\\r> GOSPEL REMINISCENCES IN THE WEST INDIES. A BRIEF AND SIMPLE RECORD OF THE LORD'S GRACIOUS WORK AMONG THE INDIANS OF BRITISH GUIANA, « BY HIS SERVANT JOHN MEYER, DURING FOUR YEARS AND A HALF. BY LEONARD STRONG. Author of “Old Narquois, the Negro Driver.”* “The Condemned Negro; or, Man’s Victim, God’s Chosen,” &c. 1 { BATH: BINNS AND GOODWIN. LONDON : WHITTAKER AND CO., HALL, VIRTUE, AND CO., AND R. AND A. SUTTABY. EDINBURGH: JOHNSTONE AND HUNTER. DUBLIN : JOHN ROBERTSON AND CO. The grand principle carried out in the salvation of man, and in the gospel of God unto him, is, “He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.” It is as ruined in the Fall, sold unto sin, and condemned by the righteousness of God as to his natural standing, that man is taken up by Him in grace ! It is as weakness in himself when so taken up, that he becomes a fellow- labourer with God through the Spirit, glorying in his own infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon him, so that no flesh may glory in His presence. The memoir of an evangelist’s labours would be of little worth, did it not blazon on its sur- face, ay, in its substance, « Glory to God in the highest!” “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” I desire, then, in the following pages, by the help of God, to set forth a brief statement of His own work, by His weak but faithful instrument, John Meyer, during a period of less than five years, among the Indians in British Guiana. Vfcliol:: lepoTeir: LABOUES OF JOHN MEYER In the year 1840, John Meyer arrived, with his no less devoted fellow-labourer and wife, our still surviving sister in the Lord, in Demerara, from Switzerland ; and it was the sultry clime of British Guiana, acting upon his already ardent temperament, which caused a periodical excitement of mind and feeling that often weak- ened his testimony, hindered his usefulness, and preyed upon his spirits ; yet (so marvellous are the ways of God), rendered him a fitter instru • ment for manifesting His own power, and IN BRITISH GUIANA. CHAPTER I. B LABOURS OF JOIIN MEYER displaying the fruits of this dear suffering brother’s ministry more palpably to be “ God’s husbandry,” “ God’s building.” Our departed brother was a man of much intellectual power, with great ability in acqui- ring languages : he was also deeply read in the word of God, upon which he relied as his alone directory of faith and action, as well as the inventory of his riches, hopes, and armour for the present strife ! But what most distinguished him, and reigned triumphantly over his infirmi- ties to the last, was his confident enjoyment of that abounding love which had saved him, a lost sinner, his implicit faith in the word and promises of our adorable Saviour,— his intense desire for carrying out the testimonies of His love to others,— and his delight in being a successful messenger of peace to poor sinners. Duiing his residence of nearly three years on the banks of Demerara river, and the east coast of the colony, he suffered much from repeated attacks of fever, but was energetically occupied in the instruction of black children, and preaching the gospel to hundreds. His peculiar power was in proclaiming the love of God to sinners in the gift of His dear Son, with the free and full remission of all sin to every one who believed in the name of Him IN BRITISH GUIANA. Whose once shed blood maketh atonement ; and wherever he did thus preach, the hand of the Lord was with him, so that he has left proofs of his ministry wherever he has been thus used. The writer of these pages well remembers being exceedingly refreshed in spirit, when called by him to afternoon conversations with those whom God had just brought out from darkness to light through his ministry, by the evidently deep impressions made upon their hearts through conviction of their own wickedness, and the riches of that grace, which, by the efficacy of Jesus’ atoning blood, pardoned and delivered from all. As this is written expressly for the glory of God, not for the exaltation of man, the writer would not keep back the fact, that the Christian brother of whose ardent zeal, simplicity of faith, and sufferings, this memoir speaks, laboured under the pressure of eccentric sensitiveness and nervous irritability, which shortened, through unnecessary sufferings of mind and body, his brief but useful career. Early in the year 1843, John Meyer left a settlement of blacks on the east coast of Deme- rara, — where he had resided five months, and had been already blessed to the salvation of a few souls who received the grace of God, — to reside at T — M — , on the Essequibo coast, for the purpose LABOURS OF JOHN MEtER of teaching a school and preaching the gospel in the neighbourhood. Some time previously, his mind had been much exercised about the benighted state of the scat- tered Indian tribes who inhabit the vast forests and savannahs of Guiana. These neglected people had been brought under his notice several times. Once, when residing on the east coast, on recovering from a severe attack of fever, he visited, for change of air, in company with a young brother in the Lord (now labouring among the blacks with much blessing) the inland portion of the Mahaica river, or creek, as it is generally called, at the head of which there are many Indians located. At another time he visited with a devoted Christian brother, — Mr. C — A — , of whom more hereafter, — the highest parts of Demerara river, where, also, are many Indians. Again, he resided a few weeks with a dear Christian minister at a mission to Indians of the English establishment, up the Essequibo river. Hearing, therefore, that Arrawack Indians had settlements on the edge of a lake not far from T — M — , he took the first leisure day to seek out these, his ignorant fellow-sinners, with the desire of laying before them their perishing, guilty state, in common with us all by nature, accompanied by the testimony that IN BRITISH GUIANA. “ God lias so loved the world, as to give His only -begotten Son, that whosoever believeth oil Him should never perish ! ” Being" successful in finding several small Indian companies, of whom some knew a little English, particularly the chief and his sister, he prevailed upon the chief, after much conversa- tion, to send his son, who bore the English name Robert, and upon his sister to allow an orphan boy under her charge, named Henry, to attend his school, himself engaging to give them food and raiment. From this time he felt such deep commiseration for these poor Indians, so igno- rant of their true condition, I may say, of either their danger or privileges, as lost sinners — the danger of that wrath revealed against all un- righteousness of men — the privileges of that redemption revealed in Jesus Christ for the lost and guilty, even the forgiveness of sins through His blood, — that, constrained by the love of Christ who had caused him to triumph over his sins, and rejoice in his heavenly inheritance, he purposed in the strength of the Lord to do his utmost to make them acquainted with the grace of God that bringetli salvation. Many of these Indians appearing next Suuday, Meyer proposed, after preaching the gospel in the meeting-room, to give them all special b 2 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER instruction in the English language, by which he also hoped to acquire the Arrawack tongue. Their numbers increased from Sunday to Sundaj r , until the attendance amounted to lifty ; and the two boys improved so rapidly, that, before the year ended, Robert could read and write well, Henry not being far behind. In the mean time they generally had about ten Indian children staying with them every week ; of which Meyer assiduously availed himself in acquiring their language, and soon progressed beyond his expectation. Taking from the children 25 words at a time, and retiring to some lonely place, he committed them all to memory. In his visits to the Indians at their habitations near the Lake, he was also unwearied, instructing them, and taking down their words ; and soon had he good hope that some were feeling their sin before God, and had their hearts drawn towards Him through faith in Him whom He had sent to be the propitiation for our sins, through faith in His blood. llius far all went on happily, when a circum- stance was suffered to happen which operated, we trust only for a season, in respect to some of their number, in drawing off* their hearts from truth to error, — from the wheat to the chaff, by what Paul declares is not another IN BRITISH GUIANA. gospel. The clergyman of the neighbourhood, who, most unhappily for himself and others, believed that salvation consists in rites and cere- monies, not in the grace of God received by faith in the precious blood of Christ, hearing of John Meyer’s visits to the Indians, and their constant attendance on him, went himself to their abodes, bringing with him the highest authority the Indian’s natural capacity was able to realize, both ecclesiastical and secular ; decla- ring their great error and folly in attending the instructions of a poor unauthorized man. He bade them mark who ever attended his ministry — none, scarcely, but a few black persons ! lie asked them, “By whose authority does he preach ? What has he yet done for you ? Has lie made you Christians ? Are you baptized yet after all his teaching?” and added, “Now if you come to me, if you learn to repeat what I teach, you shall be baptized and made Christ- ians ; I shall then baptize your children also, and join you to your wives according to law, and you will all be good Christians.” Such kinds of persuasion were, used, and at length successfully. The word of grace, by our bro- ther Meyer, had not reached their hearts, perhaps through his deficiency of language. These appeals to their senses were more easily appre- LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER hended : and some, on repeating unintelligently in broken English, the Lord’s prayer and the Belief, being admitted to baptism, gradually the whole of them left, and, with their children, became Christians according to the idea of him to whose teaching they had submitted. “ But,” remarks his surviving fellow-labourer, “he never thought of these poor Indians before my dear husband sought them out ; neither did he yearn over their immortal souls, as my husband did, more than for the common necessaries of life ! Oh, those dear boys, Robert and Henry, I can yet see ; the last Sunday one alone came, of whom we had great hopes. God grant I may meet him in heaven, I should know him at the first sight.” I his w r as a severe blow to the sensitive mind of John Meyer. He was much cast down and perplexed at this unexpected end to his first labours in the gospel towards the Indians, solely from his concern for the souls of those who were thus abruptly taken away from hear- ing the truth ; fur their everlasting welfare had been as much on his heart as his own ; and while it increased his already great abhorrence of that leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees which had corrupted and leavened the current Christianity, it determined him on immediately IN BRITISH GUIANA. seeking another place among the Indians, where he might preach the grace of God in its Bible purity without interruption. His labours, however, among these Indians thus decoyed from him, had not been in vain. He had acquired some knowledge of, and ability for speaking, the Arrawack language, and believing himself now called to spend the rest of his life among the Indians, he resolved, trusting in the help and blessing of God, to go forth on such a mission, depending on Him alone, and to seek the Indians far in their native forests. Thus purposed in his mind, he set off, with some changes of raiment, his Bible, and vocabu- lary of Arrawack words, which he had diligently acquired, and carefully arranged in a kind of tin knapsack, constructed under his own orders, strapped over his shoulders, and a few dollars in his pocket, leaving his wife with his two little children under the kind care of a dear brother and sister in the Lord, who resided at T — M — , where she still kept the weekly school. Our brother Meyer now shaped his course for Demerara, at the head of which river he purposed to penetrate the forests in search of Indians, to whom he believed the Lord would enable him to impart the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and many of whom, though now LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER afar off, he hoped soon to see “ made nigh by the blood of Christ,” and become “fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God.” It was not without much prayer and great con- fidence in God that he undertook this journey, believing that He in whom he trusted would show him a wide field for publishing the gospel of peace to sinners, into which He would cause him to enter, and find also an habitation for his wife and children. He was brought on his way by the brethren in George Town, at Peter’s Hall, and the Craig, at which several places he called on his way up the river, but it was the faithful brother and servant of Christ, C — A — , he sought as the one to whom he desired more fully to unfold the purpose of his heart, and whose sympathies and prayers he desired to enlist in the service before him. Our brother C — A — , made acquainted with his purpose, entered into it with all his spirit, and desiring in every way to be his fellow-helper, especially by prayer, accompanied him, with seveial devoted and faithful negro brethren, tlnee days journey into the wilderness, where they remained with him many days, then leaving him alone with the Indians, returned to the river, and so to their homes. But I will give the account of this interesting journey in our brother C — A — ’s own words. IN BRITISH GUIANA. fligHj'i low-cife November 28, 1843. “Our firm conviction was that we were led = reaI on by the gracious hand of Him who, having rolled oflf the sin of the world, commanded His stdfffa servants to preach to every creature ‘repentance ^ W toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus rould caia Ohri^’ offering in His name remission of sins tionforis to a p w ] 10 w ju Relieve the gospel. At every stage of our way we sought in prayer together e brek to know the mind of the Lord, praying that His tkC;. will might be followed, and ours completely set hisway^ aside : and, blessed be His holy name, we had rother asi no reason to doubt throughout our fatiguing itheonti; journey of our being in the path where He could bepiirpts both go before, and be our rereward, idpnjffl “On the evening of the 3rd of November we elm arrived at Berlin, from the Glasgow, and had a ‘dwithlii comforting time together with a few believers, ipiritjiiii Here we gathered strength and girded up our iw-belper, loins for what lay before us. On the 4th we im, fili reached Lucky Spot, and met believers again for brethren prayer and comfort in the love of God. On the ss, wte 5th, the first day, we broke bread with the Chris- nleaflD? tians worshipping there, and proceeding on the dtolfe 6th reached Urawly Cobra, an Indian settlement will gw on the river side, upwards of 100 miles from j in oar George Town. The following days we travelled LABOURS OF JOIIN METER upwards, passing over the falls, and, having called at several small Indian settlements, reached at last one called Arawa, where we remained, and were hospitably entertained. I should have said that our brother John Meyer preached in the Arrawack language at each place, and was understood. " On the 8th of November we descended the river to Urawly Cobra again, and spoke much to the Indians there of Christ. We stayed here the 9th to give all time for preparation to make our journey to the savannah. On the 10th, having made ourselves as light as possible, by laying aside all unnecessary furniture, either for our dress or hammock convenience, and feeling we were indeed under the protecting hand of Him in whose service we had set out, our guide, an Arrawack Indian, followed by his wife, led us into the forest. We started at 8 a.m. and walked till 4 p.m., with one short interval of rest. We had then arrived on the edge of a small open savannah, and, having a good supply of water at hand, thoroughly wearied, we hung up our ham- mocks to the trees and rested for the night. On the 11th we set forward at 7 a.m., and at 1 p.m., w ith blistered feet and well tired bodies, we reached a house in the midst of the burning and. , and tested for the day. On the morning IN BRITISH GUIANA. of the 12th we set off once more, hoping soon to reach the Indian settlement to which we travelled. This we effected after four hours’ painful walk- ing without shoes (for by this time shoes had become intolerable), leaving our brother Meyer about five miles distant, having such a violent head-ache, that he could proceed no further. This was the only ailment he had the whole time I was with him, and it was but of short duration, for, in the goodness of the Lord, we had the pleasure of welcoming him among us early on the following morning, with the black brother who had remained to serve him. “ Here then, being all together, we had many opportunities of preaching to these poor brethren, myself in English to those who understood it, Meyer in their native tongue, to whom they paid very great attention. One of them went so far as to tell me, ‘They will believe it sir, them all shall believe you.’ Our heavenly Father supplied us at this place with fresh meat every day through the Indians, as they were always successful in hunting during my stay. “ The readiness these, in general, apathetic beings evinced to hear the gospel on this occasion was remarkable. Fearing to annoy by calling them together too often, we limited our invitations to every second day, but they came LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER themselves, and entreated us to preach the gospel every day while we remained. “Having been now together here for eight days, at the earnest request of Meyer, and both of us concluding it to be of the Lord, I left him with the Indians on the 20th of November, and, with the three black brethren and sister, set out to return by the way we had come. “ Dear Meyer had, when I left him, two dollars, a hammock, a change of clothes, a pair of shoes, pen, ink, and paper, with his Arrawack vocabu- lary much enlarged, with notes for the construc- tion of a grammar in that language, through which he hoped the Lord would enable him to teach these gentiles the riches of Christ. The shoes were of no immediate use, as neither of us could wear them after the second day’s journey, from the soreness of our feet. TVIth such pro- vision, through the help of the Lord in whom he trusted, he hoped to find his way to the river Berbice, or, if not, to some of the small rivers or creeks that lie between, which would bring him to the neighbourhood of the Indians he had formerly seen at the head of Mahaica Creek. Having, however, already crossed a small creek which the Indians said flowed into the Berbice, \\e thought it probable this place might at some future time be reached from thence by water. ter IN BRITISH GUIANA. each tbc«s here for 5 sjer, and! mieiti •OTember,: sister, »! i), two (hi pairoff ml m the coo age, Ik oable k Christ 1 neither c’; i/sjoonsf li such fc in whofflh to the hie ill mens bring hi: ns he k ica W mall cr^ e Berfe it at a® water. “We both thought that if our mission were generally known among the Indians, and their confidence obtained, though we had not yet seen many more than twenty, the Lord might draw to- gether hundreds to hear the gospel of His grace, and oh, what a rich sheaf might be gathered by our Lord from among them at the time of harvest! Surely it must be for good that the Lord allows the spirits of his servants to be so fervent when praying for them. Our dear brother told me that he felt more liberty than he ever enjoyed in his spirit, and better health in body. He said, he would gladly spend his life in serving the Lord among these dear people (if it were His will,) and believed he could endure the climate and fatigue in the service. And who can say that the mission, however insignificant it may appear iu contrast with others, is not the opening of a door by the Lord Himself to a people among whom the feet of those who bear the glad tidings never yet trod, the light of the love of Jehovah Jesus never shone? If the Lord open an effectual door, who can shut it ? “After leaving our brother Meyer with the Indians as before stated on the 20th, we, through the mercy of God, arrived safe at Urawly Cobra on the banks of the Demerara, from whence we had started on the evening of the 22nd.” LABOURS OP JOHN MEYER While C — A — and his little party of blacks proceeded down the river to the Glasgow estate, and, gathering the church together, gave thanks to God and rehearsed these things in their ears, brother Meyer was kindly conducted from one settlement to another, at each of which he spake to the Indians in their own tongue, 'of the ruin wrought by sin, and redemption through Jesus Christ. At length he reached a village on the banks of the Berbice river, called Kumaka, where many had been collected for a great feast: the feast was over the day before he arrived, and the Indians were taking a day’s rest before breaking up their assembly. Meyer, arresting the attention of one principal man, declared “ he had come with a message from God, that God loved them, that they were sinners against God exceedingly, but that God had given His Son to die for their sins— that He had now risen again, and opened the kingdom of heaven for all who, con- fessing their sins, believed on Him and His atoning blood for pardon.” The Indian went round and told them that the white man was come with a message from God, and he repeated what Meyer a sai Upon this they all came to him, O ering their hands, then brought up their to birr ? de them ° ffer their iHtie hands •’ len the y sat around, and he spoke to IN BRITISH GUIANA. eyeb P ar ty of ( Glasgow® ff»gwk gs in their; acted fe whiciiffi fa^rffc throng! J$ village «! lied Ebe ' a great 'e he m ’s rest Is ger, arresn declared*: od, that iji against (i i HisSoni risen f id A* His a to' t round n m witii hat )k e to is op the: ttle U spoie t them of Jesus and the resurrection. When he paused in his discourse the Indians at first would speak, till one of them said, “We must not speak, we must all hear,” then they were all attention till he had concluded. Here he re- mained some days, speaking the word to all, and, having expended his money, they freely gave him all he needed for food, and asked him to come and live among them, which he desired to do, feeling very strongly that now God had given him a place of service among those over whom his heart had so long yearned. Accepting the offer of a lad who was proceed- ing in his batteau a short way down the river, he was conveyed to a wood-cutting settlement a few miles below Kumaka, where a white man, with many blacks and a few Indians, resided ; here they were very kind to him. The white man allowed him to preach the gospel on his premises to the neighbours, and afterwards gave him breakfast. Our brother being now desirous of proceeding homewards by way of New Ams- terdam, the town at the entrance of the Berbice river, from whence he might obtain a passage to Demerara in some coasting vessel, sought assis- tance in descending the river, and, having no money, looked up to the Lord. The white man showed him that if he took a batteau from thence c 2 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER the river was so circuitous, that, after paddling many miles he would reach a small settlement only three miles from where he then was; he advised him therefore to walk these three miles through the forest, and there seek assistance to proceed further down. To this Meyer agreed, and the white man, conducting him to a path which led into the wood, directed him carefully to follow it, and then left, him to walk on alone. This the Indians had never done, knowing how very difficult it is for a stranger to keep the forest track. Meyer, with his hammock and pack on his shoulders, walked on, but soon must have left the path and wandered from the right course, indeed, he acknowledged that more than once he came upon his own steps again. It is exceedingly cifficult, if once you deviate but a few yards Irom the faint track in these unfrequented iorests, to recover it again, while the lofty trees so obscure the light of the sun that it is im- possible to correct your course by that. He walked with little intermission the whole of that . a} t , ; W 1611 the sun set h e hung up his hammock L LTH and fel1 in that t0 slee P- At morn- O Jit he sought direction from the Lord wldtheMm d WS j ° Uniey ’ litera % ™t knowing :CZ' T nt ’ With ° Ut f00d -ater. In tlm emcon he came upon two pine-apples which IN BRITISH GUIANA. TER a ^ er ^ he ate, as also many berries. As the shades of night closed in around him again, he swung his ^ eD ^ hammock to the trees, and commending himself ^ to the Lord who bought him, slept till morning. | ° 11 At break of day he cried unto the Lord for help, e J era r and besought Him not to let him die in the llmt0, . : forest thus, if his death should discourage or toneark stumble others, and cause them to think his rail oo i. humble mission to the Indians had not been of tnoffioj; Him or f or n[ s n ame. He then set forth again, eeptlefe looking to the Lord for guidance, and in the andpaci afternoon, to his great joy, lighted upon the 1 mustii banks of a small creek or river, where also he nght® discovered recent traces of people and the re- tbooc?: mains of a fire. Here, then, being very faint, eicoefe leaves and berries his only food, he determined feir p to remain, as, if he died here, his body was sure of nfreqoffi: being one day found, and, taking out his writing lofty te materials, he wrote down a journal of all that t item- had happened since his brother C— A — left him, that ft giving a full account of himself, with directions oleofite to whom all his papers and effects were to be hold conveyed. Then he hung up his hammock, and At» thus ended the third day, when, exceedingly the lot happy in the Lord, though hungry and faint in knowiK body, Jesus gave His beloved sleep. The whole , loth of the next day he lived principally on leaves, esffiiifi being afraid to search for berries in the wood c 4 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER lest he should lose his way, and his body lie concealed in the forest ; for he thought it his duty to arrange if possible that his °body and papers might be found, for the satisfaction of his wife and brethren. On the morning of the fifth day he was too weak to leave his hammock or to gather leaves ; persuaded that his hour was now come to leave his body, he commended his spirit to Hun who had loved him and given Himself lor lam, who had given unto him eternal life, and would raise his body at the last day ; he e t that he had life in Him who was risen from the dead, that he could not die, but should rest in Him whom he loved and served, yea, that he should find life in thus losing it. While thus reposing his soul by faith in Jesus’ bosom, he vas staitled by the report of a gun near him; he listened awhile, when he heard a sound of voices on the water; raising himself in his hammock, he percmved on the creek a canoe full of Indians approaching; he then, gathering all his remain- ing strength, shouted and waved his hand ; they hammock ^ 81016 8 “ d a PP roached him in his hammock; he made the signs of hunger, and ‘ 0 “ thelr canoe ready cooked fish refresh his thirst ^Xfte^ ^ *° he told them his’ ™ reviving a little, st oiy, and how he was lost in IN BRITISH GUIANA. 1EY£B md his U 2 thought ; it his ty atisfactioi: ningoffc ' hammed; shoor flu ended hh a given He im eterali 3 last day; ivasriseafii )Ut Shill! Whifetk js’kii nearki undoffi hammodl I with many thanks for his hospitality and liberal assistance to Meyer in his distress. They preached the gospel in many places, and arrived at Kumaka in safety, where the Indians received them gladly. A few miles below Kumaka, at a place called Lana, a German resides, a Mr. a tirnber cutter, in which calling he often employed Indians as well as black people. This person, immediately on ascertaining the purpose ikrefore sought tk Mail villa?* me dollar per n m proffered th for him, which der his own d has little bett liwt flooring short posts driv lath on which such things as are due to hiu sptty evil wcr have ui this subject, h ence, so fearf that tbe assi f ayofneces often distres Nvethe to thought t° be intrus ^onldton IN BRITISH GUIANA. Hi worst theirpB 'hick k hey in readily! to uss abours. n theii liis id rastaiis i four: row 5 way;: irofk, spilt, tress. I ante msift mil. opk I lie pn of their visit to those parts, most kindly offered an unoccupied house for the residence of Meyer and his family, without rent, but this our brother Meyer would in no wise accept, as he desired especially to live with and as the Indians. They therefore sought for, and obtained, a lodging in the Indian village, for which they agreed to pay one dollar per month. The Indians, however, soon proffered their aid in building one expressly for him, which was afterwards accomplished, under his own directions, in the Indian fashion. It was little better than a shed partially enclosed, without flooring ; the bedstead contrived by four short posts driven into the earth, connected by laths, on which their bedding was placed. In such things as these, relative to the necessary care due to himself and family, did our brother especially evince his eccentricity. We may never have understood his peculiar thoughts on this subject, but he was so tenacious of interfer- ence, so fearful of appearing to depend on others, that the assistance Christians proffered in the way of necessaries, whether for food or shelter, often distressed his mind. He did not seem to perceive the Lord caring for him through others, but thought the unasked services of Christians to be intrusions between the Lord and himself. I would touch most gently on subjects connected LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER with his peculiarities, and only do so at all for two reasons ; first, to explain why the sufferings and privations of his family were so great, and secondly, to show how the Lord gave grace to his Christian wife so meekly and zealously to give herself to the work as a true helpmate, unflinchingly, uncomplainingly, yea, rejoicingly! —But chiefly may this narrative set forth the grace of God working so mightily in the devoted zeal of this His own child, who gave himself up so untiringly to the service of the Indians, and certainly did sacrifice his own, his partner’s, and his children’s health, in prosecuting this one desire of his heart, the leading of these children of the wilderness to the Lamb of God. Meyer, having decided in his mind that Kumaka was the place to which the Lord would have him bring his wife and children, made arrangements with Mr. S that his sloop, which was constantly trading to and fro, should convey himself and family, with the effects and provisions the Lord might provide for them, to Kumaka, upon their arrival in New Amsterdam; and the brethren forthwith returned thither in their batteau, from whence, taking their passage in a trader for Demerara, they all arrived safely, full of hope as to the Lord’s blessing on the pro- jected mission. ft should not afd bj oar Lord fk in this, ^ adC-A-,wei pne. Wore, id® through tl filing them u larw, on the thttheseienwi lie hy the la' readily gave upt offelowship in tl wd, 1 may sa kofhrethrei aBerbice.whe in those house Christ, by w mother soul her Lord to although \\ hmilytolc house unti ter IN BRITISH GUIANA. 0 802 ! We should not pass over the grace vouch- safed by our Lord to the dear black brethren 1 sogrs who, in this, as in the last excursion of Meyer gave p and C — A—, were their able and helpful corn- 1 zeal(? panions. Before, in assisting to carry their roe k burdens through the savannah : on this occasion, a,rej(L n paddling them nearly 300 miles, going and set fe returning, on the River Berbice. Remembering In tie i- that these men were supporting themselves and Felt families by the labour of their hands, and thus Iofc readily gave up their valuable time for the joy ! : of fellowship in the gospel service. ; D g A In the strength of the Lord, and borne for- tat ward, I may say, by the prayers and contribu- k], tions of brethren, John Meyer, his dear partner, it and two little girls, set out for New Amsterdam, in Berbice, where Mr. S received them, and [ C ;- in whose house they were detained nearly two . jjjj. weeks, before he left in his sloop for the upper part of the river. I need hardly say that this fa true evangelist lost no opportunity, while thus detained in New Amsterdam, of preaching Jesus Christ, by which it also pleased God to bring another soul to Himself, who is walking with her Lord to this day. I just remark here that ^ although Mr. S allowed Meyer and his jk family to lodge, and himself to preach, in his house until the sloop sailed for Lana, yet LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER lie never attended the gospel preaching then. They had a passage of eight days to Lana, from whence they were forwarded in a punt, or river barge, to Kumaka, where the Indians readily received them, and, conveying their luggage to the liill-top, placed it all safely in the Indian house which they had hired, John Meyer then commenced his labours among these people in the strength of the Lord alone. Friendless and unknown in the river, without the sanction or countenance of any, he had pitched his tent in the midst of this little settlement of Indians, looking up to Him who had said, “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” to prosper his work. Hie habits of the Indians inhabiting Guiana, are purely patriarchal; each nation being divided into families, of whom the patriarch, or grandfather is the acknowledged chief. The Carribean nation (a remnant of those who formerly inhabited the West Indian, or Carri- bean Islands), are located immediately on the coast, the Arrawack claiming the district behind them; the Accaways within these; while further inland, the Macusies, Warrovvs, c., occupy the country. The patriarch of each ami y among the Arrawacks is generally called, IS BR j^tkir inter! u^isibgfflost if spl(dbythecol presided ikBanuDg and ppL lutheei m\ k had ro [rat mere dii Woo, and bet k then the d ids, Some of a great as; Wes having, nfa the instri Amsterdam, ki page, andhai thh the lette to he taught' fcthey thou[ Sows; and 'hdrownan oo light, no Out brot IN BRITISH GUIANA. :teb reacii® to lam Wi Ddiuni iirl «s intbt kk of tin.' in tier )of® )f I: andfR prose' ion it triffii i i I ter f it & k y i of* through their intercourse with the colonists, the Captain. Of all the Indian nations, the Arra- wack is the most docile, and many of them are employed by the colonists in hewing and squaring timber, and are known by English names. All who resided at or near the place, came to them morning and evening for instruction in the gospel. In the evenings he commenced teach- ing them letters, and to read their own language, which he had reduced to writing, having in a great measure discovered its grammatical con- struction, and been very assiduous in acquiring from them the distinct pronunciation of their words. Some of them speaking a little English, were a great assistance. The captain and his brothers having, when boys, been a short time under the instruction of a Missionary at New Amsterdam, knew a little of the English lan- guage, and had also become acquainted a little with the letter of the gospel ; but, alas ! they were only puffed up with pride, and less willing to be taught than the others ; feeling themselves as they thought, already enlightened above their fellows : and still blinded by Satan, ignorant of their own and the world’s sin, there was to them no light, no sweetness in the gospel grace. Our brother John Meyer soon desired the extension of his labours, and buying a small d 2 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER batteau, visited the various settlements upon the river-side. For some distance below Kumaka, as well as for miles further up the river, at short distances from each other, the traveller will light upon small hamlets of two or three houses, a few yards only from the river’s brink, inhabi- ted by the members of one family. These places he used frequently to visit, and speak to the people in their own tongue, the gospel of the grace of God. For some time he used regularly every other Sunday, to visit a place six or seven miles below Kumaka, where many black and coloured families lived. There he would preach the gospel, and teach the children ; but when some few of them believed and turned to the Lord, and the call to godly living rebuked and exposed the evil conduct of the majority, Satan stined up much bitter enmity against the word, and, of course, against him who preached it. It was but a few months after he had taken up his abode at Kumaka, that a chief woman of the Indians there, the widow of the former Captain, was pricked to the heart for her sin, and, finding peace through the blood of Jesus, confessed she had now in Him all that her soul desiied , she was baptized and received into ow ship. The conversion of this dear Indian WaS the commencement of God’s work among them, and the succor in the soi them. Hi (u hers followed 1 nephew ai Indian lan delivered 1 of God, ai who had 1 with the ( of the tribe were bapti the power spirit of er Captain am superior kn notconside ship; and enemies. In them to reach, \ the last A and while t Christ, ant young Indi, inthemids IN BRITISH GUIANA. orb them, and was, also, God’s great provision for the succouring of Mrs. Meyer and her children in the sore hardships that soon pressed upon them. Her name was Catherine ; her present (i. e. her second) husband, named Thomas, soon followed her to the feet of Jesus, then her nephew and niece, then a sorcerer, or, in the Indian language, a Pehiman , being blind, was delivered from the power of Satan by the word of God, and, confessing to Jesus as his Lord, who had washed away his sins, was baptized with the others. Not long after, nine others of the tribe who lived at Kumaka, believed and were baptized. Satan, now trembling under the power of Christ in His word, stirred up the spirit of envy and jealousy in the hearts of the Captain and his brother, seeing that with their superior knowledge, as they thought, they were not considered Christians, or allowed in fellow- ship ; and from henceforth they became avowed enemies. In the mean time our brother Meyer contrived to reach, partly in his batteau, partly on foot, the last Arraw'ack settlement called “ Manaka,” and while he was there, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, and warning of judgment to come, a young Indian (a Pehiman or sorcerer), who sat in the midst of the company, cried out, “Kid- LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER ivan, kidwcin ,” which in their language signifies “It is true, it is true ! ’’ being equivalent to “I believe, I believe ! ” This also proved the power of God to his salvation, and he was soon after baptized. Our brother, continuing his visits to this place, in a few months after nine more were received, seven women and two men, one of the women being of the Accaway nation. These visits of Meyer to Manaka were attended with much toil and risk, being undertaken by him alone, in a very small batteau, the navigation being dangerous, owing to the rapid tides, the numerous stumps of trees, and sometimes, large floating logs, his tiny and frail vessel would have to encounter ; especially as the intense heat ren- deied it necessary he should journey by night. At those times he would paddle seven hours without a rest; and often, just as sinking into sleep, the paddle would have slipped from his grasp, he would be awakened by the night bird’s scream, an alligator’s plunge, or a tree falling into the stream, and, thanking God for his pre- servation, cheerfully press on his way. When the tide turned, unable to proceed against the current, he would fasten his canoe to a tree, and wait the returning water ; and, stretched in the 0 ki s little barque, seek refreshment from his weariness in sleep. He remai weeks, on l IriogOD wl Meed, they with him wl y been coi « their cams Mjsomet: fi in hooting, in some parts, if pheasant, t ^oodyj Be P«cary, or wii ttaderthek Twelve mon wsieeping.ro ^ shutten IN BRITISH GUIANA. 1'EB ivaler. > proid (Hieti; Dntiniib? ths k andtu: mix lerejis ndertae leuiij id life etki liii 8 to f N mi iiife: Ik iMis k rtof f; 1 Jiki i (TESl din ’refto He remained generally two, sometimes three, weeks, on his visits to Manaka, inhabiting an Indian hut, without chimney or flooring, and living on whatever fare the Indians gave him. Indeed, they had always been ready to share with him whatever they had ; but until they had been converted to God, and then found pleasure for the Lord’s sake, in communicating of their carnal things to him who taught them spiritual things, he never received without giving something in return. Their provision was pre- carious, sometimes cassava bread alone, though generally with fish, and at times, when success- ful in hunting, with meat. Wild game abounded in some parts, consisting of Birds, — two species of pheasant, the anaquois, and small maroody, two species of turkey, the parvis, and large maroody ; Beasts, — two kinds of deer, the peccary, or wild hog, the tapir, and water horse, each a species of the hippopotamus, — the lobba, and the acouti ; they also feed on monkeys, and consider the large baboon a dainty. Twelve months of Indian life had nearly passed away, when our sister Meyer was safely delivered of a little boy ; but the exposure ol her sleeping-room to the night air, having neither shutters nor glass for the windows, nor door to close up the entrance, the earth itself LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER for her chamber floor, caused her so to suffer that her life was despaired of. She became delirious, and, at length, insensible from weak- ness, and was considered irrecoverable. The old Indian sister, Catherine, who, with all the care she could, watched over her, had left the house in distress, never expecting her to wake again, when it pleased the Lord to revive her • S 16 was alone ’ and before her memory could recal her present situation, her eyes rested upon a large serpent, suspended from the beam inane- diately over her head ; she screamed faintly, and Catherine rushed to the chamber, and, perceiving the leptile, called the Indians to their assistance, w 10 succeeded in making it retreat to the forest, the fear of injuring Mrs. Meyer in her low state deterring them from despatching it with their guns. he Lord having so far restored her, the ndians administered those remedies and restora- tives which experience had shown to be often efficacious ; on this occasion a decoction from the root of the cotton tree proved most bene- bcial so that the mother and infant were spared. Severn 7 ® , hlthert0 . forborne to mention many dren w "** 3 t0 Wh ' Ch Me ff er > bis wife, and chil- ven.-’o eie exposed; especially on their first troubir 3 I" 06 ^ Kumaka - T hough seldom with musquitoes, they were subjected loasoreplai at some seasc smoke can de wild beimj ioase with sc remedy itself 1 ifalesprei IS, lUOUgll k grass. I 0 C been drireD bat attempt to expl ie children. WerC-A- k little bo j wa durable condii to® so inflai Stitts blind. 1 % #m trie IN BRITISH GUIANA. fEB r ' 5: to a sore plague of very small flies, from which, ^ at some seasons of the year, nothing but a thick smoke can deliver you ; myriads of them occupy- ing your eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, so that it Wit would be impossible to eat, did they not fill the Wls house with smoke by burning damp grass, — the teii remedy itself being evil enough. These dimin- reriij, utive flies prevail at certain seasons in the sandy emorr places, and to such a grievous extent, that it is ! rests!; nearly impossible to walk at all over the sandy bic plains, though they are generally covered with I fair long grass. I speak from experience, having Ijiat- been driven back nearly blinded by them in an ra attempt to explore the open country behind the otki village of Kumaka. The Chigoe fleas are also ■rldi very numerous there, and all of them, especially iiti the children, suffered much from these little gdfe insects burrowing and laying their eggs in the udnl flesh of their feet and toes. Indeed, when our ) y brother C — A — visited them, which he did before {jgi the little boy was born, walking across the coun- try from Demerara river, he found them in a deplorable condition with their eyes, which had j 0D j become so inflamed from the irritation of the nil little flies, that for some time the children were entirely blind. Thus were their faith and con- \i stancy soon tried, and they had not only to i; believe, but suffer for His sake. 7 LABOURS OF JOHN METER Our dear brother, C— A— ’s visit was most opportune, and exceedingly refreshing to them all at this time, though at a great cost of toil and danger to himself in tracking the wilderness from one river to the other without guide or path to follow ; but having some of the Lord’s bounty through His children to carry for them, and feeling strongly impelled in spirit to under’ take the journey, he, committing himself to the Lord’s care, -set off with three black brethren, and by the help of a pocket compass, keeping a due east course, from a part of Demerara river he deemed parallel with Kumaka, after four days’ severe walking, and resting under trees at noon, —came out on the Berbice within a mile of that village, which they soon reached. They were mutually refreshed with each other’s company, and brother C— A— rejoiced much through all their troubles and discomforts, when he sat down before the Lord among the Indians and blacks on the first day of the week, to commem- orate the Saviour’s love, and “show forth His death until He come.” Truly he felt that the su enngs of the wilderness are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in t lough unable to speak in the Arravvack 2’ ! he L ° rd fiIled his he a« and opened his 1 °" ard the assembly of believers, ejts he rejoici itoverepartaki irimow happy gib back, ao( M for evil, and lairfor his fiery dearies in soi traded the won After our bro tb, which he any enemies rc ’b labours, H constant ®ly promise Mo had al “Mete iiOjindtl; IN BRITISH GUIANA. JiU; and as he rejoiced in his fellowship with those ^ who were partaking of the same loaf, he compared their now happy state with what they were a few le ^ ; months back, and what those then were who still Qt e* rejected the great salvation, and neglected to wash ! ■ their robes in the Saviour’s blood. All this being ^ interpreted to the Indian brethren, comforted and established their hearts, while Satan, ever watch- ful for evil, and finding our natural hearts so ^ W ready for his fiery darts, stirred up such jealousies and envies in some, who till then had regularly imw attended the word, that they went back offended, erfe as though they were despised and the others tsii chosen. After our brother, C — A — , returned from Tig them, which he did, through mercy, in safety, many enemies rose up against John Meyer and fe his labours. Having discovered that an Indian ien :: woman, constantly attending his preaching, had d& recently promised her daughter to a coloured OfE man, who had already one Indian wife and two rk children, he besought her not to sacrifice her ilttii child so ; and that if she valued her own soul, or orth! her daughter’s, she would pause, and consider if reraii an y thing but misery could result from such an sAnn un ion. This so stirred the enmity of the man in op question, that he more than once threatened the '}& life of Meyer. Moreover, such evil reports were E LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER L\ spread of him as a deceiver of the Indians, and making them his servants, that the magistrate of the river, giving heed to them, warned Meyer to quit the house he lived in, as none but Indians were the legal occupants of the soil, without a license from the Government. Upon this the sister Catherine took them, with their children, into a house of her own, the best she had ; and, from that time, they abandoned the other. The Indian brethren, alarmed by the magistrate’s interference, were seriously meditating a retreat with Meyer into the parts distant from the river; but while they waited on the Lord in prayer for direction, Meyer visited the magistrate, explain- ing his position, and simple labours with the gospel, among the Indians. The magistrates heart was now turned ; and, perceiving he had been wronged, henceforth became his protector and friend. Thus did the good Lord defend and protect His servant. After this Satan stirred up very bitter enemies among the unconverted Indians. An Indian brother, named Frederick, having, in his heathen condition, committed his children to the sole care of the Captain and his brother, mentioned above, brother Meyer showed him his responsibility to God concerning these, his children ; that God had given them to his care, and now that the 1 jiU hough gin Christ, he j »Jesas also. Fi I fer said, and , ^:ver his childr ita, a little g j siiiktrothedw Md,with i J idian indignantl 1 k time their hai fer never cease j Poor Frederick life lather; bat ^ and his broth si; when, lo! Ms arm, Fi fe sickened, ant Hjp of these wit H hath said, ^ own right, a: the evil to c< fc sudden de Madamanil S as also no doubt ^His grace, ^in saving tb Lil IN BRITISH GUIANA. I Lord had brought him to himself, and given him % life in Christ, he must seek to lead his children neil to Jesus also. Frederick felt the truth of all that Meyer said, and became extremely anxious to recover his children from these men. Alas! one poDt> of them, a little girl, was given up to the Captain M as his betrothed wife, according to Indian custom, lie Ini- This child, with a younger brother, the enraged ofe, , Indian indignantly refused to restore, and from map that time their hatred and active enmity against tioji Meyer never ceased. omtk Poor Frederick succeeded in recovering his in pii- eldest son, John Bart, who left them, and came rate,? to his father ; but the little girl and boy the Cap- irsir. tain and his brother determined, at all costs, to detain ; when, lo ! before them all the Lord made [Tin ft hare His arm. First, the little girl, then the little his {« hoy, sickened, and died. Both faded out of the dfe grasp of these wicked and determined men, and He who hath said, “ All souls are mine,” asserted life* His own right, and took both these little ones k from the evil to come. ni The sudden death of these children, at this itks ^ me > had a manifest effect on the minds of the ithmsi believers, as also on many others around ; and p there is no doubt but that God brought several D; tiS lo own Ilis grace. Especially let us remark His dots hand in saving the eldest of Frederick’s children, LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER IX who escaped to his father, and survived ; for he is breaking bread with the saints, and walking with God bj faith at this day. Thus did the Lord manifest His sympathy with His servant Meyer, and His word spoken by him, and reprove before them all this great sin of the flesh “ with- out natural affection.” I have mentioned that John Meyer had been in the habit, when at Kumaka, of visiting a place some seven miles further down the river, every other Sunday, keeping also a school there after gospel preaching. In these visits he always carried with him his wife and children. It was a hazardous journey with them all in an open bateau ; and now that an infant was added to their company he procured a larger and a covered boat for their better conveyance. In order to accomplish this, he parted with what is generally considered an almost necessary instrument, — a watch, a gold watch, belonging to his wife. I believe that liis peculiar views and feelings con- cerning the possession of anything composed of this precious metal, rendered him always uneasy at her having in her keeping so un-Indian, though so useful, an article. However, it was well indeed that for it he procured the comfort and safety of a better boat. Several persons, chiefly blacks, ^ ere turned to the Lord at this place, and not- I d'.anding the I ifjiice of our i sir in the nei ■Tm, fiercer Jolir ittmpanies of I 1 tony?, some j jie between ta he diligent 1 asr own tongue j brack, and c j « Scripture into 1 Beil small prii iM him with limed hymns, p< ttaries of Arraw ] '^conjugations ( ] ’baths of the ^ tow of New l k When th j of saving s fytointhet j ^ distributed 1 ^wrysin | ^ being chie j K the blessing j ^tashisea j ^valkand E IN BRITISH GUIANA. W'| tfei withstanding the increasing opposition of some, the grace of our Lord Jesus abounded towards many in the neighbourhood, especially among Indians. Wherever John Meyer lighted in his journeys on companies of Indians, whether Arrawacks or Accaways, some believed. He chiefly divided his time between Kumaka and Manaka, at which places he diligently taught the Indians to read their own tongue, composed hymns to Jesus in Arrawack, and commenced translating portions of Scripture into that language. At Kumaka he used a small printing-press a brother had fur- nished him with in Demerara, by which he printed hymns, portions of Scripture, and voca- bularies of Arrawack words and sentences, with the conjugations of verbs, as he learnt them from the mouths of the natives. Sometimes he visited the town of New Amsterdam, to procure neces- saries. When there he seemed burning with the desire of saving souls. He preached in the mar- ket-place in the day, in a house in the evening, and distributed large numbers of gospel tracts. He was very simple concerning the world, his mind being chiefly occupied with the love of God, the blessings of salvation, the hope of glory, and it was his earnest desire to carry out literally in his walk and conversation all the words and e 2 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER IN commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ. His often failure, through mental infirmities, caused him continual distress and humiliation; and with many groans, and tears, and prayers, did he “ press on to the mark of his high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Shortly after he had procured the covered boat, the calumnies of enemies were such that here- solved his wife and family should always accom- pany him on his visits to Manaka ; and hence came much trouble and suffering to the wife and children. Manaka lay two days’ journey higher up the liver, and between three and four miles from the water side. The creek, by which this Indian settlement was connected with the river, being impervious, through the luxuriant growth of trees and rank grass, they could only reach it on foot, carrying their baggage with them ; while the path, leading through a swamp, was often up to their middle in water ; so that sometimes after being two nights out in the boat, they had to con- clude their journey— mother, and infant boy, with two little girls, by wading a considerable way through mud and water to their humble abode. This consisted of a conical shaped hut, with a small niched entrance. A partition across the centre, with an open door-way, formed an inner eeping apartment, in the wall of which was a si aperture f< aarst aparfmer meal co siloed for thn ] liotava t rier Meyer m I Eying forth tl ay gospel to iMhererelt Kover this fan) \k!i and gloom Slight, safely mo I Ini. Meyer an J ng their hanmx I ffirired with p; | nh her babe, an S, the mother, y herself tc ^hflteonld n % e wat hi “fctat, she access, a: IN BRITISH GUIANA. 5 ^ r - small aperture for a window. On the floor of the first apartment the fire was lighted, and the lonjiuj simple meal cooked. Here they generally remained for three weeks at a time, living on 5 : : fish and cassava bread ; and from hence did our brother Meyer make many important excursions, WT0K carrying forth the Bread of Heaven in the h M preached gospel to distant settlements of Indians, tw'ajsfc I shall here relate two instances of the Lord’s ;uh care over this family on these journeys. It was the r a dark and gloomy night w^hen the boat, thus mfit freighted, stopped at high water, and was, as they Ifart thought, safely moored to the trees on the river’s Flic brink. Meyer and the Indians had landed to htk? hang their hammocks beneath a shelter hastily antp contrived with palm leaves, while the mother, iIjh. with her babe, and two little girls, remained in lem.r the boat to sleep. Having put her children to a it rest, the mother, wearied with her journey, com- liu j mending herself to the Lord’s protection, laid her uh; down, but could not sleep. Finding the Indians’ [>;• fishing gear at hand, the fish being abundant jji near the boat, she tried the fishing for an hour fob without success, and again sought sleep in vain ; it she then sat up, and looking at the boat, perceived gpt it falling over on its side, and that the stump of 0 a tree, which ihe water had covered when the tide was high, was, now that the water had much LABOURS OF JOIIN MEYER ~7 fallen, protruded beneath the cover of the boat, and was on the point of oversetting her, with the children, into the river. She cried for help, and the Indians were but just in time to save their lives. Notwithstanding this, again were the mother and the children’s lives jeopardized; while Meyer and the Indian crew, wearied with their lengthened exertions, having tied the boat to the shore, hung up their hammocks to the trees and slept, leaving the mother and children in the boat. They were all in sound sleep, when, the river’s bank being steep, and the tide falling, the boat fell over to the deep side, and had not one of the children, falling from the seat into the boat, by its cries awakened the mother, who called the Indians to the rescue, they had all been drowned. But, as the mother says, the angel of the Lord encampeth round about His people, and these repeated deliverances increased hei confidence in Him, rather than awakened her fears at 'danger. I will here, for the encouragement of all in the Lord’s service, and with gratitude for His pre- set ing mercies to this His servant, introduce a few circumstances of danger and deliverance, as 1 elated by Mrs. Meyer, and which occurred during ier 1 evidence of four years and a half among these Inmans, and thus let her speak for herself. T Sbibihces ,ij luggage wind raj gifte earth, rthat ma< tthirc, which parj, knowing i s rattle-snake, id to the Lord shire it away, Ace in my nied forward, a •d the foot of IN BRITISH GUIANA. rofd ;l) err Deliverances from Poisonous Snakes. 1 “ Arriving late one evening at Manaka, carry* tosaif ing my luggage to the sleeping-room, while 111 ** passing round my little bedstead, which was jeopni fixed in the earth, I touched with my foot on Mark something that made a noise. Being too busy to Will! notice it, I returned again for more things, when, iocb: passing the same spot, I pushed my foot upon the md# same thing, which gave out a sound terrible to' sleep, my ears, knowing it to be the deadly warning of tM the rattle -snake. I could hardly speak, and iodk looked to the Lord my help. My husband, who eatiar was in the outer apartment, called to the Indians Dtk to drive it away. I motioned silence, and with ejk confidence in my Lord Jesus, taking a light, :as walked forward, and placed it on the ground, ak: when it shone full on a large rattle-snake, coiled lines round the foot of the bedstead, and which the fail Lord, though I had twice pushed it with my foot, restrained from striking me with its deadly venom, alii: An Indian then brought his gun, and shot it at Si the place. “Another time, on arriving there, we found a use hole in the earth underneath our bed, where the life- snakes dwelt, and went up and down, and which : we were afraid to disturb. After two or three { i days they left the house ; but can you imagine LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER I N ray feelings, and temptations to fear, when obliged to step out of ray bed at night in the dark to attend the dear children sleeping in their ham- mocks i n the next apartment ? Yet the conscious- ness of God’s keeping us, in whose blessed service we were engaged, and who had kept us in so many dangers, strengthened my heart, so that I could go boldly forward trusting in Him, as well as not loving our lives unto death, if it were His will. At this same place (Manaka), there was a small creek, where I used to bathe the children, and wash our clothes. I was there one evening washing, with the children around me. As I hung a cloth on a small tree, a large and deadly snake* erected his head close to my hand. I called to the children to go behind me, and retreated slowly, with my face to the irritated reptile. As I receded from him he moved slowly away. “ When at Kumaka, in our first house, with the baby in my arms, hearing a noise in the thatch over my head, I quickly stepped out of the door, when a large snake dropped at my feet, and fled without hurting me. In the same house a poisonous snake, of the same kind, met me at time I was m a snake, of ling op, put h fed, and retreat aib, in the ac is? bed-room, I k not seeing ad, and follow id fastening hi Deliver! its T^ S v iu( * * s ve ? ^ formidable, noted for ’ 1 c > when disturbed, immediately assails you. 'One evening, i i Man girl, an mt ten m 1 in the act o aasccoontable h »igh I was in c Sestrong was the sign any siren as the ^ the house, at the ye and chiidr IN BRITISH GUIANA. •Tee t> wlied n Dei in tfe 'theci® blessdi kept Qj; art, sit Him,® fit its tbf M one?! m i mils ]k Jei iciis da m sea: it tBI? KM rift *? the entrance of my bed-room, and, turning round, left me unharmed, after touching my foot. An- other time I was taking pork out of a barrel, when a snake, of the same venomous species, climbing up, put his head with my hand into the barrel, and retreated without harm. Again, at Kumaka, in the act of opening a shutter of leaves in my bed-room, I put my hand upon a poisonous snake, not seeing it ; he went out upon the ground, and following him, I struck him with a shovel, fastening him to the earth.” Deliverances from Tigers. “ One evening, at Manaka, I went with Clara an Indian girl, and the children, to wash in a creek about ten minutes’ walk from the huts. While in the act of washing my children, I felt an unaccountable horror come over my spirit, as though I was in danger, and could not escape. So strong was the feeling, that, without being able to assign any reason, I hurried away with the children as they were ; and scarcely had we reached the house, when we heard the tiger’s cry and howl at the very spot. “After this, at the same place (Manaka), we were all aroused in the night by the cries of men, women, and children. We heard shouting, as of LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER some wild animal being chased, and the report of a gun, with the voices of men, made us rejoice to think the Indians had killed a tapir, or some forest game. In the morning we were called to see a large tiger, which John, one of the brethren from Kumaka, had shot, after it had killed a dog and a fowl, and was in the act of taking from a hammock a child, with whom a woman wa3 sleeping. The shaking of the hammock awoke her, and seeing the tiger, she cried out in terror, which aroused all the men ; he was shot by John before he could escape. Our three children were sleeping in their hammocks in the outer room, with no door to secure the entrance, and the beast, prowling for his prey, might as easily have come in there ; but no, surrounded with dangers, and all kinds of hurtful insects, we were never harmed, except through the sufferings and trials that came from the position we had purposely taken, of dwelling as the Indians, to gain their full confidence, and win their souls for Jesus by the word. LeSon dwell)’ Linthis world, lansmuch from fertr, who being 1 igab of this mi i^enl in the w Ctt kkforementi it- A — , sctrr which lay 1 ttlie. Sincf Btosee os in and several “ Many more signal deliverances I could relate to show the perfect power of God, and that He can keep alive anywhere. Oh ! what a blessed God we have, who hears and answers prayer, v horn we know as our Father in our Saviour Jesus, and have the Holy Spirit from the Father H^ereinc to US u IN BRITISH GUIANA. ^ e l and the Son dwelling in us. Is not this, though eB 4 poor in this world, to be rich for ever ?” Rtf feB( / Thus much from our sister in the Lord, Mrs. 'kk Meyer, who being now delivered from the pecu- [ft, ‘ liar trials of this mission of grace to the Indians, ic is still sustained and comforted by her gracious m Shepherd in the wilderness, waiting our Lords m^ F return, and doing His will. nth lotto life mtffi W CHAPTER III. dji tlfc I have before mentioned a visit of love paid them m by C A , journeying across the wild \dz country which lay between the rivers Demerara and Berbice. Since then our brother Meyer had been to see us in Demerara, coming over by Js water; and several brethren had also been over to him in the same way, carrying provisions and oils contributions with them. I would now speak of It another overland journey that our dear brother C A undertook, and successfully accom- plished afterwards, when John Meyer and his jp family were in great need, a circumstance totally $ unknown to us. Their provision spent, no LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER nr money to procure food from the town, or from their neighbours on the river, the Indians absent on a hunting excursion, with literally nothin, but a little cocoa left, they were rejoiced, just as the sun was setting, to perceive brother C A , with three black brethren, making their way to their habitation after a journey of three a f S ; A was tIle bearer of des- patches and greetings from us all, with the bounty of the Lord, £5 sterling, in dollars, from our well -known Christian friend and brother, Geo Muller, of Bristol. But the bearer of this bounty, with Ins company, was weary and hungry having nothing left of his provision by the way bu a little sugar, to which Meyer added the last o his cocoa ; and of this they were in the act of partaking, with thankfulness, as all they could procure, when the Lord, who knew of their need, and the coming of their hungry friends, had, two hours before, g.ven the Christian Indians, for a oZrt a 7 t!lPU '’ hdf ° f Which the y n ow most tiT 1/ i T Wlth ’ 8nd Which ’ in a short Indiln ° 1 l where the Indian H 2 w u LABOURS OF JOHN METER brethren remained with us more than two weeks, and quite endeared themselves to the church there by their humble and holy deportment. After which time, our brother C A , and his crew of black brethren, returned with them. Retracing the burned forest, they found their bateau, with its contents, quite safe. In- deed, tho Indians never disturb or purloin from each other’s canoes, or huts, if they light upon them deserted ; a sort of mutual compact seems to be observed among them, and to be kept inviolate. Thus are they enabled to leave their few possessions as safely in the open wilderness as within the bars of a strong-hold. About this time, our sister Meyer, with those at Kumaka, were daily expecting the return of C A and his party ; and, from a scarcity of provisions, such as fish, or game, of any sort, were in much perplexity. The brethren were out every day, but without success in procuring more than barely satisfied themselves and families. So much did they feel this, that they had special prayer that the Lord would provide for their expected travellers. When the Indians were at P H , I had presented John, a faithful young Christian Indian (the man who shot the tiger, as mentioned by our sister Meyer, in a former chapter), with a new gun and ammuni- tion after the] ^ swiftly desi ^ Indians obser s the water ; nfei in pursui 0L with the d\ 4 wa stater, under .^bottom of tb sud a loaded Mi, marked M above k aiming b iitfctofcleav faugh the b tk Indians, t m, manai obtained lied the th ) id’s hand unhold His sting it, otlhren foi IN BRITISH GUIANA. tion ; thus bad they two or three with them on their return. Soon after they had taken to their bateau, and were swiftly descending the Wairooney creek, the Indians observed the recent track of a tapir from the water side. Two of them instantly landed in pursuit ; while C A , in the bateau, with the others, floated gently onwards. They soon heard by their shouts the game was roused; and, watching, saw a large tapir take the water, under which he dived, to walk across the bottom of the creek. C A , having seized a loaded gun which lay near him in the bateau, marked the tapir as he raised his snout and head above water to gain the opposite bank, when aiming behind his shoulder as he was in the act of cleaving the stream, he shot the animal through the heart with a ball, to the delight ot the Indians, who, securing and dissecting the carcase, managed to convey the whole of it to Kumaka, where they arrived, to the great joy of their expecting friends, that night. The meat thus obtained plentifully supplied them all, and caused the thanksgiving of many, who saw the Lord’s hand in it ; who, though He seeme to withhold His aid from those who were so eager y seeking it, gave it unsought to those \eiy brethren for whose sakes they Meie desmng LABOURS OF JOHN METER Just as our brother, C A , was depart- ing from Lana, on his return to Demerara, he received the pleasing intelligence that, in the Lord’s goodness, our sister Meyer had safely given birth to a little girl ; and, about a month after, she plainly saw it to be the path of duty to relinquish her Indian life, and, with her children, seek refreshment, and, if the Lord might grant it, repose, and better health, with her Christian brethren at Demerara. Her affections and feel- ings of deep interest in the welfare of the Indians were so strong, it was not without a hard strug- gle that she left Kumaka, believing it, on many accounts, to be her path of duty now. The Lord had taken from her head His servant, whose most faithful helpmate in the work she had proved herself in many trials, and her work there seemed over. Eighteen months after her removal, during which time the Indians visited her in Demerara several times, she followed the writer of these memoirs to England, where she still resides, with her children, putting her trust in God. It remains now merely to show that the work of God, by His servant Meyer, standeth firm in the wilderness, through Him on whom it is all built ; and that like the Eunuch, though their Philip is caught away from them, they can go on IN jtay rejoic sybeseen froi *;nd power ii ffte in the t t away from siiththe ho a intelligent, mfortable resi imfited the - ;body and spei 'k for a tesl ^having nykntol to bateau, ■ driver it iad intoxicate inland ■fjfc.atl aim® an y ^ully ft tat Wired tl ^aud,i e IN BRITISH GUIANA. their way rejoicing. That they still hold the Head, from whom the whole body is nourished, may be seen from the following facts. There are life and power in them to resist evil, and walk together in the truth. They have of themselves put away from among them evil persons, and this with the hope and prayer for their repent- ance and recovery. Their first acts of discipline were upon Indians, but one was upon a Mulatto, an intelligent, well-educated man. Having a comfortable residence, and many neighbours, he had invited the Indians from Kumaka to come in a body and spend the first day of the week with him, for a testimony to those, his neighbours. They having consented to this, were on their way down to his place on Saturday evening, in their bateau, when they observed him passing on the river in a boat, with many people, noisy and intoxicated. Upon this they immediately returned, and reporting what they had seen to Mr. S , spent the first day, and broke bread together, at Lana. It is pleasing indeed to know that long since the person in question has been deeply humbled and penitent, and was then cheerfully received back into communion by his Indian brethren. Two of the sisters (Indians) had hired themselves out to work for a white man, and, according to the evil custom pievail- ■ LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER IN ing, were persuaded to take part payment in rum, and had become intoxicated. As they worked and lived apart from the others on this occasion, the church could not have known of their evil, but their own consciences condemning them before the Lord, they confessed to their sin with deep contrition, before the whole church, refusing to sit at communion until restored by the sympathy and entreaties of their brethren, who showed them what they had learnt, that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive, and cleanse from all unright- eousness.” Within the last year they have moved from Kumaka, as also several from Manaka with them, and planted new fields, and erected huts, on the banks of the Wairooney. They have had many trials since, of different kinds ; some have fallen away, and more than twelve have slept in Jesus since the Lord took His servant, John Meyer. But, perhaps, it will be most satisfac- tory here to insert the last letter received from our brother, C A , who, in his perse- vering zeal and love to the Indians, has visited them many times since ; sometimes with much sorrow, but, as the reader will perceive by the following letter, at length with joy and hope. As this last visit was paid to them expressly in response to an invitation sent over by the Indian ierine, « first to ins 0weretw( v.joftfe river (jS — and 1 Copt 01 “I send :ik Lord, tin ikJitin m fc tliis, to tj'slite weath as, we had my, If yoi Job, we shai Mi name wj write an tem,and we feliother 1 liforhrotl its to liear ; fey, i IN BRITISH GUIANA. Catherine, and Mr. S , I think it will be better first to insert copies of their letters. The bearers were two Indian brethren, who came by way of the river and sea, bringing letters from Mr. S and Catherine. Copt of Catherine’s Letter. “ Dear Brother, « I send you these few lines by the hand of our brother J ohn, hoping that, by the blessing of the Lord, they may find you all in good health. I had it in my mind to send or write to you before this, but after removing from Kumaka, and the weather favourable for planting provi- sions, we had no time to send any of the brothers away. If you can come at once with brother John, we shall all be so glad to see you in the Lord’s name ; if you cannot come at present, pray write and say when you can be in Berbice town, and we will send a boat to wait upon you. I send four quakes of yams, one for yourself, one for brother T , one for brother J C , one for brother H C • I always feel anx- ious to hear from you with the love I hold lor the Lord. No more to say, but remain “Your sister in Christ, “ Catherine.” LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER Cofy OF Mr. S- -’s Letter. “ Dear Brother, “ Sister Catherine, I understand, is sending John to you, and I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without writing you a few lines to say that, in the Lord’s goodness, we are all healthy and well, with the hope that the Lord is thus blessing you. I had hoped we should have been blessed with a visit from you ere this, because when you left for Demerara it was with the intention of soon returning. I assure you I long for you, and always in my humble prayers ask, if it may please the Lord, to grant you to us. Sister Catherine asked me for my small punt, which I have lent her, but were I sure of your coming, I should have sent my corial, and if you can state the time, I will send it to meet you in town. We have, through the Lord’s blessing, met in His name every first day of the week since your departure ; but with a sorrowful heart I say it, I do not feel that grace which I wish and hope, and pray to the blessed Lord for, in order to be empowered for speaking the words of the Holy Spirit, so as to produce on the hearers fruit for the Lord. Surely I need much grace from the Lord for this, but the Lord will give it in His time. From our Manaka brethren I have $ gone to rest •jnied to siste s&lna). A oMtketi C — A — ik letters be ^ brother B ' doming, s tetter Geo. lariat, an 1 ticlno ‘lybel “1 tom our i comment I kart; it its author e IN BRITISn GUIANA. heard that Mabaka’s wife, Lenky, with her child, has gone to rest in the Lord. Brother John is married to sister Cecilia, and John, the elder, to Caroline (alias, to give the Indian names, Quipas to Kalma). Now receive my love in the Spirit, and greet the brethren in Demerara, from your brother in Christ, “ j S .” On the receipt of these letters arose a difficulty, the expense needed for the journey. Brother q ’s means being quite low, he laid the letters before the Lord, and felt it good to see brother B at the Craig, who was glad at his coming, since he had just received aid from brother Geo. Muller, and gave him ten dollars. Thus enabled for the journey, he soon set out on his visit, and, on his return from the Indians, penned the following cheering account, with which we will close this recoid. “ My beloved Sister in the Lord, « I took down the enclosed letter for you from our sister Catherine in Arrawack and afterwards translated it into English. itt c comment is needed on this simple language of her heart ; it will speak volumes to you, who know its author, but it may be gratifying to you this I ”7 LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER further testimony, that she grows in grace, and I am persuaded also the others are growing spiritually, the Lord be praised. I spent a happy time among them. We were mutually refreshed, comforted, and strengthened, and I felt more liberty than on any previous occasion. I dwelt almost exclusively among them, and much enjoyed our every evening meeting. I felt great freedom in applying truth to their consciences, and earnestly exhorting them to give their hearts more unreservedly to the Lord. Two more families have come from Manaka to reside with them in their new place, viz., Bona- parte, bis wife, and children, and Curtis and his family. Bonaparte desired baptism, but we all thought it better to test his sincerity awhile, by delaying to gratify his wish. Many strangers from the Indians came to hear in the evening. Part of Romans viii. being read and explained, some of them said, ‘It is true, we live here a little only to groan away our lives ; there is nothing better for us than to believe God’s word, and look for that good place where there is no groaning and dying.’ The Lord grant they may turn to Him ! I have, in a former letter, repre- sented this little church of Indians as a field in the midst of the forest, cleared of its native growth, and planted with exotics, which, after IN BRITISH GUIANA. the planter has reaped his crop, is destined to be abandoned and lost again, and covered with its native weeds, as though it had never been. But this, my last visit, has given rise to the hope that the Lord might continue the cultivation, perhaps, up to the time of His Second Advent (as the time is short), and get a succession of crops, and open more fields. I need not say what my hope is grounded upon, when, in addition to that related above, I now state that John Bart, the son of Frederick, has been to the joy of all, but especially of Catherine, added to the number of believers, and received by us into communion, after much prayer and examination. Thomas, Catherine, Tobias, and.Quipas, at my request, questioned him, as also myself ; and we all came to the conclusion that he ought to be received. When I suggested his waiting yet a little time before he was baptized, the youth told Catherine he should not object if we all thought it right ; but he felt that by thus openly confessing to Christ at once, he should have more strength from Him to battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, than if still neglecting the sign of what he firmly believed the Lord to have done for him. Accordingly, the last Saturday I was with them, we all went down to the creek side, and John Bart was baptized, to the joy of all. Uie tol- LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER lowing day he broke bread with us at Lana, and it gave joy in the Lord among all the saints then assembled, Indians, white, coloured, and black. We have good hopes of Bonaparte and others ; and also that other Indians will come from the savannahs, and cast in their lot among them. Indeed, I repeat it, my last visit, although we did not go up to Manaka, has quite revived my spirit as to these dear souls. “ Some of my leisure hours spent among them v T ere devoted to the rendering of Arrawack hymns into English, partly for my own profit as to communion with them in singing, and partly that I might be able to apply the truths they contain to their consciences. I am now making a fair copy of dear brother Meyer’s dictionary and grammar. I have spoken to J B about going up to Matara (their new settlement), knowing that his presence and ministry would be acceptable to them; but in doing it I avoided giving him an arm of flesh to lean upon. He might teach them English ; and being, as I believe, a happy Christian, might lead them on, and assist them much in building them up in our most holy faith. We shall be able to locate him on brother S ’s land, which lies near Matara. This latter brother’s trials and temptations in his calling still continue, and are IN BRITISH GUIANA. great hindrances to him. The last Sunday I spent there he appeared much humbled and happy ; he spoke from Scripture in Creole Dutch, and prayed in English. I purpose, if spared, to sketch out a map of the river, and mark the places I am acquainted with. I conclude, in much Christian love, “ Your unworthy brother, C A . Copy of Catherine’s Letter, in Arrawack. “Danshishia wabo dahukito Adaiahoeli oloko, “ Hehei kidohani ephirito Koushishi Adaiahoeli. Mainbunato Kanshihi Adaiahoeli. daluwamuni dai akonshiha Adaiahoeli. Dai akonshiha abassabu. Tomaqua Lishikin dai akuiabu ikidoadabu oloko fa rocha maibonoato. Kidohani dahukito dai ikoro kai ikashiabu. Adaiahoeli aburuatiniu wauhutshiki fa aiuruka- hoe Lanshihi oloko. Dai auhubada Adaiahoeli obora kassakabu kassakoda halikebe daloa. Dai ulushi Adaiahoeli oloko kiadoma dai ikoro adicha toho holoro. Ephirito kanshihirino. Usuru- tahoe nam a qua muni. Namaqua atshilikitshii aiurudato no ephirito kanshihi namaqua kanshihi Adaiahoeli. Kidohan dahukito dai adinama ba- hukito Adaiahoeli oloko. “ Kargie. LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER “P.S. Ababadia, wai ashiga Adaiaboeli umuni na aba, watshilikitsbi Adaiahoeli asbiga boesbia wamuni Yan Part oloko. Loei kalida kali wama abali koro Sunday.” In plain English : — “ My much beloved Sister in the Lord, “ Oh, yes, truly, the Lord’s love is great. The Lord has not ceased to love ; to ray heart I love the Lord, but I want more love yet. He will give me everything I ask belie vingly and unceasingly. Truly, my sister, I do not forget you. The Lord hath forgiven us ; we shall obtain salvation in His love. I wait before the Lord, day and night, with a happy heart. I am full in the Lord, because I look not to the world. Great love to the children, and a kiss to each of them. To all brothers and sisters in the Lord great love, even to all who love the Lord. Truly my sister, I stand your sister in the Lord. “ Catherine. “ P.S. One word ; we give the Lord thanks : one of our brothers in the flesh God hath given us in Christ, John Bart. He broke bread with us last Sunday.” Now, beloved brethren in Christ, what shall we say to these things — these simple facts ? jjite not Wave not' iet the a! ^Mienrfes ik fielded %tk Let ns ad tie agent, icitJi God 4 That he Count it leafing' labour i yarttr forth noth 1 labc ? his J the the fro; IN BRITISH GUIANA. Shall we not say, “What hath God wrought !” We have not written for the glory of man i he weaker the agency to produce such results, the more manifest the power and wisdom of Hin who wielded it, and made it so mighty to pull down the strongholds of Satan, and bring so many depraved hearts to the captivity of Christ . Mighty through God ! Let us admire, first, the power put forth upon the a-ent, to constitute him, naturally evil, naturally walking according to the course of this wtld! and the power of darkness, afelloy ork^ with God in delivering others from sm and death . That he should forsake all to o o\v • Count it such blessing to wear out , his life leading poor heathens to the Lamb of God . lo labour in a field unnoticed and almost unknown^ just trusting on Him whose word of life he held forth to the Indians, and who he knew would not forsake His own ! . , We have traced him through his brief days of labour in the wilderness, his journeyings, his fastings, his watchings, his conflicts, till he left hT, earthly tabernacle in .a U« hut t.l.er, they buried it. Hallelujah 1 and now what are the^ results of all this labour ? Nearly fifty souls ftom another tribe of the earth’s families, there LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER His name was never known before, gathered, with many others, into the Church of the First- born ! Many of their spirits gone to Him, while others are left to bear fruit, and give God salt from the forests of Guiana ! Before the white man penetrated their savan- nahs, the great name of Jesus was unknown there. The only great one among these poor sinners was Abaddon, the destroyer, whom they propitiated and feared. By what weapons has this handful been delivered from the darkness and control of the evil one ? By the word of God ! “ Of His own will hath God begotten them again by the word of truth”! The same weapon hath worked mightily without reference to age or colour, intellect or education, bringing them to the same mind, the same blessed hope. Reader, before John Meyer appeared in these parts all was darkness, all evil, at that river head. The sound of the axe, the hunter’s cry, the boatman’s song, the drunken revel, the voice of him that shouted for the mastery, or the cry of the sufferer, might mingle in the forest echoes, and, borne upon the breeze, alternately break the silence almost reigning there ; but never was there heard the voice of prayer, or hymn of praise uttered in the name of Jesus, as now, IN BRITISH GUIANA. since the tongue of him, whose body sleeps so silently beneath the sandy floor of the Indian hut, proclaimed, in Arrawack and English, “Redemption by the blood of Jesus, Salvation in His name !” Now, dear reader, should the careless traveller be floating on that mighty river, so far from the ocean, on the first day of the week, the hymn of adoration and praise for redeeming love might rouse him from his dreams of sorrow or pleasure, and tell him, as he entered the humble room that held the worshippers, and cast his eye over the motley group assembled there (the educated German, the African savage, the wild American Indian, the once licentious Creole of Guiana, mingled in a common worship, saved with a common salvation, washed and sanctified by one blood), that truly God is no respector of persons ; that to Jesus all the pro- phets truly witness, “Whosoever believeth on Him shall receive the remission of sins;” that “ the word of God is not bound but that God does still b^ the foolishness of preaching, in any language, save them who believe. Think, then, and pray for the little flock thus rescued from perdition in this wilderness, and pray ye the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers to this yet unreaped field ; for God K LABOURS OF JOHN MEYER, ETC. has opened the door of faith to these Indians, granted to many repentance unto life; and now invites His children to care for his sheep who dwell in the forests of Guiana, by his servant John Meyer. BATH : PRINTED BY BINNS AND GOODWIN.