(Ga,) also in Fanti, for Ashanti; New Testament, Genesis to Ruth, and Daniel, for Yoruba; Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, John, Acts, in Haussa; part of the New Testament in Ibo; part of St. Matthew in Nupe, (all along the Niger,) in Dualla, the Bible (for the Cameroons). 2. The National Bible Society of Scotland has published the entire Bible in Efic (Calabar). 3. The American Bible Society has published Genesis, Exodus, Proverbs, John, St. Paul's Epistles, in M'pongwe (for the Gaboon); Genesis, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, 1 Corinthians, in Grebo (Liberia); Genesis, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, in Benga. GRAMMARS, DICTIONARIES, VOCABULARIES. FEW persons are aware of the extent of the labours of the Missionaries in the composition of Grammars, Dictionaries, &c., of the languages of West and South Africa. The following is as complete a list as I can make, and does not include many in MSS. It is much to be regretted that the various Missionary Societies have not been particularly careful to preserve the first Grammars, and first attempts at reducing to writing, of the various languages used by their Missionaries. It is now too late, as none of the older Societies can point out all the translations, Grammars, &c., produced by their Missionaries. GRAMMARS, VOCABULARIES, AND DICTIONARIES, ETC., IN THE LANGUAGES OF WEST AND SOUTH AFRICA. Koelle's, S. W., Polyglotta Africana: Vocabulary of more than one hundred African Languages, Church Missionary Society. J. Clarke's Specimens of Dialects of Africa, 1848. WEST AFRICAN. Mandingo.........Grammar, by R. M. MacBrair, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Foulah Foulah Soosoo Timneh Mendi Bassa Bullom...... Sherbro Akra......... Otji (Fanti, Fanti .Grammar, by R. M. MacBrair, Wesleyan Missionary Society. ..Vocabulary by J. F. Schön, Church Missionary Society. COAST OF GUINEA. .Grammar and Dictionary, 2 vols., 1858, by J. Zimmermann, Ashanti)......Grammar and Vocabulary, by H. N. Riis, 1854, Basle Mission. ..Grammar and Vocabulary, by Robert Brooking, 1843, Wesleyan Missionary Society. M'Fantsi ..... .Grammar, by D. L. Carr and F. P. Brown (Cape Coast). Tshi and Akra...Dictionary and Grammar by Locker, Christeller, and Zimmermann, 1874, (in the press,) Basle Mission. Grebo (Liberia)Grammar and Dictionary, by Bishop Payne, American Protestant Episcopal. Vei (Liberia) ...Grammar and Vocabulary, by S. W. Koelle, 1849 and 1854, Church Missionary Society. Ewe (Dahomey)Key to Ewe Language, by Schlegel, 1856, North German Mis. THE NIGER. Yoruba ...................................Grammar, Vocabulary, and Dictionary, by Bishop Crowther, Church Missionary Society. Yoruba............Grammar and Dictionary, by T. J. Bowen, 4to., 1858, South Baptist Convention." Haussa. Ibo Efic Bournou (Kanuri) Grammar, by S. W. Koelle, 1854, Church Missionary Society. Grammar and Primer, by J. F. Schön, Church Mis. Society. ...Elements of Grammar, by J. F. Schön, Church Mis. Society. ..Grammar and Dictionary, by H. Goldie, United Presbyterian. Vocabulary, by W. H. Weddell, United Presbyterian. Grammar and Dictionary, by Bishop Crowther, Ch. Mis. So. Eyo, or Aku......Vocabulary, by Rev. J. Řaban, Church Missionary Society. Nupi... Isubu BIGHT OF BENIN LANGUAGES. Dualla (Came-Grammar and Vocabulary, by A. J. Saker, Baptist Missions. roons) (Grammar, by J. Merrick, Baptist Missionary Society. Fernando Po Grammar, by John Clarke, Baptist Missionary Society. Benga (Corisco) Grammar and Vocabulary, by J.L. Mackey, Am. Presbyterian. M'Pongwe 1 and Dikele Grammars and Vocabularies, 1847, the Am. Bd, of For. Mis, (the Gaboon) SOUTH AFRICA (WEST COAST.) Herrero, (Damara) Grammar and Dictionary, by C. H. Hahn, 1857, Rhenish Missionary Society. Namaqua Namaqua Namaqua Namaqua .....Grammar, by H. Tindall, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Vocabulary, 12mo., 1854, Rhenish Missionary Society. ..Elementary Books, by H. C. Knudson, Rhenish Mis. Society. .Grammar, 1857, by J. C. Wallman, Berlin Missionary So. .Grammar, by C. F. Wurass. Rhenish Missionary Society. SOUTH AFRICA (BEYOND ORANGE RIVER TO THE EAST). Sechuana .Grammar, by J. Archbell, 1837, Wesleyan Missionary Society. Sechuana ......Grammar, by E. Casalis, 1841, Missions Evangéliques. ...Grammar, by Fredoux, 1864, Missions Evangéliques. ....Analysis of the language of the Bechuanas, by Dr. Livingstone, London Missionary Society. Sechuana Sechuana Kaffir Kaffir Kaffir Kaffir Zulu Zulu Zulu Zulu Zulu SOUTH AFRICA (KAFFIRLAND, EAST OF THE CAPE COLONY.) .Grammar, by W. J. Davis, 8vo., 1871. Vocabulary, 48mo., by John Ayliff, Wesleyan Mis. So. ..Dictionary, by J. L. Döhne, Berlin Missionary Society. XI. MISSIONS IN AMERICA. "God shall enlarge Japheth."—Genesis ix. 27. "Thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south."-Genesis xxviii. 14. "And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast 1. For all practical purposes the first discoverer of America was Christopher Columbus, a Genoese navigator, in the service of Spain, who landed at San Salvador, (Bahama Islands,) October 20th, A.D. 1492. But Greenland was first visited about A.D. 872, by Gunnibiorn, from Iceland; and from Greenland, Biane, an Icelander, discovered the Continent in 986. Small settlements were made in the territory now occupied by the States of New England and New York, and a connexion kept up with Iceland until the middle of the fourteenth century. John Cabot, a Venetian, in the service of Henry VII. of England, on the 24th of June, 1497, discovered the coast of Labrador, in North America; and in 1498, in the month of May, Columbus discovered the coast of South America, near the mouth of the river Orinoco. The history of the subsequent discoveries, explorations, and settlements of the Spanish, English, Dutch, French, and Portuguese, in this new world and the adjacent islands, is well known to all readers, having been written by some of our most popular historians,-Robertson, Prescott, Helps, Bancroft, Washington Irving, and others. 2. By the good providence of God, the whole of North America, with the exception of Mexico and the States between Mexico and Panama, has become the heritage mainly of the English race. At present, a population rapidly advancing to fifty millions, speaking the English language, and professing for the most part the Protestant religion, call themselves Americans, as citizens either of the great Republic of the United States, or of that extensive Dominion which embraces within its limits all the colonies of British America. It is obvious that, for good or for evil, the influence of the people of the Republic, and of the Dominion, will tell upon the future condition of the world. This has been the opinion of the Churches of Christendom from the day when, in 1556, fourteen Protestant Missionaries proceeded from Germany to Brazil. The base treachery which defeated this noble sacrificial Mission has not prevented the success of subsequent enterprises. 3. With the exception of Missions to the Indian tribes of North and South America, the Negro races in the United States, the Chinese of California, and the Roman Catholics of Mexico, Guatemala, and South America, there are no Missions, properly so called, on the Continent of America; those in British and Dutch Guiana, British Honduras, and the Mosquito Shore, being usually classed among the West Indian Missions, and will be found in Tables XXXVIII. to XL. All the Protestant Churches of Great Britain have their representatives in the United States and in the Dominion. The first settlers in Virginia established the Episcopal Church from the beginning 1607; but in 1679 there were only four Episcopal Clergymen in America! Maryland was colonized by Roman Catholics, and, strange to say, was specially tolerant of dissent. Presbyterianism was introduced in 1690. Congregationalism was the form of Church government established in New England by the Puritan Pilgrim Fathers, 1620. The Baptist denomination can trace its beginning in America to Roger Williams, the nobleminded founder of the state of Rhode Island, and the first advocate of religious liberty, 1635. The Friends, or Quakers, after many attempts to obtain a footing among the Puritans of New England, found a ready welcome in the new State of Pennsylvania, founded by their champion, William Penn, 1681. All these Denominations were to some extent assisted by the Churches in Great Britain. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which commenced its labours in 1703, was for many years the main stay of the Episcopalian Church; while the Congregational and Presbyterian bodies received from time to time assistance from their friends in England and Scotland. The religious feeling of all the Protestant Churches in the old Colonies was quickened and deepened by the great revival of 1733-35, known to most readers by the writings of President Edwards. Soon after, Whitefield commenced his visits to America, and his labours were specially useful to the spiritual interests of all the Denominations. Methodism was first introduced by Philip Embury, Barbara Heck, and Captain Webb, in 1766. Soon after, Mr. Wesley sent over Boardman and Pilmoor in 1769; and in 1784 Dr. Coke commenced his visits as Methodist "Bishop; " but the venerable Asbury may be regarded as the consolidator of the Methodist Churches in the United States. A grand catalogue of worthies belongs to the religious history of America; Whitefield, the two Tennants, Brainerd, President Edwards, are names ever to be honoured "for their work's sake." In Mexico, and in the republic of Guatemala, (Central America,) and in those of South America, and in the empire of Brazil, Missionaries of the leading American Churches, and of the South American Missionary Society, are endeavouring to remove the thick darkness of the Spanish and Indian races, whose ignorance, intolerance, and Popish fetichism have hitherto been a barrier in the way of all healthy progress. So long as the mass of the people remain as ignorant as their fathers, the free institutions of these so-called republics must continue to be a dead letter. Never in the history of the world has the name of freedom been so dishonoured as by the brigand rulers, and by the fratricidal contests which appear to be chronic in the Spanish republics of North and South America. Humanly speaking, the only hope for the future of these regions is in the spread of Protestant Christianity, and in such a large influx of AngloAmericans as will introduce at once new blood and new ideas, and thus render the working of free institutions practicable among those hitherto only half-civilized populations. |