CHAPTER XII. AN Epidemic of great Malignity visits New South Wales-Mrs. Leigh falls a Victim to the prevalent Malady-Expressions of Sympathy with Mr. Leigh-The Labours of the Australian Tract Society-Mr. Leigh's Health declining, he leaves the Colony-The State of the Wesleyan Church at that PeriodAppeal for additional Help-First Missionary Visit to Bathurst -Notes of the Journey-Establishment of public Worship in the Town-Cruelty of the Settlers towards the Aborigines-Public Remonstrance-Effects of the Gospel in several Islands of the Pacific-The Colony of Victoria formed-Its Progress and present State-Extension of the Work in New South WalesThe Establishment of the South Australian Colony-Its vast Extent and the Appearance of the Country-Its Population, Wealth, and Institutions-Attempt to establish the Irish System of Education in New South Wales-Efforts of Popery in the Colony-Protestantism spreads—Missionary LabourDeath of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the Apostle of the South Seas-Improvement in Adelaide-Government Patronage of Popery-Its Effects in the Colonies-Official Note from Mr. Waterhouse-Extension of the Work of God in the parent Colony-Native Institution at Geelong The Injustice of "the Squatters' Act"-The Legislative Assembly censured-Missionary Party of Discovery in Western Australia-Perilous Journey -Condition of the Natives-A new Chapel opened in the Morning, and the Foundation of an additional one laid in the Afternoon, of the same Day, in Paramatta. DURING the year 1831, New South Wales was visited with an epidemic of unusual malignity. It extended its ravages beyond the frontiers of the colony, and, after sweeping off thousands of all classes, broke out in Paramatta, where Mr. Leigh then resided; and scarcely a family in the town entirely escaped the calamity. Mrs. Leigh, who had always devoted a large proportion of her time to the visitation of the poor, the afflicted, and the dying, felt it to be especially necessary to meet the crisis by a more general and sedulous attention to this important branch of Christian duty; and many obtained the blessing of God by her instrumentality, in the last moments of life. This heroic woman, who never quailed before death, even in its most appalling aspects, approached, without hesitation, the most aggravated forms of the prevailing malady. Of a kindly and social disposition, unobtrusive manners, and unaffected piety, she was to be seen at all hours passing silently along the streets to the "house of mourning." But, in her solicitude to comfort the sorrowful and save the lost, she imposed upon herself an amount of labour which her constitution could not long sustain. Inhaling the miasma in the contaminated chambers she visited, she fell a victim to the common scourge, which, combined with several other diseases, soon terminated her valuable life. After enduring much suffering in the true spirit of calm resignation, she died peacefully. The following inscription marks the place of her interment: "Sacred to the memory of Catherine, the beloved wife of the Rev. Samuel Leigh, the first missionary to these colonies and New-Zealand. She followed her blessed Master's example, in going about doing good, deservedly loved and esteemed by all who knew her; and died in peace on the 15th of May, 1831." As might be expected, Mr. Leigh felt this bereavement acutely. He was for some time wholly incapacitated for public duty; and nothing but the grace of God, and the warm sympathy of Christian friends, carried him through so severe an ordeal. From New-Zealand, where her worth was duly appreciated, he received many letters of condolence. They all breathe the same spirit of Christian love that pervades the following brief extract: "Although we are unable to estimate the greatness of your loss, or materially lessen the distress it has occasioned, we can sympathize with you in your present circumstances. Permit us to remind you of your own beautiful hymn : 'Beyond the bounds of time and space, On faith's strong eagle-pinions rise, : Here, in your Father's house, there are many mansions. You can say, with Job, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.' No wonder if, in an ecstasy of faith and love, you exclaim, 'Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!' 'Therefore, beloved brother, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' We hear that you intend returning to England as soon as you can be relieved by the arrival of additional labourers. May you be preserved on your passage, and blessed in your native country! The missionaries on this settlement, and their families, are well, and the work of the Lord prospers." This communication is dated from the Bay of Islands, and signed by the brethren of the Church mission. Just before Mr. Leigh left the colony, the eighth anniversary of the "Australian Tract Society" was held. It has been already observed, that, soon after Mr. Leigh's arrival in the colony, he formed a tract society, employing as distributors five pious soldiers and three reformed convicts. The labours of those individuals, humble as they were, excited much public attention at the time; and, several rather remarkable cases of usefulness having occurred, a few respectable persons came forward to encourage and assist them. The utility of the society becoming more and more apparent, a public meeting was held in Sydney, in 1823, for the purpose of forming a society that should extend its benefits to all Australia. Being thus placed upon a wider basis, it gained a more liberal patronage, and was enabled to extend the sphere of its usefulness. It is always interesting to the philanthropist to mark the progress of public institutions in infant colonies. In the report, submitted to the above meeting, it was stated, "that 15,052 tracts and books had been gratuitously distributed during the year; 1,250 amongst the Europeans in New-Zealand; 1,000 amongst the convicts on the penal settlement at Moreton-Bay; 1,000 amongst the labourers employed by the Australian Agricultural Company at Port-Stephens; 1,596 amongst the stockmen, settlers, and others at Hunter's-River; 250 amongst the patients in the hospital and prisoners in the jail at Newcastle; 1,250 amongst the convicts employed on the roads, and poor settlers about the Lower Hawkesbury; 1,000 amongst the widely-extended and various population at Bathurst; 1,500 amongst the stockmen and labourers in the county of Camden; 500 amongst the settlers in Airds and Appin; 500 amongst the convicts and inhabitants in and about Windsor; 125 amongst convicts and others in and about Paramatta; 3,950 amongst the Sunday-schools, prisoners in the jail and on board the hulks, the sick in the hospitals, and the poor in and about Sydney." Let the reader pause, and examine the limits of this field of operation; contemplate the light which these few lines throw upon the actual condition of the people, the singular diversity of character they present, and the prodigious accumulation of degradation and suffering they disclose. Surely the establishment of such an institution, and the maintenance, from year to year, of such an agency as we have described, was the very climax of Christian benevolence. Let us hope, that, while the stockmen in the bush, the patients in the hospitals, and the convicts in their cells or in the chain-gang, were perusing those valuable publications, the Spirit of the Lord was present, to expound the truth to their understandings, and apply it to their consciences and hearts. As soon as Mr. Leigh could be relieved from his official duties, he left the colony, carrying with him the best wishes of the public at large, and the earnest prayers of religious people of all denominations. In consideration of the state of his health, the ensuing Conference (1832) was induced to place him at Liverpool in the capacity of a supernumerary. The agencies and institutions of the Wesleyan church were fully organized and in efficient operation before Mr. Leigh left New South Wales. Its political importance was felt by the civil authorities, and its claim to be regarded as one of the principal instruments in promoting public order and colonial regeneration generally admitted. While it looked upon the church on the one hand, and the nonconforming bodies on the other, with a friendly eye, it yet maintained its neutral position, and attended industriously to its own department of duty. Its members were few in number; but they were evidences of the transforming power of the Divine truths which they taught, and showed the country that it was prepared to shape in the same mould the entire mass of society, so soon as it should possess the means of doing so. In 1815 Mr. Leigh was the only Wesleyan missionary in the South Seas. He was patronised by two schoolmasters and their wives, ten or twelve soldiers and reformed convicts, and a few disorderly children in a Sunday-school. When he returned to England, he left in those islands nine circuits, fourteen missionaries, seven hundred and thirty-six communicants, and one thousand children in the schools. The supervision of the infant churches of Australia devolved upon the Rev. Joseph Orton. The labours of the brethren were as systematic as those of the ministers at home, and they went on peacefully; breaking up the "fallow ground," sowing it with the "incorruptible seed," watering the rising blade, and occasionally, at least, reaping the reward of the spiritual husbandman. The paucity of labourers was still felt and complained of, by all who had just views of the growing importance of the mission. The chairman, in an official communication to the committee, observed, "Be pleased to take into account the description of character peculiar to the greater proportion of our population, and the infantine state of our colony, together with the encourage |