ere:--

"The inhabitants of the colony may be divided into four
classes:--

"First, The street-venders, who cry cassada-cakes, palm-oil,
pepper, pieces of beef, under such names, as _agedee_,
_aballa_, _akalaray_, and which are therefore as
unintelligible as the street-cries of London. This is the
costermonger type.

"Second, The small market-people, who live in frame houses,
sell nails, fish-hooks, tape, thread, ribbons, etc., and who
work at handicrafts in a small way.

"Third, The shopkeepers, who inhabit frame houses on stone
foundations, and within which one may see a sprinkling of
mahogany, a small library of religious books, and an almost
English atmosphere of comfort.

"Lastly, The liberated Africans of the highest grade, who
occupy two-story stone houses enclosed all around by
spacious piazzas, the rooms furnished with gaudy richness;
and the whole their own property, being built from the
proceeds of their ... thrift."

When England abolished the slave-trade on the West Coast of Africa,
Christianity arose with healing in her wings. Until slavery was
abolished in this colony, missionary enterprises were abortive; but
when the curse was put under the iron heel of British prohibition, the
Lord did greatly bless the efforts of the missionary. The Episcopal
Church--"the Church of England"--was the first on the ground in 1808;
but it was some years before any great results were obtained. In 1832
this Church had 638 communicants, 294 candidates for baptism, 684
sabbath-school pupils, and 1,388 children in day-schools. This Church
carried its missionary work beyond its borders to the tribes that were
"sitting in darkness;" and in 1850 had built 54 seminaries and
schools, had 6,600 pupils, 2,183 communicants, and 7,500 attendants on
public worship. It is pleasant to record that out of 61 teachers, 56
_were native Africans!_ In 1865 there were sixteen missionary
societies along the West Coast of Africa. Seven were American, six
English, two German, and one West-Indian. These societies maintained
104 European or American missionaries, had 110 mission-stations,
13,000 scholars, 236 schools, 19,000 registered communicants;
representing a Christian population of 60,000 souls.

The Wesleyan Methodists began their work in 1811; and in 1831 they had
two missionaries, 294 members in their churches, and 160 pupils in
school.