St. Helena and the Cape of Good Hope

Front matter

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! UNITED SI.' ;. s UF AMEiUCA. f

Preface

To those who have heard, from the lips of the Rev. Jajmes M'Geegor Beeteam, of St. Helena, the particulars of his missionary experience at Table and Saldanha Bays, in the South of Africa, and on the Island of St. Helena, no apology need be offered for the publication of this memoir. It has been written, in compliance with frequent and pressing solicitations on the part of many of his hearers, who regard his statements as worthy of more than the fleeting publicity of a pulpit address, and who desire some lasting memorial of a visit, which they will ever remember with pleasure.

11 PREFACE.

]\Ir. Bertram came to tliis country in the year 1850, landing at Boston on the 10th of Jnly, and has visited numerous places in the New England States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and elsewhere, in the prosecution of his work of benevolence. Six thousand dollars were wanted for the erection of two mission chapels, and the removal of a mortgage upon another, in the Island of St. Helena, in addition to what had been contributed by the friends of the Grospel on the Island, and at the Cape of Good Hope. Wherever he has gone, and addressed the people in this behalf, he has met with a ready response, and found a goodly company of cheerful givers. In a few more days he hopes to have received the substantial aid, to obtain which he sought these shores, and to set sail, fall of gratitude to God and his large-hearted friends in America, for his far-off home in the sea-a'u^t isle.

PREFACE. lU

where the illustrious Corsican rested from Ms brilliant career of conquests, and ended his days in inglorious exile.

The sketches here presented have been derived, for the most part, from the public addresses of Mr. Bertram, and from publications and statements that he has kindly put into the possession of

The Editoe.

New York, May IQth, 1852.

Introduction

The spectacle of Divine Power in action is always sublime. It is a glorious sight when you look upon the waters of Niagara, and listen to the roar of its thunders ; or upon the fall of an Alpine avalanche, as of a mountain from the sky. It is glorious to see the sun rise and set, sublime to see the ocean in a storm, or a volcano in action ; still more, to gaze upon the planets in the firmament of heaven, and think of that Infinite Power that keeps them silently rolling in the depths of space, in such countless numbers, yet in such order, harmony, and beauty. But more glorious by far is the spectacle of Divine power and grace in the regeneration of congregated souls. To see a nation, a whole nation, in a space of time only one third the span of human life, one third the span given to the development of individual character, taken from the deepest depths of heathenism, raised up from the unutterable abominations of the most despotic idolatry, from the beastliness of habits of pollution, sanctioned and enforced by the rites of superstition, and to see that nation so changed in that short space of time as to possess and put on all the

VI INTRODUCTION.

characteristics of Christian purity and refinement; this is a manifestation of Almighty power more wondrous than the creation of a world ! It is, indeed, the standing and startling miracle of modern times — a miracle of wisdom, omnipotence, and love. It shows what the gospel of Christ and the grace of God can do.

This glorious miracle of Divine power and grace has been witnessed in the Sandwich Islands ; and, adorning the same age, and fit to- be set in the same record, though on a smaller scale, is the miracle of God's power and mercy, of which some account is given in this volume, wrought, or begun to be wrought, in the Island of St. Helena. Truly, the island prophecies in the Word of God are coming out into great light and majesty. They are as morning stars of fulfillment before the Great Sun of Righteousness pours His beams on all the nations.

And these prophecies are fulfilled in so extraordinary a mamier, as to reveal with great clearness and power the mamier in which the Lord Jesus causes His strength to be perfected and glorified in human weakness, when there is only a simple and strong faith hi Him. These records of transactions in the island world, that may have caused greater wonder and joy in heaven than all the transactions in the

INTRODUCTION. Vll

same space of time elsewhere evolved on our globe, show the sublimity of faith, and the important part it must ever bear, in subduing a fallen world to Christ Jesus. It is faith in God, on man's part, whereby He will accomplish His purposes ; or, rather, this faith in God, and the heavenly courage produced by it, giving glory to Him, constitute the disposition, in behalf of which, and in the exercise of which, God can, with justice to Himself and lasting good to His creatures, make bare the arm of His power, and lead His children to victory. They shall have the victory when their heart is fixed on Him, and their eye single to His glory. For God will make His people and the world understand and feel that great principle of holiness and glory, of victory and success, not hy might nor hy power^ hut hy the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts.

When that is understood and acted upon — when God's people rely boldly and only upon Him, then one of them can chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. Let them go forth, armed with God^s Word, fervent in prayer, relying on the Holy Spirit, crying out with the good King Asa, " Lord God, this cause is not ours, but thine, and these enemies are not ours, but thine; let not man prevail Against Thee !" and then shall the hosts of darkness

VIU INTRODUCTION.

be scattered, and the Church of God shall shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with bamiers. But let them not be afraid of God's Word, nor of the application of it, for it is by that alone that error and iniquity can be conquered ; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, and mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds. " Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Fear ye not the reproach. of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool ; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation." " Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, which shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually eveiy day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy ; and where is the fluy of the oppressor 1 I sun. the Lord thy God, that divided' the sea, whose waves roared. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say

INTRODUCTION. IX

unto Zion, Thou art my people !" Yes ! for this it is that God hath given His Word, and covers His people while they proclaim it, that the world may be con vinced of sin, and conquered by it, and a church built up, who are the people of the living God — the revealers and partakers of His righteousness. Therefore, let His people be faithful with His Word ; let them trust in it, and in God who gave it, and let them never be afraid of it. There is nothing lost by faithfulness ; there is every thing gained by boldness.

We think this is strikingly manifested in this record of the work of God in St. Helena. God prepared His instrument in that work by faith ; childlike, simple, unquestioning, unhesitating, God impelled him forth, and God went with him. It really reminds us — this spiritual conquest in that rocky, sea-girt isle — of the expedition — apparently wild and romantic, and the success and the victory, manifestly from God, as the impulse was from His Spirit — of Jonathan, when he went alone to the garrison of the Philistines. " And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor. Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us. For there is no restraint to the Lord, to save by many or by few."

How admirable ! How worthy of all imitation

X INTRODUCTION.

and praise ! This was not the native courage of the warrior only, but the fearlessness of the Christian, relying on his God. It may be that the Lord will worTc for us. How humble, simple, childlike, and beautiful is his faith ! He does not pretend to certainty, does not profess to have met God in a dream, or to have had any special revelation from Him, as the ground of his confidence, or any assurance that he should be successful in the present case. But the effort was worth making, and it might be that God would give it success ; at any rate, they were not to sit still, and venture nothing. Something was worth hazarding in the cause of God, and if they never attempted any thing without being first sure of success, they never would gain any thing. Jonathan was willing to leave the event with God ; and, trusting in God, his conduct was boldness, but not rashness.

Boldness in the cause of God is prudence. If the path of any enterprise be the path of duty, then dismiss your fears, and go forward, leaving the result with God. You need ask for nothing more than this young Christian warrior's humble confidence and willingness. It may he that the Lord will work for us. Suppose He should not, what then 1 Is the doubt or the fear that He will not, a good ground for relinquish-

INTRODUCTION. XI

iiig an effort, where you maj accomplish great things for God 1 Does the fear that God will not work for you, release you from the obligation of working for Him 1 You must be willing to work on a may-be. Positive assurance of success is not to be demanded ; and if men wait for that, they will do nothing, undertake nothing. Enterprises begun in faith are most successful. It is right to count the cost, but, after all, you must throw yourself on God ; and the fear of the cost of a possible failure ought not to hold you back from a possible success. It may be. If you do not undertake it, it certainly will not be. God will not work for you, if you do not give Him opportunity ; but if you do, He may. If you hazard nothing, for fear that He will not work, you are a great coward, and it is a very selfish plan that you go upon. Jonathan committed himself to the Lord's cause, quite regardless of his own interests. It was truly a sublime sight to see him cast himself on God, and go forth on such a desperate undertaking, quite willing to meet all the hazard, quite forgetful of self, and ready to make any sacrifice, for the sake of accomplishing, possibly, a great thing for his country, by God's help. It may be that God ivill work for us; we will go, at any rate. If He does work for us, we shall do a great work ; we will not let the

XU INTRODUCTION.

possibility of His not working enter into our calculation.

Now, that was not only true courage, but true wisdom, as genuine courage always is. It was a true missionary spirit. It was just in this way that our devoted missionaries to the Sandwich Islands and to India went forth first, against such incalculable odds, with nothing but God to rely upon. It may he that God will work for us. The supposition that He will not, shall not enter into our calc:ulation. But even if He does not, the effort is for Him, and cannot be lost. Fruitless it may be, but lost, or disregarded, or forgotten of God, it cannot be. It will be precious in His sight, it will meet His approbation. Even supposing that we die in the midst of it, is it not a death for God? Do we not give ourselves up to Him? The path of duty is the path of safety, though death itself stood in the way ; but in a battle, the boldest are the safest, and they are the most likely to come off uninjured.

This was a true revival spirit — an example of what may be done, even by one man, with great faith, in a time of insensibility and lukewarmness. It may he. There was no beginning of a revival of courage or of piety in the army ; there were no extraordinary signs. The beginning of the work was in Jonathan's

INTRODUCTION. XlU

own heart: all things externally looked discouraging. But Jonathan said, It may he. Who knows ? There is this great work to be accomplished, and perhaps God will use us to accomplish it. Indeed, we are only two or three, but that is nothing against the enterprise, if God be with us. It may he that the Lord will work for us, for there is no restraint to the Lord, to save hy many or hy few. It was a mode of argument taught by the Spirit of God ; it was a divine inspiration in Jonathan's soul — the inspiration of faith, a strong sense of the presence and power of God, an entire reliance upon Him, and a most sincere and fervent desire for God's glory.

These are the graces that indicate and prove an appointed work fi'om God. In moving under these impulses, Jonathan could hardly be presumptuous, or in danger of mistake as to the path of duty. Indeed, the path of duty was clear, and the only question was, would Jonathan do right to venture upon it so entirely alone, and without human assistance 1 But Jonathan knew that whether with or without human assistance, except by the blessing of God, he could do nothing; and he also knew that the less there was of man, the more sometimes there was of God. Just so David felt when he went against Goliah. It was an undertaking that seemed, in the judg- 2

XlV INTRODUCTION.

ment of some men, merely presumptuous and foolhardy, not to say ridiculous, and the more so, because David refused to be girded with Saul's armor. Sometimes the things that the men of the world rely upon, and by which they expect every thing to be accomplished, and without which they think nothing can be done, are mere impediments to faith.

For the illustration of these lessons, we refer to the interesting and instructive narrative in the following pages. It is a narrative -that utters in every part the anthem of brighter worlds — Glory to God and the Lamb ! It is a narrative that shows what God may at any time be pleased to do, inspiring the weakness of man ; and what man may do, trusting in the strength of God. To the Christian at home and the missionary abroad, it is a narrative full of heavenly suggestion and encouragement.

The relation of it to the churches in America has gained Mr. Bertram and his island mission a place of remembrance and affectionate prayerful interest in thousands of hearts, that otherwise would have heard of this great work of grace only by faint and far-off voices. What has been given, has been given joyfully ; never did any appeal for any station in the wide missionary field of the world meet a more welcome response, and prayer has gone before the offering.

A — DECEASE OF MRS. SARAH B. JUDSON 191

B — CASES OF HAPPY DEATHS AT ST. HELENA 196

C — MISSION TO A.MERICA 213

LIFE AND LABORS.

Chapter I. Life At Home

James McGregor Bertram is a native of Scotland. He was born February 24th, 1806, at Southfield, in the parish of Gladsmuir, East Lothian, Haddingtonshire, where, a hundred years ago, the great historian, Dr. William Robertson, ministered in the name of Christ, and where he wrote his " History of Scotland." The home of his childhood was in the western part of the parish, not far from the village of Tranent, and in full view of the majestic Frith of Forth, which is reached by an easy descent of land toward the North. Preston Pans, where Charles Edward Stuart, the Pretender, having already taken Edinburgh, met and completely routed the forces of Sir John Cope, on the morning of Saturday, the 21st of September, 1745, on which occasion the godly Colonel James Gardiner lost his life, is in the immediate neighborhood on the west. The capital is but eleven miles distant. Haddington, where that man of God, the Rev. John Brown, of the Associate Synod, so faithfully taught and illustrated the Gospel, and whose fame is in all the churches, is about four miles to the east. It is a neighborhood full of interest to the lover of Scotch history, and of stirring associations.

The father of Mr. Bertram, true to the faith of his noble ancestors, adhered to the Church of Scotland, and faithfully endeavored to bring up his children (deprived of their godly mother at an early age) in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He taught them to walk in the fear of God, to reverence His name, to hallow His sabbaths, to study His word, and to offer the morning and evening sacrifice. His children were severally brought to the sanctuary in their infancy, and consecrated to God. James M'Gregor was thus baptized, according to the usages of the Scottish Church, shortly after his birth, by the Rev. Mr. Brown, in the parish church of Gladsmuir.

In the year 1809 the family removed to the southwest of Scotland, and took up their residence at Mount Pleasant, about half a mile from the ancient town of Dumfries, on the eastern bank of the river Nith, and about nine miles from the Solway Frith. Here in the midst of beautiful scenery and splendid prospects, for which Dumfries is so justly celebrated — here, among the hills and vales of bonny Nithsdale, immortalized by Scotland's favorite bard, where Burns spent the last eight years of his life, and where he was buried, as indicated by the noble monument in St. Michael's church-yard, over his remains — Mr. Bertram passed his youthful days, and grew to the stature of manhood. His worthy sire, shortly after his arrival at Dumfries, became connected with the Relief Church, then under the pastoral care of the venerable Andrew Fife, by whose ministrations the religious impressions, made on the youthful mind of James by parental faithfulness, were greatly confirmed. He received the rudiments of learning at an excellent school in Dumfries, but the limited means of the family could not afford him the advantages of a finished education.

The father was a tiller of the ground, on a small scale. He occupied himself principally in the cultivation of plants, and flowers, and seeds ; in which healthful and inspiring employment he was assisted by James. His boyhood thus was passed amid the beauties of nature, in close familiarity with some of her most delightful works. He spent his early days, not in the feculent atmosphere of the crowded haunts of vice and dissipation, but in the midst of umbrageous woods, and graceful plants, and smiling flowers,

" Where the fantastic tulip strives to break In two-fold beauty, and a parted streak;

The twining jasmine and the blushing rose, With lavish grace their morning scents disclose : The smelling tuberose and jonquil declare The stronger impulse of an evening air."

It is a privilege not sufficiently appreciated, to have our earliest associations formed away from the artificial habits, and dusty streets, and dingy walls of the city — away from the thousand temptations that there beset the minds of the youth, and lead them astray — to dwell where God is seen in all His works, and where sweet innocence, simplicity, and purity are found.

" Oh ! friendly to the best pursuits of man — Friendly to thoaght, to virtue, and to peace, Domestic life, in rural pleasure passed ! Few know thy value, and few taste thy sweets; Though many boast thy favors, and affect To understand and choose thee for their own."

An elder brother had found his way to England, and established himself, in company with Mr. Alexander Grierson, as a cloth merchant, in the flourishing town of Manchester. Thither James was sent in 1824, at the age of eighteen years, to assist his brother Thomas, and learn the art and mystery of trade. Thomas Bertram was a member of the Independent Church, worshiping in Chapelstreet, near Gravel-lane, Salford, under the pastoral care of the Rev. John A. Coombs. Occasionally the young Scotchman was found at St.

Clement's Church, Levers-street, at that time served by the Rev. William Nunn. Under the ministry of the latter, in the year 1825, his conscience appears to have been aroused, and his soul awakened to a vivid religious sensibility. The precious seed, that had so long before been sown in Nithsdale, now began to vegetate and bear fruit in Lancashire. He was led to seek the forgiveness of sin and peace with God, through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. From this time the course of his life was changed. In his nineteenth year he became a subject of grace, and cherished a hope of salvation.

Although Mr. Bertram had thus been brought to regard himself as a believer, he was still by no means decided as to the particular church, in which he should make a profession of religion. It is not necessary to state the considerations which kept him for a length of time from the Lord's table. It was not until the twenty-seventh year of his age that his course was made plain, and the way prepared for his complete separation from the world. In the year 1833, the Rev. Robert Aitken, at that time a preacher of wonderful power and popularity, came to Manchester, and exerted, by the blessing of God, that influence over the mind of Mr. Bertram, which resulted in his full and entire consecration to the service of God.

This distinguished preacher deserves more than a passing notice. He is a native of North Britain, having been born at the close of the last century, in Roxburghshire, not far from the Tweed, in Tiviotdale. Sent, by a friend of his father's family, into England, to be educated for the Church, he was introduced into the ranks of the clergy of the Establishment about thirty years ago. Some little time after his admission to orders, he became the incumbent of the chapel at Douglas, a sea-port town on the eastern shore of the Isle of Man, and ^he principal place on the island, lying about sixty miles in a northwesterly direction from Liverpool. Shortly after, he was united in marriage to a lady of the place, of considerable property and high respectability. For a period of about ten or twelve years, Mr. Aitken continued in the performance of his official duties as a parish priest, respected and flattered by the people, but destitute of the power of godliness. Greatly attached to the Church of England, he held no communion with dissent, and scorned to be found in attendance on the ministrations of a Non-conformist.

It pleased God, however, to make use of an instrumentality so despicable in the sight of the self-righteous clergyman, to bring him to the knowledge of the truth. He made choice, as He so often does, of " the foolish things of the world to confound the wdse," and " the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised." Some time about the year 1831, Mr. Aitken was passing a Wesleyan chapel in the Isle of Man, while the society were occupied in an evening conference. His attention was arrested, and he stopped without, to listen to the artless statements made by the brethren, in the narration of their Christian experience. He heard enough to convince him, that he was an entire stranger to such spiritual exercises, and utterly destitute of that " joy and peace in believing," which seemed to characterize these poor, despised dissenters. As he returned home, the conviction fastened itself upon him that he was a lost sinner. He shut himself up in his study, and began to cry for mercy. His prayer was heard, his pride humbled, his former righteousness renounced, and his heart renewed by Divine grace.

The change thus effected in his views, feelings, desires, hopes, purposes, and plans, was most thorough. Filled to overflowing with the joy of a new convert, his whole countenance glowed with heavenly radiance. He longed to impart the same spiritual gift — instrumentally, at least — to his loved companion. He almost flew to find her, and communicate to her the glad tidings ,^ but he seemed to her as one bereft of reason. At length, however, she too was led to seek the Lord, and became as happy and zealous as himself.

He now entered upon the work of preaching Christ with all his heart and soul. The people soon perceived the change in their minister, and flocked from all quarters to hear from his lips the wonders of Divine grace. The sanctuary was filled to overflowing with the crowds, and great numbers of them were pricked in their hearts, and led to cry, " What shall I do to be saved 1" The awakening became general, not only in the town, but in other portions of the island. T-aking advantage of the growing excitement, Mr. Aitken went everywhere preaching the word. As the churches were utterly insufficient to receive the multitudes, he adopted the practice of Whitefield and Wesley, and preached under the open canopy of heaven, in the fields, in the streets, and wherever the people could be gathered together. On one of these occasions, the congregation and their preacher were surprised by a heavy shower of rain, and found shelter within a Wesleyan chapel in the neighborhood, where, by the urgent invitation of the proprietors, Mr. Aitken continued and concluded the service. So uncanonical an act could not be overlooked by the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man. The Right Rev. William Ward, D.D., at once decided, that the man, who could pay so little regard to the canons of the Church, should feel the weight of her ordinances. Mr. Aitken was accordingly removed from his incumbency, and his name erased from the number of the clergy. Such are the tender mercies of lordly prelacy ! " From such apostles," God " preserve the Church !"

But the fire thus kindled was not so easily to be quenched. The fame thereof reached Liverpool ; and soon an invitation was received from some of the dissenting people of that great commercial mart, and Mr. Aitken made them a visit. He^ was received with open arms, and invited to the ' pulpit of the Wesleyan chapel in Pitt-street. The results of his preaching soon appeared, as in the Isle of Man. He possessed a most attractive and commanding person, being fully six feet in height, and well-proportioned ; of black hair, and heavy whiskers, with a voice full, powerful, melodious, and perfectly at command. A well-trained mind, of far more than ordinary powers, brought into full exercise by the impulse of the new-born zeal with which his whole soul was fired, aided by vehement but graceful gesticulation, gave him a most wonderful control over the crowds and masses that flocked to hear him. He had seen so much of the deceitfulness of his own heart, that he trembled with apprehension for the vast multitude of professing Christians and others, whom he could not but regard as '^ having no hope, and without God in the world." He therefore deemed it to be his duty to bring the terrors of the Lord to bear with burning weight upon the ungodly, and so to prevail upon them, if possible, to turn from the error of their ways. He took for his motto, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" and armed himself for a crusade against all ungodliness. To the wounded sinner he held up a Redeemer crucified, and bade him "Look and live."

Numerous chapels were opened to welcome him, but none were large enough to contain the crowds. Deep impressions were made by the truths that he preached, and many souls were added to the Lord. He went up to London, and preached with like results in White's Row Chapel, Spitalfields, and in other chapels in the metropolis. He visited several of the large provincial towns, and ranged through Yorkshire, where his coming was like a tornado, sweeping all before it. He laid siege particularly to Sheffield, and so mightily prevailed the word of the Lord, that no less than six thousand souls, as was thought, were awakened to seek the Lord. At Birmingham and Manchester also, the populace were stirred, and ran to hear this second Whitefield. A wonderful revival of religion attended his ministrations wherever he went, and his fame spread abroad through all the land. His services were in great request, and his labors almost superhuman.