great missionary stronghold Sierra Leone. The English Church here has a Bishop, and the Church Missionary Society of England conduct, from that point, their extensive operations in Western Africa. Between 30 and 40 clergymen, the majority of whom are native-born Africans, and upwards of 60 lay agents, are employed in their different stations, whether at Sierra Leone, or Lagos, or Abbeokuta, or on the Niger.
In Freetown, the capital, is a cathedral, and all through the colony are numerous, capacious stone churches and chapels. Two high schools, in connection with the Church of England, are in existence, one in Freetown and the other at Lagos, where, besides the ordinary branches of education, instruction is also given in elementary mathematics, and in Latin and Greek.
Upwards of 20 common schools are connected with their stations. Over 5,000 are on the roll of their churches. Upwards of 20 native young men, natives of the land, are being prepared, some while in active duty, for Holy Orders.
At a recent ordination the Bishop of Sierra Leone ordained, at one ordination, 12 or 14 deacons.
The importance of the great missionary station may be gathered from the fact that Sierra Leone has already become the mother of missions; for from this place have gone out the teachers and catechists, the farmers and traders, the missionaries and civilizers—men of the negro race,—who have already introduced both the Gospel and civilized institutions at Lagos, made Abbeokuta a stronghold of missions, and
