Providence, April 27, 1831.

The Board met at the First Baptist meeting house. There were present, Rev. DANIEL SHARP, D. D.

First Vice President.

Rev. LUCIUS BOLLES, D. D.
Corresponding Secretary.
Hon. HEMAN LINCOLN, Treas.
JAMES D. KNOWLES, Rec. Sec.
Rev. FRANCIS WAYLAND, JR.D.D.
Rev. CHARLES TRAIN,
Rev. IRAH CHASE,
Rev. HENRY JACKSON,
Rev. CYRUS P. GROSVENor,
Rev. BELA JACOBS,
Mr. ENSIGN LINCOLN.

Letters were received from Rev. Messrs. Brantly, Galusha, N. W. Williams, and Bennet, and William Colgate, Esq. apologizing for their ab

Church, Phillips, Babcock, Philleo, and Leverett, accepted the invitation.

Resolved, That Rev. Messrs. Wayland, Jackson and Jacobs be a Committee, to make arrangements for the meeting to-morrow evening.

Adjourned, till half past two o'clock, this afternoon.

Rev. Dr. Wayland prayed.

Wednesday afternoon.

The Board met agreeably to adjournment. Present, in addition to the members present in the morning; Rev. SPENCER H. CONE, Fourth Vice President. Rev. CHARLES G. SOMMERS, Rev. ARCHIBALD MACLAY, THOMAS STOKES, Esq. Rev. DAVID BENEDICT. Rev. Mr. Shurtliff prayed.

The Corresponding Secretary then read the Annual Report of the Board. See page 7.

Resolved, That the Report be accepted, and be published under the direction of the Acting Board.

The Treasurer read his Report for the last year.

The Treasurer's account having been audited, it was, on motion,

Resolved, That the account be accepted, and be printed in connection with the Annual Report.

Resolved, That there be Committees appointed, on the Burman Mission; on the Indian Stations; on the African Mission; on unoccupied fields of labor; and on Publications; and that these Committees be nominated by the Vice President.

The Vice President nominated the following list, which was approved.

On the Burman Mission-Messrs. Wayland, Sommers, and Benedict.

On the Indian Stations-Messrs. Cone, H. Lincoln, and Train.

On unoccupied fields of laborMessrs. Bolles, Chase, and Grosvenor. On the African Mission-Messrs. Maclay, Jacobs and Jackson.

On Publications-Messrs. Knowles, E. Lincoln, and Stokes.

Resolved, That Messrs. Maclay, Sommers, and Stokes be a Committee, to inquire what measures can be adopted, to increase the resources of the Board.

Resolved, That Messrs. Grosvenor, Cone, and Chase be a Committee, to inquire what measures can be adopted, to obtain suitable individuals for Mis

sionaries.

The Committee of Arrangements reported a recommendation, that there be a public meeting to-morrow evening, at the Second Baptist meetinghouse, at which a summary statement shall be made by the Corresponding Secretary, embracing the principal facts of the Report, and that there be addresses and prayers by other breth

ren.

Resolved, That the Report be accepted.

April 28, 11 o'clock, A. M.

The Board met, pursuant to adjournment. Present, Messrs. Sharp, Bolles, Maclay, Stokes, Chase, Jackson, Jacobs, Sommers, Wayland, Cone, Davis, H. Lincoln, Train, Grosvenor, Benedict, and Knowles.

Rev. Mr. Davis prayed.

The Committee on the Burman Mission made the following Report:

The Committee to whom was referred the subject of the Burman Mission beg leave to

REPORT:

That they know of nothing in the present condition of that mission which demands the special attention of the Board. So far as your Committee are acquainted with the facts, the prospect of usefulness in Burmah and the surrounding country was never so encouraging as at the period of our latest information; and the indications of Divine Providence seem fully to warrant the employment of all the means in our power, by preaching, and specially by the press, for the dissemination of the gospel of Jesus Christ among these benighted people.

All which is respectfully submitted. Com. C. G. SOMMERS, Resolved, That the Report be accepted.

The Committee on the Indian Stations, presented the following Report:

The Committee to whom was referred the consideration of missions to American Indians, beg leave to

REPORT:

mittee, the time has fully come, when That in the judgment of the Comwe should engage in Missionary operations among the Indians west of the

graded and long neglected race already located there; the probable removal thither of several northern and other tribes; the anxiety themselves have manifested to have schools established, and missionaries settled in their midst; and the conviction that American Christians must care for their souls, or the wretched Aborigines of our country will probably perish forever; all point out to us, at this crisis, the path of duty, in plain and unequiv

ocal language. Our information upon these points has been derived principally from the correspondence of our much esteemed brother Isaac Mc Coy, whose valuable and untiring efforts in the great cause of Indian reform have elicited the respect and affection of every philanthropist.

The Committee are of opinion, that prompt and efficient measures should be adopted to establish at least three stations during the current year in the section of the country alluded to, the first station among the Cherokees, the second among the Creeks, and the third near the mouth of the Kanza River.

The Committee do not deem it

necessary to enter into detail upon the subject of these establishments, believing that the Acting Board will make such arrangements as a proper regard to the souls of the heathen, and to the means under our control, may demand.

The Committee recommend that the existing Indian stations be main tained upon their present footing; and if the Puttawatomies or Ottawas should remove from Michigan Territory in the course of the year, that measures be immediately hereupon taken to prosecute missionary labors among them, in whatever region their lot may

be cast.

The Committee have learned with

great satisfaction, that the preaching of the gospel at the Valley Towns station, has been attended with signal success, and many of the sons of the forest have been brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. The prospect there is most cheering, and demands our grateful acknowledgments to the God of all grace, who has condescended to honor our feeble ef

forts with his blessing.

The station at Sault St. Marie, is also in a most flourishing condition, and the Thomas station promises to be useful; and upon a review of the whole subject, your Committee are fully persuaded, not merely that duty requires it at our hands, but that the favorable indications of Divine Providence strongly encourage us to enlarge our operations, and to make more vigorous exertions for the civilization and salvation of American Indians, than any which have heretofore marked our missionary career.

Respectfully submitted.

S. H. CONE, Chairman.

destinies of Africa.

Your Committee think that the slave trade will never be abandoned so long as this awful traffic prevails among her own nations. Until this great and ruinous evil be abolished, little information can be obtained concerning her internal character; and nothing can do away this mighty and terrible evil, but the mild and heavenly influence of the holy gospel. The Committee are anxious therefore not only that the mission should be sustained in the

colony, but that vigorous and enlarged efforts should be made to civilize the whole country, by establishing schools in all its towns, and spreading the knowledge of divine truth throughout

its borders.

The very great mortality which has hitherto attended this mission has induced the belief in the minds of your

Committee, that colored rather than missionaries to Africa. All the white white persons, should be employed as

missionaries have been enfeebled and

finally died with the diseases of that climate, while most if not all of the

colored missionaries have lived there with comparative safety.

Your Committee think, that immediate exertion should be made to obtain pious people of color to become missionaries to that country under the direction of the Board, and therefore recommend the adoption of the resolution which they have annexed to their report relative to this subject.

Your Committee have learned with

deep regret, that the Rev. Benjamin R. Skinner, who became a Missionary of the Board to Africa since the last annual meeting, together with his wife and two children, departed this life

within five months from the time they sailed from our shores. But these providences, however mysterious, your Committee believe, were permitted from infinitely wise and gracious designs. Verily God holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. What we know not now, we shall know hereafter. The Committee feel that it ought to be made a serious question by all the members of the Board: What does He intend to teach us by these dispensations? Deeply sensible of his holy hand in these events and desirous of cherishing all those fraternal and christian sympathies which they so naturally inspire, your Committee recommend the accompanying resolutions in addition to the one before alluded to, for the consideration of the Board.

Resolved, That the Board regard the death of the Rev. Benjamin R. Skinner, his wife, and two chidren, as dispensations of divine providence calculated to awaken the most tender emotions; and that while they lament their early departure from this life, and the great loss which the mission to Africa has consequently sustained, they tender their affectionate sympathies to the families of the deceased, praying the God of missions to sanctify these dispensations, and to cause that they may be made subservient to the final prosperity of that mission to which the lives of the deceased were most solemnly consecrated.

Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Davis, of Hartford, Conn. be requested to prepare a memoir of the late Rev. Mr. Skinner, for publication in the American Baptist Magazine.

Resolved, That the Corresponding Secretary be instructed to correspond

with our brethren in the southern States, or elsewhere, desiring information concerning persons of color whom they can recommend as suitable missionaries and teachers for Africa, and that the Acting Board devise measures, by which such persons can be prepared and sent to that country so soon as circumstances will warrant their departure.

All which is respectfully submitted by order of the Chairman.

HENRY JACKSON, Scribe.

Resolved, That the Report be accepted, and the resolutions adopted.

The Committee on unoccupied fields of Labor, presented the subjoined Report:

The Committee to whom was referred the consideration of unoccupied fields, would submit the following

REPORT:

The fields which we have already begun to occupy, are extensive, and require more laborers. South America also, and Greece, and Siam, and China, and various other fields, have been contemplated by your Committee, with a deep conviction that stations in these countries should be established as soon as possible. In some of them missionary labors might be commenced without delay, had we men disposed and qualified for the service.

In behalf of the Committee,

L. BOLLES, Chairman. Resolved, That the Report be accepted.

The Committee to devise means to

obtain additional missionaries, made the following Report:

The Committee to whom was referred the subject of devising measures best adapted to supply the deficiency of laborers which is at present so deeply felt by this Board, beg leave to

REPORT:

That in their judgment the churches of our denomination are in possession of the means of supplying this deficiency, and owe it to the cause of missions, to turn their attention with a new interest to this great subject.

The Committee cannot indulge the belief, that after the numerous and extensive revivals of religion with which our churches have been refreshed within the last ten years, there is not among us a competent number of young men, qualified by nature and by grace for the work of the gospel ministry, and who only require to be called forth by the churches to which they belong and fostered by them as sons with an education suitable to render them efficient laborers.

The Committee confidently believe, that it is the duty of this Board to address to the churches, and to our young brethren, as well as to our brethren in the ministry, every where, a loud and affectionate voice of entreaty, that they