr. Cargill could write the London Committee as follows : — ' Preachius is established in many places, and classes are formed of persons who are enquiring "what they must do to be saved." Day and Sunday Schools were mstituted, and the sacred rites of marriage were being observed ? ' ' Sappers and Miners,' in an Apostolic sense ! No marvel, therefore, that in so short a period as forty years the whole system of Cannibalism SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 287 was destroyed, and the Christian religion, as formulated by the Wesleys, became the accepted belief and practice of the whole Archipelago .... And who prepared these outlying portions of the world to become integral parts of the great British Empire, but these very Wesleyan Missionaries and their noble successors in the Christ- like enterprise ? ' ' Foundei-s of Empires ' and ' Ambassadors of God ' at one and the same time. In Africa, India, New Zealand, and Fiji, they have hoisted the grand old flag of England, and Aboriginal races have learnt to ' fear God and to honour the Queen.' Oct. nth. — I read one hundred and fifty pages of the ' Life of the Rev. James Dixon, D.D.' How ' great this man was in his day and generation,' none can tell but those who have sat under his wonderful ministry, and drank in a knowledge of ' the deep things of God,' as they listened to the ' wisdom ' with which he clothed his mighty thoughts. Oct. Idtk. — The Annual District Meeting was begun to-day; Mr. President Binks, Chairman, the Rev. H. T. Burgess, Secretary. All the ordinary questions were disposed of on the first day. At this Meeting Mr. Binks applied to become a Supernumerary at the Conference of 1875. Seven years of active work in South Australia had told upon his health, and he needed a spell of rest. The Methodist Church, under his direction, had taken possession of the Northern Areas, and had extended her ordinances even to the western portion of the Northern Territory. He had proved himself to be a worthy successor of Daniel James Draper, William Butters, and John Watsford. A veritable Episkopos, whose burden was that ' which came upon him daily — the care of all the churches.' I moved two resolutions, which, being accepted by the Meeting, our recommen- dation was duly recorded for presentation to the Conference. Mr. William Rhodes and I were the Conference Treasurers for the ' Old Preachers' Fund.' Oiu' Church Loan Fund had already a capital of £780 7s. 2cZ., and the Church Extension and Home Mission Fund of £334 is. \ld. This was the 'day of small things;' but, as our people had accepted these as essential parts of our Connexional Finance, we could have no doubt as to their growth and permanence. On the 23i'd our sessions closed. We went on ' the even tenor of our way ' until November 3rd, when all Adelaide was astir through the arrival overland of the Forrest Exploring Party from Western Australia. I went to the •288 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Town Hall balcony with a number of other gentlemen to be close to the elder Forrest, and to liear his address. The party in their terrible journey had suffered nearly 'the loss of all things;' but, under Divine Providence, sustained by the love of life, and the force of the heroic sentiment ^^'ithin them, these intrepid men ' fought their way through,' and were rewarded in Adelaide ' with an abundant entrance,' and acclamations of welcome. The Brothers Forrest had done a splendid service for Western and Southern Australia, and should be handsomely paid. Dean Russell and I were great friends. This was evidenced in liis readiness to write articles on social and ecclesiastical subjects for The 2Iethodist Journal, but also in active co-operation 'in good works.' We mutually watched the arrival from England of ship- ments of female immigrants; and on the 6th we met at the Servants' Home in Adelaide, and held a rehgious service for theii' benefit. I thought the good Dean shone more as a Christian teacher in his familiar remarks to these anxious ' strangers,' than he did in his scholarly, laboured expositions in St. Paul's pulpit. Speaking of valuable help we had in preparing the weekly matter for the Journal, not only the Dean, but other ministerial friends contributed also. The Revs. A. Eigg, S. T. Wittrington, H. Mack, H. T. Burgess, L. B. Stephenson, and Joseph Nicholson wrote articles for us. My co-editor, the Eev. G. W. Patchell, M.A., and I both felt that the literary value of our Journal was much increased thereby. A striking episode occurred at this time. I received two letters from England, anent two young men who were coming to the Colony without their fathers' consent. When, on the 17th, the young man, L., called, I handed to him his father's affecting letter to read. It was a touclung appeal to his son, and made him weep. C. also ca»me a day or two after with his friend L. I conversed -sA-ith them at length, and offered to be at theii- service should they require my assistance. Mrs. Bickford and I, finding that they knew neither where to go nor what to do, invited them to our house. We con- ceived a great affection for these fine, adventurous young men ; and we deeply sympathised with their parents, who had suffered much on their account. L.'s father had entrusted to me a bill for £40, for sending his son to a coffee plantation in Ceylon, which I accordingly did. C. had no such luck ; but, through the kind assistance of the Hon. G. W. Cotton, Land Agent, etc., C, got SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 289 employment on a squatting station in the Port Lincoln District. It was a strange freak of the young men, and they paid dearly for their violation of the Fifth Commandment. The claims of the Pirie Street Trust now pressed heavily upon us, and the trustees resolved upon a great effort. I called upon the Hon. John Colton, M.P., to head the subscription list. Sitting opposite to each other at his office table, he encpiired of me what I thought would be a proper amount for him to give. I replied that so uniform and generous had been his contributions to the Trust that I coud not presume to make even a suggestion. 'Well, then,' said he, 'I will give you .£125 for myself, £25 for the firm, and .£25 for my partner, Mr. Longbottom.' £175 in all. This was a noble helping. We went together on a begging excursion among the Pirie Street pew-holders and other friends. We finished up with a grand Anniversaiy Meeting, and we had the pleasure to report the raising of £480. Dec. 21sf. — The Quarterly Meeting was held to-day. Income £269 5s. 3cZ. ; expenditure £253 145. Qd.; entire credit balance £109 Is. Id. Mr. James S. Green went out of office as Steward after two years' term of generous service. The Stewards for the ensuing year were Mr. Henry Codd and Mr. A. A. Scott ; two worthy men who had the confidence of the Circuit. As we were now rapidly nearing the end of the year, I wrote an article entitled, ' The Retrospect,' and a second on the Chief Secretary's speech at Gumm.eracha, for the Journal. The next day, the 23rd, I visited fourteen families at TJnley, and prayed in each house. At 6.30 I met the Bible Instruction Class, and at 7.30 I preached on Isaiah xl. 11, to a fair congregation. The determination I came to, when I accepted the position as responsible Editor of the Journal, that its claims should never interfere with my Circuit relations, I religiously cai'ried out. Dec. I^th (Christmas Day). — A happy day. At 7. a.m we had a good service in Pirie Street. At 9.30 I attended the gi'eat gathering of the Sunday School children at the Town Hall ; and at 111 heard Dean Russell on the words, ' When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.' I spent the afternoon and evening in reading and quiet thought. Dec. '2Qth. — I wrote a review of ' Orthodox London,' which occupied me until 4 p.m. I was much wearied and beaten with the heat. 19 290 JAMES BICKFORD. AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. The next day, in the hope of having a good paper foi' the first issue in the New Year, I ^\-l■ote two articles, entitled, 'The Prospect, 1875,' and ' On Identity.' My last engagement for the year was the Watch Night Service, Pirie Street Church. I preached as usual, and Messrs. Burton and Berry offered prayer. Thus was closed one of my busiest years. 1875. Jan. \st. — The New Year was ushered in under the auspices of great Sol's fiercest rays. At the observatory, on the 5th, the thermometer stood at 156° in the sun and at 115° in the shade. A trying time for the strongest, but much more so for the ailing and the ill. I was called to see Mrs. G. W. Coombs, who was dying, and at a quarter to 10 a.m. she passed away. On the next day we buried her mortal remains, and on om- retvirn to Mr. Coomb's house 1 baptized the now motherless babe by the name of George Uriah. It was a moui'nful ordeal, and deep was the sympathy felt for the bereaved father and his family. The news of the effect produced in England by Mr. Gladstone's pamphlet on the impossibility of English Catholics, under the new dogma of the ' Infallibility of the Pope,' being loyal to the Crown, as it was their duty to be in every part of the Empire, reached us on the 9th. All honour to this great Christian statesman for this thunderbolt cast into the Yatican. After this daring feat, it may be hoped that his political opponents will be slow to renew their vile insinuation that ' W. E. G.' is a ' Jesuit in disguise.' But politics in Great Britain are a Ipng and cruel game, and the marvel is that men of high and generous feelings consent to be mixed up with them. Jan. 14ith. — I wrote for the Journal an article entitled, ' Mr. Gladstone's Expostulation.' My object was to justify his interfer- ence, and to uphold the grounds he had taken. Besides which, I wanted South Australian readers to understand something of the fierce ecclesiastical conflicts in which British statesmen and the leaders of religious thought are occasionally involved. As eccle- siastics we do not seek quarrels ; but when assailed we have only one course to follow. Jan. 26^/i. — The South Australian Conference was opened to-day I was chosen as President, and the Rev. S. Knight as Secretary. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 291 The chief difficulty we had to contend with was the stationing of the ministers. But it is no wonder, because we have no fixed principle on which to proceed. The Circuits in Australia have the same right of inviting ministers as in England ; but our number is so small that we cannot dispose of our staff upon the invitation system. In some cases the preferences of our Quarterly Meetings were suitable enough, and the Conference would save itself much harassment by adhering to them. But then election of some carries with it as its counterpart reprobation, as Calvin would say, of the other. It was not until the fourth day of the Sessions that we could get a second reading, and not even tben without a great deal of cross-firing and unpleasantness. Feb. 1st. — I returned from Gawler this morning, and presided over the Conference. One item of business was at least satisfactory. By a unanimous vote Messrs. Patchell and I were thanked for the manner in which we had conducted the Journal. This was our only pay, but it was enough. On the 8th we read the stations for the thu'd time, and the next day the Minutes were signed. At this Conference we sanctioned the formation of a Home Mission and Conthigent Fund Society ; we also adopted a set of re- vised rules for the Church Loan Fund. The Connexional Com- mittee submitted a plan for ' Lay Representation to Conference,' which was accepted by our Conference, and ordered to be sent on to the General Conference. The Kev. W. L. Binks was made Super- numerary, and a suitable record of his high character and woik was entered upon the Minutes. Feb. Ibth. — I paid an official visit to the Gunneracha Circuit to arrange the terms upon which the services of the Rev. Matthew Wilson, a venerable Supernumerary minister, might be secured for one year. After considerable discussion it was agreed that the Circuit should pay Mr. Wilson £150 per annum, to include salary, rent, and house expense.^. The Connexional claims were to be met and the travelling expenses of the local preachers paid by the Circuit. Feb. 2nd. — I came to the conclusion that in South Australia we ought to have an Act passed for the payment of Members in Par- liment as in Victoria. The experiment has been a success ' over the Border,' and I therefore strove to get our Legislature to follow in the same steps. Hence, an ai'ticle in the Journal, which I had care- fully prepared, entitled, ' Payment of Members of Parliament,' was 292 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. inserted. I can claim, I think, the credit of being the first public advocate of that just and righteous principle in this Colony. Feb. 2ith. — ' The New House of Assembly ' was my next leader for the Journal. Mrs. Bickford and I went in the afternoon to Glenelg to call upon Miss Poolman, from Sandridge, after which we drove round to Dunrobin to take tea with our kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. Keyner. March Zrd. — Great excitement in the city at the news of the loss of the steamer Gothenhurgh on the Barrier Beef off Queensland. Much valuable life is doubtless lost. March \Oth. — I attended a meeting in the Town Hall in aid of the families deprived of their husbands and fathers by the loss of the Gothenhurgh. I gave two guineas ; but I would that I could have given twenty. March 22?ic?. — I attended a meeting of ministers, when we agreed to invite Moody and Sankey to come to South Axistralia. In the afternoon I went to the ' Stone-laying ' ceremony of the new church at Brompton. March 2Ath. — I held the Quarterly Meeting. Income £287 8s. 7d. ; expenditure £239 16s. Id. Credit Balance in all £155 15s. Sd. We agreed to expend this accumulated balance in furnishing the new parsonage at Glenelg. We certainly had a fine meeting. With such a condition of finance every official brother was pleased, and not a word of grumbling was heard. March 26th (Good Friday). — I heard the Kev. Mr. Symes preach a beautiful sermon in Stow Chiu'ch, when I hastened off to hear Bishop Short in St. Paul's. A sermon in the old orthodox style — ' good roast beef and plum pudding ' at one and the same time. In the afternoon I went to Sir John Morphett's grounds to join in the picnic of the Pirie Street Sunday School. About five hundred children and young people were present, and a large number of teachers and friends besides. I came home desperately tired, and lay down in my study, sleeping right away for two whole hours. Sleep is my remedy for excessive fatigue and nervous prostration. It never fails me. March 31st. — I drove Mrs. Bickford to Port Adelaide to embark for Melbourne. The heat of Adelaide had for some time been most oppressive, and she needed change of air and scene. April 21st. — We have been in the itinerant ' swim.' The Rev. G, SOUTH AV STB ALIA. 293 W. Patchell is gone to the Burra, and the Rev. W. P. Wells to Kent Town, Mr. Burgess and Mr. Nicholson have come to the Pirie Street Circuit, and this evening we had the usual welcome meeting ; Mr. James Greer, the senior Steward, presided. There were, at least, two hundred persons present. A hearty reception was accorded to the * new ' men. Under the inspiration of this joyous meeting I wrote an article for the Journal entitled, ' The Wesleyan Itinerancy.' The principle of the Itinerancy may be thus stated : ' When He ascended up on high He received gifts for men.' One of the most precious of these ' gifts ' is that of ' pastors and teachers ; ' and the aim of the Itinerancy is to distribute this agency over our whole Connexion, as occasion may require. The well-balanced mind of Wesley caught hold of this idea, and he ordained its observation by the Conferences he created. We, of the Australasian Church, have taken no such power from the original ' Poll Deed,' as would permit of such changes as would * do away with the Iterancy of ovu* ministry.' May \2th. — I am once more in Melbourne; this time to attend the Fu'st General Conference, held under our amended constitution. My co-representatives are the Revs. S. Knight, W. P. Wells, W. L. Binks, T. Lloyd, J. B. Stephenson, and R. S. Casely. The pro- ceedings were opened by the Rev. S. Wilkinson, the President of the New South Wales Conference. In the ' Address ' to the British Conference, we say : — ' By an interesting coincidence, the Senior President of the Conference, whose duty it vras to open the first session, was able to tell us that though not the first Wesleyan minister who preached in Victoria, yet he was one of the first, having been appointed as a Wesleyan Missionary here thirty-five years ago. Thus, within the few years of one ministerial history, are gathered the plant- ing, the robust outgrowth, and the almost completed self-regulation, of the Methodism which assembles now at its first legislative Conference in this city ; itself the product of social forces, acting with great energy, and within a very brief period.' The Presidents of the Colonial Annual Conferences presided in rotation, and conducted the routine business from day to day. Several important principles inherent in our ecclesiastical poKty were re-affii'med, or formulated for the first time, as follows : — 1. For guarding the pastoral office from invasion or injury by the proposed introduction of laj-men into our Colonial Annual Conferences. The Eev. James Swanton Waugh (now Doctor Waugh) prepared the following declaration :— 294 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ' That this Coufeioiice distinctly asserts its maiutonauce of the New Testament doctrine, that the ministry derives its existence from Christ, and that upon Christian ministers, to whom is entrusted the duty of taking " heed to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers, to feed the Church of God,"' devolves the solemn responsibility of enforcing godly discipline, and administering the pastoral government of the Church.' . . . 'Tliat in the admission of laymen as members of the Conferences, this principle must be held to be sacred and inviolable.' 2. For insisting upon the maintenance of the historic condition of member?, as set forth in the ' General Rules of the Society.' There are three distinct provisions : — (1) We take no power to ' revoke ' {i.e., to recall ; to repeal ; to reverse) the ' General Rules of our Societies.' (2) We agree in the conviction, that no mode of faciliating and promoting fellowship among Christians approaches so nearly to the requirements of the New Testament as the Class Meeting, which, under God, has so greatly con- tributed to our spiritual vitality and success ; and we resolve to adhere to it as a test of membership in our Church. (3) To secure correct returns of the number of members in the several Circuits, it was agreed to call the attention of Superintendents to the law of 1837, as follows : ' The Superintendents are directed to return, in their Quarterly Schedule, the precise number, without any abridgment or deduction, of those to whom, after due and sufHcient probation, they or their colleagues have actually given tickets in their respective Circuits.' 3. On Direct Representation to Conference, it enacted that ' the Quarterly Meeting of each Circuit shall be entitled to elect one lay representative, who shall be elected by ballot at the Quarterly Meeting nest preceding the session of the Conference to which such Circuit pertains.' 4. The condition of * baptized children ' is thus stated : • By baptism you place your children within the pale of the visible Church, and give them a right to all its privileges, the pastoral care of its ministers, and, as far as their age and capacity will allow, the enjoyment of its ordinances and means of grace.' 5. The Inter-Colonial changes of ministers was provided for, by empowering the General Conference ' to make, or direct the Annual Conference to make, all necessary changes and interchanges of ministers between the several Annual Conferences.' 6. The pastoral authority of each Annual Conference was recognised in the direction given to them to issue a ' Pastoral Address' to the Societies under their care. The Minutes of the First General Conference, as published under the able guidance of the Rev. J. B. Waterhouse, its Secretary, do not show that much work of a legislative kind was done. Still, being ah initio, I think we did enough. The plan for popularising our highest Church courts, by the introduction thereto of representative laymen, under safe and wise conditions, was no ordinary task. That SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 295 the British Confei'ence accepted our plan without amendment, and, in Colonial Office phrase, left it to its operation, is surely evidence of the carefulness with which it had been prepared. It is now the recognised Magna Charta of the Australasian Wesleyan Methofhst Church, securing alike to ministei's and laymen New Testament rights, and free action in the prosecution throughout the Southern Woi-ld of a peaceful and soul-saving mission. The Minutes were signed as under : — Samuel Wilkinson, Presl(le)it of New South Wah'-'i and Queensland Conference. James Buller, President of Neie Zealand Conference. James Bickford, President of South Australia Conference. John Harcouet, President of Victoria and Tasmania Conference. Jabez B. Waterhouse, Secretary of General Conference. June 1st. — I went on board the steamer Aldinga at the Queen's Wharf at 1 p.m., and sailed for Port Adelaide. After a delightful run of forty-eight hoiu'S I landed, and at once hasted to Pirie Street, and found all well. I held the Quarterly Meeting on the 23rd, when for the first time this year we were in the midst of some ' troubled waters.' And wherefore ? Alas for the ' Plan ' ! AVas it an uprising of old con- servative ideas against the action of the General Conference? Or what ? Well, let the truth come out — we had not gone far enough. Resolutions were passed condemnatory of om* action, and some hard things were said. But it is not at all unlikely that three-fourths of the meeting had not even read the ' Plan,' or knew anything about it. JihTie 2Zrd. — I wrote a strong article on the Northern Territory, in Avhich I insisted, among other matters deserving the immediate attention of the Government, that it should be constituted an electoral district, and have the constitutional right to send one or more representatives to both chambers of the Legislature in Adelaide. July 6th. — To reform the Church, even in the direction of liberalism 296 J'i ^lES BICKFORD : A .V A UTOBIO GRA PUT. seems to be more difficult than to reform a Parliament. Our recent proposed legislation is still ' a bone of contention ' in some quarters. I therefore \vi-ote a long article for the Journal on ' Wesleyan Polity,' and justified the action of the General Conference. On the 12th I wrote a second article, and still more strongly defended my brethren. And there the matter must rest. July \^th. — The Education question is again to the front. I gave, therefore, much of my time to its consideration. This afternoon I went to the House of Assembly to hear the debate. Mr. Rowland Rees spoke with great abiUty. I prepai-ed besides an article on the subject for the Journal. In the evening I went to Edwardstown, and met as usual the Bible Class at 6.30, preached at 7.30, and then met the Church Committee. July \^tli. — The three students came fi'om Prince Alfred College for their weekly lecture. At 8 p.m. I presided at the Young Men's Literary Society. Busy day — all the day — until 11.30 p.m. July 19f/t. — I attended the funeral of the late Mrs. Ingram, relict of the Rev. W. Ingram. Another holy woman, and one much tried, has gone to God. July 22nd. — We held a meeting of the Education Committee, to consider the Bill now before the Parliament. We passed three resolutions generally approving of the Bill. July 2Qth. — At the Draper Memorial Chm'ch Anniversary this evening we raised ,£175 lis. July 31 St. — All soiiis of letters come to me. A troubled husband has just sent me an anonymous letter, in which he complains of his wife's neglect of reading the Bible, and requests me to preach a sermon for her admonition. Poor man ! Aug. Sr'd — I Avent to the House to hear the Treasurer's Budget Speech, and the next day I spent thi-ee whole hours in wi"iting an article upon it. The difficidty was mostly in 'trotting ' out the figures, calculations, etc., and making them agree with each other. Aug. dth. — I went to the Servants' Home to see the new im- migrants. I found amongst them a Mary Michelmore from Totness. I took her case in hand, and got her into a good home. I wrote to the Chief Secretary about the male immigrants having nowhere to go on their arrival in the Colony. He politely replied, and asked me to see the Premier, Mr. Boucaut, and lay the case before him. Se2)t. 13th.— The 'Singing Pilgrim' (Mr. Philip Phillips) sang in SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 297 Pirie Street Church this evening. About eight hundred present. On the 14th he sang in the Town Hall. The audience was grand^ and the ' Pilgrim ' acquitted himself in style. Sept. \%th. — Mr. T. S. Carey and I went to the Church Opening Services at Clarendon. We raised £100 10s. I supped and slept at Mr. Fox's, who ' is worthy.' Se2)t. nth. — Mr. A. A. Scott called with Messrs. S. F. Prior and H. H. Teague, who have just arrived from England to join our ministry in South Australia. On the 20th I got them enrolled as ministers authorized to celebrate marriage in this Colony. Se2}t. 21st. — I went to the Church Anniversary at the Wallaroo- Mines, Kadina. The Rev, A. Rigg met me at the coach-office, and I spent a delightful evening with him and Mrs. Rigg at the Parsonage. I preached the next day at the Mines' Church to two large congre- gations. On the Monday morning Captain Anthony drove Mr. Rigg and me to the smelting works at Wallaroo. They are extensive, and give employment probably to two hundred men. We had a succes- fuUy conducted Anniversary, and raised £85. Sept. 23rd. — The Quarterly Meeting was held to-day. Income £333 75. Qd. ; expenditure £280 Os. 5d. We returned 550 mem- bers, with 71 on trial. Oct. 11th. — Angaston Church Anniversary to-day. I preached twice to interesting, but not large congregations. The next day I called upon Mr. and Mrs. Pepperell, who are distantly related to ovir family. I visited the Keyne and the Angas families. The Angases (father and son) sent unsolicited two five-guinea cheques for our evening meeting. jNIr. Keally took me to the old cemetery to see my dear father's grave. It was on September 28th, 1851, at the age of seventy-five, that my father died. On returning next day to Adelaide, I ordered from Mr. Thomas Martin a small marble head- stone to mark the spot where my venerable and kind father sleeps in peace. Mr. Prior, who was with us, whilst I was away at Glenelg in the evening, heard from Mrs. Bickf ord several particulars of my father's life and character, and penned the following epitaph for the stone : — ' An honest and brave old English yeoman, Ready of hand, and true of heart and kind, Mild and afEectionate, belov'd by all, Lieth below. The day of life is o 'er, And God hath given to His beloved sleep.' 298 JAMES BICKFOliD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. The Denomination System of Education, established in 1852, thoroughly collapsed in 1875. It broke under the pressure of its own weight. Not a tear, of which I ever heard, was shed over the demise of this expensive, irritating, and effete system. On October 15th, this very year, ' An Act to Amend the Law relating to Public Education' was assented to by ' A. ]Mu.sgrove, Governor.' There are only twenty -five clauses, so that much of detail would have to be dealt with by ' Regulations.' Three of the clauses of the Act merit special notice : — ' 8. A public school may be established in any locality where the Council shall be satisfied that there are at least twenty children who will attend such school.' ' 9. In every public school, four and a half hours at least shall be set apart during each school-day for secular instruction only ; and such schools may open in the morning a quarter of an hour at least before the time fixed for such secular instruction to commence, for the purpose of reading portions of the Holy Scriptures in the Authorised or Douay Version. The attendance of children at such reading shall not be compulsory, and no.sectarian or denomin- ational religious teaching shall be allowed in any school.' ' 14. Notwithstanding any regulation for the payment of school fees, any child whose parent shall be unable to pay such fees shall not on that account be refused admission into a public school, but shall, on the inability being shown in the prescril)ed manner, be received and instiiicted in the same manner as the other pupils attending such schools.' The Government was fortunate in secm-ing the efficient services of the Head Master of Prince Alfred College, for piloting through the '■ sea of difficulty ' which awaited the introduction of the New Act. But the feat has been accomplished ; and to-day there is not in all Australia a better system of Public Education than that in this Colony. Nov. l^th. — The Rev. Samuel Antcliffe, D.D., a Primitive Methodist Minister from England, called. We were quite a clerical party for the occasion. The Rev. J. Goodwin, P.M., introduced the Doctor, and Rev. Messrs. Stephenson and Nicholson were also present. We were much pleased with our titled visitor from the dear old land. The next day I prepared the address of welcome we had agreed, as a body of ministers, to present to the reverend Doctor. Dec. \st. — I wrote an article for the Journal, subject : ' The Parliamentary Collapse.' To say the least, the Ministry had deserved a better fate. so UTH A USTB ALIA. 299 The Rev. Heiuy Greenwood, formerly one of our missionaries in the Friendly Islands, did us good service in deputation work this year. His sermons were finely evangelical, his speeches were racy and full of anecdote, and his intercourse with our friends was modest and spii'itual. Dec. 5th. — The expenses of o\xr late General Conference amounted to £523 10s. lid. We thought to have saved expense in working the ' Connexion ' on the new plan ; but we shall find, I fear, as we go on, that we have greatly increased it. But ' the cUe is cast.' Dec. 24:th. — The Quarterly Meeting was held to-day. The income was .£355, and the expenditure £301 lis. lid. As my three years' incumbency would terminate at the next Confei-ence, the Rev. S. Knight was invited to succeed me in the superintendency of the Cii'cuit. Dec. '25th. — The Rev. James Lyall (Presbyterian) preached an admirable Christmas sermon at seven o'clock this moi-ning. Dec. 27th. — I went to the ' Servants' Home,' and held a reHgious service with the female immigrants. Poor creatures ! I wonder what will become of them? Dec. 29th. — I wrote for the Joicrnal the last leader for this year. Subject, ' 1875,' 1876. Jem. 2nd. — I copy from my Diary : — ' This is the first of another year. Twenty-two years ago Mrs. Bickford and I spent the corresponding Sabbath in London, awaiting the sailing of the Avierican Lass, for Port Jackson, New South Wales. We landed in Sydney on the following May 24th, During all the years I have been in Australia my health has been equal to the strain of the work. But I have now reached a point in my itinerant life which compels an examination of the situation, so that I may provide against a " break-down " in my work. To rest for a year or two seems the dictate of common sense, of religion, and of Connexional relations. But whether that course be practicable remains to be seen. I love my work as much as ever ; although the Itinerancy has become inksome and trying to me. To-day I have done my work much as usual. The •• Renewal of Covenant " Service and the Lord's Supper were specially helpful, and I hope much good will follow from these godly exercises.' Jan. 25th. — The Conference was opened to-day ; the Rev. N. P. Wells, President, and Rev. C. H. Goldsmith, Secretary. In the afternoon a strong discussion ensued upon the standing of two of the ministers who had been transferred to the Victorian Conference. At 300 JAMES BICKFORD : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. length the President ruled that the brethren, in question, were members of the South Australian Conference until the time came for their removal as fixed by the General Conference. On the same day I formally applied to be made a Supernumerary minister, that I might visit England this year. The next day my request was granted, and the following record was ordered to be inserted in the Minutes : — 'REV. J. BICKFORD. ' The Conference takes the occasion of the Rev. J. BickforcVs visit to Europe, to express to him the most sincere sentiments of Christian esteem and confidence. In view of thirty-eight years of faithful labour in the Christian Ministry, and twenty-two j'ears of devoted work tox God in Australia, this Conference rejoices that Mr. Bickford has sought needed rest and recreation while in the possession of sufficient health and energy to bear the fatigues of foreign travel. Mr. Bickford has earned his merited relief by a singularly laborious life. His three years of labour in this Colony have been successful in the highest degree. At Pirie Street there has been the feature of increased congregations, uninterrupted peace, and financial prosperity, resulting in large reduction of the long-standing debt on that property. The denominational organ has found in his indefatig- able editorship the largest contributor. Mr. Bickford's occupancy of the Presidential chair, for the second time, has justified the trust of the Conference in his administrative abilities. We hope that Mr. ex- President will be able to render us invaluable aid during his visit to England. We wish Mr, and Mrs. Bickford a pleasant voyage, and a speedy return to this land.' The heat at this Conference was intolerably oppressive, and to it the Rev. Matthew Wilson, on the 29th, succumbed. He ched alone, in his son's house, at East Adelaide. But to him ' sudden death was sudden glory.' Feb. 4:th. — The Sessions of the Conference closed to-day. I was completely wearied out with the heat and the excitement occasioned by matters of difficulty the Conference had had to deal with. Mr. Wells made an admirable President ; he ruled justly, without fear or favour. Feb. 9th. — I was busy all the day in making inquii'ies for a ship for England. I finally engaged the cabin, No. 13, in the Ladi/ Joceli/71, bound for London. Feb. lith. — To-day I settled all Connexional and District business with Mr. President Wells, and gave him a cheque for all balances then in my hands. I am therefore loosing my hold upon South Australian Methodism ! Be it so ; if it must be so. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 301 Feb. l^th. — My dear niece, Mrs. J. G. Pascoe, child and servant, left us to-day for Sydney. I felt more than sad at parting with her. Feb. \Qth. — I joined the Bible Christian Conference in their official service. The Rev. James Way, a venerable and faithful minister, preached an excellent sermon on the ' Atonement.' I joined with the brethren at the close in partaking of the Lord's Supper. A valedictory tea and public meeting were held this week, at which an address was presented to me, and a purse containing eighty-five sovereigns, — an expression of sympathy, confidence, and generous recognition of service, very gratifying to my feelings. March 8th. — Our last day in Adelaide. At 1.30 p.m., I handed the key of the parsonage to the senior Circuit Steward, Mr. A. A. Scott, and we then proceeded to the North Terrace Station. I have found this departure from Adelaide a cruel ordeal. It has almost broken my heart. About two hundred persons accomj)anied us and the other passengers to the ship lying ofi' the Semaphore. The parting scene was more than we could bear. The affectionate kindness of the South Australian friends to me and Mrs. Bickford can never be forgotten by us. As I did not consent, although requested by the General Conference, to be associated with the Rev. J. Buller, as a joint representative to the British Conference, I had to obtain from the President and Secretary of my own Conference a ' letter of commendation ' to the English Conference. The following is a copy of the document given me by these honoured brethren : — 'Adelaibe, Fehrnary OtJi, 1870. 'To THE Reverend Geevase Smith, M.A., " President of the British Conference. ' Reverend and dear Sir, — '"We have great pleasure in commending to you the Rev. J. Bickford ex-President of om- Conference, who is about visiting England. Mr. Bickford was President of the Australian Conference in 1868 ; of the South Australian Con- ference in 1875 ; and one of the Presidents of the First General Conference held in May last. He has for upwards of twenty years occupied our foremost positions, and is one of the representative men of Australian Methodism. "We have reason to believe that, had it been known that Mr. Bickford would have been visiting England, he would have been associated with the Rev. J. Buller as a representative from the General Conference to the English Conference. Mr. Bickford will be able to furnish, if desired, reliable information to the Committee on Australian affairs, in regard to the constitution of our Church. "Whatever 302 JAMES niCKFOED : AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. attention you may be able to show Mr. BickforJ, and whatever position you may be able to accord him in j'our Conference, or elsewhere, will be a grati- fication to the ministers and chui'ches in these Colonies. ' We are, reverend and dear Sir, ' Your obedient servants, ' William P. Wells, President, ' Charles H. Goldsmith, Secretary.' As I had been in correspondence with the Premier, the Hon. J. P. Boucant, M.P., on the subject of my giving a series of lectures, during my intended visit to England, on South Australia as a promising field for British emigraiits, I received from the Treasurer, the Hon. J. Colton, M.P., an official document on the subject, to be presented by me to Mr. Dutton, the Agent General, resident in London. It was as follows : — ' The Tkeasuet, Adelaide, South Austualia, 'March \>t, 1870. ' SlE,— ' This will serve to introduce to you the Rev. James Bickford, who is a much respected minister of the Wesleyau Church, and a personal friend. My princi]ial object in asking your kind offices is that he takes great interest in public affairs in general, and our Colony in particular. During his temporary stay in the old country, he will use his best endeavours, in various ways, to make the Colony known as much as possible, with a view to getting suitable persons to emigrate : and, especially so, in his native county, Devonshire. Any- thing you can do to facilitate his movements, I shall regard as a personal favour. I may add, that this Government have given him every information which will be of value in his contemplated project. ' I am. Sir, ' Your obedient servant, ' JoHX Coltox, Treasurer.' March \Oth. — I was on deck at 2.30 a.m. to see the Lady Jocelyn make a start. Of course, the songs and trampling of the men prevented sleep. On the 13th we lost sight of Cape Borda, and entered the Australian Bight. I had been asked by the captain, Mr. George Jenkins, to act as semi-chaplain during the voyage, consequently I preached on the first Sabbath, and instituted morning family worship. To the latter, as a daily religious observance, the gentlemen passengers, Messrs. Gurner and Gall, for themselves and their families, promised their attendance. We ran rapidly through the ' Bight ' (the Australian ' Bay of Biscay'). On the morning of the 16th, whilst at breakfast, the conversation turned upon the extraordinary fact THE VOYAGE HOME. 303 that as yet no lighthouse had been erected at Cape Leeuwin. Whose fault can it be ? All the shipping coming down the Indian Ocean for the eastern colonies pass here, and yet there is no lighthouse. Snrely the Lords of the Admiralty should see to this. March Z\st. — We weighed anchor three weeks ago to-day, since when we have come 3,080 miles. Sometimes it has been very hot, and our strength has been unequal to the fierceness of the climatic ordeal. Ajyril 6th. — The weather is now beautifully fine, and we are running at ten and half knots, mthout almost any perceptible motion of the ship. The second-class female passengers are still dissatisfied with their food. What a pity it is that there should be on board the same ship, on a long voyage, two, or more, grades of passengers ! April 9th. — I took the cool air on the deck before breakfast for an hour and a half, and I find this habit beneficial every way to my health. We have now come 4,634 miles. Ajyril 12th. — I had an interesting conversation with Captain Jenkins on the atmospheric distui-bances, occasioned by the conjunc- tion of the moon and the planets. To-day there is such a conjunction with the planet Jupiter. A great deal might be learnt from such an intelligent man as Captain Jenkins on the beautiful science of navigation, and cognate subjects. April 19^7i (latitude 32° 57', longitude 31° 6').— This evening, at seven o'clock, in the south-east, an appalling electric cloud was visible from the ship's deck. The base lay along the horizon about a third of the quarter circle, and reached more than halfway up to the sky's meridian. So near was it that it did not interfere with our six-knot breeze. With eveiy new flash the dense cloud was revealed, and showed out in mountains piled upon mountains, from the base to the toj)most line. Layers of clouds, resembling primeval forests, were occasionally seen ; and, whilst the eye admiringly rested upon the new phases of phenomena, the fiery fluid issued forth in all kinds of forms — curved, serpentine, forked, and straight, some of the lines dipping into the sea. Our gallant ship, all the time, majestically sailed along, apparently on the outer fringe of the terrible cloud. Every countenance, together with masts, sails, and rigging, were lit up Avith a blaze of light. The passengers and crew ranged along on the port side, the subjects of wonder, admnation, and awe. As the 304 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. phenomenon passed away, the religious service, as appointed, was held in the second cabin, when we sang, with becoming solemnity, Paul Oerhardt's hymn : — ' Give to the winds thy fears, Hope, and be undismayed ; God hears thy sighs, and counts thy tears ; He shall lift up thy head. Through waves, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way ; Wait thou His time — thy darkest night Shall end in joyous day.' Such a phenomenon, for grandeur, sublimity, and wonderfulness, I cannot expect again to see. It was, indeed, an a%vful display of the power of creation's God. But, whether upon the sea or the land, — ' This awful God is oixrs ; Our Father and our love.' On April 25 fh we saw ' Table Mountain ' rising in majestic height from behind Cape Town. We soon rounded the * Cape of Storms,' and with a fair wind headed up for the South Atlantic Ocean. ' Captain,' said I, ' what about running into Cape Town harbour for a change ? ' ' Well,' good-naturedly replied the captain, ' if I had any business there I would do so ; but as I have none, I am not going in. Besides, if I were to do that, " Jack " would want to go on shore too ; and who can tell what trouble I might have again to get him on board. But I will stand in a bit, and you can use your " glasses," and see all that is worth seeing.' There was no use in arguing with Captain Geoi'ge Jenkins in such a case ; so we were content to strain our eyes for a while, and then, as if by general consent, we stood away for St. Helena. May Sth. — We saw this historic island. From the Cape our voyage had been most trying, from prevailing calms, light winds, and heavy seas which came rolling up from the Southern Ocean. I now copy from my Diary : — ' Sighted St. Helena at 0 a.m. So called Ijy the famous navigator, Ivao da Nova, Galego, who discovered it on August 15th, 1502, being the anniversary festival of St. Helena. It has been uninterruptedly in the hands of the English since 1674. It is about nine miles in width, and twenty-seven in circumference ; and it is situate about 1,200 miles west of Bcnguela in South Africa : and 1,800 miles east of Brazil, in South America. THE VOYAGE HOME. 305 ' The passengers were soon oa deck, and a grand object presented itself to our wondering gaze. Our gallant ship in fine trim and sail came boldly up to the east side, making Saddle Point. We " hauled to," and rounded Barn and Sugar Loaf Points, when Jamestown with its batteries, signal station, its road of steps, and spiral church, came in view. There were lying close in shore, under the protection of precipitous cliflEs, a " man-o'-war," several foreign barques, and a few smaller craft. The captain sent up the British ensign, followed by a set of flags, giving our name, number of days from Port Adelaide (fifty-seven), where bound, with the assuring words, " All well." Our communication was promptly recognised from Flagstaff Hill, and a promise to report us in London was given. We then bore away on a north-north-west course, with a fine breeze, and full of hope for the rest of the voyage. ' It is impossible for a reflective Englishman thus suddenly for the first time to drop upon this singularly formed island in mid-Atlantic, without deep emotion. It is to my mind another remarkable proof of the mercifulness of the great Creator, for His sea-going creatures, that this island should be placed exactly in the highway of the ocean for ships in their homeward route from India, China, Australia, and South Africa. For repairs to ships, for obtaining water and provisions, and for postal and telegraphic purposes, it is the most convenient provision the great Father could have made. But with the historic association, as the island-prison of the First Napoleon, it must ever hold a place in the grateful memories of the brave-hearted British people in all parts of the world.' May \lth. — Our captain is a great favourite. He embodies in his own personality the manners of a gentleman, the grace of a Christian, the intelligence of a traveller, and the skill and courage of the English sailor. We could not therefore allow this day to pass without some expression of our respect. It was in fact his fifty-first birthday, and he was still strong and hale. I presented to him early in the morning an excellent work entitled ' God's Word Written,' as a memento of my affectionate esteem. Mrs. Jenkins invited the ladies to tea in the ' stern-villa,' and Messrs. Gurner and Gall invited Captain and Mrs. Jenkins, and the lady and gentlemen passengers, to an evening banquet. Such amenities on ship-board have the effect of softening asperities of feeling, and of bridging over the inevitable estrangements common to a long sea-voyage. May 12th. — To-day, for a couple of hours, I read the ' New Zealand Handbook.' The writer evidently has a bitter animus against all missionaries, forgetting that he and other British im- migrants are mainly indebted to this class of pioneer workers, who made New Zealand a desirable and prosperous field for the settlement of white people. Samuel Marsden, Samuel Leigh, Archdeacon Williams, Nathaniel Turner, John Hobbs, Bishop Selwyn, James 20 306 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Biiller, Thomas Buddie, may be taken as representatives of the army of early missionaries who subdued New Zealand, and prepared the way for its becoming the fairest gem of Enghmd's ci-own, and the chosen home of over half a million of British people. The man, there- fore, who can ignore such facts, is entitled to no hearing, or credence, as a chronicler of the progress of this ' Southern Britain.' The Great Bear rose high to-night. Venus, too, was gloriously bi-ight — a little moon in fact; Jupiter came out in majestic splendour; Avhilst Sirius seemed to look down upon us with a kindly recognition as we wander over this trackless ocean. After enduring much inconvenience for several days from heavy rains, and the necessary closing of the portholes making our fine saloon an enormous vapour bath, on the 21st, in latitude 6° 59' N., and longitude 20° 18' W., we caught the north-east trade winds, and were able to steer a north-west course. On the 22nd I saw for the fii'st time this voyage the North Star. It is now about twenty-three years since I last saw this useful constellation. The Great Bear revolves around this powerful polar centre. May 2ith. — Queen's birthday. Although we were so far both from England and Australia, our loyalty sprang to the surface and received appropriate recognition. At the family altar we devoutly prayed for her gracious Majesty. The captain invited the saloon passengers to a supper-entertainment in honour of the day. Long life and happiness were lovingly desired for the Queen, and grace and goodness for the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Royal Family. We toasted the owners of the LadT/ Joceli/n, also, to which our worthy captain replied. From principle, I drank water, and not wine ; stOl my goodwill was the same. I examined to-day an invaluable work, entitled ' The Stars : how to know them, and how to use them.' It was kindly lent to me by the captain, and I much valued his courtesy. On the 26th our good friend, Mr. Gurner, gave us ' An Hour with Neptune : ' a piece written by himself for our amusement. It was cleverly done, and evidenced considerable ability.* * The following characteristic notice Mr. Gurner prepared for circulation among the passengers: — 'Lady Joceltn Saloon. 'On Thursday evening, May 18th, at 8 o'clock, will be produced for the first THE VOYAGE HOME. 307 May '2'dth. — We have now run, I find, since we left the Semaphore on March 10th last, 11,903 nautical mUes. The 30th May has a special notice in my Diary : — ' Rose at 4 a.m., and went on deck to see the " Great Bear " ( Ursa major'). It had well-nigh completed its circle around the Polar, or North Star. It consists of seven stars, two of which are called " Pointers," which always point the voyager where to find the Pole Star. The " Southern Cross" (Cru-r) was not to be seen. It had "'dipped" some nights before below the horizon. Thus are we reminded of our advance northwards to the higher latitudes, and of our complete severance from the sunny lands of the southern hemisphere. I could not but remark on noticing these transitions above us, What a wonderful economy is this which these starry heavens exhibit ! T am filled with admiration and praise ! " He made the stars also." ' June Srd. — Rose at 5 a.m., and went on deck. The air was healthfiil and bracing. Read and wrote a couple of hours before breakfast. We are now a little over 1,200 miles from Flores, and 2,148 from the Lizard. Jicne 6th. — Much signalling and speaking to other ships to-day. This is a pleasant break of the monotony of our sea life. At 8 p.m. the surroundings of the moon were unspeakably gorgeous. The setting of the sun and the rising of the moon were truly wonderful. The clouds were ' full of glory.' Ju7ie 1th. — At 8 p.m. I gave my new lecture on ' South Australia, in relation to Emigration from the Mother Country.' Jime \2th. — There are two sea routes for sailing ships from Australia to England. One is by the ' Horn,' the other by the time, and written expressly for the occasion, a nautico-musical extravaganza, entitled : ' " An Hour with Neptune." ' Neptune, god of the sea, but a somewhat amphibious monarch, to whom a certain latitude must be allowed ; who from longitude has taken his degree, and is second to none in his attachment to the briny. "■Lady Jocdijn. registered AAl at Lloyd's, a fast sailing clipper, with a grievance, and determined to ventilate it. Zephyrus. the west wind, sometimes called, the " Gentle Zephyr " — an airy nothing, and never about when it is wanted. ' Scene — " On the Bottom op the Sea." ' It need hardly be added that the evening was enjoyably spent. Indeed, all seemed to value the efforts made for contributing to the pleasure of the whole company. This was the order of things : Literary and Scientific Subjects, Mr. Robert Gurner ; Singing and Music, Miss Clara Brown ; Lectures, Preaching and Worship, Rev. J. Bickford. 308 JAMES niCKFORD : AN AUfOBIOGEAPHY. ' Hope.' Anchored in the river at Port Adelaide was the iron ship, Old Kensington, which was to leave for London about a week after us. On the morning of the 12th of June this vessel was near us on our lee. We were pleased to see that our Port neighboui-, who had come by a contrary route from us, was as far on the voyage as ourselves. But now the light winds and calms prevented progress ; indeed, for eight days we had only made eighty miles. But a change took place on the 14th, when, with a strong, fair wind, we bounded through the ' Roaring Foi'ties ' at ten knots. And yesterday we were in company with twenty-four ships, but to-day only one of them is visible. The 21st of June will always be a * red-letter day.' We had come 14,766 miles, and were now in the ' chops of the Channel.' At 4 p.m. we saw the Start, then Berry Head, and a long line of hazy English coast. We had a fau' wind up Channel, and at 10 p.m. we saw the Portland lights. A small cutter came alongside, and the master with the help of a rope, climbed on board. He handed to the captain a late newspaper, which we were all glad to see. Oh, how friendly our visitor was ! ' Will you take our letters and post them for us ? ' we inquii-ed. ' Most gladly, gentlemen, I will oblige you.' ' What will you charge ? ' ' Well, ten shillings a letter.' ' Come now,' said I, ' that's too much ; we won't give you that price.' He finally agreed for two shillings a letter. As soon as he got his budget, he got over the ship's side, and we saw him no more. On the 22nd, at 2 p.m., when off the Isle of Wight, our captain reported the arrival of the Lady Jocelyn, one hundi-ed days out, to the signal master, so that in the papers of to-morrow morning the news will be telegraphed all over the kingdom. June 22>rd. — We came to anchor off the Margate Sands at 1.30 a.m., which was a great relief to vis. I turned in and slept until 7 a.m. June 2^th. — We got ' under weigh ' at 8 a.m. We were being towed by a struggling little steamer, when our un-' giving ' steel hawser tore away her gear. We then gave a hempen hawser, in place of the other, and everything went on well. We reached the London Dock in due course, and at 8.30 p.m., Mrs. Bickford and I were with our friends, the Rev. William Butters and Miss Butters, at Brixton Hill. Consummatuvi est. I should here remark that, strange as it may appear, I was not THE VOYAGE HOME. 309 the subject of the strong emotional feeling I expected should God permit me again to see Old England. But I had been too long away : indeed, it may be said, my heart was still in Australia ; and I had more friends, and even more kindi'ed there, than I now had in my native country. Still I was deeply grateful that our long voyage had ended so propitiously, and that my earliest AustraHan ministerial friend was still alive and well. On that evening, as we gathered around the family altar at Upper Tulse Hill, I praised my Heavenly Father, that I and my dear companion, in many lands and for many years, were again at Home. ENGLAND. LONDON, 1876. June 25th. — A ' day of days ' this has been to me. Surely some- tliing of the inspiration of David, the King of Israel, possessed my soul this morning as we wended our way from Upper Tulse Hill to the Brixton Hill Church. The Rev. William Gibson, M.A., was the preacher. The attractiveness of Christ was the theme. There was a fine congregation to hear a very beautiful sermon. In the evening, Mr. Butters and I went to ' ISTewington Butts ' to hear England's Spm-geon, and we were not disappointed. There were 6,000 people to begin with ; congregational singing and great devoutness ; and an able sermon founded upon the words : ' And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel.' The gist of the discourse was on the subject of defective memories in relation to matters of religion, and the cure of that mental disability. I confess I never heard so much hard hitting and so much shrewd common sense squeezed into one sermon before. At the close, Mr. Butters inquired, ' Do you wonder now that Mr. Spurgeon is so great a power in England 1 ' ' No,' I replied ; ' the greatest wonder in my judgment would be if that were not so.' It was a most profitable Sabbath. The Centenary Hall and Mission House was my first place of call on Monday morning. Mr. Butters chaperoned me to the old loved spot. I saw the senior Secretary, the Bev. W. B. Boyce, and entered into conversation with him. Acting as Deputy Treasurer, he was very busy ; which, at first sight, he did not fail to inform me. Then he proceeded to a little good-natured banter, quite d, la Australian. ' Well,' said he, ' you are a great fool to come home, Brother Bickford ! ' ' How so,' I inquired, ' when I am only follow- ing your example ! ' ' Exactly, but then I am going back again in EXGLAXD. 311 September.' ' I intend also to go back, but not so soon as that. So that we are in the same boat so far.' ' Can I do anything for you?' he good-naturedly inquired. ' Not to-day, thank you,' I repHed. Mr. Butters and I then ascended the great staircase to see for the Rev. G. T. Perks, M.A., who was at his desk apparently in deep study over something. How nice he was in his inquiries for Mrs. Bickford and myself, after our long voyage ! The interview was short, but I think I succeeded in securing Mr. Perks as our friend in dealing with our Australian affairs. After we left, I said to Mr. Butters, ' I shall stick to Mr. Perks as long as I am in England. He has, I am sure, the grip of our difficulties, and will help vis in their settlement.' ' You can't do better,' said my sage friend. Jime 28th. — Mr. Butters accompanied me to Westminster, to see the South Australian Agent General (Mr. Dutton), and present to him the official letter I received from our Government. Also I left with him a copy of my proposed Emigration lecture. About ten days afterwards, Mr. Dutton returned me the manuscript of my lectui'e, enclosing a cheque for its publication and postage, with an offer of the most obliging kind to help me in any practicable way in my ' praiseworthy ' efforts to send suitable emigrants to South Austraha. From that time, to the day of his lamented death, only a few months afterwards, Mr. Dutton was to me a sincere and generous friend. This was a busy day. Mr. Butters and I called upon Dean Stanley, at the Abbey, to whom Dean Russell, of Adelaide, had given me a letter of introduction. Dean Stanley was still mourning over his loss of the beautiful Lady Stanley. He appeared to be in feeble health, and was much ' cast down ' in soul ; but, said he, in the language of Charles Wesley's grandest hymn, ' I see the morning breaks.' He added, ' If I am spared for a little longer, I intend to say something more than I was able when the ceremony of unveiling the statue of the " Brothers Wesley " took place in the Abbey.' It was a precious interview from beginning to end. We called in at the three Courts of Justice, and saw no less than seven venerable and learned men meting out jvistice to foolish litigants, who cannot agree among themselves to settle their own misunderstandings, with- out recourse to expensive courts of law. We also went to the House of Commons, and heard a debate on the ' Entail of Property ' in England. Much was said on the importance of upholding the 312 JAMES BICKFORD; AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ancient families and their great estates from spoliation by a division of them amongst the junior members of families. It was the ' grip of the dead hand ' which the Liberals assailed, but which the Toi'ies upheld. The latter, being on the right of the Speaker, had the vote. Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Gladstone, Sir Staflford Northcote, and John Bright cUd not speak. July 2nd. — I preached at Thurlow Park and Penge. At the Park, I was brought into contact with a custom unknown to us in Australia. In the vestry, after the service, said the Church Steward, ' Will you take a glass of wine, sir ? ' ' Excuse me,' I said, ' but I never take wme, nor anything that is intoxicating. But, on such a hot day as this, if you have any cold water near, I shall be glad of a drink.' I drank, and was refreshed. After the service at Penge, in the evening, we made oui- way to Upper Tulse Hill. Alas for me ! I had walked six miles, was dripping with perspiration, and was completely ' run down.' In the afternoon, as Mr. Butters and I were walking up the hill near the Crystal Palace, we saw about a dozen youths out on a Sabbath spree. ' We must speak to these youths,' I said. ' Yes,' said my friend ; ' round them up, and I will tell them a story.' They were caught with the idea, and gathered around the fine old man. * About forty years ago,' said he, ' I was stationed at Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, when a dreadful incident occurred to a youth about the age of one of yourselves. He had been a good Sunday School scholar, and promised to be a fine and useful man. But a band of bvu-glai-s persuaded him to join them, under a promise of secrecy and a share in the spoil. He was to be used as a spy to find out when families were absent from their homes, and then, when the way was clear, to be hoisted to the Avindows so as to open the doors from the inside to the robbers. But, after a while, the boy was caught in the very act ; was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hung. He would not disclose the names of the vile band ; no matter what persuasives were used. I visited him several times in the felon's cell, and deeply did I pity him. He confessed to me that the fii'st step to his ruin was when he forsook the Sunday School, and, with other boys, went bii'd-nesting and stealing fruit from the people's gardens, ' Ah, my lads,' said Mr. Butters, ' beware of first beginnings of evil. Keep the Lord's Day, attend the Sunday School, and revere and love your parents.' Several of the youths EX6LAXD. 313 were much aflected, and promised to attend the school the very next Lord's Day. July 4:th. — ' Westward Ho ! ' A friendly cab-owner lived near. I therefore engaged him to take us for an early train at the Waterloo Station. I cannot describe the variety of landscape we saw, as we rushed along through the mtervening counties until we reached the grand old cathedral city of Exeter. ' Living-green,' hill and dale, ■^^dth pretty peeps at the blue waters of the Channel, as we threaded our way through Devonshire, met my delighted gaze, and filled my grateful heart. This is England at its very best, I thought ; it was, indeed, a beautifid best for my Australian eyes. ' Kingsbridge Road Station ! ' shouted the guard, and the train pulled up. Yes ; so it was ; for there in the crowd stood my eldest brother, John Bickford, whom I had not seen for nearly twenty- three years. In a trice Mrs. Bickford was in the coach, and my brother and I were in a gig, starting for ' Kingsbridge town.' We talked so much by the way that we reached Coombe Royal and capped Knowle much before I had expected. At 6.30 p.m. we reached my brother's house, and now I felt that I was indeed at home. At 9 p.m. my brother, Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis, and I surrounded the family altar, where we united in thanking God for the Fatherly care He had shown to us. But one was not ; my sister-in-law, Mrs. John Bickford, died in 1864, and entei-ed into rest. She was a woman ' who feared God above many.' July 6th. — I had a pleasant run, with Mr. W. Quarm, down the Kingsbridge River to Salcombe. What a sweet, pretty place this has become ! All the old scenery, reaching from Halwood Point right away to the Bolt Head, retained its former charms and interest, and I was much delighted. I visited a few of the Methodist members I left hex'e in 1838, and was greatly disappointed in not seeing Mr. and Mrs. James Vivian, who had ' joined the great majority.' My nephew and niece, Mr. and Mrs. Baker, at Snape's Farm, wei'e very glad to see me again. I retm-ned by the little steamer Reindeer in the evening to Kingsbridge. On the 8th, I visited the new cemetery at Highhouse Point. This very eligible freehold had been purchased by the inhabitants of Kingsbridge and Dodbrook, so I understood, as a general burial-ground for their dead. Mr. Quarm, who accompanied me, and I made straight for the ' mortuary chapel,' where the first oddity that challenged notice was a partition wall erected right across 314 JA.VES BICKFORB: AS AUTOBIOGRAPnY. inside the building. ' Halloa,' exclaimed I, * what's that for? This looks like " a middle-wall of partition." I suppose there is some reason for its erection : pray, what is it ? ' ' Y"es, of course there is,' he replied ; ' it was put up at the bidding of the Bishop of Exeter, to shut off the Dissenters from Churchpeople ; and he Avould not conse- crate the ground until it was done, as you see it.' ' What,' said I, ' you people bought and paid for the land, and submitted afterwards to this bigoted and cruel prejudice ! You must be idiots.' On the 9th I delivered my lecture in the Town Hall ; Mr. Solicitor Hurrell, senior, in the chair. At its close, I was subjected to a number of questions relating to the summer heat of South Australia, and the want of rain at certain seasons of the year. One of the inquirers actually asked, with all seriousness, if we had any water in Adelaide ? Another, What could an emigrant do for his family when he arrived at Port Adelaide 1 My answer was, * Let him leave his family on board, and go on shore, and seek for work and a couple of rooms as a temporary home, and then take them on shore.' I think my answers, and they were many, satisfied the audience. The next day, Mr. C. Tope, my nephew, displayed some hundi-ed splendidly executed photographs of South Australia on the walls of the building, for illustrating the condition, resources, and progress of the Colony. These works of a beautiful art were kindly sent to me from Adelaide, by Su' Henry Ayres, Chief Secretary, to aid me in my lecturing tours up and down the country. My lecture brought forth good results. On the 15th I went over to Modbury (my native parish), and saw the Flashmans, the Gills, the Luscombes, the Matthews, the Leth- bridges, and my kindred. I preached the next day three times, and on Monday evening I again lectured on South Australia ; Mr. Stidstone of Kingston, a gentleman farmer and a staunch Wesleyan, took the chau\ By public resolution, I was thanked for my lecture. On the 18th my brother, Edmund Whiteway Bickford, and I went to Plymouth, when I made arrangements with Mr. John Smith, Old Town Street, to print a thousand copies of my lecture for free distribution in England and elsewhere. July 2\st. — Mrs. Bickford and I left for Ilminster, on a visit to the venerable and Reverend Thomas White Smith, my ministerial father and friend. It was thirty-eight years since I saw him before, when he was in the zenith of his power. Now I found him feeble, and very aged in appearance. Oh ! it was good to see him again. ENGLAND. 315 Mrs. Smith had died some years before this visit, and the dear old man had only an unmarried daughter, Miss Smith, and the faithful Lizzy for companions. On the 24th I left for the Conference at Nottingham. I was to be guest of Mr. and Mrs. Curtiss, a choice family ^dth whom I was much at home. The next day I attended the Connexional Committees of Review ; the Rev. Gervase Smith, M. A., in the chair. The place was crowded, and there appeared to be no ventilation, so that I was much inconvenienced. Mr. Curtiss and I soon left, and in the evening we went to hear the Rev. Doctor Williams' Fernley lecture on the Priesthood of Christ. It was able, and well read. In the pew before me was seated my old West India colleague, the Rev. David Barley, and by his side sat his son, the Rev. A. L. Barley. Mr. Barley and I had not seen each other since we parted in Demerara twenty-five years ago. On the 26th the Conference was opened, and the Rev. Alexander McAulay was elected President, and Dr. Williams, Secretary. The building was so crowded that I hied my way to the gallery, and took a seat where I could be seen right in front to the platform. The Rev. ex-President Perks, M.A., saw me, and sent one of the Brothers Hartley to request me to take a seat on the platform. This honour I accepted, and was only too thankful to Mr. Perks for his kind consideration. This was just before the election of the President ; and, being a member of the Conference, I exercised my right to vote. Jtdy 29th. — I preached at Riverton, and lectured on ' My Trip to England and Back.' Collections for the Trust Funds ^666. I made my home at ]\Ir. and Mrs. Polamountain's. March 2Sth. — I held the Quarterly Meeting at Mr. John Dunstan's, Redruth. We passed several resolutions bearing upon the work of God in the Circuit. The balance in hand was about ten guineas. A2)ril oi'd. — After preaching at Kooringa, I drove to Mongalutu, a distance of eighteen miles, for the afternoon service, and to meet the class. I spent, as usual, an agreeable evening with Dr. Stephens and family. A2)ril 16th. — I heard to-day of the death of Dr. William Morley Punshon. I was struck dumb. The loss to the Methodist Connexion is great indeed. A2»'il 20th. — Great men are falling fast. By telegram we learn that Lord Beaconsfield died yesterday morning in the seventy-seventh year of his age. One of the most trusted servants of the Queen is gone from her councils, and the Tories have lost the most skilful leader they have had in this century. His politics were not mine ; SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 381 but I thi'ow a wreath upon liia grave for his jealous guard over what he thought to be the honour of England. I exercise my right as a citizen of South Australia in voting for such gentlemen as I please who are candidates for seats in Parliament. My ministerial position, instead of shutting me off from the exerci.se of my legal vote, in my conviction, seriously increases my obligation to use it. My object is twofold : (1) To keep unsuitable men out of Parliament ; (2) to elect suitable men to that position. Acting upon this principle, I voted to-day for Sir H. Ayres, Sir John Milne ; Messrs. Tartleton, Pickering, Hay, and Buck, for the Legislative Council. April 23>yZ. — I finished my reminiscences of the late Dr. Punshon, and sent them to The MetliocUst Journal. I have a feeling of admiration for his superb eloquence, and of veneration for his probity and honoiu'. Like Wesley and Bunting, he has left no successor in our Church. April 2Qtli. — Mr. John Nairne, a young local preacher from Magpie, Ballarat, called this morning. He is to take charge of the Hanson Home Mission Station until next Conference. May 2nd. [Diary Jotting] — ' Frightful telegraphic news reached us this morning of the loss of the Waratau, about twenty-five miles from BlufE Harbour, New Zealand. The Eev. Joseph Waterhouse, Eevs. Richardson and Armitage were drowned; also one hundred and four passengers and sailors in all; only about twenty sailors were saved.' It seemed that the luckless steamer, by an alteration of her course, was steered ' dead on ' to the Waipara reef. There were, besides those names above given, Messrs. E. Connell, and E. Mitchell, members of our Genex'al Conference. Since the loss of the Maria, ' mail boat,' in the West Indies in 1825, no such calamity as this has befallen us. Ajjril 11th. — The General Conference was opened to-day by the Eev. John Watsford, the I'etiring President, and the Pev. James Swanton Waugh, D.D., was elected as his successor. We met under a great cloud of trouble, and it was difficult so to rise above it as to be able to attend to business. Mr. Watsf ord's address was impressive and seasonable. We agreed to constitute the Friendly Islands Missions into a separate district of the New South Wales Conference and to be free from the control of the Missionary Committee in Sydney, It was done at the earnest request of King George himself. 382 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Carefully prepared, and aftectionately loyal despatches -were forwarded to the King upon the subject. The Rev. B. Chapman was appointed for another three years' term as General Secretary of Foreign Missions. The Rev. W. Morley, representative from New Zealand, brought before the Conference propositions for the separation of their Conference from the Australasian Connexion. After a long and earnest debate, they were negatived by a majority of five votes. On the 27th we reached the end of our business. Dr. Waugh reqviested me to offer the last prayer, and give the Benediction. In pai-ting with the brethren, I was affected to tears, knowing that many of us would see each other no more in this world. July 2nd. — We agreed to have the Rev. W. A. Bainger as second preacher. A few friends met at Dr. Brummitt's to arrange for meeting this additional expense. .£80 were soon subscribed. Julij 2(ith. — I wrote Mr. John Roberts, of Robertstown, about twenty miles from Ivooringa, that Mr. Bainger would preach there, on August 14th, if he could secure a congregation. This is our fii-st attempt to enlarge the boundaries of our work. Robertstown is situated in the centre of an agricultural and squatting district, and it will be a great charity to give the people the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr. Roberts is, I believe, the founder of the township. Julij 30th. — I had an agreeable run to the North; the weather was beautifully tine, and the air was bracing. The Rev. C. H. Gold- smith met me at the Port Pirie Station, and took me to the Parsonage, where I was kiiidly welcomed by Mrs. Goldsmith. I preached twice the next day to good congregations. On Monday Mr. Goldsmith and I strolled among the wharves, and ^dsited several families. In the afternoon we drove to Lower Broughton, when I was delighted with the wheat-fields, which looked so well. We had a public meeting in the evening. The next day we drove to the Reservoir, and I was much pleased with all that I saw. I lectured in the evening to a small congregation. Admission by one shilling ticket is not popular on the Northern Circuits. I returned home all well, and read sixty-eight pages of McCarthy's ' Histoi-y of our Own Times,' which I much enjoyed. Aiig. 13th. — I sent off Mr. Bainger to Robertstown with full in- structions. I had a severe headache to-day, the result of hard study over my sermon. Read McCarthy on the Kabul massacre, etc. Alas ! the whole of this trouble we brought upon ourselves through SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 383' meddling with the reigning powers of Afghanistan. Surely ours is a ' spirited ' foreign policy ! But I hope the English Government will be less adventurous under Mr. Gladstone's guidance. Aiog. 1\st. — I preached a funeral sermon for dear Father Goss, who had grown old and feeble in his Master's service. He was eminently a good man, and departed this life at the age of seventy- five, in blissful hope of heaven. Sept. 12th. — I read in the South Australian Register of the death of the Rev. B. Chapman, at Windsor, New Sovith Wales, on the 10th current. No death has occurred for many years in our ranks which has distressed me more than this. Mr. Chapman was away from home in his beloved deputation work, when he became ill, and soon passed away. The greatest sorrow of his official life was the sad condition of the Tongan mission. Indeed, I venture to think, it killed him. A post-mortem, if it be reverent so to say, would show deeply cut into his bleeding heart the ominous words, ' Tonga, Tonga.' Nothing could heal the sorrow, or wash away the gore of that heart, but the messenger of Death, whom the Heavenly Father saw fit to send to him. But his record of integrity is on high. Oct. 2nd. — The Rev. F. Langham, our apostolic missionary from Fiji, paid us a visit. He preached and spoke at several places in the interests of the work to which he had given his life. The Rev. A. Rigg also paid us a visit. These ' wise men from the east ' contri- buted much to our enjoyment diu'ing the time they spent with us. j^ov. lith. — We inaugurated special services at the Burra, by holding morning and mid-day prayer meetings, and services in the evening. The Revs. Pearce and B'urt joined us in these hallowed exercises. Mr. Matthew Burnett came to our assistance, and a great work of God followed. Foi' miles outside the Burra the saving power was felt. With these services on hand, and the care and work of the Circuit to look after, I became prostrate, and had to stand aside. Dec. 23rd. — Mr. and Mrs. Burnett left the Burra for Port Elliot, for rest and rustication. They have left a large blessing behind them. Dec. 21th. [Diary Jotting] — ' Dr. Brummitt called to see us. I am better, but Mrs. Bickf ord had a bad nigbt. She is a great sufferer. I kept out of the sun all the day as I could not endure its intense heat.' Dec. 28!'/«. [Diary Jotting] — ' I was poorly all the forenoon through the 384 JAMES lilCKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. fierce, hot wind and heat. We held the Quarterly Meeting in the evening. The accounts balanced. Mr. Thomas Drew was appointed junior Steward, and Dr. Stephens as our Representative to Conference.' Dec. 'ilst. — The Rev. Charles Lane and Mr. Holder conducted the ' Watch Night Service ' at Kooringa, and Mr. John Lane and I a similai- service in the Primitive Methodist Church at Redruth. Thank God for all the blessings of the year ! • 1882. Jan. 1st. — I had a hard day's work in my somewhat enfeebled condition. I preached at Redruth, Baldina, and in the ' Bible Christian Church.' The Rev. Charles Lane conducted the services at Kooringa in behalf of the new classrooms, when £13 2*. &d. were collected. Jan. nth. — The Annual Conference was opened to-day. The Rev. R. S. Casely was elected President, and the Rev. R. M. Hunter, Secretary. John Nairn was received as a probationer in our Ministry. I took my full share of work in the Conference — Sunday. At Pii-ie Street I preached on ' Freedom from Sin ' (Rom. viii. 22,) and in the evening, at Gilbert Street, on the ' Redemption of the Soul ' (Psalm xlix. 8), to excellent congregations. It was a day of special blessing to me. The Conference incorporated in its ' Annual Adch-ess ' a paragraph as follows, upon the subject of weekly fellowship : ' We cannot close without saying a word for a means of grace which we prize very highly, and which may almost be accepted as a distinctive charac- teristic of our Church, namely, the Class Meeting. There is but one opinion as to the worth of this institution, considered as a means of grace. There many of oui- members have learnt what, perhaps, they had never known from any other sources, that there are clearly defined degrees of spiritual life ; that there are temptations common to all ; and that there are temptations which grow out of peculiarity of temperament, or are the effects of faulty training in early life. What many of the old Puritans longed for we have in our Class Meeting — a place where believei's meet face to face for the pui-pose of comparing things spiritual with things spiritual, and of exhorting each other to higher attainments in the Divine life. Do you shiink from such an exercise ? If you do, we woidd earnestly and afiection- ately ask 3'ou to look into your own heai't, and ask yourself why you SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 385 are averse to this simple searching, and, as we believe, this Scriptural communion of saints. Such a process of self-examination may be productive of very blessed results ; and will, at the least, be one means of responding to the exhortation of Holy Writ, ' Examine yoiu'selves whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves.' As my full time of three years was up in the Burra Circuit, I was appointed Superintendent of the Port Adelaide Circuit, with the Rev. S. F. Prior as my colleague. The Rev. Samuel Knight succeeded me at the Bun-a. On the 28th the Minutes were signed, and I returned home the same evening. Feb. \st. — We had a Society Tea Meeting, when from one hundred to one hundred and fifty members and communicants were present. It was a glorious meeting, and must do good. On the 7th I presided at the United Monthly Meeting of the classes. The members were in a good state. ' What must we do,' I asked William Taylor, when in Sydney, ' to preserve these new-born souls the Lord has given us as the fruit of your labours? ' ' Do ? ' said he. ' You must feed their emotional nature by fellowship meetings and love-feasts, and keep them in a good state of soul, as well as preach to them from time to time.' This ' winner of souls ' was right, as experience has shown me in every Circuit in which I have laboured. Feb. \2)tli. — I held a Special Circuit Meeting to consider certain alterations to the old parsonage, or to erect a new one. We agreed that a new parsonage should be built on Limestone Hill, to cost =£1,000. Feb. 2\st. — I read the Melbourne Spectator, and was much pleased with the Rev. G. Daniel's charge to the newly ordained brethren at the Melbourne Conference. There is an appropriateness of subject, grasp of thought, earnestness, and aflection, in its whole form that commanded my admiration. Such a charge should not only be printed, but widely circulated among the rising Ministry of our Chui-ch. March lOth. — I was very unwell this morning, and I had to send for Dr. Brummitt to assist me. He pronounced the inflammation in my foot to be the gout. Alas for me that I should be the first of my family to be afflicted in this manner ! The result, doubtless, of exliaustion from the great heat and hard work. March 27th. — I held the Quarterly Meeting at Mr. Tiver's, Aber- deen. We had a large attendance and a fine meeting. The returns 25 386 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. are : — Full members 157, on trial 52, Catechumens 52. The increase on the quarter Avas 36 members. We agreed to purchase a parson- age site, 101 X 211, for .£30, on Limestone Hill, Kooringa. Mr. George Sara, senior Steward, did us good fcipline, which were a great pain to us. The Financial Meeting was held the next day. We had an evening sitting and closed the business of the Connexional funds. We sat on the 18th and 19th, considering the cases of candidates, probationers, etc., and finished our work. This was a distressful District Meeting to me, which was only compensated by an unanimous vote of thanks from the brethren for my conduct in the chair. Oct. 23rd. — I went to Parkside, and purchased a newly erected cottage in Young Street, near to the church now in course of erection. This has been done in the expectation of my becoming a Super- numerary at the next Conference. Mrs. Bickford's enfeebled health, and my physical inability to do the pastoral work of a Circuit, compel me to take this course. Oct. 28th. — I preached at Mount Barker. In the evening the Institute was quite filled. The next day I attended the tea and public meeting, and spoke fifty minutes with considerable freedom. I was the welcome guest of the Hon. J. and Mrs. Dunn.* Oct. SOth. — I went over to Woodside, and lectured in the Institute on ' My Trip to England and Back.' Oct. 31st. — Mr. Wheatley, just from England, preached a good, practical sermon at the Semaphore this evening. I shall have every confidence in sending him to Mitcham, until the Conference, as second preacher in the Unley Circuit. N'ov. Ist. — By invitation I attended the laying of the ' Foundation Stone ' of the Young Men's Christian Association, and attended the banquet in the Town Hall. This good enterprise is launched under high auspices, and I hope and pray it may contribute much to the advantage of those for whose benefit it has been undertaken. * Nothing like the country for a little leisure for reading. To-day, at Mr. Dunn's, I read the Revised Edition of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans right through in the morning. It was a great treat, and I enjoyed it much. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 399 Nov. 27id. — I read an article in the Nineteenth Century on ' After Death.' Thank God for the Holy Scriptures, which have brought ' Life and Immortality to Light.' Nov. 3rd. — I Avent to the Hon. John Colton's to dine. There was a select gathering of friends. I saw the dear old Mrs. Colton, and conversed and prayed with her. Nov. 5th. — I had the pleasure of attending the stone-laying ceremony in the rising subui'b of Parkside. We have probably a hundred families already settled in the neighbourhood, for whom, as a Church, we are only now beginning to provide religious ordinances. The Rev. J. B. Stephenson, Superintendent, and the Pirie Street Trustees, originated this movement in the most generous spirit. The church to be erected will be commodious and elegant ; and in every way in keeping with the rising importance and attractiveness of the district. The cost, inclusive of site, will be over <£ 5,000. Nov. 1th. — We laid the ' Foundation Stone ' of the additions to the Semaphore Church, and raised £55. It was an enthusiastic affair. Nov. \^th. — We laid the ' Stone ' at Woodvilleof a new church, to cost .£1,050. Assets, so far, probably .£532. Nov. 27th.— We held the Quarterly Meeting. Income £194 6s. 6d. ; expenditure £177 18s. lid. Dr. Mitchell and Mr. George Shorney were appointed Circuit Stewards, and Mr. Hack as Representative to Conference. Dec. 31st. [Diary Jotting] — ' My mind is much afEected this morning with a deep sense of the goodness of God to me and my dear partner. '• I will sing of mercy and of judgment ; unto Thee, 0 Lord, will I sing." I conducted the ' Watch Night Service ; ' Messrs. Hounslow, Ottaway, and Eofe took part. We had a good attendance and a good time. One young man came up to the Communion rails, and weepingly sought salvation.' During this year I had, as President, several communications with the Eev. John Kilner, of the London Mission House ; the Rev. William Lowe, the venerable chairman ; and the Hon. George Shenton, M. L. C, Perth (West Australia), on the subject of a steady ministerial supply from home for that sparsely populated but important colony, at the Committee's expense. Under date, February 14th, 1883, the Rev. John Kilner, senior Missionary Secretary, thus wrote Mr. Shenton : — ' We pray that your work may so take root and spread, that you may be able readily not only to meet the comparatively small expense of passage and 400 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. outfit of the needed reinforcements from England referred to, but to occupy new ground until the land is won for Christ.' Of this paragraph Mr. Shenton says in a letter to me, May 23rd, 1883— • I forward Mr. Kilner's letter, and j-ou will take notice that he only refers to "' passage and outfit," therefore I do not see how they can ask us for the college expense. I hope you will speedily hear that they are sending us two men.' Since then, the South Australian Conference has undertaken to supply the Sister Church with ministers, but the District and Circuit claims are to fall entirely upon Western Australia itself. This is an equitable and final arrangement.* 1884. Jan. 1st. [Diary Jotting] — ' I commenced this year on m^'^ knees in the Port Church. Possibly, I may stand aside from the itinerancy after the Conference. If so, the wrench, after forty-six years of unremitting service " among my own people," will be severe. But Dr. Mitchell says '' that he cannot incur the responsibility of not advising a removal of Mrs. Bickford from the Port." God's will be done. This removal, at the end of two years, seems to involve my becoming a. Supernumerary, But. I shall not be inactive. I will serve Methodism in my comparative retirement.' Jan. \1th. — The Rev. J. B, Stephenson called to ask me if I would accept Parkside as a station in April next, should the Conference make me a Supernumerary. My duties would be few, and just what my strength permitted. He came in the name of the Circuit Stewards, Messrs. Dungey and Colton, to consult me on the matter. I thanked him for his kindness in thinking of me. Jan. \Qth. — I opened the Conference in Pirie Street Church at 7 p.m., and, after ' supplications and prayers ' by two or three of the brethren, I gave a resume of the work of the year. The Rev. Robert * In a letter, dated July 13th, 1883, the Rev. John Kilner, senior Secretary of our Foreign Missions, in reply to letters from me urging the continuance of the Committee's help to Western Australia, says : ' The Committee cannot re-open the question of our relation to the Mission in Western Australia. They cannot do anything towards the maintenance of the work there. This is the unchangeable conviction of the Committee. Be assured that our sympathy for Western Australia, and for other openings Tsithin the area of your Conference, is as real and as warm as ever. If we can help you in anything that does not mean money grants we shall be glad to do so.' FERN WATERFALL. ADELAIDE. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 401 Moi'ris Hunter was elected as my successor — a position he has earned by his fine character, and wise conduct of all the Circuits in which he has travelled. The Rev. W. Lowe, Chairman of the Western Australia District, after many years of highly .honourable service in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, was, at his own request, made a Supernumerary Minister. Jan. l^th. — I examined the four-years' men, Thomas Britton Angwin, M.A., and George Edwards Rowe, both of whom were received for Ordination to the full work of the Christian Ministry. We received six candidates, and two as students in Prince Alfred College. Jan. 23?yZ. — At Kent Town Church this evening, I gave the ' charge ' to the newly ordained ministers. It was founded upon Acts XX. 17, 28 : 'And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the Church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them. . . . Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Ghost hath made yoii bishops, to feed the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood ' (R.V.) The object of my ' charge ' was specially to show the undoubted identity of the * Elders ' and ' Bishops,' as an ' order ' of ministry in the Apostolic and Primitive Churches ; and, that, if the ministerial * succession, as shown in the earliest reliable ecclesiastical history, be of any value in the argument, then the Branch of the Catholic Church known as the Wesleyan Methodist, has a valid ministry derived from Wesley and Coke, who were presbyters (' elders) of the Church of England. This was the only controversial charge I have given ; it was well listened to by a crowded congregation, and the whole Conference of Ministers, with evident satisfaction. It was a great relief to me the next morning when the Hon. John Carr, M.P., moved : ' That the thanks of the Conference be given to the Rev. J. Bickford, the ex- President, for his able, practical, and appropriate charge to the young ministers who have been received into fall connexion.' I knew that the ground over which I had travelled was novel, and, perhaps, a little dangerous ; * I designedly disown the misleading phrase, ' Apostolical ' succession, and use instead ' Ministerial.' The Apostles, as such, had no successors — no lineage ; in the course of nature, they died as do other men ; and, with their deaths, the ' order ' ceased. But not so the ministerial succession ; which lives to day, and must live on, until this dispensation of grace is closed by the Lord Himself, ' when He shall come the second time without sin unto Salvation.' 26 402 JAMES JilCKFOIiD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. but, I have had no reason since to regret the course that I adopted. I felt that the time had come for me, as the oldest minister in the South Australia Conference, to try, at least, * to stop the mouth of every foe ' by justifj'ing our position as a Scriptural Church, having a vahd ministry beyond all reasonable assailment. The Conference was pleased to insert in its Minutes the following notice of my retirement from the Methodist Itinerancy : — 'REV. JAMES BICKFORD. ' After forty-six years of active and valued service in the Ministry of our Church, in the West Indies and in these Colonies, the Conference regrets that it now becomes necessary, mainly on the ground of family affliction, to accede to the application of Mr. Bickford to become a Supernumerary. But, in meeting this request, the Conference places on record its high appreciation of Mr. Bickford's labours in every department of our Church work. Mr. Bickford has several times been Chairman of District ; and on three ojcasions has been elected to the Chair of the Conference. He has most faithfully discharged his duties as a pastor, a preacher, and an administrator of Church affairs. He has won a high place in the esteem and affection both of his brethren and of the members and adherents of our Church. The Conference trusts that, in the compai'ative retirement of his present position, he will have many years granted him, during which he. with his ripe experien' e, will still be able to continue to render help in the great cause to which he has devoted his life.' Jan. 28^/i. — We closed the Conference to day. The Minutes were read and signed : ' So we depa ted.' Feh. 2>rd. — I was at Wilhmga in the interests of the Church Trust. The next morning I went to the Slate Quarries in the company of Mr. George Sara, J. P., and soon found that there was a mine of wealth there only waiting to be worked on a larger scale. I lectured ia the evening to a good audience. Proceeds between ,£70 and .£80. Feh. 10th. — I opened for Divine worship the new church at Aldgate. On the Tuesday evening the after meetings were held ; the Hon. L. Carr presiding. It was a successfid service. Feb. I8th. — I i-ead, in the Nineteenth Century, Eai'l Grey's article on the ' Condition of Ireland.' I was much disappointed with it. March Ath. — I went to the stone-laying ceremony of the Dunn Memorial Church at Mount Barker. This chm-ch, now in com-se of erection, is the gift of the Hon. J. Dunn, ex.-M.L.C, to the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion. It is a princely benefaction to the Mount Barker District : ' beautiful for situation,' like Zion of SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 40S old, to which the tribes of our Israel will go up to worship as the centuries roll on. March 17th. — A valedictory meeting was held at Port Adelaide for the Circuit ministers (Messrs. Bickford and Prior) in anticipation of our departure at the end of the month. It was largely attended, ;ind Dr. Mitchell presided over it with affectionate courtesy. The following address was presei:ited to me ; and, as it is the last of the kind that I could receive as an itinerant Wesleyan minister, it is here given in full : — • To THE Rev. James Bickford, — Superintendent of the Port Adelaide and Semaphore Circuit, and ex-President of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference of South Australia. ' Dear Sir and Brother,— ' It is with no ordinary feelings that we approach the pending change of ministers, blessed as the Circuit has been in having you as Superintendent for the past two years. That we shall regret the departure from us of our ex- perienced and beloved pastor will, we hope, require no assurance here, seeing the appreciation that has ever manifested itself in regard to your earnest, genuine, and faithful ministry amongst us ; and that you will have our earnest prayers and heartfelt sympathy in the unusual circumstances of your departure will,. we believe, be as readily understood. ' Having been a minister of the Gospel in various lands for forty-six years, and thrice President of Conference, it is no insignificant and uninteresting fact to us, that your retirement here dates your retirement from that official and active work for God and His Church, which we know has been your delight. Greatly as we regret the loss of our minister, we more deeply regret the Church's loss of your continued eminent services. ' The Lord in His providence. " too wise to err, too good to be unkind," has dictated your retirement in the affliction of your dear wife, but we pray that your joint lives may be spared to enjoy for many years the rest you both deserve and need. Our sympathy will follow you, and may the Great Father amply sustain you to the end of this life, and give you an abundant entrance to a higher sphere beyond it. ' We cannot conclude without referring to the success of this Circuit in connection with your ministry and administration. You have promoted harmony, and re-organized the finances, while the membership has doubled, and important enterprises have been initiated. With earnest for the Divine blessing on your house, — ' On behalf of the Circuit, ' We are, yours very sincerely, ' James T. Mitchell, 1 .,. . ^^ , 'George Shorney, |<^^'-^«'^ Stewards. ' March llth, 1884." 404 JAMES BICKFOBB: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. April 1th. — A mere ' fly on the wheel ' surely I am this very day. God works, and I am no more than than the smallest insect in the evolutions of His providence. My last Quarterly Meeting was held on the 26th ult., and on the Gth current, I opened the new church at Woodville. The preachers for the day were, myself, the Rev. G. W. Kendrew, and the Rev. J. Angas, In the evening I preached in the Presbyterian Church, after which I went to the Town Hall, and addressed Mr. Hounslow's nautical congregation 8o closed my ministry at the Port. [Diary Jotting] — ' We left the Port this morning for Parkside : Mrs. Bick- ford and Miss Jarvis went on in the waggonette, and I went by rail. Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Jarvis were at " Edmeston Cottage " to receive us. Everything was well arranged — thanks to my friends. Mrs. Bickford stood the journey much better than I expected. Here we shall have a quiet retreat : God grant that we may for some years enjoy it ! " April \2th. — I read two or three Lent addresses by a French Jesuit, which were very fine in some parts. I prepared an outline for to-morrow evening at Archer Street. The quiet of this place is delightful after all the worry of my itinerant life. May ith. — We opened the new Church at Parkside to-day. The dedication of the building was begun at 7 o'clock, which was a time of gracious visitation. The ' ark of the covenant ' was then brought ' into the House of the Lord.' The Revs. J. B. Stephenson, R. M. Hunter, and J. Bickford preached the sermons. It was a day of great rejoicing to us all. May Gth. [Diary Jotting] — ' I am this day sixty-eight years of age. I am the Lord's by personal consecration, and Him will I serve with every power I possess.' I am busily engaged in preparing for the public meetings of this evening. We had large attendances, and, everything included, the result was, say, £220. We had many presents. Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Scott, gave the Communion Service ; Mrs. Catt gave the carpeting for the rostrum and communion ; Mrs. GuDy gave the Bible, Hymn, and Service Book; Mrs. Wallace gave the pulpit chaii*; and the INIisses Gully gave the pulpit cushion. Messrs. Pengelly and Knobe promised the Communion Table. It was certainly a glorious begin- ning of the cause at Parkside, May 8th. — I read in Bacon's Essays, with Archbishop Whately's Annotations, for two hom-s, and received some solid instruction. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 405 May \Oth. — We let 131 sittings in the new church to-day. Thank God for this token of His favour. May \-^th. — The first Society class was held to-day. There were present : — James Bickf ord, Leader ; and Mesdames Norton, Sykes, Patterson, and Shepherd. In the evening the Rev. R. M. Hunter preached, and held the first leader's meeting. There were present. Mr. Hunter in the chair, and the Rev. James Bickford ; also Messrs. W. Gully, B. Norton, G. Viney, and A. A. Scott. On the nomination of the Superintendent, the following appointments were made : — Society Stewards, W. Gully and George Viney ; Poor Stewards, B. Norton and A. A. Scott ; Leaders, B. Norton, J. B. Butler, and T. T. Prisk. I was requested to take charge of the Wednesday afternoon class. The new cause was thus organised, and set to work. May \Qth. — I read the Memoir of the late Rev. Frederick Jobson, D.D. It much interested me, as I had known him so intimately, and had received from him many acts of kindness. It is a beautifid work, and might be enlarged with much advantage. May nth. — I read in ' Mosheim ' and ' Ancient Christianity ' for several hours. I am becoming quite fascinated with this kind of reading. May 28th. — We held the first Sunday School Teachers' Meeting. The necessary officers were appointed, and the school was fully organised. There were 113 children's names taken down last Sunday. Strange to say, two children did not know their names. The Hon. A. Catt, M.P., was appointed senior Superintendent ; and Mr. GUlingham, senior Secretary. June 17th. — I held the leader's meeting, and entered up in the stewards' books the number of members, the contributions in the classes, and the collections, for the Quarter Board. We appointed Mr. E. Alcock as leader, and Mrs. Wallace to meet a 'Young Ckristians ' class. Mesdames Gully, Norton, Scott, Prisk, Peacock, and Pdben were appointed a visiting committee of the sick and poor. It was a very nice meeting, and all seemed to be in good heart. June 18th. — I attended the Quarterly Meeting as a supernumerary minister attached by special agreement with the Circuit. It was a large and successful meeting. Pleasing references were made by Mr. Colton and other brethren to the success which has attended the Parkside enterprise. 406 JAMES BICKFORD: AX AUTOBIOGRAPHY. June 20th. — Richard Dunstan and W. A. Millikan, Prince Alfred College students, came for their theological lecture. I like the spirit of the young men very much. Papers from England to-day. The Egyptian question, even from a financial point of view, is terrible. But El-Mahdi is on his way to the north. May God in His provi- dence stop the cruel career of this false and bloody man ! Juli/ 31st. — I wrote a letter for the Reyister on the subject of ' Free Education,' which I advocated in the strongest terms I could use. I do hope that the Legislature will grant this boon to the poor cliildren of the country. Aug. Sth. — I attended the ' Holiness Convention,' in Pirie Street. The addresses of Messrs. Burgess, Nicholson, Davison, and Nock were able and to the point. The day's proceetlings were marked by much of the Divine blessing. Aug. 16th. — I attended the funeral of the Rev. James Way, one of the pioneers of the ' Bible Christian Church ' in this colony. The departed minister was held in high respect for his blameless life and useful ministry. Sept. Srcl. — I read Joseph Chamberlain's speech in answer to Lord SaKsbury — ' A Roland for an Oliver.' Se^Jt. 4:th. — I read in the Wentioorth Telegraph and Murray Advertising News a cruel and impudent critique on our Chief Seci'etary, Hon. John Colton, M.P. The man who wrote it cannot know the man of whom he thus writes. But colonial public men have to pay large penalties for their positions. Sept. l^th. — I wrote two articles for the Melbourne Sp)ectator, on * The Proposed Dismemberment of the Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Connexion ' in New Zealand, and on our own Northern Territory Mission. Sept. 2ith. — I attended the Quarterly Meeting. Balance in hand <£135 lis. lOf^. I was invited to continue in charge for another year at Parkside. Oct. ith. [Diary Jotting] — ' Telegram from Kev. Eobert Kelly : " If you want to see Mr. Hack, sen., come quick." I went at once, and found on my arrival at the Semaphore that he had died at a quarter to 11 a.m. He was nearly eighty years of age. To him the words apply : " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : for the end of that man is peace."' Oct. 1th. — There are circumstances connected with the Churches (not including the Anglican) which are suggestive of the desirableness of SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 407 a closer union among the ministei-s, for dealing with questions which often arise of a social, political, and religious kind, which demand consideration and guidance. Acting upon this belief, the Rev. James (Presbyterian) sent out circulars inviting his brethi-en of other Churches to form a ' Ministerial Association,' for conference and prayer as occasion may arise. Oct. 12th. — I went, by special request of the family, to the Semaphore, to preach a funeral sermon for the late Mr. J. B. Hack. Text: Job xiv. 20, 21. The congregation was large, and the attention, throughout the deKvery of the sermon and the reading of the obituary, was unbroken. A good colonist, a true Christian, and another of my most attached friends has gone home. Oct. 13/ 8th. — I ^vl"ote the fifty-thu'd lecture for the students ; subject, ' Baptism.' I am sure, I made out the case for our custom of baptizing infants and children, to the satisfaction of every un- prejudiced mind. Mat/ 11th. — I heard Miss Finkelstein lecture on the 'Homes and Haunts ' of Jesus. It was a beautifvtl lecture, aptly illustrated, and gracefully given. There was a great crowd in the Town Hall to hear this wonderful converted Jewess. June 4:th. — I wrote my fifty-fourth lecture for the students ; subject, ' The Ministry of the Church.' How the subjects of these lectures widen in my hands ! It does me good to prepai'e them. Jul// 10th. — I read in the magazine for March Dr. Gregory's reply to Dr. Dallinger. Without being a scientist, I cannot but think that the talented editor has greatly the advantage over the philosopher. Juli/ IQth. — I finished reading Drummond's 'Central Africa;' it is a capital book. The hand of the naturalist and the scientist is apparent in every page of this work. Jubj 25th. — I completed my article on the 'Federation of the Australian Colonies ' for the Young Meris Quarterly. The drift of the paper is to show that, for sucli objects as defences, railway gauges, intercolonial trade, and the creation of a final Court of Appeal, etc., such a Federation w^ould be desirable. But no such combination SOUTH AUSTEALIA. 439 could be permitted as would impair the perfect autonomy of our constitutional Government, as now existent, in each of the Colonies. Neither could we permit any additional burden of taxation to come upon the people for meeting expenses connected with a Federal Parliament. ' Imperial Federation ' (so called) is simply a dream as far as the Australian Colonies are concerned. Our wisdom is to be content with the evils we have, rather than to plvinge into others of which we do not know. July 2Qth. — A valuable budget of English news this morning. I read Mr. Gladstone's criticism on Mrs. Ward's religious novel, * Robert Elsmere.' It is a deep, searching, and profound criticism. Besides, its ring is worthy of the great statesman. I read also his House of Commons speech on the melancholy death of Frederick III., late Emperor of Germany. No wonder that the House was so deeply moved. Lord Hartington, under the inspiration of the speech, paid a high compliment to the noble-minded ex-Premier. Aug. 6th. — At the Ministerial Association Meeting this morning, I mentioned the subject of the gambling-machine, yclept, ' the Totalizator,' and suggested that we should petition the Parliament against the re-enactment of the law permitting its use. The Rev. James Lyall, the Rev. F. W. Cox, and I were appointed a sub- committee to look after the matter. The next day Mr. Lyall and I waited upon the Premier (Hon. Thomas Playford), to seek his advice as to how we should proceed. He advised that we should memorialise the Council. The Attorney General (Hon. C. C. Kingston) also advised that course. We therefore ordered the necessary bills, circulars, etc., and essayed to fulfil our mission Mrs. E. S, Bickford, my niece, and Gerty, my great-niece, left us to-day for Melbourne. Aug. 15th. — I wrote to the Press to-day a strong letter on Sir John Downer's Bill, now before the House, for extending the ' Law of Divorce ' in this Colony. I am afraid that if this Bill be passed it will be followed by serious and far-reaching consequences. Aitg. 28th. — I begun to-day writing an Autobiography of my life- work in the West Indies and Australia. But I want, at least, twenty years of younger life to do all that is in my heart to do. AJl my friends tell me that I ought to leave behind me such a record as that now contemplated. So, by God's help, I will try what can be done. Sept. 1 3th. — Miss Jarvis and I left by ' express ' for Victoria. At 440 JAMES BICKFOBD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Ballai-at, the next morning, Mr. Thomas Wills, a very true and old friend, received us at the station, and we accompanied him to his home. In the course of the forenoon, the Rev. R. C. Flockart came for me to be his guest during my .stay in the city. Miss Jarvis remained with my friends, INIr. and Mrs. Wills. On Sunday I preached in the new and beautiful church in Lydiard Street ; and, in the evening, at Barkly Street. On Monday I gave my lecture on ' Irish Christianity ' in l^ehalf of the Trust funds. I saw many of my friends, dating back to 1857, and I was greatly pleased with their remembrance of me. Sept. \^th. — We left for Kew this morning by train. At the Spencer Street Station, Melbourne, I saw my nephew, the Rev. E. S. Bickford in the crowd, with whom we left for his home. We spent a quiet, delightful evening. Sej)t. 20iA. — We went to the great ' Exhibition.' We were, in all, quite a little party — the Rev. E. S. and Mrs. Bickford, Mrs. J. B. Smith, Mrs. McKensie, Miss McKensie, Miss Jarvis, and myself. This ' Exhibition ' is worthy of our grand Australian history. A marvel of skilful arrangement and uncounted wealth. Such a gathering of peoples, from many lands, at such a time and place, is suggestive of the bounties of God's providence, of the Divine Mission of the Austral-Englishman, and of the inexhaustible character of the material resources of the possessions of the Crown in the Southern World. Sejjt. ^Ist. — I and my nephew, E. S. Bickford, went to Frankston for Home Mission objects. The next day (' Sabbath ') I heard the Rev. R. Osborne Cook preach an excellent sermon on the ' choice of Moses.' There were both originality and force in the construction and delivery of the discourse. At 3 p.m. I addressed the Sunday School, and in the evening I preached. We held the public meeting the next day ; Mr. Cook and I were the speakers. I tried to develop the whole scheme of Home Missionary operations in Victoria, so as to induce a sympathetic co-operation of the Circuit with the Society in its widespread efforts. Treby Bickford Moysey, my nephew, whom I had not seen for many years, called upon me in the afternoon. He bids fair to become a rich man, and I pray that he may be a good, Christian man also. I left my hospitable friends, Mr. and Mrs. Cook, on the morning of the 26th, and joined my nephew at the station to call upon the Rev. J. B. and Mrs. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 441 Smith at South Brighton. We proceeded from thence to Kew, where we arrived in the evening. Sept. 2Wi. — We went to Northcote to spend a few days with my brother, N. M. Bickford and Mrs. Bickford. Sunday morning we worshipped once more together in God's house. This was a great pleasure to me. The Rev. Samuel Cuthbert preached to a devout and interested congregation. I occupied the pulpit in the evening. Subject, ' The Pentecostal Church in Jerusalem.' Oct. \st. — I went to Carlton to see my sister, Mrs. Wyett, Mr. Wyett, and Laura. In the afternoon I called at Queen's College, and saw the Rev. E. H. and Mrs. Sugden, with whom I was much pleased. Here we have a noble Institution, well-manned, well-cared- for, and well patronised. It must be, in every respect, a great blessing to the youth of the Golden Colony. Oct. 2nd. — I had the pleasure of seeing at the Book Room Revs. Symonds, Binks, Quick, Wells, Crisp, Daniels, Rigg, Shaw, and Howard, It was a pleasant surprise to me. Oct. ith. — A notable day for Melbourne. The new Prince's Bi-idge was opened to-day for general traffic. It has three spans, each of 120 feet, and a land span of 24 feet, while its measurement from end to end is a fraction over 400 feet, and its width 99 feet; 63 feet being taken up by the carriage-way, and 18 feet on each side of the footpath. David Munroe & Co. were the contractors. It is a glorious structiue, and apparently as strong as solid rock. Oct. Qth. — My niece and I went to Geelong, and found Miss Hitchcock at the station awaiting our arrival. I preached in Yarra Street on Sunday morning, and addressed the Sunday School in the afternoon. In the evening I heard the Rev. Thomas Angwin preach. He and I gave the Lord's Supper at the after service. It was a specially good day to me. Blessed be the Lord ! Oct. Sth. — My kind hostess, Mrs. Hitchcock, drove us to the Orphan Asylum, Bell-post Hill, etc. It was a most delightful drive. In the evening we took tea at Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Daniels', and spent a most delightful time with them, Mr. and Mrs. W. Thacker. and other friends. Oct. 9th. — We took lunch at Mr. and Mrs. Oldfield's, and called upon many of my former charge. It did my old heart good to see them again. Oct. 1 2th. — At Kew I gave a lectui-e to the ' Young Men's Mutual 442 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Improvement Society/ the Rev. P. R. C. Ussher, presiding ; subject ' A Talk on the West Indies.' I was heartily thanked for the address. Oct. \^th. — I preached at Brighton and South Brighton. We spent a nice time with our dear friends the Smiths. I took services at Clifton Hill, Kew, and St. Kilda, when I had the gratification, always welcome to an old Itinerant, of seeing familiar faces again, and of worshipping our one Father together. And this was my happiness to the full. Nov. 1th. [Diary Jotting] — 'We left our clear kindred at Kew this afternoon for Spencer Street Station. We said good-bye to our old friends, the Rev. .John and Mrs. Harcourt, and Mr. James Lowe came along with us to help us with oiu" " traps." My brother Nicholas, Frank, my nephew, Edwin Pascoe, were there to see us off. At Ballarat, my unfailing friends, the Wills, were at the station with tea and other good things to help us on our journey, From Dimboola to Adelaide my niece and I had the carriage to ourselves. We reached the Adelaide Station the next day, and found Mr. William Gully there with his trap to convey us to Parkside. I met my class in the evening. ' What a host of matters I have to attend to fi-om being away eight weeks i Our back garden is smothered with weeds, and looks like a forsaken wilderness. And so will the heart be choked, in the absence of care and cultivation, by the noxious presence of sin and temptation.' Nov. \^th. — Working hard at the Autobiography. In the evening I read in the London Quarterly for a couple of hours : ai'ticle, ' The Self -revelation of God.' Tough reading, and unadapted for general use. Nov. 16^/i. — I went to Norwood to see my friend the Rev. William Jenkins, P.M.M., who is in a dying condition ; Rev, Wellington and I prayed with him, and commended his soul to God. He was always a good, earnest man in the Lord's work. Dec. \Qth. — I went to the Ministerial Association Meeting, and heard Dr. Hannay's address. It was, after its way, no doubt, able, but it bristled with points of controversy. But for these we had no time. I moved a vote of thanks. I read in the afternoon in Fish's ' Conferences of the Reformers and Divines of the Early English Church, on the Doctrines of the Oxford Tractarians.' It seems to me to be an admirable summary of potent arguments against the ' High Oxford Party,' and shows them uj) as in dead opposition to the principles of the English Reformers, who were the founders of SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 443 the * Reformed Protestant Church of England.' The motto on the ' Title-page,' chosen by the reverend compiler of the work, is singularly- well chosen : — ' The peace of the Church, and the unity of her doctrine, is best conceived when it is judged by the proportion to that rule of unity which the Apostles gave ; that is, the creed for articles of mere belief, and the precepts of Jesus Christ, and the practical rules of piety, which are most plain and easy, and, without controversy, set down in the Gospels and writings of the Apostles. But to multiply articles, and adopt them into the family of faith, and to I'equire assent to such articles, which, as St. Paul's phrase, are of doubtful disputation, equal to that assent we give to matters of faith, is to build a tower on the top of a bulrush, and the further the effect of such proceedings does extend, the worse they are." — Jeremy Taylor. Dec. 12th. — I went to Adelaide to meet the President. There were ten brethren present. The President read a letter of resigna- tion from David O'Donnell, caused by the action of the General Conference in appointing him to New Zealand, instead of to the Victoran Conference, which he requested. We agreed that a repl}- should be sent, suggesting to him to reconsider his action. Bee. 17th. — I presided at the Pirie Street Missionary Meeting this evening. The Rev. William Reid gave us a very effective speech on Fiji, confirming from his recent observation in the Group the grand successes of our missionary brethi'en. At all events, there has been brought about the complete cessation of heathen, savage customs ; and the arcliipelago of islands is now a colony of the British Crown. Dec. 31st. — I buried the mortal remains of poor Mrs. Slater ; 'from sufferings and from woes released.' I baptized the motherless baby on our return from the Cemetery. A dreadful accident occurred last night in ' the Hills,' about two and a half miles from Mitcham, by the overturning of a coach full of picknickers ; one young man was killed, and several young persons were seriously injured. If the party had retui'ned by daylight this catastrophe had not happened. The ' Watch Night Service ' was held by the Rev. H. C. George and myself. We had a good attendance, and a solemn time of heart-searching and of consecration to God. With this service I finish fifty years of Christian work in the Lord's vineyard. And so 444 JAMES BICKFORD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. the story of my Autobiography is ended. I think the desire to write such an account must have been from God, for I find in my Diary for August 1st, 1888, the following jotting : — ' In the evening, whilst reading the London Quarterly, an inspiration came upon me, re the West Indies, the anniversary of the freedom of whose slaves, in 1838, we commemorate this day. Possibly this may be the beginning of an autobiographical record of fifty j'ears' work in the West Indies and Australia. Who can tell / ' CONCLUSION. 'Australia is in an ocean by herself." — GOLDWIN Smith. We are indebted to the Churches of Christ for building up the AustraUa of to-day. Yet we are of such modern growth, that this fact is hardly known among the older nations of the world. The ignorance that prevails even in Great Britain of the material and ecclesiastical condition of Australia is extraordinary. Probably, few of English statesmen are seized of the idea that a possession of 1,884,591,920 acres, here in these seas, has been, in the order of Divine Providence, donated to the Anglo-Saxon race ; and that already there has sprung up between the five Colonies of Australia and Great Britain, America, etc., a commerce of imports and exports of an annual value of ,£106,208,599 sterling. But, inclusive of Tasmania and New Zealand, it amounts to =£112,862,353 sterling. And, although we are only ' of yesterday,' we have a population of over three millions ; whilst, with Tasmania and New Zealand added, we have close upon four million souls. It is estimated that, in twenty years, from fifteen to eighteen milHons of people Avill be settled m Australasia. The ecclesiastical arrangements are all that Anglo- Australians can reasonably expect. There being no State Church, the most perfect religious equality obtains. With our free and independent parlia- ments, elected upon the basis of a manhood suffrage, there need be no fear of any legislative meddling with the rights of the people to worship their Creator according to the dictates of their own consciences, and to support such of the Churches as they shall choose. Every denomination stands on its own merits, and all duly appointed ministers are estimated at their real worth as moral reformers and pastors of the people. Our systems of pubHc in- struction are intended to carry the benefits of educational training to every child of school-age, and to be had by the payment of a small 446 JAMES BICKFORD. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. fee, or no fee at all. INIinisters of religion, as such, are eligible to sit on * Boards of Advice ; ' but they are never elected to that position. In each Colony, excepting perhaps Western Australia, a Minister of the Crown is the autliorised head of ' Public Instruction,' and is directly responsible to Parliament. He would be a bold man who attempted to cast the horoscope of the Austi'alias. That there is no serious thought of separation from the Mother Country must be patent to every observant man who moves much amongst the people ; and no such feeling is likely to arise, as long as the Australian Parliaments are not interfered with in mattei's of domestic legislation. The veto of the Crown must be sparingly used. There is, however, no idolatrous reverence for Imperialism, which can never become a ' fetish ' amongst us. The trend of poHtical feeling, as far as we can judge, is in favour of a Republican form of Government, rather than to be under the heel of the Colonial Office, and subject to interference by the Houses of Lords and Commons. An Australian empii-e, at no distant period, is the cynosure to w-hich all eyes are looking, as certainly as that the needle points to the Pole. But even in that form — if such be the will of Pi-ovidence — the great South Empire would not be in antagonism to, but be a loving and strong ally of, England in any struggles she might have with Continental powers. Such a fair and true daughter, as Australia has proved herself to be, would not forsake her ' Old Mother ' in a time of extremity. Still, the policy in the main must ever be : ' Peace ' within our own borders, and ' Peace ' without, with all the world. Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury. V A- il.(p- tlOCK ^ ^^7