sembled, from almost every State in the American Union, to represent multitudes of our Christian friends, who feel with us; to speak and act for them in this best of Causes. O! let us realize the importance of the Work, and be ready to act for God. Let Faith, Gratitude and Love unite their influence and call forth all the energies of our Souls on this momentous occasion. Millions are perishing in ignorance and sin, held in the chains of Idolatry and gross Superstition, under the power of Satan. The Nations are convulsed; and great events with respect to the Kingdom of Christ appear to be drawing near. Exertions of an extraordinary character have been made, and are now making by Christians of various denominations, both in Europe and America, for the propagation of the Gospel; by Missionary and Bible Societies, by Churches and pious Individuals. And to our brethren, the Missionaries at Serampore, the Lord has granted success, taking the subject in all its views, unparalleled, since the days of the Apostles.- Happy, honoured Carey, and thy worthy associates! how are ye blessed of God!-It becomes us to add, there are here servants of God ready to engage in the arduous, sacred Work; the language of whose souls, as individuals is, "Here am I, send me!" Many more, no doubt, will catch their spirit, and will with them be willing to risk their all in the Cause of the blessed Redeemer.-Let, therefore, all the considerations we have urged from the word of God on this sublime subject be duly regarded, that they may concentrate their whole force upon the heart, and give an impulse to action, which through the Grace of the Redeemer, no difficulties can retard, no oppositions withstand. Let the wise and good employ their counsels; the Minister of Christ, who is qualified for the sacred service, offer himself for the Work; the man of wealth and generosity, who values the Glory of Emmanuel, and the Salvation of Souls more than gold, bring of his treasures in proportion as God has bestowed on him; yea, let all, even the pious widow, bring the mite that can be spared; and let all who fear and love God, unite in the Prayer of Faith before the Throne of Grace; and unceasingly say, "Thy Kingdom come!"--And O! let it never be forgotten, that the Son of God hath said: "Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." Amen and Amen. TO THE BAPTIST BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES. Beloved Fathers and Brethren, HAVING been engaged for a considerable time in missionary concerns, your condescension, I persuade myself, will indulge me the freedom of submitting a few facts and observations. In relation to fields for missionary labour, information is so fully in your possession already, that I need say but little. It being understood that in the recently renewed Charter of the English East India Company, provision, friendly to missionary operations, has been made, large countries, possessing many important stations for missionary labourers, become at once easily accessible to missionaries. I say easily accessible, because, even under the operations of the Charter previously to its late renewal, though difficulties were thrown in the way, still missionaries obtained access to numerous important places, and laboured with great effect, within the limits of the Company's jurisdiction. Besides the extensive regions under the jurisdiction of the Company, others of great importanee and very animating promise present themselves to view, and solicit regard. The Island of Ceylon, containing, it is estimated, a million and a half, or two millions of inhabitants, possesses, in addition to the importance of its own population, advantages of no small value, arising from its vicinity, and similarity of language, to the neighbouring, extensive peninsula; and also from its affinities of language, and superstitions, with those of the empire of Burmah. The Isle of France, or Mauritius, offers to the missionary another post of no inferior consideration, and which ought to be immediately occupied. One Chaplain,and five Roman Catholic priests, so far as I could learn when there, were the only preachers on the island. The services of the Chaplain appeared to be intended appropriately for the civil government and the soldiery.-The Catholie priests seemed to possess too little zeal, and the remnants of the Catholic superstition too little energy, or possession of the minds of the people, to oppose any formidable barrier to the promulgation, or success of the gospel in that place. The island, indeed, holding a population of sixty-five thousand souls, may justly be considered as destitute, or very nearly destitute of all religion ş D and presents a proper, and by no means uninviting field of missionary labour. Bourbon, distant from Mauritius only a day's sail, contains fifty-six thousand inhabitants, equally destitute of religion, and religious advantages. The relation, also, of the Isle of France to the large, populous and utterly heathen island of Madagascar, attaches to it still greater weight in the missionary scale. Madagascar has been said to contain three or four millions of people. Mauritius is very probably the point from which these precious, but at present benighted souls, shall one day receive the word of life. And another consideration which ought not to be overlooked in estimating its value as a missionary station, is, its intercourse with most parts of India, Africa, Europe, South America, and the United States; offering facilities of communication, always desirable and important between different missionary stations, and between missionaries and their patrons; not to insist on the salubrity of its atmosphere, and, in a word, the delightfulness of the island. South America cannot be left out of the account in a missionary estimate. Some parts of that highly interesting country are, indeed, at present, in a revolutionary condition, adverse to missionary operations. In some of those provinces, however, which have achieved their independence, possibly concerns of a civil and political nature are already sufficiently consolidated, and that on the basis of a system sufficiently tolerant and liberal, to furnish some encouraging prospect to missionary efforts. In Brazil, things are in a state of tranquillity; and the catholic religion there has already lost so much of its fierceness and malignity as not only to allow toleration to protestants, but liberty to build chapels for the purpose of publicly celebrating the worship of God in the protestant manner. This is established by explicit and solemn treaty. So that there seems at least some prospect that good might result from the residence of a prudent and judicious evangelist at St. Salvador, or at Rio Janeiro, under the character perhaps of chaplain to the protestants of the place, or in the capacity of schoolmaster. With suitable qualifications, he might probably, to advantage, get into the business of instructing. And if he should be a vender of books perhaps it might be of service.-It is thought that the bible might be freely circulated. In relation to the conduct of a mission, permit me to observe, that it cannot be necessary for any other, particularly in the regions of the east, to follow the same course with that pursued by the important mission at Serampore. The grand object of that establishment has been,and still is, the translation of the scriptures. And so extensive and successful have been its labours in this respect, that it becomes unnecessary, and would, indeed, be improper, for any other mission to direct its principal attention to the same great service. A mission now to be established, should fix itself in some important place, make itself master of the language and literature of the people, ultimately carry to very considerable correctness a translation of the scriptures into that language, and diffuse the effectual knowledge of the gospel throughout the region in which such language is spoken. Such a mission might, indeed, become a parent establishment, and send out branches, not only to different. places in the same nation, but to other nations, or to other people, speaking a different language. But each branch, occupying a sta tion where a different language from that of the parent establishment is used, should pursue a course perfectly similar to that pursued by the parent establishment. And should it become necessary to introduce the printing business, which undoubtedly will be the case, this may be done at the parent establishment, and suffice for all its branches. Having submitted these brief remarks, suffer me to advert, for a moment, to the course pursued by me since the adjustment of the saered, endearing, and highly responsible relations which lately existed between myself and "The American Board of Commissioners for foreign Missions." Previously to this adjustment, or rather vote of my former beloved and very highly respected patrons, that they considered the relation between myself and them as having been dissolved, so deep and serious were my impressions of the sacred nature, mutual obligation and responsibility of the relation, that I did not conceive that I was, by any means, at liberty to commit myself to any other patronage or employ. Immediately, however, after obtaining information of this vote, I hastened, with the advice, and at the request of my brethren, to make the tour of the middle and southern states. But the success of this tour, in bringing about the formation of mission societies, it cannot be necessary to detail at large. In accounting to this Board, which I beg permission to do, for monies received by me while performing this service, as much of this detail will naturally come into view, as it can be of any importance to offer to your attention, in the present communication. As the point of responsibility, furnished by this Board, did not exist at the time of receiving the monies just mentioned, they were marked in my memorandum book, to be accounted for to the various mission societies, in whose vicinities respectively they were received. Thus, as marked to be accounted for, to "The Savannah Baptist Society for Foreign Missions," I RECEIVED, Nov. 26,1813. By the hand of Rev. Mr. Villard, from a 28, few persons at Mount-hope church, S. C. $6 25 By a collection, during the session of the Savannah River Baptist Association, at the Union Church, Barnwell District, S. C. Dec. 14, 1813. By a collection in St. Paul's Church, Au 54 691 gusta, Georgia, Carried over 61 50 122 43 Brought over Dee. 19, 1818. By a collection in the Baptist meeting 26, 27, house in which Rev. Mr. Johnson statedly By a collection in the Baptist meeting, in By a collection in the Baptist meeting house Jan. 11, 1814. By a collection in the Baptist meeting Of Miss Lydia Turner Of a few other persons 71 75 20 00 122 43 $ 52 00 31 50 36 37 afterwards 9 25 101 00 Total under the Savannah society $343 314 "The Beaufort District Baptist Society for Foreign Missions.” Jan. 4, 1814. By a collection in the court-house in Coosawhatchie, S. C. 21 371 "The general Committee of Churches united in the Charleston Baptist Association."~ Nov.10, 1813. By the hand of Mr. Evans, the amount of collections at Society-Hill, S. C. during the session of the Charleston Baptist Association By a collection in the Baptist meeting Jan.14, 1814. By donation of "The Wadmelaw and Ed- 71 00 30 811 76 50 44 00 48 25 103 50 374 061 |