foreign members, and are elected by ballot. elared themselves converts to the peculiar In addition to the usual office-bearers for views of those missionaries in relation to presiding at the annual meetings, and re- Baptism. Their consequent separation from cording the proceedings at these meetings, the society which sent them forth, gave there are three Corresponding Secretaries | rise to the formation of a Baptist Board and a Treasurer, whose time is fully occu- for Foreign Missions in the United States. pied with the business. Messrs. Hall, Newell, and Nott, after much painful voyaging from place to place, occasioned by the reluctance of the East India Company to tolerate missionaries, and especially American missionaries, in India (the United States and Great Britain being then, unhappily, at war), at length, in 1813, found a resting-place and field of labour at Bombay, in Western India. This was the commencement of the mission to the Mahrattas.

ferently related to the Christian religion from what they did in 1813. Much unavoidable preliminary ground has been gone over; the truth stands nearer to the native intellect and heart; the spiritual conquest of the country is far easier than it was then.

ITS HISTORY.-The proceedings of the Board, and the results of its experience and operations for the thirty years past of its existence, must necessarily be stated in the most comprehensive and summary manner. It is among the remarkable facts in the history of this institution, and in the ecclesiastical history of the country, that, at the outset, neither the Board nor its Prudential Committee, nor, indeed, any of the leading minds in the American churches at that The Mahrattas possess strong traits of time, could see the way clear for raising character as a people, compared with othfunds enough to support the four young er nations of India, as is evident in their men who were then waiting to be sent forth history for ages past. The American misto the heathen world. One of them was sionaries were the first to go in among accordingly sent to England by the Pru- them, and they entered as the husbanddential Committee, mainly to see whether man would into an unbroken forest. No an arrangement could not be made with preparatory work had been done, except the London Missionary Society, by which merely that of conquest by a Christian a part of their support could be received power, and it must be confessed that few from that society, and they yet remain tangible results have yet been witnessed under the direction of the Board. That in that mission. But there is no doubt society wisely declined such an arrange- that the Mahratta people now stand difment, and at the same time encouraged their American brethren to hope for ample contributions from their own churches as soon as the facts should be generally known. From this time no farther thought was entertained of looking abroad for pecuniary aid. Indeed, the largest legacy the Board has yet received was bequeath- Among the Tamul people, found in the ed to it by a benevolent lady in Salem, northern district of Ceylon and in SouthMassachusetts, in the early part of the year ern India, there was some degree of prep1811. The first ordination of American aration when the mission to that people missionaries to the heathen in foreign was commenced in 1816; in Ceylon, by lands was in that place, on the 6th of Feb- means of the Portuguese and the Dutch; ruary, 1812. These were the Rev. Sam- and on the Continent, by means of the celuel Newell, Adoniram Judson, Gordon ebrated missionary Schwartz and his assoHall, Samuel Nott, and Luther Rice, all ciates. Hence, through the blessing of God, from the little missionary band in the The- the obvious results have been greater there ological Seminary at Andover. They pro- than among the Mahrattas. The systeceeded forthwith to Calcutta, in the East matic measures which were early adoptIndies, but without being designated to any ed by the Ceylon mission for training a specific field by the committee. There native agency, and the success attending was not then the hundredth part of the them, did much to give an early maturity knowledge of the heathen world in the to the plans of the Board for raising up a American churches that there is now. The native ministry in connexion with all its Prudential Committee seem to have been other missions, of which more will be said unable to point to any one country, and in the sequel. The most efficient semitell their missionaries decidedly to occupy nary for educating heathen youths for helptha' in preference to other contiguous coun- ers in the work of the Gospel, is believed tries. The comparative claims of the dif- to be the one connected with the mission ferent benighted portions of the unevan-in Ceylon. The number of pupils is 160, gelical world was a subject then but little understood. The missionaries were left to decide what field to occupy after their arrival in India.

all of whom are boarding scholars, and about 100 of them are regarded as truly pious. There is also a female seminary, containing more than 100 boarding scholMessrs. Judson and Rice had not been ars, where the educated native helpers of long with the Baptist missionaries at Se- the mission may obtain pious, educated rampore, near Calcutta, before they de-wives; and there are free schools contain

ing 3000 pupils, which are a nursery for The mission was commenced on the plain the seminaries, and among the most ef- of Ooroomiah, and has recently been exfective means of securing congregations tended to the independent Nestorian tribes to hear the preached Gospel. In 1834, a among the Koordish Mountains. The leadbranch of this mission was formed at Ma- ing object of the mission is to educate dura, on the Continent, and in 1836 anoth- the clergy, and by reviving among them, er at Madras, with the special object of through the blessing of God, the spirit of printing books in the Tamul language on the Gospel, to induce them to resume the a large scale. preaching of it with more than their ancient zeal. The press has been introduced. More than 400 Nestorians are in free schools, supported by the mission, and taught by eighteen priests and sixteen deacons; and upward of sixty are boarding scholars in seminaries. There is also a class of about a dozen in theology, instructed by the missionaries. We already begin to witness the gradual reviving of preaching among the ecclesiastics. The great thing wanting among this people is spiritual life. They number about 100,000 souls.

The

the English colony, and their consequent were hopefully converted to God. wars upon the Zulus. The mission to number of church members (who are adWestern Africa, though commenced in mitted to that relation only after a cred1834, has not yet advanced beyond Cape ible profession of real piety) increased in Palmas, where it has a very interesting that space of time from 5000 to more seminary for Grebo youth; but its ultimate than 18,000. The natives have erected destination, as soon as the way is opened many houses for public worship, and a up the Niger, is to the populous and health- still greater number of schoolhouses, and ful countries of the interior. Along the on the Sabbath-day, which is generally coast, however, eastward of Cape Palmas, observed by abstaining from labour and there is work for many missionaries. amusements, the sound of the church-going bell is heard in not a few of their valleys.

The results of the mission of the Board in the Sandwich Islands, a group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, constitute one of the great moral wonders of the age. The first missionaries landed on those islands in the year 1820. At that time the natives were savage and pagan, without letters, without a ray of Gospel light; though they had just before strangely burned their idols-a fact unknown in the United States when the missionaries embarked on their errand of mercy. In 1840, after the lapse of only twenty years, this same people might properly have claimed the title of a Christian people. Though necessarily destitute in great measure, owing to their poverty, of the more imposing insignia of civilization, they then had the elements and basis of it in Christian institutions, schools, a written language, the press, and books, and in the extensive prevalence of pious dispositions and habits. Within this space of time their language had been reduced to writing, and about 100,000,000 of pages had been printed by the mission in the native language. As the alphabet contains but twelve letters, and each letter has but a single sound, it is easy learning to read. One third of the population can read. The children of the chiefs are educated by a member of the mission in a boarding-school designed for them alone, which the chiefs support: this is at Honolulu, in the island of Oahu. At Lahainaluna, on the island of Maui, there is a seminary, for which a large stone edifice has been erected, containing nearly 100 boarding pupils; and at Wailuku, on the same island, there is a corresponding female institution, containing about fifty. At Waialua, on Oahu, there is a manual labour or self-supporting school. Two other boarding-schools are at Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, which are supported chiefly by the natives. The free schools number about 14,000 pupils. Laws have been passed by the government defining and securing the rights of property to the people, and taking the power of imposing taxes from the individual chiefs, and vesting it exclusively in the National Council, which is to assemble annually. But the most remarkable fact of all, is the extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the years 1838 and 1839, in consequence of which many thousands of the natives

The Board has very properly spent a portion of its funds in missions to the more important and influential tribes of the North American Indians. It began with the Cherokees and Choctas, in 1816-18, who then inhabited a tract of country within the chartered limits of some of the Southwestern States. These two missions, for more than ten years, had great success. The poor Indians were then driven almost to desperation by those who wished for their lands, and were bent on inducing them to remove beyond the Mississippi River. These efforts had a cruel success. The missionaries have followed the two tribes above mentioned in their exile. Missions were also instituted at different times among the Creeks and Chickasas, eastward of the Mississippi, and among the Osages westward; but they have been discontinued. Subsequent to the year 1830, missionaries were sent to the savage, wandering Ojibwas, Sioux, and Pawnees, in the vast territory northwest of the United States; and in 1835 they were sent across the continent, beyond the Rocky Mountains, to the Indians in the Oregon Territory. There are several missions among the feeble remnants of the once powerful Six Nations, found on the borders of Lake Erie, in the State of New-York.

The following is a summary view of what, through the Divine favour, has been accomplished by this Board. The amount received into the treasury of the Board during the year ending on the 31st of July, 1843, was $244,224 43; and the amount of payments was $257,247 25; leaving the treasury indebted to the amount of $13,022 82.

The number of missions sustained during the year was 26; connected with which are 86 stations, at which were labouring 131 ordained missionaries, eight of whom were physicians, eight other physicians, 15 teachers, 10 printers and bookbinders, six other male, and 178 female assistant missionaries-making the whole number of missionary labourers sent from this country and sustained by the Board 348, which is eight less than the number last year. If to these be added 14 native preachers and 116 other native helpers,

the whole number of missionary labourers | books and tracts in thirty-three different connected with the missions, and sustained languages, spoken by more than 450,000,000, from the treasury of the Board, will be exclusive of the English. These langua 478, which is 10 less than were reported last year. Of these missionary labourers, four ordained missionaries, and two male and nine female assistant missionaries, in all 15, were sent forth during the last year, being the least number of preachers, and the least number, including all classes of labourers, that has been sent forth during any year since 1831.

ges are the Zulu, Grebo, Italian, Greek, Armenian, Turkish (in the Armenian character), Arabic, Mahratta, Portuguese, Goojurattee, Hindosthanee, Latin, Tamul, Teloogoo, Siamese, Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Bugis, Hawaiian, Cherokee, Choctaw, Seneca, Abenaquis, Ojibwa, Ottawa, Creek, Osage, Sioux, Pawnee, and Nez Perces; fifteen of which were first reduced to writing by missionaries of the Board.

Örganized by these missions, and under their pastoral care, are 62 churches, to The sixty-two churches which have been which have been received during the last gathered among the heathen are formed year 2690 converts, and which now em- as nearly on the Congregational or Presbrace, in regular standing, 20,797 mem-byterian model for such ecclesiastical orbers. This number does not include some ganizations as the nature of the case would hundreds of hopeful converts among the permit. None but converts who have been Armenians, Nestorians, and other commu- received as members of the church, after nities in Western Asia. giving credible evidence of piety, are alThe number of printing establishments lowed to partake of the Lord's Supper. connected with the missions is 16, with The spiritual fruits of the missions to the four type foundries, 43 founts of type, and Oriental churches are, of course, not in30 presses. Printing has been executed cluded in this number, such not having for the missions in 33 languages, exclusive been gathered into distinct and separate of the English, 15 of which were first re-churches, the effort there having been to duced to a written form by the missiona-infuse the spirit of the Gospel into those ries of this Board. The copies of works printed at the mission presses during the past year exceed 600,000, and the number of pages is about 56,383,000; making the total number of pages printed for the missions since they commenced about 442,056,185.

religious communities as they now are.

THEORY OF THE MISSIONS OF THE BOARD. -The Board does not regard any of its missions as being permanent institutions. Their object is, through the grace of God, to impart the spirit and plant the institu- || tions of the Gospel where they do not In the department of education the mis- exist, and then to leave them to the consionaries have under their care seven sem-servative influences that shall have been inaries for educating preachers and teach-gathered about them. This is true theoers, in which are 524 pupils, besides 22 other boarding-schools, in which are 699 pupils, more than 400 of whom are girls. Of free schools the number is 610, containing 30,778 pupils; making the whole num-sential principle of his calling, a sojourner, ber of pupils under the care of the missions 32,000.

retically, and it will come out in fact as soon as the means are furnished for prosecuting the work with becoming vigour. The missionary is emphatically, in the es

pilgrim, stranger, having no continuing city.

The leading object of its missions, Of the 32,000 youth in the mission therefore, is the training and employment schools of this Board, somewhat more of a native ministry, as the only way in than 1200 are boarding scholars, in schools which the Gospel can soon become indiwhere the leading object is to train up a genous to the soil, and the Gospel institunative ministry. Five hundred and twen- tions acquire a self-supporting, self-propaty-four are in seminaries designed exclu- gating energy. And the fact is important sively for males, where the course of study to be noted, that the elders, or pastors, is as extensive as it can be, while the lan-whom the apostles ordained over the guages of the several countries where they churches they gathered among the heaexist are no better furnished with works of sound literature and science. In general, the text-books for all the schools have to be prepared by the missionaries, and a very great progress, on the whole, has been made in this department, especially in geography, arithmetic, geometry, sacred history, and the first principles of religion and morals.

About 442,000,000 of pages have been printed at the sixteen printing establishments connected with the missions of this

ard. These establishments have printed

then, were generally, if not always, natives of the country. While the apostles had not the facilities of the present day for training men for this office by education, they had not the necessity for so doing. Among their converts at Ephesus, Berea, Corinth, Rome, and elsewhere, they had no difficulty in finding men who only required some instruction in theology, and scarcely that when endowed with miraculous gifts, to be prepared for the pastoral office. How they did, or would have done, beyond the Roman Empire and the bounds

of civilization, we are not informed; but ly embarrassed and hindered in his work. in the use they made of a native ministry, In this manner Christian families are we recognise one of the grand principles formed, and at length Christian communiof their missions, and also the true theory ties, and there is a race of children with of missions-simple, economical, practical, Christian ideas and associations, from Scriptural, mighty through God. among whom we may select our future pupils and candidates for the ministry."

"3. The student, while in the seminary, should be trained practically to habits of usefulness. But this requires caution, and must not be attempted too soon. Those set apart for the sacred ministry might remain as a class in theology at the semi-sed by these formidable obstacles, namely, nary, after completing the regular course distance, expense, and climate. England was of study; or, according to the old fashion opposed by the same obstacles in her conin this country, which has some special quest of India. And how did she overcome advantages, they might pursue their theo- them? By employing native troops; and logical studies with individual missiona- it is chiefly by means of them she now ries, and, under such superintendence, ex- holds that great populous country in subercise their gifts before much responsibil- jection. We, too, must have native troops ity is thrown upon them.

"4. The contemporaneous establishment of female boarding-schools, where the native ministers and other educated helpers in the mission may obtain pious and intel- "Such a measure would effect a great ligent partners for life, is an essential fea-saving of time. Indeed, we can never leave ture in this system. A native pastor, with our fields of labour till this is done. Our an ignorant, heathen wife, would be great-mission churches must have native pastors,