ing informed him of this report, added that there was no
regular force in the colony to defend it against the enemy, and that
they were afraid to arm the negroes unless he would put himself at the
head of them. Mr. Turner was sensible that such a step was not properly
within the line of the ministerial office; but considering that the
Island was in imminent danger, that if it were conquered by the French,
the religious privileges of the negroes would probably be lost, and that
the war on their part was purely defensive, he consented to the
governor's request, and was accordingly armed with the negroes. About a
fortnight after, a French squadron made its appearance in the bay; but
being informed, it is supposed by some emissaries, of the armed force on
the Island, it abandoned its design and retired. Soon after this the
Governor-general of the Leeward Islands sent an order to the Methodist
Missionaries to make a return of all the negroes in their societies who
were able to carry arms. The return was accordingly made; and a great
part if not the whole of them were armed for the defence of the several
Islands. Such was the confidence the Governor-general had in the loyalty
of the missionaries and their flocks. Let these facts suffice,
especially as there are none on the other side, respecting the safety of
teaching the negroes to know and love God.

Another great difficulty, which the Brethren met in their missions among
the negroes was the unhealthiness of the climate. Thus many of them
scarcely arrived on the islands, when they were attacked by diseases,
which in a short time put a period to their labours and their lives.
Thus from the commencement of the mission in the Danish Islands in 1732
to the year 1766 (or in thirty-four years) no fewer than sixty-six
Brethren and Sisters died in St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. Jan. But
though the mortality was so great, it is surprising with what
cheerfulness others came forward to fill the ranks of those, who had so
prematurely fallen. Bishop Spangenburg informs us, that on one occasion
when it was made known to the congregation at Bethlehem in Pennsylvania,
that five persons had died within a short time on the Island of St.
Thomas, no fewer than eight Brethren voluntarily offered, that very day,
to go thither and replace them. Disease and death as they did not
dishearten them, so neither ought they to dishearten us in this work,
even if they stared us in the face.

The Brethren