July 1825
3rd July/25. - Lord's day: - Was taken in a canoe to Chateau-belair; found Divine help in preaching; and held a Lovefeast; listened with much pleasure and edification to the simple and scriptural statement of the work of grace on the souls of the people. Though the day was wey & stormy, the congregations were good & the word seemed to take effect upon them. May fruit appear & my desire for their prosperity be abundantly fulfilled!
6th. - Was called upon to inter a youth of Scottish extraction who came by his death through imprudence. Having rode hard & got much heated in the middle of the day, he drank some cold beverage; & bathed in the adjacent stream, no doubt greatly enjoying it; he was soon so ill that all the efforts of Dr. Stewart his uncle a gentleman of much experience could not save his life. His remains were buried in the Doctor's own garden.
8th July/25. - Wrote my first letter to the Committee, addressed to the Rev. George Morley: our safe arrival & other particulars, having been announced by some one else. Stated that my health is as good as I could wish it to be; & so is that of my dear Wife. Perfectly satisfied with my appointment, believing it very Providential, and being happy in my work. A desire to be useful to immortal souls first prompted me to this great undertaking, and from the same motive I would freely exhaust my days.
"Happy if with my latest breath;
I may but gasp his name;
Preach him to all & cry in death
Behold! behold! the Lamb."
My views of a Missionary life are not now while in the field of action, materially different from what they were while the sacred work was contemplated at a distance. It was considered by me to be a life of great sacrifice, and painful privation; - a life of care & toil & danger: this I now realize, and find that nothing but deep and ardent piety can adequately support the, otherwise, fainting mind. "Blessed be God! still he doth his help afford, and hides my life above." I am striving to obtain every requisite & needful qualification for this blessed & honourable work; desiring length of days & great usefulness that God may be glorified in the salvation of precious souls.
9th July/25. - Having engaged to preach at Mountyoung chapel, about 21 miles to windward of Kingstown, I set off this morning in the canoe for the latter place. On our way we shipped some heavy seas, as I thought them, and such they were when compared with the lightness of the canoe which was tossed about like a cork. This frail vessel is the only vehicle in which we travel to our appointments. It is about 13 feet in length, and in the middle about 3 feet, tapering at each end to an inch or little more. With considerable labor to the oarsman we made but little progress; and dangers surrounded us more evidently than I had ever witnessed. But God, Omnipotent was our preserver & we landed safely. In the afternoon rode up to Biabou and lodged in the Mission House there with our ship-mates Mr & Mrs Rathbone. The heavy surf on this side of the island rises in great majesty, and booms and thunders heavily along the rocky shore, quite in contract with the short splashing swell on the sandy coast at Leeward.
10th July/25; - Sabbath; - After breakfast, rode to Mountyoung. The long thatched chapel, is finely situated and well attended. I went through the usual service & in preaching found considerable comfort & liberty. Am not without hope that the bread "thus cast upon the waters will be found" though it may be "many days hence". Surely so much strength & time shall not be spent in vain in this laborious work replete with difficulties. O Lord fulfil my hearts [sic] desire in the edification of thy people & the conversion of precious souls; and let me live to preach they word, and to promote they glory. Amen.
11th July/25: - After a fatiguing journey, rendered so entirely by the climate, a kind Providence has returned me safely to my home at Princes Town and all is well. Blessed be God!
17th July/25 - Lord's day; - my appointments at the Leeward went through the regular routine of duties with freedom of spirit; and I hope that the Word of God delivered by His gracious help will be abundantly successful in winning souls.
18th Wrote to dear Sister R, at Mountsorrel to give some information relative to our labours , health, prospects etc. etc.
23rd July/25: - Proceeded to Town for my appointments tomorrow. Brought up with me & consigned a box of shells to Capt Paterson of the ship Chieftain, for our dear friends at Mountsorrel, as an expression of our affectionate remembrance of them all.
24th - Sabbath; - Preached to a serious and attentive congregation and attended to other duties of a similar nature. My soul was abundantly blessed and the presence of the Lord made all things pleasant and easy. O that I may evermore feel my weakness greatly strengthened by the power of the Most High!
29th Feeling not quite satisfied with the weekday duties, and deeming it highly necessary to attempt something additional to the means of grace, already established in Princes Town; I conferred with Mr Payne the superintendent, and the Leaders, as to occasional prayer meeting in private houses, and found no objections to my plan. Several houses occupied by our members are open to receive us & was have made a beginning in our own first and intend to take our turn as often as it recurs. Two of these meetings each week in addition to an evening sermon and class meeting it is hoped will tend to remove a degree of dead formality which evidently exists among some. One cause of which has probably been the want of an opportunity of exercising the gift of prayer in public. I expect to witness some improvement of their active graces; - Lord we seek thy glory; bless us with success.