and feeble churches are applying to the Trustees for aid; but must meet with a refusal unless additional means are afforded. The field on the northern frontiers is widening with every revolving year, and calls for the employment of a large accession of labourers. The wants of the interior of Pennsylvania must not be overlooked. The Baptists in Ohio are struggling into life in the missionary cause, and would rejoice to receive aid from this quarter. The same remark applies to most of the States in the South. Besides, the particular attention of the Trustees has been called to the States of of the regular pastor, and the itinerant evangelist. Ten such preachers would cover Missouri over with circuits. Twelve would extend the system into every part of Illinois. From fifteen to twenty would visit regularly every settlement in Indiana. A number of preachers qualified for the work are now residents of those States, but whose labours are much circumscribed in providing temporal things for their own households. The project proposes that aid be furnished under the management of the Trustees of the Missionary Society, at the ratio of 100 dollars per annum to each travelling missionary, and the remainder needful for their ilies, be contributed in the necessaries of support or the support of their famlife by the people amongst whom they labour. St. Louis Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, Where exertions upon a more extensive and enlarged plan are most urgently solicited. This Society already has expended about two year's missionary labour upon that region. In connection with the aid afforded by other Societies, the result has been the commencement Must have a stationed preacher as pas and progress of an extensive system of tor of the church, a man of information, Bible Societies of Sunday Schools- || piety, and talents, who will devote a porand of itinerant preaching. The blessing tion of his time in teaching a select of the Lord has followed. A project has school, and receive such additional aid been exhibited to the Trustees of the as the public and the Missionary Society Society in relation to a system of meas- may afford him. But one of the most ures in those States, which is now important measures to be adopted is a before a committee for maturing, and nothing is wanting but sufficient means to carry it into successful operation. The project is three fold. It embraces a system of circuit missions for the country generally-exertions that relate to St. Louis in particular-and insipient measures that relate to the establishment of a Theological School. Circuit Missionaries. Theological School. The pressing need of such a measure is fully known only to those who know all the circumstances that relate to the preachers raised up in the frontier States. An institution can be put into operation at small expense. Rough cabins or log houses will answer until more permanent buildings can be erected. Labour will be combined with study to lessen expense and preserve health. Preachers will receive such aid in instruction as will qualify them more fully for usefulness. The most rigid economy will be adopted in all expenditures, and a train of operations commenced, that may grow into a permanent and useful institution, from its own energies and the labours of those connected with it. This part of the project contemplates the employment of a sufficient number of competent missionaries on circuits, around which they will travel every month, visiting all the churches and organizing others, encouraging the Sabbath Schools and multiplying their number, increasing the labours and energies of the Bible Societies, visiting families, and imparting the instruction that is needed, One thousand dollars is sufficient to preaching the gospel to the destitute of meet the expenses in commencing such all classes, and in general, performing the an institution, and a portion of this can diversified services that are expected both || be contributed in books, in furniture for the School or the boarding house, or in|| should be forwarded to E. Lincoln, articles needed in building. Funds wanted. Treasurer, Boston, or to the travelling Agent, before the second Wednesday in August next. Donations for a Theological School in the West will be specially designated for that purpose. J. M. PECK, Agent of the Baptist Missionary Society of Massachusetts. Boston, June 5, 1826. BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION. To enable this Society to enter upon this field of evangelical labours, an increase of funds is necessary. Knowing, as we do, the many pressing calls upon the charities of the public, we despair of obtaining help to the extent that has been suggested for the Western States, but we do hope, that at least 20 circuit missionaries can receive the aid proposed; and we do still indulge the sanguine expectations that sufficient aid will be obtained for the commencement of the Theological School in contemplation for those States. We assure the publick and our brethren in particular, that a site has been selected, a sufficient quantity of land offered, some improvements commenced upon it, a competent instructer can be had, and with the aid solicited,|| the school may be in operation in less which seemed to justify this measure at the meeting of the Convention, were, if we mistake not, the following. than 12 months. With such objects before us, fields of such importance and so white for the harvest, measures so advantageous to the vital interest of religion-to our denomination-and to our country, opportunities for such extensive usefulness, who will not come up to the help of the Lord! Who will not contribute liberally to the objects of this Society! The confidence which the publick has had always in the Trustees of this Society, their excellent and economical management, we hope, will dispose the rich with their abundance, and the poor with their mites, to replenish the treasury of the Society. But funds are not all that is wanted. Where are our pious, zealous, and liberal minded young brethren, whom God has called into the ministry, and the churches have approbated? Will they not come forward and consecrate their lives to this service? Will not our brethren aid in their prayers, for we well know, in this great work, means are wholly unavailing without the Spirit of the Lord. The IN our last number we took occasion hastily to state the fact that the Constitution of the Convention had been SO amended as to restrict its operations exclusively to Missionary business. reasons for this amendment were then of necessity omitted, and this omission it is now our intention very briefly to supply. Some of the considerations 1. There is no necessary connexion between the Missionary and Education concerns of our denomination. Both are important, both are necessary; but this is no reason why both should be managed by the same men, or their funds cast into one common treasury. 2. It is difficult to conceive of any substantial benefit which could result to either from this connexion. By the express letter and spirit of the Constitution of the Convention, its funds of every sort must be appropriated exclusively to that object for which they were designed by the donor. The mission has no control over the funds for education, nor has the education concern any control over the funds of the missions. Different agents require to be employed to promote their different objects, and different Boards engaged in their management-Boards in the present instance widely separated from each other. We see no reason therefore why they should be united. It is desirable that publick collections 3. Some reasons might easily be sugshould be made, Auxiliary or Primary gested why they had better be disunited. Societies formed, and individual dona- The feelings of our brethren in different tions offered, and that contributions | portions of the United States in relation to these two objects are not entirely coin- || gotten, and every paper and every report seemed exclusively devoted to the praises and the successes of the Columbian college. Such has been the effect of this ar cident. Some are more particularly favourable to missionary, and others to education exertions. The blending of these two concerns together must evidently in-rangement upon the missionary cause. jure the success of both of them in respect to all persons in both these classes. Either party would give more liberally towards his favourite object if it stood alone, and totally disconnected with the other. But if we look a little further, we shall see that they have not been less deleterious to the very cause of education. The college and the business of education commenced under flattering auspices. Their friends were numerous and liberal, And again it is evident that comand their receipts encouraging. Soon, plication of object in any case dimin- however, its prospects became less flatishes the prospect of success. A be- tering, until the whole concern is now, as nevolent purpose is better sustained is well known, considerably in debt. when it is managed by men who are sin- Such a result, indeed, might have been gly devoted to its promotion. In the almost anticipated. The education cause present imperfect state it is not to be extakes a less firm hold upon the feelings pected that any number of men could be of the benevolent, than the missionary found who would devote equal attencause. It must always succeed, and be tion to both education and missions, and secondary to it. So soon as these two at the same time give to each the full at- causes interfere, and if blended under one tention that it deserved. One or the oth-management, they will interfere, the one er will almost of necessity be neglect- weakens the energies of the other, and ed, as the claims of its rival are more urthen ruins itself. gent, and being neglected by its constituted guardians, will lose its interest in the feelings of the publick. 4. The history of this connexion in the present case has abundantly demonstrated the evil of connecting these charities together. It has proved that each has been But aside from all this, and supposing that these two concerns could under some other circumstances be advantageously connected, the connexion lately existing between the Convention and the Columbian college could not be in any manner advantageous. The Convention was under moral obligation to invest moneys placed under its control for education purposes in such manner as would most certainly remain under its own direction, and over the management of which it could exercise the right of Now the connexion existing The Convention was originally, as it is at present exclusively, a missionary Association. After some time, we believe at its third triennial meeting, education objects were amalgamated with it. Before this amalgamation, and with a single object || visitation. of pursuit, its proceedings were harmoni-between the college and the Convention ous, and its exertions singularly blessed. did not allow of such an investment. A missionary spirit was awakened The Convention could do no more than throughout our country, and the receipts nominate a list of 50 persons, from whom into the treasury were such as to gladden a Board of 31 persons could be elected the friends of Zion. From the moment by the contributors, and this election of this union, however, a reverse may be must always be made at the city of dated. The spirit of missions flagged. Washington. It is very clear that this The receipts into the treasury were di- power of nomination, if power it may minished. The college at each succeed-be called, is almost utterly worthless. ing meeting demanded more attention In the first place, it rested solely upon a from the Convention, and the mission re- resolution of the Board of Trustees of the ceived less. The missionary cause lost college, and could be repealed at any its place in the hearts of Christians, un-meeting by two thirds of the members til the souls of the heathen were almost for-present. And in the second place, it al stated their cheerful acquiescence with the views of the majority, and the decis Since the adjournment, some of the persons most deeply interested in the welfare of the college, have individually express ways must have been in the power of the contributors to render the nomination null. If they voted for persons not nomi-ion was made with perfect good feeling. nated by the Convention, these persons would not, it is true, be elected; but as the Board has power to fill its own vacancies, these very persons not nominateded to us their decided approbation of the might be legally elected at the very next meeting. The investment of benevolent funds under cover of so imperfect a control would be manifestly unwise. So that a connexion of this sort between the college and the Convention could not with advantage to the latter be maintained. course which had been taken, and their entire conviction, that its effects would be unequivocally advantageous to that Institution. We have been thus minute in stating the reasons of this change, because we consider our readers entitled to every information upon this subject, which it is in our power to furnish. We do it also because we wish it to be universally known, that this separation was not the result of haste or ill feeling, but of a deliberate Nor was it even advantageous to the college. The bare fact of this connexion led the publick to suppose that the college did not much need assistance,' and did not therefore afford it. The depen-conviction on every side, that no other dence of the college upon the publick was lost sight of, and thus the only means by which the institution could be supported was cut off. arrangement would subserve the interests of benevolence. We consider it a cause for devout thanksgiving to God, that so important a question, and one involving so great a variety of interests, should have been decided so happily and so har, moniously. so We confidently hope, that this change, We shall mention but one more out of the many reasons which have led to this division of benevolent labour. An impression had gone abroad that the Convention was responsible for the pecunia- long desired by many of the best ry transactions of the college. The fact friends of both objects, and which has was directly the reverse. When this im- now been effected, will awaken our pression had become known to the Con- churches to renewed exertions in behalf vention it seemed due to the publick not of missions and of education. Both only to show that this responsibility did causes need and both deserve the decided not exist, but to prevent the recurrence of and liberal support of every friend of such a misapprehension in future. The Christ. Each of them is now, we beproper course seemed to be to render lieve, placed in those circumstances these two corporations entirely indepen- || which will best meet the wishes of the bedent of each other. nevolent, and secure the most useful apInfluenced by these considerations,propriation of their charities. With the and after mature and protracted delibera- most cordial wishes for their success, we tion, the constitution was amended as we can cheerfully recommend them both to have before stated. The proposition || every christian. originated with a gentleman from the neighborhood of the college, and one of its firmest friends. It was at first opposed not on the ground that the alteration was not necessary, but that some other time would be more suitable. When the final question, however, was taken, the amendments were passed by an unanimous vote. We do not mean to say that there were not some who even at last hesitated, but they explicitly and most honourably erase from my mind the remembrance of BURMAN MISSION. Ed. LETTER FROM MRS. BOARDMAN. My dear Ship Asia, South Lat. 28° East 2 No lapse of time, no distance can ever seasons spent in social prayer with you. || surrounded by those females, who are When my mind had been disturbed with now raising their frightful yells in honour cares during the day, it was indeed pleas of Guadama, and prostrating themselves ant at eve to retire from the world and with frantick gestures, at his idolatrous hold communion with God, and his dear || shrine. To enjoy happiness like this, children. I believe that the Christian who would not relinquish the blessings enjoys the purest and most refined hap- of a Christian country, and labour for a piness in secret. At least, I think he few short years on a heathen shore? AH has less reason to doubt the genuineness that is worthy of our hearts, we can posof his enjoyment when alone. Still, sess in Burmah, as well as in America. when those whose hopes, whose desires, The privilege of the throne of grace, whose hearts are one, supplicate togeth- the Bible and opportunities of being useer at the throne of grace, the bosom ful to those around us-this is all the glows with a sort of indescribable rap-christian really needs to constitute his fe ture. While in secret we may have great- licity. This we can possess in any clime, on any shore. I think the missionary life, if entered upon with suitable views and feelings, may be more favourable than any other, to the promotion of spiritual growth. For when does the throne of grace appear so precious as in the midst of trials? When are the promises of Scripture so consoling as when alt terrestrial good eludes our grasp? And when can the christian be more useful, than while he has frequent opportunities of instructing the devotees of ignorance, idolatry and superstition. In this situation I think there would be a stronger probability of benefitting immortal souls, than in a place where the gospel is regularly preached, and the word of God may be daily perused. We have one more request to make: This you will not refuse us I am assured. Pray for us. O pray that we may have much of the spirit of the dear Saviour. Farewell, my beloved sisters. May you all enjoy constant communion with God, and be enabled daily to grow in grace. May you be eminently useful, and devoted to God in the stations which you occupy in life, and be supported in death. May the best of blessings descend upon your families. For you my feeble petitions shall often rise. O may we meet in heaven, and unite in a song of praise to him who died to redeem our guilty souls. I shall hope to receive many letters by the arrivals from America. Yours, with affection, S. H. BOARDMAN. |