, 1866-02-17

pomEous and foolish, q man whose course and
talk frequently excited, and justly, the r1dl-
cule Of sensible people. He was, not very
long since, churchw arden IN the Estabh hshcd
Church, and was, for some uou-contornity
to church reGnlstions, turned ont Of his
ehurchw a1denship, and, 1 think, though
! am not sure, accommodated subsequently,.
Atsll events, he soon set himself up for q
preacher, and went about preaching 10 native
Baptist churches. He at one time came to
native Baptist church within half mile Of
the station at which was laboring. Tfis
alone l. enough to forfeit his Title to the r..
spect Of any respectable man who knows the
character OF these churches, aud the manner
In which they have sprung up. No Christian
body In the Island. the regular Baptists not
excepted, fellowships these churches Is Chris
tlan churches. They arc composed, more or
churches. and arc often organized by self
styled native preachers, who have also been
eIconmunicated from other connections.
In many instances, liars, thieves, forpica-
tors, and sdulterers form no Incon-
siderable portion Of. these churches, ind this,
too, without any attempt on The part OF the
church. at discipline for these crimes. No re-
spectacle pastor Of a proper church would
consent to Gosdon's preaching to his people,
and no motive can BE- assigned for his preach
Ing to the Native BaptIsts, except. that Of
gaining popularity With the lower classes I
have no hfaitaacy in expressing my belief that
Gordon Was guilty Of the crime for which be
was condemned and huug, and that be was
led to that crime by desire for popularity,
and the hope Of promotion By the people;
also TINT his position In the House OF Assem-.
bly,, above ailuded to, In itself praiseworthy,
Is to be accounted for tn the same way. It Il
certainly painful to see a man notorious for
hypocrisy, religious cant and gas, held up to
the world as a sanity philanthropist.
It Is notorious fact that the planters OF
Jamaica are, as class, sufficiently unprinc1-
pied. immoral, and reckless Of the good Of
The country and people, and that the Govern.
mdnt has been wretchedly managed; but this
does not Justify misrepr induced by
q spirit of retaliation to British misrepzesent-
alton during our recent war. Whether there
Was such plot ns the blacks are charged
tered throughout the island. a reckless class
OF persons, who would hare; swelled the re-
cent fnsurrcction to fearful magnitude, had
1t succeeded In gaining any considerable head.
way. Themateyial Of this description Is not
scarce, and there Is no doubt that the riot at
Morant Bay was ea the lighting OF the fuse Of
a magazine intended for The destruction Of
large portion Of the population Of the coun.
try; and this consideration ought to 70 far In
relieving the horror We naturally feel at SO
large destruction Of human lite It is TO be
feared that the suppression Of the rebellion
was attended with cruelty, and this Ia to
be deprecated. Yet, It Is possible that
the course taken by the Government h.s rc- !.
suited In less destruction OF human life than
would have been necess1ta.ed by any want Of
promptness and vfEor In supresslng The rebel
lion Id the outset.
Good men In Jamaica have 1ongcd almost
hopelessly for somo change in the government
that would result In d bettering Of the COZ
dition Of the people. Perhaps the earnestly
wished-for dny ia near. --...
A brother missionary, Rev. 8. T. Wolcott,
writes me from Jamaica, under date OF Jan.
], 1eGG, as follows:
:" Government has sent to England propo-
sition to resign all Its functions, and accept of
unrestricted British rule. The move Is pop
ular one, md We anticipate, with almost per
feet certainty, its acceptance by the home
government"
:, This eertMnly presents not less hopeful
prospect than has been before the island for
the last few years. T. J. DOUGLASS.