of the past season, a contribution was made to assist the missionary funds; and cach of them consented to a correspondence with the Board.

2nd. Permit me now to introduce statements having reference to the circumstances connected with the issuing of proposals for publishing The Latter Day Luminary, including a journey to Boston.

This part of the business has been regarded on all hands as possessing singular importance. Your condescension, therefore, will indulge me a few moments in adverting to the circumstances, the contemplation of which inspired the resolution and imparted the strength that brought me in so short a time from so great a distance, to your quarterly meeting in September.

A short period previous to the assembling of the late Convention at their first triennial meeting, the proprietors of the American Baptist Magazine and Missionary Intelligencer, as you are well acquainted, conceived the noble and herculean design of giving to that valuable work, a complete circulation throughout our country. The state of things and pressure of other weighty concerns, prevented this matter from undergoing a discussion in the Convention, and a delib erate, extended investigation of the practicability of attaining the object contemplated by the proprietors of the Magazine, on the plan adopted by that publication; or whether, even if practicable, it would not be more eligible for a publication on this enlarged scale, to emanate directly from the general missionary body, that might conduce to display and strengthen its relations with all parts of the community; or, whether, if not practicable, some other plan could not be discovered, suited to the accomplishment of an object of so much interest, and so much to be desired.

The case, however, as it will be recollected, although not regularly gone into in any formal discussion, could not, from its very nature and bearings on the cause of missions, be suffered to pass wholly without notice. Solicitous that the useful information spread uniformly over its pages, should be diffused as widely as possible through the community, the Convention strongly recommended the Magazine to general acceptance and patronage. Founded on the

same solicitude an arrangement was proposed, and acceded to, which should render the Board, in part, proprietor of the publication, in the hope and belief that this would give such invigoration to the means of circulating the work, as should secure the object, at least to a very gratifying extent.

Soon, however, on applying to this arrangement, from which so much had been anticipated, the test of experiment, it was discovered

that the plan could not succeed. The smallness of the Magazine and its price, together with the frequency of its publication, left the concern unable to diffuse it through all the wide spreading regions westwardly and south-westwardly from this place, unless on the principle of employing other resources for this purpose, besides such as the work itself should supply. At the same time, as this deficiency of means for the ample circulation of the Magazine through the extensive sections of country referred to, without incurring expense, was discovered, another plan, of a larger work, of course higher in its price, and less frequently issued, revealed itself in all the light of obvious practicability, and certain ultimate profit to the missionary interest. The solemn alternative distinctly offered, whether a plan, the feasibility of which was shaded not by a solitary obscuring doubt, should be adopted, or leave the numerous population alluded to, still' unsupplied with the information which it is so affectingly important they should possess !

These views constantly present, and pressing with daily accumula ting weight upon my mind, impelled a hasty return from Kentucky, that the facts, so far as they had fallen within the scope of my observation, might be stated, fully, to the Board. Nor was it in any small degree consoling, to find that I had not been contemplating the matter in an erroneous light, as their unanimous decision still supports me in believing.

It was deemed expedient, however, to postpone the prospectus till the Editors of the Magazine should be consulted. But so urgent was the case, that it was judged advisable for me to omit several associations it had been my design to visit, and proceed to the eastward on this errand. In prosecuting this measure, some additional expense was incurred, while the opportunity of receiving collections in a number of instances, was lost; but it was an object greatly desirable to bring this matter to a happy conclusion.

Early the next morning after the meeting of the Board, I set out on an excursion to Virginia; visited the Shiloh Association in Madison County on Friday and Saturday of the same week; was with the Gospen Association in Orange county on Sabbath and Monday; and, wheeling to my right, met the Baltimore Association the Friday following, at Sideling Hill, Bedford county, in this state; the Wednesday after, was with the New Jersey Association at Trenton, N. J.--and arrived in Boston on Saturday, the 20th of the month. After accomplishing the object of my journey thither, I had the pleasure to be with the Hartford Association at Weathersfield, Connecticut,

on Wednesday, the first of October, on my return; and was present at the meeting of the Board, on Monday the 6th. Of my reception by the worthy brethren in New England, and the results of my journey to that quarter, it is unnecessary here to say any thing. Your expectations were not disappointed.

3rd. Statements relative to my tour through the middle and western states, last fall and winter.

Proposals for the Latter Day Luminary being issued by the publishing committee appointed by the Board, the day after their meeting, I went to the Philadelphia Association at Southampton; and on Saturday evening of the same week, was at the Dover Association, King and Queen county, Virginia. The contribution by the assembly present at the missionary sermon on the Sabbath was 272 dollars. In a fortnight, having taken a circuitous route through a part of that state higher up, and a part of Maryland and Pennsylvania, for the purpose of scattering subscription papers for the Luminary, I attended the Salisbury Association in Sussex county, Delaware. The next Saturday and Sabbath, was with a mission society in Fredericksburg, Va. and the Saturday and Sabbath following, with the Raleigh Association in Wake county, North Carolina.

Leaving this place the 10th of November, having been at fifteen associations in the course of the season, I crossed the country by Lynchburg, Romney, and Uniontown; reached Pittsburgh the 23d, and received in a Presbyterian meeting house a contribution for missionary purposes. The young ladies had formed a Mite Society not long before. The next day I proceeded to Washington, Pennsylvania, and the day after to Wheeling, Virginia; thence through Zanesville, Chilicothe and West Union, Ohio; Maysville, Washington, Lexington, Georgetown, Harrodsburg, Bardstown, Louisville, Shelbyville, Frankfort, Versailles, Richmond, Campbellville and Giasgow, Kentucky; Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Liberty, Sparta, Knoxville, Jonesboro and Blountville, Tennessee; Fincastle, Lynchburg, Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, New Market, Luray, Milford, Front Royal, Zion, Winchester, Charleston to Harper's Ferry, Virginia. In each of these places I had opportunity, in copnexion with preaching, to introduce the subject of missions, and receive assistance. The collections, although not large, commonly manifested the liberality of the people, as the meetings were often such as could be obtained after my arrival at the place at the close of a day's ride, without any previous notice. In Lynchburg I spent less than forty hours, and assisted to originate two mission societies, and received by contributions in the Presbyterian and Methodist

meeting-houses, more than $200.-At Winchester was commenced a Female Mite Society in the school of the Rev. Mr. Sedwick.

From Harper's Ferry coming on through Fredericktown and Lancaster, I arrived in this city the 2nd of February. A principal object of this tour was the disposing of subscription papers for the Luminary, and arranging for its conveyance. The returns furnish the best comment on the probable success of the undertaking.

4th. In relation to the circumstances connected with the issuing of the first number of the Luminary, and a late excursion to Virginia and North Carolina, it is unnecessary here to say much.

In the proposals for the publication first printed, it was thought proper to allow separate columns for the Luminary and the annual Report; and the plan of semi-annual payments was adopted, in order to obtain a sufficient amount in advance to enable the publishing committee to commence the work, inasmuch as this concern was, in the outset, to keep entirely clear of the funds belonging to the Board, and the responsibility and risk to rest on the committee, personally, not on the body by whom they were appointed and authorized. The prospect, however, soon became so fair and promising, that the Board assumed the responsibility; and it was judged advisable to drop from the paper the column for the annual Report, and regard that as one in the series consisting of five numbers a year, accommodated, as most convenient, to the basis of annual payments, rather than semi-annual. So many had subscribed for the Report, that what would be found in it could not with propriety be introduced into the Luminary, as in that case such would pay for the same matter twice; while, if any omitted taking the Report, there would be a chasm in their information. New subscription papers were, therefore, issued. These are in operation, and it is probable the number of subscribers will be considerably augmented. Much, if any profit, cannot be expected this year; but ultimately, no doubt, something handsome will be derived from this source to the mission funds.

The discretion to me confided by the Board, to employ persons in different parts of the country to assist in systematizing the circulation of the work, I shall feel it my duty to exercise with great caution. None, have as yet been employed; but arrangements are in train on which is founded the expectation that some will be in the course of the season ensuing. In all these cases it may justly be calculated that direct advantage to the funds of the Board will be secured, besides assistance to the regular circulation of the Luminary.

On obtaining from the press the first number, I proceeded southwardly, in the hope of being able to go as far as Milledgeville in Geor

gia. A quantity of the publication had been shipped for Richmond, Va. to be taken along to the south, and distributed all the way; but the vessel did not arrive time enough for me to accomplish the journey intended. Indeed the detention was so great, owing to this failure, as to prevent my going farther in that direction than Raleigh, N. C. Turning to the left, I visited Edenton and Norfolk, on my way back to this place.

While in Richmond, Va. I had opportunity of attending the annual meeting of the Female Mission Society-the African Mission Society-the Richmond Mission Society-of preaching a sermon for a collection to aid the funds of the Juvenile Female Cent Society-of witnessing the beginning of a Youth's Mite Society-and of witnessing the zeal of the ladies to form an Education Society. It afforded me much pleasure, indeed, to observe the zeal, and intelligence, and capacity, and success, discovered in the African Mission Society. The fact too, that the little girls from 6 or 7, to 12 or 14 years old, had formed a society, to save from the purchase of little delicacies their mites to assist the glorious object of giving the knowledge of the gospel to all the world, and that their lovely example was producing something similar among the little boys, could not fail to awaken emotions peculiarly delightful, anticipations the most lively and interesting. In Raleigh it is probable a similar little ladies' Cent or Mite Society, may ere this have been instituted. In Norfolk I am confident a Female Society will soon go into operation, probably has already. In Edenton the ladies have an Education Society :-these, besides the Mission Societies before existing in and about Norfolk and Edenton.

In Alexandria has recently been originated a Female Missionary Society, and one in Washington city; one at Chapawamsick, one at Wellsburg on the Ohio river, and one at Bruceville, in the state of Indiana, besides the Bruceville Mission Society. While in Virginia, on his way to the westward, brother Welch assisted in the formation of a mission society in Madison and Culpeper counties. How many more have been formed during the past year, I cannot with certainty at this moment say, but will endeavour to make out a list of them on a separate paper; also, an account of monies received, and of the expenditures incurred in the business assigned me by the Board.

My expenses have been greater than formerly, owing to the journey to Boston, the necessity of travelling so much in expensive parts of the country, and of frequently resorting to stage and steam boat conveyance as the only mode sufficiently rapid to answer the purpose!