at least four years. The name was requested not to be mentioned in the proceedings, except as " A Friend to Foreign Missions." At the Yearly Meeting in the Ancient Order of the Six Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, held at Johnson, Rhode Island, it was gratifying to observe the pious regard with which the subject of sending the gospel to the heathen was taken into religious deliberation. Before the Warren Association, held in Providence, a missionary sermon was delivered, and a collection taken to aid the funds of the Board. After meeting the Boston Association, whose zeal in the missionary cause is well known, it afforded me much pleasure at the session of the Woodstock Association, held in Westmoreland, N. H., to aid in forming, on the 29th September, The Union Society in Vermont and New Hampshire, Auxiliary to the Baptist Board for Foreign Missions. The week following, a missionary sermon was delivered by me before the Vermont Association at Brandon, and a collection taken to aid the general fund. At the close of the session, 6th October, was formed The Vermont Society, Auxiliary to the Baptist Board for Foreign Missions. Before the Leyden Association, met at Halifax, Vt., the next week, another opportunity was afforded me to plead the cause of the poor heathen, and a public collection was made for the purpose of assisting the measures in operation for imparting to them the gospel. Connected with this Association, had been formed a few years since The Country Baptist Missionary Society, whose object principally, though not exclusively, was domestic missions. At the close of the ses sion, the 13th October, some additional articles to the constitution were, at my instance, adopted for the purpose of augmenting its activity, extending its regard to the wretched condition of the heathen, and its taking rank among the foreign mission societies, but without, in the least degree, lessening its attention to the object primarily contemplated in its formation. Before the Dublin Association the ensuing week, in Swansy, N. H., the delightful office was again assigned me to preach upon the subject of missions, and a public collection was taken for missionary purposes. Near the close of the session, the 20th October, was formed The Dublin Society Auxiliary to the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions. As no other Associations were to meet at points in which it would be practicable for me to be present with them, having had opportunity of preaching a few missionary sermons in different places in the country, and having returned to Boston, the Board of The Baptist Society for propagating the Gospel in India and other foreign parts, requested me to deliver the annual missionary sermon before that society. The collection on the occasion, notwithstanding the pressure of public burdens and calamities at the time, amounted to 185 dollars. Soon after this, the course of Providential openings, led me again into Rhode Island; and it was conceived to be practicable and proper for a mission society to be formed in that state in the counties of Newport and Bristol, and some adjacent places. For this purpose it was thought advisable for me to issue a circular, requesting a meeting to be held at Bristol, 7th December, at the house of Rev. Mr. Bates. A sufficient number of persons being assembled, The Evangelical Society of Bristol and Newport Counties, R. I., Auxiliary to the Baptist Board for Foreign Missions was duly organized. A missionary sermon was, of course, preached upon the occasion, and a collection taken for missionary purposes. My attention was immediately directed thence to the southeasterly section of Massachusetts. By appointment and request, a meeting was held at the house of Major Levi Pierce, near the Four Corners in Middleboro, 29th December, on which occasion was formed The United Society of Plymouth County and vicinities Auxiliary to the Baptist Board for Foreign Missions, spreading over the counties of Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable, and some adjacent places in the same state. Missionary sermon and a collection as usual. The 4th January 1815, a missionary sermon was delivered by me in Beverly, Mass., by request, at the annual meeting of The Salem Bible Translation and Foreign Mission Society, and a collection was taken to aid their funds; the regular annual missionary sermon and collection had been previously attended to in Salem. What next engaged my attention was the central section in Massachusetts. Associated with brother Daniel Chessman, who, although, in consequence of a weakness of the lungs, not able to preach, has afforded great assistance in the business, we proceeded into Worcester County, and visited many of the ministers and other brethren in that region. A meeting was requested, and accordingly held, at the house of Deacon James Wilson, in Worcester, on which occasion was formed The Society for Worcester County and vicinity Auxiliary to the Baptist Board for Foreign Missions. Sermon and collection for missionary purposes, as in other cases of a similar nature. After spending a short time in that quarter, with a view to extend the operations, and promote the activity of this Society, I set out, having still the favour of brother Chessman's company, for this city. In New York I was detained a few days to attend the annual meeting of The New York Baptist Society for the Support of Foreign Missions, whose Board of Directors requested of me a missionary sermon. The New York Baptist Female Society for Promoting Foreign Mis sions, conferred upon me the honour of preaching the annual missionary sermon before that Society also. On both these occasions public collections were taken to aid the mission fund. The 3d May afforded me the pleasure of attending at New Mills the annual meeting of The Baptist Foreign Missionary Society of New Jersey, and of preaching a missionary sermon on the occasion, after which a collection was taken for missions. The 10th and 11th, I experienced much satisfaction at the session of the New York Association in the Baptist meeting house in Gold street, New York city; particularly, as the subject of missions proposed by me, as Agent of the Board, was attended to in a manner highly gratifying, a missionary sermon requested by the Association, and a public collection taken for the mission fund. The formation of two mission societies was recommended, and will probably soon take place. Besides the Societies, at whose formation, since the meeting of the Convention, a kind Providence has conferred on me the favour of being present, several others have been formed. At Troy, 23d July, The Baptist Society in Troy for Propagating the Gospel in India and other Foreign Parts. At Utica, N. Y., 15th or 16th August, The Utica Baptist Society to aid in foreign missions and in translating the Scriptures into the languages of the heathen. At Poughkeepsie, 19th October, The New York Middle District Society Auxiliary to the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions. One at Cincinnati, Ohio, whose constitution has not yet come to hand, and also, a Female Mission Society at the same place. In the South, it is probable another Society has, before this time, been organized. A meeting for this purpose was appointed by the Georgia Association, to be held 5th April, in Powelton, Hancock County, Geo. Something has been said, and perhaps, done, relative to the origination of another in North Carolina. In Fredericksburg, Va., a Female Mission Society has been formed. A day is appointed also to complete the regular organization of one in the same place, mentioned in the Proceedings of the Convention, p. 37. The Baptist Mission Society of Frederick County, Virginia, was formed 25th March, 1814. The Corresponding Secretary has recently forwarded a copy of their constitution, and also seventy dollars, from the society, inclosed in a letter, in which he observes-"We feel a happiness in believing that God is making use of Bible and Mission Societies, to shed the light of his grace upon the eastern, western, and other benighted parts of our world, and desire to participate in the glorious work." Besides these, The Boston Female Society for Missionary Purposes, organized 9th October, 1800, seems to have anticipated the present state of things. Impressed with the obligation of the Saviour's command, quoted in the title page of their constitution-"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature," and solicitous to aid its accomplishment, these excellent ladies "formed themselves into a Society-for the express purpose of aiding missions." Contemplating thus, in its origin, the general diffusion of the gospel by efforts of this nature, this Society has since manifested that liberal and pious regard to the foreign mission*, and will, no doubt, continue to afford that assistance to the funds of the Board, which should, unquestionably, entitle to a place among those societies that compose the General Missionary Convention. So that it appears fair to reckon the societies of this kind in the United States, at present, at thirty-four or five, with the expectation that several others will soon be formed. In this place, also, indulge me the pleasure of noticing The Mite Society in Providence, Rhode Island. This was formed by ladies of the Baptist connexion, 11th November, 1806, and has since collected more than eight hundred dollars for missionary purposes. At the southward similar societies are in operation. The Wadmalaw and Edisto Female Mite Society at Charleston, South Carolina, appears in the "Proceedings" of the late Convention among the contributors to the funds of the Board; and again on the minutes of the Charleston Association, since, in the same character. From numerous other Mite Societies, and from Cent Societies, in various parts of our country, much aid may be expected. I regret the want of sufficiently accurate information to enable me to furnish such descriptions of them, as their praise-worthy zeal for diffusing the light and influence of christianity so justly claims, while at the same time it would afford refined satisfaction to render to them severally this tribute of respect and gratitude. Such amiable associations can never be contemplated by a missionary, but with emotions peculiarly pleasing-particularly will the sisters in the mission derive from this source at once, undissembled felicitations and animating support,-while the example, too, impressively says to others—GO YE AND DO LIKEWISE. The collections alluded to in the preceding statement, as taken on occasions of my preaching upon the subject of missions, amounting to more than five hundred dollars, have not come into my hands, but have gone into the treasuries of the societies, in hose vicinities, respectively, the collections were made. But many sums have come into my possession, by various public collections, and from numerous individuals, the particular account of which permit me now to present. See Baptist Missionary Magazine, p. 381. MONIES RECEIVED, VIZ: 1814. June 28, August 1, By a letter at Hartford, from "A Friend to D. C. By Mr. Holmes for a Sabbath at Lower Dublin 4.00 Foreign Missions," 9, By letter from Mrs. Bradley, Windsor, Vt. 10, 3.00 5 00 By Mr. Benjamin Stevens, Cornwall, Vt. 15, By collection in the C. House, Middlebury, Vt. By Deacon Rogers, do. do. 21, By collection in the cong. M. H. Windsor, Vt. By Mr. Wells, from a widow, 1 dollar, and By an anonymous letter put into my hands by 1.00 19.00 1 50 0 50 1.00 16 20 100 00 2 00 200 6 00 4 00 1 00 By the hand of Mrs. Phippen, enclosed in a note, 4, By Mr. Button, North Haven, Con. 13, By the hand of Mr. M'Clellan, from a Female By collection at the Warren Asso. Prov., R. I. 14, By Rev. Mr. Conant, from Ladies, Marshfield, Ms. By Mr. Ezra Blake, Wrentham, Ms. 15, By letter from a female friend of missions at 16, By a few persons at the Academy Hall, Mid- 25, By a Lady, Londonderry, N. H. at the house of Mr. Caleb Gooden, after a lecture 7 00 3.00 1 00 2.00 S 00 0 25 26, By the hand of Mr. Gooden, Londonderry, N. H. 1 00 29, By Mr. B. Westmoreland, N. H. By Deacon Benjamin Smith, By another person, 6, By a Lady, Brandon, Vt. do. do. 2.00 0 25 1.00 0 50 0 25 1.00 Amount carried forward, $299 31 C |