[178] By
the following year, the church contained one hundred members and two
ordained preachers, John Lewis and Colston M. Waring, besides
exhorters.[179]

FINAL WORK AND WORTH

Lott Cary was none the less interested and active in the welfare of
the government. From the first settlement in Cape Montserado, he was
appointed Government Inspector at the same time he was selected Health
Officer[180] and consequently he knew something of the working of the
government. In September, 1826, he was unanimously elected vice-agent
of the colony. The colonial agent had great confidence in his
judgments, decisions and loyalty[181] and left the affairs of the
colony in Cary's charge when he was advised in 1828 to return to
America for his health.[182]

"I was able," Mr. Ashmun wrote to the board,[183] "to arrange the
concerns of the Colony with Mr. Cary, even to the minutest
particulars, and I have the greatest confidence that his
administration will prove satisfactory, in a high degree, to the Board
and advantageous to the Colony."

During the first six months, Cary's task was to see to it that every
man and working family were self-supporting. "To effect this object,
they must be furnished with a few simple tools--to pay for them if
they can--if not, to receive them gratuitously. Their allowance must
be withheld if they neglect or negligently follow the improvement of
their lands, and the building of their houses. Much may be done by
visiting the people separately, getting at their intentions and
circumstances and spurring, advising or reproving as they may require.
I am persuaded it will be useful, and in most instances possible to
get at least all the men out of the public receptacles and on their
lands before the rains set in." Respecting the buildings of the United
States, those of the colony, the arms, forts, printing establishment,
farms, Millsburg settlement, finances, etc., other particular
regulations were suggested.[184] Lott Cary kept Ashmun and the
American Colonization Society informed about the condition of the
colony.[185] On his death bed, Ashmun again expressed his confidence
in Cary and urged that he should be permanently appointed to conduct
the affairs of the colony[186] which now contained upwards of 1,200
settlers.[187]

The only trouble that Cary had while he was vice-agent was with the
natives.[188] The factory belonging to the colony at Digby, a
settlement just north of Monrovia, was robbed by th